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Friday, October 10, 2025

Category: Politics
7 hours ago
Politics

Fetterman Backs Nobel Peace Prize for Trump.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Democratic Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) expressed support for President Donald J. Trump receiving the Nobel Peace Prize if the Gaza peace deal holds and the Russia-Ukraine war ends under his efforts.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Sen. Fetterman, President Trump, and Nobel Peace Prize decision-makers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Fetterman made the comments during a television interview on Thursday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If this sticks… I think the whole point of having a Nobel Peace Prize is for ending wars and promoting peace. And if he brings the Ukrainian war to its end, I will be the Democrat leading the committee for his Nobel Peace Prize.” – John Fetterman

🎯IMPACT: The likelihood of Trump winning the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has increased, with bookmakers now ranking him as the second favorite.

IN FULL

Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) is throwing his support behind growing calls for U.S. President Donald J. Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize if the Gaza peace deal holds and Trump helps bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. The 2025 Nobel Prize is set to be announced on Friday, with President Trump under consideration for the award after helping broker a number of peace agreements—including between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Rwanda and Congo—but none more monumental than the ceasefire announced late Wednesday between Hamas and Israel.

“If this sticks… I think the whole point of having a Nobel Peace Prize is for ending wars and promoting peace. And if he brings the Ukrainian war to its end, I will be the Democrat leading the committee for his Nobel Peace Prize,” Fetterman said during a television interview on Thursday.

Trump, nominated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has also received the backing of Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Notably, even Hamas is lauding President Trump. The group on Thursday praised “the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at definitively stopping the war and the complete withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip.”

Sen. Fetterman’s remarks come as the chances of Trump winning the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize have surged following the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. Leading bookmaker Star Sports has now placed Trump as the second favorite to win, with odds improving from 5/1 (16.7 percent) on October 3 to 3/1 (25 percent).

Image by Tom Wolf.

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7 hours ago
William Upton
Politics

Could the Democrat Government Shutdown Kill the Filibuster?

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) discussed the ongoing government shutdown and proposed a Republican-only vote to reopen the government and reform healthcare.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Sen. Moreno, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Senate Republicans, Senate Democrats, and consultant Liam P. Donovan.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Comments made on Wednesday evening with new revelations on the Democrat filibuster aims on Thursday, October 9, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I would advocate to my colleagues, let’s make this a Republican-only vote, let’s reopen the government, let’s reform health care.” – Sen. Moreno

🎯IMPACT: While some congressional Republicans like Sen. Moreno and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene are pushing to end the filibuster, longtime Republican Capitol Hill operatives worry the move may ultimately play into Democratic hands.

IN FULL

Some congressional Republicans are breaking ranks and calling on Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to move for a Republican-only vote to reopen the government and reform Obamacare to avoid looming insurance premium increases. Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH) floated the possibility during a television interview late Wednesday, while Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) echoed the idea in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.

“Tomorrow, the Democrats can change this. They can vote—all we need is five Democrats. My point of view would be this: We have almost all Republicans on board. Maybe it’s time to think about the filibuster, we say, look, the Democrats would have done it, let’s just vote with Republicans. We’ve got 52 Republicans. Let’s go and let’s open the government. It may get to that,” Moreno said last night.

The Ohio Republican added, “[I]f they let this keep going on, I would advocate to my colleagues, let’s make this a Republican-only vote, let’s re-open the government, let’s reform health care. Because, look, the filibuster, it’s something that’s important, it’s institutional. Look at the damages, the real damage, where they can hold this hostage, Laura, for $1.5 trillion in new spending, health care to non-citizens, re-funding USAID, and abortions on demand. This is their agenda. The American people don’t support it. They want us to do our job, and maybe we do it only with Republicans.”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene echoed Moreno’s comments Thursday morning, writing on X: “Senate Republicans CAN reopen the government by using the nuclear option, overriding the 60 vote rule. The Democrats will use it to ram everything through if they get back in charge and Schumer already tried it in ‘22.”

However, some longtime Capitol Hill observers warn that Republicans moving to end the filibuster may actually be the outcome Democrats desire most. After it emerged that Senate Democrats remain mostly unified in opposition to reopening the government, Liam Donovan—a former congressional staffer and executive with consulting firm Targeted Victory—argues: “They want Rs to nuke. They’d settle for a price. But that’s what this is meant to signal—nuke it, we’re not budging.”

The Democrats likely see Republicans ending the legislative filibuster as preferable in the long term, giving them carte blanche to push a far-left policy agenda should they retake Congress. Already, the filibuster—requiring a 60-vote threshold for final consideration of legislation—has been ended for judicial nominees and political appointees.

Image via Jewish Democratic Council of America.

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12 hours ago
Politics

California Democrat Katie Porter Embroiled in Third Bullying Scandal.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Aspiring Democratic California governor Katie Porter has faced backlash after multiple videos surfaced of her berating staff and clashing with a journalist.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Katie Porter, her staff, CBS News reporter Julie Watts, and political figures like Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Videos from 2021 and recent interviews in California have gone viral in October 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Get out of my f**king shot!” Porter was heard yelling at a staffer in one of the resurfaced videos.

🎯IMPACT: The incidents have led to criticism from both sides of the political aisle and raised questions about Porter’s leadership style and temperament.

IN FULL

Former Representative Katie Porter (D-CA), currently the Democratic Party frontrunner for California governor, is under fire after multiple videos of her berating staff and clashing with a journalist have gone viral. In one resurfaced clip from 2021, Porter was seen angrily demanding her staff to adjust the lighting during a Zoom meeting, saying, “I need the lights off… the bright lights,” before cutting her camera and sound in frustration.

Another video from the same year shows Porter yelling at a staffer to “get out of my f**king shot!” during a conversation with then-Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. The staffer had entered the frame to correct a statement Porter made about electric vehicles. Porter’s irritated response continued, “You also were in my shot before that. Stay out of my shot.”

The National Pulse reported on Wednesday that a leaked CBS interview from last month shows Porter rudely berating reporter Julie Watts, who pressed her on the need to win over Trump voters in California’s gubernatorial race. Porter became visibly angry when Watts did not immediately accept that she did not need Trump voters’ support, questioning her line of inquiry and accusing the journalist of being “unnecessarily argumentative.”

The videos and leaked interview have sparked bipartisan criticism. Fellow California Democrat Xavier Becerra, and potential gubernatorial candidate, said of Porter’s dismissal of Trump voters, “I’m not interested in excluding any vote. Every Californian deserves affordable health care, safe streets, a roof over their head, and a living wage.” Republican Steve Hilton, also running for governor, observed, “Fifteen years of one-party rule. This is what you get. It’s time for change in California.”

In response to the backlash, Porter told the media, “It’s no secret I hold myself and my staff to a higher standard and that was especially true as a member of Congress. I have sought to be more intentional in showing gratitude to my staff for their important work.”

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October 8, 2025
Politics

IRS to Furlough Half Its Staff as Democrats’ Government Shutdown Continues.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced it will furlough nearly half of its workforce as the government shutdown continues into its second week.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The IRS, President Donald J. Trump, Senate Democrats, and the National Treasury Employees Union.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced on Wednesday, as the shutdown entered its second week, affecting IRS operations nationwide.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Taxpayers around the country will now have a much harder time getting the assistance they need, just as they get ready to file their extension returns due next week.” – Doreen Greenwald, National Treasury Employees Union President.

🎯IMPACT: Taxpayers face delays, increased wait times, and backlogs while IRS operations are curtailed.

IN FULL

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that nearly half of its workforce will be furloughed as the government shutdown continues into its second week. According to an updated contingency plan posted on the agency’s website, only 39,870 employees, or 53.6 percent of its workforce, will remain on the job. Most IRS operations are now closed.

The shutdown stems from Senate Democrats blocking six attempts to pass a short-term federal funding measure. The agency’s initial contingency plan allowed operations to continue for the first five business days using funds from previous appropriations. However, the ongoing shutdown has forced the IRS to scale back its workforce significantly.

Doreen Greenwald, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, warned that taxpayers should expect delays. “Taxpayers around the country will now have a much harder time getting the assistance they need, just as they get ready to file their extension returns due next week,” she stated. Greenwald also emphasized that the growing backlog of work will frustrate taxpayers further as the shutdown persists.

The notice to IRS workers confirmed that furloughed employees and those remaining on the job will receive back pay once the shutdown ends. However, the Trump administration recently cautioned that there is no guarantee of back pay for federal workers during a shutdown unless Congress explicitly appropriates money for the back pay. Last week, the administration estimated that approximately 750,000 federal employees across various agencies would be furloughed, with some potentially losing their jobs.

The IRS, which employed roughly 100,000 workers at the end of 2024, has seen its workforce reduced to around 75,000 as a result of mass layoffs earlier this year.

Image by Alpha Photo.

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October 8, 2025
Politics

TONIGHT: Senate to Vote on Limiting Trump’s War Powers to Target Cartels.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Senate is set to vote on legislation aimed at limiting President Donald J. Trump’s ability to use military force against drug cartels, focusing on recent strikes against Venezuelan drug traffickers in the Caribbean.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Senate Democrats, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), among others.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The vote is set to take place on Wednesday in the U.S. Senate at 6:45 PM, following recent military actions in the Caribbean.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It sends a message when a significant number of legislators say, ‘Hey, this is a bad idea,’” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA).

🎯IMPACT: The legislation seeks to reassert congressional authority over war powers, but the White House has indicated President Trump would veto the measure if passed.

IN FULL

The Senate will vote Wednesday evening at 6:45 PM on a resolution aimed at restricting President Donald J. Trump‘s ability to conduct military strikes against drug cartels without congressional authorization. This comes after the U.S. military carried out four strikes on vessels used by Venezuelan drug traffickers in the Caribbean, resulting in 21 deaths and the interception of narcotics.

The Trump White House has argued that drug cartels are armed combatants posing a threat to the U.S., justifying military action under presidential war powers. However, some lawmakers, including Democrats and a few Republicans, question the legal basis for the strikes.

Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) led the push for the resolution, citing concerns about the precedent such actions could set. “This is the kind of thing that leads a country, unexpectedly and unintentionally, into war,” Schiff warned. The resolution, brought under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, would bar further military strikes unless Congress explicitly authorized them.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) was the only Republican to cosponsor the resolution ahead of the vote, although others, such as Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), expressed concerns about an alleged lack of detailed information from the administration. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), however, defended the President’s actions, stating, “I’m going to vote no when the President is exercising his constitutional responsibility.”

The White House has already indicated that President Trump would veto the resolution if it passed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also urged senators to oppose the legislation, emphasizing the threat posed by drug cartels to U.S. safety and security.

Despite the support from Sen. Paul, the Democrat-backed resolution is still expected to fall short of the votes needed to pass.

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October 8, 2025
Corruption
Politics

Senator Demands a Special Prosecutor Investigate FBI Spying on GOP Lawmakers.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) is demanding the Department of Justice (DOJ) appoint a special prosecutor to investigate alleged misuse of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) resources by Jack Smith to spy on Republican lawmakers.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senator Josh Hawley, Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Biden FBI, Jack Smith, and whistleblowers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Hawley made the demand during a Senate hearing with Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday and in subsequent media interviews.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Madam Attorney General, I think we need a special prosecutor to be appointed, whose sole responsibility will be to get to the bottom of what has happened in every instance I have just named. I think we need to know exactly who approved the wire taps on United States senators, who knew about it.” – Senator Josh Hawley

🎯IMPACT: Hawley called for a special prosecutor and public hearings to investigate alleged corruption within the FBI and DOJ.

IN FULL

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley is demanding that the Department of Justice (DOJ) appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the alleged misuse of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) resources by Jack Smith and others in the former Biden government to spy on Republican lawmakers as well as everyday Americans. During a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Tuesday, Sen. Hawley pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi on appointing a special prosecutor, but received no firm commitment that it would happen.

“Madam Attorney General, I think we need a special prosecutor to be appointed, whose sole responsibility will be to get to the bottom of what has happened in every instance I have just named. I think we need to know exactly who approved the wire taps on United States senators, who knew about it,” Hawley said on Tuesday.


The Missouri Republican reiterated his stance late Tuesday evening, while discussing the “Arctic Frost” scandal on television. “They lied about it. They tried to hide it. And then, as it turns out, they got wiretaps essentially on eight Republican senators,” Hawley said, adding that conservative organizations such as Turning Point USA (TPUSA) were also targeted.

When asked what information was obtained, Hawley explained, “They were able to get the list of incoming calls, outgoing calls, my location, when the calls were received, the duration of the calls, as well as metadata associated with the phone, and Jesse, that’s just what we know about for sure.” He further alleged that the surveillance was politically motivated and aimed at undermining President Donald J. Trump and the Republican Party.

Hawley called for decisive action, saying, “What needs to happen is we need a special prosecutor who’s going to go at this hard. We need to get all of the corruption uncovered. What we have here is rot that goes all through the FBI, that goes all through the DOJ.” He also called for public hearings and accountability for those involved, including figures like Jack Smith, former Attorney General Merrick Garland, and former FBI Director Christopher Wray.

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October 8, 2025
Politics

WATCH: California Gov. Front-Runner Katie Porter Implodes During Interview.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Former Representative Katie Porter (D-CA) grew angry and irate, and nearly walked out of an interview when pressed on how she plans to appeal to Trump voters in California.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Katie Porter, journalist Julie Watts of CBS News California Investigates, and California voters.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The exchange occurred last month during an interview with CBS News in California, with the footage of the exchange spreading on social media this week.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I don’t want to keep doing this, I’m going to call it. Thank you.” – Katie Porter

🎯IMPACT: The tense exchange raises questions about Porter’s ability to connect with a broader voter base in her gubernatorial campaign and whether she even has the temperament to govern.

IN FULL

Former Representative Katie Porter (D-CA), considered a front-runner to replace California Governor Gavin Newsom (D), may have seen her campaign end right out of the gate. Among political insiders in Washington, D.C., and California, Porter has long been known for her violent temper and narcissistic attitude, but those traits are now on full public display in an abortive interview with CBS Sacramento reporter Julie Watts in which the California Democrat berates the reporter for asking simple follow-up questions. Filmed last month, the footage of Porter’s meltdown spread across social media this week.

Watts questioned Porter about her stance toward the 6.1 million Californians who voted for President Donald J. Trump in 2024, prompting Porter to respond that she didn’t need their support if running against a Republican in the general election. “How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?” Porter responded, seemingly unhappy with the question but chuckling for the camera, before going on to express certainty that she could pick up the remaining 60 percent of non-Trump votes. “I have stood on my own two feet and won Republican votes before, and that’s not something every candidate in this race can say,” Porter said, referring to her time representing “purple” Orange County.

However, she became visibly irritated when Watts pressed further on her dismissiveness toward Trump voters. Porter stated, “I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative. What is your question?” At one point, Porter lifts her hands as if to push Watts away.

After Watts explained that similar questions had been posed to other candidates, Porter said she would seek every vote she could win. However, she ended the interview shortly after, stating, “I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m going to call it. I want to have a pleasant, positive conversation.” She also objected to follow-up questions, adding, “I don’t want this all on camera.” Porter then reached for the mic pinned to her lapel and attempted to remove it while castigating Watts’s interview methods.


Porter is notorious for aggressive and narcissistic outbursts. In an infamous 2020 exchange during a congressional hearing with then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Porter became irate when Mnuchin revealed he was unaware of the then-Congresswoman’s law degree. Mnuchin had asked Porter, “Are you a lawyer?” after a series of terse exchanges regarding the Treasury Department‘s funding of Federal Reserve lending facilities.

Even more disturbing, documents filed in Porter’s divorce reveal a litany of claims of spousal abuse by Porter against her ex-husband, Matthew Hoffman. In one instance, Porter allegedly dumped scalding hot potatoes on Hoffman’s scalp.

Porter, who lost her bid for the Senate to Adam Schiff last year, is bidding to become California’s first-ever female governor. On the Republican side, her challengers include Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News host Steve Hilton.

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October 7, 2025
Politics

Police Union Calls on Jay Jones to Exit AG Race for Backing Cop Deaths.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Virginia Fraternal Order of Police (VFOP) has condemned Democrat Attorney General candidate Jay Jones for violent text messages—including fantasies about killing children and police—and called for his withdrawal from the race.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jay Jones, Virginia Fraternal Order of Police, former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, and Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Text messages sent in 2022; with the messages resurfacing last week.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It is time you hold yourself accountable for these actions and withdraw from the Attorney General race immediately.” – Virginia Fraternal Order of Police

🎯IMPACT: Despite the condemnation, major Democrats have not withdrawn their endorsements of Jones.

IN FULL

The Virginia Fraternal Order of Police (VFOP) has publicly condemned Democrat Attorney General candidate Jay Jones after violent text messages sent by him in 2022 came to light. In the texts, Jones called for the death of former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, fantasized about killing Gilbert’s children, and wished death on law enforcement. The VFOP has called for Jones to withdraw from the race.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the VFOP wrote, “The Virginia Fraternal Order of Police is aware of the recent text message scandal involving you, the Democrat candidate for Attorney General. While this incident may have occurred in 2022, this conduct has no place in our society or democracy, especially from an elected official who is running to be the top prosecutor in Virginia. The men and women of the Virginia Fraternal Order unequivocally condemn these violent text messages sent by you about a political opponent and his family.”

The controversy stems from texts sent by Jones to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner in 2022, where he remarked, “Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, hitler and pol pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.” Coyner reportedly responded, “Jay Please stop.” Jones later called Coyner and allegedly expressed a desire for Gilbert’s children to die to influence policy decisions.

In recounting the incident, Coyner detailed a heated discussion with Jones about qualified immunity for police officers: “I said, ‘I believe that people will get killed. Police officers will get killed.’ And he said, ‘Well, maybe if a few of them died, that they would move on, not shooting people, not killing people.’ And I said, ‘that’s insane.’ But he firmly believed that if you removed qualified immunity, that police officers would act differently, and I firmly believe that it would not result in good public policy, and it would put police officers and the public’s lives at risk if they have to second-guess themselves on a decision they’re making in a moment where someone is doing something violent.”

Despite the VFOP’s condemnation, other major Democratic candidates in the state, including gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger, have continued to support Jones, with no significant withdrawals of endorsements.

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October 7, 2025
Politics
UK

Twenty Conservative Politicians Defect to Farage’s Reform Party Amid Conservative Conference.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Twenty Conservative (Tory) Party councillors have defected to join Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, coinciding with the Conservative Party’s annual conference in Manchester, England.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Defectors from various municipal governments, Nigel Farage, the Reform Party, and Conservative leader Olukemi “Kemi” Badenoch.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The defections were announced on Tuesday, ahead of the Conservative conference finale in Manchester.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Conservative Party is dead and can no longer serve as an effective Opposition.” – Nigel Farage

🎯IMPACT: The defections bolster Reform’s presence in local councils, while raising questions about the Conservative Party’s unity and viability ahead of the next general election, which must be held by 2029.

IN FULL

Twenty municipal government councillors have defected from the Conservative (Tory) Party to join Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, as the Conservatives are holding their annual conference in Manchester, England. The defections seriously undermine the Conservatives’ new leader, Nigeria-raised Olukemi “Kemi” Badenoch, ahead of the Conservative Party conference’s final day, where she is scheduled to give the closing speech.

Farage celebrated the move, declaring, “The Conservative Party is dead and can no longer serve as an effective Opposition.” The councillors who switched represent a broad spread of municipal governments, including South Kesteven, Hertsmere, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the East Riding of Yorkshire, and others.

In a Radio interview, Badenoch stated that the Conservatives’ success would be judged at the next general election. She said, “This conference is where we are showing the direction of travel: a stronger economy, stronger borders and that we’re the only party tough enough and competent enough to deliver both,” and characterized the defections as merely shedding “baggage.”

Brett Rosehill, one of the defectors, challenged Badenoch’s view, stating, “I don’t think it’s ‘shedding baggage.’ I think there’s a strong, growing movement of people who care about British values and safety.”

Notably, while the Conservatives have long positioned themselves as a party of “strong borders,” legalized mass migration remained near record levels throughout much of their time in office from 2010 to mid-2024, and exploded in their last several years in office during the so-called “Boriswave.” An illegal boat migrant crisis in the English Channel also took hold during their tenure.

Reform has been steadily gaining momentum since the 2024 general election, winning 677 municipal government seats in May’s local elections and taking control of several councils previously held by the Conservatives, as well as seizing Doncaster from the governing Labour Party. The Conservatives have collapsed to just 16 percent in the polls, with conference attendees noting the venue is largely empty.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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October 6, 2025
Politics

Social Security Chief Frank Bisignano Takes Dual Role as IRS CEO.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appointed Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano as CEO of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a newly created position.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Scott Bessent, Frank Bisignano, and the Treasury Department.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made Monday; roles involve the IRS and Social Security Administration.

💬KEY QUOTE: Sec. Bessent said that Bisignano “[H]as already made important and substantial progress [at the SSA], and we are pleased that he will bring this expertise to the IRS as we sharpen our focus on collections, privacy, and customer service in order to deliver better outcomes for hardworking Americans.”

🎯IMPACT: Bisignano will oversee daily IRS operations while continuing as SSA Commissioner.

IN FULL

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday announced the appointment of Frank Bisignano, the current Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner, to a newly created role as CEO of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The position is designed to manage the daily operations of the tax agency.

The Treasury Department explained that Bisignano will continue his responsibilities at the SSA while taking on the additional leadership role at the IRS. Bessent remarked, “The IRS and SSA share many of the same technological and customer service goals. This makes Mr. Bisignano a natural choice for this role.”

Sec. Bessent continued, stating that Bisignano “has already made important and substantial progress [at the SSA], and we are pleased that he will bring this expertise to the IRS as we sharpen our focus on collections, privacy, and customer service in order to deliver better outcomes for hardworking Americans.”

This appointment follows a series of leadership changes at the IRS. The agency’s most recent commissioner, Billy Long, a former auctioneer and congressman, resigned in August after just two months in the position.

Bisignano, prior to his government service, held roles as a Wall Street executive and served as CEO of Fiserv, a financial services and payments company. In his new role as IRS CEO, he will report directly to Bessent, who remains the acting IRS commissioner.

Image by Alpha Photo.

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