GET THE APP
Thursday, April 23, 2026

Category: Politics
December 11, 2025
Politics

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell Launches Bid for Minnesota Governor.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has announced his candidacy for Minnesota governor in 2026.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mike Lindell, other Republican candidates, and incumbent Governor Tim Walz (D).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Lindell announced his decision on social media on Thursday, December 11, 2025, in Minnesota.

💬KEY QUOTE: “After prayerful consideration and hearing from so many of you across our great state, I’ve made the decision to enter the 2026 gubernatorial race.” – Mike Lindell

🎯IMPACT: Lindell’s entry adds to an already competitive race for Minnesota’s governorship, with Governor Walz seeking a third term.

IN FULL

Mike Lindell, the founder and CEO of MyPillow, has announced his intention to run for Governor of Minnesota in 2026. This decision was made official on Thursday, December 11, 2025, after he previously filed paperwork but had not confirmed his candidacy.

In his announcement, Lindell stated, “After prayerful consideration and hearing from so many of you across our great state, I’ve made the decision to enter the 2026 gubernatorial race. I’m still standing and I’ll stand for you.”

Lindell will be running as a Republican in what is shaping up to be a competitive race. Governor Tim Walz (D) is seeking a third consecutive term, a feat that has not been achieved in Minnesota’s history. Other Republican candidates include the state House Republican Speaker Lisa Demuth and Scott Jensen, who ran against Walz in 2022.

Notably, Gov. Walz is facing increased scrutiny after state government whistleblowers publicly alleged his administration discovered and then ignored a network of social services fraud schemes connected to the state’s large Somali community. The whistleblowers allege state officials feared being called racist if they stepped in to prevent the theft of an estimated $1 billion in taxpayer dollars.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
December 11, 2025
Politics

Trump Backs ‘Fantastic’ Noem Amid Replacement Rumors.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump dismissed rumors that he is considering replacing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Secretary Noem, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday, during a roundtable with business leaders.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I read a story recently that I’m unhappy with Kristi—I’m so happy with her… She’s fantastic, actually,” said President Trump.

🎯IMPACT: The White House firmly denied the report, calling it “total Fake News” and praising Noem’s performance.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump threw cold water on corporate media speculation that he is looking to replace Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, calling her performance “fantastic” during a roundtable with business leaders late on Wednesday. “I read a story recently that I’m unhappy with Kristi—I’m so happy with her… We have a border that’s the best border in the history of our country. Why would I be unhappy? She’s fantastic, actually,” Trump told reporters.

The pushback comes following a report from MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), which claimed that Noem was on “very thin ice” and that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller was leading an effort to replace her. The report alleged dissatisfaction with Noem’s pace in building new detention centers and handling of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and disaster relief funds. However, the Trump White House dismissed the claims as “total Fake News.”

White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said of the report, “Everything about this is total Fake News. Secretary Noem is doing a great job implementing the President’s agenda and making America safe again. MS Now continues to beclown themselves by inventing narratives that simply are not true.”

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin also criticized the report, saying, “I can’t speak for the President, but I’ve seen more credible reporting on Bigfoot.”

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
December 10, 2025
Politics

House Democrats Move to Impeach RFK Jr., Hegseth.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: House Democrats introduced articles of impeachment against Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI), Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and War Secretary Pete Hegseth.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The articles of impeachment were filed on Wednesday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “RFK Jr. has turned his back on science and the safety of the American people. Michiganders cannot take another day of his chaos,” said Rep. Stevens.

🎯IMPACT: The impeachment efforts are unlikely to gain support in the Republican-majority House of Representatives and appear to be more of a political stunt than a serious attempt to remove either Kennedy Jr. or Hegseth.

IN FULL

Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI) filed articles of impeachment against Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday. Stevens accused Kennedy of failing in his role and criticized him for allegedly neglecting science and public safety. “Today, I formally introduced articles of impeachment against Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. RFK Jr. has turned his back on science and the safety of the American people. Michiganders cannot take another day of his chaos,” she stated on social media.

Responding to the impeachment move, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said, “Secretary Kennedy remains focused on the work of improving Americans’ health and lowering costs, not on partisan political stunts.”

Meanwhile, fellow Michigan Democrat, Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) has filed articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The India-born Congressman cited false reports alleging that Hegseth ordered a secondary strike on cartel operatives aboard a drug boat who had survived an initial attack. “Pete Hegseth has been using the United States military to extrajudicially assassinate people without evidence of any crime,” Thanedar alleged, adding: “Former military attorneys have come out and asserted that his conduct constitutes war crimes. We cannot allow his reprehensible conduct to continue, which is why I have filed these articles to impeach him.”

Admiral Frank Bradley, the head of U.S. Special Operations Command, who approved both the initial strike and follow-up actions, has repeatedly stated that Sec. Hegseth never gave an alleged “kill everybody” order cited by Thanedar. The National Pulse reported last week that Adm. Bradley provided video to a congressional panel showing the two cartel operatives who survived the initial strike climb onto the wreckage and begin gathering the vessel’s cargo. The admiral stated that it appeared the two survivors were attempting to contact other nearby cartel boats in an effort to salvage the drug shipment. At this juncture, the survivors were deemed to be “still in the fight” and valid targets.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
December 9, 2025
Immigration
Politics

Pritzker Enacts Law to Expand Protections for Illegal Immigrants in Illinois.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) signed HB 1312, a bill aimed at shielding illegal immigrants from deportation and limiting civil immigration enforcement in certain state institutions.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor J.B. Pritzker, community advocates, White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The bill was signed on Tuesday at Little Village in Chicago, Illinois.

💬KEY QUOTE: “With my signature today, we are protecting people and institutions that belong here in Illinois.” – Gov. Pritzker

🎯IMPACT: The law creates new protections for illegal immigrants, restricts civil arrests near courthouses, and imposes privacy rules on institutions such as hospitals and universities.

IN FULL

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) signed HB 1312 on Tuesday at Chicago’s Little Village. The radical law aims to shield illegal immigrants from deportation by limiting civil immigration enforcement at courthouses, hospitals, day cares, and university campuses. It also allows people to sue officers if they believe their constitutional rights were violated.

“With my signature today, we are protecting people and institutions that belong here in Illinois. Dropping your kid off at day care, going to the doctor, or attending your classes should not be a life-altering task,” Gov. Pritzker said in a press release. The governor also used the bill signing to criticize  President Donald J. Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, claiming they appealed to “lesser instincts.”

The law prohibits civil arrests in and around courthouses for those attending certain state proceedings. It also strengthens privacy rules at hospitals, requiring policies governing interactions with law enforcement, and restricts universities and day care centers from sharing immigration status unless required by law. Institutions are required to adopt protocols for handling federal agents by early 2026.

Critics of the bill, including White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson, slammed the move. “If Pritzker the Slob focused on fixing crime in his own state instead of defending criminal illegal aliens, Illinois residents would be much safer,” Jackson said in a statement. She added that cracking down on crime and deporting criminal illegal immigrants “should not be a partisan issue.”

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin also criticized the legislation, stating that it violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. “By signing this law, Pritzker violated the Supremacy Clause, his oath he took as Governor to ‘support the Constitution of the United States,’” McLaughlin said.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
December 9, 2025
Crime
News
Politics

Mamdani Defends Choice of Convicted Armed Robber for NYC Public Safety Role.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani (D) appointed a convicted armed robber, Mysonne Linen, to his public safety transition team.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zohran Mamdani, Mysonne Linen, and the Until Freedom organization.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on November 26 via Instagram; Mamdani addressed the decision on December 9.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We will take all of their experiences and their analysis into account as we build a city for each and every person.” – Zohran Mamdani

🎯IMPACT: The decision has prompted increased scrutiny of Mamdani’s incoming team.

IN FULL

New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani (D) has defended appointing Mysonne Linen, a 49-year-old former armed robber, to advise him on criminal justice policy as part of his mayoral transition team. Mamdani described the inclusion of Linen among the more than 400 New Yorkers across 17 committees as an effort to draw on “diverse experiences and analyses from New Yorkers,” adding, “We will take all of their experiences and their analysis into account as we build a city for each and every person.”

Linen spent seven years in state prison after being convicted in the late 1990s of two armed robberies involving Bronx taxi drivers. Prosecutors say that in 1997, he struck one driver with a beer bottle during a robbery, and in 1998, held another driver at gunpoint, allegations both victims testified to. Linen’s defense at the time argued he had no motive, claiming he was focused on a budding music career. He had reportedly worked as a songwriter for prominent artists such as Lil’ Kim and Mase. Ultimately, he served seven years of a possible 25-year sentence and maintains that he was wrongfully accused.

The appointment of Linen, co-founder of the organization Until Freedom, has stirred sharp criticism. Some law enforcement groups and political opponents argue that entrusting criminal justice policy to someone with a serious felony conviction undermines the credibility of the incoming administration.

Mamdani, a 34-year-old Democratic Socialist and Ugandan immigrant, will assume office on January 1, 2026, having won office on a sweeping “affordability” platform that included rent freezes, fare-free public transit, universal childcare, city-owned grocery stores, and a plan to build 200,000 affordable housing units. To fund these proposals, he has called for steep tax increases on corporations and “whiter” neighborhoods.

Some of his proposals have already met resistance from state leadership. Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul, who had backed Mamdani’s candidacy, is reportedly weighing whether to raise the state corporate tax rate despite her longstanding opposition to tax hikes, as New York faces an estimated multibillion-dollar budget shortfall.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
December 8, 2025
News
Politics

Jasmine Crockett Joins Texas Senate Contest.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) officially filed paperwork to enter the Democrat primary for the U.S. Senate in Texas.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Jasmine Crockett and other Texas politicians.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Crockett filed her paperwork on Monday in Texas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “In the past few days, I’ve come to believe that a bruising Senate Democratic primary and runoff would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers [Ken] Paxton, [John] Cornyn, or Hunt.” – Colin Allred

🎯IMPACT: The Texas Senate race is expected to be one of the most expensive and competitive of the midterms.

IN FULL

Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) formally joined the Democratic U.S. Senate primary in Texas on Monday by submitting her paperwork, stepping in just hours after Rep. Colin Allred ended his Senate bid. Allred announced earlier the same day that he would instead run for the House in the newly created 33rd congressional district.

In the Democratic primary, Crockett will now face state Rep. James Talarico of Austin. On the Republican side, the Republican field includes Republican-in-name-only three-term incumbent Senator John Cornyn, America First state Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt. The contest is expected to be one of the most expensive and closely followed Senate races of the 2026 midterms.

Allred explained his withdrawal by saying, “In the past few days, I’ve come to believe that a bruising Senate Democratic primary and runoff would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers [Ken] Paxton, [John] Cornyn, or [Wesley] Hunt.” He continued, “That’s why I’ve made the difficult decision to end my campaign for the U.S. Senate. But I’m nowhere near done serving my community and our state.”

Crockett, a prominent progressive voice and strident critic of President Donald J. Trump known for her outlandish statements and allegations, had previously said she would only enter the Senate race if polls showed a realistic path to victory in November. Recent surveys reportedly place her ahead in the Democratic primary field.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
December 5, 2025
1A
Politics

Trump Admin Brands Europe’s Fine on X an Assault All Americans.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The European Union’s unelected executive, the European Commission, fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter) $140 million for alleged violations of the bloc’s Digital Services Act.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Elon Musk, and the European Commission.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The fine was announced on Friday by the European Commission.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The European Commission’s $140 million fine isn’t just an attack on [X], it’s an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments. The days of censoring Americans online are over.” – Marco Rubio

🎯IMPACT: Rubio framed the fine as a broader attack on American technology companies and free speech, signaling growing tensions between the U.S. and EU over digital regulations and censorship.

IN FULL

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has condemned the European Commission’s decision to impose a $140 million fine on X (formerly Twitter) on December 5, saying the penalty is “not just an attack on [X], it’s an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments.” He added: “The days of censoring Americans online are over.”

Vice President J.D. Vance also commented on the situation the day prior, saying, “Rumors swirling that the EU [C]ommission will fine X hundreds of millions of dollars for not engaging in censorship. The EU should be supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage.”

The fine, the first under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), targets three alleged violations: supposedly deceptive use of X’s blue checkmark verification badge, insufficient transparency in its ad database, and blocking researchers’ access to certain public data.

The Commission, an unelected body that serves as the EU’s executive and the main initiator of EU-level legislation like the DSA, argued that by allowing users to purchase blue checkmarks, X misled others into believing those accounts were in some way officially verified. It also stated that the platform failed to meet the required transparency standards for advertising and data access, obligations set out in the DSA to ensure safety, accountability, and public interest oversight.

The DSA requires platforms operating in the EU to remove illegal or so-called harmful content, ensure transparency in advertising and moderation, and provide independent access to data for researchers and regulators.

Critics, including U.S. officials and some tech‑industry observers, argue that such regulation masks a censorship regime. For instance, the U.S. State Department recently denounced the DSA as “Orwellian,” saying it effectively enables European governments to police political expression online.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
December 5, 2025
Politics

Virginia House Speaker Proposes Redistricting for 10-1 Democratic Majority.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Virginia’s House Speaker has suggested redrawing Congressional maps to favor Democrats with a 10-1 advantage.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Virginia House Speaker Don Scott (D) and President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the UVA Center for Politics.

💬KEY QUOTE: “He’s bullying folks in these states to change the rules, and we have an obligation to stand up and do something different.” – Don Scott

🎯IMPACT: The proposed maps could shift the balance of Virginia’s Congressional delegation, though given the state’s population distribution and close partisan party registration, a 10-1 congressional map is unlikely to be realized.

IN FULL

Virginia House Speaker Don Scott says he’s considering a plan to redraw the state’s Congressional maps in a way that could give Democrats a significant advantage, potentially shifting the current 6-5 delegation in favor of Republicans to a 10-1 Democratic majority.

Speaking at the UVA Center for Politics on Wednesday, December 3, Scott outlined the proposal as a response to what he described as “bullying” by President Donald J. Trump in states like Texas. “He’s bullying folks in these states to change the rules, and we have an obligation to stand up and do something different,” Scott said.

The suggestion comes amidst ongoing efforts by both major political parties to redraw state maps ahead of upcoming elections, including the midterms next year. Scott indicated that such a dramatic shift in the delegation’s composition “was not out of the realm” of possibility under the new maps.

However, given that Democrats only enjoyed a slight advantage in state-wide elections, and Virginia‘s population distribution—with a bulk of Democrat voters living in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. in the north of the state—Scott’s idea of a 10-1 map appears more of an exaggerated threat than a possible reality. Redrawing congressional lines in a manner that gives Democrats such an advantage would likely draw considerable legal challenges, as the districts would likely lack compactness, contiguity, and equal population.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
December 4, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Politics

Tim Walz Complains That Calling Him Retarded Will Lead to Violence.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) is worried that people calling him “retarded” could lead to violence.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tim Walz, President Donald J. Trump, and people calling Tim Walz retarded.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Walz expressed his concerns at a press conference on December 4.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I’d never seen this before. People driving by my house and using the r-word [retard] in front of people.” – Tim Walz.

🎯IMPACT: Walz’s comments come despite much of the political violence in 2025 and 2024 being carried out by far-left extremists, such as the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk and the attempted assassinations of President Trump.

IN FULL

Minnesota Governor and failed 2024 vice presidential candidate Tim Walz (D) has complained that people are driving by his home and calling him a retard, claiming that such language could lead to violence, just days after President Donald J. Trump referred to him as “retarded.” During a press conference on December 4, Walz claimed, “This creates danger,” adding, “I’d never seen this before. People driving by my house and using the r-word [retard] in front of people. This is shameful.”

Walz further complained that he has yet to see any elected Republicans agree with him that such behavior is “shameful,” saying, “I’m worried. We know how these things go. They start with taunts, and they turn to violence.”

The comments come just days after President Trump referred to Walz as “seriously retarded” on Truth Social last week, following reports of Somali migrant crime, including accusations of over a billion dollars in fraud. “Somalian gangs are roving the streets looking for ‘prey’ as our wonderful people stay locked in their apartments and houses hoping against hope that they will be left alone,” President Trump said.

“The seriously retarded Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, does nothing, either through fear, incompetence, or both,” he noted.

The corporate media attempted to make President Trump walk back the comments aboard Air Force One on November 30, but the President doubled down, saying, “Yeah, I think there’s something wrong with him, absolutely, sure.”

He then referred to the Somali fraud case, where some money defrauded from U.S. taxpayers may have ended up funding the Islamist al-Qaeda franchise al-Shabaab. “Anybody that would do what [Walz] did, anybody that would allow those people into a state and pay billions of dollars [to] Somalia… It’s not even a country, because it doesn’t function like a country. It’s got a name, but it doesn’t function like a country. Yeah, there’s something wrong with Walz.”

Notably, hundreds of government workers in Walz’s own administration have accused him of covering up fraud by Somalis and retaliating against whistleblowers.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
December 4, 2025
Health
Politics

Senate Democrats Reveal Plan to Keep Obamacare on Life Support.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senate Democrats unveiled a plan to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies for three years without reforms, but Senate Republicans are unlikely to support it.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), and other Senate Republicans and Democrats.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The proposal was announced on Thursday, with a vote expected next Thursday, December 11, in the U.S. Senate.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If Republicans block our bill, there’s no going back. We won’t get another chance to halt these premium spikes before they kick in at the start of the New Year.” – Chuck Schumer

🎯IMPACT: The debate over the subsidies could affect healthcare premiums and whether reforms like income caps or abortion funding restrictions are included.

IN FULL

Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), revealed on Thursday their legislative proposal to extend Obamacare subsidies for three years without any changes or reforms. Schumer announced the legislation on the Senate floor, stating, “This is the bill, a clean, three-year extension of [Obamacare] tax credits that Democrats will bring to the floor of the Senate for a vote next Thursday. And every single Democrat will support it.”

Republicans, however, are already balking over the lack of reforms in the proposal. They have advocated for measures such as income caps and restrictions to prevent taxpayer dollars from funding abortions. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) indicated a willingness to consider proposals, but a bipartisan compromise has yet to emerge.

Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) have been working on a Republican alternative, which centers on redirecting subsidy funds into Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSAs) rather than paying insurance companies directly. Despite discussions during a closed-door meeting this week, no unified Republican strategy has been finalized.

Schumer warned that failure to pass the Democrats’ plan could lead to significant premium increases for Americans starting in January. He stated, “If Republicans block our bill, there’s no going back. We won’t get another chance to halt these premium spikes before they kick in at the start of the New Year.”

The Senate is expected to vote on the proposal by December 11, as Congress races to address a range of legislative priorities before the year ends.

Image by Adrian Hon.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more