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Monday, October 20, 2025

Category: Politics
October 1, 2025
Politics

Government Website Accuses ‘Radical Left in Congress’ of Forcing Shutdown.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) updated its website with a banner blaming the “Radical Left in Congress” for the government shutdown.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: HUD, the Senate, and members of Congress, specifically Democrats refusing to agree to a funding deal.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The banner appeared on HUD’s website on Wednesday morning following the Senate’s failure to pass a funding resolution on Tuesday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government. HUD will use available resources to help Americans in need.” — HUD website

🎯IMPACT: The banner is part of a broader Trump White House campaign to inform Americans of the Democratic Party’s responsibility for the government shutdown and its effects on federal agencies.

IN FULL

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) website prominently displayed a red banner on Wednesday morning, accusing the “Radical Left in Congress” of causing the federal government shutdown. Visitors to the HUD website encountered a pop-up message and a banner stating, “The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government. HUD will use available resources to help Americans in need.”

The message followed the Senate Democrats’ refusal to pass a continuing funding resolution on Tuesday, which led to the government shutdown at the start of Wednesday. Senate Democrats had pressed for a deal in exchange for the seven votes needed to overcome the chamber’s 60-vote procedural threshold, demanding the funding bill include an extension of Obamacare tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of the year. Millions of Americans rely on these credits to lower healthcare costs. Republicans, however, argue that extending the credits would lead to increased taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants.

Notably, the HUD website had displayed similar messaging before the shutdown was finalized. On Tuesday, the website warned that the “Radical Left” would “inflict massive pain on the American people” if their demands were not met. Additionally, HUD’s website mirrored an email issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to at least 16 federal agencies earlier that day, which also blamed Democrats for the shutdown.

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October 1, 2025
Politics
UK

UK Govt Slashes Farage’s Security Funding Amid Rise in Political Violence.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Reform Party leader Nigel Farage’s taxpayer-funded security has reportedly been reduced by 75 percent in the past two weeks.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nigel Farage, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and Zia Yusuf, Reform’s head of policy.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Reform reporting the funding cut on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, in the United Kingdom.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The parliamentary security department made the ‘inexplicable’ decision to downgrade Farage’s protection.” – Zia Yusuf

🎯IMPACT: Donors have reportedly stepped in to fund Farage’s security following the alleged cuts, which come amid the ongoing fallout from conservative youth organizer Charlie Kirk’s assassination in the U.S.

IN FULL

Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has reported that his taxpayer-funded security detail has been reduced by 75 percent in recent weeks, despite the recent assassination of conservative yoth organizer Charlie Kirk in the United States and a rising threat of political violence. Zia Yusuf, Reform’s head of policy, described the move as “inexplicable” and noted that it came just days after Farage accused Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of “inciting violence” by calling one of Reform’s immigration policies “racist.”

Yusuf said private donors have since stepped in to cover the costs of Farage’s protection. “I want to be clear to Reform supporters: Thankfully, we have had generous donors step in to shore up that security, so I can assure you Nigel is safe and he is well protected, but that places into context this hideous campaign of incitement to violence against the man who is bookmaker’s favourite to be the next Prime Minister,” he said.

He accused the governing Labour Party‘s leadership of leading a coordinated attack on Farage, citing comments from 11 Cabinet ministers. “The Home Secretary called him ‘worse than racist.’ The Deputy Prime Minister accused him of ‘flirting with Nazism.’ If anything happens to Nigel, I will hold the Prime Minister responsible,” Yusuf said.

He also referenced threats made against Farage online, including on TikTok and X, and recalled personally witnessing attempts to attack him during campaign events. Leftists have on several occasions thrown milkshakes and even cement at the populist leader, while illegal immigrants have issued recorded death threats against him.

The Labour-controlled House of Commons declined to comment on specific security arrangements, claiming decisions are made based on professional risk assessments and are kept confidential to avoid compromising safety.

The security row comes at a time when Farage and Reform are experiencing a significant surge in public support. According to a recent Ipsos poll conducted between 11 and 17 September 2025, Reform leads national voting intention with 34 percent, ahead of Labour at 22 percent and the formerly governing Conservatives at just 14 percent, the lowest share ever recorded for the party by Ipsos.

The same poll reveals deep public dissatisfaction with the current Labour leadership. Only 13 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with Starmer’s performance as Prime Minister, while 79 percent expressed dissatisfaction.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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October 1, 2025
Politics

Trump Halts $18BN in NYC Funding Over DEI Policies.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration has frozen approximately $18 billion in infrastructure funding for New York City projects, citing concerns over unconstitutional diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Russell Vought, Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and New York City officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced on October 1, 2025, from Washington, D.C., impacting New York City infrastructure projects.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Roughly $18 billion in New York City infrastructure projects have been put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing based on unconstitutional DEI principles,” said Vought.

🎯IMPACT: The funding freeze affects the Hudson River Tunnel Project and the Second Avenue Subway project, with further updates expected from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

IN FULL

Russell Vought, Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), announced on Wednesday that the Trump administration has frozen approximately $18 billion in infrastructure funding for New York City. The decision was made to ensure that funding is not distributed based on what Vought described as “unconstitutional DEI principles.”

The funding freeze affects major projects such as the Hudson River Tunnel Project and the Second Avenue Subway project. Vought made the announcement via posts on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

“Roughly $18 billion in New York City infrastructure projects have been put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing based on unconstitutional DEI principles,” Vought wrote. He indicated that more information would be forthcoming from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).

The announcement coincided with the first day of a U.S. government shutdown after Democrats in Congress refused to pass stopgap funding bills. However, Vought clarified that the funding freeze is unrelated to the government shutdown.

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October 1, 2025
News
Politics

GOP Closes Gap With Dems in Tight NJ Governor’s Race.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A new poll shows a tight race between Jack Ciattarelli (R) and Mikie Sherrill (D) for New Jersey governor.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jack Ciattarelli, Republican candidate, and Mikie Sherrill, Democratic candidate.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The poll was released in New Jersey, October 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Voters across the board want a change (76%).” – Quantus Insights Poll

🎯IMPACT: The race is now considered a dead heat, with significant gains by Ciattarelli among Independent voters.

IN FULL

Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli is now running neck and neck with Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill in the New Jersey gubernatorial race, according to a new poll. The Quantus Insights Poll shows Sherrill narrowly leading Ciattarelli 48.1 percent to 45.8 percent among likely voters, a margin within the poll’s error range.

This marks a significant shift from earlier surveys, including a Labor Day poll where Sherrill held a 10-point lead. Ciattarelli’s recent surge is attributed to his strong performance among Independent voters, where he leads 51 percent to 38 percent.

For much of the campaign, Sherrill maintained a comfortable lead over Ciattarelli. However, recent polling has indicated a tightening race, now considered a dead heat. She has been hurt in part by a scandal related to cheating at the U.S. Naval Academy, which saw her barred from walking with her classmates at her graduation.

Sherrill’s advantage has decreased to a 4.7 percentage point lead in the latest RealClearPolitics polling aggregate. Notably, this aggregate underestimated Ciattarelli’s support by about five points in the 2021 election.

Joe Biden officially won New Jersey by 16 points in 2020, but by only six points in 2024—one of the biggest improvements for President Donald J. Trump nationwide.

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October 1, 2025
William Upton
Politics

Senate Democrats Have Forced a Government Shutdown.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Much of the federal government shut down after Congress failed to reach a temporary funding deal before the midnight deadline.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Members of Congress and federal government agencies.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The shutdown began on Wednesday at midnight, affecting federal operations nationwide.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Far Left faction of Senate Democrats shut down the government because we wouldn’t give them hundreds of billions of dollars for healthcare benefits for illegal aliens. It’s craziness—and people are going to suffer because of it.” — Vice President J.D. Vance

🎯IMPACT: Government services and programs have been halted, affecting millions of Americans.

IN FULL

Much of the federal government shut down on Wednesday after Congress failed to reach a deal to keep government programs and services running before the midnight deadline. The inability to pass a funding bill has led to a significant disruption in government operations, with federal agencies forced to suspend services and furlough employees.

Senate Democrats blocked an eleventh-hour short-term funding bill that would have averted the shutdown late Tuesday, insisting the legislation include an extension of Obamacare tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of the year. Millions of Americans rely on these credits to lower healthcare costs. Republicans, however, argue that extending the credits would lead to increased taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants.

“The Far Left faction of Senate Democrats shut down the government because we wouldn’t give them hundreds of billions of dollars for health care benefits for illegal aliens,” Vice President J.D. Vance said Wednesday morning, adding: “It’s craziness—and people are going to suffer because of it.”

Vance also warned that air traffic controllers are “no longer getting paid” due to the Democrats’ intransigence.


Notably, the Republican-backed funding bill only fell five votes short of passage in the Senate, with Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) voting for the measure. The funding bill was also backed by Sen. Angus King (I-ME).

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) voted against the legislation with the bulk of the Senate Democrats.

Image by Victoria Pickering.

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September 30, 2025
News
Politics

Ilhan Omar Trashes ‘White Supremacist’ Charlie Kirk: ‘No Legacy to Honor.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) doubled down on controversial comments attacking assassinated Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ilhan Omar, Charlie Kirk, and President Donald J. Trump.

💬KEY QUOTE: “There is no legacy to honor. It was a legacy filled with bigotry, hatred, and white supremacy.” – Ilhan Omar

🎯IMPACT: Omar’s comments have sparked backlash, with President Trump suggesting to Somalia’s leader that Omar be “taken back” to her native country.

IN FULL

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is doubling down on remarks she made about the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk in Utah on September 10. The Somali immigrant insists she has “nothing to apologize for,” telling ex-CNN host Don Lemon: “There is no legacy to honor. It was a legacy filled with bigotry, hatred, and white supremacy.”

Omar accused Kirk’s allies, including President Donald J. Trump, of trying to revise history. “As a black woman and as a Muslim in this country, I refuse to join the chorus that changes the history of what is on the record from this man,” she said. When asked about the perception that Kirk, who was murdered while debating Utah Valley University students, promoted civil discourse, Omar dismissed the idea as “full of s**t.”

President Trump has stated that he recently spoke to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud about Omar, saying, “I suggested that maybe he’d like to take her back. And he said, ‘I don’t want her.'”

In a September 11 interview with former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan, recorded shortly after Kirk’s murder, Omar and Hasan were seen laughing as they criticized Kirk’s political views. Omar called claims about Kirk supporting civil debate “bulls**t” and harshly critiqued his past remarks, including his stance on gun rights following mass shootings and his response to the death of George Floyd.

Omar and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) were among 58 Democrats who voted against a House resolution commemorating Kirk and condemning political violence. Ocasio-Cortez said, “We should be clear about who Charlie Kirk was,” and described him as “ignorant” and “uneducated,” arguing that his rhetoric sought to “disenfranchise millions of Americans.”

Image by Fibonacci Blue.

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September 29, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Politics
UK

Panicking UK Govt Brand Farage’s Party ‘Racist,’ ‘Single Greatest Threat to Way of Life.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senior members of Britain’s Labour Party government denounced Nigel Farage and his Reform Party as the “single greatest threat to the way of life” of Britons at their party conference.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nigel Farage and the Reform Party, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and other Labour Party leaders.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Labour Party conference in Liverpool, England, on September 29, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We must call his scheme to round up and deport our French, our Indian, our Caribbean neighbours who already have indefinite leave to remain what it is. It is racist.” – David Lammy

🎯IMPACT: Lammy’s comments sparked debate over immigration policies and accusations of racism within British politics.

IN FULL

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and other senior members of Britain’s governing Labour Party denounced Nigel Farage and his Reform Party at their annual party conference in Liverpool, England, on Monday, as they collapse in the polls and Farage’s populists solidify a consistent lead.

Lammy, who has previously described President Donald J. Trump as a “neo-Nazi sympathizing sociopath” and “tyrant,” said Farage “wraps himself in our flag, but his policies don’t match British values.” A son of Guyanese immigrants, Lammy took particular umbrage with Farage’s plan to abolish indefinite leave to remain (ILR)—equivalent to lawful permanent residence in the U.S.—after just five years, to prevent the unprecedented “Boriswave” mass migration under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson from becoming permanent and unleashing an even greater wave of chain migration through so-called “family reunification.”

“We must call his scheme to round up and deport our French, our Indian, our Caribbean neighbours who already have indefinite leave to remain what it is: It is racist,” Lammy insisted. He was echoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who had told the BBC the previous day that Reform’s immigration policy was “racist” and “immoral.”

Chancellor Reeves, whose position is roughly equivalent to U.S. Treasury Secretary in the British Cabinet, went even further, declaring: “The single greatest threat to the way of life and to the living standards of working people is the agenda of Nigel Farage and the Reform Party.”

She Reform of pushing “falsehoods” and “easy answers” to Britain’s ongoing immigration crisis, claiming that, by moving to deport illegals and rescind the residency of legal immigrants who are a net drain on the public finances, they are “willing they are to tear communities and families apart.”

Labour’s furious denunciation of Reform comes as the party is consistently outpolling both Labour and the previously governing Conservatives (Tories) nationally. Labour’s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is now the most unpopular in British history, with a net approval rating of negative 66.

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September 27, 2025
Politics
UK

Poll: Farage’s Reform Party on Course to Win 311 Seats in Parliament.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A new poll suggests Nigel Farage’s Reform Party would win 311 Members of Parliament (MPs) across Britain in a general election, while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s far-left Labour Party would drop to 144 seats, losing 267 MPs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Reform, Labour, and other parties in Britain’s House of Commons.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Based on a sample of 13,000 people over the past three weeks, focusing on the UK, with specific outcomes in London and surrounding areas.

🎯IMPACT: Reform UK would fall short of an overall majority, leading to a hung parliament, with Labour reliant on London for its remaining seats.

IN FULL

A detailed constituency (electoral district)-level survey projects that Nigel Farage‘s Reform Party would secure 311 seats in Britain’s House of Commons in a general election, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party dropping to 144—a reduction of 267 MPs. Support for Starmer’s far-left party remains steadfast only in the hyper-diverse capital of London, where only around a third of the population is classed as ‘White British,’ with more than one-third of Labour’s projected seats based in London.

The survey, which sampled 13,000 people over the past three weeks, points to a strong potential for Nigel Farage to step into the role of Prime Minister—the first in roughly a century from neither Labour or the previously governing Conservative (Tory) Party.

Ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, attempting to build his own far-left, Palestinian issues-focused party, is expected to retain his London constituency as an independent. Numerous longstanding “Red Wall” Labour constituencies—named for the party’s traditional color—in the Midlands and Northern England are predicted to flip to Reform.

Notably, the projections indicate major defeats for prominent Labour members, including Cabinet ministers Yvette Cooper, Ed Miliband, Bridget Phillipson, and Lisa Nandy, along with former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. Even so, at a projected 311 seats, Farage’s party would be the largest in the House of Commons but 15 short of an outright majority, requiring it to form a minority government or strike deals with smaller right-leaning parties in a so-called ‘Hung Parliament.’

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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September 25, 2025
Lawfare
Politics

Federal Judge Finds Trump’s Firing of Inspectors General Unlawful—But Still Upholds Dismissals.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge ruled that President Donald J. Trump violated a law requiring 30 days’ notice to Congress before firing inspectors general, but upheld the dismissals.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes, and eight former inspectors general.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Wednesday by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

💬KEY QUOTE: “President Trump violated the [Inspectors General Act]. That much is obvious. And Plaintiffs raise compelling arguments that the violation must be remedied through reinstatement to their positions,” wrote Judge Ana Reyes.

🎯IMPACT: The inspectors general remain dismissed, but Judge Reyes has yet to rule on whether they should receive back pay.

IN FULL

U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes, a Joe Biden appointee, ruled that President Donald J. Trump violated the Inspectors General Act by failing to provide Congress with a 30-day notice before firing inspectors general. Despite this violation, Reyes upheld the dismissals, citing a lack of irreparable harm to the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit was brought by eight of the 17 inspectors general dismissed by Trump earlier this year. Reyes stated in her decision, “President Trump violated the [Inspectors General Act]. That much is obvious. And Plaintiffs raise compelling arguments that the violation must be remedied through reinstatement to their positions.”

However, Reyes noted that under established case law, the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate irreparable harm. She added, “Even assuming that the IGA comports with Article II, Plaintiffs’ inability to perform their duties for 30 days is not irreparable harm. Moreover, if the IGs were reinstated, the President could lawfully remove them after 30 days by providing the required notice and rationale to Congress.”

The judge denied the request for an injunction to reinstate the inspectors general. However, Reyes has not yet ruled on whether the plaintiffs should receive back pay, requesting additional briefings on the matter.

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September 25, 2025
News
Politics

Trump White House Tells Agencies to Get Ready for Mass Firings.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The White House directed federal agencies to prepare for potential mass firings as a government shutdown looms.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump’s administration, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), U.S. federal agencies, and congressional Democrats.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The memo was sent on Wednesday, ahead of a fiscal deadline on September 30, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Programs that did not benefit from an infusion of mandatory appropriations will bear the brunt of a shutdown,” the memo stated.

🎯IMPACT: Non-essential operations could halt, affecting hundreds of thousands of civil servants who may be temporarily left without pay.

IN FULL

The White House has instructed U.S. federal agencies to brace for mass firings as a government shutdown looms next week. This directive originated from a memo by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Unlike previous shutdowns, the Trump administration plans to go beyond temporary furloughs. Agencies have been told to target programs that are not legally mandated to continue, as outlined in the memo sent to media on Wednesday.

The memo emphasized that programs lacking mandatory appropriations will face significant impacts. Agencies must submit their staff reduction plans and notify employees accordingly.

This situation arises from ongoing disputes between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats over federal funding, with a fiscal deadline approaching at midnight on September 30. Democrats recently rejected a stopgap funding bill passed by the Republican-controlled House.

“After reviewing the details of the unserious and ridiculous demands being made by the Minority Radical Left Democrats in return for their Votes to keep our thriving Country open, I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive,” President Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday.

“They are threatening to shut down the Government of the United States unless they can have over $1 Trillion Dollars in new spending to continue free healthcare for Illegal Aliens (A monumental cost!), force Taxpayers to fund Transgender surgery for minors, have dead people on the Medicaid roles, allow Illegal Alien Criminals to steal Billions of Dollars in American Taxpayer Benefits, try to force our Country to again open our Borders to Criminals and to the World, allow men to play in women’s sports, and essentially create Transgender operations for everybody,” he contiued, stressing: “They must do their job! Otherwise, it will just be another long and brutal slog through their radicalized quicksand.”

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