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Category: Politics
February 24, 2025
Politics

Government TVs Hacked, Displaying Gross Trump-Musk Video.

An artificial intelligence-altered video featuring President Donald J. Trump appeared on the television screens at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) cafeteria on Monday, causing shock and surprise among employees. The video displayed the phrase “Long Live the Real King” alongside digitally altered footage of Trump appearing to kiss Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk‘s feet.

The method by which the video was broadcast on the cafeteria’s screens remains unclear. HUD spokesman Kasey Lovett assured that an investigation is underway to hold responsible parties accountable. “Another waste of taxpayer dollars and resources. Appropriate action will be taken for all involved,” Lovett said regarding the incident.

It appears likely the video was the work of a disgruntled federal employee who is lashing out following President Trump’s recent directive to the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to uncover and eliminate government waste, fraud, and abuse. The DOGE initiative has resulted in significant cuts to the federal government workforce, with some agencies—like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)—being almost totally shuttered.

Additionally, Musk has drawn further government worker ire after sending an email with the subject line “What did you do last week?” and demanding thousands of employees respond with approximately five bullet points of their achievements and to copy their manager. Musk warned in a post that failure to comply with these instructions would be “taken as a resignation.” The employees were given until the end of the day Monday to submit their responses.

Meanwhile, The National Pulse reported on Monday that President Trump’s job approval now sits at 52 percent, with voters overwhelmingly supporting his political agenda—including the DOGE efforts.

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An artificial intelligence-altered video featuring President Donald J. Trump appeared on the television screens at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) cafeteria on Monday, causing shock and surprise among employees. The video displayed the phrase "Long Live the Real King" alongside digitally altered footage of Trump appearing to kiss Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk's feet. show more
February 24, 2025
Politics

Trump Administration Slashes 1,600 Jobs at USAID.

The Trump White House announced late Sunday that it is cutting an estimated 1,600 U.S.-based jobs at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). According to an agency memo, effective Sunday at 11:59 PM, “direct hire personnel” globally have been placed on administrative leave, except for those essential to mission-critical roles and core leadership tasks.

USAID disclosed on Sunday that employees impacted by the Reduction-in-Force received notifications on February 23, 2025, detailing their benefits and rights. Essential personnel were notified by 5:00 PM the same day. For those overseas, USAID is offering a voluntary, funded return program and other benefits while maintaining access to agency resources until their return.

The staff reduction follows a federal judge’s decision on Friday to allow the administration to proceed with its restructuring plans, rejecting efforts by several government unions to block the move. Earlier this month, President Donald J. Trump placed most USAID employees on administrative leave and repositioned its leadership under Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

These changes have led to the closure of some office spaces. United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has taken over a former USAID office in Washington, D.C. The shake-up aligns with the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts, led by Elon Musk, who cited excessive spending on ideologically driven projects as the rationale for the downsizing.

Musk asserts the need for a comprehensive overhaul of USAID, calling it unrepairable in its current state. Rubio has underscored the administration’s commitment to continuing some foreign aid programs while eliminating those inconsistent with U.S. national interests. The overarching goal is to maintain effective programs while addressing those lacking alignment with national priorities.

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The Trump White House announced late Sunday that it is cutting an estimated 1,600 U.S.-based jobs at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). According to an agency memo, effective Sunday at 11:59 PM, "direct hire personnel" globally have been placed on administrative leave, except for those essential to mission-critical roles and core leadership tasks. show more
February 21, 2025
William Upton
Politics

WATCH: ‘We Are the Federal Law’ — Trump Torches Dem Governor on Males in Female Sports.

President Donald J. Trump has taken Governor Janet Mills (D-ME) to task for continuing to allow biological men to compete in women’s sports in violation of an executive order signed by the America First leader last month. The National Pulse reported earlier today that transgender high school athlete who goes by Katie Spencer—born a biological male—won Maine’s Class B state championship for pole vaulting, beating out his female competition. This could draw sanctions under Trump’s executive order for the student’s high school and the Maine Principals’ Association, which oversees high school athletics in the state.

“Is Maine here, the Governor of Maine?” President Trump asked during a lunch event at the White House on Friday with a bipartisan group of governors, asking Mills, “Are you not going to comply?”

When Mills claimed she was complying with state and federal law, Trump pressed her from the podium, warning, “Well, we are the federal law… You’d better do it, because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t.” The America First leader was apparently paraphrasing the famous line from the 1995 film Judge Dredd, where the titular character—portrayed by Sylvester Stalone—declares, “I am the law!”

“Your population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports, so you’d better comply, because otherwise you’re not getting any, any federal funding,” Trump reiterated.

Mills piped up, “See you in court,” with Trump responding, “Good, I’ll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one.”

“And enjoy your life after Governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics,” he added.

WATCH:

Jack Montgomery contributed to this report.

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President Donald J. Trump has taken Governor Janet Mills (D-ME) to task for continuing to allow biological men to compete in women's sports in violation of an executive order signed by the America First leader last month. The National Pulse reported earlier today that transgender high school athlete who goes by Katie Spencer—born a biological male—won Maine's Class B state championship for pole vaulting, beating out his female competition. This could draw sanctions under Trump's executive order for the student's high school and the Maine Principals’ Association, which oversees high school athletics in the state. show more
February 21, 2025
William Upton
Economy
Politics

Senate Moves $340 Billion Budget Plan Despite Trump & House Opposition.

Republicans in the U.S. Senate advanced the first part of their two-pronged budget plan early Friday morning after 10 hours of votes on amendments. The legislation, with a price tag of $340 billion to fund President Donald J. Trump‘s agenda, does not include an extension of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, which the Senate intends to take up as a separate bill. This two-bill approach has been a sticking point for President Trump, who has said he prefers the House of Representatives’ plan to pass the budget and the tax cuts extension in one large budget reconciliation bill.

Notably, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) was the only Republican to vote against the measure, which passed on a near-partisan vote, 52-48. The Senate budget plan will likely face opposition in the House of Representatives, which plans to introduce its own budget resolution next week.

“This budget resolution is a complete game changer when it comes to securing our border and making our military more lethal. It will allow President Trump to fulfill the promises he made to the American people—a very big deal,” Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said in a statement released just after 5 AM on Friday.

While Trump has vocally backed the House’s single-bill budget plan, the President does appear to be open to the Senate’s two-bill approach, praising Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) in a post on Truth Social shortly before the grueling Thursday night and Friday morning vote series began. “Thank you to Majority Leader John Thune, and the Republican Senate, for working so hard on funding the Trump Border Agenda,” Trump wrote, adding: “Your work on funding this effort is greatly appreciated!”

Image via GPA Photo Archive.

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Republicans in the U.S. Senate advanced the first part of their two-pronged budget plan early Friday morning after 10 hours of votes on amendments. The legislation, with a price tag of $340 billion to fund President Donald J. Trump's agenda, does not include an extension of Trump's 2017 tax cuts, which the Senate intends to take up as a separate bill. This two-bill approach has been a sticking point for President Trump, who has said he prefers the House of Representatives' plan to pass the budget and the tax cuts extension in one large budget reconciliation bill. show more
February 20, 2025
Politics

Mexico Warns U.S. Against Violating Its Sovereignty Following Drug Cartel Foreign Terrorist Designation.

The Mexican government has issued a warning to the United States regarding its territorial sovereignty in response to President Donald J. Trump’s decision to classify six major Mexican organized crime groups as foreign terrorist organizations. Two criminal gangs from Venezuela and El Salvador—Tren de Aragua and MS-13, respectively—were also included in this classification.

During a morning press briefing, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized the importance of cooperation in addressing the operations of drug cartels.”The people of Mexico, under no circumstances, will accept interventions, interference, or any other act from abroad that is harmful to the integrity, independence, and sovereignty of the nation,” Sheinbaum said, adding: “What we want to make clear with this designation is that we do not negotiate sovereignty, this can’t be an opportunity by the United States to invade our sovereignty.”

“They can call [cartels] whatever they decide, but with Mexico, it is collaboration and coordination, never subordination, no interference, and even less invasion,” the leftist president added.

Previously, President Trump has suggested aggressive measures against Mexican drug cartels, including potential military strikes. This stance was echoed in recent remarks by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who indicated that “all options will be on the table” to address threats from designated terrorist organizations targeting Americans, particularly along the border.

Despite her defiant tone, Sheinbaum reiterated Mexico’s commitment to working with the U.S. in combating fentanyl trafficking. Mexico and Canada agreed to crack down on the illicit drug trade in exchange for President Trump pausing the imposition of trade tariffs on both countries.

Image by Maritza Ríos / Secretaría de Cultura de la Ciudad de México.

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The Mexican government has issued a warning to the United States regarding its territorial sovereignty in response to President Donald J. Trump's decision to classify six major Mexican organized crime groups as foreign terrorist organizations. Two criminal gangs from Venezuela and El Salvador—Tren de Aragua and MS-13, respectively—were also included in this classification. show more
February 20, 2025
Politics

IRS Fires 6,000 Employees After Biden Hired 87,000.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has dismissed an estimated 6,000 probationary employees at the direction of President Donald J. Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Previously, the number of IRS employees was drastically expanded under the Biden government, with a target of 87,000 new hires by 2031.

Over the past two weeks, DOGE—along with the Trump White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM)—has moved to lay off thousands of probationary federal workers hired by the former Biden government. The downsizing is aimed at reducing federal spending and rampant government waste. In the case of the IRS, most of those dismissed are customer service representatives, IT staff, and staff who handle tax disputes and enforcement. Employees deemed essential to the revenue agency’s primary functions are unaffected.

“I think our objective is to make sure that the employees that we pay are being productive and effective,” Kevin Hassett, President Trump’s chief economic adviser, said on Thursday during the White House press briefing. He added: “There are more than 100,000 people working to collect taxes, and not all of them are fully occupied.”

In addition to dismissing probationary employees, the Trump White House had previously offered federal employees a buyout, granting them seven months of severance in exchange for their voluntary resignation. It is estimated that around 75,000 government workers accepted the offer.

While some are criticizing the IRS layoffs, claiming the staff reductions could impact tax season, the reductions only account for about six percent of the agency’s total workforce.

Image by Alpha Photo.

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The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has dismissed an estimated 6,000 probationary employees at the direction of President Donald J. Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Previously, the number of IRS employees was drastically expanded under the Biden government, with a target of 87,000 new hires by 2031. show more
February 20, 2025
Jack Montgomery
News
Politics

Mitch McConnell Throws in the Towel, Will Not Seek Reelection.

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has announced he will not seek re-election in 2026. McConnell, 83, has occupied the U.S. Senate for 40 years, including stints as Senate Majority Leader, and is the longest-serving Senate party leader in history, controlling the Senate GOP for 18 years from 2006 to 2024.

In recent years, McConnell has become a key establishment Republican holdout against President Donald J. Trump and the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. A 2024 biography reveals he wanted Biden-Harris prosecutor Jack Smith to make Trump “pay a price” for January 6, and that he “started to sob softly” when addressing his staff on the subject of the protests. Following Trump’s November election win, he complained that the “America First” slogan is “the same” as the rhetoric of Adolf Hitler’s National Socialists in 1930s Germany.

Since President Trump’s inauguration, he has consistently but usually unsuccessfully attempted to block key Cabinet picks, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard. However, he has few supporters among Republican voters, with around three-quarters wanting him gone as long ago as 2023.

His position has been made even less tenable by semi-regular health crises. On more than one occasion, he has frozen while addressing the press, having to be ushered away from podiums by handlers while stricken silent.

McConnell’s retirement opens up a critical Senate seat in Kentucky, which has consistently supported Republican candidates in recent elections. The decision is likely to set off a competitive race among potential successors within the Republican Party, and prompt interest from Democratic challengers aiming to flip the seat.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has announced he will not seek re-election in 2026. McConnell, 83, has occupied the U.S. Senate for 40 years, including stints as Senate Majority Leader, and is the longest-serving Senate party leader in history, controlling the Senate GOP for 18 years from 2006 to 2024. show more
February 20, 2025
Crime
Politics

Trump Urges Federal Takeover of Washington D.C. to Restore Law and Order.

President Donald J. Trump is pushing for federal intervention in Washington, D.C., citing crime and homelessness as major issues. Aboard Air Force One on Wednesday evening, Trump emphasized the need for federal oversight to establish law and order in the capital, claiming local Democratic leadership is insufficient. He mentioned imminent plans to sign an executive order aimed at compelling D.C. officials to tackle crime and dismantle homeless encampments.

“I think that we should govern the District of Columbia,” Trump said, responding to a question posed by a member of the press pool. “I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawlessly beautiful. And I think we should take over Washington, D.C.”

“I think the federal government should take over the governance of D.C. and run it really, really properly,” Trump reiterated.

Highlighting the Metropolitan Police Department, President Trump expressed a belief that they are not being adequately utilized under current management. Despite expressing personal regard for D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Trump criticized the local administration for high crime rates and for allowing public spaces to become overrun with homelessness and vandalism.

The President also voiced concerns about the city’s image, especially with international dignitaries like French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visiting. Trump stressed his campaign commitment to revitalizing Washington, D.C., promising to rejuvenate the area and address crime rates.

Trump’s prospective executive action may include initiatives to impose stricter penalties for gun-related offenses and minor crimes like public urination, alongside enhanced protection for national sites and parks. This development aligns with recent legislative efforts by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN), who have proposed terminating the district’s self-governance.

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President Donald J. Trump is pushing for federal intervention in Washington, D.C., citing crime and homelessness as major issues. Aboard Air Force One on Wednesday evening, Trump emphasized the need for federal oversight to establish law and order in the capital, claiming local Democratic leadership is insufficient. He mentioned imminent plans to sign an executive order aimed at compelling D.C. officials to tackle crime and dismantle homeless encampments. show more
February 19, 2025
William Upton
Politics

NYC Mayor Adams Back in Court as DOJ Seeks to Dismiss Corruption Charges.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams was back in federal court on Wednesday, where a federal judge scrutinized a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) decision to drop charges against him. Adams and federal prosecutors faced a hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Dale E. Ho, who was appointed to the bench by former President Joe Biden.

Judge Ho did not rule on the DOJ motion to dismiss the charges against Adams, which include one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of wire fraud, two counts of soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals, and one count of soliciting and accepting a bribe. However, the judge did hear arguments from DOJ attorneys and set out a “procedure for resolution of the motion.”

Adams was indicted last September and faces allegations that he knowingly solicited campaign contributions from Turkish foreign nationals beginning in 2018 in the lead-up to his 2021 run for mayor. At the time, federal prosecutors alleged that Adams and his campaign conspired to hide the illegal contributions through straw donors and fake paper trails, concealing the criminal activity. In exchange for financial support from representatives of the Turkish government, Adams allegedly pressured officials in the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) to approve Turkey’s consulate building in Manhattan, despite safety issues.

While most national Democratic Party leaders now claim Adams should resign or be removed from office—mostly due to his support for President Donald J. Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown—that was not the case at the time of his indictment. For instance, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) argued in October that Adams should continue as mayor and is entitled to a presumption of innocence.

Image by Marc A. Hermann / MTA.

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams was back in federal court on Wednesday, where a federal judge scrutinized a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) decision to drop charges against him. Adams and federal prosecutors faced a hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Dale E. Ho, who was appointed to the bench by former President Joe Biden. show more
February 18, 2025
Education
Politics

Education Department Cuts $600M from DEI Teacher Training.

President Donald J. Trump‘s Department of Education is moving to enact significant cuts in the allocation of federal grants that are funding training programs for teachers focused on topics such as critical race theory, social justice activism, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Under the Biden government, these funds were allocated to organizations and nonprofit groups that work to educate teachers on how to push anti-racism and ‘deconstruct’ supposed white privilege and supremacy. Additionally, the grant money appears to have supported hiring practices emphasizing a candidate’s racial background.

Critics of these programs, such as Erika Sanzi from Parents Defending Education, argue that such training emphasizes race and gender as central criteria for assessing individuals, potentially leading to the integration of these ideas into classroom practices and policies.

“It’s hard to overstate how radical these teacher trainings are—we are talking about forcing teachers to talk about their race at work, asking educators to ‘take personal and institutional responsibility for systemic inequities,’ promoting abolitionist teaching practices and defining equity as equal outcomes,” Sanzi said in a statement, adding: “And not for nothing but all we see are declining outcomes for the students that these trainings purport to help most.”

The Department of Education, in announcing the cuts, noted the programs funded included materials encouraging educators to take responsibility for so-called systemic inequities such as racism, and providing professional development on cultural competence and dismantling racial biases. Additionally, the training sought to build an understanding of racial and sociopolitical histories to combat student marginalization.

These funding reductions are part of President Trump’s broader efforts to identify and cut government waste, fraud, and abuse. Additional recent cuts include $900 million from the Institute of Education Sciences and more than $350 million from Regional Educational Laboratories and Equity Assistance Centers.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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President Donald J. Trump's Department of Education is moving to enact significant cuts in the allocation of federal grants that are funding training programs for teachers focused on topics such as critical race theory, social justice activism, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Under the Biden government, these funds were allocated to organizations and nonprofit groups that work to educate teachers on how to push anti-racism and 'deconstruct' supposed white privilege and supremacy. Additionally, the grant money appears to have supported hiring practices emphasizing a candidate's racial background. show more