GET THE APP
Friday, June 26, 2026

Category: Politics
March 25, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Politics
Religion

Texas Govt Investigating Alleged Pro-Sharia ‘Muslim City’ Project.

The Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has announced that multiple state agencies are investigating a project to create a “Muslim city” in the state, with some fearing that Sharia law may be applied within the settlement. The East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) is behind the project, dubbed “EPIC City,” which plans to create a new city in Collin and Hunt Counties.

Governor Abbott stated on social media platform X that the project has “serious legal issues,” announcing: “A dozen state agencies are investigating it, the Attorney General will look into it, and legislators are considering laws to restrict it, as well as laws to prevent foreign adversaries from buying land in Texas.”

The project was initially announced in February, with the organizers arguing that while the settlement will be Muslim, it will be integrated. Governor Abbott reacted to the project by stating, “To be clear, Sharia law is not allowed in Texas. Nor are Sharia cities. Nor are ‘no go zones’ which this project seems to imply.”

Raheem Kassam, Editor-in-Chief of The National Pulse, warned that such areas would emerge in the U.S. and Europe as early as 2017. Muslim-majority cities and towns already exist in some parts of the United States, such as Hamtramck, Michigan. Hamtramck’s mayor infamously declared there would be “no peace” with Israel just days after the October 2023 massacres by Hamas in Israel.

show less
The Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has announced that multiple state agencies are investigating a project to create a "Muslim city" in the state, with some fearing that Sharia law may be applied within the settlement. The East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) is behind the project, dubbed "EPIC City," which plans to create a new city in Collin and Hunt Counties. show more
March 25, 2025
William Upton
Health
Politics

New CDC Nominee Is a Career Govt Scientist Backed by Biden COVID Advisor.

Dr. Susan Monarez has been tapped as the new nominee to serve as the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after the abrupt withdrawal of Dr. Dave Weldon’s nomination earlier this month. While Weldon—a former Republican Congressman from Florida and medical doctor—was seen as a skeptic of the public health establishment and the pharmaceutical industry’s influence over government, the decision to replace him with Dr. Monarez raises concerns that serious reform of the CDC is being abandoned.

Currently the acting director of the CDC, Dr. Susan Monarez does represent a slight departure from traditional director nominees in that she is not a medical doctor. Instead, the federal government scientist holds a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology.

Additionally, Monarez—who joined the federal government in 2006—has not worked in traditional public health policy roles. Instead, the government scientist has primarily worked with the National Security Council, the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Before moving to the CDC, Dr. Monarez was the deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), where she oversaw research into artificial intelligence (AI) and health technology.

A SWAMPY CHOICE.

Monarez’s resume objectively suggests she is an unusually ‘swampy’ choice to be elevated to a position that will require spearheading significant policy reform. Her potential ties to entrenched intelligence community and technology interests could draw scrutiny from lawmakers during her Senate confirmation hearing. Additionally, her nomination has received concerning praise from public health officials tied to the former Biden government’s COVID-19 response, notably from Dr. Tom Inglesby of Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Inglesby, who directs the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, advised the Biden government on its COVID-19 response and consulted with the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense (DoD). After Monarez’s nomination as CDC Director was announced yesterday, Inglesby praised the choice, calling Monarez “a very good scientist and a very capable person.” He added: “She’s very committed to public health and good government. Politics is not her thing… I think she will be a strong leader for the CDC.”

Ultimately, Dr. Monarez’s nomination likely resulted from her being a safe choice following Senate Republican resistance to the Weldon nomination over his views on potential links between vaccines and autism. In a statement on the withdrawal, Weldon said he believed opposition from Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) likely sunk his nomination.

Image via CDC.

show less
Dr. Susan Monarez has been tapped as the new nominee to serve as the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after the abrupt withdrawal of Dr. Dave Weldon's nomination earlier this month. While Weldon—a former Republican Congressman from Florida and medical doctor—was seen as a skeptic of the public health establishment and the pharmaceutical industry's influence over government, the decision to replace him with Dr. Monarez raises concerns that serious reform of the CDC is being abandoned. show more
March 25, 2025
William Upton
Politics

Trump’s FCC Warns Corporate Media and Telecoms to Drop DEI or Else.

Media and telecommunication companies that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ideology will face increased scrutiny from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), with the agency potentially moving to block license transfers and acquisitions in accordance with President Donald J. Trump’s executive order barring DEI policies across the federal government. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr says the agency will no longer approve merger and acquisition proposals from companies that promote “invidious” DEI policies that result in unfair discrimination.

“Any businesses that are looking for FCC approval, I would encourage them to get busy ending any sort of their invidious forms of DEI discrimination,” Chairman Carr said in a recent media interview. “We can only, under the statute, move forward and approve a transaction if we find that doing so serves the public interest.”

“If there’s businesses out there that are still promoting invidious forms of DEI discrimination, I really don’t see a path forward where the FCC could reach the conclusion that approving the transaction is going to be in the public interest,” Carr added.

The new FCC regulatory position could impact several major pending media and telecommunications deals unless the companies involved drop their DEI policies and programs. Notably, the FCC is currently reviewing a merger between Paramount Global—the parent company of CBS News—and Skydance, a media production and finance company. Carr’s agency is also examining Verizon’s $20 billion deal to acquire Frontier Communications and T-Mobile’s $4.4 billion acquisition of U.S. Cellular’s wireless operations.

Already, Chairman Carr has warned Verizon that continuing its DEI policies violates Trump administration policies and could jeopardize its deal to purchase Frontier.

Meanwhile, telecommunications giant AT&T announced it had begun the process of ending its DEI programs last month.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

show less
Media and telecommunication companies that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ideology will face increased scrutiny from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), with the agency potentially moving to block license transfers and acquisitions in accordance with President Donald J. Trump's executive order barring DEI policies across the federal government. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr says the agency will no longer approve merger and acquisition proposals from companies that promote "invidious" DEI policies that result in unfair discrimination. show more
March 24, 2025
William Upton
Politics

This Governor Just Returned Nearly $1 Billion in Taxpayer Dollars to U.S. Treasury to Boost DOGE Efforts.

Nearly $1 billion in American taxpayer dollars is being returned to the United States Treasury by Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), due to the ideological policy requirements imposed by the former Biden government on using the federal funds. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gov. DeSantis revealed that Florida’s state government had struggled to find a method to return the funds until DeSantis consulted with Elon Musk, who serves as an administration special advisor overseeing President Donald J. Trump‘s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“For years, Florida has been trying to return federal funds to the federal government due to the ideological strings attached by the Biden Administration—but they couldn’t even figure out how to accept it,” Gov. DeSantis wrote, adding: “Today, I met with [Elon Musk] and the DOGE team, and we got this done in the same day. Other states should follow Florida in supporting DOGE’s efforts!”

In a letter informing the Treasury Department of the return of the federal funds, the Florida Goveror’s office wrote: “At the direction of Governor DeSantis and following his meeting with Elon Musk today, the State of Florida is formally returning $878,112,000 in taxpayer dollars to the federal government as part of DOGE’s efforts.” Notably, the federal funds being returned pertain to monies allocated to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), including $320,386,861 in funding for the former Biden government’s Carbon Reduction program.

Additionally, $557,725,139 in federal funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for refugee resettlement services is being returned to the Treasury. In the letter, Gov. DeSantis requests confirmation from the Treasury Department that the funds already disbursed have been returned and received. Meanwhile, the Florida Governor also requests that any future disbursements be withheld.

READ:

show less
Nearly $1 billion in American taxpayer dollars is being returned to the United States Treasury by Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), due to the ideological policy requirements imposed by the former Biden government on using the federal funds. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gov. DeSantis revealed that Florida's state government had struggled to find a method to return the funds until DeSantis consulted with Elon Musk, who serves as an administration special advisor overseeing President Donald J. Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). show more
March 24, 2025
Politics

Lawyer Claims Rescinded Trump Order Would Have ‘Destroyed’ Firm.

The chairman of the powerful Paul, Weiss law firm says the firm would have been “destroyed” had President Donald J. Trump not rescinded his executive order barring its lawyers from access to federal officials and business. The presidential directive had targeted Paul, Weiss due to lawfare activities against, for instance, individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol protests, and its association with lawyer Mark Pomerantz, who investigated Trump’s so-called hush money payments to Stormy Daniels.

“The executive order could easily have destroyed our firm. It brought the full weight of the government down on our firm, our people, and our clients,” Paul, Weiss chairman Brad Karp wrote in a letter to staff, noting the firm had faced “an existential crisis.” However, he insists the Trump administration “is not dictating what matters we take on, approving our matters, or anything like that.”

While Karp insisted the firm considered filing a lawsuit against Trump over the executive order, he argued that such an action would not have solved the overall problem faced by the law firm. “[I]t became clear that, even if we were successful in initially enjoining the executive order in litigation, it would not solve the fundamental problem, which was that clients perceived our firm as being persona non grata with the administration,” Karp added.

The order was rescinded after Paul, Weiss agreed to “acknowledged the wrongdoing” of Pomerantz, cease any diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) style hiring practices, and carry out tens of millions of dollars in pro bono work, among other concessions.

The executive order was not isolated to Paul, Weiss; other firms like Perkins Coie also encountered similar decrees and criticism from Trump related to their diversity policies and ties to the Russia hoax.

show less
The chairman of the powerful Paul, Weiss law firm says the firm would have been "destroyed" had President Donald J. Trump not rescinded his executive order barring its lawyers from access to federal officials and business. The presidential directive had targeted Paul, Weiss due to lawfare activities against, for instance, individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol protests, and its association with lawyer Mark Pomerantz, who investigated Trump's so-called hush money payments to Stormy Daniels. show more
March 24, 2025
William Upton
Politics

Radio Free Europe Is Suing America Over Funding Cuts.

The United States federal government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcasting agency is suing President Donald J. Trump over an executive order mandating cuts to the organization’s parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Over a week ago, President Trump signed an executive order targeting numerous federal agencies for staffing cuts, including USAGM and subagencies such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Voice of America (VoA), and Radio Free Asia.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is the first of the USAGM agencies to sue the Trump White House over the force reduction order. Filed last week, the lawsuit alleges President Trump and his administration have violated the Constitution and federal law by withholding funding allocated by Congress. Along with President Trump, USAGM senior advisor Kari Lake is named in the lawsuit.

“We’re living off of our savings right now,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty president Stephen Capus said in a recent media interview. He added: “And we are in a position where we’re going to have to take some pretty drastic actions in the not-too-distant future.”

At the heart of the lawsuit is the question of presidential impoundments—where the executive branch either withholds or does not fully allocate funding appropriated by Congress. While Congress over 50 years ago legislatively moved to restrict the president’s power to withhold funding explicitly appropriated by the legislative branch, the question of impoundments remains an open one. The Supreme Court has avoided definitely settling the matter, though the judicial body has ruled that presidents cannot unreasonably withhold Congressionally appropriated funding.

Image by Petr Kadlec.

show less
The United States federal government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcasting agency is suing President Donald J. Trump over an executive order mandating cuts to the organization's parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Over a week ago, President Trump signed an executive order targeting numerous federal agencies for staffing cuts, including USAGM and subagencies such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Voice of America (VoA), and Radio Free Asia. show more
March 21, 2025
Politics

This Federal Agency Will Slash Its Workforce by 43% in Executive Branch Downsizing.

President Donald J. Trump’s push to reduce federal government waste, fraud, and abuse will see the Small Business Administration (SBA) reduce its workforce by over 40 percent. The impending cuts, which aim to save more than $435 million annually, will impact roughly 6,500 bureaucrats.

“The strategic reorganization will begin a turnaround for the agency by restoring the efficiency of the first Trump Administration, as well as its focus on promoting small businesses,” the SBA said in a statement, adding: “Core services to the public, including the agency’s loan guarantee and disaster assistance programs, as well as its field and veteran operations, will not be impacted.”

Kelly Loeffler assumed leadership as the SBA’s administrator following her Senate confirmation in February. In a video message shared on social media, she emphasized the need for “rightsizing” due to inefficiencies stemming from the agency’s expansion during the pandemic.

“Since the pandemic, the SBA has doubled its workforce, expanding in size, scope, and spending with miserable results,” SBA Administrator Loeffler said. “That’s why change is coming to the SBA… This agency is done wasting millions of tax dollars to fund a progressive pandemic-era bureaucracy.”

“We will not allow fiscal mismanagement to threaten our loan programs or criminals to get away with fraud. But we will evaluate every program and expenditure, and we will rightsize the agency to transform the SBA into a high-efficiency engine for America’s entrepreneurs and taxpayers,” she added.

President Trump recently announced a shift in responsibilities, assigning the SBA to manage federal student loan programs. This decision follows an order to downsize the Department of Education, which has traditionally overseen these programs.

WATCH:

Image via Flickr.

show less
President Donald J. Trump's push to reduce federal government waste, fraud, and abuse will see the Small Business Administration (SBA) reduce its workforce by over 40 percent. The impending cuts, which aim to save more than $435 million annually, will impact roughly 6,500 bureaucrats. show more
March 21, 2025
Immigration
Politics
World

UFC Legend Conor McGregor Enters Race for Irish Presidency.

Conor McGregor, the renowned UFC fighter and former multi-division champion, has declared his intention to run for the presidency of Ireland. Announcing his candidacy on social media platforms X and Instagram, McGregor focused his campaign message on his opposition to the European Union’s Migration Pact.

Recent meetings between McGregor, U.S. President Donald J. Trump, and tech billionaire Elon Musk seem to have galvanized McGregor’s political ambition. The 36-year-old contender criticized Ireland’s commitment to the pact, pledging to hold a referendum should he be elected. “It is the people of Ireland’s choice,” McGregor emphasized in his campaign statement.

During his visit to Washington, D.C., on March 17, McGregor expressed discontent with current Irish policies, slamming Ireland’s migration policies and saying the country is being “overrun” by illegal aliens.

However, the role McGregor seeks is largely ceremonial, with limited powers compared to executive presidencies like that in the U.S. The Irish president’s duties include endorsing legislation passed by Parliament—with no obvious veto power—and serving as a symbolic figurehead.

Moreover, the Irish political establishment tightly controls who is allowed to run for the presidency, with McGregor unable to enter the race unless a minimum number of national legislators or local governments agree to nominate him.

McGregor has been a firm opponent of mass migration on social media and has been targetted by the Irish government over allegations of hate speech, with police launching an investigation against him in 2023. McGregor had stated, “Ireland, we are at war,” following a mass stabbing of children in Dublin that year.

Image by Andrius Petrucenia.

show less
Conor McGregor, the renowned UFC fighter and former multi-division champion, has declared his intention to run for the presidency of Ireland. Announcing his candidacy on social media platforms X and Instagram, McGregor focused his campaign message on his opposition to the European Union's Migration Pact. show more
March 19, 2025
Politics

RINO Senator Vows to Fight Trump’s DOGE Because Firing Bureaucrats Is ‘Traumatizing.’

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a vocal critic of President Donald J. Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) within the Republican Party, addressed a potential primary challenge funded by DOGE frontman Elon Musk during a press conference in Juneau, Alaska, on Tuesday. Murkowski, known for her Republican-in-name-only (RINO) stances that often frustrate her Senate Republican colleagues, struck a defiant tone regarding a potential primary threat.

“It may be that Elon Musk has decided he’s going to take the next billion dollars that he makes off of Starlink and put it directly against Lisa Murkowski,” the Alaska Republican said, referring to herself in the third person. Murkowski continued: “And you know what? That may happen. But I’m not giving up one minute, one opportunity, to try to stand up for Alaskans.”

Murkowski also commented on what she perceives as her GOP colleagues’ reticence to voice opposition to President Trump and his White House, attributing this silence to fears of facing primary challenges. “They’re looking at how many things are being thrown at me, and it’s like, ‘Maybe I just better duck and cover,'” she remarked.

Regarding DOGE, Murkowski reiterated her disapproval of recent cost-cutting measures, citing them as a source of undue “anxiety.” She criticized the supposedly indiscriminate and, in her view, sometimes unlawful termination of federal employees in Alaska, claiming they are “traumatizing people” and “leaving holes in our communities.”

Notably, Murkowski has faced little political opposition in Alaska since her write-in defeat of Republican Joe Miller in 2010. Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system—which Murkowski pushed to implement—gives her an additional edge in the state, allowing her to draw support from political moderates and Democrats.

Nonetheless, she acknowledged the potential influence of Musk’s capital, with his super PAC—America PAC—declaring its intent to actively participate in future primaries aimed at unseating Republicans who are insufficiently aligned with Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) agenda.

WATCH:

show less
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a vocal critic of President Donald J. Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) within the Republican Party, addressed a potential primary challenge funded by DOGE frontman Elon Musk during a press conference in Juneau, Alaska, on Tuesday. Murkowski, known for her Republican-in-name-only (RINO) stances that often frustrate her Senate Republican colleagues, struck a defiant tone regarding a potential primary threat. show more
March 19, 2025
Politics

U.S. Institute of Peace Sues DOGE, Trump After Leadership Removed by Police.

The U.S. Institute of Peace—established by Congress in 1984—is petitioning a federal judge to halt actions initiated by President Donald J. Trump‘s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which they describe as an illegal attempt to seize control of the institute. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges a “takeover by force” and aims to prevent what the institute characterizes as a “lawless assault.”

The conflict escalated on Monday when police assisted in removing institute staff from their Washington headquarters. This followed actions by the White House to reorganize the institute’s leadership, including naming a new acting president.

Last month, President Trump enacted an executive order mandating the institute downsize its activities to a “statutory minimum.” However, institute officials argue that the Trump White House lacks the authority to dismantle its operations, arguing that the institute is a congressionally chartered NGO and not technically part of the executive branch.

Central to the institute’s legal argument is the claim that the executive order wrongly identifies it as a “government entity.” The suit accuses the Elon Musk-led DOGE staff of trying to seize control of the institute’s infrastructure, including sensitive computer systems.

The Justice Department (DOJ) countered these assertions by maintaining that the institute is indeed a government entity and that the President is empowered to replace board members.

Image by USIP.

show less
The U.S. Institute of Peace—established by Congress in 1984—is petitioning a federal judge to halt actions initiated by President Donald J. Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which they describe as an illegal attempt to seize control of the institute. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges a "takeover by force" and aims to prevent what the institute characterizes as a "lawless assault." show more