GET THE APP
Saturday, June 7, 2025

Category: Politics
April 21, 2025
Politics

Trump Backs Hegseth Despite New Signal Chat Leak Allegations.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly shared details about a military strike in Yemen through Signal chat groups with family and friends.

👥 Who’s Involved: Pete Hegseth, Karoline Leavitt, Jeffrey Goldberg, Mike Waltz, and President Donald J. Trump.

📍 Where & When: The incident surrounding the March strike was reported by various outlets in Washington, D.C., over Easter weekend 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “The president stands strongly behind Secretary Hegseth, who is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon,” Karoline Leavitt stated.

⚠️ Impact: Questions have arisen about information security policies within the Pentagon. However, President Trump and his White House communications team stress that the media allegations are part of a broad effort by career Pentagon bureaucrats to undermine the America First Agenda.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump continues to “strongly” stand behind Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth despite a series of corporate media stories alleging that the Pentagon chief communicated details regarding military operations in Yemen through private messaging groups. Late Sunday, the New York Times reported that Hegseeth had sent details about a March strike against the Houthis via Signal chat to a group that included his family and personal attorney.

“The President stands strongly behind Secretary Hegseth, who is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said early Monday. She added: “This is what happens when the entire Pentagon is working against you and against the monumental change that you are trying to implement.”

Later in the day, during the White House Easter Egg Roll, President Trump also addressed the corporate media allegations, calling them a “waste of time” and—addressing Hesgesth specifically—stating, “He’s doing a great job.” The America First leader added: “Ask the Houthis how he’s doing.”

The controversy over the use of encrypted Signal messaging chats involving groups of administration officials began in March after The Atlantic’s editor, Jeffrey Goldberg, was inadvertently added to a group. That specific instance involved a Signal group dedicated to situational awareness and messaging cohesion regarding strikes against the Houthi rebel group in Yemen.

A forensic investigation shows Godlberg’s contact information was saved under the wrong contact on National Security Advisor Mike Waltz‘s phone. However, the White House has stressed that no war plans or classified materials were shared in the chat to which Goldbeg was inadvertently made privy.

DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Madelyn Keech.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 18, 2025
Politics

A Federal Labor Arbitrator Says IRS Employees Can Continue Working from Home Four Days a Week.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The government union representing  IRS employees successfully defended a telework policy allowing employees to work remotely up to eight days per biweekly pay period. A federal labor arbitrator dismissed the Trump White House and IRS officials’ concerns regarding performance and service to taxpayers under this arrangement.

👥 Who’s Involved: The IRS, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), an arbitrator, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), and President Donald Trump.

📍 Where & When: The agreement was finalized last October, with ongoing arbitration over several policies.

💬 Key Quote: Sen. Ernst critiqued, “While the American people are working hard, the tax collectors are trying to hardly work.”

⚠️ Impact: The ruling allows for substantial remote work at the IRS, leading to criticism regarding taxpayer-funded unions and concerns over IRS employee performance. There is ongoing tension over telework policies in federal agencies.

IN FULL:

Prior to President Donald J. Trump’s second term in office, employees at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) secured a lucrative policy allowing them to work remotely all but one day a week through an agreement between the agency and the National Treasury Employees Union. The policy received significant pushback from IRS senior leadership, who contend that excessive teleworking could hinder the agency’s ability to serve taxpayers effectively.

Consequently, the Trump White House and the IRS have attempted to roll back the telework agreement and cap telework to just six days per pay period—a modest change that would essentially require workers to be in the office twice a week. However, a federal labor arbitrator has intervened and rejected the telework changes. “To hold telework solely responsible for such issues is inappropriate. Given the need for supervisors to assess the portability of an individual employee’s work, I am not convinced there should be an arbitrary six-day cap,” the arbitrator said regarding their decision to reject the six-day telework policy.

Notably, the National Treasury Employees Union, representing career IRS and Treasury Department employees, uses taxpayer dollars to fund labor negotiations and arbitration cases with the federal government. The most recent available public data shows that around $160 million in taxpayer dollars were spent on government union activities in 2019.

While efforts to rein in the tax collection agency’s absurdly lax telework policy have thus far proven unsuccessful, the arbitrator did agree with the Trump White House that the IRS’s employee bonus structure was too generous. Instead, the arbitrator determines that employee bonuses will be more limited in size and scope, with individual units under the agency determining the qualifying standards.

In a recent media interview, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)—who chairs the Senate DOGE Caucus—blasted the telework policy and taxpayer funding of government union collective bargaining negotiations. “While the American people are working hard, the tax collectors are trying to hardly work,” the Iowa Senator said, adding: “It is infuriating that our tax dollars are footing the bill for union bosses to negotiate for IRS bureaucrats to get cushy telework agreements and bloated bonus structures.”

Image by Alpha Photo.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 18, 2025
Politics

$1 Billion in Savings Claimed by DOGE Disappears From Website.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Almost $1 billion in reported savings was removed from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) website. The figures disappeared overnight on Tuesday, including a significant $367 million cut related to a contract with the Acacia Center for Justice.

👥 Who’s Involved: The Department of Government Efficiency, fronted by Elon Musk.

📍 Where & When: The removal occurred online from the DOGE website on Tuesday.

💬 Key Quote: Elon Musk described the efforts at DOGE as “a revolution,” emphasizing the role of the department in identifying inefficiencies.

⚠️ Impact: This incident contributes to a pattern of altering and removing savings figures on DOGE’s part. It raises questions about the accuracy of the savings reported and the reliability of projected savings, which have been reduced from $1 trillion to $150 billion.

IN FULL:

Elon Musk is at the center of an incident involving the disappearance of nearly $1 billion in declared savings by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Overnight on Tuesday, these savings figures were removed from DOGE’s website, including a significant $367 million cut dealing with services for unaccompanied illegal immigrant minors by the Acacia Center for Justice.

This revelation continues a pattern where DOGE’s previously claimed savings undergo adjustments or removal due to inaccuracies. The National Pulse previously reported that Musk, in his role with DOGE, informed the Trump White House during a cabinet meeting that the projected savings figures have been decreased from an estimated $1 trillion to a new figure of $150 billion. Musk’s responsibility includes identifying inefficiencies within federal agencies and departments to help reduce overall government spending.

The technology billionaire and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla has said his approach to DOGE’s efforts is akin to “a revolution,” giving the appearance that the agency is seeking significant cuts and radical reform to address the bloated government bureaucracy However, the recent adjustments point to discrepancies that challenge DOGE’s reporting credibility and necessitate scrutiny regarding the accuracy of declared savings.

Reports indicate that over 600 grants that were allegedly reduced or cut by DOGE have been removed from the agency website over the last month, with a bulk of the removals occurring Tuesday night. Even more troubling, a number of the cuts claimed by DOGE appear to have been to programs that had their funding reduced or zeroed out prior to 2025, with some having been ended during Trump’s first term in office. DOGE’s data issues raise concerns about whether Musk and his agency are giving President Trump and the American people the most accurate picture of their efforts to reduce government waste, fraud, and abuse.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 18, 2025
Media
Politics

Wikipedia Escalates Attacks on J.D. Vance With Nearly 1,000 ‘Edits’ to His Page.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Wikipedia editors extensively revised Vice President J.D. Vance’s page during the 2024 presidential campaign and its aftermath, significantly increasing negative content.

👥 Who’s Involved: Vice President J.D. Vance, Wikipedia editors, President Donald J. Trump, MRC Free Speech America, and various media outlets.

📍 Where & When: United States, particularly Ohio; focus periods include Vance’s campaign announcements in 2021 and 2024.

💬 Key Quote: “Wikipedia editors flooded Vance’s page with 883 edits during the GOP vice presidential sweepstakes in the lead-up to Vance’s debut at the Republican National Convention—far more activity than the mere 500 edits made in a five-year span from March 2017 through May 2022,” the MRC report notes.

⚠️ Impact: During critical political phases, Vance’s public image was reshaped with heightened negativity.

IN FULL:

A recent examination of edits made to the Wikipedia page for Vice President J.D. Vance reveals that the online, open-source encyclopedia’s editors made substantial edits amplifying negative content during and after his selection as President Donald J. Trump‘s running mate. The research, published by MRC Free Speech America, found that in the months leading up to Vance being tapped as Trump’s vice presidential nominee at the 2024 Republican National Convention (RNC), his Wikipedia page saw nearly double the number of edits made compared to the cumulative total over the five years prior.

“Wikipedia editors flooded Vance’s page with 883 edits during the GOP vice presidential sweepstakes in the lead-up to Vance’s debut at the Republican National Convention—far more activity than the mere 500 edits made in a five-year span from March 2017 through May 2022—signaling a clear attempt to negatively reshape his public image,” MRC states, noting: “This mass editing began soon after legacy media floated Vance as a possible Trump running mate.”

The edits made to Vance’s entry on the free online encyclopedia almost uniformly use partisan-style talking points to highlight allegedly negative aspects of the Vice President’s background. Instead of a viewpoint-neutral source of information on Vance, his Wikipedia page essentially became a dumping point for Democratic Party talking points and opposition research. This effectively allowed the corporate media to use Wikipedia’s perceived ‘legitimacy’ as a fig leaf to cover their laundering of a partisan Democrat narrative.

Despite Vance having on multiple occasions stated his opinion of President Trump had changed significantly after 2016, Wikipedia editors altered the Vice President’s page to amplify his nearly decade-old criticisms of the America First leader while downplaying his subsequent support for Trump’s policies and leadership. The edits, mostly occurring before Vance was formally announced as the vice presidential nominee, appear to have been intended to undermine his chances of being named as Trump’s running mate.

Additionally, the editors are accused of presenting Vance’s nonprofit work regarding the opioid crisis in a negative light, suggesting ties to Big Pharma. This was further compounded by contentious portrayals of his acclaimed book Hillbilly Elegy, which Wikipedia did not emphasize prior to his entry into national politics.

The findings published by MRC mirror a pattern found with other Trump administration officials. Previously, the media watchdog group found that Wikipedia editors made similar partisan interventions with the page entries for Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and Kash Patel. The National Pulse previously reported that Wikipedia’s cofounder, Larry Sanger, warned that the massive open-source online encyclopedia is likely ideologically corrupted due to the efforts of its former chief executive, Katherine Maher. Maher led the Wikimedia Foundation, which oversees the online resource, before she was hired as the CEO of NPR.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 17, 2025
Lawfare
Politics

Letitia James Faces Potential Jail Time Amid Fraud Allegations.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: New York Attorney General Letitia James, a key figure in Democratic Party lawfare efforts against President Donald J. Trump, could face jail time stemming from allegations she engaged in multiple instances of mortgage fraud and falsification of records. The allegations were made in a criminal referral submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) by Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte.

👥 Who’s Involved: The claims involve Letitia James, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Bill Pulte of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

📍 Where & When: The alleged fraud involved properties in New York and Virginia in 2023, and the criminal referral was sent to the DOJ earlier this week.

💬 Key Quote: Kyle Welch, a George Washington University School of Business professor specializing in financial fraud, remarked on the allegations’ potential legal consequences, saying they “could carry jail time” and lead to disbarment.

⚠️ Impact: If charges are brought against James, the New York Attorney General could face a prosecution based on paperwork errors and falsified records similar to the one that she brought against President Donald J. Trump last year.

IN FULL:

New York Attorney General Letitia James faces allegations of mortgage fraud, sparking the potential for federal prosecution. Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), alleged in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche that James falsified a mortgage application in 2023 by stating her primary residence was in Norfolk, Virginia, despite her official position requiring her to reside in New York.

James, a Democrat who took office as attorney general in 2019, is accused of indicating on a 2023 mortgage document that a Norfolk property was her primary residence. The single-family home, built in 1947, was acquired for $240,000, with James securing a $219,780 mortgage. Pulte also highlighted discrepancies in James’ ownership of a Brooklyn property, where she allegedly misstated the number of housing units in 2021. Furthermore, he raised concerns about a property purchased with her father listed as a spouse in previous transactions.

Kyle Welch, a financial fraud specialist and professor at George Washington University’s School of Business, noted in a recent interview the gravity of the allegations, suggesting a conviction could “carry jail time” and result in James’s disbarment as an attorney.

The New York Democratic Attorney General had sought similar legal actions against President Donald J. Trump in 2024 as part of a broader partisan lawfare effort to derail the America First leader’s presidential campaign. Last year, she sued Trump, leading to a civil judgment ordering him to pay $454 million for alleged business records fraud.

“Letitia James built her ‘nobody is above the law’ brand by prosecuting Trump for inflating his financial condition—statements that came with disclaimers, involved banks that said they weren’t harmed, and still resulted in a half-billion-dollar fraud conviction,” Welch said before continuing: “Was Trump’s case a 100 percent political prosecution? Yes. Now, James is under scrutiny for allegedly misrepresenting her own finances to get a mortgage. No disclaimers. No ambiguity.”

“James and her defenders can’t seem to see the carbon-copy nature of these cases. And unfortunately, New York Democrats and the DNC helped normalize this tit-for-tat legal targeting under the banner of ‘accountability.’ Well, the shoe’s on the other foot now,” the business professor added.

Image: Maryland GovPics.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 17, 2025
Politics

Nate Silver Predicts AOC as Top Contender for 2028 Democratic Nomination.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Statistician and election pollster Nate Silver says he believes that Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is a strong contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, if she chooses to run. Silver, who founded the FiveThirtyEight opinion poll analysis website, notes that the progressive New York lawmaker and member of the far-left “Squad” coalition in Congress is polling in a strong position in a potential primary against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and enjoys some of the highest net favorability among Democrats.

👥 Who’s Involved: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nate Silver, Galen Druke, Kamala Harris, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

📍 Where & When: Silver made the observation in an April 16 post on his “Silver Bulletin” Substack; the prediction pertains to the Democratic primary in 2028.

💬 Key Quote: “Results! I thought I was gonna surprise everyone by taking AOC first, but Galen won at rock-paper-scissors and chose her first instead,” Silver wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) after hosting a mock 2028 Democratic presidential nomination draft with former FiveThirtyEight podcast host Galen Druke.

⚠️ Impact: An Ocasio-Cortez presidential candidacy would mark a significant shift leftward for the Democratic Party. The New York Congresswoman has a reputation as an unapologetic progressive with ties to the radical Democratic Socialists of America.

IN FULL:

In a Wednesday discussion about potential Democratic candidates for the 2028 presidential election, data analyst and political pollster Nate Silver suggested that Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) could emerge as a leading primary contender if she decides to seek the party’s presidential nomination in 2028. Silver and former FiveThirtyEight podcast host Galen Druke considered the implications of an Ocasio-Cortez candidacy while hosting a mock draft of potential Democratic presidential candidates on the “Silver Bulletin” Substack platform.

“I think there’s a lot of points in her favor at this very moment,” Druke said after picking Rep. Ocasio-Cortez as his first choice to win the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 2028, noting: “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has broad appeal across the Democratic Party.”

“I think equally important is the fact that she has very fervent support,” Druke explained, adding: “I think a lot of people are gonna run in 2028 and it’s going to be a contest for attention and getting those sort of people who might be in your boat to turn out and stay with you through thick and thin.”

“I agree with everything,” Silver replied, quipping: “That was going to be my f***ing first pick!”

While Silver agreed that Ocasio-Cortez would be a formidable candidate and well-positioned to win the party’s presidential nomination, he conceded that the national political environment could change before the 2028 election and cautioned he wasn’t confident she’s “sure to run.” Druke pushed back, noting the far-left progressive Congresswoman’s “Fighting Oligarchy Tour” with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), which is currently hosting rallies around the country.

Adding to the case that Ocasio-Cortez could win the Democratic Party’s presidential primary, Silver pointed to current election polling showing the Congresswoman with significant support in a hypothetical challenge against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Silver argued that Ocasio-Cortez’s strong polling numbers add credence to the idea that she has broader appeal in the Democratic Party than previously thought, noting, “New York Democrats are actually a pretty moderate bloc.”

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 17, 2025
Economy
Politics

Trump Slams Fed Chair Over Lack of Rate Cuts: ‘Powell’s Termination Cannot Come Fast Enough!’

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: As equity markets decline, President Donald J. Trump is ramping up criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for not reducing interest rates. The increased pressure on the U.S. central bank comes a day after its reverse repo operations fell to their lowest level since April 2021.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Donald J. Trump, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, the European Central Bank (ECB), and the People’s Bank of China.

📍 Where & When: Trump posted his criticism of Powell to TruthSocial on April 17, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “The ECB is expected to cut interest rates for the 7th time, and yet, ‘Too Late’ Jerome Powell of the Fed, who is always TOO LATE AND WRONG, yesterday issued a report which was another, and typical, complete ‘mess!'” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding: “Powell’s termination cannot come fast enough!”

⚠️ Impact: Trump’s remarks underline tensions over the Federal Reserve’s policy decisions, drawing attention to the central bank’s independence and lack of accountability, and renewed legal arguments over whether the president can remove its chairman.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump blasted Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Thursday morning, arguing that the U.S. central bank chief is too slow to reduce interest rates. Trump’s criticism, posted to Truth Social, comes as U.S. equity markets continue their downward trajectory and the Federal Reserve’s reverse repo operations hit their lowest level since April 2021. Mounting concerns of a liquidity crisis and actions by China’s central bank to prop up its national economy in the face of U.S. tariffs have caused increasing strain between Powell and Trump.

“The ECB is expected to cut interest rates for the 7th time, and yet, ‘Too Late’ Jerome Powell of the Fed, who is always TOO LATE AND WRONG, yesterday issued a report which was another, and typical, complete ‘mess!'” President Trump wrote, continuing: “Oil prices are down, groceries (even eggs!) are down, and the USA is getting RICH ON TARIFFS. Too Late should have lowered Interest Rates, like the ECB, long ago, but he should certainly lower them now.”

“Powell’s termination cannot come fast enough!” the President added.

Trump’s post was prompted by the European Central Bank (ECB) announcing a new quarter-point reduction in its deposit rate to 2.25 percent. This was the seventh time the ECB has cut rates since June last year. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve has only enacted one rate cut in the U.S. over the same period, in September. Critics of Chairman Powell argue that the rate cut was a political move intended to boost the economy and aid the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, Kamala Harris.

Last November, following President Trump’s landslide 2024 election victory, Powell was pressed as to whether he’d resign from his Fed chairmanship should he be asked, responding bluntly, “No.” The central bank chief insisted that the White House is “not permitted under the law” to remove him and other senior Fed officials.

Notably, the Federal Reserve Act—the law governing the central bank—does allow the U.S. president to remove the Federal Reserve board members “for cause” in cases of negligence of duty, misconduct, or corruption. However, the law does not allow top Fed officials to be fired over policy differences—a provision intended to ensure the central bank’s independence in managing the country’s monetary policy.

Despite the legal hurdles, Trump’s Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, indicated earlier this week that the White House has decided on a six-month timeline to replace Powell as the Fed chairman, suggesting interviews for his replacement would occur “sometime in the fall.” The Trump administration is pointing to a pending U.S. Supreme Court case that could overturn the legal restrictions on removing top Federal Reserve officials, along with the heads of other independent government agencies, as the justification for Powell’s replacement timeline.

Should the court rule in the Trump administration’s favor, the White House would likely be legally clear to fire and replace the central bank chief.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 17, 2025
Politics

James Carville Slams David Hogg as ‘Contemptible Little Twerp’ Over Plan to Primary Democrat Incumbents.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: James Carville criticized David Hogg, describing him as a “contemptible little twerp” and suggesting the Democratic National Committee (DNC) should consider legal action against him over his decision to primary incumbent Democrat lawmakers.

👥 Who’s Involved: Democratic strategist James Carville, DNC Vice Chair and anti-gun rights activist David Hogg, Chris Cuomo, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

📍 Where & When: Carville’s comments were made during a NewsNation segment on Wednesday evening.

💬 Key Quote: “Why doesn’t somebody sue David Hogg? He’s an officer of the Democratic National Committee… I think it’s an outrage.”

⚠️ Impact: Carville’s comments reflect growing tensions within the Democratic Party concerning strategies and internal challenges, specifically targeting Hogg’s plan to contest incumbent Democrats.

IN FULL:

Democratic strategist James Carville is suggesting the party sue David Hogg, the newly elected vice chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), over his Leaders We Deserve group’s intention to use its $20 million war chest to support younger Democratic candidates running against incumbents. The long-time Clinton campaign aide, appearing Wednesday night on NewsNation with Chris Cuomo, argued Hogg’s move to back candidates in Democratic primaries goes against the responsibilities of Hogg’s role within the DNC.

“Why doesn’t somebody sue David Hogg? He’s an officer of the Democratic National Committee. He is the vice chairman of the Democrat National Committee, and he’s running against other Democrats,” Carville ranted, calling Hogg a “contemptible little twerp.” The infamous Democrat strategist—nicknamed the “Ragin’ Cajun”—told Cumo that Hogg, along with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), is using the “MAGA playbook” to push “a purity test” that will only result in a “binary battle to the bottom” for the party.

“I would like to know, and you went to law school, does [Hogg] have a fiduciary duty to Democrats?” Carville asked Cuomo. “You have a fiduciary duty to your employer, which anybody can understand. He’s being paid to run against other Democrats. I think it’s an outrage.”

Notably, Hogg admitted when announcing his primary initiative, “This is going to anger a lot of people.” The National Pulse previously reported that the 25-year-old anti-gun rights activist refused to sign the DNC’s “neutrality policy” that bars officials from engaging in party infighting.

WATCH:

Image by Lorie Shaull.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 17, 2025
News
Politics

DNC Vice Chair David Hogg Launches Multi-Million Dollar Campaign Against His Own Party Members.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: David Hogg plans to allocate $20 million to challenge insufficiently woke incumbent Democrats through primary elections.

👥 Who’s Involved: David Hogg, Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee, through Leaders We Deserve, a grassroots organization, is involved.

📍 Where & When: Hogg, who became Vice Chair in February, discussed his strategy in a newspaper interview published on April 15.

💬 Key Quote: “This is going to anger a lot of people.” — David Hogg.

⚠️ Impact: Hogg’s initiative could massively divide Democratic National Committee leadership and affect party strategies.

IN FULL:

Anti-gun rights activist David Hogg, Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), is set to direct $20 million into primary campaigns against current Democratic incumbents. By leveraging the organization Leaders We Deserve, which focuses on electing young progressives, Hogg aims to promote a far-left progressive agenda.

His strategy introduces potential tension within the Democratic Party’s leadership, particularly as it deviates from the traditional focus of opposing Republican candidates.

Hogg, appointed Vice Chair in February, acknowledged that pursuing these primary challenges might lead to significant personal and professional pushback. “This is going to anger a lot of people,” he said, anticipating efforts to undermine him.

The initiative challenges the Democratic Party’s usual practices, which generally emphasize securing victories over Republican opponents rather than engaging in infighting. During a recent private meeting, the Democratic National Committee reiterated the importance of neutrality among its officials, emphasizing their need for impartiality. Hogg was the only one not to sign this “neutrality policy.”

DNC Chair Ken Martin addressed the situation, underscoring the party’s supposed principle that primary voters should choose nominees without interference from national party influences.

Hogg’s approach has been criticized by several quarters. Steve Schale, a long-time Democratic campaign strategist, emphasized that the party should focus on regaining lost ground in key battleground areas, noting a troubling trend in 703 out of 767 counties over recent presidential election cycles. Matt Bennett from Third Way also expressed concerns about Hogg’s ability to transition from activism to his current official role, describing his actions as problematic.

The move comes as the Democrats still lack clear leadership since the election of President Donald J. Trump. A poll released in March showed the Democrats plummeting to historic lows, falling 20 percentage points since Trump’s victory in November.

Image by Lorie Shaull.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 17, 2025
Politics

DOGE Appears to Have Slashed Its Savings Target by 92%.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Elon Musk initially claimed he could reduce the federal budget by $2 trillion during Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign. Once appointed to front the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk revised his target to $1 trillion, but recent statements have scaled back the expected savings further to $150 billion for fiscal year 2026.

👥 Who’s Involved: Elon Musk, President Donald J. Trump, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

📍 Where & When: White House cabinet meeting on April 10, Washington, D.C., addressing fiscal year 2026 (October 2025 – September 2026).

💬 Key Quote: “I’m excited to announce that we anticipate savings in ’26 from reduction of waste and fraud by $150 billion,” Musk said.

⚠️ Impact: Musk’s revised savings projection is prompting skepticism, with critics doubting the feasibility of ever cutting $1 trillion. DOGE’s method of accounting for savings has also been criticized due to errors and inaccuracies.

IN FULL:

Details from an April 10 White House cabinet meeting indicate Elon Musk moderated his ambitious budget reduction goals. Musk had promised substantial cuts to the federal budget, initially aiming for a reduction of $2 trillion. Subsequent revisions saw expectations reduced to $1 trillion upon Musk’s appointment to front the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

However, at the April cabinet meeting, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO further reduced his expectations, citing $150 billion in anticipated savings from cutting waste and fraud for fiscal year 2026. In perspective, this represents a 92 percent reduction from the originally promised cuts to the budget spanning from October 2025 to September 2026.

“I’m excited to announce that we anticipate savings in ’26 from reduction of waste and fraud by $150 billion,” Musk said.

Musk’s newest budget cut target reflects data from the DOGE website, which currently amounts to the cited $150 billion in savings—though it is unclear whether the number is a hard ceiling for Musk and his team. The Trump White House maintains that the original $1 trillion in cuts remains the administration’s goal.

Notably, Musk’s cabinet meeting presentation was unusually brief, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth instead commencing the session—suggesting a possible shift to national security concerns as the administration’s top priority. Musk did insist that the federal government is a “target-rich environment” with inefficiencies being identified across agencies.

Despite its efforts, DOGE’s online platform has faced claims that its data is inaccurate and either miscounts or incorrectly attributes savings. These allegations have increased skepticism among both DOGE’s supporters and critics regarding the feasibility of the ambitious budget cuts.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more