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Saturday, April 25, 2026
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The National Pulse
News

Argie-Bargie as the King Arrives – Friday, April 24, 2026.

This is the National Pulse nightly newsletter, which goes out to subscribers of The National Pulse every evening. On Fridays, I send it to my wider list, with the hopes you’ll all join and support our work. Thank you.
The National Pulse
Nightly.
Friday, April 24, 2026  •  Nº 12
Where MAGA goes to know.
— Tonight’s Cover —
King’s visit overshadowed by Iran-Falklands row.
Presented by  —  Advertise here: media@thenationalpulse.com
Photo of the Day
Photo of the Day
Travis Smith — who was born deaf, was diagnosed with the OTOG mutation, and received Regeneron’s experimental therapy at 18 months as part of a clinical trial — sprawls out on the floor of the Oval Office during a press event, April 23, 2026.
PHOTO: MOLLY RILEY
— From the Editor —
The flags are already up around the White House (the British flags, that is), so it’s probably too late for either nation to back out of an impending State Visit from King Charles on Monday — though secretly I reckon both the U.S. and UK wish this weren’t going on right this very minute.
With all the festivities of the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) weekend having already kicked off, the parties will bleed into Monday and Tuesday, as the King arrives for a meeting with President Trump, as well as to deliver a speech to a joint session of Congress. I will be present, thanks to friends in medium to high places, and will report back from the inside.
There are a LOT of events all around town right now. On Wednesday, TownHall threw a party at Butterworth’s, featuring all manner of MAGA VIPs. There was also a very high-profile speech at the British Embassy that night, from historian Robert Hardman. Dignitaries in the room included Cabinet Secretaries and top-level admin staff.
Last night, I stopped in at the YouTube/C-SPAN party at the gorgeous Meridian Hill International Center, followed by the European Union Embassy party. The former was demure and delicate. The latter was tubthumpingly Euro, with many admin staff and D.C. dignitaries in attendance at both.
Tonight, the Daily Mail throws another party at the British Embassy, but the hottest ticket in town is the Executive Branch (Don Jr.’s private club) bash, featuring rapper Nelly. Tomorrow is the actual WHCA dinner, at which President Trump is due to speak. On Sunday, CNN is throwing a brunch at the British Embassy — and then there’s another Garden Party at the British Embassy on Monday, for the arrival of the King.
I hope to still be alive by midweek. Have a great weekend.
Raheem J. Kassam
Editor-in-Chief
Tonight’s Briefing
US-UK · Special Relationship
1. Rumored Memo Suggests U.S. Could Turn on UK Over Falkland Islands.
A leaked Pentagon email floats withdrawing U.S. support for European “imperial possessions” — punishment for NATO’s Iran-war refuseniks.
■ Pulse Points  /  Imperial Possessions
What Happened —  A leaked, rumored Pentagon email floated reviewing U.S. support for European “imperial possessions,” including Britain’s Falkland Islands, in retaliation for European governments refusing to support U.S. operations against Iran. Other measures include blocking nationals of “difficult” countries from senior NATO positions and suspending socialist-led Spain from the alliance altogether.
The Detail —  Britain, Spain, and Italy all denied the U.S. airspace and basing rights during Operation Epic Fury. The memo obtained by Reuters complained that “ABO” — access, basing, and overflight — should be “just the absolute baseline for NATO”. The National Pulse understands the document has not yet been seriously discussed at the highest level, though the President is understood to believe in ratcheting up pressure on allies.
Key Quote —  “The Prime Minister has been clear repeatedly that he will not be pressured. He will always take a strong position on the UK’s national interests, and the Falklands is no different… Sovereignty rests with the UK and self-determination is paramount.” – Downing Street spokesman
Flashback —  In 2013, Falkland Islanders voted overwhelmingly to remain a British Overseas Territory — 99.8 percent in favor. Officially, the U.S. is neutral on the British and Argentine claims, though support was provided to the British when Argentina tried to take the islands by force in 1982.
● ● ●
NATO · Alliance
2. NATO Backs Spain Amid U.S. Ouster Rumors.
NATO official: the founding treaty “does not foresee any provision for suspension of NATO membership, or expulsion.”
■ Pulse Points  /  Paper Tiger
What Happened —  The rumored Pentagon email outlining potential retaliation against NATO allies who failed to support the U.S. in Iran suggested Spain could be suspended from the alliance. A NATO official has told the BBC the treaty “does not foresee any provision for suspension of NATO membership, or expulsion.”
The Detail —  The Socialist Party-led country, along with several other European NATO members, refused the U.S. access, basing, and overflight rights amid the war with Iran. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told reporters at an EU summit in Cyprus: “We do not work based on emails. We work with official documents and official positions taken, in this case, by the government of the United States.”
Key Quote —  “As President Trump has said, despite everything that the United States has done for our NATO allies, they were not there for us. The War Department will ensure that the President has credible options to ensure that our allies are no longer a paper tiger.” – Kingsley Wilson, Pentagon Press Secretary
● ● ●
Tariffs · Tech
3. Trump Threatens ‘Big Tariff’ on Britain Over Tech Tax.
British digital services levy raked in £800m last year — nearly all of it from U.S. tech giants.
■ Pulse Points  /  Drop the Tax
What Happened —  President Trump has warned the British government that the U.S. will impose significant tariffs if it does not repeal its digital services tax — a levy that falls heavily on U.S. tech firms due to their dominant international position.
The Detail —  The two percent levy is imposed on companies with digital revenues exceeding £500 million and over £25 million from British users. Heavy impact on Google, Apple, and Meta. PM Sir Keir Starmer has defended the tax as a necessary fiscal measure, generating £800 million in revenue during 2024-2025.
Key Quote —  “If they don’t drop the tax, we’ll probably put a big tariff on the UK.” – President Donald J. Trump
● ● ●
State Visit · New York
4. Mamdani Set to Meet King Charles in New York.
The pair will appear together at a 9/11 memorial wreath-laying ceremony during the King’s state visit.
■ Pulse Points  /  Manhattan Stop
What Happened —  King Charles III and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) are scheduled to appear together at a wreath-laying ceremony at the 9/11 memorial in Manhattan next week, alongside other New York elected officials and members of the British royal family.
The Detail —  The state visit begins Monday with two days in Washington, D.C., followed by travel to New York and Virginia. Mamdani — whose Uganda-born father has built a career attacking the British Empire — will attend the joint ceremony but will not hold a private meeting with the King.
Impact —  The King’s four-day visit also includes a private meeting with President Trump and an address to Congress to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
● ● ●
DOJ · Death Penalty
5. Trump DOJ Reinstates Firing Squads for Federal Executions.
Reversing the Biden-era moratorium and the Garland commutations — 44 defendants currently face federal death sentences.
■ Pulse Points  /  The Ultimate Penalty
What Happened —  The U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday it will reinstate firing squads as a method of federal execution, plus the pentobarbital lethal injection protocol used during the first Trump administration — reversing Biden-era policies obstructing the execution of the country’s worst criminals.
The Detail —  The DOJ recalled how the former Biden government had “imposed an indefinite moratorium on executions,” “declined to seek the death penalty in many horrific cases,” and “effectively empt[ied] federal death row by commuting the death sentences of 37 of 40 death-row inmates” based on Attorney General Garland’s personal opposition — without consulting all victims’ families.
Key Quote —  “The prior administration failed in its duty to protect the American people by refusing to pursue and carry out the ultimate punishment against the most dangerous criminals, including terrorists, child murderers, and cop killers.” – Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche
Impact —  The shift potentially affects 44 defendants currently facing death sentences. The DOJ is also considering a rule to empower states to streamline federal habeas review of capital cases — which would “reduce by years the period between conviction and execution.”
● ● ●
Dark Money · Treasury
6. How the SPLC Indictment Will Change ‘Dark Money’ Operations Forever.
Treasury revising IRS Form 990 reporting requirements in the wake of the SPLC scandal — fraud and abuse “behind complicated non-profit arrangements” is the target.
■ Pulse Points  /  Manufactured Hate
What Happened —  The U.S. Treasury Department has announced changes to IRS Form 990 reporting requirements following allegations that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) misused tax-exempt money to fund extremist group leaders.
The Detail —  The DOJ indictment earlier this week alleges the SPLC funneled over $3 million over the course of a decade to leaders and organizers of the Ku Klux Klan, the American Nazi Party, and Aryan Nations — including organizers of the 2017 Unite the Right rally. In 2024, the SPLC reported $800 million in assets and $129 million in revenue. The Form 990 loophole has long allowed organizations to obscure donor identities and payment recipients.
Key Quote —  “Public money and tax-exempt status demand public accountability. We are ending the days of hiding fraud, abuse, and extremist activity behind complicated non-profit arrangements.” – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
Impact —  The changes target groups that allegedly manufacture “hate” in order to generate revenue — a pattern long alleged about the SPLC by conservative critics.
● ● ●
Congress · Corruption
7. Calls to Pardon Soldier Who Bet $400K on Maduro Capture.
Luna: “Members are illegally profiting every day.”
■ Pulse Points  /  Skewed Justice
What Happened —  Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) called for the pardon of active-duty soldier Gannon Ken van Dyke, who was arrested this week after profiting around $400,000 on Polymarket by betting on the fall of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro — using insider knowledge gained while helping plan Operation Absolute Resolve.
The Detail —  Van Dyke bet on the date of Maduro’s fall starting around December 26. U.S. forces captured Maduro on January 3. Luna acknowledges his actions were wrong and called for the winnings to be disgorged, but argues the pardon is warranted because of rampant congressional insider trading that goes unpunished. If not pardoned, Van Dyke could face up to 60 years in prison.
Key Quote —  “Maybe not a popular take but I am calling for this guy to be pardoned. Unless the DOJ plans on going after all the crooks in Congress currently insider trading, this is simply skewed justice.” – Rep. Anna Paulina Luna
● ● ●
Tech · China
8. Eric Trump-Backed Robot Startup Lands $24M Pentagon Deal.
Humanoid “Phantom” robots to break into enemy sites — and catch up with China’s rapidly advancing robotics sector.
■ Pulse Points  /  Phantom Menace
What Happened —  The Pentagon has awarded a $24 million contract to Foundation Future Industries to develop and test humanoid robots for military use. The heavy-duty robots are designed to break into enemy sites, reduce risk to American soldiers, and ensure the U.S. maintains a competitive edge against China. Eric Trump is chief strategy advisor at the firm.
The Detail —  Foundation Future Industries has developed the Phantom Mark 1, an early-production robot, and the Phantom Mark 2, a mass-manufacturing model. The deal lands as China continues to make significant strides in robotics, recently breaking human records in the half-marathon.
Key Quote —  “We are America First. We have to win this race. The uses are unlimited, and I think it’s a very beautiful thing, but we must win this race.” – Eric Trump
On This Day
In History.
1704
The Boston News-Letter, America’s first continuously published newspaper, begins publication.
1800
President John Adams establishes the Library of Congress with a $5,000 appropriation.
1953
Winston Churchill is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
1967
Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov dies on Soyuz 1 re-entry — the first human killed during spaceflight.
1980
Operation Eagle Claw, the U.S. attempt to rescue the Tehran hostages, ends in disaster — eight American servicemen killed.
1990
The Hubble Space Telescope launches aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.
2005
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is inaugurated as the 265th Pope, taking the name Benedict XVI.
The National Pulse
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PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Consumer sentiment crashed to a record low of 49.8 in April, according to the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index. This marks the lowest level since data collection began in 1978.
📰 DETAIL: The University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index is a consumer confidence report published monthly by the university’s Institute for Social Research. The index incorporates data gathered through questions about individual economic circumstances, as well as short- and long-term economic expectations. In the most recent survey, published on Friday, the Index revealed that consumer confidence has dropped to just 49.8, the lowest since data collection began back in 1978 and down from 53.3 in March. The drop in consumer sentiment is attributed to rising fuel costs and inflationary pressures created by the ongoing war with Iran. Concern has endured despite the declaration of an extended ceasefire between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic. The Index further indicated that consumers expect a significant price rises in future, with gas prices anticipated to rise by almost 50 cents over the next year, and that compared with March, consumer predictions of inflation in a year’s time spiked to 4.7 percent. Growing economic pessimism cuts across political party, education, age, and socioeconomic lines, showing genuine, widespread concern.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The Iran conflict appears to influence consumer views primarily through shocks to gasoline and potentially other prices. Military and diplomatic developments that do not lift supply constraints or lower energy prices are unlikely to buoy consumers.” — Survey director Joanne Hsu
🎯 IMPACT: There is substantial evidence that the Iran war is creating economic uncertainty. The ongoing conflict has caused significant disruption to the airline industry and a spike in fertilizer costs, impacting already strained American farmers.

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Consumer sentiment in the U.S. has plummeted to its lowest level since 1978, driven by economic uncertainties stemming from the Iran war.

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13 hours ago
News
UK
World

Mamdani Set to Meet King Charles in New York — But No Private Audience.

King Charles III and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) will meet during the British monarch’s state visit to the U.S., but there will be no private audience.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: King Charles III of the United Kingdom is scheduled to meet New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) during a wreath-laying ceremony at the 9/11 memorial in Manhattan next week. However, while they will meet at the ceremony, there are no reported plans for a private meeting between the two.
📰 DETAIL: King Charles and Queen Camilla are scheduled to visit the United States on Monday. The state visit will begin with two days in Washington, D.C., followed by travel to New York and Virginia. While the King is scheduled to take part in the wreath-laying ceremony at the 9/11 memorial alongside Mamdani, the Uganda-born mayor—whose father has built a career around attacking the British Empire—will not hold a private meeting with the King, as per a statement from Mamdani’s team.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The mayor will not meet privately with King Charles. He was invited to join a number of New York elected officials next week at a wreath laying at the 9/11 memorial with members of the British royal family.” – Mamdani spokesman Joe Calvello
🎯 IMPACT: King Charles’s four-day state visit to the United States will include a private meeting with President Donald J. Trump and an address to Congress. The trip will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The President has voiced his optimism about the visit, viewing it as an opportunity to mend relations between the two countries, which have been clashing over Britain’s digital services tax on U.S. tech firms, censorship, the Iran war, and the Falkland Islands. 

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King Charles III and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) will meet during the British monarch's state visit to the U.S., but there will be no private audience.

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15 hours ago
Corruption
News

How the SPLC Indictment Will Change ‘Dark Money’ Operations Forever.

The U.S. Treasury Department is revising Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reporting requirements for non-profits following allegations that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) gave millions to extremist groups.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Treasury Department has announced changes to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reporting requirements for nonprofits. The changes follow allegations that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) misused tax-exempt money to fund the leaders of extremist groups.
📺 DETAIL: On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced changes to IRS Form 990 reporting requirements. The changes are intended to increase the transparency of non-profits, particularly those claiming to combat extremism. The changes follow an indictment against the SPLC by federal authorities. The civil rights nonprofit has been accused of funneling millions of tax-exempt dollars to groups it claims to oppose. Specifically, it was uncovered that the SPLC gave money to the Ku Klux Klan, the American Nazi Party, and Aryan Nations. In 2024, the SPLC reported $800 million in assets and $129 million in revenue. The organization claims the funds were used for intelligence gathering, but the Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed the funds were spent on leaders and organizers. IRS Form 990 is an annual return that most nonprofit organizations in the U.S. need to file in order to provide the IRS and the public with an overview of their activities. The form allows organizations to obscure donor identities and payment recipients, potentially acting as a loophole for misuse.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Public money and tax-exempt status demand public accountability. We are ending the days of hiding fraud, abuse, and extremist activity behind complicated non-profit arrangements.” – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
🎯 IMPACT: The changes aim to close loopholes that allow “dark money” to flow through non-profits. The changes aim to minimize the chances for anonymity provisions to be used for fraud while also addressing the growing concern that groups like the SPLC help manufacture “hate” in order to generate revenue.
📺 FLASHBACK: Earlier this week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced an 11-count indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) encompassing money laundering and fraud. Specifically, the indictment claims the SPLC funneled over $3 million over the course of a decade to the leaders and organizers of extremist groups, including organizers of the 2017 Unite the Right rally.

Image by Geraldshields11.

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The U.S. Treasury Department is revising Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reporting requirements for non-profits following allegations that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) gave millions to extremist groups.

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15 hours ago
Crime

Trump DOJ Reinstates Firing Squads for Federal Executions.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced the reinstatement of firing squads and the lethal injection protocol utilized during the first Trump Administration as methods for federal executions, reversing Biden-era policies.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Friday that it will reinstate firing squads as a method of federal execution, as part of a package of policies aimed at reversing Biden-era policies obstructing the execution of the country’s worst criminals.
📰 DETAIL: The department’s decision includes readopting the lethal injection protocol from the first Trump administration, using pentobarbital. It follows a January 2025 executive order by President Donald J. Trump to pursue federal death sentences and ensure states have sufficient lethal injection drugs, with the DOJ recalling in a Friday press release how the former Biden government had “imposed an indefinite moratorium on executions,” “declined to seek the death penalty in many horrific cases,” and “effectively empt[ied] federal death row by commuting the death sentences of 37 of 40 death-row inmates based on Attorney General Garland’s personal opposition to the death penalty without consulting all the victims’ families.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The prior administration failed in its duty to protect the American people by refusing to pursue and carry out the ultimate punishment against the most dangerous criminals, including terrorists, child murderers, and cop killers. Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice is once again enforcing the law and standing with victims.” – Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche
🎯 IMPACT: The reinstatement of these execution methods marks a significant shift from the Biden-era moratorium on federal executions, potentially affecting 44 defendants currently facing death sentences. The DOJ is also considering a “rule that will empower states to streamline federal habeas review of capital cases,” which would “reduce by years the period between conviction and execution in state capital cases.” Notably, Idaho, South Carolina, Utah, Mississippi, and Oklahoma already allow firing squads at the state level, with triple murderer Stephen Bryant being executed by one in South Carolina last November.

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The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced the reinstatement of firing squads and the lethal injection protocol utilized during the first Trump Administration as methods for federal executions, reversing Biden-era policies.

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16 hours ago
Bonkers Britain
News
World

London Mayor Sadiq Khan Says He’s ‘Scared’ That Britons Are Waking Up.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has expressed alarm over polls suggesting the Labour Party could lose control of several borough councils in the British capital in the English local elections on May 7.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is afraid that Britain’s ruling Labour Party, of which he is a member, will lose its dominant position in the capital in municipal elections set for May 7. Khan expressed concern that his party could, according to polling released this week, lose up to 14 of the city’s borough councils, with Nigel Farage’s Reform Party and Zack Polanski’s far-left Green Party set to make considerable gains.
📺 DETAIL: At present, Labour controls 21 of London’s 32 borough councils. However, according to recent polling, widespread dissatisfaction with the party’s national leadership under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is likely to be reflected in the local elections scheduled for next month. YouGov published polling on April 22 suggesting Labour’s vote share in the capital will plummet from 42 percent during the 2022 borough elections to 26 percent next month. Khan blames Starmer’s appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson, a friend of deceased child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, as ambassador to the U.S., and the appointment’s subsequent unraveling, for the situation, telling the British press, “I’m so angry in relation to this whole omnishambles in relation to Peter Mandelson’s appointment, knowing what we knew.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “[T]he polls scare me, the polls worry me because they don’t reflect my experience of what the councils are doing. They do reflect what I hear on the doorsteps when I knock on doors. People aren’t unhappy with me, people have concerns about the government, and they want to take it out on councils.” – Sadiq Khan
🎯 IMPACT: London has long been regarded as a Labour stronghold, and if it cannot maintain its strong position there, it is likely to face even heavier losses elsewhere in the May 7 elections. Notably, Khan’s mayoralty is not at risk, as he is not up for reelection until 2028.
📺 FLASHBACK: Khan and the Labour Party have attracted international criticism as well as domestic disdain. In December last year, President Donald J. Trump criticized Khan’s mayoralty, especially the impact of mass immigration on the capital. London has gained an international reputation for lawlessness, integration problems, and being unaffordable. Earlier this month, Khan decried online criticism of the city as “disinformation” and urged national governments and tech firms to pursue greater censorship.

Image by East London Mosque.

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan has expressed alarm over polls suggesting the Labour Party could lose control of several borough councils in the British capital in the English local elections on May 7.

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17 hours ago
News
World

NATO Backs Spain Amidst U.S. Ouster Rumors.

NATO has backed Spain amid reports of a leaked, rumored Pentagon email discussing its possible suspension from the alliance.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A rumored email from the Pentagon outlined potential retaliation against NATO allies that did not support U.S. operations in the Iran war, suggesting that Spain could be suspended from the alliance. A NATO official told the BBC on Friday that the alliance’s founding treaty “does not foresee any provision for suspension of NATO membership, or expulsion.”
📰 DETAIL: A rumored Pentagon internal email, described to the media on Friday, floated the possibility of suspending Spain from NATO. The Socialist Party-led country, along with several other European NATO members, refused the U.S. access, basing, and overflight rights (ABO) amid the war with Iran, angering President Donald J. Trump. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said he is unconcerned by reports of the suspension discussions at the Pentagon, saying at a European Union (EU) summit in Cyprus on Friday, “We do not work based on emails. We work with official documents and official positions taken, in this case, by the government of the United States.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “As President Trump has said, despite everything that the United States has done for our NATO allies, they were not there for us. The War Department will ensure that the President has credible options to ensure that our allies are no longer a paper tiger and instead do their part. We have no further comment on any internal deliberations to that effect.” – Kingsley Wilson, Pentagon Press Secretary.
🎯 IMPACT: Tensions between the United States and Europe have been running high since the onset of the Iran war. Beyond suspending Spain from NATO, other punitive measures, which The National Pulse understands have not yet been seriously discussed at a high level, were outlined, such as reviewing U.S. support for European “imperial possessions” like Britain’s Falkland Islands.
👀 FLASHBACK: Following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, Spain drove 15 U.S. military aircraft out of their Spanish bases. Last month, Spain and other European countries reportedly began drawing up contingency plans to maintain the continent’s defense capabilities without U.S. involvement.

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NATO has backed Spain amid reports of a leaked, rumored Pentagon email discussing its possible suspension from the alliance.

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17 hours ago
NatSec
War

Israeli Air Force Technicians Arrested for Spying for Iran.

Two Israeli air force technicians face espionage charges for allegedly sharing sensitive military information with Iran, amid concerns over a growing number of Israelis caught spying for Iran or other Israeli adversaries since 2023.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Two Israeli air force technicians, Asaf Shitrit and Sagi Haik, are accused of sharing sensitive military information with Iran, including engine diagrams and photos of an F-15 flight instructor. The charges may escalate to treason as authorities investigate further.
📺 DETAIL: The suspects, who worked on F-15 fighter jets at Tel Nof Airbase, allegedly maintained contact with Iranian intelligence operatives for months and carried out tasks in exchange for payment. Prosecutors say the pair passed along sensitive materials, including engine diagrams, base documentation, and images, violating military censorship rules, while also being tasked with gathering intelligence on senior Israeli figures. Authorities allege the men were recruited online and directed by Iranian handlers.
🎯 IMPACT: The case is one of more than 50 espionage-related indictments filed against Israelis since the October 7, 2023, terror raids against Israel by Hamas and the subsequent outbreak of the Gaza war. Israeli security commentators are reportedly describing the espionage issue as an “epidemic,” coining phrases such as hitpor’rut khevratit, meaning “social disintegration,” and mashehu ba-khevra ha-yisraelit nisdak, or “something has cracked in Israeli society,” to describe it.

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Two Israeli air force technicians face espionage charges for allegedly sharing sensitive military information with Iran, amid concerns over a growing number of Israelis caught spying for Iran or other Israeli adversaries since 2023.

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18 hours ago
Economy
News

DOJ Abandons Investigation Into Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

Federal prosecutors have closed their investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, shifting focus to an Inspector General for the Federal Reserve review of the renovation of the central bank’s D.C. headquarters.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Federal prosecutors have officially ended their investigation into Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Federal Reserve. The announcement came from Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, on Friday. She also announced that the case will shift to the Federal Reserve’s Inspector General and examine the cost of renovating the central bank’s headquarters.
📺 DETAIL: Jeanine Pirro announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is closing the federal investigation into Powell, noting that while the investigation is now closed, her office is prepared to reopen the case if new evidence emerges. She emphasized that the Inspector General’s report is intended to resolve lingering questions about cost overruns in the renovation of the Federal Reserve’s D.C. headquarters. The investigation into Powell began in January, when the DOJ served subpoenas related to Powell’s testimony about renovations to Federal Reserve buildings.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I have directed my office to close our investigation as the IG undertakes this inquiry. Note well, however, that I will not hesitate to restart a criminal investigation should the facts warrant doing so.” – Jeanine Pirro
🎯 IMPACT: The end of the federal investigation into Powell removes a key hurdle for the confirmation of Kevin Warsh, President Donald J. Trump’s nomination to chair the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors. Warsh is on track to take over from Powell when the latter’s tenure ends in May, but the takeover has been obstructed by Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), who objected to the investigation into Powell.
📺 FLASHBACK: President Trump has voiced considerable criticism of Powell, saying in November: “I’ll be honest, I’d love to fire his ass.” In particular, the President is critical of Powell’s reluctance to lower interest rates. When the investigation into Powell was first announced, Trump said: “I don’t know anything about it, but he’s certainly not very good at the Fed, and he’s not very good at building buildings.”

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Federal prosecutors have closed their investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, shifting focus to an Inspector General for the Federal Reserve review of the renovation of the central bank's D.C. headquarters.

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19 hours ago
TECH
UK

Trump Threatens ‘Big Tariff’ on Britain Over Tech Tax.

President Donald J. Trump has threatened the British government with tariffs unless it repeals its digital services tax, which targets U.S. tech firms.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump has warned the British government that the United States will impose significant tariffs if it does not repeal its digital services tax, which falls heavily on U.S. tech companies due to their dominant position internationally.
📺 DETAIL: Speaking from the Oval Office on Thursday, President Trump said his administration will “probably” impose a tariff on the United Kingdom in response to the country’s digital services tax. The two percent levy was imposed on companies with revenues from digital activity that exceed £500 million (~$676m) and include over £25m (~$33.8m) from British users in 2020. The tax heavily impacts U.S. companies with British users, such as Google, Apple, and Meta. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has defended the tax as a necessary fiscal measure, generating £800 million (~$1.08 billion) in revenue during the 2024-2025 financial year.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “If they don’t drop the tax, we’ll probably put a big tariff on the UK.” – President Donald J. Trump
🎯 IMPACT: The threat of tariffs could further strain U.S.-UK relations ahead of the four-day state visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the U.S. The state visit is scheduled to include a private meeting between the King and President Trump, who has said the visit could “absolutely” repair the relationship between the two countries following clashes over the Iran war and free speech.

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President Donald J. Trump has threatened the British government with tariffs unless it repeals its digital services tax, which targets U.S. tech firms.

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