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Friday, December 5, 2025
18 minutes ago
Media

Vanity Fair and Olivia Nuzzi Part Ways.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Vanity Fair will not renew Olivia Nuzzi’s contract following a series of controversies and a problematic book launch.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Olivia Nuzzi, Vanity Fair, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Ryan Lizza, and Mark Sanford.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Nuzzi’s contract is set to expire at the end of 2025; controversies span the last year.

🎯IMPACT: The decision highlights growing scrutiny of journalistic ethics and conflicts of interest within media.

IN FULL

Disgraced journalist Olivia Nuzzi and Vanity Fair magazine have mutually agreed to part ways when her contract expires at the end of this year. Nuzzi, who has faced a series of scandalous allegations involving Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Governor Mark Sanford (R-SC), was dismissed from her position as the Washington correspondent for New York magazine last October over lapses in journalistic ethics.

While Nuzzi‘s alleged digital romantic relationship with Kennedy Jr. caused her departure from New York magazine, it appears allegations leveled by her ex-fiancé, Ryan Lizza, that she slept with Mark Sanford during his brief two-month-long 2020 presidential campaign had a role in her latest employment change. Nuzzi, in her newly released book, American Canto, details her digital “affair” with Kennedy Jr, which she states only existed in the form of phone calls and text messages. She makes no direct mention of Sanford. The book has received overwhelmingly negative reviews.

In a series of posts on Substack, Lizza accuses Nuzzi of both professional and personal misconduct. Besides the alleged affairs, Lizza claims his ex-fiancée attempted to “catch and kill” negative stories about Kennedy Jr. and fancied herself an informal advisor to his independent presidential campaign.

Vanity Fair hired Nuzzi in September on a short-term contract to serve as the magazine’s West Coast editor.

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49 minutes ago
1A
Immigration

Trump Admin Mandates Visa Checks for Foreign Tech Workers Tied to Censorship Efforts.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. State Department has issued new guidelines directing consular officers to screen foreign tech workers for records of censorship or silencing lawful expression before granting H-1B visas.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. consular officers, foreign tech workers, and the State Department.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The guidance was distributed to U.S. embassies on December 2, according to Reuters.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If you uncover evidence an applicant was responsible for, or complicit in, censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States, you should pursue a finding that the applicant is ineligible.” — State Department memo

🎯IMPACT: The new rules could significantly affect foreign tech workers, particularly in sectors like social media and financial services, as well as companies relying on H-1B visas.

IN FULL

The U.S. Department of State circulated a cable this week directing U.S. consular officials to screen foreign H-1B applicants in the tech industry to determine if they’ve participated in efforts to suppress free speech. According to the memo, consular officers are to reject visa applications for individuals found to have ties to online content or political censorship.

Issued on December 2, the order appears to be part of the Trump administration’s sweeping reforms to U.S. immigration policy. H-1B visa eligibility requirements have not previously taken into consideration an applicant’s involvement in censorship and speech suppression operations.

Consular officials are instructed to review the resumes, social media profiles, and other documents submitted by visa applicants for evidence that they or their family members have worked for organizations specializing in combating so-called disinformation, online safety compliance, content moderation, or fact-checking. “If you uncover evidence an applicant was responsible for, or complicit in, censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States, you should pursue a finding that the applicant is ineligible,” the State Department order states.

The U.S. tech industry draws a significant part of its workforce from the H-1B program, which allows American companies to hire supposedly high-skilled labor from foreign countries. However, the visa program is often abused by firms to import cheap labor, particularly from India, which often undercuts the wages of American workers.

The National Pulse reported in late May that Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the department would adopt a new policy to block U.S. entry for foreign officials and their families involved in censoring Americans or interfering with U.S. tech companies.

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1 hour ago
1A
Politics

Trump Admin Brands Europe’s Fine on X an Assault All Americans.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The European Union’s unelected executive, the European Commission, fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter) $140 million for alleged violations of the bloc’s Digital Services Act.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Elon Musk, and the European Commission.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The fine was announced on Friday by the European Commission.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The European Commission’s $140 million fine isn’t just an attack on [X], it’s an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments. The days of censoring Americans online are over.” – Marco Rubio

🎯IMPACT: Rubio framed the fine as a broader attack on American technology companies and free speech, signaling growing tensions between the U.S. and EU over digital regulations and censorship.

IN FULL

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has condemned the European Commission’s decision to impose a $140 million fine on X (formerly Twitter) on December 5, saying the penalty is “not just an attack on [X], it’s an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments.” He added: “The days of censoring Americans online are over.”

Vice President J.D. Vance also commented on the situation the day prior, saying, “Rumors swirling that the EU [C]ommission will fine X hundreds of millions of dollars for not engaging in censorship. The EU should be supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage.”

The fine, the first under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), targets three alleged violations: supposedly deceptive use of X’s blue checkmark verification badge, insufficient transparency in its ad database, and blocking researchers’ access to certain public data.

The Commission, an unelected body that serves as the EU’s executive and the main initiator of EU-level legislation like the DSA, argued that by allowing users to purchase blue checkmarks, X misled others into believing those accounts were in some way officially verified. It also stated that the platform failed to meet the required transparency standards for advertising and data access, obligations set out in the DSA to ensure safety, accountability, and public interest oversight.

The DSA requires platforms operating in the EU to remove illegal or so-called harmful content, ensure transparency in advertising and moderation, and provide independent access to data for researchers and regulators.

Critics, including U.S. officials and some tech‑industry observers, argue that such regulation masks a censorship regime. For instance, the U.S. State Department recently denounced the DSA as “Orwellian,” saying it effectively enables European governments to police political expression online.

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2 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

ICE Captures Violent Somali Criminals in Major Minnesota Enforcement Operation.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal immigration authorities arrested violent Somali offenders, including a gang member and a pedophile, in a targeted operation in Minneapolis.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Abdulkadir Sharif Abdi, Sahal Osman Shidane, and Minnesota sanctuary leaders.

📍WHEN & WHERE: This week in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Sanctuary policies and politicians like Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey allowed these pedophiles, domestic terrorists, and gang members to roam the streets and terrorize Americans,” said Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

🎯IMPACT: Several violent offenders were removed from the streets, and attention has been drawn to alleged fraud and misuse of taxpayer funds in Minnesota.

IN FULL

The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota this week saw an estimated 500 Somali nationals with standing deportation orders arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Among those detained by ICE agents were a number of Somali gang members and one Somali convicted of criminal sexual conduct with a minor. Around 100 ICE agents deployed to the state by President Donald J. Trump took part in the immigration enforcement operation.

Notable apprehensions include Abdulkadir Sharif Abdi, a former member of the Gangster Disciples and current member of the Vice Lord Nation gang. A criminal illegal immigrant from Somalia, Abdi has prior convictions for fraud, receiving stolen property, vehicle theft, and multiple probation violations, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Another illegal Somali arrested by ICE was Sahal Osman Shidane, convicted of criminal sexual conduct involving a minor aged 13-15. The enforcement operation also saw Rudy Arendondo Jarillo, an illegal immigrant from Mexico previously convicted on felony human smuggling charges, taken into custody.

Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized Minnesota’s sanctuary policies, stating, “Sanctuary policies and politicians like Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey allowed these pedophiles, domestic terrorists, and gang members to roam the streets and terrorize Americans.” She further emphasized, “ICE law enforcement are risking their lives to protect Minnesotans while their own elected officials sit by and do nothing. No matter when and where, ICE will find, arrest, and deport ALL criminal illegal aliens.”

The Trump administration has also focused on Minnesota following reports of widespread fraud tied to the state’s Somali population. Allegations include the theft of billions in taxpayer funds, with money funneled through fake nonprofits and shell companies, some reportedly linked to Somali terrorist group Al-Shabaab.

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3 hours ago
Economy

Trump Moves to Tackle Affordability Crisis With ‘Tiny Cars.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump approved the manufacturing of “tiny cars” in the United States.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, U.S. automakers, and federal regulators.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced on Friday via Truth Social.

💬KEY QUOTE: “They can be propelled by gasoline, electric, or hybrid. These cars of the very near future are inexpensive, safe, fuel efficient and, quite simply, AMAZING!!! START BUILDING THEM NOW!” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The decision aims to lower costs for consumers while offering new, efficient vehicle options.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump cleared the way on Friday for U.S. automakers to begin manufacturing “tiny cars.” The ultra-compact vehicle models are popular across Europe amd in Japan and other East Asian nations. Designed for use in urban areas with narrow streets, the Trump administration believes American car makers will be able to compete in both the domestic and Asian auto markets.

“I have just approved TINY CARS to be built in America. Manufacturers have long wanted to do this, just like they are so successfully built in other countries,” President Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. He added: “They can be propelled by gasoline, electric, or hybrid. These cars of the very near future are inexpensive, safe, fuel efficient and, quite simply, AMAZING!!! START BUILDING THEM NOW! Thank you to the DOJ and the Departments of Transportation and Environment.”

The regulatory approval of ultra-compact vehicle models is one facet of the Trump White House’s affordability policy push ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. In recent weeks, the administration has shifted focus to domestic policy to lower costs for American consumers and provide financial relief to families.

In July, The National Pulse reported that General Motors (GM) CEO Mary Barra had announced the company was in the process of moving billions of dollars of production back into the U.S., as well as retrofitting some of its American manufacturing facilities to produce more internal combustion engine autos instead of electric vehicles. Barra emphasized that the auto giant will likely undertake additional measures beyond an already planned $4 billion U.S. production investment, citing President Trump’s tariff policies as a primary driver behind the decision.

Image by Nicolás Boullosa.

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3 hours ago
Crime
NatSec

Pam Bondi Directs Federal Law Enforcement to Begin Probing Antifa for Tax Crimes, Domestic Terrorism.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo directing law enforcement to investigate Antifa and other groups for potential domestic terrorism and tax crimes.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Pam Bondi, President Donald J. Trump, federal law enforcement agencies, and Antifa-related groups.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The memo was issued on Thursday and applies nationwide as part of Trump’s executive order.

💬KEY QUOTE: “These domestic terrorists use violence or the threat of violence to advance political and social agendas, including opposition to law and immigration enforcement,” Bondi wrote in the memo.

🎯IMPACT: Federal agencies are now prioritizing investigations into Antifa, with instructions to review files and coordinate intelligence with the FBI.

IN FULL

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a memo on Thursday to all federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials laying out a number of legal avenues to bring charges against Antifa and affiliated organizations. Among the possible legal actions suggested in Bondi’s memo are charges pertaining to domestic terrorism and tax crimes.

The memo comes in the wake of an Executive Order signed by President Donald J. Trump in September, which designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. Notably, the Attorney General gives federal law enforcement agencies 14 days to conduct internal reviews of criminal files for relevant intelligence that should be shared with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Bondi’s memo also urges officials to begin prioritizing Antifa-related crimes for prosecution.

“These domestic terrorists use violence or the threat of violence to advance political and social agendas, including opposition to law and immigration enforcement; extreme views in favor of mass migration and open borders; adherence to radical gender ideology, anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, or anti-Christianity,” the Attorney General wrote. The Trump administration is also reportedly exploring ways to revoke the tax-exempt status of certain left-wing groups that are tied to Antifa.

In October, terrorism charges were filed against activists allegedly tied to a North Texas Antifa cell, following a protest where a police officer was shot. This marked the first time such charges were brought in connection with Antifa. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently designated four European Antifa groups as foreign terrorist organizations.

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4 hours ago
News

Whistleblowers Allege Tim Walz Knew of Somali COVID Fraud in 2019 But Failed to Investigate.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A fraud scheme involving the nonprofit Feeding Our Future siphoned over $1 billion in taxpayer money meant for pandemic relief, with Minnesota Department of Education whistleblowers alleging Democrat Governor Tim Walz’s administration knew of but failed to investigate the corruption.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Feeding Our Future, its founder Aimee Bock, and other co-conspirators, many of whom are Somali. Minnesota state officials and federal prosecutors are also involved, including Gov. Walz.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The fraud began in 2019 under the oversight of Minnesota’s Department of Education and escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

🎯IMPACT: The scheme diverted federal funds meant for children and vulnerable communities, with ongoing investigations and political scrutiny over state accountability.

IN FULL

Whistleblowers with the Minnesota Department of Education allege state officials first uncovered evidence of fraud involving the Feeding Our Future nonprofit organization in July 2019. However, Democrat Governor Tim Walz‘s administration backed down from investigating the group after intense pushback from Feeding Our Future’s leaders, who accused state officials of discrimination against Minnesota’s large Somali immigrant community.

The lack of action by Gov. Walz, the Democrats’ failed 2024 vice presidential candidate, and other state officials allowed Feeding Our Future to continue perpetrating a fraudulent scheme to divert over $1 billion in federal money to fund its leaders’ lavish lifestyles for several years, the whistleblowers allege. In January 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raided the nonprofit, and it subsequently ceased operations. Initial charges were announced against 47 Feeding Our Future employees by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in September 2022, with the number of people indicted eventually increasing to 72.

According to the federal indictment, the nonprofit falsely claimed to have served 91 million meals to needy children during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the group receiving nearly $250 million in federal reimbursements. Notably, Feeding Our Future is accused of purposefully contracting with the state’s Somali immigrant community to shield itself from scrutiny by using allegations of “racism” against investigators.

Aimee Bock, founder of Feeding Our Future, was described as the mastermind behind the scheme. She and 60 others have been convicted, with investigations still ongoing. Bock’s attorney, Kenneth Udoibok, has denied allegations that she pressured state officials to bypass proper oversight, calling the claims a “lie.”

The scheme’s origins can be traced back to shortly after Walz took office in 2019. Initial tensions between state officials and Bock were documented, with employees noting unrealistic meal claims. By 2021, the fraud had ballooned, aided by relaxed safeguards during the pandemic. Feeding Our Future filed a lawsuit in 2020, accusing the state of discrimination, but the case was dismissed after the FBI launched its investigation in January 2022.

The National Pulse reported last week that the U.S. Treasury Department launched an investigation into allegations of mismanagement by Gov. Walz and the former Biden government, which allegedly allowed taxpayer dollars to be funneled by members of Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community to Islamist terrorist groups in their home country, including al-Qaeda franchise al-Shabaab.

Prosecutors have charged 87 individuals in connection with COVID-related fraud schemes in Minnesota, with 61 convictions so far. Investigations continue, with the total stolen amount exceeding $1 billion.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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4 hours ago
Immigration
News

Trump Admin Fears NATO Allies Will Become Disloyal Partners as Mass Migration Turns Them ‘Majority Non-European.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A U.S. National Security Strategy document has raised concerns about European NATO members potentially becoming “majority non-European” and ceasing to be reliable allies in the future.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The strategy outlines President Donald J. Trump’s foreign policy priorities.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The 33-page document was released on December 4.

🎯IMPACT: The report raises questions about future NATO loyalty to the United States.

IN FULL

The U.S. National Security Strategy released this week argues that demographic changes within Europe could, over time, reshape the political landscape of NATO. The document warns that some allied nations are projected to become “majority non-European,” which may eventually affect how those countries view their long-standing partnerships with America. According to the strategy, this shift could raise doubts about whether future European governments will approach the alliance in the same way as the original signatories of the NATO charter.

The 33-page report places heavy emphasis on mass migration, both into the United States and Europe. It frames population movements as a strategic concern, linking long-term demographic change to questions of national cohesion and geopolitical alignment. While focused primarily on U.S. security priorities, the text highlights migration trends in Europe as one factor that could alter alliances if political identities continue to shift.

These concerns echo a series of warnings from President Donald J. Trump and his administration, who have frequently criticized Europe’s migration policies. Throughout 2025, Trump repeatedly argued that uncontrolled mass migration was reshaping the continent in ways that threatened its cultural foundations. In a July interview, he said that Europe was being killed by immigration and declared, “You’re not going to have Europe anymore,” describing the influx as a “horrible invasion.”

In November, Trump praised Hungary’s hard-line immigration approach to immigration as migrants were “flooding Europe” elsewhere and driving up crime rates. He contrasted Hungary’s policies with those of Western European governments, insisting that countries enforcing strict border controls were preserving “what Europe should be.”

Around the same time, officials in the Trump administration issued additional warnings to U.S. allies, arguing that large-scale migration posed an “existential threat to the West” and would erode shared cultural and political foundations if not addressed.

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5 hours ago
Politics

Virginia House Speaker Proposes Redistricting for 10-1 Democratic Majority.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Virginia’s House Speaker has suggested redrawing Congressional maps to favor Democrats with a 10-1 advantage.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Virginia House Speaker Don Scott (D) and President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the UVA Center for Politics.

💬KEY QUOTE: “He’s bullying folks in these states to change the rules, and we have an obligation to stand up and do something different.” – Don Scott

🎯IMPACT: The proposed maps could shift the balance of Virginia’s Congressional delegation, though given the state’s population distribution and close partisan party registration, a 10-1 congressional map is unlikely to be realized.

IN FULL

Virginia House Speaker Don Scott says he’s considering a plan to redraw the state’s Congressional maps in a way that could give Democrats a significant advantage, potentially shifting the current 6-5 delegation in favor of Republicans to a 10-1 Democratic majority.

Speaking at the UVA Center for Politics on Wednesday, December 3, Scott outlined the proposal as a response to what he described as “bullying” by President Donald J. Trump in states like Texas. “He’s bullying folks in these states to change the rules, and we have an obligation to stand up and do something different,” Scott said.

The suggestion comes amidst ongoing efforts by both major political parties to redraw state maps ahead of upcoming elections, including the midterms next year. Scott indicated that such a dramatic shift in the delegation’s composition “was not out of the realm” of possibility under the new maps.

However, given that Democrats only enjoyed a slight advantage in state-wide elections, and Virginia‘s population distribution—with a bulk of Democrat voters living in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. in the north of the state—Scott’s idea of a 10-1 map appears more of an exaggerated threat than a possible reality. Redrawing congressional lines in a manner that gives Democrats such an advantage would likely draw considerable legal challenges, as the districts would likely lack compactness, contiguity, and equal population.

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6 hours ago
War

Pentagon Announces Another Drug Boat Strike.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Pentagon announced on Friday that the U.S. military executed a strike on a boat suspected of transporting illegal narcotics, resulting in four fatalities.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Navy Admiral Frank Bradley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The strike occurred on Thursday in the eastern Pacific.

🎯IMPACT: The legality of these military actions is being challenged by Congressional Democrats, some of whom have claimed they are tantamount to war crimes.

IN FULL

The Pentagon has announced another strike by the U.S. military on a vessel carrying illegal drugs, resulting in the deaths of four narco-terrorists. Notably, the operation occurred in the eastern Pacific, while most of the strikes since September have targeted cartel drug boats in the Caribbean.

On Thursday, Admiral Frank Bradley—the head of the United States Special Operations Command—and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine appeared before a closed-door joint meeting of the House Armed Services Committee and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Thursday to brief lawmakers on the recent strikes. A particular focus of the briefing was the initial September 2 strike, with Democrats and The Washington Post falsely claiming Secretary of War Pete Hegseth authorized a so-called “double tap strike” on a group of survivors with the order to “kill everybody.”

However, Admiral Bradley told the joint committee hearing that he was the authorizing official for both the initial strike and secondary strike, and that Sec. Hegseth never gave an order to “kill everybody.” Importantly, the Special Operations Command chief provided a video showing the two cartel operatives who survived the initial strike climb onto the wreckage and begin gathering the vessel’s cargo. Bradley stated that it appeared the two survivors were attempting to contact other nearby cartel boats in an effort to salvage the drug shipment. At this juncture, the survivors were deemed to be “still in the fight” and valid targets.

Notably, secondary strikes are not against the rules of engagement, and the practice saw widespread use under the Obama-Biden government. Still, Congressional Democrats continue to insist the follow-up attack was unwarranted. “What I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I’ve seen in my time in public service,” Representative Jim Himes (D-CT), the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said after the briefing. He conceded, “Yes, they were carrying drugs,” but insisted, “They were not in the position to continue their mission in any way.”

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