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Wednesday, January 7, 2026
12 minutes ago
Crime
Immigration

BREAKING: Domestic Terrorist Who Tried to Run Down ICE Agents Shot and Killed.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal law enforcement was involved in a shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Wednesday, reportedly linked to a vehicle-ramming incident.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Federal law enforcement, a woman allegedly involved in vehicle ramming, and local officials, including Governor Tim Walz (D) and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday morning near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue in Minneapolis.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The presence of federal law enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city,” complained Mayor Jacob Frey, appearing to blame the ICE agents who were attacked.

🎯IMPACT: The incident has exacerbated tensions between federal and local authorities, with Democrat leaders demanding that federal agents leave the city despite ICE agents being the target of political violence.

IN FULL

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were involved in a shooting on Wednesday morning in Minneapolis. The incident occurred near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue, prompting officials to urge residents to avoid the area.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated that the incident was allegedly “vehicle ramming related.” Federal authorities reported that a woman rammed her car into them with the intent to kill ICE officers, though McLaughlin noted that details are still being gathered. The woman was later announced to have died from gunshot wounds.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) commented on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “My public safety team is working to gather information on an ICE-related shooting this morning. We will share information as we learn more. In the meantime, I ask folks to remain calm.”

Meanwhile, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) is siding with the attacker and far-left agitators, demanding that ICE agents “leave the city immediately.” In a post on X, he stated, “The presence of federal law enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city. We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities.”

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37 minutes ago
NatSec
Politics

Who is Morgan Ortagus, and Why MAGA Cares About Her Divorce and Foreign National Fiancée.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Morgan Ortagus—one of the least trusted foreign policy officials in the Trump administration due to her fervent neoconservative views, ties to the Deep State, and past public criticism of the President’s America First agenda—has separated from her husband and entered a relationship with Lebanese banking tycoon Antoun Sehnaoui, according to divorce filings.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Morgan Ortagus, her estranged husband Jonathan Weinberger, and Lebanese financier Antoun Sehnaoui.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The separation was filed in November 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee, with initial details of the new relationship emerging in December 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: The divorce petition, filed by Weinberger, cites “irreconcilable differences” for the separation.

🎯IMPACT: The revelation of Ortagus’s divorce and subsequent relationship with Sehnaoui—a foreign national—raises ethical and security concerns regarding her current role as Counselor at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.

IN FULL

Divorce records have now confirmed that Morgan Ortagus—a former State Department press official in the first Trump administration and current Counselor at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations—has separated from her husband, Jonathan Weinberger, and entered into a relationship with controversial Lebanese banking mogul and film producer Antoun Sehnaoui. The divorce petition, filed by Weinberger in November 2025, cites “irreconcilable differences” as the grounds for the divorce.

During President Donald J. Trump‘s first term, Ortagus served a brief tenure as the Spokesman for the United States Department of State under then-Secretary Mike Pompeo.

The National Pulse has previously reported on a number of concerning details regarding Ortagus, including a revelation that she attempted to leverage her friendship with Democratic Party foreign policy figures to secure a role in the former Biden government. Emails obtained by The National Pulse show Ortagus pledged to “faithfully serve the Biden administration” in a goodbye email sent to State Department colleagues.

In a private 2021 email, Ortagus  stated that Ned Price, her replacement tapped by former President Biden, was “fantastic,” and that she decided to seek a continued role at the State Department “no matter what happened with the election.”

Before joining the Trump administration, Ortagus co-founded Global Opportunity Advisors—a consultancy firm—alongside her “best friend,” Samantha Vinograd, a former foreign policy adviser to the Biden and Obama governments and a CNN contributor with an extensive history of criticizing President Trump, including comparing the America First leader to Adolf Hitler.

Meanwhile, during Ortagus’s short-lived 2022 congressional run in Tennessee, she aligned herself with several outspoken anti-Trump GOP figures, including former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, Jeb Bush foreign policy advisor John Noonan, disgraced former State Department official Gabriel Noronha, and former Republican National Committee (RNC) chief counsel Charlie Spies, who was fired after just months on the job and was revealed to maintain close ties with infamous Democrat election fixer and attorney Marc Elias. The National Pulse reported that Ortagus quickly scrubbed all references to President Trump from her campaign website as her congressional bid collapsed.

During the 2024 presidential primary, Ortagus backed Pompeo, Mike Pence, and Nikki Haley in succession against Trump for the Republican nomination. Despite numerous instances of backing efforts aimed at undermining the President and his America First foreign policy, Ortagus was welcomed back into the second Trump administration—first as a deputy to Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and now as Counselor at the U.S. Mission to the UN.

Weinberger and Ortagus were wed in 2013 in a ceremony presided over by the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a prominent left-wing jurist. However, her new romantic partner is likely to draw significantly more controversy. Sehnaoui has faced a number of legal battles over his career, including allegations that his bank provided material support to Hezbollah—an accusation he denies.

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1 hour ago
News
War

U.S. Seizes Oil Tanker Under Russian Protection.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The United States seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker, the Marinera, after a two-week pursuit across the Atlantic.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. military and U.S. Coast Guard, Russian warships, and the Icelandic Coast Guard.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The operation took place near Iceland in international waters, with the Marinera entering Iceland’s exclusive economic zone at 4 AM local time.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If Americans seize our ship and we limit ourselves to rhetoric about ‘red lines’, it will convince Trump that we are just a very large Venezuela, that Russia can be pushed around without any real consequence.” – Russian commentator Alexander Kots

🎯IMPACT: The seizure could escalate tensions between the U.S. and Russia.

IN FULL

The United States has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker after a two-week pursuit across the Atlantic Ocean, escalating tensions over sanctions enforcement and maritime security. The vessel, the Marinera, was intercepted as it entered Iceland’s exclusive economic zone around 4 AM local time during an operation involving the U.S. military, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Icelandic authorities.

The tanker was previously known as the Bella 1 and had been monitored for weeks after evading a U.S. maritime blockade of sanctioned vessels. According to U.S. officials, the ship resisted earlier attempts by the Coast Guard to board it while operating near the Caribbean before changing its name and flag and heading toward northern waters.

Russian state media reported that Russian naval assets, including surface ships and at least one submarine, were operating nearby during the seizure. The Russian Foreign Ministry said the Marinera, now flying the Russian flag, was traveling in international waters in compliance with maritime law and accused Western nations of violating freedom of navigation. It called on them to respect the rights of civilian shipping.

Alexander Kots, a pro-government Russian commentator, warned on Telegram that the incident could have wider consequences for Moscow’s global standing. “If Americans seize our ship and we limit ourselves to rhetoric about ‘red lines’, it will convince Trump that we are just a very large Venezuela, that Russia can be pushed around without any real consequences,” he wrote.

The seizure comes amid an aggressive expansion of U.S. sanctions enforcement targeting oil shipments linked to Venezuela. In December, President Donald J. Trump announced a full blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers under U.S. sanctions, ordering interdictions of vessels suspected of carrying crude that finances the government of President Nicolás Maduro—now in U.S. custody.

U.S. authorities have also intercepted other tankers connected to Venezuelan oil exports in recent weeks, part of a broader effort to dismantle networks accused of evading sanctions by reflagging vessels, disabling tracking systems and transferring oil at sea.

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2 hours ago
News

Biden Rigged Research on Alcohol in Partisan Prohibition Push, Here’s How:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: House Republicans released a report exposing bias and legal violations in the Biden government’s alcohol and health study.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Former Biden government officials, House Republicans, and six researchers, including three from Canada.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The Biden government study was authorized in 2022, with the House Oversight report on the study released on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “All six members selected for Biden’s study were anti-alcohol advocates who had conducted previous research linking negative health outcomes with alcohol.” – House Republican Report

🎯IMPACT: The findings call into question the validity of the former Biden government’s efforts to alter dietary guidelines and raise concerns over government overreach.

IN FULL

House Republicans have released a report criticizing the former Biden government’s attempt to rig an alcohol and health study aimed at laying the groundwork to restrict consumer access to beer, wine and liquor. The House Oversight Committee claims former Biden officials behind the effort engaged in bias and unlawful conduct. The Biden government study, authorized in 2022, was intended to influence the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans by linking alcohol consumption to cancer risk.

The House Oversight report, titled “‘A Study Fraught With Bias: How the Biden Administration’s Alcohol Intake and Health Study Tried To Undermine the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines For Americans,” highlights a yearlong investigation into the former Democrat government’s efforts. It found that the study was duplicative, as Congress had already authorized the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to conduct the sole alcohol-related research for dietary guidelines, with $1.3 million allocated for the task.

Investigators revealed that all six members chosen for the Biden government’s study were “anti-alcohol advocates” with prior research linking alcohol to negative health outcomes. Three of these experts were from Canada and had contributed to Canada’s 2023 alcohol guidelines, which controversially claimed no level of alcohol consumption is safe.

The findings suggest that Biden’s parallel study was designed to reach predetermined conclusions, bypassing established legal processes. Additionally, the report emphasizes that the effort undermined years of precedent and relied on recommendations from Canadian guidelines rather than American research.

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2 hours ago
Lawfare

Lawfare Continues Against Trump Prosecutor Appointee.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge ordered prosecutor Lindsey Halligan to justify her continued use of the title of U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia after her appointment to the role was ruled unlawful.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Lindsey Halligan, U.S. District Court Judge David Novak, Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, and the Department of Justice.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The order was issued Tuesday for the Eastern District of Virginia, following a November ruling.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Consequently, it remains the binding precedent in this district and is not subject to being ignored,” wrote Judge Novak.

🎯IMPACT: Halligan has seven days to respond, and the court may consider disciplinary action for professional misconduct.

IN FULL

A federal judge has ordered Lindsey Halligan to explain her use of the title of U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, despite a prior court ruling that found her appointment to the position unconstitutional. U.S. District Court Judge David Novak—a Trump appointee—issued the order on Tuesday, giving Halligan seven days to provide a written explanation.

The controversy stems from a November 24 ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, who determined that Halligan’s appointment violated the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Although Judge Currie did not explicitly order Halligan’s removal, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has appealed the decision, which remains pending. Judge Novak, however, emphasized that the ruling is binding unless overturned.

In his order, Judge Novak wrote, “The Court hereby DIRECTS Ms. Halligan to file, within seven (7) days of the issuance of this Order, a pleading explaining the basis for Ms. Halligan’s identification of herself as the United States Attorney, notwithstanding Judge Currie’s contrary ruling. She shall also set forth the reasons why this Court should not strike Ms. Halligan’s identification of herself as United States Attorney from the indictment in this matter. Ms. Halligan shall further explain why her identification does not constitute a false or misleading statement.”

The dispute also involves Halligan’s role in high-profile cases, including indictments against former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), which were dismissed after her appointment was ruled invalid. Halligan, who was previously part of President Donald J. Trump’s legal defense team, has faced scrutiny over her conduct in the role.

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3 hours ago
News

Maduro Could Soon Face More Charges in This U.S. State:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced that the Florida Attorney General’s office is considering state charges against Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, who is currently in U.S. federal custody in New York City.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Attorney General’s office, Nicolás Maduro, and his regime.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made on Tuesday at a press conference in Clearwater, Florida.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We also have the right as a state to bring pertinent charges in state court, and we’re working on that.” – Gov. Ron DeSantis

🎯IMPACT: Potential state charges against Maduro could add to the ongoing federal case and hold him accountable for crimes affecting Florida.

IN FULL

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) stated on Tuesday that the Florida Attorney General’s office is “looking very seriously” at bringing state charges against Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. He explained, “We also have the right as a state to bring pertinent charges in state court, and we’re working on that.”

DeSantis noted that the state’s attorney general is leading the effort, and charges could be filed in locations such as Miami or Doral—both of which have large Venezuelan immigrant communities, which would give those who fled their homes because of Maduro a chance for justice. He referenced celebrations in these areas following Maduro’s downfall, calling it a moment that has “been a long time coming.”

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where they face trial for narco-terrorism charges tied to a cocaine-trafficking operation run through the Venezuelan military. Gov. DeSantis highlighted Maduro’s role in drug trafficking, particularly affecting Florida, stating, “He [Maduro] was obviously very involved with bringing drugs, particularly to Florida.”

DeSantis also criticized Maduro for actions not included in the federal indictment, saying, “He would empty his prisons and send them to America across the border, and we’d end up with some of these people in Florida.” He urged the public to “stay tuned” for further developments, hinting at potential state charges.

Image by Eneas De Troya.

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4 hours ago
Media
News

Warner Bros Accepts Controversial Netflix Deal, Rejects Paramount Bid.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Warner Bros. Discovery rejected a takeover bid from Paramount, opting to support a competing offer from Netflix for its studio and streaming assets.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix, Paramount, and their respective shareholders.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Warner Bros. Discovery made the announcement on Wednesday, with the deals expected to face regulatory scrutiny in the United States and internationally.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This isn’t a merger to foster competition. The objective is outright control.” – Matt Gaetz

🎯IMPACT: If approved, Netflix’s acquisition could reshape the entertainment landscape, consolidating major franchises and platforms under one entity.

IN FULL

Warner Bros. Discovery has rejected a $108.4 billion hostile takeover proposal from Paramount and Skydance, advising its shareholders to support Netflix’s $82.7 billion deal for the company’s studio and streaming operations instead. The board described Paramount’s bid as “inadequate” and contrary to shareholder interests.

Netflix’s proposal encompasses Warner Bros.’ movie and television production units, as well as services like HBO Max, and established content libraries. In contrast, Paramount’s all-cash offer targets the full company, encompassing news outlets like CNN and cable channels from the Discovery portfolio. Warner Bros. leadership claims that the Netflix arrangement better supports long-term objectives.

Should the Netflix agreement proceed to completion, the company’s remaining assets, primarily its cable networks, would be separated into an independent public company. Regulators in the U.S., including the Justice Department, are likely to closely examine either transaction due to potential effects on media competition.

Writing in The National Pulse on Tuesday, former Congressman Matt Gaetz warned that the Netflix deal is “about control—over content, over distribution, over culture, and over what Americans are allowed to see, hear, and believe.”

“This isn’t a merger to foster competition. The objective is outright control. Netflix already dominates streaming content. WBD already dominates content with a massive library and content creation ability at scale. Put them together and you don’t get ‘synergies.’ You get a vertically integrated behemoth that controls what gets made, what gets promoted, what loads fastest on your screen, and what quietly disappears,” Gaetz stressed, urging the Trump administration to block the merger.

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5 hours ago
Crime
News

An Antifa Terror Attack Left 45k Without Power in Freezing Temperatures.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Climate extremists claimed responsibility for an arson attack on Berlin’s electrical infrastructure, leaving tens of thousands of Germans without power.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The far-left Antifa anarchist group Vulkangruppe, Berlin Mayor Kai Wegener, and Senator Iris Spranger.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Early morning on January 3 at an electrical cable bridge over Berlin’s Teltow Canal, near the Lichterfelde power plant.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is no joke, this is a terrorist attack.” – Berlin Mayor Kai Wegener.

🎯IMPACT: Tens of thousands of residents and businesses were left without power, with restoration efforts ongoing and potential risks to vulnerable populations.

IN FULL

Authorities in Germany are investigating Antifa sabotage after an arson attack crippled parts of Berlin’s power grid over the weekend, plunging large sections of the capital into darkness. The incident occurred early January 3 when incendiary devices were used to ignite a fire at an electrical cable bridge spanning the Teltow Canal, a key connection supplying the Lichterfelde power plant.

The blaze reportedly damaged critical transmission lines, cutting electricity to roughly 45,000 homes and more than 2,200 commercial properties. Berlin’s grid operator, Stromnetz Berlin, warned that repairs could take considerable time due to the technical complexity of the infrastructure involved.

With nighttime temperatures posing risks to vulnerable residents, concerns have grown that some Berliners may need alternative shelter if any outages persist. Mayor Kai Wegner has urged the deployment of the German Armed Forces to assist with restoration efforts, citing their technical expertise. Senator Iris Spranger has floated the possibility of using military personnel to distribute hot meals to those affected.

On Sunday, Spranger confirmed that responsibility for the attack had been claimed by the far-left anarchist collective known as Vulkangruppe, or Volcano Group. “This is a despicable attack on the people of Berlin that willfully endangers human lives,” Spranger said.

A communiqué attributed to the group and reported by Tagesspiegel framed the sabotage as a response to climate concerns, declaring: “Last night we successfully sabotaged the gas-fired power plant in Berlin-Lichterfelde… The attack on the gas-fired power plant is an act of self-defense and international solidarity with all those who protect the Earth and life.”

The group also pointed to artificial intelligence (AI) and its energy consumption as a justification for the attack, writing: “We are operating our own surveillance, and it is total… The tech companies are in the hands of the men of power that we give them… One day, we will simply die of thirst and hunger sitting in front of glowing screens or inert devices.”

German officials say the incident fits a broader pattern of far-left, climate-motivated attacks on infrastructure that have been seen across Europe in recent years. These operations have frequently targeted power cables, data lines, factories, and transportation networks. A similar act of sabotage in September left more than 50,000 people without electricity for several days.

Reacting to the latest developments, Mayor Wegner vowed an aggressive response, stating: “It was a left-wing extremist group that once again attacked our infrastructure and thereby threatened the lives of people, of elderly people who may need ventilators, of families with small children… And we have to catch these perpetrators now… This is no joke, this is a terrorist attack.”

The attack has renewed scrutiny of transnational far-left extremist networks. U.S. President Donald J. Trump moved to designate Antifa-linked groups in Europe as foreign terrorist organizations last year, citing their involvement in political violence and infrastructure attacks. In November, Antifa activists torched a German politician’s car while vowing that “MAGA freaks will follow Charlie Kirk to hell.” 

Image by Oompje.

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18 hours ago
News
World

British and American Jets Stalk Venezuelan Oil Tanker Flying Russian Colors.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: NATO forces and multiple nations are tracking an oil tanker, the Bella 1, which is evading a U.S. blockade on Venezuela by disguising itself as a Russian vessel.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The United States, United Kingdom, France, Ireland, NATO forces, and the Venezuelan “shadow fleet” are key players in the operation. Russia has also become involved, claiming the vessel as its own.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The tanker is 250 miles off the coast of Ireland, and the operation to monitor it has intensified over recent days.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” said President Donald J. Trump on Truth Social.

🎯IMPACT: The situation raises tensions between the U.S. and Russia, with potential escalations if the U.S. attempts to seize the vessel, which is part of Venezuela’s sanctioned oil fleet.

IN FULL

NATO forces and several national militaries, including those of the United States, Britain, France, and Ireland, are closely monitoring an oil tanker linked to Venezuela that is attempting to evade a U.S. naval blockade. The vessel, formerly known as the Bella 1, has been renamed the Marinera and is now sailing under a Russian flag as part of what U.S. officials describe as Venezuela’s “shadow fleet” of sanctioned oil tankers.

The tanker was last reported roughly 250 miles off Ireland’s west coast, where surveillance aircraft from the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Ireland have been tracking its movements. According to intelligence sources cited by British media, the vessel fled the Caribbean last month to avoid capture by U.S. forces enforcing sanctions on Venezuelan oil exports. U.S. officials are said to be weighing whether to seize the ship, following a recent operation in which another Venezuelan tanker, the Skipper, was intercepted.

The ship is now listed in the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping and registered out of Sochi, Russia. Moscow has formally demanded that Washington halt any attempt to seize the vessel, a move that has heightened tensions between the two countries. Western intelligence agencies believe the tanker previously transported more than six million barrels of Iranian oil, frequently conducting ship-to-ship transfers at sea to obscure the origin and destination of its cargo.

The pursuit of the Bella 1 comes amid an expanded U.S. campaign targeting Venezuela’s sanctioned oil trade. President Donald J. Trump announced what he called a “total and complete” blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers, warning of escalating pressure on Caracas. “Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” he said, and added, “It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before.”

Since the blockade order, U.S. authorities have moved against multiple tankers tied to Venezuelan and Iranian oil shipments, signaling a broader effort to disrupt maritime networks used to bypass sanctions. U.S. forces have also captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and taken him to New York to face trial on drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges.

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19 hours ago
Crime
News

Police in This Dem City Are Being Told Not to Arrest Drug Abusers.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Seattle’s new mayor faces backlash after an internal police email revealed most drug possession and public use cases are being diverted to programs rather than prosecuted.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mayor Katie Wilson (D), Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, Seattle Police Officers Guild President Mike Solan, and nonprofit executive Andrea Suarez.

📍WHEN & WHERE: January 2026 in Seattle, Washington.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The recent naive, ignorant political decision to not arrest offenders for open drug use in the City of Seattle is horrifically dangerous and will create more death and societal decay.” – Mike Solan

🎯IMPACT: Critics argue the diversion policy undermines accountability in a city where open drug use is already common.

IN FULL

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson (D) is facing backlash after an internal Seattle Police Department email revealed that most cases involving drug possession and public use will be steered toward so-called diversion programs instead of prosecution. The email, circulated by Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, instructed officers that eligible drug possession and use cases should be referred to the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program in accordance with guidance from the City Attorney’s Office. The message quickly drew criticism from officers and community advocates who argue the approach reinforces open drug abuse across the city.

Seattle Police Officers Guild President Mike Solan sharply criticized the approach, calling it “dangerous” and reflective of a “naïve political approach to addiction.” He warned that it risks increasing crime and overdose deaths and described the strategy as “suicidal empathy.” Solan added that some officers avoid LEAD referrals altogether, viewing the program as ineffective and driven more by ideology than results.

“The recent naive, ignorant political decision to not arrest offenders for open drug use in the City of Seattle is horrifically dangerous and will create more death and societal decay,” he said.

Andrea Suarez, executive director of the nonprofit We Heart Seattle, echoed those concerns, arguing that tolerating open drug use in public spaces only deepens addiction and accelerates harm. She said enforcement is often the catalyst that pushes individuals toward treatment and recovery.

Seattle’s debate mirrors a growing national divide over how to handle public drug use. Last year, President Donald J. Trump moved to shut down city-sanctioned drug sites in New York City, arguing that government-approved drug dens normalize illegal behavior rather than address addiction.

Image by zeraien.

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