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Friday, November 21, 2025
13 hours ago
Health
News

CDC Revisits Possible Vaccine-Autism Link Theory.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revised its stance on vaccines and autism, stating that a link cannot be ruled out, a reversal from its previous position.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: CDC officials, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dr. Susan J. Kressly, Dr. Paul Offitt, and public health experts.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The changes were recently made on the CDC’s website.

💬KEY QUOTE: The updated wording indicates that a link between childhood vaccines and autism “cannot be ruled out.”

🎯IMPACT: The change shows Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy is continuing to challenge establishment dogma in public health.

IN FULL

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revised language on its website addressing vaccine safety, drawing national attention and igniting debate inside and outside the agency. The updated wording indicates that a link between childhood vaccines and autism “cannot be ruled out,” a departure from the CDC’s long-standing position that no connection exists.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has for years voiced concerns about certain vaccines, welcomed the CDC’s wording change. In September, he had noted that “Some 40-70 percent of mothers who have children with autism believe that their child was injured by a vaccine,” adding: “President Trump believes that we should be listening to these mothers instead of gaslighting and marginalizing them like prior administrations.”

The controversy comes as the CDC is initiating a new large-scale investigation into potential associations between vaccines and autism using the agency’s Vaccine Safety Datalink. At a September event focused on autism, President Donald J. Trump called for separating the combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three individual shots, saying, “When you mix them, there could be a problem.”

The America First leader also criticized the current infant immunization schedule, characterizing it as too intensive. “For a little baby to be injected with that much fluid… it’s crazy,” he said.

Image by Chhor Sokunthea / World Bank.

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13 hours ago
Education
News

State Dept Plans to Slash University Research Funding Over DEI Initiatives.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The State Department is proposing to suspend 38 universities from a federal research collaboration program due to their involvement in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Universities such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and others; the State Department; President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The suspensions, if finalized, will take effect on January 1, 2026, affecting institutions across the United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The State Department is reviewing all programs to ensure that they are in line with the President’s agenda.” – State Department spokesman

🎯IMPACT: If implemented, program slots will be reallocated to schools like Liberty University, Brigham Young University, and others.

IN FULL

The U.S. State Department is reportedly considering removing 38 universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, from its Diplomacy Lab program due to their continued commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. According to a memo dated November 17, institutions that “openly engage in DEI hiring practices” or set DEI goals for candidates could face suspension from the program starting January 1, 2026. Other universities potentially affected include Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Duke, and the University of Southern California.

Established in 2013, the Diplomacy Lab connects the U.S. Department of State with academic institutions to collaborate on research related to policy issues. The program currently partners with over 60 U.S. universities. Should suspensions move forward, available program slots are expected to shift to universities such as Liberty University, Brigham Young University, and other institutions in Missouri and Texas.

President Donald J. Trump has repeatedly criticized DEI programs within federal agencies and has cautioned universities that continued DEI engagement could risk federal funding. A State Department spokesman emphasized, “The State Department is reviewing all programs to ensure that they are in line with the President’s agenda.”

The move comes amid a broader shift in higher education, with several universities, including some in California, scrapping DEI offices and initiatives in recent months. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has also proposed new funding incentives for universities that promote conservative perspectives, including stipulations to ban race or sex as factors in admissions and hiring, freeze tuition, and cap international student enrollment.

Participating institutions are expected to foster a “vibrant marketplace of ideas” and eliminate departments that “purposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas.”

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14 hours ago
Health
News

Cloned Meat Is Circulating in America’s Food Supply.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Health Canada has paused its plan to allow cloned meat into the nation’s food supply following significant backlash from consumers and industry, drawing attention to the situation in the U.S.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Health Canada, Canadian and American consumers, industry stakeholders, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made on November 20, 2025, affecting Canada, with related implications in the U.S. and globally.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Until the policy is updated, foods made from cloned cattle and swine will remain subject to the novel food assessment.” – Health Canada

🎯IMPACT: Cloned meat products remain restricted in Canada for now, while Americans face ongoing concerns over unlabeled cloned meat in their food supply.

IN FULL

Health Canada has indefinitely paused its plans to allow cloned meat into the Canadian food supply following widespread public and industry concerns. The move comes after objections to proposals that would have removed pre-market safety assessments and mandatory labeling for cloned meat products.

Under current regulations, cloned meat is classified as a “novel food” in Canada, requiring a safety review before entering the market. Health Canada stated, “Until the policy is updated, foods made from cloned cattle and swine will remain subject to the novel food assessment.” The agency confirmed that no cloned meat or milk products are currently approved or available in Canada.

Consequently, consumers in the United States have voiced frustration over cloned meat circulating there without mandatory labeling. Consumer advocacy groups argue that Americans are denied the ability to make informed choices. The Center for Food Safety highlighted “massive public opposition to animal cloning, widespread scientific concerns about the risks of eating food from clones, and troubling animal cruelty and ethical concerns associated with the cloning process.”

The European Union (EU) has banned cloned meat due to similar concerns. Nevertheless, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains that meat and milk from cloned animals, approved in 2008, are safe and nutritious.

Meanwhile, scientists have previously explored the use of powdered insects in processed foods to overcome the so-called “disgust factor” associated with eating bugs. Major companies, including Tyson Foods, have invested heavily in insect and bug proteins as sustainable, high-protein alternatives to conventional meat.

Notably, the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, launched under President Donald J. Trump and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been influencing major food companies to prioritize natural ingredients. Several large corporations are phasing out artificial food dyes from products in line with the MAHA plan, which aims to improve public health through cleaner, more natural foods. Whether RFK Jr. will address cloned meat remains to be seen.

Image by Mattes.

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14 hours ago
Education
News

Muslim Brotherhood Infiltrating U.S. Colleges to Transform Society: Report.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A report warns that the Muslim Brotherhood is halfway through a 100-year plan to infiltrate U.S. institutions to undermine Western democracy.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) published the report.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The report was released on Wednesday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We are now 50 years into the Brotherhood’s 100-year plan to entrench themselves into key institutions in the United States and other western societies to undermine and destroy our democracy,” said Dr. Charles Asher Small.

🎯IMPACT: The report calls for the U.S. to designate the Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization to prevent further infiltration.

IN FULL

A new 200-page report from the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) warns that the Muslim Brotherhood is halfway through a century-long effort to embed itself within key Western institutions. According to the analysis, the group has spent the past 50 years cultivating influence inside U.S. universities, government agencies, media networks, and civil society.

ISGAP director Dr. Charles Asher Small stated, “We are now 50 years into the Brotherhood’s 100-year plan to entrench themselves into key institutions in the United States and other [W]estern societies to undermine and destroy our democracy,” describing the movement as “a transnational ideological project that adapts itself to Western systems while working to undermine them.”

The report outlines what it calls a “civilization jihad”—a long-term strategy that uses the freedoms of democratic societies to advance the Brotherhood’s ideological aims. It identifies the Muslim Students Association, active on hundreds of college campuses, as a major organizational pipeline and asserts that Students for Justice in Palestine often works alongside it to advance aligned political goals.

ISGAP cites internal Brotherhood documents such as The Explanatory Memorandum and The Project as evidence of a structured effort to influence Western institutions over generations. The study also argues that the group maintains ideological and financial continuity with Hamas, which the U.S. has designated as a terrorist organization.

Financial networks tied to Qatar also feature prominently in the report, with claims that Qatari funding has played a significant role in supporting institutions and academic centers linked to Brotherhood-aligned thinkers. In response to its findings, ISGAP is urging the U.S. government to formally designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), arguing that such a move would curb its ability to operate in the United States.

The debate intensified after Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) announced on November 18, 2025, that his state was designating both the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations. Under his order, the groups are barred from acquiring land in Texas, and the state attorney general, Ken Paxton, may take legal action to shut down their activities. Abbott argued that the Brotherhood seeks “to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world.’”

Image by Don Sniegowski.

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15 hours ago
William Upton
Crime
Lawfare

Biden Judge Orders End to Trump’s National Guard Deployment in D.C.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb, appointed by former President Joe Biden, ruled on Thursday that President Donald J. Trump “exceeded the bounds of [his] authority” in ordering the deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Judge Jia Cobb, President Trump, and National Guard troops deployed in Washington, D.C.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was handed down late in the day on Thursday, November 20, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Court finds that the District’s exercise of sovereign powers within its jurisdiction is irreparably harmed by Defendants’ actions in deploying the Guards.” — Judge Cobb

🎯IMPACT: Judge Cobb voluntarily stayed her ruling for 21 days to allow the Trump administration time to file an appeal.

IN FULL

U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb, appointed by former President Joe Biden, ruled on Thursday that President Donald J. Trump “exceeded the bounds of [his] authority” in ordering the deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. In her ruling, Judge Cobb contends that Trump acted “contrary to law” when he deployed the National Guard “for non-military, crime-deterrence missions in the absence of a request from the city’s civil authorities.”

The National Pulse reported in late October that the Trump administration, using statutory authorities, had extended the National Guard deployment in the nation’s capital until February 2026. Notably, Judge Cobb voluntarily stayed her ruling for 21 days in order to allow the Trump administration time to file an appeal.

“The Court finds that the District’s exercise of sovereign powers within its jurisdiction is irreparably harmed by Defendants’ actions in deploying the Guards,” Judge Cobb wrote, also finding that Trump administration officials “lack statutory authority” to deploy Guard units from outside the District of Columbia.

In September, the District of Columbia’s attorney general filed a lawsuit challenging Trump’s National Guard deployment in the city, resulting in Cobb’s ruling.

“President Trump is well within his lawful authority to deploy the National Guard in Washington, DC, to protect federal assets and assist law enforcement with specific tasks,” White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson said in response to the court’s decision. “This lawsuit is nothing more than another attempt—at the detriment of D.C. residents—to undermine the President’s highly successful operations to stop violent crime in D.C.”

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16 hours ago
Politics

Jasmine Crockett Defends Smearing GOP Over Some Random Guy Named Jeffrey Epstein.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) has found herself in hot water over a series of flubs trying to pin her Republican colleagues to deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jasmine Crockett, Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), Jeffrey Epstein, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lee Zeldin, House Republicans, and CNN.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Crockett’s initial comments came on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, with her interview on CNN occurring late Wednesday, November 19.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Listen, I never said that it was Jeffrey Epstein. Just so that people understand, when you make a donation, your picture is not there. And because they decided to spring this on us, in real time, I wanted the Republicans to think about what could potentially happen, because I knew that they didn’t even try to go through the [Federal Election Commission].” — Rep. Crockett

🎯IMPACT: Crockett took to the House floor and accused numerous lawmakers of having taken campaign cash from an “Jeffrey Epstein,” although the man in question was not the late convicted sex offender.

IN FULL

Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) has found herself in hot water over a series of flubs trying to pin her Republican colleagues to deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. In the most egregious incident, Crockett took to the House floor and accused numerous lawmakers of having taken campaign cash from “Jeffrey Epstein“, although the man in question was not the infamous sex offender.

Additionally, during an appearance late Wednesday on CNN, Crockett bizarrely defended her Democrat colleague, Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), and her relationship with the real Epstein, including texts exchanged between the two during a 2019 congressional hearing, arguing that it wasn’t like they were “sexting.”

On Tuesday evening, Crockett began listing Republican lawmakers and campaign committees that received contributions from “Jeffrey Epstein,” including current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lee Zeldin. The problem with Crockett’s line of attack, however, is that the donor she conflated with the deceased pedophile is not the same person. In fact, Zeldin, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) later that night, wrote, “Yes Crockett, a physician named Dr. Jeffrey Epstein (who is a totally different person than the other Jeffrey Epstein) donated to a prior campaign of mine. No freaking relation you genius.”

None of the contributions listed by Crockett—which she claimed her staff prepared for her—were from the deceased pedophile, but were rather from other individuals who happened to have the same name. Despite this, Crockett has continued to defend her attack on the House floor. Late Wednesday, she told CNN, “Listen, I never said that it was Jeffrey Epstein. Just so that people understand, when you make a donation, your picture is not there. And because they decided to spring this on us, in real time, I wanted the Republicans to think about what could potentially happen, because I knew that they didn’t even try to go through the [Federal Election Commission].”

While Crockett is correct that the Federal Election Commission (FEC) does not provide pictures of donors, the commission does provide addresses, professions, and the dates of the donations. A number of those contributions listed by Crockett came well after Epstein’s death on August 10, 2019.

If that were not bad enough, in the same CNN interview, Crockett went on to defend her Democrat colleague, Delegate Statecy Plaskett, over an exchange of text messages where Epstein coached her on questions to ask during an early 2019 hearing with disgraced attorney Michael Cohen. Crockett dismissed criticism of Plaskett’s close relationship and friendly demeanor with Epstein—who had already been convicted as a sex offender for soliciting an underage girl in 2008—stating that it wasn’t like the two were “sexting.”

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16 hours ago
NatSec
World

U.S. Troops Invade Mexico… By Mistake.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: American personnel mistakenly placed signs on a Mexican beach, claiming it as restricted U.S. Department of War property.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. contractors, Mexican security forces, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Playa Bagdad, Mexico, earlier this week.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Changes in water depth and topography altered the perception of the international boundary’s location.” – Pentagon statement

🎯IMPACT: The incident has sparked diplomatic tension, with the International Boundary and Water Commission now involved in resolving the dispute.

IN FULL

American military contractors mistakenly landed on Playa Bagdad, Mexico, on Monday, planting six signs that declared the beach as restricted U.S. Department of War property. The signs, written in both English and Spanish, warned against unauthorized access and photography, stating, “If you are found here, you may be detained and searched.”

The incident prompted an immediate response from Mexican security forces, who arrived heavily armed in trucks. They later removed the signs, asserting that the area was on Mexican territory. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico released a Pentagon statement acknowledging the error, attributing it to “changes in water depth and topography” that altered perceptions of the international boundary. Notably, the landing site appears to be just several miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border, adding credence to the Pentagon’s explanation.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the incident and announced that the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) would arbitrate the matter. “We do not accept any intervention by a foreign government,” she stated, reiterating her opposition to American military actions on Mexican soil, despite U.S. President Donald J. Trump‘s recent remarks about targeting drug cartels.

Sheinbaum’s position in Mexican politics is at a precarious point as her government has faced days of protests from students who accuse the Mexican leader of being in league with the country’s drug cartels.

This incident comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Mexico, with President Trump previously expressing dissatisfaction with Mexico’s handling of drug cartels and proposing military action. The exact location of the beach remains unconfirmed, though local reports suggest Mexican marines were involved in removing the signs.

Image by Tony Webster.

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17 hours ago
Immigration

ICE Detained Over 3,500 Illegals in This Dem-Run City During Shutdown.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 3,593 criminal illegal immigrants in Houston, Texas, during the government shutdown.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: ICE officials, 3,593 criminal illegal immigrants, including gang members and convicted criminals.

📍WHEN & WHERE: October 1 to November 12, 2025, in Houston, Texas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Our entire team understands how critical ICE’s mission is to public safety and national security, and despite many of them going without pay, they continued to show up every day and give everything they had to protect this community from dangerous criminal illegal alien gang members, child predators, murderers and rapists,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operation Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford.

🎯IMPACT: Dangerous individuals, including child predators, murderers, and gang members, were removed from communities and will face justice.

IN FULL

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Houston announced it arrested 3,593 illegal immigrants during the 43-day government shutdown from October 1 to November 12. According to ICE, those arrested include 67 sex offenders, 13 murderers, 51 child predators, 366 criminal aliens convicted of DWIs, 261 convicted of aggravated assault, and 103 convicted of burglary or theft.

In addition, ICE says it arrested 23 gang members, including a Honduran national named Josue Pineda-Ayala, a 23-year-old MS-13 gang member charged with a triple homicide in Dallas. Pineda-Ayala, who was released into the United States by the former Biden government in May of last year, allegedly committed the triple murder before being detained by ICE in early October. Subsequently, the 23-year-old MS-13 member was transferred to the Dallas County Jail with a detain lodged and awaiting charges.

Another case involved Baldomero Perez-Quezada, a 56-year-old criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico who has been removed from the country four times. A convicted child predator, Perez-Quezada was arrested on October 17 after being encountered at the Edinburg Police Department in 2023 under the former Biden government. He later preyed on a child, leading to a conviction for sexual indecency with a child earlier this year.

“Our entire team understands how critical ICE’s mission is to public safety and national security, and despite many of them going without pay, they continued to show up every day and give everything they had to protect this community from dangerous criminal illegal alien gang members, child predators, murderers and rapists,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operation Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford.

He added, “As a result of those efforts, 51 dangerous child predators are no longer free to prey on our children, 10 fugitives have been apprehended and will now face justice for their alleged offenses, and thousands of other violent criminal aliens have been removed from local communities throughout Southeast Texas and will be removed from the United States.”

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18 hours ago
William Upton
NatSec

Trump Wants Sedition Charges for ‘Traitor’ Lawmakers Urging Troops to Defy Orders.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump called for the arrest of Democrat lawmakers featured in a video urging military and intelligence personnel to “refuse illegal orders.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Senators Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Jason Crow (D-CO), and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statements made on Thursday, regarding a video featuring lawmakers.

💬KEY QUOTE: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Trump’s remarks highlight tensions over the video and its implications for the military and intelligence community.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump on Thursday seemingly called for the arrest of several Democrat lawmakers who appeared in a video encouraging military and intelligence personnel to “refuse illegal orders.” Trump described their conduct as seditious and subject to the death penalty.

Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, “This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???” He added in another post, “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

The video featured Senators Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), as well as Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), and Jason Crow (D-CO). All have served in the armed forces or the intelligence community. The video addressed members of the military and intelligence communities, stating, “We want to speak directly to members of the military and the intelligence community, who take risks each day to keep Americans safe. We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now. Americans trust their military, but that trust is at risk.”

The lawmakers continued, “This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens. Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution. Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear: you can refuse illegal orders.”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth responded to the video, calling it “Stage 4 TDS [Trump Derangement Syndrome]” in a post. The Democrat lawmakers’ video concluded with a direct appeal to military and intelligence personnel, asserting, “You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution. We know this is hard, and that it’s a difficult time to be a public servant. But whether you’re serving in the CIA, the Army, our Navy, the Air Force, your vigilance is critical, and know that we have your back.”

Following President Trump’s Truth Social posts, Senate and House Minority Leaders Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) claimed the President was explicitly calling for the execution of Members of Congress. On the Senate floor, Schumer stated, “This is an outright threat, and it’s deadly serious… When Donald Trump uses the language of execution and treason, some of his supporters may very well listen.” Notably, Schumer has never acknowledged his own instigation of violence against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Likewise, in the House, Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement, “Donald Trump must immediately delete these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed.”

Neither Schumer nor Jeffries addressed the rhetoric of their members and the fact that they had directly encouraged members of the armed services to disobey orders and the chain of command. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), meanwhile, defended President Trump’s remarks, calling the message of the House Democrats “wildly inappropriate.”

“That is a factual statement,” Johnson said of Trump calling the Democrat video seditious. He added that Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys would need to “parse” the exact language of the act, but that there could be legal action taken. “For a senator like Mark Kelly or any member of the House or Senate to behave in that kind of talks is to me so just beyond the pale,” Johnson said.

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18 hours ago
Media
UK

FCC Investigating BBC for Doctoring Trump Speech.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is probing the BBC for doctoring a speech by President Donald J. Trump on January 6, 2021.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The BBC, FCC, and Donald Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The FCC’s recent letter is addressed to the BBC’s leadership in the United Kingdom.

💬KEY QUOTE: “That would appear to meet the very definition of publishing a materially false and damaging statement.” – Brendan Carr

🎯IMPACT: The BBC faces potential legal action from Donald Trump, with broader scrutiny of its editorial practices.

IN FULL

The British state broadcaster, the BBC, is facing intense scrutiny after the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched an investigation into a January 6, 2021, speech by President Donald J. Trump. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr wrote to outgoing BBC Director-General Tim Davie, stating that the edited footage portrayed Trump saying a sentence “that, in fact, he never uttered,” and warning that such actions could constitute “publishing a materially false and damaging statement.”

The BBC is facing a major lawsuit. Trump may pursue damages in the billions, with David Maddox, political editor at The Independent, saying the BBC “has shot itself in the foot” by splicing together different sections of the President’s speech to make it appear as though he made a direct call for violence. “Donald Trump’s going to sue them for a huge amount of money,” he warned.

The BBC has apologized, calling the editing an “error of judgment.” India-born Chairman Samir Shah acknowledged that the way the footage was presented gave “the impression of a direct call for violent action.” However, a BBC spokesman emphasized that the corporation “strongly disagree[s] there is a basis for a defamation claim.”

The controversy has already led to significant changes in leadership, with Director-General Tim Davie and new chief Deborah Turness resigning amid criticism of the broadcaster’s editorial practices.

The situation has also drawn attention to the impartiality of BBC executives, or lack thereof. One board member, Muriel Gray, previously described Trump as a “howling idiot.” Additional reports have emerged showing that other clips of Trump have been similarly doctored.

Image by Matt Cornock.

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