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Friday, March 6, 2026
14 minutes ago
Christopher Tomlinson
1A
Bonkers Britain

Stats: British Arrests for Speech Crimes Dwarf Those of Former USSR.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Statistics reveal that Britain is currently prosecuting more people for speech crimes than the former Soviet Union did.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Commentator Peter Nimitz, analyst Alex Kokcharov, and the British government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The statistics were posted on X (formerly Twitter) on March 4.

💬KEY QUOTE: “USSR had centralized repression apparati (party officials & secret police) while UK utilizes a combination of secret police, decentralized apparati aligned by judiciary (HR departments), & ethnic auxiliaries in certain territorial police forces,” Peter Nimitz wrote.

🎯IMPACT: The statistics reveal the massive scale of speech suppression in Britain.

IN FULL

Statistics circulated online suggest that Britain prosecutes far more speech-related cases each year than the former Soviet Union (USSR) did during one of its most repressive periods. According to figures shared by commentator Peter Nimitz, Soviet authorities arrested 3,234 people between 1962 and 1985 under Articles 70 and 190-1 of the criminal code, which targeted “anti-Soviet agitation” and “disinformation.” Meanwhile, Britain recorded 2,341 prosecutions for online speech offenses in 2022 alone, resulting in 1,816 convictions, under legislation such as the Communications Act 2003 and the Malicious Communications Act 1988.

“USSR had centralized repression apparati (party officials & secret police) while UK utilizes a combination of secret police, decentralized apparati aligned by judiciary (HR departments), & ethnic auxiliaries in certain territorial police forces (infamously Leicestershire),” Nimitz said.

The comparison was prompted by a viral video shared by British counter-terror police as part of its sinister “WHAT YOU SHARE LEAVES A TRACE” campaign, showing a white teenager fearing for his future after sharing a link because he “thought it was funny,” only for the authorities to decide it was “terrorist content” and seize his devices.

The comparison between Britain and the USSR has been seized upon by critics who argue that Britain’s expanding policing of online speech has erased the country’s traditional civil liberties. High-profile recent cases include a mother who was jailed over an anti-immigration social media post shortly after a mass stabbing targeting young girls, perpetrated by the son of two African asylum seekers.

In another case, a British man received a prison sentence after chanting “Who the f*** is Allah?” during unrest over the stabbings, with the judge citing hostility toward Islam as a factor in sentencing. A former professional soccer player was also convicted over abusive messages directed at BBC presenters on social media, with the judge rebuking him in court for wearing a scarf displaying the British flag.

Some argue the comparison of Britain to the USSR is unfair, as the USSR had no social media to police, and the penalties for speech crimes were often harsher than in Britain, including years in labor camps or internal exile. However, Britain’s modern censorship has drawn much international criticism, with the Trump administration in the U.S. concerned that it is impacting American citizens and companies.

Last year, the U.S. State Department released a human rights report critical of British policies, highlighting the censorious Online Safety Act in particular.

Jack Montgomery contributed to this report.

Image by Garry Knight.

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1 hour ago
William Upton
War
World

Iran Is Trying to Lure Trump into a Deadly Ground Invasion.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Islamic Republic of Iran appears to be attempting to goad U.S. President Donald J. Trump into launching a politically unpopular and deadly ground invasion, claiming its military is prepared to repel a ground invasion by American troops.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Donald J. Trump, the U.S. military, and Ali Larijani.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Araghchi’s comments were made on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We are waiting for them. Because we are confident that we can confront them, and that would be a big disaster for them.” — Abbas Araghchi

🎯IMPACT: Earlier this week, President Trump stopped short of ruling out the deployment of American boots on the ground as joint U.S.-Israeli strikes continue to increase against Iranian military and political targets.

IN FULL

The Islamic Republic of Iran appears to be attempting to goad U.S. President Donald J. Trump into launching a politically unpopular and deadly ground invasion, claiming its military is prepared to repel a ground invasion by American troops. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday, “We are waiting for them. Because we are confident that we can confront them, and that would be a big disaster for them.”

Earlier this week, President Trump refused to rule out American “boots on the ground” as joint U.S.-Israeli strikes continue to increase against Iranian military and political targets. The U.S. military action, dubbed Operation Epic Fury and launched on February 28, 2026, has already resulted in the deaths of dozens of top Iranian political and military officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Araghchi contradicted claims made by Trump that Iran had sought a ceasefire and negotiations to end hostilities, stating, “We didn’t ask for a ceasefire even last time.” This assertion was echoed by Iran’s top national security official, Ali Larijani, who wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), “We will not negotiate with the United States.”

“The fact is that we don’t have any positive experience of negotiating with the United States. You know, especially with this administration. We negotiated twice last year and this year, and then in the middle of negotiations, they attacked us,” Araghchi said. “So we see no reason why we should engage once again with those who have, who are not honest in negotiation, and they don’t and do not enter into negotiation in good faith.”

However, on Friday, President Trump announced that the United States will only accept “unconditional surrender” from the Islamic Republic of Iran, stating that there will be “no deal” to end the conflict with the Islamist regime on any other grounds.

On Thursday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told The National Pulse that concerns that the war against Iran is expanding across the Middle East are unfounded. “What Iran is doing by attacking allied countries that would otherwise want to stay out of this” is pulling them “into the American orbit,” Hegseth said.

“So, now you’ve got UAE and Qatar and Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and others saying, ‘Hey, we’re with you, we’ll shoot with you, we’ll fly with you, we’ll defend you,” he explained, saying Iran’s actions were “actually firming up the unity of the resistance” to its regime.

“So this idea that [the war is] expanding, no, it’s actually simplifying in a number of ways, exactly what we need to achieve,” the War Secretary added.

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2 hours ago
Immigration
Politics

Dem Congressman’s Illegal Alien SOTU Guest Linked to Sexual Assaults Involving Juveniles.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Marcelo Gomes da Silva, an illegal immigrant and guest of Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) at President Donald J. Trump’s State of the Union address, is referenced in police reports involving sexual assault and juveniles.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Congressman Seth Moulton, Marcelo Gomes da Silva, the Milford Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The reports date back to June and September of 2021, with recent developments occurring around the State of the Union on February 24, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Gomes DaSilva is an illegal alien who has no right to be in our nation.” – Department of Homeland Security

🎯IMPACT: The Boston Herald, through public records requests, sought details from the Milford Police Department about incidents involving Gomes da Silva in 2021. However, these requests were denied, citing the involvement of juveniles in the reports.

IN FULL

Anti-ICE activist Marcelo Gomes da Silva, who was invited by Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) to the State of the Union, is referenced in police reports related to sexual assault and juveniles, raising concerns about the vetting of such high-profile guests. The Boston Herald, through public records requests, sought details from the Milford Police Department about incidents involving Gomes da Silva in 2021. However, these requests were denied, citing the involvement of juveniles in the reports.

“The records you are requesting are not public records in accordance with M.G.L. c. 4 s. 7 cl. 26 (A). Report 21-23101-OF involves a sexual assault and juveniles. Report 21-16254-OF involves juveniles,” Milford Deputy Chief John Sanchioni wrote when denying the record inquiries.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) criticized Moulton’s stunt just before President Donald J. Trump’s February address to Congress, posting on X (formerly Twitter): “[Rep. Moulton] plans to bring illegal alien Marcelo Gomes DaSilva. Gomes DaSilva is an illegal alien who has no right to be in our nation. We are committed to enforcing the law and fighting for the arrest, detention, and removal of aliens like him.”

Notably, Moulton had his staff escort Gomes da Silva out of the House gallery early on during President Trump‘s State of the Union address, hiding the illegal immigrant and alleged sexual predator in office “out of an abundance of caution,” alleging DHS was “targeting and harassing Marcelo.” The Massachusetts Democrat went on to defend Gomes da Silva, describing him as a “great American” and a “patriot” during subsequent media appearances. Addressing the criminal allegations directly, a spokesman for Moulton said, “According to our review, Marcelo has never been charged with a crime.”

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2 hours ago
War
World

Trump Says He’ll Only Accept ‘Unconditional Surrender’ from Iran.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced on Friday that the United States will only accept “unconditional surrender” from the Islamic Republic of Iran, stating that there will be “no deal” to end the conflict with the Islamist regime on any other grounds.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, U.S. CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Trump announced his terms on Friday, March 6, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: U.S. military forces have so far demonstrated overwhelming power; the Islamic Republic has launched retaliatory strikes across the regions, but its military capabilities appear to be deteriorating.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump announced on Friday that the United States will only accept “unconditional surrender” from the Islamic Republic of Iran, stating that there will be “no deal” to end the conflict with the Islamist regime on any other grounds. Trump’s declaration comes just six days after he announced the U.S. military would begin combat operations against Iranian political and military targets, with initial joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes resulting in the deaths of the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and dozens of other top officials.

“There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” President Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, continuing, “After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. ‘MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!).'”

During a White House event on Thursday, Trump urged the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), along with Iran’s regular Artesh military and police forces, to “lay down their arms” or face “absolutely guaranteed death.” He also called on Iranian diplomats to assist in shaping “a new and better Iran.”

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander, Admiral Brad Cooper,  stated on Thursday during a briefing at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, that nearly 200 targets had been struck within Iran over the preceding 72 hours, including areas around Tehran. He stated that “dozens of 2,000-pound penetrator bombs” were dropped on deeply buried ballistic missile launchers and that an Iranian drone carrier ship was ablaze following a strike.

“The amount of combat power that’s still flowing, that’s still coming, that we’ll be able to project over Iran is a multiple of what it currently is right now,” Cooper added.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth emphasized Iran’s miscalculation of American resolve and access to deep reserves of munitions: “Our stockpiles of defensive and offensive weapons allow us to sustain this campaign as long as we need.”

Speaking with The National Pulse on Thursday, Sec. Hegseth also addressed concerns that strikes against Iran could spread unrest across the Middle East: “What Iran is doing by attacking allied countries that would otherwise want to stay out of this” is pulling them “into the American orbit,” Hegseth said. “So, now you’ve got UAE and Qatar and Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and others saying, ‘Hey, we’re with you, we’ll shoot with you, we’ll fly with you, we’ll defend you,” he explained, saying Iran’s actions were “actually firming up the unity of the resistance” to its regime.“

“So this idea that [the war is] expanding, no, it’s actually simplifying in a number of ways, exactly what we need to achieve,” the War Secretary added.

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3 hours ago
The National Pulse
News

‘Remember the Alamo!’ — 190 Years Since the Battle That Paved the Way for Texas Independence.

Today marks the 190th anniversary of the fall of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, following an epic 13-day siege. The heroic last stand of the 18th-century Spanish mission’s roughly 200 defenders against the overwhelming forces of Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna, which paved the way for Texas becoming independent and later joining the Union, remains an iconic symbol of sacrifice for liberty down to the present day.

The siege began on February 23 when Santa Anna arrived at San Antonio de Béxar. Lieutenant Colonel William Barret Travis, commanding roughly 182 men revolting against Mexican rule, refused to surrender. Late in February, 32 courageous volunteers from Gonzales under Captain George C. Kimbell fought their way through enemy lines to join the garrison, knowing the siege would likely end in their deaths.

On March 2, while the battle raged, Texas declared its independence. Realizing no help would come, Travis gave his men a fateful choice: attempt a desperate breakout, surrender, or remain and defend the Alamo to the last man. They chose to stand their ground, determined to delay the enemy and give the Texas army time to organize.

Two legendary frontiersmen numbered among the defenders: Davy Crockett and James “Jim” Bowie. Crockett was born on August 17, 1786, in Greene County, Tennessee. A famed hunter, soldier in the Creek War, he was also a three-term U.S. Congressman known for his wit and independence. After losing reelection in 1835, Crockett traveled to Texas and reached the Alamo around February 8, 1836. He served as a private in the Tennessee Mounted Volunteers, boosting morale with his marksmanship and storytelling.

Jim Bowie, born around April 10, 1796, in Kentucky, was already a frontier legend for his fighting skills and the famous Bowie knife he helped popularize. He had settled in Texas, become a Mexican citizen, and married into a leading San Antonio family. Bowie fought in key early battles of the Texas Revolution, including Concepción and the Grass Fight. He arrived at the Alamo in January 1836 and, despite falling seriously ill, refused to abandon his post.

On March 6, Santa Anna’s troops finally succeeded in storming the mission. All of its defenders perished. Yet their sacrifice ignited the rallying cry “Remember the Alamo!” Weeks later, Sam Houston’s forces defeated Santa Anna at San Jacinto, winning Texas independence.

One hundred and ninety years later, we still honor the courage of Travis, Crockett, Bowie, and every man who gave his life for freedom. Their stand remains a timeless reminder that liberty often demands the ultimate price—and that true patriots are willing to pay it. Texas—and America—will never forget.


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Today marks the 190th anniversary of the fall of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, following an epic 13-day siege. The heroic last stand of the 18th-century Spanish mission's roughly 200 defenders against the overwhelming forces of Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna, which paved the way for Texas becoming independent and later joining the Union, remains an iconic symbol of sacrifice for liberty down to the present day. show more
4 hours ago
Data
Economy

U.S. Economy Sheds 92,000 Jobs in February Setback.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, a concerning miss of economic forecasts which projected a net gain of 60,000 jobs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Department of Labor and sectors such as healthcare, which saw notable job losses.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 2026, across the United States.

🎯IMPACT: U.S. market futures declined, adding uncertainty to the economic outlook.

IN FULL

The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, a significant miss for economic forecasters who projected a net gain of 60,000 jobs. In addition, the unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.4 percent, from January’s 4.3 percent.

Economists surveyed by FactSet had anticipated a payroll increase of 60,000 jobs. February’s report marked the third instance of job losses in the past five months, with U.S. market futures declining in response. The healthcare sector, a recent source of job growth, lost 28,000 positions in February. The U.S. Labor Department attributed this decline to strike activity, including a nurses’ strike in California that concluded late last month.

Other sectors seeing job losses included information technology and the federal government, which declined by 11,000 and 10,000 positions, respectively, in February. Meanwhile, the Labor Department also issued revised job growth figures for January and December, reducing them by 4,000 and 65,000.

The economic conditions in the United States remain stable, but spiking oil prices due to the ongoing U.S. and Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran could put additional pressure on the economy. Notably, the February jobs report, along with rising energy prices, could renew pressure on the Federal Reserve to begin another cycle of interest rate cuts. Shortly after the release of the jobs data, expectations that the Fed will slash rates again in June surged on Wall Street from a 35 percent chance to 49 percent.

Image by Adam Fagen.

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4 hours ago
Media

POLITICO’s German Giant Owner in Stunning $770M Raid of Right-Leaning Telegraph.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Axel Springer, the German publisher behind U.S. liberal media powerhouse POLITICO, has acquired The Telegraph for £575 million, disrupting a planned takeover by Lord Rothermere, owner of The Daily Mail.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Axel Springer, Mathias Döpfner, The Telegraph, RedBird IMI, Lord Rothermere, and the Barclay family.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The acquisition was announced on March 6, impacting the global media landscape.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Now our dream comes true. To be the owner of this institution of quality British journalism is a privilege and a duty.” – Mathias Döpfner

🎯IMPACT: The acquisition marks Axel Springer’s largest move into the UK market, with potential implications for media plurality and public interest.

IN FULL

Axel Springer, the German publishing giant, has acquired The Telegraph for £575 million ($770M). This move disrupts a previous takeover attempt by Lord Rothermere, the owner of The Daily Mail. Mathias Döpfner, the CEO of Axel Springer, has expressed his long-standing ambition to own The Telegraph, calling it a “dream come true.”

The acquisition was made possible after Axel Springer secured security over The Telegraph from RedBird IMI, a UAE-backed entity that had attempted to take control in 2023. This marks Axel Springer’s largest venture into the UK market, furthering Döpfner’s strategy of expanding in the English-speaking world.

Axel Springer, known for its substantial revenues and profits, has previously attempted to acquire The Telegraph in 2004 and the Financial Times in 2015. The company’s international portfolio includes POLITICO and Business Insider, yet none hold a significant share in the UK news market.

The acquisition might still face scrutiny from the UK Government, which could investigate its impact on the public interest, a process that could take several months. The Telegraph has been in a state of uncertainty since June 2023, following the Barclay family’s loss of control to Lloyds Banking Group.

The move will likely cause concern over the Telegraph’s historically right-leaning editorial positions, with Axel Springer known for its globalist tilt.

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17 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

‘Abdulkarim Farah’ Jailed for Trying to Bribe Juror in Minnesota Fraud Case.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Abdulkarim Farah of Minneapolis was sentenced to 57 months in prison for attempting to bribe a juror in a high-profile fraud case.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Abdulkarim Farah, his brothers, co-defendant Ladan Ali, and “Juror 52” were key figures in the case.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The bribery attempt occurred during a trial beginning April 22, 2024, in Minnesota.

🎯IMPACT: The case highlights the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the justice system and the role of impartial juries.

IN FULL

Abdulkarim Farah of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release after attempting to bribe a juror during the first trial connected to the massive Feeding Our Future fraud case. The largely Somali-led nonprofit sat at the center of a pandemic-era scheme that prosecutors say stole more than $250 million in taxpayer funds intended to provide meals to children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to federal prosecutors, Farah worked with his brothers and other associates to influence the trial’s outcome by offering money to “Juror 52” in exchange for a not-guilty verdict. The bribery attempt occurred during a trial that began April 22, 2024, involving seven defendants, including two of Farah’s brothers, before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel.

Court filings state that Farah monitored Juror 52 and the juror’s home, shared logistical information with co-conspirators, and coordinated the delivery of the bribe with co-defendant Ladan Ali. On June 2, 2024, Farah drove Ali to the juror’s residence, where she delivered a gift bag containing cash to a relative of the juror and promised additional payments if the juror voted to acquit. Investigators later found that Farah deleted the Signal messaging app from his phone in an effort to destroy evidence.

U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud sentenced Farah to the high end of the federal guidelines. During sentencing, the judge emphasized the importance of juries to the justice system, describing “properly functioning juries” as a cornerstone of criminal courts, and commended Juror 52 for refusing the large cash bribe.

The Feeding Our Future case has become one of the largest fraud scandals in the United States. Payments to the nonprofit surged during the pandemic as it claimed to be distributing millions of meals through dozens of affiliated sites across Minnesota.

Federal investigators have charged 98 people in connection with the scheme. According to congressional oversight findings cited in early 2026, 85 of those defendants are Somali.

The case has also prompted broader scrutiny of organized fraud networks tied to pandemic relief programs in Minnesota. Investigators and lawmakers have raised concerns about underground financial networks moving large sums of money through U.S. airports and allegations that proceeds from fraud operations have been connected to activist movements in Minneapolis.

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18 hours ago
Economy
News

Trump Tariffs Working: China Sets Weakest Economic Growth Target in Decades.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: China announced its 2026 GDP growth target at 4.5-5 percent, the lowest benchmark since 1991, signaling a shift to slower economic growth.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced at the opening of the National People’s Congress on Thursday in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.

🎯IMPACT: The lower target is a sign of structural issues in China’s export-heavy economy, which has been hit by President Trump’s efforts to disincentivise cheap imports in favor of products made by American workers.

IN FULL

China has set its lowest economic growth goal in decades, signaling a shift in strategy as the country confronts mounting domestic and international pressures. Speaking at the opening session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced a GDP growth target of 4.5 percent to five percent for the year. Delivered at the Great Hall of the People, the benchmark marks the first time since 1991 that China has set a national growth target below five percent.

China continues to grapple with a struggling property sector, persistent deflationary pressures, weak domestic consumption, and a cooling labor market. Urban youth unemployment remains elevated at roughly 16.5 percent, reflecting mismatches between job creation and workforce skills.

For decades, China’s rapid expansion was driven by exports and heavy infrastructure investment. That model is increasingly losing momentum. Although the country recorded net exports of about $1.2 trillion in 2025, economists say the returns from export- and investment-led growth are diminishing. Policymakers are now emphasizing longer-term strategies, including boosting household consumption and investing in advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.

Li acknowledged the country faces a “grave and complex landscape” of internal and external challenges, while noting that the government officially met its five percent growth target in 2025. Notably, analysts have questioned the accuracy of those figures, suggesting actual economic expansion may have been closer to under three percent.

Chinese officials have acknowledged that tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump to protect American workers from unfair competition have significantly damaged sectors of the communist country’s export-driven economy. Broader global supply-chain shifts and trade rebalancing have further challenged China’s manufacturing dominance.

Earlier this week, China called on the United States and Israel to halt military strikes on Iran, highlighting concerns about regional instability and its potential impact on global trade and energy markets. China imports a significant amount of oil and oil-related products from Iran.

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19 hours ago
News
War

War Sec Hegseth Tells The National Pulse the Iran War is ‘Simplifying,’ Not ‘Expanding,’ as Tehran Alienates Neighbors.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: War Secretary Pete Hegseth asserted that the United States has ample munitions for operations against Iran, and said the war is “simplifying” rather than “expanding” as the Islamic Republic continues to strike its neighbors.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: War Secretary Pete Hegseth and CENTCOM commander Admiral Bradley Cooper.

📍WHEN & WHERE: March 5, 2026, at the Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in Tampa, Florida.

💬KEY QUOTE: “o this idea that it’s expanding, no, it’s actually simplifying in a number of ways, exactly what we need to achieve.” – Pete Hegseth

🎯IMPACT: The Iran war may be aligning the region more with the U.S. than previously, due to Iran’s erratic retaliatory strikes encompassing previously neutral states.

IN FULL

War Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed concerns about U.S. military stockpiles and the expansion of the Iran war on Thursday, stating unequivocally that the United States has “got no shortage of munitions” and that the war is actually “simplifying” rather than “expanding.”

Speaking at a press conference at Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Hegseth said, “Our stockpiles of defensive and offensive weapons allow us to sustain this campaign as long as we need,” appearing to contradict claims by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the U.S. military needs Ukrainian interceptor drones, and that he is pressuring Washington to give him more Patriot missiles in exchange.

Questioned by The National Pulse’s Pentagon correspondent, Will Upton, about potentially coordinating attacks with Azerbaijan, a neighbor of Iran planning to join the war after a drone strike on one of its airports, Hegseth argued that Iran’s often erratic retaliatory actions across the region are inadvertently drawing more countries into alignment with the U.S.

“What Iran is doing by attacking allied countries that would otherwise want to stay out of this” is pulling them “into the American orbit,” Hegseth said. “So, now you’ve got UAE and Qatar and Bahrain and Saudi and Kuwait and others saying, ‘Hey, we’re with you, we’ll shoot with you, we’ll fly with you, we’ll defend you,” he explained, saying Iran’s actions were “actually firming up the unity of the resistance” to its regime.

“So this idea that [the war is] expanding, no, it’s actually simplifying in a number of ways, exactly what we need to achieve,” the War Secretary added.

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