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Thursday, February 19, 2026
6 minutes ago
Immigration
Lawfare

Biden Judge BLOCKS Mass Deportation Powers.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge in California overturned an immigration court ruling that supported the Trump administration’s broad detention powers over illegal immigrants.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. District Court Judge Sunshine Sykes, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, in California.

💬KEY QUOTE: “‘Worst of the worst’ is an inaccurate description of most of those affected by DHS and ICE’s operations.” — Judge Sykes

🎯IMPACT: The ruling could block mass deportations and guarantee bond hearings for many non-criminal illegal immigrant detainees, though the Department of Justice (DOJ) is likely to appeal.

IN FULL

On Thursday, a federal judge in California overturned a previous immigration court ruling that supported the Trump administration’s illegal immigrant detention policies. U.S. District Court Judge Sunshine Sykes, a Joe Biden appointee, criticized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for their characterization of detainees as the “worst of the worst.”

“‘Worst of the worst’ is an inaccurate description of most of those affected by DHS and ICE’s operations,” Judge Sykes ruled. She argued that the administration’s language was designed to justify the scale of its actions against illegal immigrants.

“Even though these press releases might contain an inkling of truth, they ignore a greater, more dire reality,” she claimed, adding: “Beyond its terror against noncitizens, the executive branch has extended its violence on its own citizens, killing two American citizens—Renée Good and Alex Pretti—in Minnesota,” Sykes wrote in her decision, adding, “The threats posed by the executive branch cannot be viewed in isolation.”

The ruling, if upheld, could block mass deportations and ensure bond hearings for many non-convicted illegal immigrant detainees. Previously, DHS had denied bond hearings to migrants arrested by federal immigration authorities, even if they had been in the United States for years. Those who recently illegally crossed the border were also not guaranteed immediate bond hearings under the policy.

While the New Orleans-based federal appeals court recently upheld the administration’s detention and bond policy in its jurisdiction, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to appeal Sykes’s ruling and request that it be stayed during ongoing litigation.

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37 minutes ago
Education
News

Public School Pushes Anti-ICE Propaganda.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Minnesota middle school told eighth graders that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) uses “tricky and violent tactics,” according to instructional materials shared by a parent and published by Defending Education.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Hermantown Middle School, ICE, Defending Education, Hermantown Community Schools superintendent Wayne Whitwam, and school students.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Hermantown Middle School in northern Minnesota; controversy surfaced in 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It’s bad enough that this biased lesson is replete with falsehoods—but [for] the school principal to defend such garbage truly adds insult to injury.” – Nicole Neily, founder of Defending Education.

🎯IMPACT: The incident has sparked debate about political propaganda in classrooms and the role of educators in presenting balanced perspectives.

IN FULL

A middle school in Hermantown, Minnesota, is facing criticism after an eighth-grade geography lesson pushed allegations of misconduct against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Materials obtained by a parent and published by Defending Education show a PowerPoint presentation asking students, “In what ways do people think the ICE agents have ‘gone too far?’” Under a slide labeled “tricky & violent tactics,” examples included incomplete paperwork, agents wearing masks, and deaths in custody. Other slides referenced arrests, detention conditions, and videos about ICE operations, some offered for extra credit.

District leaders insisted the lesson aligns with state geography standards that require students to explore current events and political and social systems shaping different regions. Nicole Neily, founder of Defending Education, sharply criticized the lesson, calling it biased and inaccurate. “It’s bad enough that this biased lesson is replete with falsehoods—but [for] the school principal to defend such garbage truly adds insult to injury,” she said.

The controversy comes amid heightened attention to ICE operations in Minnesota. The state has seen large-scale arrests of migrants accused or convicted of serious crimes, including homicide, sexual offenses, and drug trafficking, although operations are being wound down following violent protests over the shooting deaths of two anti-ICE activists.

Supporters of ICE have highlighted the agency’s recovery of thousands of missing migrant children during its enforcement surge in Minnesota.

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2 hours ago
Immigration

ICE Has Resumed Deportations to Cuba.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Cuba’s communist regime accepted a deportation flight containing at least six Cuban nationals convicted of serious crimes, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Cuba’s communist regime, ICE, and Cuban nationals convicted of crimes such as murder, kidnapping, and drug trafficking.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The first Cuba-bound deportation flight of 2026 occurred on February 9, with deportees arriving in Cuba.

🎯IMPACT: The deportation flight signals a potential shift in immigration cooperation between the United States and Cuba.

IN FULL

Cuba’s communist government has accepted a United States-originating deportation flight with at least six Cuban nationals who had previously been convicted of violent crimes, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). On Wednesday, the Trump administration revealed that the first Cuban-bound deportation flight had taken place on February 9, with 170 Cuban nationals being repatriated to the communist Caribbean island. The six violent offenders noted by ICE were among those deported.

For decades, the Castro regime in Cuba rejected U.S. attempts to deport Cubans to the island, though with the communist government transitioning away from the Castro family, this policy appears to be changing. The move is most likely an attempt by the communist government to curry favor with the Trump administration, which has effectively reinstituted a blockade of the island. Cuba is believed to currently be without key resources, including oil and water, for around nine days.

Also of concern to the Trump administration is the possibility of litigation. Because of the ongoing oil shortage and the U.S. pushing Venezuela and Mexico to cut off petroleum to the island, the situation in Cuba has deteriorated, which could be used by federal judges to block deportations.

Among those deported was Yondeivis Wong Den-Hernandez, convicted of second-degree murder in Florida and aiding improper entry by an alien in Texas. Another deportee, Raul Duquenzne-Batista, a Los Habaneros gang member, was convicted of multiple violent crimes, including aggravated assault, rape, and kidnapping in Kansas, and had previously served 20 years in a Cuban prison for robbery. ICE also identified Alexander Padron-Marten, convicted of controlled substance trafficking, and Orlando Sanchez-Sarria, who faced convictions for grand theft, drug trafficking, and firearm-related offenses.

Other deportees included Miguel Ramon Caveda-Perez, convicted of rape and possessing an altered driver’s license, and Gaully Quintana Martinez, convicted of aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon.

The Cuban state media acknowledged the arrival of the February 9 flight but omitted details about the criminal convictions of the deportees. Instead, it reported that 170 individuals were deported, including 153 men and 17 women, with three being investigated for alleged crimes committed prior to leaving Cuba. Approximately 42,000 Cubans with final deportation orders remain in the United States due to Cuba’s historical refusal to accept them.

Image by Damiano Cecchelin.

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2 hours ago
Immigration
News

Feds Catch Illegal Who Worked as Corrections Officer, Guardsman in Walz’s Minnesota.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Liberian national, Morris Brown, was arrested for allegedly committing immigration fraud and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to secure employment and military service.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Morris Brown, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Minnesota Department of Corrections.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Brown was apprehended on January 15, with investigations spanning multiple years in Minnesota and Pennsylvania.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This alien tried every trick in the book to remain in the United States after losing legal status. We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure he faces justice for his many violations of the law.” – USCIS Director Joseph Edlow

🎯IMPACT: The arrest highlights ongoing federal efforts to combat immigration fraud and prevent illegal immigrants from holding sensitive positions in law enforcement and corrections.

IN FULL

The Trump administration has arrested Morris Brown, a 45-year-old Liberian national, on multiple immigration-fraud charges after investigators determined he had falsely claimed U.S. citizenship to secure employment as a corrections officer in Minnesota. Brown entered the United States in 2014 on a student visa, but his status was terminated the following year when he failed to maintain a full course of study, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Despite lacking lawful status, Brown enlisted in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 2014. He later went absent without leave in 2015 and was ultimately apprehended and discharged under other than honorable conditions in 2022. In 2020, he applied for lawful permanent residence under the Liberian Refugee Fairness program, but officials denied the request after uncovering misrepresentations, including his failure to disclose prior military service and a false claim of U.S. citizenship.

Federal authorities say additional evidence of fraud surfaced during their review of Brown’s 2024 naturalization application. Investigators allegedly identified marriage fraud and repeated false claims of citizenship in official filings. Records also show Brown worked for the Minnesota Department of Corrections from May 2023 through October 2025. After USCIS alerted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Brown was placed in removal proceedings and now faces potential prosecution.

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said, “This alien tried every trick in the book to remain in the United States after losing legal status. We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure he faces justice for his many violations of the law.” The Minnesota Department of Corrections confirmed his employment and stated it followed federal document-verification requirements during the hiring process. Commissioner Paul Schnell added, “If these federal allegations are accurate, this individual engaged in sophisticated efforts to misrepresent their identity, extending well beyond Minnesota.”

The case aligns with a broader push by the Trump administration to pursue immigration and citizenship fraud. USCIS has expanded denaturalization referrals for individuals accused of lying or concealing material facts during the naturalization process, significantly increasing the number of cases sent to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Recent ICE arrests have targeted illegal immigrants serving in other sensitive public-trust roles, including armed law enforcement positions.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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3 hours ago
War
World

Trump Appointing Jared Kushner as ‘Envoy of Peace.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced that Jared Kushner would receive an “envoy of peace” designation, alongside Steve Witkoff.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Thursday, February 19, 2026, during the inaugural Board of Peace meeting.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We’re making Jared an envoy also, envoy of peace. They’re both envoys of peace.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Kushner’s new designation formalizes his ongoing role in international diplomacy, including his work on the Abraham Accords.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump on Thursday announced that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, would receive an “envoy of peace” designation, placing him on par with Steve Witkoff, with whom he has worked closely in international diplomacy on behalf of the White House. “We’re making Jared an envoy also, envoy of peace. They’re both envoys of peace,” President Trump said while addressing the inaugural Board of Peace meeting, referring to Kushner and Witkoff.

Kushner’s elevation appears unlikely to change the dynamics of international diplomacy, as he has already worked closely with Witkoff, including on Middle Eastern peace agreements, though the President did credit Kushner with being integral to the Abraham Accords and other key negotiations. Meanwhile, Witkoff earned acclaim as the architect of a short-term initial ceasefire between Israel and Hamas during the presidential transition.

Both men were in Geneva, Switzerland, earlier this week for indirect talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the cessation of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. While Iran’s foreign minister has claimed a preliminary understanding was reached, Kushner and Witkoff have declined to say as much.

Meanwhile, during his speech at the Board of Peace, President Trump continued to turn up the pressure on the Iranian regime, giving it ten days to reach a deal with the United States. In recent days, the U.S. military has conducted a buildup in the Middle East not seen since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, providing the Trump administration with a host of strike options should the talks fail.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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4 hours ago
William Upton
War
World

Trump Gives Iran 10-Day Ultimatum to Reach Nuclear Deal.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump warned that the U.S. could strike Iran if a nuclear deal is not reached within the next ten days.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, world leaders attending the Board of Peace meeting, and Iranian officials involved in nuclear negotiations.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 19, 2026, during the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington, DC.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We may have to take it a step further, or we may not. Maybe we’re going to make a deal. You’re going to be finding out over the next probably ten days.” — President Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The U.S. military has mobilized assets in the Middle East, as nuclear negotiations with Iran remain ongoing.

IN FULL

U.S. President Donald J. Trump issued a deadline on Thursday for Iranian government negotiators to reach an agreement with his administration to dismantle the Islamic Republic’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. Speaking at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington, D.C., President Trump gave the Iranian regime ten days to reach a deal as the U.S. military continues its build-up around the Middle East, with the airpower presence alone rivaling that on the eve of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

“We may have to take it a step further, or we may not. Maybe we’re going to make a deal. You’re going to be finding out over the next probably ten days,” Trump said.


Notably, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group left the Caribbean earlier in February for redeployment in the eastern Mediterranean and is expected to arrive within days. The Ford‘s arrival will bring the U.S. aircraft carrier presence near Iran to a total of two, while the U.S. Air Force has moved a significant number of assets into the region in recent days.

While Iranian officials claim they’ve reached a preliminary understanding with the United States, the Trump administration appears to be less confident in the negotiations. Held in Geneva, Switzerland, the second round of indirect negotiations saw both delegations depart following the talks, although Iranian negotiators reportedly expressed a willingness to remain in Switzerland for extended periods if necessary to finalize a deal.

Image via Fars Media Corporation.

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5 hours ago
William Upton
Economy

Trump Announces Tariffs Have Slashed U.S. Trade Deficit by 78%.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced that the U.S. trade deficit has decreased by 78 percent due to tariffs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, the United States Supreme Court, and the House of Representatives.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Trump posted the announcement on Truth Social on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The United States trade deficit has been reduced by 78 percent because of the tariffs being charged to other companies and countries. It will go into positive territory during this year, for the first time in many decades. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” — Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Trump’s announcement on the significant drop in the trade deficit comes amid an anti-tariff revolt in Congress and a pending Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of his imposition of tariffs.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump revealed late Wednesday that his tariff policies have reduced the United States trade deficit by 78 percent, and that the deficit is expected to turn into a positive balance at some point this year. Should the trade deficit turn positive, it would be the first time the United States has posted a trade surplus in decades.

“The United States trade deficit has been reduced by 78 percent because of the tariffs being charged to other companies and countries. It will go into positive territory during this year, for the first time in many decades. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Trump’s tariff policies have been thrust back into the news in recent days, with the House of Representatives voting late last week—in a revolt against the lower chamber’s Republican leadership—to undo certain tariffs on Canada. Notably, six Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in supporting the resolution.

Even more important is a looming United States Supreme Court decision that could lift a large swath of tariffs imposed by the President. The high court could rule as early as Friday on whether Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs on dozens of countries is unlawful. The National Pulse previously reported that an adverse ruling for the Trump administration could result in the federal government owing businesses upwards of $168 billion.

Data released last December showed the trade deficit fell sharply just months prior, declining 10.9 percent to $52.8 billion. Data from October 2025 shows the U.S. trade deficit fell to $29.4 billion, marking a 39 percent decline and the lowest level since 2009.

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6 hours ago
NatSec
News

UK Pauses Diego Garcia Deal After Trump Intervention, But Blocks U.S. From Using Base Against Iran.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The British government will delay legislation on transferring the Chagos Islands, which host a strategic British-American military base, to China-allied Mauritius after criticism from President Donald J. Trump.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and the Iranian regime.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 2026, concerning the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Islands), Mauritius, and Iran.

💬KEY QUOTE: “DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The British government is reconsidering the transfer, which would have seen Britain cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while paying large sums of money to continue leasing Diego Garcia, which hosts the military base.

IN FULL

The British government has delayed legislation to transfer sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Islands) to China-allied Mauritius after President Donald J. Trump blasted the agreement. Chagos includes Diego Garcia, which hosts a strategic British-American military base, and while the British government has committed to continue leasing the island from Mauritius, Trump believes the loss of full British sovereignty will undermine the base.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s far-left government will now take a “pause for thought” on the bill implementing the transfer. However, Starmer is also reportedly refusing to guarantee that Britain will authorize the use of Diego Garcia for possible U.S. strikes on Iran.

Trump called the bizarre deal, which would see Britain surrender the islands and pay for the privilege of doing so in exchange for nothing, an “act of GREAT STUPIDITY” and “weakness,” urging Starmer to abandon it.

“We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the U.K., but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them. DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, directly contradicting a U.S. State Department press release claiming the U.S. supported the deal on Tuesday.

The British government’s motivations for paying to give away sovereign territory in the Indian Ocean are unclear. Starmer and his officials have cited an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in favor of Mauritius. However, the ruling was non-binding, and the court has no power to issue a binding ruling, still less enforce one. Notably, Starmer, his negotiator Attorney General Richard Hermer, and Mauritius negotiator Philippe Sands are all former colleagues or personal friends, with an “anti-imperial” ideological bent. Hermer, in particular, has denounced the British Empire, of which Chagos is a remnant, as “racist” and supported paying reparations to foreign governments.

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6 hours ago
News

Dem Mayor Begs Trump to Help End ‘Pootomac’ Sewage Crisis.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) is formally requesting assistance from President Donald J. Trump in addressing the ongoing environmental crisis in the Potomac River caused by a collapsed sewer pipe running between Maryland and Virginia.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mayor Muriel Bowser, President Donald J. Trump, and D.C. Water—the public utility overseeing the Potomac Interceptor pipe.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Bowser’s request was made on February 18, 2026.

🎯IMPACT: The Potomac Interceptor pipe, which ruptured on January 19, released an estimated 250 million gallons of raw, untreated wastewater into the river, with D.C. Water estimating repairs could take 10 months.

IN FULL

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) is formally requesting assistance from President Donald J. Trump in addressing the ongoing environmental crisis in the Potomac River caused by a collapsed sewer pipe running between Maryland and Virginia. The Potomac Interceptor pipe, which ruptured on January 19 near Cabin John, Maryland, about seven miles north of Georgetown, released an estimated 250 million gallons of raw, untreated waste water into the river—which flows through the heart of the nation’s capital—before the flow was diverted into the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O Canal).

On Wednesday evening, Mayor Bowser sent a letter requesting aid to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the latter still being able to disperse emergency and provide regional assistance—under the orders of President Trump—despite being impacted by the ongoing partial government shutdown initiated by Senate Democrats. In the letter, the D.C. Mayor requests that President Trump formally declare a federal emergency so that FEMA can assist with repairs to the sewer pipe and help monitor—along with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—the Potomac River’s water quality. Concerningly, spot tests just downstream of the spill have shown E. coli levels near the site to be significantly higher than the EPA limits for swimming. Officials have also detected bacteria linked to staph infections and MRSA.

The National Pulse reported earlier this week that President Trump directed FEMA to prepare a response to the crisis and help coordinate communication between federal and state agencies—including officials in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C However, without a formal request by state and local officials, the scope of FEMA‘s involvement remained limited.

“There is a massive Ecological Disaster unfolding in the Potomac River as a result of the Gross Mismanagement of Local Democrat Leaders, particularly, Governor Wes Moore, of Maryland. A sewer line breach in Maryland has caused millions of gallons of raw sewage to be dumped directly into the Potomac River, a result of incompetent Local and State Management of Essential Waste Management Systems,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, criticizing the local response late Monday afternoon.

D.C. Water, the public utility that manages the Potomac Interceptor pipe, has stated it could take up to 10 months to repair the rupture. City officials have pointed to a number of large underwater boulders that fell into the breach as the main obstacle preventing expedited patching of the sewer line.

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7 hours ago
Media
Politics

FCC Chairman Declares Talk Shows Are Not Real News.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has clarified that most talk shows, such as The View and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, no longer qualify for regulatory exemptions allowing them to feature political candidates without meeting equal time requirements.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: FCC Chair Brendan Carr, various network talk shows, and political candidates, including Texas state Representative James Talarico (D).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced during an FCC meeting on Wednesday, February 19, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Congress passed the equal time provision for a very specific reason. They did not want the media leads in Hollywood and in New York to put their thumbs on the scale and pick their winners and losers in primaries and general elections. That’s the point.” – Brendan Carr

🎯IMPACT: Television networks can apply for exemptions from the Equal Time Rule, but according to Chairman Carr, “The ones we have seen have yet to establish that they qualify for the bona fide news exception.”

IN FULL

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) held an open meeting on Wednesday, where the agency determined that daytime and late-night talk shows will no longer qualify for the news exemption from the Equal Time Rule (Section 315 of the Communications Act of 1934) granted to most news programming. Previously, talk shows like The View and Jimmy Kimmel Live! could host political candidates for public office without having to give equal time to the other candidates in the race.

“The general rule is equal time applies,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr explained regarding the provision. He added, “There’s narrow exceptions you have to fit in.” Notably, this isn’t the first time the Equal Time Rule has impacted late-night television. During the 2024 presidential election, NBC granted the Trump campaign a 90-second ad spot amid allegations that Kamala Harris’s surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live (SNL) violated the Equal Time Rule. Harris’s appearance on SNL was for one minute and 30 seconds, allowing other presidential campaigns to receive equal airtime—about 90 seconds—per FCC regulations.

“Congress passed the equal time provision for a very specific reason,” Carr said, adding, “They did not want the media leads in Hollywood and in New York to put their thumbs on the scale and pick their winners and losers in primaries and general elections. That’s the point.”

The status change for daytime and late-night talk shows comes amid a stunt pulled by Texas state Representative James Talarico (D), who is running for the U.S. Senate. Talarico was slated to appear on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert; however, attorneys with CBS appear to have raised concerns about potential Equal Time violations, leading to the interview being posted only to social media and not aired on television. Colbert and Talarico both attempted to claim the segment as quashed by the FCC, which has consequently boosted the Texas Democrat’s campaign fundraising.

Despite what Colbert and Talarico claim, the Equal Time Rule has impacted non-traditional “news” programming in the past. In 2003, CBS canceled a segment on The Late Late Show featuring images of California recall election candidates to avoid having to show all 135 candidates. Even still, television networks can apply for exemptions from the Equal Time Rule, but according to Chairman Carr, “The ones we have seen have yet to establish that they qualify for the bona fide news exception.”

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