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Saturday, January 31, 2026
4 hours ago
William Upton
News

Trump Establishes First-Ever IndyCar Race in D.C.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., the first-ever IndyCar street race to be held in the nation’s capital.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the Department of the Interior (DOI), and the Department of Transportation (USDOT).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The race will take place near the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in celebration of America’s 250th birthday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Give America’s founding in 1776 the incredible anniversary it truly deserves.” – Donald J. Trump

🎯IMPACT: The Trump White House says the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will celebrate American history, showcase Washington, D.C.’s grandeur, and inspire future generations with a demonstration of American innovation and achievement.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order on Friday, clearing the way for the first-ever IndyCar Series street race in the Nation’s Capital. The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., in honor of America’s 250th birthday, will take place near the National Mall, according to the order.

The IndyCar Series is the United States’s highest class of open-wheel racing, and has several key differences with its popular international cousin, Formula One. Formula One emphasizes cornering speed with complex track routes and cars that utilize hybrid power and advanced technology. Meanwhile, IndyCar racing focuses on overall speed, spec chassis, and restricts what technology cars can utilize—making them often far more difficult to steer and corner on a more complex track.

According to President Trump’s directive, the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Department of Transportation (USDOT) are to “designate a suitable race route that showcases the majesty of Washington, D.C., and its iconic national monuments.” Additionally, the Executive Order instructs federal agencies to issue all necessary permits and approvals promptly for the race, and authorizes Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to use available government funds to facilitate preparations for the race and to coordinate with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to clear airspace for aerial photography.

“American IndyCar racing has thrilled Americans for over a century, producing legends like A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti and drawing global attention to the Indianapolis 500 each Memorial Day weekend,” the White House said in a statement on Friday, adding, “The Freedom 250 Grand Prix will be the first motor race ever held in our Nation’s capital near the National Mall, uniting Americans in celebration of our 250th anniversary of independence.”

The 2025 Indianapolis 500 drew record ratings with 7.05 million average viewers and 8.4 million during the race’s climactic finish.

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5 hours ago
William Upton
NatSec
TECH

Former Google Engineer Convicted of Spying for China.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Friday that it secured a 14-count conviction against former Google software engineer Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, 38, for conducting economic espionage and stealing trade secrets on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding; the DOJ, Google, and the CCP.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Ding was convicted on 14 counts of economic espionage and stealing trade secrets on Thursday, January 29, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “In multiple statements to potential investors, Ding claimed that he could build an AI supercomputer by copying and modifying Google’s technology. In December 2023, less than two weeks before he resigned from Google, Ding downloaded the stolen Google trade secrets to his own personal computer.” — DOJ

🎯IMPACT: The issue of Chinese corporate espionage has been a serious problem in the United States and in other Western nations in recent years, especially in the AI and semiconductor industries.

IN FULL

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Friday that it secured a 14-count conviction against former Google software engineer Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, 38, for conducting economic espionage and stealing trade secrets on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). A federal jury in San Francisco found Ding guilty on seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets on Thursday.

According to the DOJ, Ding stole thousands of pages of documents and files related to Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, uploading them from company servers to his own private Google Cloud account. In addition, between May 2022 and April 2023, while Google employed Ding, he also clandestinely worked for two China-based technology firms. It is believed he passed on trade secrets to these entities and sought to use Google’s technology to train his own large AI models.

“[B]y early 2023, Ding was in the process of founding his own technology company in the PRC focused on AI and machine learning and was acting as the company’s CEO,” the DOJ revealed on Friday, continuing, “In multiple statements to potential investors, Ding claimed that he could build an AI supercomputer by copying and modifying Google’s technology. In December 2023, less than two weeks before he resigned from Google, Ding downloaded the stolen Google trade secrets to his own personal computer.”

The issue of Chinese corporate espionage has been a serious problem in the United States and in other Western nations in recent years, especially in the AI and semiconductor industries. In late 2025, it was revealed that Chinese agents successfully recruited former employees of the Dutch company ASML, which mastered the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process that allows for the manufacture of some of the world’s most advanced semiconductors. Consequently, the CCP was able to construct a prototype EUV machine in Shenzhen, and will likely be able to produce advanced chips between 2028 and 2030.

The National Pulse reported in July of last year that Chenguang Gong, a dual citizen of the United States and China, pleaded guilty to stealing over 3,600 files containing military trade secrets from a Southern California defense contractor. These files included blueprints for advanced sensors used to detect and monitor hypersonic, ballistic, and nuclear missiles, as well as sensors designed to warn U.S. warplanes of incoming heat-seeking missiles and jam their infrared tracking systems.

Image by Anthony Quintano.

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6 hours ago
Health
News

Eli Lilly Invests $3.5 Billion in America for Advanced Obesity Drugs Plant.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Eli Lilly announced plans to invest over $3.5 billion to build a manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley to produce next-generation obesity drugs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Eli Lilly, CEO Dave Ricks, President Donald J. Trump, and rival pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on Friday, with construction expected to begin this year in Pennsylvania. The site is projected to be operational by 2031.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Lilly CEO Dave Ricks has told me the drugmaker aims to build six plants in the U.S.” – President Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The plant will create 850 permanent jobs and 2,000 construction jobs, while advancing production capacity for obesity treatments.

IN FULL

Pharma giant Eli Lilly said it will invest $3.5 billion to build a new manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, expanding its U.S. production footprint as demand for obesity and diabetes drugs continues to surge. The plant will focus on making next-generation obesity treatments, including retatrutide, an experimental drug that has delivered strong weight-loss results in late-stage clinical trials. Construction is expected to begin this year, with the facility scheduled to start operations in 2031. Once fully operational, the site is expected to employ about 850 full-time workers, including engineers, scientists, and technicians, and support roughly 2,000 construction jobs during the building phase.

The Pennsylvania project marks the fourth major U.S. manufacturing facility announced by the pharmaceutical giant in recent years. Lilly has pledged at least $27 billion toward new domestic manufacturing investments, in addition to roughly $23 billion it has spent in the United States since 2020. CEO Dave Ricks has reportedly told President Donald J. Trump that the company plans to build six U.S. plants, although Lilly has not formally confirmed that number.

The investment comes as drugmakers race to expand manufacturing capacity for GLP-1-based therapies, which have reshaped the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Obesity rates continue to climb worldwide, with projections showing that more than half of adults could be overweight or obese by mid-century, contributing to a sharp rise in diabetes and related chronic diseases.

Beyond healthcare, the widespread use of effective weight-loss drugs has drawn attention for its broader economic impact. Analysts have suggested that large-scale weight reduction could lower costs in industries such as aviation by reducing fuel consumption, while governments have focused on improving access to the medications to curb long-term healthcare spending.

Lilly recently overtook Novo Nordisk in the GLP-1 market, though Novo is seeking to regain ground with plans to launch the first GLP-1 pill for obesity. Both companies have increased U.S. investments following earlier tariff threats from President Trump, which have since eased after voluntary drug pricing agreements aimed at lowering costs for patients.

Image by Towfiqu barbhuiya.

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6 hours ago
Christopher Tomlinson
Crime
Religion

Unsealed Indictment Reveals Charges Against Don Lemon.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Former CNN host Don Lemon and several other far-left activists have been charged under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act over the storming of a Minnesota church, unsealed indictments show.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Don Lemon, far-left activists, and Harmeet Dhillon.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The indictment was unsealed on January 30, just hours after Lemon’s arrest.

💬KEY QUOTE: “He took steps to maintain operational secrecy by reminding co-conspirators to not disclose the target of the operation and stepped away momentarily so his mic would not accidentally divulge certain portions of the planning session.” – Indictment

🎯IMPACT: Lemon and his co-defendants could be facing months in prison for their actions.

IN FULL

Far-left former CNN host Don Lemon has been hit with two separate charges for his role in the storming and invasion of a Minnesota church earlier this month, including under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which also protects religious institutions. Lemon is listed with several other plaintiffs who took part in the invasion in a grand jury indictment, which was unsealed on January 30.

Lemon and his co-defendants are charged with Conspiracy Against the Right of Religious Freedom at a Place of Worship and attempting to injure, intimidate, and interfere with the exercise of the right of religious freedom at a place of worship under the FACE Act.

The indictment accuses Lemon of purposely trying to hide the actions of the group prior to the storming of the church, saying he “took steps to maintain operational secrecy by reminding co-conspirators to not disclose the target of the operation and stepped away momentarily so his mic would not accidentally divulge certain portions of the planning session” during a livestream broadcast.

The indictment further states that Lemon told his audience, “We’re going to head to the operation. Again, we’re not going to give any, any of the information away,” as well as communicating with others participating in the invasion and telling them to maintain operational security. It also notes that Lemon and his co-defendants did not leave the church when asked to by the pastor.

Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon commented on the case, saying, “Being a journalist is not a badge or a shield that protects you from criminal consequences.” Many, including the federal government, believe he was not present for the church invasion as a journalist, but as an active participant in the demonstration. At minimum, his “reporting” from the scene was highly partisan, with intruders being told “Thank you for your service” while church members were subjected to hostile interrogations.

The church was allegedly targeted as the far-left activists believed that one of its pastors worked with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

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7 hours ago
Politics

Senate Finally Set to Advance Trump-Backed Funding Package, Too Late to Avert Temporary Shutdown.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senate Republicans and Democrats reached an agreement to advance the government appropriations package, despite resistance from both sides of the aisle.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), President Donald J. Trump, and members of Congress.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The deal was struck on Friday, with a final Senate vote expected late Friday evening, as the government funding deadline looms at midnight.

🎯IMPACT: The agreement virtually ensures passage in the Senate but does not prevent a partial government shutdown over the weekend since it will take several days for the House to return to Washington, D.C.

IN FULL

The Senate cleared a key procedural hurdle late Friday afternoon, advancing a government appropriations package despite resistance from both sides of the partisan aisle. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has scheduled a final vote on the appropriations deal, initially struck late Thursday, for Friday evening after Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) dropped his hold on the combined government funding bills.

Called a minibus, the legislative package includes appropriations for five federal government departments but excludes funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a key demand of Senate Democrats seeking to defund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Instead, the chamber will vote on a two-week continuing resolution (CR) for DHS, setting up another funding fight in February.

President Donald J. Trump engaged in direct negotiations with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Republicans to reach the deal, which will avoid a prolonged government shutdown. Still, even with the Senate likely adopting the minibus and CR for DHS later Friday evening, the federal government will experience a brief funding lapse over the weekend as it will take several days for members of the House of Representatives to return to Washington, D.C. and approve the package.

The National Pulse reported earlier on Friday that an attempt to pass the funding deal fell apart late Thursday evening after Sen. Graham objected to procedural motions that would have expedited its passage. Graham expressed his dissatisfaction with the deal, stating, “This is a bad deal,” as he entered Thune’s office late Thursday evening. However, by Friday afternoon, the South Carolina Republican had dropped his opposition.

Image by Ron Cogswell.

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7 hours ago
News

After Taunting Trump, It Turns Out Elon’s the One in the Newest Epstein Files.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Elon Musk’s emails to deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein about visiting his island have been revealed in newly released government files.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Elon Musk, Jeffrey Epstein, Talulah Riley, Donald Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Communications took place in November 2012 and December 2013; Epstein’s island.

💬KEY QUOTE: “What day/night will be the wildest party on =our [sic] island?” – Elon Musk

🎯IMPACT: The revelations raise questions about his connections to Epstein, which he has previously denied.

IN FULL

Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), SpaceX, and Tesla, has been shown in the newly-released Epstein Files to have had a number of friendly exchanges with the late pedophile financier. Emails show Musk expressing a strong interest in visiting Epstein’s private Caribbean island, known as a notorious hub for his abuse.

In one November 25, 2012, email, Musk replies to a question from Epstein about how many people he planned to bring to the island, writing: “Probably just Talulah and me. What day/night will be the wildest party on =our [sic] island?” At that time, Musk was married to British actress Talulah Riley.

A December 2013 email shows Musk asking about visiting the island over the holidays. Epstein responded: “always space for you.” However, Epstein later had to cancel on the tech mogul due to a scheduling conflict, writing, “Bad news- Unfortunately, my schedule will keep me in New York. I was really looking forward to finally spending some time together with just fun as the agenda. so i am very disappointed. Hopefully we can schedule another time in the near future.”

Notably, these exchanges occurred years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction in Florida for child sexual abuse-related offenses.

Previously, Musk had accused President Donald J. Trump of being involved with Epstein, writing on X, “[Donald Trump] is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public,” and adding “Have a nice day, DJT!”

Elsewhere, Musk wrote of an alleged Epstein-Trump connection, “Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.”

This followed Musk’s departure from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the summer of 2025, which was initially smooth but turned acrimonious when Musk began aggressively lobbying against the One Big Beautiful Bill that Trump was championing. Musk opposed the bill, which increased spending on defense and immigration enforcement and cut taxes on tips and overtime for workers, among other provisions.

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8 hours ago
Immigration
News

Far-Left Mayor Orders City Police to ‘Investigate’ ICE.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Mayor Katie Wilson (D) announced sweeping measures targeting federal law enforcement in Seattle, Washington, including prohibiting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using city-owned property and allocating $4 million in taxpayer funds to support illegal immigrants.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, and federal law enforcement.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made this week in Seattle, Washington.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Whoever you are, and wherever you come from: if Seattle is your home, then this is your city.” – Mayor Katie Wilson.

🎯IMPACT: Wilson’s measures aim to thwart the enforcement of federal immigration law in Seattle, despite no current evidence of a particular increase in ICE activity in the city.

IN FULL

Far-left Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson (D) announced a set of new measures on Thursday designed to disrupt federal immigration enforcement activities within the city, even as officials acknowledged there is no evidence of particularly increased activity by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Washington.

The plan includes allocating $4 million in city funds to provide legal and financial assistance to illegal immigrants, prohibiting ICE from using city-owned property for civil immigration enforcement, and directing the Seattle Police Department (SPD) to “investigate, verify and document ICE activity.” City departments will also conduct privacy reviews to restrict data-sharing, update employee training, and post signage on municipal properties designating certain areas as private spaces.

Wilson said the actions are meant to be preventative. “Whoever you are, and wherever you come from: if Seattle is your home, then this is your city,” she said. “And it’s our responsibility as city leaders to move quickly and get organized so we can keep people safe. That is why I am taking immediate steps today to bar federal agents from using city property for federal civil immigration enforcement activity, update SPD protocols, and support trusted community partners to aid the community response, which is our most powerful tool.”

The mayor also announced the creation of a “Stand Together Seattle Initiative” to encourage private property owners to restrict ICE access to their premises. Despite acknowledging that there is no current surge in federal immigration enforcement, Wilson and other city officials described the measures as necessary to prepare for potential future actions by the federal authorities.

Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes said SPD officers will not participate in immigration enforcement and will comply with the mayor’s directives to document federal activity when notified. “The City of Seattle is a welcoming city, and my officers will continue to abide by all laws and regulations that prohibit our participation in immigration enforcement,” Barnes said. “While we have no authority over federal agents or federal policies, we will document incidents if and when notified.”

Wilson, who took office earlier this year and has identified as a socialist, has faced several controversies during her short tenure. Earlier this month, city ethics officials fined her campaign for failing to disclose more than $10,000 in donations from her parents. She has also drawn criticism for suggesting she would have citizen journalists covering Somali fraud charged with hate crimes, and for directing police in Seattle not to arrest certain drug criminals.

Image by nathantain.

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9 hours ago
News

Epstein Doc Says Bill Gates Infected Wife With STD From ‘Russian Girls.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Bill Gates was said to have contracted a sexually-transmitted disease (STD) from “Russian girls” in a newly-released memo written by deceased child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Bill Gates, Jeffrey Epstein, Melinda Gates, and others mentioned in Epstein’s documents.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The email was sent on July 18, 2013, and released by the Trump administration on January 30, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “TO add insult to the injury you them [sic] implore me to please delete the emails regarding your std, your request that I provide you antibiotics that you can surreptitiously give to Melinda and the description of your penis” – Jeffrey Epstein

🎯IMPACT: These allegations add to the public understanding of the relationship between Epstein and Gates, further undermining Gates’s public image.

IN FULL

Bill Gates is alleged to have contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD) from Russian women, according to a newly released email from deceased financier and child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The message, dated July 18, 2013, was part of a trove of documents made public by the Trump administration on Friday, and reads, “TO add insult to the injury you them [sic] implore me to please delete the emails regarding your std, your request that I provide you antibiotics that you can surreptitiously give to Melinda and the description of your penis.”

A second email, apparently written in someone else’s voice, reads, “I have been caught up in a severe marital dispute between Melinda and Bill… In my role as his right hand man, I have been asked and wrongly acquiesced into participating in things that have ranged from the morally inappropriate, to the ethically unsound and have been repeatedly asked to do thing that get near and potentially over the line into the illegal…”

“From helping Bill to get drugs, in order to deal with consequences of sex with russian girls, to facilitating his illicit trusts [sic], with married women, to being asked to provide adderall for bridge tournaments, as I am a medial doctor, but have no presriptions [sic] writing ability.”

Notably, Gates appears in photographs released by the Epstein estate, including one alongside the now-former Prince Andrew, and admits to having met with Epstein despite his child sexual offending conviction, supposedly to discuss charitable ventures.

UN Photo / Jean-Marc Ferr.

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9 hours ago
William Upton
Corruption
Crime

Govt Official Who Tried to Bar DOGE From Inspecting His Books Pleads GUILTY to Corruption.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Mathieu G. Zahui, the Director of Financial Management for the United States African Development Foundation (USADF), agreed to plead guilty in federal court on Friday to criminal allegations that he accepted kickbacks from a USADF contractor and attempted to hide the scheme from federal law enforcement.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mathieu G. Zahui, the USADF, a Kenyan company owned by Zahui’s friend, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Zahui pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday, January 30, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “President Trump has made it clear that he will put an end to the fraud, waste, and abuse that was commonplace throughout these agencies.” — U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro

🎯IMPACT: Zahui was the center of controversy last year when he tried to bar DOGE from accessing the USADF’s financial books and rejected the new chairman of the organization appointed by President Donald J. Trump.

IN FULL

Mathieu G. Zahui, the Director of Financial Management for the United States African Development Foundation (USADF), was charged and agreed to plead guilty in federal court on Friday to criminal allegations that he accepted kickbacks from a USADF contractor and attempted to hide the scheme from federal law enforcement. Notably, Zahui was the center of controversy last year when he tried to bar the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing the USADF’s financial books and rejected the new chairman of the organization appointed by President Donald J. Trump.

DOGE officials eventually entered the USADF offices and conducted a review of the foundation’s finances with the assistance of U.S. Marshals. According to the federal indictment, Zahui’s scheme involved funneling payments to the USADF’s vendors and contractors through a Kenyan company owned by a friend of 20 years.

“President Trump has made it clear that he will put an end to the fraud, waste, and abuse that was commonplace throughout these agencies,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said on Friday after the guilty plea. She added, “There will be serious consequences whenever corruption is unearthed, whether at the U.S. African Development Foundation or any other foundation.”

The Department of Justice (DOJ) states that the Kenyan company—designated “Company-1” in the indictment—processed an estimated $617,625.49 in payments from the USADF. Consequently, Company-1 received an estimated $ 134,886.34 in “markup.” Of that, Zahui received $12,000 in cash kickbacks from his friend, who owned Company-1.

Importantly, the DOJ revealed that Zahui and his friend worked to hide the kickbacks from the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS), which authorized the USADF’s payments to third parties and nongovernmental entities. Zahui faces a combined maximum of seven years in prison on the kickback charge and for lying to federal law enforcement.

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10 hours ago
William Upton
TECH
World

How China Uses Porn and a Millions-Strong Bot Army to Censor Social Media:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uses a five to 10 million-strong bot army to flood X (formerly Twitter) with illicit adverts and pornographic Mandarin language posts to suppress the ability of Chinese speakers to view uncensored news when significant events occur in China.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: X (formerly Twitter), X’s head of product Nikita Bier, the CCP, and X’s Mandarin-speaking users.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The CCP social media bot army was revealed by Bier in a series of posts on X on Friday, January 30, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Chinese government floods X search results with porn whenever there is political unrest—to prevent their citizens from finding out real-time information.” — Nikita Bier

🎯IMPACT: The revelation that the Chinese government has such a large and aggressive bot operation on the platform raises serious concerns about its potential use to impact and influence politics and media beyond its borders as well.

IN FULL

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uses a five to 10 million-strong bot army to flood X (formerly Twitter) with illicit and pornographic Mandarin language posts to suppress the ability of Chinese speakers to view uncensored news when significant events occur in China. Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, revealed the CCP’s alternative censorship strategy in a series of posts on the platform early Friday morning.

“The Chinese government floods X search results with porn whenever there is political unrest—to prevent their citizens from finding out real-time information,” Bier wrote, continuing, “This has been a difficult problem to solve but we are aware & working on it.”

When another X user raised the question of why the platform’s rate limit doesn’t prevent the CCP’s bot censorship strategy, Bier noted, “They have a pool of 5-10 million accounts that were registered before I locked down signup.”

In 2009, the CCP blocked access to X, then still known as Twitter, for Internet users in China. However, in recent years, the platform has seen a spike in Mandarin-speaking users, and Internet users in China have found ways to work around the communist regime’s censorship through VPNs and other methods.

The revelation that the Chinese government has such a large and aggressive bot operation on the platform raises serious concerns about its potential to impact and influence politics and media beyond its borders. This is especially concerning in light of the CCP losing one of its most successful propaganda tools earlier this month, when the Chinese company ByteDance finally sold off most of its stake in the TikTok social media app to a group of non-Chinese investors with an all-American corporate board established to oversee the platform. The sale marked the culmination of months of negotiation by President Donald J. Trump’s administration to secure ByteDance’s divestment and the transfer of TikTok to non-Chinese—and predominantly American—investors.

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