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Thursday, September 18, 2025

Tag: Donald Trump
June 22, 2025
Jack Montgomery
War

IN FULL: Trump Addresses the Nation on Iran Strikes.

President Donald J. Trump addressed the nation overnight on the U.S. strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Here are his remarks in full:

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.

A short time ago, the U.S. military carried out massive, precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime. Fordo, Natanz and Esfahan. Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise.

Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror.

Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not. Future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier.

For 40 years, Iran has been saying. Death to America, death to Israel. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs, with roadside bombs. That was their specialty. We lost over 1,000 people and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East, and around the world have died as a direct result of their hate in particular. So many were killed by their general, Qassim Soleimani. I decided a long time ago that I would not let this happen. It will not continue.

I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we’ve gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they’ve done. And most importantly, I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight, and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades.

Hopefully, we will no longer need their services in this capacity. I hope that’s so. I also want to congratulate the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan ‘Razin’ Caine, spectacular general, and all of the brilliant military minds involved in this attack.

With all of that being said, this cannot continue. There will be either peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight’s was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal. But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes. There’s no military in the world that could have done what we did tonight. Not even close. There has never been a military that could do what took place just a little while ago.

Tomorrow, General Caine, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will have a press conference at 8 a.m. at the Pentagon. And I want to just thank everybody. And, in particular, God. I want to just say, we love you, God, and we love our great military. Protect them. God bless the Middle East. God bless Israel and God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you.

WATCH:

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President Donald J. Trump addressed the nation overnight on the U.S. strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities. Here are his remarks in full: show more
June 20, 2025
Data
Politics

DATA: Service Workers Back No Tax on Tips Plan in Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Hourly workers in service, hospitality, and retail industries overwhelmingly support President Donald J. Trump’s No Tax on Tips plan, according to a new survey.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, hourly workers, and the authors of the survey report.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Survey results published recently, with workers across the United States voicing their support.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I don’t know what the holdup is. I don’t know what the politics are, but if we can cut the BS now … it can help out a lot of people.” – Nevada food service worker.

🎯IMPACT: The plan aims to provide financial stability and relief for hourly workers, while being part of a broader economic agenda under Trump’s leadership.

IN FULL

Hourly workers in the service, hospitality, and retail industries overwhelmingly back President Donald J. Trump’s No Tax On Tips plan in the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” according to a new survey, saying tax-free tips would bring them needed financial stability and relief. According to the data, 83 percent of hourly workers want to see No Tax on Tips become law, with just four percent saying otherwise.

“These results suggest that any measure increasing the amount of immediately available income—such as untaxed tips—would provide meaningful, stabilizing support for a large segment of the hourly workforce,” the report, published by the earned wage payroll company Instant, states. As one Nevada food service worker put it: “I don’t know what the holdup is. I don’t know what the politics are, but if we can cut the BS now … it can help out a lot of people.”

Currently, the “One Big Beautiful Bill”—in the form of budget reconciliation legislation—is undergoing changes in the U.S. Senate after being adopted by the House of Representatives last month. While senators are making substantive changes to the bill’s Medicaid provisions, tax provisions like No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and No Tax on Social Security are not expected to be altered from the House version.

The National Pulse has previously reported that President Trump has overseen the largest increase in blue-collar wage growth in 60 years. Blue-collar workers have experienced a 1.7 percent real wage increase in the first five months of Trump’s second term. The wage growth sharply contrasts with the negative growth experienced under former President Joe Biden.

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June 20, 2025
Corruption
Lawfare

These FBI Emails Prove Biden DOJ Targeted Trump Over J6 Choir.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Internal Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) emails revealed the Biden Justice Department’s effort to target President Donald J. Trump over a January 6 defendant choir.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutor J.P. Cooney, FBI Special Agent Walter Giardina, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: March 2023, emails were obtained in June 2025 and reviewed by Senator Grassley in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Can we do some work to nail down Trump’s role in this,” wrote JP Cooney in an email to DOJ colleagues.

🎯IMPACT: Senator Grassley called it a “clear example” of the federal government weaponizing the DOJ against Trump.

IN FULL

Internal Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) emails obtained by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) have revealed that the Joe Biden-era Department of Justice (DOJ) targeted President Donald J. Trump over a choir involving January 6 defendants. The emails show what was described as an “obsession with piling on Trump charges.”

An email from March 8, 2023, written by DOJ prosecutor J.P. Cooney, stated, “Can we do some work to nail down Trump’s role in this,” with the subject line “J6 Prisoner Choir/DJT.” The email included a Forbes article reporting that Trump collaborated on a song with January 6 defendants. Cooney noted that Trump recorded the Pledge of Allegiance at Mar-a-Lago, with Kash Patel and Ed Henry also involved.

Cooney’s email also mentioned that profits from the song were directed to an LLC run by Ed Henry, with proceeds intended for the families of incarcerated January 6 defendants. Cooney instructed DOJ colleagues to preserve related information and investigate Trump’s role further. The email was sent to eight DOJ staff members, including FBI Special Agent Walter Giardina.

Grassley highlighted Giardina’s involvement in what he called “overzealous” actions against Trump and his allies, including the investigation of Trump advisor Peter Navarro and Giardina’s role in the now-debunked Russia collusion hoax. Grassley stated that Giardina was the “initial recipient of the Steele Dossier” and accused him of improperly destroying government records while working for Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Grassley criticized the DOJ and FBI, saying, “Instead of focusing on DOJ and FBI’s core law enforcement responsibilities, partisan prosecutors and agents were surfing the web to find any shred of information they could use to spin another baseless case against Trump. Their actions are a disservice to Americans, who pay their salaries and depend on DOJ and FBI to keep them safe.”

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June 20, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Election Integrity

‘Let the Work Begin!’ — Trump Says Special Prosecutor ‘Must’ Be Appointed to Investigate 2020 Election.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump called for a Special Prosecutor to investigate what he described as massive fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump’s legal and political team, and election integrity advocates.

📍WHEN & WHERE: United States, June 2025, via Trump statement.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The evidence is MASSIVE and OVERWHELMING. A Special Prosecutor must be appointed.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The demand renews focus on election integrity investigations and places pressure on GOP lawmakers to act ahead of 2026.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has said a Special Prosecutor “must” be appointed to investigate the 2020 election, arguing the evidence of fraud is now “overwhelming.” This follows revelations that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) received intelligence in 2020 regarding a Chinese plot to mass-produce fraudulent U.S. driver’s licenses to facilitate mail-in ballot fraud.

“Biden was grossly incompetent, and the 2020 election was a total FRAUD!” the America First leader wrote on his Truth Social platform. “The evidence is MASSIVE and OVERWHELMING. A Special Prosecutor must be appointed. This cannot be allowed to happen again in the United States of America! Let the work begin!”

Trump lamented that “What this Crooked man, and his CORRUPT CRONIES, have done to our Country in 4 years, is grossly indescribable!”—citing new figures showing that, while the Trump administration released zero illegal aliens into the U.S. in May, Biden released let loose an incredible 62,000 in May 2024.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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June 19, 2025
Lauren Gallagher
News

Trump Is Shuttering This LGBTQ-Only Hotline So Americans in Crisis Get Equal Treatment.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is shuttering the LGBTQ+ youth-specific “Press 3” option from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to consolidate services for all callers regardless of age or identity.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Trump administration, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Trevor Project.

📍WHEN & WHERE: United States, June 2025

💬KEY QUOTE: White House Office of Management and Budget spokesman Rachel Cauley said taxpayer dollars should not fund “a chat service where children are encouraged to embrace radical gender ideology by ‘counselors’ without consent or knowledge of their parents.”

🎯IMPACT: The move aims to reduce wait times while ensuring all Americans in crisis receive equal access to mental health support without ideological filters.

IN FULL

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will remove its LGBTQ+ youth-only “Press 3” call option on July 17, 2025. The change, authorized by the Trump administration, is designed to integrate all callers into the same counseling track to streamline mental health crisis response and ensure equal treatment.

The “Press 3” option was introduced in 2022 as a pilot program under a government contract with the controversial Trevor Project. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) explained that services will continue uninterrupted and that trained counselors will remain available for all crisis types, including suicidal ideation, substance misuse, or emotional distress. The agency clarified that the change will not remove help but ensure it is offered to everyone equally, without resources being dedicated only to one group in particular.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ 2026 proposed budget formally ends funding for LGBT youth-only hotline options. White House Office of Management and Budget spokesman Rachel Cauley defended the move, stating taxpayer dollars should not fund “a chat service where children are encouraged to embrace radical gender ideology by ‘counselors’ without consent or knowledge of their parents.”

Supporters of the decision argue that every caller now gets immediate access to a crisis counselor without ideological filtering or identity-based routing, streamlining response time, eliminating confusion, and reaffirming the hotline’s core mission of suicide prevention for all Americans, regardless of background or belief.

Image bv Lê Huỳnh Bộ.

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June 19, 2025
News

Drill, Baby, Drill: Trump to Unlock 82% of Alaskan Petroleum Reserve.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Interior (DOI) has proposed reopening up to 82 percent of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) for oil and gas leasing and development.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Department of Interior, Acting Assistant Secretary Adam Suess, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and the American Petroleum Institute (API).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The draft analysis was released on June 17, 2025. The NPR-A spans 23 million acres in Alaska.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re cutting red tape and restoring commonsense policies that ensure responsible development and good stewardship of our public lands.” – Adam Suess.

🎯IMPACT: The proposal aims to boost domestic energy production, create jobs, and reduce dependence on foreign oil while reversing Biden-era restrictions.

IN FULL

The Department of the Interior (DOI) has released a draft analysis proposing reopening up to 82 percent of the 23-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) to oil and gas leasing. Initially set aside as an emergency oil supply for the U.S. Navy in 1923, the reserve was transferred to the DOI’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1976.

In 2022, the Biden government closed nearly half of the NPR-A to oil and gas drilling, reversing policies from the first Trump administration aimed at boosting energy development. The new DOI proposal reverses these restrictions as part of President Donald J. Trump’s policy push toward regulatory reform and “unleashing American energy dominance.”

Acting Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Adam Suess emphasized the importance of the plan, stating, “Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re cutting red tape and restoring commonsense policies that ensure responsible development and good stewardship of our public lands.” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum criticized a second 2024 Biden-era rule—which closed even more of the NPR-A to drilling—as prioritizing “obstruction over production” and undermining energy independence.

The Biden government’s 2024 rule had closed approximately 11 million acres of the reserve to oil and gas extraction and restricted construction on an additional two million acres. The DOI’s latest proposal includes rescinding both the 2022 and  2024 Biden-era rules. “Congress was clear: the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska was set aside to support America’s energy security through responsible development,” Burgum stated.

The American Petroleum Institute (API)—the largest U.S. trade association for the oil and gas industry—welcomed the move, calling the Biden regulations “misguided.”

Image by Malcolm Manners.

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June 19, 2025
Economy
War

Iran Is Poised to Shut a Vital Shipping Route, Here’s What That Could Mean:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Iran has warned it may shut the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit route, if the U.S. intervenes in its conflict with Israel.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senior Iranian officials, including Ali Yazdikhah and Behnam Saeedi, along with U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statements were made on Wednesday and Thursday, with escalating tensions in the Middle East and discussions in Washington, D.C., and Geneva.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If the United States officially and operationally enters the war in support of the Zionists, it is the legitimate right of Iran to disrupt their oil trade’s ease of transit.” – Ali Yazdikhah, a senior Iranian lawmaker.

🎯IMPACT: A closure of the Strait of Hormuz could disrupt global oil markets, prompt a strong military response from regional powers like Saudi Arabia, and escalate the conflict further.

IN FULL

Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for global oil transit, if the United States becomes directly involved in its conflict with Israel. Ali Yazdikhah, a senior Iranian lawmaker, stated, “If the United States officially and operationally enters the war in support of the Zionists, it is the legitimate right of Iran to disrupt their oil trade’s ease of transit.”

Behnam Saeedi, a member of Iran’s National Security Committee presidium, echoed this, saying that closing the strait is “one of the potential options.” The remarks come as tensions rise in the region, with U.S. President Donald J. Trump weighing the possibility of military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime passage that handles approximately 26 percent of the world’s oil trade. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that any disruption to the flow of oil through the strait would have significant consequences for global markets. Historically, Iran has demonstrated its capacity to threaten shipping in the strait, using tactics such as deploying mines and targeting oil tankers during the Iran-Iraq War. Notably, if Iran were to deploy a significant number of mines in the strait’s waters, it could effectively close the passage to ships for the foreseeable future.

Recent satellite photos and shipping analysis indicate that Iran is rapidly moving to fill its oil tanker fleet and disperse it well outside the Persian Gulf and into the open ocean. A bulk of the shipping traffic moving through the Strait of Hormuz in recent days is attributed to the Iranian oil tanker fleet departing the country’s primary petroleum storage hub, Kharg Island. Consequently, satellite images of Kharg Island show its oil storage containers all to be near capacity, suggesting Iran intends to fill and disperse as many tanker ships in its fleet as possible before it makes a possible move to mine the waters of the strait.

During Thursday’s White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt read a statement from President Trump, laying out a timeline for potential U.S. action: “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.”  Meanwhile, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned late Wednesday, “The Americans should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage.”

Diplomatic efforts remain ongoing, with Germany, France, and Britain set to meet Iranian officials in Geneva on Friday for nuclear talks.

Image via Tasnim News Agency.

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June 19, 2025
Economy
Politics

Trump Is Pushing the House to Pass This Senate Crypto Bill, Fast.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Senate passed the GENIUS Act in a 68-30 vote, aiming to position the U.S. as a leader in digital assets.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the U.S. Senate, and the House of Representatives.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Senate approved the bill on Tuesday, with Trump urging the House to act on Wednesday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Senate just passed an incredible Bill that is going to make America the UNDISPUTED Leader in Digital Assets — Nobody will do it better, it is pure GENIUS!” – Donald Trump.

🎯IMPACT: The GENIUS Act could establish the U.S. as a global leader in crypto and digital asset innovation.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump late Wednesday urged the House to speedily pass the Senate’s GENIUS Act, arguing it would propel the United States to become the world’s leader on crypto and digital assets. The upper chamber approved the legislation in a 68-30 vote on Tuesday.

The bill would enact new federal guidelines for stablecoins and create a framework for private companies to issue digital dollars. “The Senate just passed an incredible Bill that is going to make America the UNDISPUTED Leader in Digital Assets — Nobody will do it better, it is pure GENIUS! Digital Assets are the future, and our Nation is going to own it,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“We are talking about MASSIVE Investment, and Big Innovation. The House will hopefully move LIGHTNING FAST, and pass a ‘clean’ GENIUS Act,” he continued, adding: “Get it to my desk, ASAP — NO DELAYS, NO ADD ONS. This is American Brilliance at its best, and we are going to show the World how to WIN with Digital Assets like never before!”

Trump’s Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, has lauded the bill, stating that “stablecoins could grow into a $3.7 trillion market by the end of the decade.”

“A thriving stablecoin ecosystem will drive demand from the private sector for US Treasuries, which back stablecoins,” Bessent wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), adding: “This newfound demand could lower government borrowing costs and help rein in the national debt.”

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June 19, 2025
Education
Immigration

Trump Is Increasing Vetting for Foreign Students. Here’s How:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The State Department announced the resumption of student visa application interviews with new social media vetting protocols.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. State Department, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on Wednesday, with immediate plans to resume visa interviews.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision.” – U.S. State Department.

🎯IMPACT: Stricter vetting aims to prevent foreigners with anti-American or violent ideologies from entering the U.S. education system.

IN FULL

The State Department will resume granting student visas, but with heightened social media protocols to monitor possible support for terrorism or “a history of political activism” associated with violence or anti-American views. The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it would soon start scheduling student visa application interviews after all new applications were frozen last month. Potential exchange students will be asked to make their social media profiles public to allow for vetting.

“We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security,” the State Department said. “Under new guidance, we will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants.”

The Trump administration has expressed concern about foreign students who have engaged in violent anti-Semitic protests on campuses across the country, as well as Chinese students connected to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the department’s announcement continued, adding: “The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.”

Meanwhile, a cable to American diplomats instructed them to search the social media accounts of students for “any indications of hostility towards the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States,” “advocacy for, aid or support for foreign terrorists and other threats to U.S. national security” and “support for unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence.” One specific terrorist group they were urged to watch out for was Hamas. The diplomats were also told to determine if “applicants who demonstrate a history of political activism” were associated with violence and asked to “consider the likelihood they would continue such activity in the United States.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the United States does not want to import anti-American agitators to disrupt and undermine the education system. The resumption of student visa application interviews comes after President Donald J. Trump announced last week that the United States would continue to allow Chinese students into the country as part of a trade deal.

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June 19, 2025
War

BREAKING: Trump to Decide on Iran Strikes ‘Within Two Weeks.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump will decide on U.S. actions in the Iran-Israel conflict within two weeks, according to the White House.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Iranian and Israeli leaders.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statement made during a White House press briefing on Thursday, June 19.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.” – President Trump.

🎯IMPACT: The statement underscores the possibility of imminent U.S. action in the Middle East if potential diplomatic efforts with Iran do not succeed.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has stated that he will make a decision on U.S. actions in the Iran-Israel conflict “within the next two weeks,” citing the potential for upcoming negotiations with Iran. The comments were relayed by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a press briefing on Thursday.

Quoting the President directly, Leavitt said, “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.”

Leavitt also emphasized that President Trump has been consistent in his stance that Iran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. “Nobody should be surprised by the President’s position that Iran absolutely cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. He has been unequivocally clear about this for decades, not just as President, not just as a presidential candidate, but also as a private citizen,” she said.

Referencing past remarks, Leavitt added, “In 2011, President Trump said, ‘America’s primary goal with Iran must be to destroy its nuclear ambitions. We cannot allow this radical regime to acquire a nuclear weapon that they will either use or hand off to terrorists.'”

She also noted that the President had previously issued a 60-day warning to Iran to make a deal, with Israel taking action on day 61.

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