Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Trump Says China Already Breaking Trade Deal: ‘So Much for Being Mr. NICE GUY!’

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What Happened: President Donald J. Trump accused China of breaching a trade agreement with the U.S. just weeks after both nations agreed to a temporary easing of tariffs.

👥 Who’s Involved: Donald Trump, the United States, and China.

📍 Where & When: Trump’s statement was made on Truth Social on Friday, following a May 12 agreement between the U.S. and China.

💬 Key Quote: “The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US. So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!” – Donald Trump.

⚠️ Impact: The claim could reignite tensions between the two countries, potentially affecting trade relations and economic stability.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump on Friday accused China of violating a trade agreement with the United States, just weeks after both nations reached a temporary truce on tariffs. President Trump made the remarks on his Truth Social platform, noting that “Many [Chinese] factories closed and there was, to put it mildly, ‘civil unrest'” following his initial high tariffs.

“I made a FAST DEAL with China in order to save them from what I thought was going to be a very bad situation… Because of this deal, everything quickly stabilized and China got back to business as usual. Everybody was happy!” the America First leader explained.

“That is the good news!!! The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,” he continued, adding: “So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!”

The trade agreement, established on May 12, involved a 90-day suspension of most tariffs imposed by both countries earlier this year. As part of the deal, the U.S. reduced its tariffs on Chinese goods to approximately 30 percent, down from 145 percent, while China lowered its levies on American imports to 10 percent.

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BREAKING: Former NYPD Commissioner and Hero to the MAGA Movement Bernard B. Kerik Has Died.

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What Happened: Former NYPD Commissioner Bernard B. Kerik has died at 69.

👥 Who’s Involved: Bernard Kerik, President Donald J. Trump, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and FBI Director Kash Patel.

📍 Where & When: Kerik’s passing was announced on May 29, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “Today, we mourn the loss of Bernard B. Kerik, a warrior, a patriot, and one of the most courageous public servants this country has ever known. Bernie passed away tragically on May 29, 2025, after a private battle with illness,” Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Kash Patel wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

IN FULL:

Bernard B. Kerik, the 40th Commissioner of the New York Police Department who rushed to Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, and was present with Mayor Rudy Giuliani when United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower as he coordinated first responders, has passed away at 69. Kerik, with over four decades of service in law enforcement and a U.S. Army veteran, would go on to become one of President Donald J. Trump’s most vocal supporters.

“Today, we mourn the loss of Bernard B. Kerik, a warrior, a patriot, and one of the most courageous public servants this country has ever known. Bernie passed away tragically on May 29, 2025, after a private battle with illness,” Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Patel continued: “With over forty years of service in law enforcement and national security, he dedicated his life to protecting the American people. As the 40th Police Commissioner of New York City, Bernie led with strength and resolve in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, guiding the NYPD through one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history.”

“He was decorated more than 100 times for bravery, valor, and service, having rescued victims from burning buildings, survived assassination attempts, and brought some of the world’s most dangerous criminals to justice,” Director Patel said, adding: “His legacy is not just in the medals or the titles, but in the lives he saved, the city he helped rebuild, and the country he served with honor.”

Image by Gage Skidmore. 

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Trump Replacing DEI With ‘Merit-Based’ Hiring.

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What Happened: The Trump administration is rolling out its Merit Hiring Plan for federal agencies, releasing new guidance on Thursday that replaces decades of DEI-style polices with one that focuses on applicants’ skills rather than their race or gender.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Donald J. Trump, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), federal agencies, federal hiring managers, and federal job applicants.

📍 Where & When: The policy was released on Thursday through guidance issued to agencies across the federal government.

⚠️ Impact: President Trump’s Merit Hiring Plan marks a significant shift in federal employment practices that will now focus on bringing high-skilled individuals for critical roles. The plan also ends race and gender based hiring practices that critics contend created discriminatory political constituencies inside the government workforce.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump‘s administration is set to unveil a new federal employment policy focused on merit-based hiring instead of the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requirements that have dominated government employment for decades. The new hiring guidance, released to federal agencies on Thursday by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), is believed to bar the consideration of race and gender in employment decisions.

Based on legislation adopted last year in Congress, and ushered through by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, the Merit Hiring Plan provides guidance for federal hiring and instructs agencies to consider relevant skills beyond just resume experience. Notably, this provision has long been pushed by conservative education activists and technology industry figures who contend that college education requirements lock out too many qualified individuals from the professional workforce.

Skill-based hiring evaluations will be made through interviews and relevant testing of applicants, though resumes and professional experience will still be considered determining factors in hiring decisions.

Additionally, federal agencies are being directed to continue collecting workforce demographic data. However, this data will no longer be released publicly and will merely be retained by the federal government to ensure its policies promote a workforce with diverse skills and professional qualifications.

Another significant change comes through guidance meant to speed up federal hiring processes. Federal interviewers will now ask applicants a more standardized set of questions rather than the previous more ad-hoc process. This is aimed at ensuring federal hirings take no longer than 80 days.

Once implemented, the federal government is expected to begin a more modest hiring period to restaff certain agencies. After being inaugurated in January, President Trump and his White House dismissed upwards of 140,000 federal workers through force reduction or employment buyouts. The Trump administration has indicated it could soon move forward with the dismissal of another 150,000 federal employees, while also bringing in new individuals to fill critical roles.

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Trump Rejects CBS Offer to Settle $20bn Election Interference Lawsuit.

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❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump rejected a $15 million settlement offer from CBS News in his $20 billion election interference lawsuit, demanding $25 million and a public apology for a deceptively edited Kamala Harris interview in 2024.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Trump, CBS News, Paramount Global, Skydance Media, and the FCC.

📍 Where & When: Arbitration negotiations, with the rejection reported on May 29, 2025.

⚠️ Impact: Trump’s hardline stance may disrupt CBS’s plans for an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, which requires FCC approval.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump has rejected a $15 million settlement offer from CBS News in his $20 billion election interference lawsuit against them. The America First leader, who initially filed a $10 billion suit late last year before doubling it, is demanding at least $25 million and an apology for election meddling in 2024.

The lawsuit stems from CBS’s 60 Minutes broadcast during the 2024 presidential race, where the network deceptively edited an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris to make her appear more coherent. By removing a previously previewed “word salad” response about Israel from their final broadcast and interview transcript, CBS is alleged to have deceived the public and violated its duty to report honestly on publicly owned airwaves.

The rejection comes as Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, is desperate to finalize an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media—a deal that requires Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval. Skydance will not move forward until the lawsuit is settled.

Moreover, Trump is reportedly considering a second suit—this time for defamation—after a recent 60 Minutes segment compared him to a “mob boss.”

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BREAKING: Federal Appeals Court Reinstates Trump Tariffs.

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What Happened: A federal appeals court has, for now, reinstated President Donald J. Trump’s 10 percent global tariff and reciprocal tariffs after temporarily staying a lower court decision striking down the trade duties.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Donald J. Trump, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the United States Court of International Trade (CIT).

📍 Where & When: The stay order was handed down by the federal appellate court on Thursday, May 29, 2025, while the CIT struck down Trump’s tariffs late Wednesday evening.

💬 Key Quote: The circuit court wrote  that the lower court decision is “temporarily stayed until further notice while this court considers the motions papers.”

⚠️ Impact: President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs will remain in effect until at least June 9 pending a hearing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

IN FULL:

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is staying a lower court decision that struck down President Donald J. Trump‘s “Liberation Day” tariffs pending a future hearing set for June 9. In filing the motion for the stay, the Trump administration indicated that if the motion were not granted, it would seek an emergency hearing before the United States Supreme Court. The circuit court wrote  that the lower court decision is “temporarily stayed until further notice while this court considers the motions papers.”

Late Wednesday evening, the United States Court of International Trade (CIT) handed down a ruling enjoining President Donald J. Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, which include his reciprocal tariffs—mostly paused—and a 10 percent global tariff. This decision effectively barred the federal government from collecting tariff revenues. Additionally, the ruling appears to have instructed the Trump White House to return tariff duties already collected, which are in the tens of billions of dollars.

The CIT ruling determines that President Trump’s emergency declaration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which provided the legal underpinning for the “Liberation Day” tariffs, exceeded his presidential authority.

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China Spying

China Says Kicking Their Student Spies Out of U.S. Is ‘Discriminatory.’

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What Happened: The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is claiming a decision by the Trump administration to revoke student visas for Chinese nationals with ties to their regime is “discriminatory.”

👥 Who’s Involved: The CCP, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning, U.S. President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chinese students residing in the United States.

📍 Where & When: The CCP leveled its allegations against the Trump White House on Thursday, May 29, less than 24 hours after Sec. Rubio announced the decision to begin revoking Chinese student visas.

💬 Key Quote: “This politically motivated and discriminatory move exposes the U.S. hypocrisy over freedom and openness,” Mao stated in a video posted to X (formerly Twitter).

⚠️ Impact: Chinese students have become increasingly viewed as a potential national security risk in recent years, with a number of them being arrested on espionage charges. The move by the Trump administration seeks to mitigate these risks, especially in prioritizing visa revocations for students with close ties to the CCP.

IN FULL:

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims that U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s decision to begin a process of revoking student visas previously granted to Chinese nationals, especially those with CCP ties, is “discriminatory.” In a video statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning dismissed the mounting national security concerns posed by Chinese nationals at U.S. academic institutions, who have been tied to espionage and subversive activities in a number of cases.

“The U.S. uses ideology and national security as pretext to revoke Chinese student visas,” Mao claimed, insisting: “It is fully unjustified. It seriously hurts the lawful rights and interests of international students from China, and disrupts people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.”

“China firmly opposes it and has protested to the U.S. over the decision,” the CCP press official continued, concluding: “This politically motivated and discriminatory move exposes the U.S. hypocrisy over freedom and openness. It will further damage the image and reputation of the U.S. itself.”


The statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs was issued less than 24 hours after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Trump administration would begin revoking student visas for Chinese nationals. In recent years, evidence has mounted that both Chinese academics and students residing in the United States have engaged in a concerted campaign of corporate and political espionage.

A Congressional report last October found that CCP espionage efforts in the United States intensified under the former Biden government. Released by the House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence, the report found that “Beijing has continually encroached upon American sovereignty to spy, intimidate, and harass… defectors and American citizens.”

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Purchased by The National Pulse

FBI Reports Surge in Threats Against President Trump.

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What Happened: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel revealed his agency is overwhelmed by ‘copycat’ threats against President Donald J. Trump following an “86 47” post on Instagram by former FBI Director James Comey, seen by many as endorsing violence against the America First leader.

👥 Who’s Involved: FBI Director Kash Patel, former FBI Director James Comey, President Donald J. Trump, and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino.

📍 Where & When: The controversy stems from Comey’s Instagram post earlier this month. Patel discussed the issue on May 28, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “Do you know how many agents I’ve had to take offline from chasing down child sex predators, fentanyl traffickers, terrorists?” – Kash Patel.

⚠️ Impact: FBI resources have been diverted to investigate threats against Trump, with Patel citing Comey’s post as a catalyst.

IN FULL:

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel has disclosed that his agency has been inundated with threats to President Donald J. Trump’s life, which he attributes to a controversial Instagram post by former FBI Director James Comey. Speaking to Bret Baier, Patel explained that the post depicting shells arranged to form the numbers “86 47” has led to a surge in “copycat” incidents.

The term “86” is commonly used in hospitality to mean “get rid of” something, but can also be interpreted as a mob reference to a grave eight feet long and six feet deep. The number 47 refers to Trump’s status as the 47th U.S. President. However, Comey claims he was unaware of the violent connotations associated with the numbers, despite his long career in law enforcement.

Patel expressed frustration over the situation, emphasizing the strain on FBI resources. “Do you know how many agents I’ve had to take offline from chasing down child sex predators, fentanyl traffickers, terrorists?” he asked. He suggested that the post inspired people across the country to make threats, believing such behavior is permissible because Comey did it.

The FBI has not provided specific details about the threats, but the issue arises less than a year after a gunman’s bullet struck Trump’s ear during a campaign event in Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, last week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested an illegal immigrant who made threats against Trump. Ramon Morales-Reyes, a Mexican national who has unlawfully entered the U.S. on multiple occasions, wrote in a letter that he “will self deport myself back to Mexico, but not before I use my 30 yard 6 to shoot your precious president in his head—I will see him at one of his big ralleys.”

Image by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.

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Grenell Calls Out Far-Left Broadway Star Who Said Trump’s Kennedy Center Should Be ‘Blown Up.’

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❓What Happened: Special Presidential Envoy and John F. Kennedy Center Executive Director Richard Grenell blasted Broadway star Patti LuPone for saying the Trump-chaired institution “should get blown up,” accusing her of giving “aid and comfort to the crazies” and fueling violent extremism.

👥 Who’s Involved: Richard Grenell, Patti LuPone, the Kennedy Center, and the Trump administration.

📍 Where & When: Newsmax’s Rob Schmitt Tonight, with Grenell’s comment aired on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “She is giving aid and comfort to somebody who says, ‘Patti Lupone wants me to go blow up the Kennedy Center,’” Grenell said.

⚠️ Impact: Grenell’s rebuke highlights the Trump administration’s push to curb radical left rhetoric, increasingly common among leftist public figures such as LuPone.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Director for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Richard Grenell, rebuked Broadway star Patti LuPone on May 28, 2025, accusing her of fueling violent extremism with her reckless claim that the Kennedy Center “should get blown up.”

Speaking on Rob Schmitt Tonight, Grenell called out LuPone’s comments in a recent New Yorker interview, warning that her rhetoric provides “aid and comfort to the crazies” and risks inciting real-world violence.

“We should have every Democrat, every left-leaning person condemning what she said,” Grenell declared, addressing LuPone’s inflammatory statement about the Kennedy Center, which Trump personally chairs following post-Biden reforms.

“Do I actually believe Patti LuPone is going to build a bomb and throw it inside the Kennedy Center? No, I don’t believe that. However, she is giving aid and comfort to the crazies,” Grenell warned. “She is giving aid and comfort to somebody who says, ‘Patti Lupone wants me to go blow up the Kennedy Center.’ We need to call this out. This needs to stop—this radical left extremism that’s morphing into violence. This has to stop.”

Grenell’s response aligns with Trump’s broader push to curb inflammatory rhetoric, especially after he survived two assassination attempts in 2024—one in Butler, Pennsylvania, and another in West Palm Beach, Florida—which he blamed on Democrat vitriol.

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Is Congress About to Start Codifying the DOGE Cuts?

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What Happened: The White House plans to send a rescission package to Congress, targeting DOGE cuts and other spending reductions.

👥 Who’s Involved: Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and Congress.

📍 Where & When: Vought announced the rescission package on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “We are doing everything we can to make the DOGE cuts permanent, either through rescissions or through impoundment.” – Russ Vought, OMB Director.

⚠️ Impact: The cuts will target areas such as foreign aid and funding for NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The process of filing additional cuts to be codified is expected to unfold over several months.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump‘s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought confirmed late Wednesday the White House’s plans to send a rescission package to Congress to claw back spending appropriated under the former Biden government. During a television interview on Wednesday, Vought confirmed that the spending clawbacks will include cuts recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and will be sent early next week when the House of Representatives returns to session.

The package, according to Vought, will focus on eliminating wasteful spending in areas such as foreign aid, appropriations earmarked for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and funding for NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Vought noted that this is just the beginning of a broader effort, saying, “We want to make sure that Congress passes its first rescissions bill, including the DOGE, and we will send more if they pass it.”

Vought emphasized that these cuts will not be included in a single comprehensive bill but will instead be addressed through a process spanning several months. Notably, rescission measures in the U.S. Senate are considered privileged and not subject to the filibuster. This means that only a simple majority of both houses of Congress is needed to pass the spending clawback.

According to the OMB Director, the cuts align with the fiscal year 2026 budget and include $160 billion in nondefense spending reductions. He stated that this is the lowest level of nondefense spending since fiscal year 2017 and, when adjusted for inflation, the lowest since 2000.

Vought also mentioned that the administration is exploring all available tools, including impoundment, to make the cuts permanent. “We are doing everything we can to make the DOGE cuts permanent, either through rescissions or through impoundment,” he said.

The rescission effort aims to ensure fiscal responsibility while addressing what the administration views as unnecessary and harmful expenditures. However, Vought acknowledged that the process would take time, adding, “It’s not going to be something that, hey, we’re going to have it in one bill, it’s going to be part of a process over the next several months.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Federal Judge Again Halts Trump Move to Stop Harvard From Importing Foreign Students.

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What Happened: A federal judge extended a temporary order blocking the Trump administration’s revocation of Harvard University’s ability to enroll foreign students.

👥 Who’s Involved: U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs, President Donald J. Trump, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Harvard University, and foreign students.

📍 Where & When: Massachusetts federal court; extension announced Thursday, May 29, coinciding with Harvard’s 347th graduation ceremony.

💬 Key Quote: “Harvard’s refusal to comply with SEVP oversight was the latest evidence that it disdains the American people and takes for granted U.S. taxpayer benefits,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated.

⚠️ Impact: If the revocation proceeds, foreign students at Harvard—roughly one-fourth of its student body—could lose their ability to stay in the U.S. unless they transfer schools.

IN FULL:

A Massachusetts federal judge on Thursday extended a temporary order preventing the Trump administration from revoking Harvard University‘s ability to enroll foreign students. The decision follows the administration’s move last week to block Harvard from participating in the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which allows the institution to import foreign students.

U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs said the temporary order will remain in place until it is replaced by a preliminary injunction, though no timeline for the injunction was discussed. The extension was issued on the same day as Harvard’s 347th graduation ceremony.

Previously, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had given the university 30 days to contest the revocation. According to a letter filed in court, Harvard must submit evidence, including misconduct records of foreign students and proof that it maintains a campus free from violence and anti-Semitism.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, sharing the letter on X (formerly Twitter), criticized Harvard, stating, “Harvard’s refusal to comply with SEVP oversight was the latest evidence that it disdains the American people and takes for granted U.S. taxpayer benefits.” She added, “We continue to reject Harvard’s repeated pattern of endangering its students and spreading American hate—it must change its ways in order to participate in American programs.”

If the Trump administration’s action is upheld, foreign students, who make up approximately 27 percent of Harvard’s student body, would lose their ability to remain in the United States unless they transfer to other institutions. Additionally, losing the ability to enroll foreign students will likely cost Harvard millions in revenue.

The revocation of Harvard’s SEVP certification is just the latest step in President Trump’s actions against the university after the Ivy League institution refused to comply with federal directives aimed at cracking down on anti-Semitic acts and protests on campus, and stopping racial discrimination against white and Asian applicants. Last month, the Trump administration revoked over $2 billion in research grants, prompting the university to sue.

President Trump recently indicated on Truth Social that he is considering reallocating $3 billion in Harvard’s grant money to trade schools.

This is a developing story…

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