Friday, September 12, 2025

President Trump Closes Infamous El Paso, Texas Port of Entry.

The El Paso, Texas Port of Entry—a border crossing checkpoint that saw a flood of illegal immigrants under former President Joe Biden—has been closed by President Donald J. Trump just minutes after he took the Presidential Oath of Office on Monday. The move follows the shutdown of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s CBP One app, which was used by the Biden government to allow an unprecedented number of illegal immigrants to cross into the United States.

In March of last year, the El Paso border crossing saw a massive migrant riot with U.S. National Guard soldiers coming under attack. Illegal immigrants became agitated and violent as border officials attempted to process the several hundred who had gathered at the El Paso checkpoint. While a number of the rioters were arrested, they were later ordered to be released by a Texas judge after local prosecutors failed to file charges and court paperwork in a timely manner. It is believed that over 100 Tren de Aragua members—a violent Venezuelan prison gang—were among those released.

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The El Paso, Texas Port of Entry—a border crossing checkpoint that saw a flood of illegal immigrants under former President Joe Biden—has been closed by President Donald J. Trump just minutes after he took the Presidential Oath of Office on Monday. The move follows the shutdown of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's CBP One app, which was used by the Biden government to allow an unprecedented number of illegal immigrants to cross into the United States. show more

President Trump Outlines Top Priorities in Memo to Congress.

President Donald J. Trump—inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States at noon on Monday, January 20, 2025—has outlined his top legislative priorities in a memo to Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The document consists of four major initiatives: the first is to “Make America Safe Again,” the second is to “Make America Affordable and Energy Dominant Again,” the third is to “Drain the Swamp,” and the fourth is to “Bring Back American Values.”

“President Trump will take bold action to secure our border and protect American communities,” the document reads. “This includes ending Biden’s catch-and-release policies, reinstating Remain in Mexico, building the wall, ending asylum for illegal border crossers, cracking down on criminal sanctuaries, and enhancing vetting and screening of aliens.” It outlines the top priority of launching an unprecedented immigration enforcement action with mass deportations to “…address the record border crossings of criminal aliens under the prior administration.”

Notably, the memo includes a line emphasizing Trump will deploy U.S. military and National Guard resources to assist with the separations.

Meanwhile, Trump is also asking Congress to take up his push to unleash America’s energy industry. He intends to “…empower consumer choice in vehicles, showerheads, toilets, washing machines, lightbulbs and dishwashers,” effectively ending former President Joe Biden’s Green New Deal mandates.

Trump also informed lawmakers that he is enacting a federal hiring freeze, ending the expansion of America’s unelected bureaucracy that tried to hamper the MAGA agenda during his first term in office. In addition, the memo states Trump “…is taking swift action to end the weaponization of government against political rivals and ordering all document retention as required by law.”

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President Donald J. Trump—inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States at noon on Monday, January 20, 2025—has outlined his top legislative priorities in a memo to Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The document consists of four major initiatives: the first is to "Make America Safe Again," the second is to "Make America Affordable and Energy Dominant Again," the third is to "Drain the Swamp," and the fourth is to "Bring Back American Values." show more
Trump Border Mass Deportations

CLOSED: Open Borders CBP One App Shuts Down, Migrants Waiting to Be Paroled Into U.S. Turned Away.

Migrants standing in line to be paroled into the United States at 1 PM are being denied entry after the CBP One app used to schedule their appointments was shut down. The move signals that President Donald J. Trump is moving quickly to make good on his pledge to secure America’s borders after his inauguration at the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C.

Biden paroled hundreds of thousands of migrants into the U.S. at designated ports of entry through CBP One appointments or flew them directly to the U.S. through the related CHNV (Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela) Parole Program. Vetting of CBP One migrants has been poor, with a Haitian double murderer among those who used it to enter the U.S.

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Migrants standing in line to be paroled into the United States at 1 PM are being denied entry after the CBP One app used to schedule their appointments was shut down. The move signals that President Donald J. Trump is moving quickly to make good on his pledge to secure America's borders after his inauguration at the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. show more

WATCH: Anti-Trump Protesters Erect GUILLOTINE in DC.

Protestors gathered to demonstrate against the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States have erected a guillotine in Washington, D.C. The execution device was made infamous in the French Revolution, where it was used to behead the enemies of the radical, far-left Jacobin movement during the Reign of Terror.

“Come get sum” is painted around the neck hole in the guillotine, as a demonstrator holding an LGBTQ flag flanks the device. Other demonstrators can be seen holding Palestinian flags.

While far-left organizations promised to engage in mass protest against Trump’s return to the White House, extreme cold temperatures—along with snow and rain—muted the demonstrations, with only a few hundred gathering in any single instance.

Making threats against the President of the United States is a federal crime under 18 U.S. Code § 871. While the statute applies primarily to written threats, there is precedent for prosecuting verbal threats as well.

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Protestors gathered to demonstrate against the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States have erected a guillotine in Washington, D.C. The execution device was made infamous in the French Revolution, where it was used to behead the enemies of the radical, far-left Jacobin movement during the Reign of Terror. show more

‘I Was Saved by God to Make America Great Again’ — Trump’s Inaugural Address in Full.

President Donald J. Trump has been inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States, addressing the American public from the United States Capitol’s rotunda along with his cabinet and distinguished guests. Outlining his vision for the next four years, President Trump announced that moments after he finishes his inaugural address, he will declare a national emergency at the southern border, designate the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and begin the largest deportation program in American history.

In addition, Trump says he will declare a national energy emergency and clear the way to unleash America’s energy production might. “America will be a manufacturing nation once again,” he declared, stating that the U.S. will use its vast energy resources to bolster American industry.

Most importantly, Trump told the American people, “My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and a unifier.”

AMERICA RESPECTED AGAIN.

“We will be respected again all over the world,” Trump said, emphasizing that American sovereignty and safety will be restored and that America will come first. He continued, “Our top priority will be to create a nation that is proud, prosperous, and free.”

Trump pledged to restore America’s ability to provide safety and security for its people, especially emphasizing the failures of the Biden government to handle the recent crises stemming from hurricane destruction and raging wildfires in California. “That will all change starting today, that will change very quickly,” Trump pledged.

SAVED BY GOD.

“From this moment on, America’s decline is over,” Trump said. “We will immediately restore the competency and loyalty of America’s government.” President Trump recalled the two assassination attempts on his life, declaring: “I was saved by God to Make America Great Again!”

“January 20th is Liberation Day,” Trump said, emphasizing that his inauguration falls on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and that the Trump White House will seek to make his dream a reality. The President continued, “We will not forget our God. Can’t do that.”

TENS OF THOUSANDS GATHER IN D.C. 

Meanwhile, thousands of Trump’s supporters gathered in Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. to observe the event. While the Presidential inauguration is normally held outdoors in front of the Capitol with tens of thousands gathered on the National Mall, extreme cold weather forced the presidential installation indoors to ensure the safety of attendees and supporters.

The inauguration began with a joint innovation delivered by Catholic Cardinal Timothy Doland and the Reverand Franklin Graham. Dolan harkened to the prayerful advice of America’s first President, George Washington, General George S. Patton, and the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT:

President Donald J. Trump: Thank you. Thank you very much, everybody. Well, thank you very, very much. Vice President Vance, Speaker Johnson, Senator Thune, Chief Justice Roberts, justices of the United States Supreme Court, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, President Biden, Vice President Harris, and my fellow citizens.

The Golden Age of America begins right now. From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer. During every single day of the Trump administration, I will very simply put America first. Our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored. The scales of justice will be rebalanced. The vicious, violent and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end. And our top priority will be to create a nation that is proud, prosperous and free. America will soon be greater, stronger, and far more exceptional than ever before. I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success, a tide of change is sweeping the country, sunlight is pouring over the entire world, and America has the chance to seize this opportunity like never before. But first, we must be honest about the challenges we face. While they are plentiful, they will be annihilated by this great momentum that the world is now witnessing in the United States of America.

As we gather today, our government confronts a crisis of trust. For many years, a radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and wealth from our citizens, while the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly in complete disrepair. We now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home, while at the same time stumbling into a continuing catalog of catastrophic events abroad. It fails to protect our magnificent, law-abiding American citizens, but provide sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals, many from prisons and mental institutions that have illegally entered our country from all over the world. We have a government that has given unlimited funding to the defense of foreign borders but refuses to defend American borders or, more importantly, its own people. Our country can no longer deliver basic services in times of emergency, as recently shown by the wonderful people of North Carolina, been treated so badly. And other states who are still suffering from a hurricane that took place many months ago. Or, more recently, in Los Angeles, where we are watching fires still tragically burn from weeks ago without even a token of defense. They’re raging through the houses and communities, even affecting some of the wealthiest and most powerful individuals in our country, some of whom are sitting here right now. They don’t have a home any longer. That’s interesting, but we can’t let this happen. Everyone is unable to do anything about it. That’s going to change.

We have a public health system that does not deliver in times of disaster, yet more money is spent on it than any country anywhere in the world. And we have an education system that teaches our children to be ashamed of themselves, in many cases to hate our country despite the love that we try so desperately to provide to them. All of this will change starting today, and it will change very quickly.

My recent election has a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal, and all of these many betrayals that have taken place, and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy, and indeed, their freedom. From this moment on, America’s decline is over. Our liberties and our nation’s glorious destiny will no longer be denied, and we will immediately restore the integrity, competency, and loyalty of America’s government. Over the past eight years, I have been tested and challenged more than any president in our 250-year history, and I’ve learned a lot along the way the journey to reclaim our republic has not been an easy one that I can tell you. Those who wish to stop our cause have tried to take my freedom, and indeed to take my life. Just a few months ago, in a beautiful Pennsylvania field, an assassin’s bullet ripped through my ear. But I felt then and believe even more so now, that my life was saved for a reason. I was saved by God to make America great again. Thank you. Thank you very much. That is why each day under our administration of American patriots, we will be working to meet every crisis with dignity and power and strength. We will move with purpose and speed to bring back hope, prosperity, safety, and peace for citizens of every race, religion, colour and creed. For American citizens, January 20th, 2025 is Liberation Day.

It is my hope that our recent presidential election will be remembered as the greatest and most consequential election in the history of our country. As our victory showed, the entire nation is rapidly unifying behind our agenda with dramatic increases in support from virtually every element of our society, young and old, men and women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, urban, suburban, rural and very importantly, we had a powerful win in all seven swing states, and the popular vote we won by millions of people. To the black and Hispanic communities, I want to thank you for the tremendous outpouring of love and trust that you have shown me with your vote. We set records and I will not forget it. I’ve heard your voices in the campaign, and I look forward to working with you in the years to come. Today is Martin Luther King Day and his honor, this will be a great honor, but in his honor, we will strive together to make his dream a reality. We will make his dream come true. Thank you. Thank you. National unity is now returning to America and confidence and pride is soaring like never before. In everything we do. My administration will be inspired by a strong pursuit of excellence and unrelenting success. We will not forget our country. We will not forget our Constitution and we will not forget our God. Can’t do that.

Today, I will sign a series of historic executive orders. With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense. It’s all about common sense. First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. All illegal entry will immediately be halted and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. We will reinstate my Remain in Mexico policy. I will end the practice of catch and release. And I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country. Under the orders I signed today, we will also be designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. And by invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. I will direct our government to use the full and immense power of federal and state law enforcement to eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal networks bringing devastating crime to U.S. soil, including our cities and inner cities. As Commander in Chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions and that is exactly what I am going to do. We will do it at a level that nobody has ever seen before.

Next, I will direct all members of my cabinet to marshal the vast powers at their disposal to defeat what was record inflation and rapidly bring down costs and prices. The inflation crisis was caused by massive overspending and escalating energy prices and that is why today I will also declare a national energy emergency. We will drill, baby, drill. America will be a manufacturing nation once again, and we have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have, the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth and we are going to use it, and they use it. We will bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again, right to the top and export American energy all over the world. We will be a rich nation again and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it.

With my actions today, we will end the Green New Deal and we will revoke the electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto industry and keeping my sacred pledge to our great American autoworkers. In other words, you’ll be able to buy the car of your choice. We will build automobiles in America again at a rate that nobody could have dreamt possible just a few years ago and thank you to the autoworkers of our nation for your inspiring vote of confidence. We did tremendously with their vote. I will immediately begin the overhaul of our trade system to protect American workers and families. Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens. For this purpose, we are establishing the External Revenue Service to collect all tariffs, duties and revenues. It will be massive amounts of money pouring into our treasury coming from foreign sources. The American Dream will soon be back and thriving like never before. To restore confidence and effectively is to our federal government, my administration will establish the brand new Department of Government Efficiency.

After years and years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free expression, I will also sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America. Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents. Something I know, something about. We will not allow that to happen. It will not happen again. Under my leadership, we will restore a fair, equal, and impartial justice under the constitutional rule of law and we are going to bring law and order back to our cities. This week I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life. We will forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based. As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.

This week, I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate, with full back pay. And I will sign an order to stop our warriors from being subjected to radical political theories and social experiments while on duty. It’s going to end immediately. Our armed forces will be free to focus on their sole mission: defeating America’s enemies. Like in 2017, we will again build the strongest military the world has ever seen. We will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars that we end, and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into. My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifie, that’s what I want to be, a peacemaker and a unifier. I’m pleased to say that as of yesterday, one day before I assumed office, the hostages in the Middle East are coming back home to their families. Thank you. America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on Earth, inspiring the all and admiration of the entire world.

A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and we will restore the name of a great president, William McKinley to Mount McKinley, where it should be and where it belongs. President McKinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent. He was a natural businessman and gave Teddy Roosevelt the money for many of the great things he did, including the Panama Canal, which has foolishly been given to the country of Panama after the United States, the United States, I mean, think of this spent more money than ever spent on a project before and lost 38,000 lives in the building of the Panama Canal. We have been treated very badly from this foolish gift that should have never been made and Panama’s promise to us has been broken. The purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally violated. American ships are being severely overcharge, charged and not treated fairly in any way, shape or form. And that includes the United States Navy and above all, China is operating the Panama Canal and we didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama and we’re taking it back.

Above all, my message to Americans today is that it is time for us to once again act with courage, vigor, and vitality of history’s greatest civilization. So as we liberate our nation, we will lead it to new heights of victory and success. We will not be deterred. Together, we will end the chronic disease epidemic and keep our children safe, healthy, and disease free. The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation, one that increases our wealth, expands our territory, builds our cities, raises our expectations, and carries our flag into new and beautiful horizons. And we will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars launching American astronauts to plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars.

Ambition is the lifeblood of a great nation and right now, our nation is more ambitious than any other. There’s no nation like our nation. Americans are explorers, builders, innovators, entrepreneurs and pioneers. The spirit of the frontier is written into our hearts. The call of the next great adventure resounds from within our souls. Our American ancestors turned a small group of colonies on the edge of a vast continent into a mighty republic of the most extraordinary citizens on Earth. No one comes close. Americans pushed thousands of miles through a rugged land of untamed wilderness. They crossed deserts, scaled mountains, braved untold dangers, won the Wild West, ended slavery, rescued millions from tyranny, lifted billions from poverty, harnessed electricity, split the atom, launched mankind into the heavens and put the universe of human knowledge into the palm of the human hand. If we work together, there is nothing we cannot do and no dream we cannot achieve.

Many people thought it was impossible for me to stage such a historic political comeback. But as you see today, here I am, the American people have spoken. I stand before you now is proof that you should never believe that something is impossible to do. In America, the impossible is what we do best. From New York to Los Angeles, from Philadelphia to Phoenix, from Chicago to Miami, from Houston to right here in Washington, DC, our country was forged and built by the generations of patriots who gave everything they had for our rights and for our freedom. They were farmers and soldiers, cowboys and factory workers, steel workers and coal miners, police officers and pioneers who pushed onward, marched forward, and let no obstacle defeat their spirit or their pride. Together they laid down the railroads, raised up the skyscrapers, built great highways, won two world wars, defeated fascism and communism, and triumphed over every single challenge that they faced. After all we have been through together, we stand on the verge of the four greatest years in American history. With your help, we will restore America’s promise and we will rebuild the nation that we love and we love it so much.

We are one people, one family, and one glorious nation under God. So to every parent who dreams for their child and every child who dreams for their future, I am with you. I will fight for you and I will win for you. We are going to win like never before. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. In recent years, our nation has suffered greatly. ut we are going to bring it back and make it great again, greater than ever before. We will be a nation like no other, full of compassion, courage and exceptionalism. Our power will stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity to a world that has been angry, violent and totally unpredictable. America will be respected again and admired again, including by people of religion, faith, and goodwill. We will be prosperous. We will be proud. We will be strong and we will win like never before. We will not be conquered. We will not be intimidated. We will not be broken and we will not fail. From this day on, the United States of America will be a free, sovereign and independent nation. We will stand bravely. We will live proudly. We will dream boldly, and nothing will stand in our way because we are Americans. The future is ours and our golden age has just begun. Thank you. God bless America. Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

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President Donald J. Trump has been inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States, addressing the American public from the United States Capitol's rotunda along with his cabinet and distinguished guests. Outlining his vision for the next four years, President Trump announced that moments after he finishes his inaugural address, he will declare a national emergency at the southern border, designate the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and begin the largest deportation program in American history. show more

WATCH LIVE: Trump Inaugurated as 47th President.

Donald J. Trump is being inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States of America at the Capitol Rotunda in Washington D.C., becoming only the second man to serve two non-consecutive presidential terms in American history. The last was the late President Grover Cleveland, who served as the 22nd President from 1885 to 1889 and as the 24th President from 1893 to 1897.

President Trump and his 2024 running mate, Vice President J.D. Vance, are being inaugurated in the Capitol Rotunda, located in the center of the United States Capitol. The late President Ronald Reagan was also sworn in for his second term at the Rotunda in 1985; then, as of now, the decision to move the ceremony indoors was made due to inclement weather. “There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way,” Trump said of the decision last week.

The Oath of Office of the President of the United States:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

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Donald J. Trump is being inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States of America at the Capitol Rotunda in Washington D.C., becoming only the second man to serve two non-consecutive presidential terms in American history. The last was the late President Grover Cleveland, who served as the 22nd President from 1885 to 1889 and as the 24th President from 1893 to 1897. show more

TikTok Is Still a CCP-Owned National Security Risk, For Now.

TikTok and its Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-owned parent company, ByteDance, remains a serious national security threat despite a renewed push to force the social media video app’s divestment from the United States’s foreign adversary. President Donald J. Trump has signaled he is willing to give TikTok and ByteDance 90 more days to negotiate a possible sale to an American company—though it isn’t clear if the CCP and their proxies at ByteDance have warmed to the idea of parting with the app and its valuable content algorithm.

The National Pulse has extensively covered TikTok’s threat to the United States, including the CCP’s ongoing access to American user data. When a law forcing ByteDance to divest or face a ban in the U.S. was challenged before the Supreme Court earlier this month, the justices were quick to note that ByteDance’s refusal to sell the app despite the likely lucrative windfall was more than unusual and appeared to signal app was more valuable to China than just as a business venture. Ultimately, the high court ruled late last week to uphold the Congressional action forcing the app’s sale or ban in the U.S.

ESPIONAGE & PROPAGANDA.

In early January 2025, Rutgers University’s Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) released a new study indicating that the Chinese-owned video app is used to promote pro-CCP propaganda among American youth. The study, an update to a preliminary report published by NCRI last August, reveals a bevy of evidence that TikTok routinely downplays negative content regarding the Chinese state, Communist Party, and their history of repression when searched even by U.S. audiences.

Data security concerns aside, the CCP’s use of TikTok as a propaganda platform crosses into the realm of U.S. national security, justifying the app’s ban. The researchers argue that TikTok is a prime example of the CCP’s use of “persuasive technologies” as part of a broader propaganda campaign to influence public perception of the communist country in the Western world.

Meanwhile, the CCP and its proxies appear to have stepped up their foreign intelligence actions against Western nations—especially the United States under former Joe Biden. Although the espionage plots and TikTok may not be not directly connected, they reveal an aggressive Chinese agenda to spy on and attempt to influence nations they view as opposed to Beijing’s interests.

DATA SECURITY FARCE. 

The National Pulse reported in February 2024 that TikTok built a $1.5 billion data center in Texas to form a “firewall” between its U.S. operations and its Chinese counterparts. However, a bevy of audio records of meetings of company executives, whistleblowers, and leaked documents have revealed the so-called “Project Texas” data security plan was little more than a farce. Chinese employees of ByteDance continue to be able to routinely access American user data despite the alleged firewall.

Additionally of concern is that TikTok may be pulling more data from users’ mobile phones than is publicly disclosed. This could add a new layer to national security concerns as a phone with TikTok installed could also be used as an active espionage tool without the user’s knowledge.

Despite opposition to the ban of TikTok among its most dedicated user base, the action is actually relatively popular among the broader American public. Survey data has consistently shown over 50 percent of Americans believe TikTok is a critical influence tool used by the CPP. Polling by Reuters last spring suggests almost 60 percent of Americans are wary of TikTok’s use as a conduit for pro-Chinese communist propaganda.

DIRECT TIES TO THE CCP. 

While data security, espionage, and propaganda concerns underpin most of the arguments for TikTok’s divestment or ban, the app and its parent company ByteDance’s unusual relationship with the CCP is arguably a justification on its own. Chinese technology companies—like ByteDance—are required under a CCP-enacted national security law to cooperate with and enact the agenda of Chinese intelligence services.

Despite claims that TikTok and ByteDance aren’t entirely Chinese-controlled, these are misleading assertations at best. ByteDance was founded by Chinese nationals Zhang Yiming and Liang Rubo. Zhang still serves as the company’s chairman, and Liang as its CEO.

Even more disturbing is that—like most China-based corporations—ByteDance has its own internal Chinese Communist Party committee. This body represents the interests of the Chinese state within the company and is the true center of ByteDance’s corporate governance.

Chinese regulatory law has been used to obfuscate the extent to which the CCP directly controls ByteDance—as is the case with many Chinese-based companies deemed critical to CCP interests. One of the CCP-appointed board members is Wu Shugang, a party official with an extensive background in state propaganda.

During the frantic fight launched by ByteDance against Congressional action to enforce a divestment or ban of the app, the Chinese embassy in the U.S. took the unusual step of directly lobbying on behalf of TikTok and its parent company. The CCP lobbying effort was only headed off by a dedicated group of American lawmakers and former Trump White Hosue staff who launched what they dubbed “The Thunder Run” to catch the Chinese company by surprise and secure support before they could rally their users as weapons against the legislation.

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TikTok and its Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-owned parent company, ByteDance, remains a serious national security threat despite a renewed push to force the social media video app's divestment from the United States's foreign adversary. President Donald J. Trump has signaled he is willing to give TikTok and ByteDance 90 more days to negotiate a possible sale to an American company—though it isn't clear if the CCP and their proxies at ByteDance have warmed to the idea of parting with the app and its valuable content algorithm. show more

IMF Boosts U.S. Economic Outlook Ahead of Trump’s Return to the White House.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised its forecast for the U.S. economy, anticipating faster growth in 2025 than previously estimated. As detailed in its latest World Economic Outlook report, the IMF predicts a growth rate of 2.7 percent for the U.S., an increase from an earlier estimate of 2.2 percent. This increase is attributed to robust labor market dynamics and a rise in investment activities following President-elect Donald J. Trump‘s landslide 2024 election victory.

In contrast, the IMF has lowered its growth projections for Europe, primarily because of challenges in the manufacturing sector and increased political uncertainties. The fund’s chief economist, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, highlighted a significant divergence in economic trajectories between the U.S. and other regions.

“The big story is the divergence between the U.S. and the rest of the world,” Gourinchas said on a press call. “We have stronger potential output growth in the U.S. compared to pre-pandemic, and we have weaker potential growth in other areas, like the euro area or China.”

The IMF’s revised economic forecasts are based on its October analysis, which suggested that although global growth has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, fears of a significant post-pandemic contraction have been largely allayed. The updated report anticipates global output will grow by 3.3 percent this year and next, slightly above earlier forecasts.

Additionally, the IMF warns that economic policy uncertainty, particularly from newly elected governments worldwide, could impact global economic trends. The IMF dubiously claims President-elect Trump’s push for tax cuts, deregulation, tariffs, and immigration restrictions could potentially lead to increased inflation. However, immigration restrictions and tariffs are all generally deflationary, putting downward pressure on consumption—a point emphasized by Trump’s Treasury Secretary nominee, Scott Bessent. Meanwhile, deregulation often results in lower costs and prices.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised its forecast for the U.S. economy, anticipating faster growth in 2025 than previously estimated. As detailed in its latest World Economic Outlook report, the IMF predicts a growth rate of 2.7 percent for the U.S., an increase from an earlier estimate of 2.2 percent. This increase is attributed to robust labor market dynamics and a rise in investment activities following President-elect Donald J. Trump's landslide 2024 election victory. show more

Town with Huge Immigrant Population Moves to Scrap Sanctuary Status, Support Trump’s Mass Deportations.

The city of El Cajon, located in San Diego County, California, is on the verge of retracting its sanctuary status ahead of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on Monday. However, residents of El Cajon—known for its large foreign population—forced the postponement of the measure repealing the sanctuary city law earlier this week during a contentious city council meeting.

“This is not about taking our police force and turning them into Border Patrol agents, this is about cooperating with the federal government and following the law,” El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells said, adding: “We have the federal government saying we could be prosecuted if we don’t cooperate with them, we’ve got the state government saying our police officers could be prosecuted if they do cooperate with the federal government.”

A RESPONSE TO TRUMP. 

President-elect Trump’s designated border czar, Tom Homan, has repeatedly stated that he intends to pursue legal action against law enforcement officers and state and local lawmakers who attempt to block federal immigration enforcement actions. Should El Cajon end its sanctuary status, it would come as a direct blow to Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), who says he intends to resist the Trump administration’s efforts to deport possibly tens of millions of illegal immigrants currently residing in the United States.

“It is driven by an anti-immigrant fervor that is concerning for residents in El Cajon who might fear that suddenly the police will be after them, asking them for papers,” Pedro Rios, a local immigrant rights activist, said of the measure before the city council. He blamed Trump and Homan’s “fear-mongering” for the city’s decision to end its sanctuary status.

According to U.S. Census data, nearly 30 percent of El Cajon’s population was born outside the United States. Additionally, California and El Cajon’s sanctuary laws restrict state and local cooperation with federal immigration authorities, preventing local enforcement from questioning individuals’ immigration statuses or notifying federal officials about the release dates of detainees.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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The city of El Cajon, located in San Diego County, California, is on the verge of retracting its sanctuary status ahead of President-elect Donald J. Trump's inauguration on Monday. However, residents of El Cajon—known for its large foreign population—forced the postponement of the measure repealing the sanctuary city law earlier this week during a contentious city council meeting. show more

Several D.C.-Area Police Departments Say They Won’t Assist With Trump Inauguration Security: Report.

Several Washington, D.C., metro-area police departments say they will not assist the capital city with security measures for President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on Monday. A disagreement over the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has led to around a half-dozen local law enforcement agencies declining to provide support for the high-security event—likely depriving the city of hundreds of additional officers.

“I was just told that based on the current MOU, we will not be assisting Metro PD,” a spokesman for Maryland’s Montgomery County Police Department said regarding the decision. Joining Mongomery County are several other Maryland police departments, including those for Howard and Queen Anne’s Counties and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Department.

Meanwhile, Maryland’s Anne Arundel and Prince George’s police departments stress that they will be sending officers to aid the U.S. Capitol Police but not the MPD. Washington, D.C.’s MPD has been plagued with scandal in recent years, especially regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and ineffective, soft-on-crime arrest policies. It appears other departments, troubled by these measures, are unwilling to work with the MPD specifically.

However, the MPD’s lack of outside assistance may only impact auxiliary security measures, as the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) and U.S. Capitol Police are the primary leads on security for the inauguration. Additionally, the deployment of National Guard units around the capital will serve to bolster the overall security environment.

The National Pulse previously reported that the Secret Service and Capitol Police are especially concerned with planned demonstrations and potential lone-wolf attackers. Notably, due to forecasted severe cold temperatures, the inauguration has been moved inside the U.S. Capitol, which should provide an additional layer of protection.

Image by Ted Eytan.

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Several Washington, D.C., metro-area police departments say they will not assist the capital city with security measures for President-elect Donald J. Trump's inauguration on Monday. A disagreement over the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has led to around a half-dozen local law enforcement agencies declining to provide support for the high-security event—likely depriving the city of hundreds of additional officers. show more