Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) has emerged as the Republican establishment’s standard-bearer to replace the ousted Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. First elected during the 2014 mid-term elections in a seat formerly held by arch-conservative Michele Bachmann, Rep. Emmer has risen quickly through the leadership ranks and was elected Majority Whip at the start of this Congress.
From 2019 to 2023, Emmer served as the chairman of the House Republicans’ campaign arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) – and oversaw the 2022 mid-term efforts in which Republicans only retook the House by a narrow majority, far underperforming expectations. Some 2022 Republican congressional candidates put the blame squarely with Emmer and the House Republican establishment who decided to actively intervene in open Republican primaries. Some mid-term candidates said that Emmer advised that they distance themselves from former President Donald Trump, a move that may have actually cost Republicans additional House seats.
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The controversial tenure at the NRCC isn’t the only objection being raised to a prospective Speaker Emmer. The Minnesota Congressman’s voting record has been less than stellar in the eyes of House conservatives. Emmer voted in favor of codifying same-sex marriage and he voted to certify the 2020 presidential election despite reports of voting irregularities. In addition, Emmer has been a staunch proponent of giving additional financial and military aid to Ukraine, a position that has become well out of step among a number of House Republicans. Finally, Emmer also backed Joe Biden’s deal to lift the U.S. debt ceiling through January 1, 2025 and backed the 47-day continuing resolution to fund the government.
Prior to serving in Congress, Emmer worked as a spokesman for the National Popular Vote initiative – an effort funded by George Soros and backed by former President Barack Obama to essentially end the Electoral College and elect the President via a nationwide popular vote.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED:The New York Times severed ties with a freelance writer after discovering he used artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in writing a book review, which included unattributed similarities to a review published in The Guardian.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Freelance writer Alex Preston, The New York Times, and The Guardian.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident came to light following a January book review and was addressed by the NYT in March with an editor’s note.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Reliance on AI and inclusion of unattributed work by another writer is a serious violation of The Times‘s integrity and fundamental journalistic standards.” – NYT spokesman
🎯IMPACT: The case has heightened concerns about AI’s role in journalism and its potential to undermine trust in major publications.
IN FULL
TheNew York Times has cut ties with freelance writer Alex Preston after it was revealed that he used artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in drafting a book review. Published in January, Preston’s essay included sections that closely resembled a review of the same book written by Christobel Kent and published in The Guardian last August. The issue was flagged by a reader who noticed the similarities between the two separate reviews of Watching Over Her by Jean-Baptiste Andrea.
Following an internal investigation, Preston admitted to using an AI tool to draft the review and failing to identify the plagiarized sections. Subsequently, the freelance writer expressed regret, stating he was “hugely embarrassed” and described his actions as a “serious mistake.”
A spokesman for the newspaperstated, “Editors have appended a note to a book review written earlier this year by a freelance critic, who told The Times after publication that he had used an AI tool to assist him in producing the piece. This tool produced similarities to a book review published in The Guardian, which our editors’ note makes clear. For staff journalists and freelance writers alike, reliance on AI and inclusion of unattributed work by another writer is a serious violation of The Times‘s integrity and fundamental journalistic standards.”
The National Pulse previously reported that Sports Illustrated nearly closed down after being rocked by a scandal the magazine initially tried to deny, involving the use of AI-generated content published under the bylines of fictitious journalists. Additionally, in 2023, Axel Springer SE laid off around one-fifth of the staff at Bild—Europe’s highest-circulation newspaper—with their workflow being handled by AI tools instead. Likewise, CNN has also engaged in layoffs, with staff being replaced by AI.
This past March, The National Pulse revealed that Google had begun testing a feature that rewrites article headlines without seeking publishers’ permission or even notifying them. The trial expands on earlier artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as AI Overviews, which condense articles into short summaries.
According to data shared by ARK Invest, annual written output by AI exceeded that of humans in 2025. Projections suggest AI could surpass the entire written record of human civilization by the end of this decade.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced Wednesday afternoon that his administration is working with Republican leaders in the House and Senate to draft a second budget reconciliation bill aimed at funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the remainder of his second term.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Senate Republicans, and Senate Democrats.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The funding lapse has lasted 47 days as of April 2026. Discussions are ongoing in Washington, D.C., with potential legislative action by June 1.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I am asking that the Bill be on my desk NO LATER than June 1st.” – Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: The budget reconciliation process could bypass Democratic opposition, but it may extend the funding lapse and require significant spending cuts to succeed.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump announced Wednesday afternoon that his administration is working with Republican leaders in the House and Senate to draft a second budget reconciliation bill aimed at funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the remainder of his second term. The move, if successful, would bring to an end the Senate Democrat-led partial government shutdown that has withheld funding for DHS, including core subagencies like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), for 47 days so far.
“[W]e are going forward to fund our incredible ICE Agents and Border Patrol through a process that doesn’t need Radical Left Democrat votes, and bypasses the Senate Filibuster (which should be repealed, IMMEDIATELY!), working in close conjunction with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Leader John Thune,” President Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. He continued, “I am asking that the Bill be on my desk NO LATER than June 1st.”
“In the meantime, we will continue to use funding from THE GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL, which is giving Record Tax Rebates to Citizens all over the Country, to ensure that ICE and Border Patrol Agents are paid ON TIME, and IN FULL, as we have been doing for them throughout the Democrat Shutdown,” the President added.
Since the partial government shutdown began in late February, multiple Republican attempts to pass DHS funding in the Senate have been defeated by Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has leveraged the chamber’s 60-vote cloture rule to end debate and exert veto power over any DHS appropriations package unless Republicans agree to progressive-backed provisions that would effectively gut President Trump’s immigration enforcement actions.
By using the budget reconciliation process, Senate Republicans would be able to sidestep the Democrats’ use of the filibuster and adopt DHS funding by a simple majority vote. Notably, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) had previously floated using budget reconciliation to pass certain election integrity provisions in the SAVE America Act. However, the lack of revenue provisions in the election integrity bill would likely result in the Senate parliamentarian ruling them out under the Byrd Rule, which prohibits non-budgetary provisions in reconciliation bills.
Republican leaders quickly announced they will back President Trump’s plan, with Sen. Thune stating, “In the coming days, Republicans in the Senate and House will be following through on the President’s directive by fully funding the entire Department of Homeland Security on two parallel tracks: through the appropriations process and through the reconciliation process.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal grand jury indicted a Buffalo Grove woman on fraud charges, alleging she swindled $3.5 million while falsely claiming to support immigration services and aid projects for Ukraine.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tatian Bazer, a 40-year-old resident of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, and at least six victims in the Chicago area.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The alleged fraud occurred from December 2021 through February 2026, primarily in the Chicago area. The grand jury indictment was handed down on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
🎯IMPACT: Bazer faces seven counts of wire fraud and two counts of impersonating federal law enforcement, with potential sentences of up to 20 years per fraud count and three years per impersonation count.
IN FULL
A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted Tatian Bazer, a 40-year-old woman from Buffalo Grove, Illinois, on fraud charges. Federal prosecutors allege she defrauded victims of $3.5 million by claiming the funds were for immigration services and aid projects for Ukraine, while instead using the money for personal expenses.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, Bazer solicited six-figure contributions and loans from victims, providing them with falsified records like fake wire transfer receipts and fraudulent checks to conceal her actions. The fraud is believed to have spanned from December 2021 to February 2026.
The indictment also alleges that Bazer impersonated Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents, a prosecutor, and a criminal defense attorney after learning she was under investigation. These actions were allegedly intended to reassure victims that their money would be returned. Some victims even provided her with loans to help resolve a fabricated shoplifting arrest.
Prosecutors claim the funds Bazer obtained were used for personal purchases, including luxury watches. When victims sought repayment, she allegedly sent them altered images of bank records and wire transfers to give the impression that she had the means to repay them. However, investigators say she had no intention of doing so.
Bazer has been charged with seven counts of wire fraud and two counts of impersonating a federal law enforcement officer. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, while the impersonation charges could result in up to three years each. She has pleaded not guilty in federal court in Chicago.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Iranian drones struck a British-owned oil facility in Iraq, which was destroyed in the ensuing fire.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Islamic Republic of Iran, the United Kingdom, Iraqi authorities, oil facility workers, and American forces in the region.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday morning in Erbil, a province in northern Iraq.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The repeated bombardment and the scale of the fire have left nothing inside the depot untouched by flames.” – Omid Xoshnaw, Iraqi Governor of Erbil
🎯IMPACT: The attack destroyed significant quantities of motor oil, as the Iran war is already causing energy shortages.
IN FULL
A British-owned oil facility in Iraq was destroyed by an Iranian drone strike early Wednesday morning, just hours after Iran warned it might treat British sites as legitimate military targets. Omid Xoshnaw, Governor of Erbil, the province in northern Iraq where the British facility was based, said: “The repeated bombardment and the scale of the fire have left nothing inside the depot untouched by flames.”
Three Iranian Shahed drones struck the facility while a fourth drone was intercepted before it could cause any damage. No injuries were reported among the workers, but the facility, which stored automotive motor oil, was destroyed in the ensuing fire.
Firefighters attempted to contain the blaze but were forced to withdraw after further drone activity was reported at 8:40 AM and 10:20 AM, preventing them from safely continuing the operation. “We arrived on the scene, but we could not put out the fire because of imminent threats of more drones,” explained Jawhar Omar of the Erbil fire brigade.
At least 30 drone strikes have been reported across the region overnight. HKN, an American oil company operating near Duhok, a city in the Erbil province, suffered damage in its second attack since late February. In response, U.S. fighter jets patrolled the skies above northern Iraq.
Seyed Ali Mousavi, Iran’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, warned that Iran would strike its facilities if the British government allows the U.S. to use its bases to conduct strikes on Iran. “This is a very important matter we are considering. This is a very important matter for our self-defense,” said Mousavi.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration announced the closure of a key road connecting the U.S. and Canada to enhance bordersecurity.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Trump administration, Alberta officials, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The nine-mile Border Road, connecting Montana and Alberta, will close on July 1.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Regardless of the line on the map, you’ll have farmers on both sides of the border, you’ll have family friends on both sides of the border. I think obviously that will continue.” – Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen
🎯IMPACT: The closure ends 80 years of free movement, impacting farming communities and prompting Alberta to plan a replacement road.
IN FULL
The Trump administration has announced the closure of the nine-mile Border Road, which connects Montana and Alberta, Canada, effective July 1. The move is part of broader efforts to tighten U.S. border security and address concerns about smuggling and unauthorized crossings.
Notably, the closure marks the end of over 80 years of free movement along this stretch of highway, which has been a vital link for farming communities on both sides of the border. While the Trump administration has not commented directly on the Border Road closure, the decision aligns with the President’s previous commitments to enhance border security. In 2025, Trump highlighted concerns over fentanyl trafficking, noting that seizures at the northern border had increased, though they remained lower than those at the southern border.
“Regardless of the line on the map, you’ll have farmers on both sides of the border, you’ll have family friends on both sides of the border. I think obviously that will continue,” Alberta, Canada’s Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen stated regarding the closure. He added that the provincial government has been working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding the closure, with Alberta allocating an estimated $8 million in Canadian dollars ($5.74 million U.S.) to alter area roadway infrastructure for continued use.
The National Pulse reported last April that President Trump’s imposition of stricter border security measures led to a 95 percent drop in illegal crossings along the U.S.-Canadian border. This reduction followed a series of tariff threats and negotiations between the two nations, which saw Canada eventually commit additional resources to help halt fentanyl trafficking and boost border security infrastructure.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump weighed in on the Supreme Court hearing regarding his Executive Order ending birthright citizenship after attending the oral arguments in a historic first for a sitting President.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Solicitor General D. John Sauer, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) counsel Cecillia Wang, and Supreme Court Justices.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday, during oral arguments at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow ‘Birthright’ Citizenship!” – Donald J. Trump
🎯IMPACT: During the course of the arguments, all nine justices expressed degrees of skepticism regarding the Trump administration’s position, namely that birthright citizenship is limited to those “domiciled” in the United States.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump weighed in on the Supreme Court hearing regarding his Executive Order ending birthright citizenship after attending the oral arguments in a historic first for a sitting President. “We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow ‘Birthright’ Citizenship!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social after leaving the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
The case, one of the most complicated to be taken up by the high court in decades, stems from President Trump’s challenge to a lower court ruling that struck down his Executive Order. For just over two hours, the nine justices peppered the Trump administration’s Solicitor General D. John Sauer and the challengers’ attorney, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) counsel Cecillia Wang, with questions regarding the scope of the order and the legal implications of domicile-based citizenship.
During the arguments, all nine justices expressed varying degrees of skepticism regarding the Trump administration’s position, namely that birthright citizenship is limited to those “domiciled” in the United States. In this legal context, only the children of individuals intending to maintain a permanent and legal presence in the United States could attain citizenship at birth. Notably, this would exclude almost all illegal immigrants.
George Washington University law professor and constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley, writing on X (formerly Twitter), remarked that the Supreme Court overall appears skeptical of the government’s arguments, but stopped short of suggesting the case will be a defeat for President Trump. “The ACLU clearly had a lock on the three liberals, but had more justices in play than the government would have hoped. We ended where we began: the odds do not favor the Administration, but there is no firm evidence of a majority,” Trurley wrote, adding, “Majorities can certainly shift in conference and in drafting. The devil is in the details and the details remain murky at best. Many justices correctly found the historical record, according to one, ‘a mess.’ Indeed, it is maddening to try to divine the intent of the drafters.”
For most of the arguments, the justices focused heavily on a series of past civil rights laws and court decisions that have formed the nebulous—and admittedly murky—legal justification for birthright citizenship as it stands today. Notably, the United States stands almost entirely alone among developed Western nations in its permissive approach to birthright citizenship.
Not a single European state allows unrestricted birthright citizenship, with most requiring either that one parent be a citizen or a legal permanent resident and, in some cases, mandating that at least one parent reside in the country for a set period. As of 2004—when Ireland abolished its expansive jus soli (“right of the soil”) laws—Europe ceased offering unrestricted birthright citizenship entirely. Canada is the only other Western nation with similar statutes granting unrestricted birthright citizenship. Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand abolished their permissive birthright citizenship laws in 1986 and in 2006, respectively.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Oxfordshire County Council in England threatened the Raise the Colours group, which has been raising English and British flags on lampposts and other public infrastructure across the country, with legal action.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Oxfordshire County Council, Raise the Colours group, local residents, and law enforcement.
📍WHEN & WHERE: March 24, Oxfordshire, England.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The widespread installation of flags by Raise the Colours is not a sign of patriotism. It is an act of intimidation and division…” – Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council.
🎯IMPACT: The council is considering further legal action, alleging community distress and safety concerns.
IN FULL
Oxfordshire County Council in England has issued a formal notice to Raise the Colours, which has been raising English and British flags on lampposts and other public infrastructure across the country, instructing the group to cease its campaign. Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, stated: “The widespread installation of flags by Raise the Colours is not a sign of patriotism. It is an act of intimidation and division that is having a real and damaging impact on our communities.”
The council has warned that failure to comply could lead to civil or criminal proceedings. However, Ryan Bridge, co-founder of Raise the Colours, said the group “just wanted to support Oxfordshire, as they had flags taken down by the council at a cost of £51 per lamppost, adding that, far from intimidating people, they had been attacked by far-left activists.
“We were attacked verbally and physically four times in Oxford by four members of the public, verbally attacked all night and called scumbags, racists, Nazis, and fascists,” he said, adding: “I was punched, kicked and hit by a bike—I’ve paid tax into the country for years, and I believe those who attacked us are traitors to their country.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge ruled that President Donald J. Trump is not immune from civil claims related to the January 6 Capitol riot, stating his remarks at the “Stop the Steal” rally plausibly incited violence.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta, Democratic members of Congress, law enforcement officers, and plaintiffs, including Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS).
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., regarding events stemming from the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The court rightly recognizes that President Trump’s actions leading to the January 6 insurrection fell outside the scope of presidential duties,” said Damon Hewitt, president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
🎯IMPACT: The decision paves the way for a potential civil trial and establishes a precedent that could influence future cases involving presidential immunity.
IN FULL
A federal judge ruled late Tuesday that President Donald J. Trump is not immune from civil claims alleging that he incited the U.S. Capitol riots on January 6, 2021. U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta—born in Patan, India, and appointed by former President Barack Obama—ruled that that President Trump’s remarks during the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6 were not covered by First Amendment protections and were tantamount to incitement.
In his determination, Judge Mehta ruled that Trump cannot claim presidential immunity for much of his conduct on January 6, including his speech and social media activity. However, the judge noted that Trump’s official acts, such as his Rose Garden remarks during the riot, remain shielded. “President Trump has not shown that the Speech reasonably can be understood as falling within the outer perimeter of his Presidential duties,” Mehta wrote in the decision.
The ruling builds on a 2022 decision by Mehta, which also rejected Trump’s immunity claims. The case has returned to his courtroom after an appeals court upheld his earlier decision. Mehta clarified that his ruling does not represent a final determination on immunity for specific acts, leaving room for Trump to reassert such claims at trial.
The lawsuit was filed by Democratic members of Congress, including Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS)—who oversaw Congressional Democrats’ January 6 Committee—and law enforcement officers injured during the Capitol riot. The plaintiffs argue that Trump’s actions on January 6 fell outside the scope of his official duties as President. The legal team representing the plaintiffs includes attorneys from the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
Damon Hewitt, the group’s president, called the ruling a “monumental victory for the rule of law.” He stated, “This ruling is an important step toward accountability for the violent attack on the Capitol and our democracy.” The ruling likely reopens avenues for Democrat-led lawfare campaigns against Trump, though the Supreme Court‘s immunity ruling likely closes off the potential for most future criminal charges.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: NASA announced Artemis II, humanity’s first lunar mission since 1972, aiming for a quick lunar flyby and return.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen will participate in the mission.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The mission is expected to launch in April, with a 10-day journey to and from the moon.
🎯IMPACT: The mission sets the stage for future lunar exploration and eventual settlement.
IN FULL
NASA’s return to lunar exploration is poised to begin with the Artemis II mission, which is currently sitting on the launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. As of Wednesday morning, the superheavy rocket that will carry Artemis II into space is fueling and barring any issue—such as leaks—the launch will occur during a 2-hour window beginning at 6:24 PM this evening.
Artemis II will see a crew of four astronauts, three Americans and a Canadian, execute an orbital flyby of the moon, traveling thousands of miles through the void of space before returning to Earth. The entire mission is expected to last just under 10 days, though it will not include a lunar landing or extended orbit.
The Artemis II crew includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. Koch, who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, and Glover, the first Black astronaut to live aboard the International Space Station, are joined by Hansen, a Canadian rookie astronaut, and Wiseman, the mission commander and a retired Navy captain.
Notably, the mission will utilize NASA‘s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which is more powerful than the Saturn V rocket used during the Apollo missions. However, the SLS has faced challenges, including hydrogen leaks that delayed previous tests. The Artemis II mission has also experienced delays due to similar technical issues.
Once launched, the crew will practice docking maneuvers before heading towards the moon. Their journey will follow a free-return trajectory, a method that uses gravity to minimize fuel use. On flight day six, the Orion spacecraft used in the mission will reach its farthest point from Earth, surpassing the distance record set by Apollo 13. The crew will then return to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego.
The National Pulse previously reported that Artemis II is the first stage of a long-term NASA plan to not only return to the moon but also establish permanent human habitation on the lunar surface.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Markup caps and export restrictions on fuel went into effect in Romania on April 1, as the country faces a growing energy crisis stemming in part from the ongoing U.S. military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the disruption of oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Romania, the wider European Union, Australia, the United States, and Iran.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The emergency measures went into effect on April 1, 2026.
🎯IMPACT: Since the start of the U.S. conflict with Iran, the cost of gasoline in Romania has risen by 17.6 percent, while diesel has jumped 25.2 percent.
IN FULL
Markup caps and export restrictions on fuel went into effect in Romania on April 1, as the country faces a growing energy crisis stemming in part from the ongoing U.S. military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the disruption of oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz. The NATO member has also been exposed as having failed to keep up its refinery infrastructure, with the country having just one functioning refinery, Petrobrazi, operated by OMV Petrom.
Concerningly, the Petrobrazi refinery is only capable of producing—when operating at capacity—4.5 million tons of fuel per year. Meanwhile, Romanians consume an average of 8.4 million tons of fuel each year. This reliance on a single refinery has left Romania reliant on oil and gas imports for around 65 to 70 percent of its fuel.
This dependence on foreign fuel imports is a crisis impacting much of Europe and Australia as well. The chaos in Asian energy markets has pushed Australia toward the United States for fuel imports, with the nation expected to receive at least two tankers of diesel fuel in the coming days.
In Romania, the extraordinary measures to address the energy crisis will remain in effect until at least June 30. Since the start of the U.S. conflict with Iran, the cost of gasoline in Romania has risen by 17.6 percent, while diesel has jumped 25.2 percent.
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