The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced the charging and extradition of terrorist Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as “Jafar,” for helping orchestrate the Abbey Gate terror attacks which killed 13 US military service members. 

The August 26, 2021 attacks occurred during President Joe Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal debacle. 

As US servicemembers attempted to coordinate the evacuation of thousands of Afghani civilians, ISIS-K terrorist Abdul Rahman al-Logari detonated a body-worn suicide bomb, killing 13 U.S. military service members and approximately 160 civilians.

Attorney General Pam Bondi commended the DOJ and President Donald Trump’s leadership for Sharifullah’s extradition. 

“This evil ISIS-K terrorist orchestrated the brutal murder of 13 heroic service members,” said Attorney General Bondi. “Under President Trump’s strong leadership on the world stage, this Department of Justice will ensure that terrorists like Mohammad Sharifullah have no safe haven, no second chances, and no worse enemy than the United States of America.”

According to the DOJ, Sharifullah confessed to helping plan and execute the attack while being interviewed by US intelligence officers.

Sharifullah was also complicit in other high-profile ISIS-K terror attacks leading to hundreds of deaths. 

In the 2016 attack on Canada’s Kabul embassy, Sharifullah allegedly conducted surveillance to prepare a suicide bomber and later transported the bomber to the attack area.

The ISIS-K terrorists responsible for the horrific March 2024 Moscow theatre attack were also reportedly instructed on how to use automatic machine guns by Sharifullah. 

Sharifullah faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Sharifullah’s extradition follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s expanded efforts to investigate and review the US’ tumultuous Afghanistan withdrawal.

Secretary Hegseth’s review, which he claimed would bring “full accountability” is expected to lead to the firing of military leadership who contributed to the withdrawal’s planning.  

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Polls measuring viewers’ reactions to President Donald Trump’s recent joint address to Congress are signaling overwhelming support for the president's speech.

A CBS poll conducted shortly after President Trump’s speech recorded 76% of viewers approved it. 

While the poll claimed 51% of viewers were Republican, 27% were independent while 20% were Democrats. 

The 76% approval rate means Trump’s speech gained nearly all of independent viewers’ favour.  

A CNN poll with similar findings reported 69% of viewers had a positive response to Trump’s speech. 

CNN’s poll was composed of 21% Democrats, 44% Republicans, and 35% independents, mirroring CBS’ poll’s finding of Trump’s overwhelming support amongst independents. 

More women, 71%, than men, 68%, approved of Trump’s speech while more men, 17%,  than women, 15%, disapproved. 

For both polls, top issues voters supported Trump in were immigration, wasteful spending, and the war in Ukraine. 

Per CNN’s poll, Trump received 76% of support for his immigration policies, opposed to President Joe Biden’s 41% support after his last joint address. 

Similarly, 61% of viewers supported Trump’s policies for the economy, contrasting with President Biden’s 56% support. 

64% of viewers claimed Trump’s approach to Ukraine is “about right,” while 33% stated it is “not supportive enough.”

Trump’s remarks gained commendations from Republicans and hostile criticism from Democrats, with some even being evicted due to raucous behavior during the address.

“Tonight, President Trump made his triumphant return to Congress to share his bold, optimistic vision for renewing the American Dream,” said Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) similarly stated “this is the fifth State of the Union address I’ve seen Trump give — it was by far his best.”

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President Donald Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports while increasing current tariffs on Chinese goods by 10%.

The tariffs had been originally imposed last February but were paused by President Trump due to ongoing negotiations with the respective countries. 

Trump has repeatedly promised, both during his presidential campaign and first days in office, that he will use tariffs against Canada, Mexico, and other countries he feels are “out of line” with the US.

As justification for the tariffs, the Trump administration pointed to allegedly lackluster cooperation from China, Mexico, and Canada on curbing illegal immigration and drug trafficking. 

Last February, Trump paused incoming sanctions after Canada and Mexico agreed to increase immigration and drug trafficking enforcement. 

Mexico had pledged to supply 10,000 troops to the border in an attempt to curb the influx of drug trafficking (specifically fentanyl). 

Meanwhile, Canada promised to execute a $1.3 Billion Border plan including 10,000 personnel that will expand Canada’s border enforcement activities. 

Mexico and Canada’s initiatives, however, did not stop Trump from ultimately imposing tariffs, which Chinese, Mexican, and Canadian leaders have rejected.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Trump of wanting to destroy Canada’s economy to “make it easier to annex us."

"That is never going to happen,” assured Prime Minster Trudeau. “We will never be the 51st state.” 

Trump has previously quipped about Canada being exempt from tariffs if they were to become a US state. 

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick supported Trump’s tariffs, claiming they were being leveraged to incite Canadians and Mexicans to give American businesses better trading terms. 

“President Trump is getting deals done for the American people,” said Secretary Lutnick. “Both the Mexicans and the Canadians were on the phone with me all day today, trying to show that they’ll do better and the President is listening.” 

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President Donald Trump’s annoyance with Ukrainian President Vlodymyr Zelenskyy has seemingly worsened after the two recently engaged in a heated debate over the Ukraine-Russia war.

President Zelenskyy reportedly stated the end of the Ukraine-Russia war is “still very, very far away,” inciting President Trump’s immediate rebukes.

“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer,” said Trump.

Trump, who has repeatedly stated he intends to end the Russia-Ukraine war, claimed Zelenskyy’s attitude is misplaced and will frustrate a potential end to the war. 

“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing,” continued Trump.

Zelenskyy was originally scheduled to sign an agreement with the US that would exchange continued US military support for rights over portions of Ukraine’s rare earth mineral deposits. 

Trump and Zelenskyy sat down prior to signing the deal for what was supposed to be a brief press briefing but instead devolved into a row ending in the cancellation of the deal signing.

Trump blamed Zelenskyy for being unreasonable in negotiations and refusing to accept a ceasefire agreement that will end the war. 

Conversely, Zelenskyy questioned Trump’s administration strategy with Russia, asking Vice President JD “what kind of diplomacy” he was talking about when referring to the US’ seeming inability to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine in recent history. 

Meanwhile, Trump’s administration has responded to the Zelenskyy-Trump feud by focusing its messaging on supporting Trump’s unwavering commitment to obtaining peace in Ukraine. 

“Being a peacemaker is not a bad thing,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “We should be applauding and supporting President Donald Trump’s efforts to bring about peace.”

Similarly, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expounded that “the President’s desire to end the bloodshed in Ukraine will not be deterred.”

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President Donald Trump’s Treasury Department recently announced that it will not enforce the Corporate Transparency Act’s (CTA) beneficial ownership information reporting rule (BOI). 

BOI rules, originally designed to combat illicit business transactions, fraud, and money laundering by requiring businesses to disclose their ownership’s identity, have faced criticism for being allegedly unconstitutional and burdensome for small businesses. 

Specifically, businesses have complained BOI rules’ ambiguity causes uncertainty over who qualifies as an owner, exposing businesses to an undue burden of fines, penalties, and potential prosecution if they make a mistake when disclosing required information. 

Moreover, the CTA’s overall constitutionality faced legal challenges as impacted businesses claimed the federal government does not have the authority to proscribe such economic regulations. 

President Trump criticized BOI rules as “outrageous and invasive” via a Truth Social post where he also promised further action to definitively eliminate BOI. 

“This Biden rule has been an absolute disaster for Small Businesses Nationwide,” said Trump.  “Furthermore, Treasury is now finalizing an Emergency Regulation to formally suspend this rule for American businesses. The economic menace of BOI reporting will soon be no more.”

The BOI rule enforcement suspension will be limited to companies registered in the US. 

Treasury Department Secretary Scott Bessent qualified the move as “common sense.”

“Today’s action is part of President Trump’s bold agenda to unleash American prosperity by reining in burdensome regulations, in particular for small businesses that are the backbone of the American economy,” said Secretary Bessent. 

Trump has pledged to support American small businesses and has lobbied for Congress to pass measures such as enshrining the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and no taxes on tips. 

The TCJA mainly reduces personal income and corporate taxes among other regulatory tax reforms.

A recent study conducted on behalf of the National Federation of Independent Business found making the TCJA permanent would create 1 million jobs annually.

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Conservative lawmakers in Washington have condemned Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro’s latest threats and repressive tactics against Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. 

Machado recently reported Dictator Maduro sent undercover agents that attempted to break into her private residence in Caracas, Venezuela.

The agents, who arrived in a silver SUV without a license plate, allegedly threatened to arrest Machado’s neighbors as well as her home’s security guard. 

Shortly following Machado’s alerts, Republican lawmakers publicly criticized the agents’ threats and intimidation attempts. 

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and Representative Maria Elvira-Salazar (R-FL), two long-time Machado supporters and allies, excoriated Maduro for sending the agents. 

“Maduro and his thugs are so scared of losing power that they’re resorting to raiding Machado’s home and threatening her neighbors,” said Senator Scott. “This cruel behavior is a desperate attempt to distract from what the world already knows—he’s an illegitimate dictator whose days in power are numbered.”

Representative Salazar echoed Scott’s message and alluded to Maduro facing consequences for “playing with fire.”

“Only 24 hours have passed since the announcement to cancel Chevron's license in Venezuela & dictator Maduro has already sent his thugs to the house of Machado,” stated Salazar. “Her life is in danger like never before.”

Maduro’s threats against Machado occurred shortly after the latter supported President Donald Trump’s recent economic measures crippling Venezuela’s oil exports. 

President Trump canceled former President Joe Biden’s Venezuelan oil export licenses earlier this week. 

President Trump’s license cancellation effectively reimposes sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector that had been levied on Venezuela during Trump’s first term. 

President Biden lifted such sanctions in the ‘Barbados Agreement’ in exchange for assurances from Dictator Maduro that he would host free and fair elections. 

Despite promises of allowing free and fair elections, the Venezuelan regime barred Machado from participating in the same.

However, Machado invested her political capital into former Venezuelan Ambassador Edmundo Gonzalez, who subsequently won the presidential elections.

Subsequently, Gonzalez was forced to seek political asylum in Spain after the Maduro regime rejected the election results and threatened to arrest him.

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The US Department of the Treasury has announced new sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong companies allegedly helping build Iranian military drones. 

The latest sanctions were described as part of President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure campaign on Iran.”

Six entities operating out of China and Hong Kong were sanctioned for reportedly supplying critical components of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), i.e., drones, to Iranian company Pishtazan Kavosh Gostar Boshra (PKGB) and its subsidiary Narin Sepehr Mobin Isatis (NSMI).

According to the Treasury Department, PKGB and NSMI are major suppliers for Iran’s drone and ballistic missile programs.

“Iran continues to try to find new ways to procure the key components it needs to bolster its UAV weapons program through new front companies and third-country suppliers,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.

President Trump previously issued executive orders during his first term and earlier this month to undermine Iran’s drone and ballistic missile programs. 

“Treasury remains committed to disrupting the schemes that enable Iran to send its deadly weapons abroad to its terrorist proxies and other destabilizing actors,” continued Secretary Bessent. 

US-Iran tensions have reached unprecedented levels, as the latter has increased hostile activity against the former and its allies since Hamas’ October 7th attacks.

Trump has repeatedly stated he will leverage US military, financial, and diplomatic strength to deter Iran from executing and financing its destabilizing agenda.

Earlier this week, the Trump administration announced a series of measures tightening sanctions on Iran’s illicit oil sales via its ‘Ghost Fleet.’

Iran has recently expanded efforts to circumvent US-imposed oil exports by covertly shipping Iranian oil through a network of foreign tankers colloquially referred to as Iran’s ‘Ghost Fleet.’

According to the Treasury Department, Iran has harnessed its illicit oil trade to generate billions of dollars that it subsequently funnels to its military and proxy groups.

Sanctions target oil brokers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Hong Kong, tanker operators and managers in India and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the head of Iran’s National Iranian Oil Company, and the Iranian Oil Terminals Company (IOTC).

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Representative Laurel Lee (R-FL) has introduced legislation to place the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under greater scrutiny and demand greater transparency.

More specifically, Rep. Lee's DHS Intelligence and Analysis Oversight and Transparency Act requires DHS's Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) to audit bulk data shared by the Office to ensure that personnel are not violating Americans' privacy, civil rights and civil liberties.

"Bulk data" refers to large quantities of data acquired without discriminants, as in actively searched for with specific identifiers or terms that have no intelligence value. A 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that DHS had not properly audited its bulk data.

As a result, Rep. Lee's bill would codify the auditing of bulk data more thoroughly into law by directing the Under Secretary for I&A to conduct an annual audit of information systems and bulk data, which is then reported to Congress.

In her press release, the Florida Congresswoman said, "A recent report found that the Department of Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) has not conducted required audits of its information system and bulk data, which are crucial for ensuring sensitive data is handled properly. The DHS Intelligence and Analysis Oversight and Transparency Act will require DHS to conduct audits to ensure sensitive data is handled properly to protect America's rights and privacy."

Representative Gabe Evans (R-CO), the bill's cosponsor, added, "As a veteran and former law enforcement officer, I understand the importance of optimizing systems to better protect our communities. A significant portion of the Department of Homeland Security's data does not have intelligence or operational value, which bogs down the efficiency of operations and distracts from the larger mission of protecting our nation. This bipartisan effort will improve government efficiency and direct resources to better protect Americans."

The DHS Intelligence and Analysis Oversight and Transparency Act previously passed the House in December.

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Venezuelan Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado commended President Donald Trump’s recent decision to impose sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector by revoking oil export licenses. 

Machado made her comments during an interview with Donald Trump Jr where she discussed Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro’s repressive regime. 

President Trump cancelled former President Joe Biden’s Venezuelan oil export licenses, effectively reimposing sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector that had been levied during Trump’s first term. 

Trump cited concerns regarding immigration enforcement and Dictator Maduro’s failure to permit free and fair elections as justifying the revocations.

“This is a huge step, and it sends a clear, firm message that Maduro is in huge trouble, and President Trump is with the Venezuelan people, with security, with freedom, with prosperity and peace for the whole region,” said Machado. 

President Biden had granted the oil export licenses in the ‘Barbados Agreement’ in exchange for assurances from Maduro he would host free and fair elections. 

Despite promises of allowing free and fair elections, the Venezuelan regime barred opposition leader Machado from participating in the same despite winning a landslide primary elections victory.

However, Machado invested her political capital into former Venezuelan Ambassador Edmundo Gonzalez, who subsequently won the presidential elections.

Subsequently, Gonzalez was forced to seek political asylum in Spain after the Maduro regime rejected the election results and threatened to arrest him.

Instead of Biden’s conciliatory approach, Trump’s cabinet and close allies, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have lobbied for a hardline strategy to Venezuela with the ultimate goal of a democratic transition rather than negotiating with Maduro to help the US economy.  

“I send my gratitude to President Trump,” continued Machado. “This is the correct thing to do, its the right thing to do, the right moment to do it, and I am sure that this will have consequences in the very short term and I am very sure that the Venezuelan people feel right now secured that we are not alone.”

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Pressure is mounting on Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro as US President Donald Trump has cancelled former President Joe Biden’s Venezuelan oil export licenses. 

President Trump’s license cancellation effectively reimposes sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector that had been levied on Venezuela during Trump’s first term. 

Such sanctions were lifted by President Biden in the ‘Barbados Agreement’ in exchange for assurances from Dictator Maduro he would host free and fair elections. 

Despite promises of allowing free and fair elections, the Venezuelan regime barred opposition leader Maria Corina Machado from participating in the same.

However, Machado invested her political capital into former Venezuelan Ambassador Edmundo Gonzalez, who subsequently won the presidential elections.

Subsequently, Gonzalez was forced to seek political asylum in Spain after the Maduro regime rejected the election results and threatened to arrest him.

“We are hereby reversing the concessions that Crooked Joe Biden gave to Nicolás Maduro, of Venezuela, on the oil transaction agreement, dated November 26, 2022, and also having to do with Electoral conditions within Venezuela, which have not been met by the Maduro regime,” stated Trump. 

Trump’s cabinet and close allies, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have lobbied for a hardline approach to Venezuela with the ultimate goal of a democratic transition rather than negotiating with Maduro to help the US economy.  

Trump had also alluded shortly after his November election victory that he would seek to end Venezuelan exports of oil to the US. 

“We have more energy than anybody else. We're going to use it. We don't have to buy energy from Venezuela when we have 50 times more than they do. It's just insane what we're doing,” said Trump. 

Venezuelan government officials criticized the oil export restriction, claiming that “in reality the US is self-inflicting damage to its people and businesses.”

Florida Republicans Maria Elvira-Salazar, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Carlos Gimenez released a joint statement commending Trump’s license revocation. 

“When it comes to defending the cause of freedom in illegitimate regimes like Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua, there is no greater ally than President Donald J. Trump,” reads the statement. 

“President Trump is keeping his promise. The days of appeasing regimes that are hostile to the United States, coddling dictators, and sidelining our national security interests are over,“ continued the Florida lawmakers.

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Representative Mike Haridopolos (R-FL) hosted a Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee hearing on the Artemis space program and future missions with George Washington University's Dr. Scott Pace and Purdue's Dan Dumbacher.

With the Artemis program, NASA intends to put humans back on the Moon for longer-term study, hoping to establish a precedent for manned missions to Mars someday.

Rep. Haridopolos began his questions with Dr. Pace, asking, "Each Artemis mission is a complex web of independent systems. Would any changes to the current Artemis mission architecture get us there faster, or are there more likely to be delays in how we return to the Moon?"

Dr. Pace answered that "the architecture itself" and "the policy direction is fine, [but] where I was particularly pointing at is the need for more sustainable, more reusable systems for going from the Earth to the Moon."

However, he did not suggest modifying the cores of Artemis II and III, as this "would produce more delays."

From there, Rep. Haridopolos turned to Dumbacher. His next question was, "NASA has faced a lot of challenges with Artemis. What lessons could we learn from our private partners who have had so much success over the last few years?"

"One of the lessons we can learn that would be most beneficial would be applying the rapid urgency and focus that we see from our private companies, the ability to solve and rectify problems in a very timely manner," Dumbacher replied, further noting that, as Dr. Pace suggested, "let's the tools in the toolbox we already have. The hardware [is] online with Artemis, and we might have to build a lander. We might have to scale down the current lander opportunities, examples that we have in work so that we can get to that 2030 landing."

Turning back to Dr. Pace, the Florida Congressman asked, "How can the US continue to leverage commercial partnerships to outpace international rivals in lunar exploration and beyond?"

Pace said international and private partners are necessary compared to the Apollo program in the current age.

"So we need our international partners to shape the environment. We need commercial partners to actually provide the innovation necessary to, in an affordable and sustainable way, make progress toward the Moon and Mars. I think the partnership there is not just simply one of money going back and forth and who builds what, but also in terms of just cutting down the kind of regulatory oversight that does not really always add value," Pace concluded.

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During a recent Fox News interview, Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently expressed his belief that, under President Donald Trump’s leadership, the US’ foreign policy towards Venezuela and Dictator Nicolas Maduro will be stricter than in previous years. 

Secretary Rubio’s interview follows his efforts to broker an agreement where Venezuela agreed to accept deported Venezuelan illegal immigrants from the US as well as release six American hostages. 

Rubio rejected critic’s arguments that negotiating with the Venezuelan regime legitimized its autocratic rule, stating that Venezuela has a legal obligation to accept its repatriated nationals. 

“Remember, Venezuela stopped taking migration flights, deportations, because they wanted to blackmail Joe Biden,” said Rubio.

Conversely, Rubio assured “President Trump is not going to be blackmailed.”

Trump’s cabinet and close allies, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have lobbied for a hardline approach to Venezuela with the ultimate goal of a democratic transition rather than negotiating with Maduro.

Shortly after Rubio’s statements, Trump announced the revocation of Venezuelan oil export licenses due to Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro’s refusal to host free and fair elections and cooperate in illegal immigrant deportation flights. 

“We are hereby reversing the concessions that Crooked Joe Biden gave to Nicolás Maduro, of Venezuela, on the oil transaction agreement, dated November 26, 2022, and also having to do with Electoral conditions within Venezuela, which have not been met by the Maduro regime,” stated Trump. 

President Biden granted the licenses as part of the ‘Barbados Agreement’ in exchange for assurances from Dictator Maduro he would host free and fair elections.

The licenses effectively lifted sanctions imposed by Trump on Venezuela during his first presidency. 

Yet, despite promises of allowing free and fair elections, the Venezuelan regime barred opposition leader Maria Corina Machado from participating in the same.

However, Machado invested her political capital into former Venezuelan Ambassador Edmundo Gonzalez, who subsequently won the presidential elections.

Subsequently, Gonzalez was forced to seek political asylum in Spain after the Maduro regime rejected the election results and threatened to arrest him.

Consequently, Trump ordered the sanctions relief enjoyed by Venezuela in the form of oil licenses to end as of March 1st. 

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently announced expanded visa restrictions for members of the Cuban government participating in the ‘exploitation’ of medical workers. 

Secretary Rubio’s visa restrictions announcement follows reports that the Communist Cuban regime is profiting off the forced labor of Cuban doctors. 

“Cuba continues to profit from the forced labor of its workers and the regime’s abusive and coercive labor practices are well documented,” claimed Rubio. “Cuba’s labor export programs, which include the medical missions, enrich the Cuban regime, and in the case of Cuba’s overseas medical missions, deprive ordinary Cubans of the medical care they desperately need in their home country.”

Rubio’s new visa restrictions limit the legal travel capacity  current or former Cuban government officials, and other individuals, including foreign government officials, who are believed to be involved in or responsible for Cuba’s overseas medical missions. 

More than 40,000 Cuban doctors are reportedly spread throughout the world in diverse 'medical missions.' 

However, myriad concerns have been raised regarding the process by which such doctors are paid, with critics and some former doctors alleging their wages are withheld by the Cuban government and then funneled into the regime’s military. 

Former U.S. assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere Affairs Otto Reich explained Cuba’s foreign doctor missions as a nefarious and lucrative source of revenue for the Cuban government. 

“Under the guise of a ‘voluntary, humanitarian, internationalist program,’ Cuba generates between $8 billion and $11 billion every year from the forced labor of doctors and medical workers exported to foreign countries,” claimed Reich. 

According to Reich, the doctors are closely watched by Cuban intelligence, have 80-90% of their salary diverted to the Cuban government, and are forced to use their services as leverage for political purposes, such as withholding treatment from patients opposing the Cuban regime. 

Representative Maria Elvira-Salazar (R-FL), the daughter of Cuban exiles, commended Rubio for his expansion of visa restrictions. 

“Secretary Rubio sent Havana a clear message,” stated Representative Salazar. “Those who traffic people and exploit that labor are equally complicit in the regime’s brutal repression of rights and freedom. You are NOT welcome in the United States!”

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President Donald Trump’s Treasury Department, led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, has announced a series of measures tightening sanctions on Iran’s illicit oil sales via its ‘Ghost Fleet.’

Iran has recently expanded efforts to circumvent US-imposed oil exports by covertly shipping Iranian oil through a network of foreign tankers colloquially referred to as Iran’s  ‘Ghost Fleet.’

The latest measures come after Secretary of State Marco Rubio imposed a number of sanctions on the Ghost Fleet earlier this February. 

According to the Treasury Department, Iran has harnessed its illicit oil trade to generate billions of dollars that it subsequently funnels to its military and proxy groups.

“Iran continues to rely on a shadowy network of vessels, shippers, and brokers to facilitate its oil sales and fund its destabilizing activities,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “The United States will use all our available tools to target all aspects of Iran’s oil supply chain, and anyone who deals in Iranian oil exposes themselves to significant sanctions risk.”

Secretary Bessent explained the latest sanctions are designed to deprive Iran of revenue from its petroleum and petrochemical sectors and are part of President Trump’s ‘maximum pressure’ policy on Iran and its proxies.

Sanctions target oil brokers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Hong Kong, tanker operators and managers in India and People’s Republic of China (PRC), the head of Iran’s National Iranian Oil Company, and the Iranian Oil Terminals Company (IOTC).

The US previously sanctioned Iran’s oil sector in 2018 to dissuade the country from financing terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas, cartel activity, and perfidious nuclear development.

However, Iran has managed to skirt such sanctions through its ‘Ghost Fleet,’ prompting initial sanctions from President Joe Biden and the State Department’s actions earlier this February. 

One report from the United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) nonprofit outlines the extent of the ‘Ghost Fleet’ scheme, which includes nearly 200 Panamanian vessels.

Secretary Rubio previously led congressional efforts to combat the ghost fleet. 

Then-Senator Rubio and Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) communicated Iran’s illegal operation to Panamanian authorities, which began to investigate and remove suspected ships from Panamanian ports.

US-Iran tensions have reached unprecedented levels, as the latter has increased hostile activity against the former and its allies since Hamas’ October 7th attacks.

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Representative Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) held a press conference just outside the Capitol on Tuesday and defended President Donald Trump (R) and Elon Musk's aggressive Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative.

Musk and his DOGE team made headlines this week when they sent an email to government employees demanding they respond with five examples of what they accomplished at their job last week. Failure to respond to the email would be considered a resignation by the employee.

Some have criticized Musk's tactic, while Republicans such as Rep. Van Duyne hold the view that government employees, such as herself, should be held accountable. She also vowed for Musk in his role as an advisor to President Trump.

"I'm having a hard time understanding why people are upset that Elon Musk is not elected," began Rep. Van Duyne. "All the bureaucrats in government are unelected. They're the ones who are writing the regulations. Elon Musk is merely an advisor to the president. He has given some advice to the President, saying these are the things that we are finding that we are covering at breakneck speed. That's it. And presidents throughout history have had advisors. I don't think that that's a problem. I think the problem is, is that the American people and federal workers have gotten so complacent with the government not doing anything."

The Texas congresswoman continued, sharing that the Trump administration keeping its campaign promises shouldn't shock anyone, but the notion that it does is troubling.

"The fact that you actually have somebody who ran for election saying, this is what we're going to do, getting in office, and actually doing it is such a shock to many. And we've got federal employees who are being asked to say, what did you do last week? I'll tell you ... If anybody asked me what I did last week, I have - since I got elected - I have been passing out, emailing a newsletter," said Rep. Van Duyne. "Go to my website. You can find out exactly what I do on a day-to-day basis. It is not beneath me to do that. I am accountable. I am accountable to my constituents. I am accountable to [the] American people, because we are getting taxpayer dollars to do this role. We have a job to do, we should not be ashamed of telling people what we're doing. It should not be a shock to the system."

Later in Van Duyne's remarks, the representative mentioned that the DOGE initiative is moving at such fast speeds because President Trump had four years to prepare for it.

"And to think that this was like a split second, 'oh, you're doing it so fast,'" said Van Duyne. "I will keep in mind this is a president who has already served four years in office, had four years to look at what all the various abuses were in our federal bureaucracy ... He then had another four years to put together an experienced team that was ready to execute on those promises and that is exactly what you're seeing."

Beth Van Duyne represents Texas' 24th Congressional District.

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Representative Neal Dunn (R-FL) is introducing legislation to allow vehicle owners access to important repair and diagnostic data needed for auto repairs.

Named the "Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act," Rep. Dunn's bill allows consumers to access such data about their vehicles and find the best services at the best prices.

The REPAIR Act was inspired by Judge Denise Casper's dismissal of a lawsuit issued by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which sued the state of Massachusetts after the wildly popular Right to Repair law passed the ballot with almost 75% of the vote in 2020.

Like Rep. Dunn's bill, Massachusetts' Right to Repair law requires automakers to provide vehicle owners and independent repair shops with access to telematics data. Autobody News described this as allowing consumers greater freedom in choosing where and how their vehicles are serviced.

In his press release, the Florida Congressman said, "American consumers deserve full control over their vehicle repair and maintenance data to ensure they can find the best service for their vehicle at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, vehicle manufacturers are standing in the way of American consumers accessing their own data to use the repair shop of their choosing, limiting consumer choice."

Dunn further condemned automakers' stranglehold on repair data, adding, "For far too long, manufacturers have championed anti-competitive practices by withholding crucial maintenance information, squeezing their customers and independent repair shops."

"Your vehicle belongs to you, not the manufacturer. I am introducing the REPAIR Act to provide a binding, workable solution to anti-competitive behavior in the auto repair industry to reaffirm consumer control over their vehicle maintenance data and empower them to work with repair shops big and small," Dunn concluded.

Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), the bill's cosponsor, said, "Americans are tired of lip service about lowering prices or respecting the trades. We want to be able to fix our own stuff and to be stewards of our stuff and not reliant on a stream of cheap disposable crap. But auto manufacturers have made it increasingly difficult to have real agency. It's time for Congress to listen to ordinary Americans and pass right-to-repair legislation."

The post Dunn Introduces Bill Empowering Vehicle Owners with Crucial Data Access appeared first on The Floridian.

Tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy recently announced his candidacy for Ohio’s governorship. 

Ramaswamy's announcement comes as Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s term nears a close in January 2027. 

Ramaswamy claimed during his candidacy announcement that he would focus his agenda on economic prosperity, promising to bring “a hatchet to red tape, overregulation and bureaucracy.” 

President Donald Trump, who won Ohio by 10% in the presidential elections last November, quickly endorsed Ramaswamy.

“I know (Ramaswamy) well, competed against him, and he is something SPECIAL,” said President Trump via Truth Social. “He will be a GREAT Governor of Ohio, will never let you down, and has my COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT!”

Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial contenders include current Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who has the support of many Republicans within Ohio politics. 

Yost was elected to become Ohio’s Attorney General in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, earning more votes than any Attorney General in Ohio history.

The former Attorney General reportedly quickly attacked Ramaswamy after the latter’s campaign announcement. 

“I welcome Mr. Ramaswamy to the race for however long he sticks around," said Yost. "We'll see if he actually stays in — Mr. Ramaswamy quit on President Trump and DOGE on day one, he quit on Ohio and moved his company to Texas, and he quit his presidential campaign after a devastating fourth-place finish in Iowa."

Yost has reportedly raised nearly $3 million dollars since announcing his candidacy, and his profound network of Republican supporters could make the Republican primaries a competitive race. 

Yost’s vision for Ohio derives from his work as Attorney General, where he focused on judicious enforcement of the law, protecting individual liberties, preventing partisan lawfare, and creating a stable environment for economic growth.

Ramaswamy held a campaign rally shortly after his campaign announcement, where he gave more details on his plans for Ohio. 

“We will lead Ohio to be the top state in the country where we lead the way in the sectors of the future, from semiconductors to aerospace,” promised Ramaswamy. 

“I will lead Ohio to be the top state in the country, where patriots flock to instead of Florida and Texas,” continued Ramaswamy. “I will lead Ohio to be the state of excellence in America.”

The post Ramaswamy to Run For Ohio Governor appeared first on The Floridian.

President Donald Trump joined heads of state in a recent Group of Seven (G7) summit that primarily focused on the war in Ukraine. 

Ukrainian President Vlodymyr Zelenskyy was invited to join the summit and did so alongside traditional members Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the US.

The G7 meeting was called by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss the Ukraine-Russia war amidst escalating tensions between Ukraine and the US. 

Late last week, President Trump and President Zelenskyy exchanged public attacks after the former spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and sent a US delegation to meet with Russian diplomats – which alarmed Ukraine supporters.

After Trump suggested Ukraine could be partially responsible for the war, Zelenskyy claimed Trump was living in Russian “disinformation space," to which Trump responded scathingly, calling Zelenskyy a dictator and directly blaming Ukraine for starting the war against Russia. 

During the G7 meeting, Trump underscored the importance of ending the war and how the US is “helping Ukraine like nobody’s ever helped Ukraine before.”

“If I didn’t become president Ukraine would still be at a level where nobody would even be thinking about peace,” said Trump. “My function is to get them out of the war, let them live.”

Zelenskyy similarly advocated for peace, adding that reaching peace requires “security guarantees for Ukraine and real ways to ensure an end to this Russian aggression and prevent any new one.”

Trump further warned that, if unsolved, the conflict could metastasize into World War Three unless a peace deal was reached given the involvement of numerous countries in the war. 

Moreover, Trump spoke about his desire to close the US-Ukraine rare earth minerals deal.

“This deal, which is an “Economic Partnership,” will ensure the American people recoup the Tens of Billions of Dollars and Military Equipment sent to Ukraine, while also helping Ukraine’s economy grow as this Brutal and Savage War comes to an end,” explained Trump. 

Simultaneously, Trump described his goal of reinstalling economic cooperation between the US and Russia. 

Such a goal emerged from the recent US-Russia summit in Saudi Arabia, where the US delegation discussed creating a mechanism designed to “normalize” the US-Russia relationship, end the conflict in Ukraine, and cooperate in future economic endeavors.

The post Trump Pushes To End Ukraine War in Ukraine-Centric G7 Summit appeared first on The Floridian.