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Friday, March 6, 2026
33 minutes ago
News
War

Gas Prices Hit Highest Level of Trump’s Two Terms Due to Iran War.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Gas prices have surged to $3.32 per gallon, the highest since President Donald J. Trump’s return to office, following U.S.-led strikes on Iran.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and analysts like Torbjorn Soltvedt and Matt Wright.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Strikes began Saturday in Iran, with immediate impacts on global oil markets and U.S. gas stations.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I don’t have any concern about it. They’ll drop very rapidly when this is over, and if they rise, they rise, but this is far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit.” – President Trump

🎯IMPACT: Rising gas prices strain household budgets and businesses, while the global oil market faces further uncertainty amid Middle East tensions.

IN FULL

Gasoline prices have risen to $3.32 per gallon, their highest level since September 2024, as the Iran war disrupts global energy markets. The increase follows a U.S.-led military operation in Iran that has killed the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several senior Iranian officials. The strikes, along with Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel and U.S.-aligned Middle Eastern countries, have disrupted oil and natural gas flows and heightened concerns about supply shortages.

The recent spike marks a sharp reversal from just a few months ago, when fuel prices were significantly lower. By late December 2025, the national average for gasoline had fallen to about $2.75 per gallon, the lowest level since 2021, according to GasBuddy. Some stations in certain states were even selling fuel for under $2 per gallon, reflecting strong U.S. oil production, stable global markets, and robust refinery output. That trend has quickly changed now that war has broken out.

In addition to launching strikes on Israeli and Gulf targets, Iranian attacks have also hit regional energy infrastructure. For instance, Saudi authorities were forced to shut down operations at the massive Ras Tanura oil refinery after drone attacks sparked fires, raising fears of broader disruptions to global oil supply. Brent crude prices have already surged toward $100 per barrel as traders factor in the risk of further disruptions.

The Trump administration says it is taking steps to address rising energy costs and stabilize supply.

President Donald J. Trump announced that the U.S. Development Finance Corporation will provide risk insurance and guarantees to protect maritime trade in the Gulf, especially energy shipments. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration is considering additional measures to stabilize supply flows, while Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated that “everything is being considered,” including tapping U.S. crude reserves and adjusting fuel-blending requirements.

The U.S. Navy is also prepared to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary. Some analysts are skeptical. Energy analyst Matt Wright has questioned whether escorting vessels is practical given the large number of ships passing through the strait each day.

Trump downplayed concerns about the impact of higher gas prices, saying, “I don’t have any concern about it. They’ll drop very rapidly when this is over, and if they rise, they rise, but this is far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit.”

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2 hours ago
Raheem J. Kassam
Exclusive

EXC: ‘Go F**k Yourself!’ – Cornyn’s Comms Chief Has Long History of Vicious Anti-Trump Posts, Calls J6 ‘Domestic Terrorism,’ Demanded GOP ‘Purge’ of MAGA.

Senator John Cornyn’s campaign communications director, Matt Mackowiak, has a history of vicious, anti-Trump tweets and media quotes, The National Pulse can exclusively reveal.

Mackowiak, an establishment GOP consultant who once worked in the Bush administration, is leading the charge against Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate run-off. He called January 6, 2021, “domestic terrorism” in tweets first unearthed by The National Pulse and shared on social media.

Furthermore, Cornyn’s campaign advisor Chris LaCivita, who once even worked for President Trump’s 2024 campaign, “liked” Mackowiak’s tweet.

Mackowiak deleted the tweet on Friday morning, after he became aware of this story. The National Pulse, however, archived the original, as well as dozens of other tweets, podcasts, interviews, and quotes from Mackowiak attacking the U.S. President and his team.

The National Pulse has scoured over a decade’s worth of Mackowiak’s political activity, which included pitching rejected op-eds to The National Pulse, which we will reveal more about in the coming days. Click here to support our important work.

‘GO F**K YOURSELF.’

In archived tweets from election day 2016, Mackowiak unleashed a tirade at Trump and his team.

“Go f**k yourself. You just conceded the most winnable election in 50 years against the least popular Dem nom ever,” Mackowiak incorrectly forecast.

“The lede of your NYT obituary will be that you are a loser, losing the most unlosable election in modern American history,” he added at the time.

“You win particular credit for running the most inept, unserious presidential campaign in a century. Staffed by clowns, wasting money,” Mackowiak continued.

“Your natural instinct will be to lash out at everyone. You own this defeat. It’s yours. You earned it. No one else. Process that.”

“Best case to make to drop out has to appeal to his ego and self interest,” he wrote.

Mackowiak also drew Trump’s family into his tirade, adding, “I wish the very best for Melania Trump and the children. For those to whom much is given, much is required. Be better than your father.”

RUSSIA HOAX.

Mackowiak’s Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) even extend to the Russia hoax and diplomacy, with the “Potomac Strategy Group” chief tweeting in 2018: “It is outrageous, dangerous and ridiculous for an American president to take Putin’s word over the US intelligence community. No American should defend it.”

The tweet was in reference to Trump’s claim that Putin did not interfere in the 2016 election – a long-established hoax peddled by the intelligence community in cahoots with the corporate media and establishment Democrats.

His ire extended through 2019, when he claimed: “Every single person who approve [sic] Doral for G7 should be fired.”

The matter was used by Democrats, led by Jerry Nadler, to launch another investigation into Trump that went nowhere.

‘DRUNK DRIVER’

“I think we’ve reached the crisis point in the campaign. He’s hemorrhaging support,” Mackowiak told CBS News in August 2016.

“The GOP has a drunk driver at the wheel, chugging vodka, and he’s got other people’s children in the car. He must be stopped,” Mackowiak said, adding, “I think it’s time for our leaders to make the case to him that he needs to withdraw. He’s going to lose this election on the current trajectory. He would be better off withdrawing. He can say the election is rigged. He wasn’t given a fair shot. He can go back to his business.”

‘A PURGE’

Mackowiak insisted through 2016 that Trump would lose, claiming: “I have will help [sic] every other Republican win this year, and then help rebuild the GOP after this disaster. A purge will be needed.”

Trump famously thumped Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, and Mackowiak launched a podcast shortly after, featuring guests such as NeverTrumper Bill Kristol, MSNBC host Chris Matthews, and ardent anti-Trump voice and Bulwark contributor Mona Charen.

Now, he works as the campaign communications director for John Cornyn, working under LaCivita’s tutelage.

‘EXTINCTION-LEVEL EVENT’

The Hill newspaper also covered him, stating, “Trump is threatening the entire GOP, and it could take a decade to erase the damage. We are looking at an extinction-level event.”

Mackowiak’s anti-Trump screeds were not limited to 2016 or even 2020. He continued his anti-Trump and anti-MAGA tirades the next year, also stating: “Roughly half of ‘very conservative’ voters in Georgia said they would not vote in (Georgia Senate) runoffs because of Voter Fraud. Republicans conceded these races and President Trump is the cause.”

‘HANG HIMSELF.’

Opinion in a still publicly available podcast from 2016, Mackowiak predicted, of the now infamous televised debates: “We’ll see how he does in the first debate. I think that they’re likely to give him enough rope to hang himself.”

He added: “Donald Trump is not a base conservative… his commitment to the Republican party is zero. His commitment is to himself and so I think he’s a real danger to the process because he’s taking up oxygen from all the other serious candidates.”

At the time, Mackowiak found himself embroiled in a clash with a local Texas libertarian, who told KUT Austin: “I don’t even think Mackowiak is going to support the Republican nominee, who is probably going to be Trump… What kind of traitor to the party is Matt Mackowiak? The incredible amount of damage someone like him does to the party — and he’s a douchebag.”

The National Pulse has archived dozens of Mackowiak’s comments over the years, in which he attacks President Trump, backs Mike Pence’s actions on January 6th, blasts election integrity efforts, and states that he prefers “DeSantis, Pompeo, or some others over Trump for 2024.”

Late Friday afternoon, the independent “AMuse” account on X published a number of The National Pulse’s findings on Mackowiak, with more set to be published this weekend.

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Senator John Cornyn's campaign communications director, Matt Mackowiak, has a history of vicious, anti-Trump tweets and media quotes, The National Pulse can exclusively reveal. show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
The most fun little nugget about how I found all this is that Matt tweeted at me yesterday, and I saw the tweet late last night
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The most fun little nugget about how I found all this is that Matt tweeted at me yesterday, and I saw the tweet late last night show more
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2 hours ago
Health
Science

Biochemist and mRNA Pioneer Says CIA Used Ticks as Bio-Weapon.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Dr. Robert W. Malone says he has uncovered new evidence that suggests Lyme disease was—at least in part—the result of U.S. government and military attempts at developing a biological weapon in the mid-1960s.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Robert Malone, Kris Newby, the U.S. military, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and Cuba.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Malone published his evidence on March 4, 2026, with the alleged biological weapons experiments occurring in the 1960s.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Between 1966 and 1969, the U.S. military released 282,800 lone star ticks made radioactive with Carbon-14 across Virginia sites along bird migration routes. The radioactive marking allowed researchers to track the ticks’ spread using Geiger counters over several years.” — Dr. Robert Malone

🎯IMPACT: The physician and biochemist, who was a pioneer of mRNA technology, cites a new report that appears to indicate the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) attempted to use disease-infected ticks against Cuba in 1962.

IN FULL

Dr. Robert W. Malone says he has uncovered new evidence that suggests Lyme disease was—at least in part—the result of U.S. government and military attempts at developing a biological weapon in the mid-1960s. The physician and biochemist, who was a pioneer of mRNA technology, cites a new report that appears to indicate the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) attempted to use disease-infected ticks against Cuba in 1962.

According to author and Lyme disease researcher Kris Newby, a former CIA operative—said to now be in his seventies—came forward and spoke with her about a secret mission in which the “strangest thing he ever did was drop infected ticks on Cuban sugarcane workers,” stating that his C-123 aircraft was “almost skimming the surface of the Caribbean to avoid Cuban radar.” Following the mission and his return to the United States, the operative told Newby that his young son became ill and developed a severe fever that required emergency surgery. The operative further tells Newby that his commander at the CIA subsequently ordered him to “burn all the clothes you took to Cuba. Burn everything.”

The testimony is notable as it builds on long-standing allegations that the U.S. military engaged in dangerous and unethical biological weapons research during the Cold War for use against the Soviet Union and Cuba. Importantly, there is documentation that the military did engage in experimental biological weapons testing, including an Operation Mongoose memo from March 13, 1962, sent to Brigadier General Edward Geary Lansdale directly mentioning a study about an operation aimed at incapacitating Cuban sugarcane workers.

“Task 33b – Plan for Incapacitation of Sugar Workers – completed 2 February. Task as assigned was to develop a plan for incapacitating large sections of the sugar workers by the covert use of BW or CW agents. Study revealed the idea was infeasible and it was cancelled,” the memo states.

Malone further claims that, “Between 1966 and 1969, the U.S. military released 282,800 lone star ticks made radioactive with Carbon-14 across Virginia sites along bird migration routes. The radioactive marking allowed researchers to track the ticks’ spread using Geiger counters over several years.” He added that prior to the release, “lone star ticks were not found above the Mason-Dixon Line. Within years of the Virginia releases, they had established populations on Long Island for the first time.”

While radioactive tick release does appear to have happened, a Journal of Medical Entomology article authored by Dr. Daniel E. Sonenshine from June 1968 states that the release occurred in the summer of 1966 and only involved the 42,400 radioisotope-tagged D. variabilis larvae. Notably, the D. variabilis tick species is commonly known as the American dog tick, not the lone star tick, which belongs to the species A. americanum.

Though the revelations regarding an alleged mission to incapacitate Cuban sugarcane workers do lend some credibility to the claim that Lyme disease was the result of biological weapons testing, it is also important to stress that the bacteria in ticks that are responsible for the condition, Borrelia burgdorferi, weren’t discovered until 1982.

Image by Robert Webster / xpda.com.

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3 hours ago
Christopher Tomlinson
1A
Bonkers Britain

Stats: British Arrests for Speech Crimes Dwarf Those of Former USSR.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Statistics reveal that Britain is currently prosecuting more people for speech crimes than the former Soviet Union did.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Commentator Peter Nimitz, analyst Alex Kokcharov, and the British government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The statistics were posted on X (formerly Twitter) on March 4.

💬KEY QUOTE: “USSR had centralized repression apparati (party officials & secret police) while UK utilizes a combination of secret police, decentralized apparati aligned by judiciary (HR departments), & ethnic auxiliaries in certain territorial police forces,” Peter Nimitz wrote.

🎯IMPACT: The statistics reveal the massive scale of speech suppression in Britain.

IN FULL

Statistics circulated online suggest that Britain prosecutes far more speech-related cases each year than the former Soviet Union (USSR) did during one of its most repressive periods. According to figures shared by commentator Peter Nimitz, Soviet authorities arrested 3,234 people between 1962 and 1985 under Articles 70 and 190-1 of the criminal code, which targeted “anti-Soviet agitation” and “disinformation.” Meanwhile, Britain recorded 2,341 prosecutions for online speech offenses in 2022 alone, resulting in 1,816 convictions, under legislation such as the Communications Act 2003 and the Malicious Communications Act 1988.

“USSR had centralized repression apparati (party officials & secret police) while UK utilizes a combination of secret police, decentralized apparati aligned by judiciary (HR departments), & ethnic auxiliaries in certain territorial police forces (infamously Leicestershire),” Nimitz said.

The comparison was prompted by a viral video shared by British counter-terror police as part of its sinister “WHAT YOU SHARE LEAVES A TRACE” campaign, showing a white teenager fearing for his future after sharing a link because he “thought it was funny,” only for the authorities to decide it was “terrorist content” and seize his devices.

The comparison between Britain and the USSR has been seized upon by critics who argue that Britain’s expanding policing of online speech has erased the country’s traditional civil liberties. High-profile recent cases include a mother who was jailed over an anti-immigration social media post shortly after a mass stabbing targeting young girls, perpetrated by the son of two African asylum seekers.

In another case, a British man received a prison sentence after chanting “Who the f*** is Allah?” during unrest over the stabbings, with the judge citing hostility toward Islam as a factor in sentencing. A former professional soccer player was also convicted over abusive messages directed at BBC presenters on social media, with the judge rebuking him in court for wearing a scarf displaying the British flag.

Some argue the comparison of Britain to the USSR is unfair, as the USSR had no social media to police, and the penalties for speech crimes were often harsher than in Britain, including years in labor camps or internal exile. However, Britain’s modern censorship has drawn much international criticism, with the Trump administration in the U.S. concerned that it is impacting American citizens and companies.

Last year, the U.S. State Department released a human rights report critical of British policies, highlighting the censorious Online Safety Act in particular.

Jack Montgomery contributed to this report.

Image by Garry Knight.

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4 hours ago
William Upton
War
World

Iran Is Trying to Lure Trump into a Deadly Ground Invasion.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Islamic Republic of Iran appears to be attempting to goad U.S. President Donald J. Trump into launching a politically unpopular and deadly ground invasion, claiming its military is prepared to repel a ground invasion by American troops.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Donald J. Trump, the U.S. military, and Ali Larijani.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Araghchi’s comments were made on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We are waiting for them. Because we are confident that we can confront them, and that would be a big disaster for them.” — Abbas Araghchi

🎯IMPACT: Earlier this week, President Trump stopped short of ruling out the deployment of American boots on the ground as joint U.S.-Israeli strikes continue to increase against Iranian military and political targets.

IN FULL

The Islamic Republic of Iran appears to be attempting to goad U.S. President Donald J. Trump into launching a politically unpopular and deadly ground invasion, claiming its military is prepared to repel a ground invasion by American troops. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday, “We are waiting for them. Because we are confident that we can confront them, and that would be a big disaster for them.”

Earlier this week, President Trump refused to rule out American “boots on the ground” as joint U.S.-Israeli strikes continue to increase against Iranian military and political targets. The U.S. military action, dubbed Operation Epic Fury and launched on February 28, 2026, has already resulted in the deaths of dozens of top Iranian political and military officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Araghchi contradicted claims made by Trump that Iran had sought a ceasefire and negotiations to end hostilities, stating, “We didn’t ask for a ceasefire even last time.” This assertion was echoed by Iran’s top national security official, Ali Larijani, who wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), “We will not negotiate with the United States.”

“The fact is that we don’t have any positive experience of negotiating with the United States. You know, especially with this administration. We negotiated twice last year and this year, and then in the middle of negotiations, they attacked us,” Araghchi said. “So we see no reason why we should engage once again with those who have, who are not honest in negotiation, and they don’t and do not enter into negotiation in good faith.”

However, on Friday, President Trump announced that the United States will only accept “unconditional surrender” from the Islamic Republic of Iran, stating that there will be “no deal” to end the conflict with the Islamist regime on any other grounds.

On Thursday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told The National Pulse that concerns that the war against Iran is expanding across the Middle East are unfounded. “What Iran is doing by attacking allied countries that would otherwise want to stay out of this” is pulling them “into the American orbit,” Hegseth said.

“So, now you’ve got UAE and Qatar and Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and others saying, ‘Hey, we’re with you, we’ll shoot with you, we’ll fly with you, we’ll defend you,” he explained, saying Iran’s actions were “actually firming up the unity of the resistance” to its regime.

“So this idea that [the war is] expanding, no, it’s actually simplifying in a number of ways, exactly what we need to achieve,” the War Secretary added.

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5 hours ago
Immigration
Politics

Dem Congressman’s Illegal Alien SOTU Guest Linked to Sexual Assaults Involving Juveniles.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Marcelo Gomes da Silva, an illegal immigrant and guest of Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) at President Donald J. Trump’s State of the Union address, is referenced in police reports involving sexual assault and juveniles.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Congressman Seth Moulton, Marcelo Gomes da Silva, the Milford Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The reports date back to June and September of 2021, with recent developments occurring around the State of the Union on February 24, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Gomes DaSilva is an illegal alien who has no right to be in our nation.” – Department of Homeland Security

🎯IMPACT: The Boston Herald, through public records requests, sought details from the Milford Police Department about incidents involving Gomes da Silva in 2021. However, these requests were denied, citing the involvement of juveniles in the reports.

IN FULL

Anti-ICE activist Marcelo Gomes da Silva, who was invited by Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) to the State of the Union, is referenced in police reports related to sexual assault and juveniles, raising concerns about the vetting of such high-profile guests. The Boston Herald, through public records requests, sought details from the Milford Police Department about incidents involving Gomes da Silva in 2021. However, these requests were denied, citing the involvement of juveniles in the reports.

“The records you are requesting are not public records in accordance with M.G.L. c. 4 s. 7 cl. 26 (A). Report 21-23101-OF involves a sexual assault and juveniles. Report 21-16254-OF involves juveniles,” Milford Deputy Chief John Sanchioni wrote when denying the record inquiries.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) criticized Moulton’s stunt just before President Donald J. Trump’s February address to Congress, posting on X (formerly Twitter): “[Rep. Moulton] plans to bring illegal alien Marcelo Gomes DaSilva. Gomes DaSilva is an illegal alien who has no right to be in our nation. We are committed to enforcing the law and fighting for the arrest, detention, and removal of aliens like him.”

Notably, Moulton had his staff escort Gomes da Silva out of the House gallery early on during President Trump‘s State of the Union address, hiding the illegal immigrant and alleged sexual predator in office “out of an abundance of caution,” alleging DHS was “targeting and harassing Marcelo.” The Massachusetts Democrat went on to defend Gomes da Silva, describing him as a “great American” and a “patriot” during subsequent media appearances. Addressing the criminal allegations directly, a spokesman for Moulton said, “According to our review, Marcelo has never been charged with a crime.”

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5 hours ago
War
World

Trump Says He’ll Only Accept ‘Unconditional Surrender’ from Iran.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced on Friday that the United States will only accept “unconditional surrender” from the Islamic Republic of Iran, stating that there will be “no deal” to end the conflict with the Islamist regime on any other grounds.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, U.S. CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Trump announced his terms on Friday, March 6, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: U.S. military forces have so far demonstrated overwhelming power; the Islamic Republic has launched retaliatory strikes across the regions, but its military capabilities appear to be deteriorating.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump announced on Friday that the United States will only accept “unconditional surrender” from the Islamic Republic of Iran, stating that there will be “no deal” to end the conflict with the Islamist regime on any other grounds. Trump’s declaration comes just six days after he announced the U.S. military would begin combat operations against Iranian political and military targets, with initial joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes resulting in the deaths of the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and dozens of other top officials.

“There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” President Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, continuing, “After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. ‘MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!).'”

During a White House event on Thursday, Trump urged the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), along with Iran’s regular Artesh military and police forces, to “lay down their arms” or face “absolutely guaranteed death.” He also called on Iranian diplomats to assist in shaping “a new and better Iran.”

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander, Admiral Brad Cooper,  stated on Thursday during a briefing at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, that nearly 200 targets had been struck within Iran over the preceding 72 hours, including areas around Tehran. He stated that “dozens of 2,000-pound penetrator bombs” were dropped on deeply buried ballistic missile launchers and that an Iranian drone carrier ship was ablaze following a strike.

“The amount of combat power that’s still flowing, that’s still coming, that we’ll be able to project over Iran is a multiple of what it currently is right now,” Cooper added.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth emphasized Iran’s miscalculation of American resolve and access to deep reserves of munitions: “Our stockpiles of defensive and offensive weapons allow us to sustain this campaign as long as we need.”

Speaking with The National Pulse on Thursday, Sec. Hegseth also addressed concerns that strikes against Iran could spread unrest across the Middle East: “What Iran is doing by attacking allied countries that would otherwise want to stay out of this” is pulling them “into the American orbit,” Hegseth said. “So, now you’ve got UAE and Qatar and Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and others saying, ‘Hey, we’re with you, we’ll shoot with you, we’ll fly with you, we’ll defend you,” he explained, saying Iran’s actions were “actually firming up the unity of the resistance” to its regime.“

“So this idea that [the war is] expanding, no, it’s actually simplifying in a number of ways, exactly what we need to achieve,” the War Secretary added.

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6 hours ago
The National Pulse
News

‘Remember the Alamo!’ — 190 Years Since the Battle That Paved the Way for Texas Independence.

Today marks the 190th anniversary of the fall of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, following an epic 13-day siege. The heroic last stand of the 18th-century Spanish mission’s roughly 200 defenders against the overwhelming forces of Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna, which paved the way for Texas becoming independent and later joining the Union, remains an iconic symbol of sacrifice for liberty down to the present day.

The siege began on February 23 when Santa Anna arrived at San Antonio de Béxar. Lieutenant Colonel William Barret Travis, commanding roughly 182 men revolting against Mexican rule, refused to surrender. Late in February, 32 courageous volunteers from Gonzales under Captain George C. Kimbell fought their way through enemy lines to join the garrison, knowing the siege would likely end in their deaths.

On March 2, while the battle raged, Texas declared its independence. Realizing no help would come, Travis gave his men a fateful choice: attempt a desperate breakout, surrender, or remain and defend the Alamo to the last man. They chose to stand their ground, determined to delay the enemy and give the Texas army time to organize.

Two legendary frontiersmen numbered among the defenders: Davy Crockett and James “Jim” Bowie. Crockett was born on August 17, 1786, in Greene County, Tennessee. A famed hunter, soldier in the Creek War, he was also a three-term U.S. Congressman known for his wit and independence. After losing reelection in 1835, Crockett traveled to Texas and reached the Alamo around February 8, 1836. He served as a private in the Tennessee Mounted Volunteers, boosting morale with his marksmanship and storytelling.

Jim Bowie, born around April 10, 1796, in Kentucky, was already a frontier legend for his fighting skills and the famous Bowie knife he helped popularize. He had settled in Texas, become a Mexican citizen, and married into a leading San Antonio family. Bowie fought in key early battles of the Texas Revolution, including Concepción and the Grass Fight. He arrived at the Alamo in January 1836 and, despite falling seriously ill, refused to abandon his post.

On March 6, Santa Anna’s troops finally succeeded in storming the mission. All of its defenders perished. Yet their sacrifice ignited the rallying cry “Remember the Alamo!” Weeks later, Sam Houston’s forces defeated Santa Anna at San Jacinto, winning Texas independence.

One hundred and ninety years later, we still honor the courage of Travis, Crockett, Bowie, and every man who gave his life for freedom. Their stand remains a timeless reminder that liberty often demands the ultimate price—and that true patriots are willing to pay it. Texas—and America—will never forget.


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Today marks the 190th anniversary of the fall of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, following an epic 13-day siege. The heroic last stand of the 18th-century Spanish mission's roughly 200 defenders against the overwhelming forces of Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna, which paved the way for Texas becoming independent and later joining the Union, remains an iconic symbol of sacrifice for liberty down to the present day. show more
7 hours ago
Data
Economy

U.S. Economy Sheds 92,000 Jobs in February Setback.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, a concerning miss of economic forecasts which projected a net gain of 60,000 jobs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Department of Labor and sectors such as healthcare, which saw notable job losses.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 2026, across the United States.

🎯IMPACT: U.S. market futures declined, adding uncertainty to the economic outlook.

IN FULL

The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, a significant miss for economic forecasters who projected a net gain of 60,000 jobs. In addition, the unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.4 percent, from January’s 4.3 percent.

Economists surveyed by FactSet had anticipated a payroll increase of 60,000 jobs. February’s report marked the third instance of job losses in the past five months, with U.S. market futures declining in response. The healthcare sector, a recent source of job growth, lost 28,000 positions in February. The U.S. Labor Department attributed this decline to strike activity, including a nurses’ strike in California that concluded late last month.

Other sectors seeing job losses included information technology and the federal government, which declined by 11,000 and 10,000 positions, respectively, in February. Meanwhile, the Labor Department also issued revised job growth figures for January and December, reducing them by 4,000 and 65,000.

The economic conditions in the United States remain stable, but spiking oil prices due to the ongoing U.S. and Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran could put additional pressure on the economy. Notably, the February jobs report, along with rising energy prices, could renew pressure on the Federal Reserve to begin another cycle of interest rate cuts. Shortly after the release of the jobs data, expectations that the Fed will slash rates again in June surged on Wall Street from a 35 percent chance to 49 percent.

Image by Adam Fagen.

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7 hours ago
Media

POLITICO’s German Giant Owner in Stunning $770M Raid of Right-Leaning Telegraph.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Axel Springer, the German publisher behind U.S. liberal media powerhouse POLITICO, has acquired The Telegraph for £575 million, disrupting a planned takeover by Lord Rothermere, owner of The Daily Mail.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Axel Springer, Mathias Döpfner, The Telegraph, RedBird IMI, Lord Rothermere, and the Barclay family.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The acquisition was announced on March 6, impacting the global media landscape.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Now our dream comes true. To be the owner of this institution of quality British journalism is a privilege and a duty.” – Mathias Döpfner

🎯IMPACT: The acquisition marks Axel Springer’s largest move into the UK market, with potential implications for media plurality and public interest.

IN FULL

Axel Springer, the German publishing giant, has acquired The Telegraph for £575 million ($770M). This move disrupts a previous takeover attempt by Lord Rothermere, the owner of The Daily Mail. Mathias Döpfner, the CEO of Axel Springer, has expressed his long-standing ambition to own The Telegraph, calling it a “dream come true.”

The acquisition was made possible after Axel Springer secured security over The Telegraph from RedBird IMI, a UAE-backed entity that had attempted to take control in 2023. This marks Axel Springer’s largest venture into the UK market, furthering Döpfner’s strategy of expanding in the English-speaking world.

Axel Springer, known for its substantial revenues and profits, has previously attempted to acquire The Telegraph in 2004 and the Financial Times in 2015. The company’s international portfolio includes POLITICO and Business Insider, yet none hold a significant share in the UK news market.

The acquisition might still face scrutiny from the UK Government, which could investigate its impact on the public interest, a process that could take several months. The Telegraph has been in a state of uncertainty since June 2023, following the Barclay family’s loss of control to Lloyds Banking Group.

The move will likely cause concern over the Telegraph’s historically right-leaning editorial positions, with Axel Springer known for its globalist tilt.

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