Tariffs Drive Trade Deficit Lower Boosting Third Quarter GDP Growth
Commerce Department figures released November 19th, confirm the U.S. goods and services trade deficit contracted sharply by 23.8 percent in August to $59.6 billion from a revised $78.2 billion in July as President Trump’s tariffs prompted a 5.1 percent plunge in imports to $340.4 billion while exports edged 0.1 percent higher to $280.8 billion, delivering the steepest monthly import decline since the pandemic and underscoring the effectiveness of protectionist measures in redirecting domestic spending toward American-made goods; because imports are subtracted in the GDP calculation while exports are added, this substantial narrowing of the trade gap acts as a direct mathematical tailwind to third-quarter real GDP growth by increasing net exports’ positive contribution to the economy, supporting stronger domestic production, job retention in manufacturing sectors, and overall economic expansion at a time when forecasts already placed quarterly growth above a 3.0 percent annualized rate.
Sources: ABC News, The Epoch Times
Six Republicans Join Democrats to Block Censure of Delegate Who Texted Jeffrey Epstein During Hearing
In a disappointing display of Washington establishment self-preservation, the House of Representatives on November 18th, rejected a Republican-led resolution to censure non-voting Democrat Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) and remove her from the powerful House Intelligence Committee after newly released Epstein documents revealed she exchanged text messages with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2019, while he actively coached her on questioning tactics during a live congressional hearing on Michael Cohen; the measure introduced by Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) failed on a 209-214 vote when three Republicans — Don Bacon (NE), Lance Gooden (TX), and Dave Joyce (OH) — voted with all Democrats in opposition and three more Republicans, Andrew Garbarino (NY), Daniel Meuser (PA), and Jay Obernolte (CA), voted present, effectively shielding Plaskett from accountability for conduct that brought discredit upon the House at a time when Americans demand transparency and integrity from those handling sensitive national security matters.
Sources: The Daily Caller, Breitbart
House Rebukes Illinois Democrat for Manipulating Election Process to Anoint Successor
In a rare bipartisan display upholding electoral integrity, the United States House of Representatives voted 236-183 on November 18th, to adopt a resolution denouncing Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.) for actions that undermined the democratic process in his safely Democrat district by timing his retirement announcement after Illinois’s primary filing deadline, effectively clearing the field for his chief of staff, Patty García, to run unopposed after he personally signed her nominating petition as the first supporter; despite García’s claims of family health concerns including his wife’s multiple sclerosis and his own cardiac issues prompting the sudden decision, the resolution—introduced by fellow Democrat Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) and backed by all voting Republicans plus 23 Democrats who defied leadership pressure from Hakeem Jeffries—declared such conduct beneath the dignity of the office and a form of election subversion that denies voters genuine choice in selecting their representatives.
Sources: The New York Post, FOX News
Broadview, Illinois Civil Emergency Declared Amid Anti-ICE Violence
In the Chicago suburb of Broadview, Illinois, Mayor Katrina Thompson issued a civil emergency order on November 17th, following sustained anti-ICE rioting that included assaults on law enforcement officers, attempts to storm Village Hall by out-of-town agitators, a bomb threat to municipal buildings, and a direct death threat against the mayor herself, all tied to protests against federal immigration enforcement operations at a local ICE processing facility where criminal illegal aliens including gang members and sex offenders are handled prior to transfer; the unrest escalated with a violent clash on November 14th that injured four officers and led to 21 arrests, prompting the Department of Homeland Security to highlight an 8000% surge in death threats against its personnel while affirming that agents will continue upholding immigration laws without intimidation in the face of misinformation spread by sanctuary advocates.
Sources: US Dept of Homeland Security, Village of Broadview, Illinois
Congressional Probe Reveals Grave Allegations Against New Jersey Organ Procurement Organization
Nearly a dozen whistleblowers have accused the New Jersey Organ & Tissue Sharing Network of serious patient safety breaches, including attempts to harvest organs from individuals showing clear signs of life and coercing families into donation consent while disregarding proper protocols and even patients’ prior withdrawals of donor status. In one documented case at Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, a patient declared dead reportedly reanimated during the procurement procedure, yet NJ Sharing Network President Carolyn Welsh and her staff allegedly pressured medical personnel to proceed with organ removal—a demand the hospital rightfully rejected. These claims, detailed in a November 2025 letter from House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman David Schweikert, align with broader federal concerns over organ procurement practices, including a recent Health Resources and Services Administration review that identified systemic issues nationwide, such as inadequate neurological evaluations and questionable consent processes in nearly thirty percent of examined cases.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, The Washington Examiner
Justice Department Admits Procedural Flaw in Comey Grand Jury Process
In a federal court hearing in Alexandria, Virginia, on November 19th, the Department of Justice confirmed under questioning by U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff that the grand jury indicting former FBI Director James Comey on charges of making false statements and obstructing Congress was never presented with a copy of the final indictment document for review, with only the foreperson and one other juror present when the revised charges were returned after the full panel had rejected an initial count; this admission, made by interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, compounds existing judicial concerns over investigative missteps and the rushed appointment of Halligan days before the statute of limitations expired, as the prosecution maintains the case remains viable while Comey’s defense seeks dismissal amid allegations of irregular grand jury handling that could undermine the indictment’s validity.
Sources: The Washington Times, ABC News
US Army Advances Janus Nuclear Microreactor Deployment
The United States Army has selected nine key installations—Fort Benning, Fort Bragg, Fort Campbell, Fort Drum, Fort Hood, Fort Wainwright, Holston Army Ammunition Plant, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and Redstone Arsenal—as potential sites for deploying advanced commercial microreactors under the Janus Program, marking a decisive step toward achieving energy independence and unbreakable resilience for critical defense operations amid growing threats to the national power grid. Partnering with the Defense Innovation Unit, the Army has issued an Area of Interest solicitation to industry for rapid milestone-based contracting of next-generation nuclear designs that prioritize inherent safety, minimal land impact, and compliance with all regulatory standards, while building directly on proven advancements from Project Pele to deliver secure, on-demand power that strengthens America’s military readiness and technological edge without reliance on vulnerable civilian infrastructure.
Sources: US Army, Defense News
Dark Money Billionaire Climate Activist Tom Steyer Launches Bid for California Governor
Billionaire Democrat dark money megadonor and former hedge fund manager Tom Steyer, known for his aggressive advocacy on climate issues, his failed 2020 presidential campaign, and his heavy financial support for efforts to impeach President Trump, announced his entry into the crowded 2026 California gubernatorial race on November 19th, via a YouTube video in which he positioned himself as a political outsider ready to confront Sacramento’s entrenched interests and corporate influence; Steyer pledged to tackle the state’s severe cost-of-living crisis by building massive amounts of affordable housing, slashing electricity rates, closing corporate tax loopholes, and forcing big businesses to pay what he calls their fair share while preserving California’s role as an innovation hub—promises that come as Governor Gavin Newsom is termed out and recent polling shows Republican candidates gaining unexpected traction in a traditionally deep-blue state dominated by progressive policies.
Sources: Bloomberg, The Washington Examiner
Far-Left Militants Vow Expanded Confrontations Against Conservative Student Group
The socialist organization By Any Means Necessary (BAMN), operating under a tax-exempt nonprofit umbrella and led by Berkeley public school teacher Yvette Felarca, has voted unanimously to intensify its campaign against Turning Point USA by targeting conservative student chapters in K-12 schools, beginning with Berkeley High School where Felarca teaches, following a violent clash at a UC Berkeley TPUSA event on November 10th that resulted in arrests and injuries amid protesters labeling the group fascist recruiters; during a November 17th tribunal meeting, BAMN celebrated the Berkeley confrontation as a victory, with attorney Ronald Cruz affirming the group’s militant identity and members coordinating with allied far-left organizations to disrupt events and block perceived threats, prompting a federal Justice Department investigation into potential civil rights violations and conspiracy to suppress free speech on campuses.
Sources: The Daily Wire, The Washington Times
Notre Dame Abandons Requirement for Staff to Uphold Catholic Mission
The University of Notre Dame, long regarded as America’s premier Catholic institution of higher learning, has quietly eliminated the longstanding expectation that its approximately 4,500 non-faculty staff members understand, accept, and actively support the university’s Catholic mission as part of its core organizational values used in hiring and promotion decisions; in October town hall meetings, Vice President of Human Resources Heather Christophersen announced the replacement of the prior five values—including “Leadership in Mission,” which explicitly mandated fostering values consistent with Catholic teaching—with a new set limited to Community, Collaboration, Excellence, and Innovation, a change first reported by the student newspaper The Observer and confirmed in an official university press release, marking yet another step in the institution’s decades-long drift from the faithful Catholic identity established by its Holy Cross founders in 1842 amid ongoing concerns over campus events and policies that appear increasingly detached from Church doctrine on life, marriage, and human dignity.
Sources: The Irish Rover, The Gateway Pundit
California State University Mandates DEI Ideological Courses for Graduation
Nearly all campuses in the California State University system now enforce a graduation requirement known as Area F, compelling undergraduates to complete at least one course steeped in diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice themes that extend well beyond the state’s separate ethnic studies mandate, with offerings such as San Francisco State University’s “Queer Crip Lit” exploring intersections of ableism with racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, and transphobia through literature, or “Decolonize Your Diet: Food Justice and Gendered Labor in Communities of Color” addressing food production alongside racism and gendered oppression, alongside Humboldt State’s “Decolonizing Public Health” applying anti-racism and decolonizing frameworks to health systems, all integrated into general education without adding credit hours while emphasizing concepts like structural oppression, intersectionality, and liberation from hierarchy in taxpayer-funded public higher education.
Sources: The Washington Free Beacon, The California State University System
Taxpayer Funds Flow to Organizations Tied to Radical Activists
Public records reveal that the Arab American Association of New York, formerly led by activist Linda Sarsour from 2005 to 2017, received more than $4.1 million in government funding between 2017 and 2024, including $3.3 million from New York City—with a single $1 million payment in 2023—and $854,000 from New York State, while Sarsour has faced criticism for statements and associations perceived as hostile to Israel and traditional values, mentored Imam Siraj Wahhaj who was an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing case and has made strongly negative remarks about homosexuality, and maintained ties to incoming New York City Council Speaker Zohran Mamdani through lobbying efforts and campaign support from allied groups; additionally, the Islamic Society of North America, where Wahhaj served as vice president, accepted $332,000 in federal funds and $14,000 from local school districts, raising legitimate concerns about the stewardship of taxpayer dollars amid ongoing fiscal pressures on American families and communities.
Sources: Open The Books, The Washington Free Beacon
Texas Governor Abbott Designates Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR as Terrorist Organizations
On November 18th, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an official state proclamation designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations under Texas law, citing documented ties to Hamas, historical support for global terrorism, and efforts to advance Sharia law supremacy through intimidation and subversion of American legal systems; this designation prohibits these entities and their affiliates from purchasing or acquiring land in Texas while authorizing heightened law enforcement actions and potential lawsuits by the state attorney general to halt their operations within the state—a decisive measure to protect Texas sovereignty and security from radical Islamist influences long identified by federal investigations and court records as threats to the constitutional order.
Sources: Office of the Governor of Texas, The Epoch Times
DON’T MISS THIS WEEK’S FEATURED COMMENTARY:
Is The Far-Left Attempting A Slow-Burning
Color Revolution In The United States?
“In the dim corridors of American democracy, where the fluorescent hum of complacency once drowned out the whispers of subversion, a crimson specter now stirs. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), that self-anointed vanguard of “progress,” gleefully tout their latest electoral conquests as harbingers of a benevolent new dawn. Zohran Mamdani’s seismic victory in New York City, part of a coast-to-coast socialist surge that netted DSA-endorsed candidates a staggering 12 wins in the 2025 cycle—four in New York alone—has the far-Left champagne corks popping…”
Read and listen to more at UndergroundUSA.com
Record DEA Storage Seizure in Colorado Tied Directly to Sinaloa Cartel Operations
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Field Division announced the November 17th, seizure of approximately 1.7 million counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills, 12 kilograms of fentanyl powder with the potential to produce millions more deadly doses, and additional methamphetamine from an abandoned Highlands Ranch, Colorado, storage unit discovered by a citizen purchaser at auction who immediately alerted authorities; this stash, representing Colorado’s largest single fentanyl pill seizure and the nation’s sixth-largest, belonged to a suspected trafficker arrested by the DEA in April and is explicitly linked to an ongoing multi-state federal investigation targeting the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico’s most prolific drug trafficking organizations responsible for manufacturing and smuggling massive quantities of fentanyl across the porous southern border into American communities, as confirmed by DEA Special Agent in Charge David Olesky and Colorado Bureau of Investigation officials who noted the drugs trace back to a Sinaloa-linked network identified earlier in 2025 through wiretap operations.
Sources: US Drug Enforcement Agency, The Rocky Mountain Voice
Trump Administration Advances Secret 28-Point Ukraine Peace Framework with Moscow
The Trump administration is quietly collaborating directly with Russian officials on a detailed 28-point roadmap to terminate the protracted conflict in Ukraine, drawing lessons from the president’s successful Gaza ceasefire model and prioritizing rapid diplomatic resolution over endless military escalation that has drained American resources and claimed countless lives. This framework, structured around four core pillars—achieving peace within Ukraine, establishing verifiable security guarantees, addressing legitimate European security arrangements, and resetting sustainable U.S. relations with both Russia and Ukraine—is being drafted through intensive back-channel discussions led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev, with Kremlin sources expressing rare optimism that Moscow’s longstanding concerns are finally being taken seriously for the first time since the war’s outset. As Pentagon representatives brief Kyiv on elements of the emerging plan and President Trump reiterates the urgent need to halt the bloodshed through demonstrated flexibility on all sides, this initiative underscores a pragmatic America First approach aimed at ending a foreign entanglement that has yielded no strategic victory while restoring stability to a war-weary continent.
Sources: ZeroHedge, The Telegraph
America Emerges as Primary Borrower from Beijing’s Massive Overseas Lending Empire
A comprehensive new report from AidData at William & Mary documents that from 2000 to 2023, Chinese state-controlled banks and entities extended over $2.2 trillion in loans and grants worldwide, making China the planet’s largest official creditor with a portfolio two to four times greater than prior estimates, while the United States received more than $200 billion across nearly 2,500 projects spanning critical infrastructure such as liquefied natural gas facilities in Texas and Louisiana, data centers in Virginia, airport terminals in New York and Los Angeles, major pipelines, and credit lines to Fortune 500 firms including Amazon, Tesla, General Motors, Ford, Boeing, and Disney, even as Beijing increasingly directs three-quarters of its financing toward high-income nations for strategic assets in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, clean energy, and critical minerals rather than the developing world once central to the Belt and Road Initiative, where lending has plummeted from 88 percent in 2000 to just 12 percent today.
Poland Expels Russia from Final Consulate Amid Escalating Hybrid Warfare Threats
In a firm assertion of national sovereignty against persistent foreign aggression, Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski announced the immediate withdrawal of consent for Russia’s last remaining consulate in Gdańsk, reducing Moscow’s diplomatic footprint to only its Warsaw embassy following a brazen act of sabotage on a critical railway line linking the capital to the Ukrainian border; this measured response comes after Polish authorities identified two Ukrainian nationals, long-term collaborators with Russian intelligence services, as perpetrators of an explosion intended to derail trains and cause casualties—characterized by Sikorski as state terrorism—and separate damage to power infrastructure, part of a documented pattern of hybrid attacks including prior arson incidents that prompted closures of Russian consulates in Kraków and Poznań, underscoring Warsaw’s repeated warnings that continued hostile actions from the Kremlin would yield further reductions in diplomatic privileges while preserving essential ties to counter broader security risks to NATO’s eastern flank.
Sources: AP News, The Washington Post
Cuba’s Persistent Energy Collapse Fueled by Ally Oil Shortfalls
Cuba’s communist regime continues to grapple with crippling nationwide power blackouts that now stretch nine hours or more daily even in Havana, as documented shipping data reveal a 35 percent plunge in crude and fuel imports during the first ten months of 2025 compared to the prior year, dropping to just 45,400 barrels per day from traditional suppliers Venezuela and Mexico whose own production constraints and domestic priorities have slashed deliveries—Venezuelan supplies down nearly 15 percent to 27,400 bpd with critical fuel oil for electricity generation hit hardest, while Mexican shipments cratered 73 percent to a mere 5,000 bpd—leaving nearly a third of the island’s generating capacity offline for lack of fuel and lubricants amid aging infrastructure unable to compensate, forcing citizens into exhaustion from darkness that hampers work, study, and basic meals while the government points to external factors rather than decades of centralized economic mismanagement that have rendered the nation dependent on subsidized foreign oil it can no longer secure reliably.
Sources: The Straits Times, Reuters
Hundreds of Parents Demand Investigation into BBC’s Persistent Promotion of Transgender Ideology to Children
Hundreds of parents from the Bayswater Support Group, representing families with gender-questioning children, have formally complained to broadcasting regulator Ofcom accusing the BBC of delivering a relentless, one-sided stream of pro-transgender content aimed at young audiences, in violation of impartiality requirements and basic safeguarding principles; the complaint, backed by dozens of documented examples including uncritical portrayals of chest-binding despite its documented risks of breathing difficulties, back pain, spinal changes, and broken ribs, hostile treatment of skeptical voices, and episodes like a 2013 Waterloo Road storyline depicting a transgender teen cutting off a dementia-suffering grandmother over “deadnaming,” was spurred by a leaked memo from former BBC editorial adviser Michael Prescott revealing internal censorship by a specialist LGBTQ desk that systematically blocked stories challenging transgender activism while flooding output with celebratory features lacking balance or acknowledgment of transition regrets and associated harms.
Sources: The Daily Mail, The Washington Examiner