Aug 1 2025

Senator Mike Lee: “We Must Fight To Get These Confirmations And Deliver On The Mandate Given By The American People.”

Posted originally on Rumble By Bannon’s War Room on: July 31, 2025

Aug 1 2025

Andrew Kolvet – Turning Point USA: Faith, Activism and the Youth Vote

Posted originally on Rumble By Bannon’s War Room on: July 31, 2025

Aug 1 2025

IRS Shed 26K Workers in June

Posted originally on Aug 1, 2025 by Martin Armstrong

Joe Biden’s proposed IRS army has been dismantled. An astounding $80 billion was granted to the IRS under the Inflation Reduction Act to militarize the tax agency against US citizens who are expected to pay for government mismanagement. The Inflation Reduction Act had hidden provisions to hire tens of thousands of new agents, but the trend has officially reversed.

There were around 102,100 IRS employees when President Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025. During his first six months, the agency declined to 75,700 employees, or a 26% reduction. June 2025 saw a steep decrease of 26,400 workers, as many stayed on through the most recent tax season. Layoffs continued in July, although the exact count has not been published at the time of this writing.

The Oxford Academic published a study in February 2025 that found that the IRS generates $12 in revenue for every dollar it spends on auditing households earning above the 90^th percentile. Audits of below-median-income taxpayers yielded $5 in revenue, and this is the demographic most likely to be hunted by the IRS as easy prey. They do not have the same resources and outlets to maximize tax benefits, and study after study has shown that middle America feels the brunt of the tax burden. On average, the study found, $1 spent on audits in general initially raises $2.17 in revenue.

Did people actually believe that the IRS needed 87,000 new employees to target the 600+ billionaires living in America? There is no loose change in taxes, the higher you go up in income. Yet, some politicians believe that the economy will suffer due to the reduction in the tax police.

The US government slashed its IRS annual budget by nearly 20% or $2.5 billion from $12.3 billion for FY2025 to $9.8 billion for FY2026. America has not seen faster or larger budget cuts to the tax authority in modern history. The IRS may be collecting less revenue BUT the people are NOT the problem. The government continues to spend in perpetuity with no end in sight, budgets are a mirage for the public. For you see, the government could NEVER collect enough in tax revenue to cover its spending—plain and simple. Reducing government spending in general is a small step in the right direction.

Aug 1 2025

Inflation Outpacing Wages for 40% of Americans

Posted originally on Aug 1, 2025 by Martin Armstrong |

Wages in America have been unable to keep up with inflation. A new report by the Atlanta Fed found that 40% of America’s workforce now earns less than the inflation-adjusted cost of living, which is primarily affecting the lowest earners. Wages outpace inflation in thriving economic conditions, but we are amid a wave of stagflation.

The Wage Tracker data found that 57% of the US workforce experienced pay increases that did outpace the cost of living, but the remaining 43% are facing a decline or stagnation in lifestyle. Nominal wage growth was 3.4% from June 2024 to June 2025 while inflation was 2.7% for that same period, meaning that pay has outpaced inflation by a mere 0.7 percentage points. Last month, the three-month average annual growth in the Atlanta Fed Tracker was 4.2% or 1.5 percentage points above CPI. Real wage growth adjusted for inflation was around 0.7%, adding about $9 per week extra for the average American.

Low and middle-income households reported feeling the brunt of the price increase, with 76% of lower and moderate-income respondents declaring that their financial well-being is in jeopardy as the essentials are rising rapidly in comparison to pay.

Electrical engineers saw the highest increase in wages with a 6.3% rise, followed by legal and marketing with an increase of 5.1%, and project management at 4.6%. Physicians and surgeons saw the highest increases amid COVID, but that pay growth trend has not continued as they are earning only 0.8% more this year on average. Driving (1%), software development (1.4%), and logistic support (1.7%) were among the slowest growing categories. Naturally, many of these professionals were already earning a living that outpaced any inflationary gains.

Wages were outpacing inflation as of early 2024, a stark turnaround from the historically high inflation felt in 2022. It is of no surprise that over half (52%) of Americans reported that they believe their income is not rising to meet inflation, with only 11% of respondents feeling that their wages are surpassing inflation. Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress Study also found that 51% of US adults believe inflation will continue to rise in 2025. In comparison, only 25% believe prices will come down, while 24% believe it will stagnate.

Again, 57% of the workforce is experiencing a rise in pay that has outpaced inflation. The problem here is that low-wage earners lack the ability to increase their value at their place of employment. Companies are routinely outsourcing these roles to third-party nations like India where lower wages are sufficient to meet the cost of living. This risks an increase in the welfare state that ends up trickling down to the taxpayers.

Aug 1 2025

President Donald Trump Signs Executive Order Reinstating the Presidential Fitness Exam – With Press Questions

Posted originally on CTH on July 31, 2025 | Sundance

President Donald Trump signed an executive order today reinstating the Presidential Fitness Exam. After the remarks with the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, and executive order signing, President Trump took questions from the press pool. WATCH:

Aug 1 2025

President Trump Announces 50 Percent Copper Tariff and Restart of de Minimis Tariffs

Posted originally on CTH on July 31, 2025 | Sundance

In a series of announcements, the Trump administration has retriggered the suspension of the de minimis exemption which will begin tariffs on imported small shipment foreign goods globally and from Canada, Mexico, China and Hong Kong specifically. {SEE HERE}

The suspension of the de minimis exemption means direct to consumer product shipments valued under $800 will again be subject to tariffs.

Additionally, President Trump has triggered a 50% tariff on imported copper except for those nations who have a free trade agreement in place for their copper component goods. {SEE HERE}

WHITE HOUSE – STRENGTHENING AMERICA’S COPPER INDUSTRY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation to address the effects of copper imports on America’s national security, including by imposing tariffs on several categories of copper imports.

The Proclamation imposes universal 50% tariffs on imports of semi-finished copper products (such as copper pipes, wires, rods, sheets, and tubes) and copper-intensive derivative products (such as pipe fittings, cables, connectors, and electrical components), effective August 1.

The copper 232 tariffs apply to the copper content of a product; non-copper content of a product remains subject to reciprocal tariffs or other applicable duties. These tariffs do not stack.
The copper 232 tariffs do not stack with auto 232 tariffs. If a product is subject to auto 232 tariffs, then the auto 232 tariffs apply, not the copper 232 tariffs.

- Copper input materials (such as copper ores, concentrates, mattes, cathodes, and anodes) and copper scrap are not subject to 232 or reciprocal tariffs.
The Proclamation directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a product “inclusion” process to add copper derivative products to these tariffs.
The President is also authorizing the Secretary of Commerce to take steps under the Defense Production Act to support the domestic copper industry, including:
- Requiring 25% of high-quality copper scrap produced in the United States to be sold in the United States. This will improve access to this important feedstock for domestic fabricators and secondary refiners.
  - Commerce also recommended an export licensing requirement for high-quality copper scrap to ensure adequate domestic supply.
- Requiring 25% of copper input materials (such as copper ores, concentrates, mattes, cathodes, and anodes) produced in the United States to be sold in the United States – starting at 25% in 2027, increasing to 30% in 2028 and 40% in 2029. This will boost U.S. refining capacity by ensuring low-cost inputs while domestic refiners grow their operations.
By taking these actions, President Trump is leveling the playing field for U.S. copper businesses to support a strong domestic copper industry.

ADDRESSING THE EFFECTS OF COPPER IMPORTS: The Proclamation follows the Secretary of Commerce’s completion of a Section 232 investigation under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended.

President Trump directed the initiation of the Section 232 investigation through Executive Order 14220 of February 25, 2025, “Addressing the Threat to National Security from Imports of Copper.” The investigation found that:
- Copper is essential to the manufacturing foundation on which U.S. national and economic security depend. Copper is a necessary input in a range of defense systems, including aircraft, ground vehicles, ships, submarines, missiles, and ammunition. It is the Department of Defense’s second-most used material, and it plays a central role in the broader U.S. industrial base.
- Foreign competitors’ predatory practices and excessive environmental regulations have undercut the American copper industry and domestic investment in smelting, refining, and fabrication facilities.
- The U.S. now has a massive trade deficit in, and an unsustainable dependence on, many foreign copper products.

REVITALIZING DOMESTIC INDUSTRY AND REDUCING TRADE IMBALANCES: This Proclamation builds on previous actions taken by the Trump Administration to ensure U.S. trade and industrial policies serve the national interest.

On Day One, President Trump established his America First Trade Policy to make America’s economy great again.
President Trump signed Proclamations to close existing loopholes and exemptions and elevate tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50%.
President Trump implemented a 10% additional tariff on imports from China in response to China’s role in the border crisis.
President Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs to take back America’s economic sovereignty and address nonreciprocal trade relationships that threaten our economic and national security.
President Trump has issued several Executive Orders and Presidential Memoranda to boost mining, manufacturing, and investment in domestic industry, including by reducing regulations and eliminating bureaucracy.
President Trump signed a Memorandum to safeguard American innovation, including the consideration of tariffs to combat digital service taxes, fines, practices, and policies that foreign governments levy on American companies.
President Trump has initiated several other Section 232 investigations in addition to the one on which he is taking action today.