Topic of the Week
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How it Works
- We select a topic each week and post links to varying reporting on it
- You can find the links here on Mondays and rate the content yourself
- Our team rates it too, and we post our scores here on Wednesdays
- Compare and discuss!
Check back on Wednesday to see our analysts’ scores and compare them with your own!
Trump Names Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence
- Week of June 7, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| WLT Report– President Trump’s New Intel Pick Has One Big Assignment | 20.67 | 4.67 |
| Washington Examiner– Sen. James Lankford joins bipartisan lawmakers against DNI pick Bill Pulte | -1.67 | 43.67 |
| NewsNation (website)– Who is Bill Pulte, Trump’s replacement for Tulsi Gabbard? | 5.33 | 36.67 |
| PBS News Hour– What to know about Trump’s controversial pick of Bill Pulte for acting spy chief | -4.00 | 44.67 |
| CBS: Face the Nation– Rep. Jim Himes says Bill Pulte as intel chief is Trump’s “worst and most dangerous” appointment | -9.33 | 38.33 |
| USA Today– Bill Pulte as DNI? Another unqualified Trump toady ascends. | Opinion | -13.67 | 26.67 |
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Trump Names Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence
- Week of June 7, 2026
PBS NewsHour: What to know about Trump’s controversial pick of Bill Pulte for acting spy chief
https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/who-is-bill-pulte/
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/4598390/james-lankford-trump-dni-bill-pulte/
https://wltreport.com/2026/06/06/president-trumps-new-intel-pick-has-one-big-assignment/
Judge Rules Trump Cannot Rename Kennedy Center
- Week of May 31, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Fox News (website)– Federal judge orders Trump’s name removed from Kennedy Center, says only Congress can rename it | 6.67 | 42.00 |
| Daily Caller– Judge Married To Joe Biden’s Personal Attorney Says Trump Can’t Put His Name On Kennedy Center | 16.67 | 32.67 |
| Lisa Remillard (YouTube)– Trump Lost the Kennedy Center Fight — and He Is Not Taking It Well | -6.00 | 37.67 |
| Legal AF (YouTube)– FURIOUS Judge RIPS Trump’s NAME OFF Kennedy Center!!! | -14.00 | 34.67 |
| Wonkette– New Kennedy Center Guy Cries ‘Irreparable Harm’ Will Ensue If Trump’s Name Is Removed | -16.67 | 27.00 |
| Fortune– After judge orders Trump’s name scrubbed from Kennedy Center, president says it’s ‘probably never to open again’ | -6.67 | 40.00 |
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DOJ Establishes a $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund"
- Week of May 24, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| CBC: About That with Andrew Chang– Trump’s new $1.776B ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ is a wild ride | About That | -5.33 | 40.67 |
| National Review– Trump’s ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Slush Fund Is an Abuse of Power, Not a Crime | 9.33 | 33.00 |
| Politico– DOJ rolls out nearly $1.8B ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ as part of Trump’s IRS settlement | -3.67 | 44.67 |
| Forbes– Trump Drops IRS Suit—As DOJ Announces New $1.776 Billion Fund | -8.33 | 13.00 |
| HuffPost– Trump Gets $1.8 Billion ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ After Dropping IRS Suit | -12.00 | 36.67 |
| Aaron Parnas (YouTube)– BREAKING: Republicans TURN ON Trump as Weaponization Slush Fund in MAJOR Trouble | -11.67 | 30.67 |
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President Trump Travels to China
- Week of May 17, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Fox Business: The Big Money Show– Trump STUNS Beijing with BLUNT warning | 15.33 | 34.67 |
| The Washington Free Beacon– Trump Keeps His Friends Close, But China Closer | 12.67 | 36.33 |
| Reuters– The delicate choreography of the Trump-Xi state dinner | 0.00 | 42.67 |
| NPR (website)– China’s leader warns Trump that differences over Taiwan could lead to a clash | -1.33 | 45.33 |
| Salon– Donald Trump wants to make China great again | -21.33 | 23.33 |
| Really American (YouTube)– Trump & MAGA HUMILIATED After China Greets Him With NASTY SURPRISE | -28.67 | 11.67 |
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Virginia Supreme Court Strikes Down the Results of Democrats' Redistricting Referendum
- Week of May 10, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Fox News: Fox and Friends Weekend– ‘COMMON SENSE’: VA Supreme Court PRAISED for blocking Dems’ redistricting efforts | 18.00 | 34.00 |
| The Federalist– Virginia’s Pro-Gerrymander Dems Argued Election Is Single Day After Forcing 45-Day Vote | 18.00 | 29.33 |
| The Hill– Virginia redistricting ruling deals blow to Democrats’ midterm hopes | -9.00 | 38.67 |
| CNBC (website)– Virginia Supreme Court strikes down redistricting push in blow to Democrats | -5.33 | 42.33 |
| Mother Jones– Republicans Don’t Need to Win Elections Anymore. They Just Need Their Judges. | -17.67 | 27.00 |
| Pondering Politics (YouTube)– BREAKING: Bad news, but you need to hear it… | -19.33 | 23.67 |
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Supreme Court Strikes Down Louisiana Congressional Map
- Week of May 3, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| MattMorseTV (YouTube)– This is BIGGER than ANYONE EXPECTED… | 19.33 | 16.67 |
| Western Journal– Why The Supreme Court’s Landmark Elections Decision Is a ‘Game Changer’ for the Midterms and Beyond | 16.67 | 30.33 |
| AP | Associated Press– Louisiana congressional primaries are suspended as a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling | -3.33 | 42.67 |
| NBC News (website)– Supreme Court sharply limits use of race in redistricting in a win for Republicans | -8.00 | 41.33 |
| MS NOW | MSNBC (website)– The best response to the Supreme Court’s Callais ruling: proportional representation | -17.00 | 29.33 |
| ABC: The View– Supreme Court Limits Voting Rights Act in Historic Decision | The View | -16.00 | 27.67 |
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Shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner
- Week of April 26, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Breitbart– Actress Mia Farrow Suggests Trump May Have Staged WHCD Shooting to ‘Raise His Approval Ratings’ | 16.67 | 28.33 |
| Townhall– The Left Were Absolute Psychopaths Following the Attack on the WHCA Dinner | 20.33 | 19.67 |
| Politico– Key question: How did armed man get so close to Trump WHCD event? | -0.67 | 47.67 |
| CBS: 60 Minutes– Trump on White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting | 3.67 | 37.00 |
| The Guardian– Washington in shock after White House press dinner shooting: ‘an angry, polarized nation’ | -14.00 | 32.00 |
| Jack Cocchiarella (YouTube)– Was This Shooting Fake? | -27.67 | 9.67 |
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The Rising Influence of Hasan Piker on the Democratic Party
- Week of April 19, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Brad vs Everyone– Leftist star Hasan Piker is (somehow) getting WORSE. | 15.00 | 29.67 |
| New York Post– Hasan Piker proves it: Nothing is too far left for today’s Democrats | 18.67 | 24.33 |
| Fox News (website)– Far-left streamer Hasan Piker warns ‘American empire’ will inevitably fall, likely in violent fashion | 13.67 | 37.00 |
| Semafor– The fizzling of Piker-gate shows cancel culture may be over for campaigns | -9.33 | 36.67 |
| The Bulwark– Why Democrats Should Shun Hasan Piker | 1.00 | 36.67 |
| The Kyle Kulinski Show– COMPLETE & TOTAL HASAN VICTORY | The Kyle Kulinski Show | -35.67 | 14.33 |
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Trump's Social Media Posts Trigger Calls to Invoke the 25th Amendment
- Week of April 12, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| CNN: Smerconish– Trump’s Truth Social Posts Weren’t Meant For You | 6.67 | 35.00 |
| The New American– Trump: Iranian Civilization to Be Obliterated Tonight. Calls for 25th Amendment Removal Continue | 14.33 | 26.33 |
| Reuters– Explainer: Why are people talking about the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution? | -2.33 | 41.33 |
| Spectrum News– Democrats call for Trump’s removal over Iran | -2.67 | 43.00 |
| Salon– Democrats, Marjorie Taylor Greene call for Trump’s removal from office following Iran threat | -10.33 | 34.33 |
| MS NOW: The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (MSNBC)– Lawrence: Trump’s profane and perverse Iran social media post is why the 25th Amendment was written | -15.33 | 25.00 |
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Pam Bondi Fired as Attorney General
- Week of April 5, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| The Officer Tatum (YouTube) – Brandon Tatum– Pam Bondi’s Termination IS WORSE Than You Think! | 13.67 | 26.67 |
| The Federalist– Trump Needs A ‘Vicious Operator’ To Bring Justice Back To The Justice Department | 19.00 | 28.00 |
| NPR (website)– Attorney General Pam Bondi out at DOJ | -9.00 | 35.33 |
| AP | Associated Press– Pam Bondi, a Trump loyalist who oversaw Justice Department upheaval, is out as his attorney general | -12.00 | 33.67 |
| Brian Tyler Cohen (YouTube)– BREAKING: Pam Bondi gets news on DISBARMENT | -16.67 | 25.67 |
| Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance– Pam Bondi Always Knew This Day Was Coming | -13.00 | 30.33 |
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DHS Funding Fight Continues
- Week of March 29, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| The Geller Report– ‘WE’RE NOT ACCEPTING THAT GARBAGE FROM THE SENATE”: House Passes Spending Bill That Funds DHS, EXCLUDING ICE and CBP | 22.00 | 14.67 |
| The Daily Signal– Shutdown Drags On: House Votes to Fully Fund DHS After ‘Inappropriate’ Senate Deal | 18.00 | 32.67 |
| NewsNation (website)– House approves DHS bill as shutdown stalemate continues | 9.67 | 36.33 |
| ABC 7 Los Angeles KABC (YouTube)– House advances DHS funding bill after Trump signs TSA pay order | 1.00 | 42.00 |
| Lisa Remillard (YouTube)– House Speaker Has a New Plan to End the Shutdown. Here’s the Catch. | -1.67 | 39.00 |
| Salon– House says “No deal!” as long lines at TSA continue to grow | -9.33 | 33.00 |
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Joe Kent, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Resigns Over the Iran War
- Week of March 22, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| The Tucker Carlson Show– Trump’s Former Counterterrorism Director Finally Confirms What We’ve All Been Thinking… | 24.00 | 32.00 |
| Blaze Media– FBI investigating Joe Kent, ex-intel official who resigned over Iran strikes: Report | 7.00 | 41.00 |
| NBC News (website)– FBI conducting leak investigation into former Trump official who resigned over Iran war | -2.67 | 39.67 |
| Daily Kos– Trump Extremist Joe Kent | -21.33 | 17.67 |
| US News and World Report– What to Know About the Resignation of Joe Kent as Trump’s Counterterrorism Chief | -10.33 | 38.33 |
| TYT: The Young Turks with Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian– Glenn Greenwald On Joe Kent’s STUNNING Resignation | -26.33 | 20.00 |
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Preliminary Assessment: U.S. is Responsible for Bombing of Iranian School
- Week of March 15, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Anthony Brian Logan (YouTube)– The USA BOMBED An Iranian Elementary School with A Tomahawk Missile? | 17.00 | 21.67 |
| PJ Media– The Media Is Taking Iran’s Word on the School Strike | 23.33 | 18.67 |
| British Broadcasting Corporation– Questions mount for Hegseth over possible US involvement in strike on Iranian school | 0.00 | 45.00 |
| CBS News (website)– United States was “likely” responsible for bombing of girls’ school in Iran, per early U.S. assessment | 0.00 | 44.67 |
| Common Dreams– Preliminary Pentagon Findings Betray Trump’s Outrageous Lies About Iranian School Massacre | -18.67 | 28.00 |
| MS NOW: The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (MSNBC)– Lawrence: Trump’s lie about Iran school bombing disgraces the American presidency | -14.67 | 27.33 |
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Talarico Beats Crockett, Cornyn and Paxton Head to Runoff After Texas Senate Primary
- Week of March 8, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| LV NATION (YouTube)– Dems HUMILIATED as RADICAL Socialist LOSES BIG as Republicans Dominate Texas Voting Turnout | 18.00 | 24.33 |
| New York Post– Democrat James Talarico’s weird ‘white skin’ social media post earns the GOP’s wrath: ‘He is toast’ | 14.00 | 32.67 |
| NBC News (website)– James Talarico wins Texas Democratic Senate primary as GOP contest goes to a runoff | 0.00 | 48.00 |
| AP | Associated Press– Talarico wins Texas Senate Democratic nomination while Cornyn and Paxton head to Republican runoff | -5.33 | 43.00 |
| Politico– Dems aren’t sure whether to actually spend big to flip Texas | -4.33 | 44.33 |
| Keith Edwards (YouTube)– TEXAS SHOCKS THE NATION! | -20.67 | 26.00 |
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US and Israeli militaries take decisive military action against Iran
- Week of March 1, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| LV NATION (YouTube)– Dems HUMILIATED as MILLIONS of Iranians REVOLT & Side With Trump!!! | 20.67 | 18.00 |
| RedState– The Malignant Tumor Is Gone: America and Israel Just Gave Iran Back to the Iranian People | 20.33 | 19.00 |
| Reuters– US announces its first casualties in Iran war; poll signals challenge for Trump | 0.00 | 45.67 |
| NPR (website)– 3 American troops killed, and Trump says more ‘likely,’ in war against Iran | -1.33 | 47.00 |
| Salon– Trump’s war on Iran: America’s shame, and the world’s failure | -23.33 | 23.00 |
| Brian Tyler Cohen (YouTube)– BOMBSHELL reason for Trump’s Iran attack SURGES into news | -13.67 | 29.67 |
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James Talarico Visits The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- Week of February 22, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| After Party with Emily Jashinsky– What Colbert’s LIES About the FCC and His James Talarico Interview Really Expose, w/ Ana Kasparian | 5.00 | 30.33 |
| Townhall– CBS Exposes James Talarico’s Lie Just As Early Voting Begins | 19.67 | 20.67 |
| The Hill– Colbert dismisses CBS statement on Talarico interview: ‘I’m just so surprised’ | -4.00 | 41.33 |
| NBC News (website)– Stephen Colbert says CBS didn’t air interview out of fear of FCC | -8.33 | 42.67 |
| Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance– Stephen Colbert and the First Amendment | -17.33 | 27.00 |
| Jack Cocchiarella (YouTube)– Trump Tries To Hide Colbert Clip … It Comes Out And Ends His Plan | -23.00 | 8.67 |
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AG Bondi Testifies Before the House on the Epstein Files
- Week of February 15, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| PBD Podcast – Patrick Bet-David– “Bondi Is Part Of The Coverup” – Alex Jones TORCHES Pam Bondi Over Epstein Files Hearing | 28.00 | 6.33 |
| Daily Wire– Pam Bondi Scraps With ‘Washed Up Loser Lawyer’ Raskin, Other Dems During Heated House Hearing | 13.33 | 34.00 |
| Newsweek– Pam Bondi Faces Impeachment Calls After Combative Hearing | -14.67 | 34.00 |
| AP | Associated Press– Bondi clashes with Democrats as she struggles to turn the page on Epstein files furor | -5.67 | 43.33 |
| Salon– Pam Bondi is leaving her Democratic successor a mess | -17.33 | 27.00 |
| Pondering Politics (YouTube)– Pam Bondi NEAR TEARS when MOCKED TO HER FACE | -24.33 | 19.67 |
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Trump Posts and Later Deletes Meme Depicting Obamas As Apes
- Week of February 8, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| American Thinker– Not to worry—Trump did not post a racist video about the Obamas | 21.00 | 10.67 |
| PJ Media– The Truth About the ‘Racist’ Video Trump Posted That the Left Doesn’t Want You to Know | 22.00 | 12.33 |
| ABC News (website)– ‘Indefensible’: Black Trump allies grapple with fallout from racist video of Obamas | -1.33 | 43.33 |
| NewsNation: Cuomo– Trump video depicting Obamas as apes: Chris Cuomo, Katie Pavlich debate | CUOMO | -6.33 | 13.33 |
| The Guardian– Trump posted something blatantly racist? What a surprise | Arwa Mahdawi | -17.33 | 25.33 |
| MS NOW: All In with Chris Hayes (MSNBC)– ‘To his bones a racist’: Hayes says Trump ‘taking the mask off’ with Obama video | -16.67 | 24.00 |
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Alex Pretti's Previous Encounter with Federal Agents
- Week of February 1, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| PBD Podcast – Patrick Bet-David– “Paid To Push ICE Agents” – Alex Pretti Video SHATTERS ICE Shooting Narrative | 5.67 | 29.67 |
| Article 2: American Greatness– New Video of Slain Anti-ICE Activist Alex Petti Contradicts Narrative of ‘Peaceful Protester’ | 15.33 | 21.33 |
| CBS News (website)– Video shows Alex Pretti in scuffle with federal agents 11 days before his death | -7.33 | 44.67 |
| New York Post– Alex Pretti appears to spit at ICE, kick out taillight in previous Minneapolis confrontation before he was shot by Border Patrol | 6.33 | 44.00 |
| Wonkette– Alex Pretti Kicked A Car. That’s A Shootin’! | -26.67 | 16.33 |
| ABC: The View– Video Appears To Show Previous Alex Pretti Clash | The View | -17.67 | 26.67 |
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Jack Smith Testifies before the House
- Week of January 25, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| DeVory Darkins (YouTube)– Congress HUMILIATES Jack Smith on LIVE TV with shocking rebuke as fight breaks out | 20.00 | 22.67 |
| Blaze Media– ‘Flagrant violation’: GOP lawmaker grills Jack Smith for ‘spying’ on former House speaker | 17.00 | 22.67 |
| CNN (website)– Takeaways from special counsel Jack Smith’s public hearing | -3.67 | 45.33 |
| AP | Associated Press– Takeaways from Jack Smith on his case against Trump, ‘so many witnesses’ and the threats ahead | -4.67 | 47.33 |
| Salon– Jack Smith lays it out: Trump has shattered the rule of law | -18.33 | 26.00 |
| MS NOW: Special Coverage (MSNBC)– ‘TRUMP BELONGS IN PRISON’: Maddow and MS NOW colleagues share reactions to Jack Smith testimony | -20.00 | 25.33 |
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Iran and the U.S.
- Week of January 18, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Fox News: Fox and Friends Weekend– ‘IT’S TIME!’: Trump URGES for new leadership in Iran | 9.67 | 29.67 |
| American Greatness– The Fog of Prewar in Iran | 23.33 | 16.67 |
| New York Post– Iran threatens to resume executions, warns of ‘all out war’ if US steps in during brutal crackdown | 5.00 | 40.67 |
| NBC News (website)– Protests in Iran appear to have slowed as Khamenei claims Trump personally ‘encouraged’ unrest | 0.00 | 44.67 |
| The Jimmy Dore Show– The REAL REASON Trump Called Off Iran Bombing Explained By Steve Bannon! w/ Max Blumenthal | -23.67 | 25.67 |
| Foreign Affairs– Iran and the Limits of American Power | -8.00 | 44.33 |
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ICE Officer Fatally Shoots Woman in Minnesota
- Week of January 11, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| The Megyn Kelly Show– Megyn Kelly Breaks Down What the Minnesota ICE Shooting Videos REALLY Show and Reveals NEW Info | 20.00 | 21.00 |
| SGT Report – Sean Turnbull– We’re in a Slow-Rolling Civil War, President Trump Needs to Recognize It | 23.00 | 12.33 |
| NPR (website)– Frictions over investigations emerge after ICE agent fatally shoots Minneapolis woman | -2.00 | 45.00 |
| ABC News (website)– Minneapolis ICE shooting: A minute-by-minute timeline of how Renee Nicole Good died | -6.67 | 48.33 |
| HuffPost– Kristi Noem Falsely Claims ICE Agent Was ‘Ran Into’ Before Deadly Shooting In Minneapolis | -12.67 | 24.67 |
| Brian Tyler Cohen (YouTube)– Prosecutor issues MUST-SEE response to ICE shooting in Minneapolis | -15.00 | 32.67 |
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US captures Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
- Week of January 4, 2026
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Ben Shapiro (YouTube)– Ben Reacts: The U.S. Takes Down Maduro | 18.00 | 30.67 |
| Fox News (website)– DAVID MARCUS: Trump restores America as the world’s sole superpower | 21.33 | 21.67 |
| CBS News (website)– Trump says the U.S. will “run” Venezuela for now. What do we know about the plans? | 5.00 | 42.33 |
| AP | Associated Press– How the US captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro | -0.67 | 44.67 |
| Mother Jones– The Lie of “Self-Financing” Oil Wars | -13.33 | 33.33 |
| Legal AF (YouTube)– Trump INVADES Venezuela over OIL?!?! Maduro Indictment RELEASED… | -11.67 | 31.33 |
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Safety (with original Pneuma html)
- Week of August 29, 2022
