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PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Governor of Massachusetts Maura Healey (D) posted photos with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) diplomat Chen Li, expressing gratitude for the meeting.
👥 Who’s Involved: Gov. Maura Healey, Chinese Consul General Chen Li, and former Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao.
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📍 Where & When: Massachusetts State House, Wednesday evening, May 7, 2025.
💬 Key Quote: “Grateful for the opportunity to discuss future collaboration!” Gov. Maura Healey wrote regarding her meeting with the CCP official.
⚠️ Impact: Concerns over Chinese influence in the U.S., especially among Democratic politicians.
IN FULL:
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey (D) recently hosted Chinese Consul General Chen Li at the State House, sharing the occasion with a series of photos and remarks on social media. The Democratic governor expressed her appreciation for the meeting, emphasizing the importance of Massachusetts’ economic ties with China. The meeting also included Yvonne Hao, the former Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development, who continues to advise the Healey administration.
“Massachusetts is home to a vibrant Chinese-American community, and China is one of our largest trading partners,” Gov. Healey wrote in a post on X. She added: “Glad to welcome Ambassador H.E. Chen Li of the People’s Republic to China to the State House, and grateful for the opportunity to discuss future collaboration!”
Governor Healey highlighted the state’s significant trade relations with China, its third-largest trading partner, with over $7.2 billion in goods exchanged in 2024. She noted the state’s imports from China include toys, apparel, and sports equipment, while exports to China comprise industrial machinery and medical devices.
Chen Li, whose jurisdiction as consul general spans nearly a dozen states, has been known for echoing Chinese Communist Party (CCP) narratives, particularly in denying allegations of genocide against Uyghurs. He expressed his pleasure at the meeting with the Democrat governor.
The meeting has raised eyebrows, given the history of Chinese diplomats engaging with U.S. politicians and institutions. Chen’s predecessor, Huang Ping, was involved in an indictment related to violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), visa fraud, and other charges.
Notably, The National Pulse has previously reported that another major Massachusetts political figure, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, received significant campaign contributions from a CCP-linked cultural association. Even more troubling, the head of the Chinese cultural group has demonstrable ties to the United Front Work Department (UFWD), an internal intelligence and propaganda organ within the CCP.
PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Transgenders in the U.S. military are being given between 30 and 60 days to self-separate after the Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to enforce a ban on their service.
👥 Who’s Involved: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, approximately 1,000 transgender service members, and the Supreme Court.
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📍 Where & When: U.S. military, with deadlines for self-separation being set by June 6 for active duty and July 7 for reservists, according to a Department of Defense (DOD) memo published on Thursday, May 9, 2025.
💬 Key Quote: “After a SCOTUS victory for [President Trump], TRANS is out at the DOD,” Hegseth announced on X (formerly Twitter).
⚠️ Impact: The ruling affects military readiness policies and a broader effort to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion policies at the Department of Defense (DOD).
IN FULL:
The Department of Defense (DOD) has initiated a timeline for transgender service members to voluntarily separate from the military following a Supreme Court order clearing the way for a ban on their service in the U.S. military. A recent memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlines that approximately 1,000 service members who have identified as having gender dysphoria must begin the process of self-separation. Active duty members are required to exit by June 6, with reservists having until July 7 to comply.
This development follows the Supreme Court’s decision to stay a lower court ruling, effectively allowing the Trump administration’s ban on transgender troops to proceed. The administration argues that this policy is essential for maintaining military readiness, unit cohesion, and avoiding the disproportionate costs associated with transgenders’ need for often lifelong medical care.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, stating: “The Secretary is encouraged by the Supreme Court’s order staying the lower court’s injunction, allowing the Department of Defense to carry out its policies associated with ‘Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.'”
Hegseth, in an announcement on X (formerly Twitter), declared, “After a SCOTUS victory for [President Trump], TRANS is out at the DOD.” He further noted that service members with a current diagnosis or history of gender dysphoria could choose to separate voluntarily by the set deadlines, or face involuntary removal if they fail to do so.
The Trump administration’s policy, initially introduced via Executive Order in January, mandates updates to medical standards to prioritize readiness and lethality. It also seeks to eliminate the use of invented and identification-based pronouns within the Department of Defense.
The Pentagon’s move is part of a broader initiative to eliminate policies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and gender ideology. Hegseth recently announced that nearly all DEI-related policies have been removed from the Department, alongside efforts to standardize fitness tests for men and women.
From January 2016 to May 2021, the Department of Defense reportedly spent around $15 million on transgender treatments for active-duty service members. This financial aspect has been a point of contention in discussions about military spending and readiness.
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