US/World News
0:04:08 State of the Union
Takeaways from Trump’s State of the Union address (NPR)
Is This Winning? Debunking Trump’s Delusional, Demeaning State of the Union (Common Dreams)
FactChecking Trump’s State of the Union Address (FactCheck.org)
Record-long 1:48 speech
Bragged about our “strong” state of the union and a booming economy, citing a high stock market and low gas prices, glossing over his low approval rating on the economy – particularly on tariffs
Trump leaned into jingoism and reality-TV spectacle, celebrating the gold-medal winning USA men’s hockey team, handing out awards to soldiers, and using human props to highlight culture war issues
POTUS lied repeatedly about
Inflation
Economic growth
Foreign investment
Illegal drugs
Gas prices
Immigration
Religion
Elections
Crime
Energy production
Ending “eight wars”
Many Democrats skipped event; most remained seated for Trump’s remarks
Only seeming areas of doubt Democratic agreement were on banning Congressional stock trading and – for some – sabre-rattling at Iran
0:08:30 Iran
Top Democrats Try to Stop Vote That Would Put Them on Record for Trump’s Iran War (Capital & Empire)
Dems working on secret report found Gaza cost Harris votes (Axios)
Israelis No Longer Ahead in Americans’ Middle East Sympathies (Gallup)
Reps. Khanna and Massie introduced a war powers resolution – which would have forced a vote requiring congressional authorization for any attack.
Reportedly, Democratic leaders have been trying to prevent such a vote, to avoid going on the record. Why? For fear of drawing the ire of the Israel lobby?
Axios reported that officials who worked on the unreleased 2024 DNC election autopsy found Kamala Harris lost significant support over the Biden administration’s Gaza policy.
The Democratic base has sympathized with Palestinians over Israelis for some time, but this week – for the first time – a plurality of Americans share that sentiment with 41% sympathizing with Palestinians vs. 36% with Israelis in a new Gallup poll.
The Carlson-Huckabee interview may be the wake-up call Americans needed (Al Jazeera)
Confusingly, one of the few people highlighting the depth of some US officials’ seeming loyalty to Israel over their own country is right-wing pundit Tucker Carlson.
Late last week, Carlson’s interview with ambassador Mike Huckabee made waves as the former Arkansas governor:
Spoke of Israel’s “biblical right” to the land
Referred to the occupied West Bank as “Judea and Samaria”
Appeared to endorse Israeli expansion into neighboring countries
Defended his meeting with a man convicted and sentenced to 30 years for spying on the US on Israel’s behalf
Said the IDF – accused by credibly international organizations of genocide – was more humane than our own armed forces
Witkoff says Iran ‘a week away’ from nuclear bombmaking material (The Hill)
Deeply conflicted, Kushner represents the U.S. in high-stakes negotiations with Iran (Popular Info)
Trump admin. keeps Gabbard whistleblower complaint from Congress on executive privilege (MaddowBlog)
These changing opinions have not stopped US officials from parroting Israeli talking points about Iran being “a week away” from nuclear bombmaking capabilities – a claim Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has been making for 30 years.
All the while, nuclear negotiations with the Islamic Republic continued all week, led by – among others – Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.
This is the same Kushner who was named in conjunction with Iran in an intercepted cable between two foreign nationals that has been kept hidden from Congress – in violation of the law.
What to know about the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran (PBS)
The US and Israel conducted joint attacks on Iran Saturday, with the US attacking military targets and Israel going after leadership, including IRGC facilities and the compound of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei
Netanyahu, then Trump, announced that the ayatollah had been killed in the strikes, which Iran denied for hours before confirming the Supreme Leader’s death.
With several other high-ranking Iranian officials killed in the strikes, it is unclear who is in charge of the country.
Iran lobbed missiles and drones at Israel and US allies in the Persian Gulf, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
Most attacks were intercepted, but limited damage was reported
Trump called on Iranians to “take over” their government even as strikes are expected to continue for days or even weeks.
0:19:03 Epstein
Police in Britain say former ambassador Mandelson released on bail in probe into Epstein ties (AP)
What accountability we do see in the Epstein scandal has still largely been contained to Europe, with former UK Ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson arrested and released on bail this week on suspicion of sharing sensitive government financial information with Epstein.
Like the former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Mandelson was NOT arrested for alleged sexual improprieties. Unlike Andrew, he maintains the title of ‘Lord.’
New Details From Epstein Files Reveal Lutnick Had Years-Long Business Tie With Sex Offender (Mother Jones)
Back on our side of the pond, consequences remain scarce. Commerce Secretary Lutnick, despite repeated – and mutating – denials that he maintained a relationship with Epstein, continues to be proven a liar.
After earlier stating that he cut ties with the disgraced sex trafficker in 2005, new information has shown the billionaire financier visited Epstein’s private island in 2012, signing a business deal just days later. Epstein donated $50K to a charity dinner in Lutnick’s honor in 2017, and the two communicated via email as late as 2018.
Hillary Clinton deposed in House Epstein investigation (AP)
Bill Clinton takes his turn in House Oversight’s hot seat (BCC)
Trump’s allies in Congress tried to pin some accountability on the Clintons, with former first lady, US Senator, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton deposed for hours of closed-door testimony Thursday and the former president taking his turn Friday.
The Clintons had sought to testify publicly to avoid having selective portions of their testimony leaked without context, submitting to the Oversight Committee’s demands under threat of contempt-of-Congress charges .
Both denied having any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes, with Bill saying he had stopped associating with the late pedophile well before his first conviction on sex crimes in 2008.
Democrats say Clinton’s testimony sets a precedent that should apply to the current occupant of the White House, whose name appeared in the Epstein files far more times than Clinton’s.
Epstein hid secret files in storage units across US (Telegraph)
We also learned this week that Epstein kept several storage units across the US and paid private detectives to remove computer equipment from his Florida home after being tipped off about an impending police raid.
Warrants reviewed by the Telegraph suggest authorities never searched these units.This may explain the relative dearth of compromising material we have seen compared to what Epstein is rumored to have collected.
Justice Department withheld and removed some Epstein files related to Trump (NPR)
Just as Epstein is now suspected of having removed evidence of potential crimes, Trump’s DOJ is also now suspected of having willfully withheld files related to allegations against the president leveled by a woman who says Trump sexually and physically assaulted her when she was a minor in the early 1980’s.
The allegations were credible enough that the FBI interviewed the woman four times, though only one of the interview transcripts – which conveniently does not mention Trump – was released.
The DOJ has repeatedly taken down and put back up various documents related to Epstein – doxxing survivors, redacting the names of conspirators, and overall engaging in sloppy investigative work.
0:29:03 FBI
FBI director invites fresh scrutiny over travels with appearance at US men’s hockey team celebration (AP)
Kash Patel’s Jet-Setting Delayed FBI Probe Into Charlie Kirk’s Death (TNR)
Speaking of sloppy, at the FBI – the principal law enforcement agency under the DOJ umbrella – Director Kash Patel was sloppy drunk on the job last week in Milan. Up top, I mentioned the gold-medal winning US men’s hockey team – the first gold for the US since 1980 by the way. Well, Patel joined the team in the locker room after the game, celebrating by drinking himself cross-eyed with the boys. His very presence at the Olympic games once again brings into question Patel’s personal travel habits, especially as FBI officials were investigating an armed man who was shot and killed by the Secret Service after breaching the perimeter at Mar-a-Lago that same morning.
As an aside, even as Karoline Lavitt tried to blame the left for the breach, it turns out the man was a MAGA Trump supporter who became fixated on the Epstein coverup.
Now, Patel says he was in Milan on business, meeting with security officials tasked with protecting US athletes – on the final days of the two-week-long games, but Patel’s jet-setting is a long-running scandal, with the director criss-crossing the country on trips that have little apparent law-enforcement purpose.
It’s not just a waste of money. Patel’s overuse of the bureau’s private jets is interfering with the agency’s work.This week, we learned the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s assassination was delayed by at least a day because planes that should have been at agents’ disposal were unavailable. Likewise, the bureau’s response to the Brown University shooting in December was similarly delayed.
0:33:55 Regime Pressure
0:34:13 Lawfare
Judge Cannon permanently blocks release of Jack Smith report (Politico)
U.S. Attorney’s Office drops effort to indict 6 Democratic lawmakers who posted video on illegal orders (CBS)
Judge blocks Trump DOJ from reviewing Washington Post reporter’s seized data (NBC)
Now, speaking of misuse of the law, let’s turn from law enforcement to the judiciary, where the Trump regime has used the courts as an extension of executive power. First, a couple positive developments.
In the case of six Democratic lawmakers who filmed a social media video reminding US troops of their duty to disobey illegal orders, Jeanine Pirro – former Fox News personality and current US Attorney for DC – this week gave up on efforts to indict them after failing to secure an indictment. Still, the very fact Pirro was pursuing charges demonstrated selective political retribution by Trump’s lackeys.
Similarly, in January the FBI seized devices and materials from Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson in relation to a leak of sensitive defense information by a government contractor, causing concern that the feds had access to all of her confidential sources for all cases – not just the one in question. This week, a judge rescinded the administration’s ability to examine the data – though do you trust they haven’t illegally copied everything already?
As that federal judge was limiting the administration’s ability to violate the freedom of the press, in South Florida, Donald Trump’s concierge judge Aileen Cannon was limiting our ability to know the extent of the president’s crimes – permanently barring the release of special counsel Jack Smith’s final report detailing Trump’s classified-document hoarding problem.
0:37:29 Economy/Tariffs
Trump warns countries to abide by tariff deals despite Supreme Court decision (AP)
FedEx sues for refund of Trump tariffs, days after Supreme Court ruling (CNBC)
The administration, in addition to abusing the courts, abuses their power over economic levers, with Trump threatening countries to abide by his tariffs even though the Supreme Court last week struck down most of his import taxes.
At Tuesday’s State of the Union address, he publicly criticized justices for that decision even as a new 10% global tariff went into effect, following an executive order he signed allowing him to bypass Congress.
Still, companies continue to sue the government looking for a refund of the money they paid in duties that the court has ruled illegal. This week, FedEx joined other firms like Costco in seeking relief from the tariffs Trump unilaterally imposed last year.
0:41:05 Media
Trump demands Netflix fire Susan Rice as DOJ probes Warner deal (CNBC)
Netflix walks away from Warner Bros deal, clearing path for Paramount takeover (PBS)
The administration also continues to shape the information space, using regulatory levers to put their thumbs on the scale to ensure regime allies control the media.
As Netflix and Paramount traded bids in efforts to acquire Warner Bros Discovery, Trump demanded Netflix fire board member Susan Rice – a former Obama and Biden advisor – apparently at the behest of right-wing conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer.
In addition to pressuring the Netflix board, Trump’s DOJ also reportedly flexed its muscle behind the scenes, threatening to make the merger difficult while promising smooth sailing for Paramount’s bid. Thursday, Netflix pulled out of negotiations, clearing the way for the Ellison family – major Trump allies – to acquire the Hollywood giant.
Oracle founder Larry Ellison acquired TikTok earlier this year and son David purchased Paramount last year. Both media entities have tacked heavily rightward since. The potential Warner Bros acquisition – in addition to the antitrust concerns – is troubling because some of the equity backing the bid comes from the sovereign wealth funds of Gulf monarchies.
0:46:10 US military leaders pressure Anthropic to bend Claude safeguards (Guardian)
Anthropic rejects Pentagon’s AI demands (Politico)
Trump orders all federal agencies to phase out use of Anthropic technology (AP)
Musk’s xAI and Pentagon reach deal to use Grok in classified systems (Axios)
OpenAI strikes deal with Pentagon, hours after rival Anthropic was blacklisted by Trump (CNBC)
Beyond traditional studios and social media, the administration is picking sides in the AI space, with the Pentagon the scene of this fight.
Pete Hegseth and senior military leaders have been pressuring artificial intelligence firm Anthropic, maker of the Claude AI model, to allow the Pentagon unfettered use of its capabilities, including for mass surveillance of Americans and fully autonomous weapons systems that could kill without human input.
Anthropic, which has a reputation as the most safety-conscious of the AI companies, refused the demands, with CEO Dario Amodei saying the company “cannot in good conscience accede to their request.”
In response, Trump ordered all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic tools and Hegseth deemed the company a “supply chain risk,” a designation usually only applied to foreign adversaries.
Into the void stepped Elon Musk’s xAI, who reached a deal allowing the Pentagon to use its Grok model in classified systems. Friday, hours after Anthropic was blacklisted, OpenAI – the company behind ChatGPT – also agreed to allow the military access to its services for “any lawful use.”
0:50:19 Elections
White House ‘circulating’ 17-page executive order draft to declare emergency over voting (WaPo)
Perhaps the most concerning application of pressure from the White House, however, would be on our election systems.
The Washington Post reported this week that far-right activists in the Trump orbit are circulating a 17-page draft executive order that would declare a national emergency and give the president unprecedented power over the nation’s voting based on a claim that China interfered in the 2020 election.
The plan would mandate all voters re-register with strict voter ID and proof of citizenship, ban mail-in ballots, and label voting machines as “vectors of foreign interference.”
0:55:15 Healthcare
FDA takes down page warning of crank autism cures as RFK Jr. nominates people who have promoted them (Independent)
Surgeon general nominee Means questioned about vaccines, birth control and financial conflicts (NPR)
Vance, Oz announce pause in Medicaid funds to Minnesota amid fraud probe (The Hill)
From election conspiracy theories to medical conspiracy theories, this week the FDA quietly took down a web page warning parents about bogus autism cures. This comes as HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has nominated appointees to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee who have promoted such treatments and perpetuated the debunked lie that vaccines cause autism.
Meanwhile, vaccine skeptic Casey Means has been nominated for surgeon general. The unlicensed wellness influencer testified Wednesday before a Senate committee, echoing RFK’s “MAHA” talking points. She refused to fully endorse measles and flu vaccines and said the science proving vaccines don’t cause autism is “unsettled.”
Means largely blames the country’s high rate of chronic disease on processed foods, poor lifestyle choices, and environmental toxins.
Means came under fire for failing to disclose her financial interests in products she’s promoted.
Also on the healthcare front this week, Vice President JD Vance and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Oz announced the Trump administration is halting more than $250M in Medicaid funding to Minnesota. The two alleged widespread fraud in the state and this comes after the administration froze childcare funding to the state earlier this year.
1:00:47 ICE
Another Minnesota federal judge issues contempt finding over U.S. government violating immigration court orders (Star-Tribune)
The pretext of widespread fraud perpetuated by the Somali immigrant community was used to justify the surge of ICE agents to Minnesota over the last couple months. Staying in that state, this week a US District Judge issued another civil contempt finding against the government related to violating court orders in immigration cases just days after another Minnesota federal judge found a government lawyer in contempt in another immigration case.
ICE Chief Lied to Congress About Training, Whistleblowers Say (TNR)
In another example of the administration’s disregard for the law when it comes to immigration, a whistleblower report revealed Monday that ICE has significantly scaled back training of new agents, despite testimony to the contrary last month by ICE chief Todd Lyons.
New recruits are receiving 250 hours LESS training than previous classes, with modules on firearms training, constitutional limits on ICE authority, and protesters’ rights cut drastically.
ICE arrests Columbia student, agents lied to enter University-owned residence (Columbia Spectator)
Proper training may have prevented a scene like this week’s harrowing ordeal experienced by Elmina Aghayeva, a Columbia University student, who was detained after agents impersonated police and lied their way into her building on the false pretense of looking for a missing child.
DHS and ICE agents are not allowed on campus without a judicial warrant.
Aghayeva was released only with the personal intervention of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia asks U.S. judge to dismiss criminal charges (PBS)
At least they didn’t deport her.
Remember the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador last year then had phony human smuggling charges leveled against him after his return home. This week, he asked a federal judge to dismiss those charges, claiming the prosecution is vindictive.
Blind refugee abandoned by Border Patrol is dead (Investigative Post)
But another immigrant was not so fortunate as to survive his encounter with ICE agents.
Nural Amin Shah Alam, a Rohingya refugee from Myanmar was found dead in Buffalo, NY after agents dropped him off at a closed coffee shop following his release from detention.
Alam, nearly blind and speaking no English, was dropped off across town from his home without his family being notified. His body was found days later.
Indiana News
1:08:05 The Crossroads
Governors say Trump told them he won’t force immigration enforcement surges on states (ICC)
As ICE Buys Up Warehouses, Even Some Trump Voters Say No (NYT)
This Indiana man made an app to hold ICE accountable. Now, he’s suing. (IndyStar)
ICE protestors march to Gov. Braun’s mansion (WFYI)
Turning to Indiana, but staying on the ICE beat, last week President Trump told governors he has no plans to surge immigration operations to states where they’re not welcomed.
But they’re still buying up properties across the country, seeking to turn warehouses into massive detention centers.
Maryland sued the administration on Monday to prevent the construction of such a facility in their state.
Indiana – and Governor Mike Braun, however, have proved much more amenable to federal agents operating in the Hoosier State.
Protesters marched on the executive mansion last Sunday night to protest ICE activity here as the New York Times reported the agency has its eyes on Indianapolis as home to a massive 8500-person detention facility.
IPS adopts new student policy in latest move involving ICE lawsuit from Attorney General Rokita (Chalkbeat)
Threats of ICE intervention and a lawsuit from AG Todd Rokita have forced Indianapolis Public Schools to adopt a new student privacy policy ensuring uniform protocol across the district “within the bounds of applicable law.”
Rokita sued the district over its website, which had resources for undocumented students – a section that has since been removed – as well as IPS guidance on what to do if federal agents showed up on school grounds. The attorney general says both documents violated state law that prohibits government entities from obstructing immigration enforcement.
Rokita touts Indiana Medicaid provider fraud successes (ICC)
Sticking with Rokita but looking at another intersection with SU news, the AG this week touted his success recouping $100M from Medicaid fraud cases.
It should be noted this fraud is largely due to over-billing by providers, not any wrongdoing by recipients.
1:15:11 Utilities & Data Centers
Indiana launches investigation into Hoosier utility bills (IndyStar)
Hoosier Action organized “The People’s Hearing on Data Centers” (WTHR)
Now let’s turn to another state agency investigating abuse by providers – this time the IURC looking into the state’s five largest utility providers.
The commission and new chair Andy Zay are calling the utilities in for a public hearing this month to explain Hoosiers’ ballooning electric bills, which increased 17% on average last year.
One of the culprits may be the proliferation of power-hungry data centers, which continue to pop up across the state.
Tuesday, Hoosier Action convened a hearing at the Indiana State Library, where a packed room demanded legislators regulate the booming industry.
Data centers’ massive demand for power drives up wholesale market prices and forces utilities to expand infrastructure – the costs of which are often passed onto consumers.
1:21:06 General Assembly
MADVoters Legislative Recap (PIN)
Electric utility affordability was one of the House Republicans’ priority bills this session at the IGA. The legislature adjourned Friday.
House bill 1002 sought to make utility bills more affordable – and was passed nearly unanimously – though the GOP repeatedly shot down Democratic amendments that could have really helped consumers.
HB 1001, their top priority, also passed. This one seeks to increase the supply of affordable housing, largely by reducing local regulatory control.
The Senate’s top priority, SB1 passed on a party line vote. This legislation perpetuates the “widespread fraud” narrative regarding public services like SNAP and Medicaid. Any expected savings will largely be due to deserving Hoosiers being ensnared by bureaucratic red tape.
Indiana House backs bill with stricter verification for SNAP, Medicaid eligibility (ICC)
1:27:38 Good news
Bad bills that failed
A bill criminalizing the possession and distribution of abortion medication, that would have introduced a Texas-style bounty system, failed to pass.
Another bill that would have essentially erased trans and nonbinary Hoosiers’ legal recognition failed - though an executive order preventing the BMV from issuing gender-affirming IDs was put into effect earlier this year.
Several attempts to smuggle the 10 Commandments into public schools also failed, as did language that would have reduced early voting from 28 days to 16.
Good bills that passed
HB 1036 requires DCS to conduct an in-person assessment before closing an investigation into a child in need of services.
HB 1177 expands the Employer Child Care Expenditure Credit to incentivize more businesses to provide child care benefits and allow communities to use TIF revenue to build or expand childcare facilities.
SB 91 extends the state’s needle exchange program for five years.
1:35:25 Bad news
SB 277 is an environment deregulation bill, despite Indiana’s already poor air & water quality
HB 1033 - Governor could replace local bar associations in selecting Marion County judges (WFYI)
HB 1343 gives National Guard police powers, would allow governor to deploy them anywhere in the state
Military policing, smorgasbord of other bills pass Senate as session nears close (ICC)
HB 1423 reduces power of democratically-elected IPS school board
SB 76 mandates government entities like localities, schools, and universities cooperate with DHS/ICE.
Immigration crackdown heads to Indiana governor after falling short last year (ICC)
SB 88, SB 200 smuggle Christian nationalism into schools
SB 285 Criminalizes homelessness with threat of $500 fine and/or jail time.
More:
Bell-to-bell cellphone ban passes Indiana Statehouse. What does that mean for schools and students? (Chalkbeat)
1:43:16 Indiana, Illinois continue to jockey for Bears (Sun-Times)
SB 27 authorized NWI Stadium Authority on a bipartisan basis
Bears have promised to pay $2B to build stadium, seek state help for infrastructure
Bill empowers NISA to build, equip, operate, and maintain a domed stadium in Hammond
Team still negotiating with Illinois to build in suburban Arlington Heights
1:46:03 Lawmakers eye road spending review as big southern Indiana plans face opposition (ICC)
Bears stadium bill includes a provision requiring state highway department to present any project costing more than $250M to the State Budget Committee for review
Braun’s pet Mid-States Corridor would connect I-64 to I-69 along the current US-231 route, bypassing Jasper, Huntingburg, and Loogootee
In a December poll, 81% of Dubois County (Braun’s home county) residents opposed the highway.
Braun
1:47:43 Braun’s Statewide Approval Just 25% (Politico)
A Public Policy Polling survey conducted February 20-21 found Braun had a 25% approval rating, with 53% disapproving and 22% not sure.
One question asked: “Indiana has had to cancel or postpone over 400 road and bridge projects across the state due to funding constraints. Would you rather the state use transportation funds on the MidStates Corridor, or use that funding for local road and bridge projects across Indiana?”
88% wanted funds used for the postponed projects vs. 3% in favor of the MSC.
Those polled said the state legislature should pass legislation cancelling the project and override the governor if he vetoed that bill.
