U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a speech at the Munich Security Conference emphasizing a revival of Western imperialism, asserting that America and Europe are bound by shared history, culture, and the notion of Western civilization's superiority. Rubio dismissed past guilt over colonialism and called for a renewed push to expand Western influence and "defend" its heritage, echoing colonial-era rhetoric and advocating for alliances that prioritize strength and dominance. The speech signals a reassertion of colonialist and imperialist attitudes in U.S. and European foreign policy, drawing parallels to the era of Cecil Rhodes.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., historically an environmental advocate against glyphosate-based herbicides like Roundup, has shifted to support increased production of glyphosate under President Trump's executive order, citing national security and agricultural stability. This stance has caused tension within his MAHA coalition, which advocates for stricter pesticide regulation, and has drawn criticism from environmentalists and Democrats, who argue the order prioritizes corporate profits over public health. Kennedy's change aligns with broader government efforts to bolster domestic herbicide production, despite ongoing debates about glyphosate's carcinogenic risks.
President Donald Trump called on Netflix to fire board member Susan Rice or face consequences, amid a DOJ investigation into Netflix's proposed $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Rice, who rejoined Netflix’s board in 2023, has recently made statements suggesting that corporations and media favoring Trump could face accountability if Democrats regain power. The DOJ is examining whether the deal could harm competition and impact creative talent markets.
President Donald Trump has doubled down on his trade war, announcing new 15% global tariffs and threatening higher tariffs on countries that "play games" following a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated his emergency tariffs. The US Customs and Border Protection will halt the collection of tariffs struck down by the court, while the European Union and UK seek clarity on how the ruling will impact trade agreements. Meanwhile, the US military conducted strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, and Zelensky urged Trump to support Ukraine amidst ongoing tensions with Russia. Trump also signed a proclamation marking February 22 as "Angel Family Day" and publicly criticized the Supreme Court and its decisions.
The U.S. women's hockey team, recent Olympic gold medalists, declined an invitation to attend President Trump's State of the Union address due to scheduling conflicts and travel logistics, having only arrived in North America recently. The team expressed gratitude for the recognition but cited academic and professional commitments as reasons for their absence. The men's team was also invited, and both teams arrived in Miami during the week of the address.
Hackers reportedly accessed social media accounts of World Liberty's founders in an attempt to manipulate the price of its stablecoin, according to the Trump-backed crypto group. The attack targeted social media accounts to influence the token's valuation.
JPMorgan Chase confirmed that it closed certain bank accounts belonging to former President Donald Trump following the January 6 Capitol attack, as acknowledged in a court filing related to Trump's lawsuit against the bank. The bank informed Trump in February 2021 about the account closures, which his legal team alleges were driven by political motives, though JPMorgan dismissed the lawsuit as without merit.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration's emergency tariffs were imposed illegally under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, leading to potential refunds totaling up to $175 billion for businesses. Litigation over these refunds is expected to take years, and the administration plans to implement new tariffs under different authorities, such as Section 122, which requires congressional approval after 150 days. Small and mid-sized businesses, heavily affected by previous tariffs, may struggle to recover due to limited resources and may need to pass additional costs onto consumers.
A group of Senate Democrats, including Sen. Ron Wyden, has proposed a bill to refund approximately $175 billion in tariff revenues collected under President Trump's tariffs, which the Supreme Court ruled were illegally imposed. The bill would require U.S. Customs and Border Protection to issue refunds within 180 days, prioritizing small businesses, but is unlikely to become law amid the Trump administration's stance that refunds should be resolved through legal processes. The issue has become a political point, with Democrats arguing that Trump illegally raised taxes, while the administration contends that refunds depend on court decisions.
Twenty-one members of Congress urged the Peace Corps to pause layoffs and restructuring plans until the agency can demonstrate it can continue to fulfill its activities and protect volunteers, amid plans to reduce staff to 575 employees while aiming to double volunteer numbers by 2030. Democratic lawmakers expressed concern that staffing cuts, including potential layoffs of nearly 40 staffers, could hinder the agency's capacity to support its mission and safeguard volunteers internationally. The agency's staffing has decreased from around 950 employees at the start of Trump’s second term, raising questions about its ability to meet statutory responsibilities while expanding volunteer recruitment.
President Donald Trump has initiated the "Board of Peace" to oversee Gaza's reconstruction, with discussions underway about introducing a stablecoin to facilitate digital transactions in the region, which currently relies on scarce physical shekels and unreliable 2G networks. The proposed stablecoin is still in preliminary stages, and it is unclear whether it would be a new digital currency or an existing one like Tether or USD1. The effort is part of broader plans, led by tech entrepreneur Liran Tancman, to modernize Gaza’s digital infrastructure and financial systems, despite skepticism from European observers and uncertainties regarding funding and implementation.
Peter Attia, a CBS News contributor linked to Jeffrey Epstein through email exchanges and personal connections, resigned from the network amid scrutiny of his ties to Epstein. Despite his efforts to distance himself and clarify his lack of involvement in any criminal activity, the controversy led to internal tensions at CBS. Attia’s association with Epstein, including playful and inappropriate remarks, prompted criticism, and his role at CBS was halted to prevent distraction from the network's work.
