Hello, readers. Kathryn Palmer here, and happy Tuesday. Coming to you a little later today to bring you the latest in the run-up to tonight's State of the Union. Let's dive in. |
Trump readies for State of the Union address |
The president is hours away from his first State of the Union address of his second term. It also may be his last before a Republican-controlled Congress. The GOP holds the House of Representatives by just a few seats, and Democrats have won a string of off-year elections − including in districts Trump carried in 2024 − since the president returned to office last year. Even the U.S. Senate, where Republicans have a stronger majority, is now in play. But despite midterm tension, Trump is expected to deliver his signature bombastic and showman-style speech to lawmakers. He will likely defend his economic record and tariffs, and discuss immigration and take jabs at Democrats. His guests will include Erika Kirk, the widow of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot during a campus event, and the parents of a slain National Guard member. | President Donald Trump speaks during a news briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 20, 2026. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters |
A (SOTU-themed) politics roundup: |
Congress 'shut down' DHS, but ICE has money to spare |
As lawmakers debate withholding funding for immigration enforcement, they face a financial reality: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) already has enough cash to operate through the end of Trump's second term. Democrats and some Republicans are refusing to fund the annual budget for ICE's parent, the Department of Homeland Security, over concerns about the president's aggressive approach to immigration enforcement. But ICE, whose workers are considered essential and stay on the job during a shutdown, isn't hurting for money. That's because the GOP's signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act – passed solely by Republicans last year in a technical process called "reconciliation" – gave Homeland Security more than $170 billion in funding to conduct immigration enforcement through 2029. That pot is more than double DHS's annual discretionary budget. |
Supreme Court hands USPS a win |
The Supreme Court today kept the lid on lawsuits against the U.S. Postal Service for delivery problems, ruling against a Texas landlord who said the federal agency deliberately withheld her mail as a form of racial harassment. The court, in a 5-4 opinion, said the immunity Congress gave the Postal Service from lawsuits seeking monetary damages covers acts alleged to be intentional. The struggling Postal Service warned that without these protections, it could face a flood of lawsuits over its daily handling of 300 million mail pieces. | | Dozens of lawmakers and activists will attend a 'People's State of the Union' event, livestreamed as a counter to Trump's address. | | Trump gives his annual address to the nation on Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. ET before a joint session of Congress. | | | | Virginia Giuffre always looked after her little brother. Now Sky Roberts is speaking out for her, almost a year after her death. He wants justice. | | | | Justice Sonia Sotomayor said Florida, which has made the death penalty a priority, must be more transparent about how it's killing death row inmates. | | | | Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is defending California Governor Gavin Newsom after remarks he made during a book event sparked outrage from the right. | | | | | Sign up for the news you want | Exclusive newsletters are part of your subscription, don't miss out! We're always working to add benefits for subscribers like you. | | | | | |
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