đ° Trump Turns to Trade Act Alternatives After Supreme Court Blocks IEEPA Tariffs
President Donald Trump, facing a Supreme Court decision that invalidated his broad tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act because the law does not grant authority for such duties, immediately pivoted to other statutory tools to maintain aggressive trade policies. In a press conference following the 6-3 ruling on February 20, 2026, Trump denounced the outcome as disappointing while emphasizing stronger options available, including Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which he used to announce a new 10% global tariff on imports to address balance-of-payments issuesâthis temporary measure caps at 15% and lasts up to 150 days unless Congress extends it. He also signaled plans to launch investigations under Section 301 of the same act, targeting unfair foreign trade practices, potentially leading to additional tariffs after required fact-finding, along with references to Section 232 national security tariffs and older provisions like Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. These avenues, while more procedurally constrained than IEEPAâs emergency powers, allow the administration to pursue similar revenue goals and protective measures without the struck-down emergency declaration route.
Sources: Just The News, AP News
âď¸ Kavanaugh Slams SCOTUS for Striking Down Trumpâs Tariffs, Warns of Refund Chaos and Trade Uncertainty
In his 63-page dissenting opinion joined by Justices Thomas and Alito, Justice Brett Kavanaugh sharply criticized the Supreme Courtâs 6-3 decision invalidating President Trumpâs use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose broad tariffs, arguing that the lawâs text authorizing the president to âregulateâ or âadjustâ importation plainly covers tariffs as a longstanding tool for addressing foreign threats. Kavanaugh maintained the tariffs were clearly lawful under historical precedent and congressional intent, dismissed policy disagreements as outside the judiciaryâs role, and highlighted serious practical fallout including the potential need to refund billions in collected dutiesâcreating a logistical âmessâ for the Treasury since some costs had already passed to consumersâplus uncertainty for trade deals worth trillions involving nations like China, the UK, and Japan. He added that the ruling likely wonât hobble future presidential tariff actions, as other statutes provide alternative authority, albeit with extra steps.
Sources: The SCOTUS Blog, The Post Millennial
đ CIA Rescinds or Revises 19 Intelligence Reports Over Political Bias and Poor Tradecraft
The CIA, under Director John Ratcliffe, has rescinded or revised 19 intelligence reports produced over multiple administrations, including from the Obama era onward, because they failed to meet analytic standards due to political bias, poor tradecraft, and inappropriate inclusion of DEI-related issues that distracted from objective national security analysis. Of these, 17 reports were permanently deleted and removed from use by intelligence agencies, while two were recalled, revised, and re-released. The action followed a review by the Presidentâs Intelligence Advisory Board and career CIA officials, with emphasis on adherence to Intelligence Community Directive 203 for objectivity and rigor. Examples released by the CIA include a 2021 report linking traditional motherhood pursuits among women to risks of white racially motivated violent extremism, a 2020 piece on pandemic contraceptive shortfalls citing pro-abortion sources, and a 2015 assessment on LGBT pressures in the Middle East drawing from liberal outlets. A senior CIA official stressed that bias has no place in the agencyâs work and that these corrections aim to restore integrity without connection to any specific political agenda.
Sources: Just The News, The New York Post
âď¸ The Department of Justice Removes Lenient New York Immigration Judge
The Department of Justice has terminated New York immigration judge Vivienne Gordon-Uruakpa, who approved asylum claims at a 97 percent rateâhigher than any other judge in the state. This removal occurred in September as part of the Trump administrationâs broader push to dismiss immigration judges viewed as too permissive on asylum grants, with immigration judges serving at the pleasure of the Attorney General rather than enjoying tenure protections. Her name has been removed from the courthouse roster, and the action aligns with efforts to tighten asylum outcomes, as national deportation rates for asylum seekers reached around 80 percent in the last quarter of 2025.
Sources: The Post Millennial, The New York Post
đ West Virginia Sues Apple Over iCloudâs Role in Child Exploitation Material
West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey filed a lawsuit against Apple on February 19, 2026, claiming the companyâs iCloud service has knowingly served as a platform for storing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) due to its privacy-focused design and failure to implement effective detection tools. The complaint cites internal Apple communications from 2020 where an executive described the platform as the âgreatest platform for distributing child pornâ because of choices to limit scanning for such content, reports far fewer CSAM instances to authorities than competitors like Google, and prioritizes user privacy over child protection measures such as widely used tools from other firms. Apple has defended its approach by highlighting features like Communication Safety and ongoing innovations for user and child security, while the suit seeks damages and mandates for better detection.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, Reuters
â ď¸ Susan Rice Warns No Forgiveness for Trump Supporters When Democrats Regain Power
Former Obama national security advisor Susan Rice stated in a recent podcast interview that Democrats will not simply forgive and forget those corporations, law firms, universities, media entities, and other elites who have supported or accommodated President Trump, often described as âtaking a kneeâ to him. She emphasized that such entities acted out of short-term self-interest by violating principles, firing people, or skirting laws, and predicted they will face an accountability agenda including subpoenas and document preservation demands if Democrats return to power. Rice stressed that Democrats have endured enough and will not follow old rules of leniency, though they will operate within the law unlike their opponents, highlighting the severe damage she believes Trump-aligned actions have caused to Americans and national interests.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, RealClearPolitics
đ¨ New York Mayor Mamdani Proposes NYPD Cuts While Boosting Racial Equity Funding
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdaniâs preliminary fiscal year 2027 budget keeps the NYPDâs funding near $6.4 billion but cancels plans to hire 5,000 additional officers proposed by his predecessor, resulting in a $22 million reduction and effectively leaving thousands of positions unfilled amid a projected budget shortfall. At the same time, his $127 billion spending plan increases allocations to racial equity offices, including $5.6 million for the Office of Racial Equity with 38 staff and $4.6 million for the Commission on Racial Equity with 16 paid rolesâa roughly 42% jump from prior levelsâplus funding for related gender equity efforts, all while proposing tax hikes on high earners, corporations, and potentially property owners up to 9.5% if state aid falls short, and redirecting some police duties to civilian responses through a planned but currently unfunded Department of Community Safety.
Sources: FOX News, Legal Insurrection
𪰠Somali Activists in Minnesota Demand Reparations Over Claimed âICE Terrorâ Harm
Somali community activists from the group Neighbors United held a press conference in Minneapolis on February 20, 2026, calling for reparations due to economic and emotional damage they say resulted from recent ICE immigration enforcement operations. They requested direct cash grants for immigrant-owned small businesses earning under $200,000 annually, an end to evictions with free rent support for affected families, compensation specifically for âICE trauma,â a formal government apology, accountability measures, and a permanent ban on ICE in their neighborhoods. The demands follow a large-scale federal operation that led to arrests and community disruption, with activists describing the actions as racist attacks causing generational trauma and lost revenue. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis leaders have separately pushed for federal reimbursement for related economic impacts, while the ICE drawdown in the area has been noted amid broader debates over enforcement and prior fraud allegations in state programs.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, FOX News
𤥠Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton Drops Profane Anti-Trump Senate Ad Promising to Abolish ICE
Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, a Democrat running in the March 17 primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, released her first TV campaign ad on February 19, 2026. The 30-second spot opens with multiple people, including supporters and high-profile endorsers like Sen. Tammy Duckworth, bluntly stating âF--- Trump, vote Juliana.â Stratton then appears on screen, saying she is not afraid of a âwannabe dictator,â vows to stand up to President Donald Trump, pledges to abolish ICE because it cannot be reformed and has allegedly terrorized communities, and promises to hold Trump accountable for alleged crimes. Gov. JB Pritzker, who has endorsed her and backed her campaign financially, also urges votes for Stratton in the ad, which emphasizes her South Side Chicago roots and progressive stance against Trumpâs immigration policies.
Sources: The Post Millennial, FOX News
â§ď¸ Minnesota Trans Lawmaker Opposes Age Checks on Adult Sites, Cites Educational Value for Queer Youth
Minnesota State Representative Leigh Finke, a Democrat and the stateâs first openly transgender legislator, spoke out against House File 1434 during a Commerce Finance and Policy Committee hearing. The bill would require age verification for websites where a significant portion of content appeals to prurient interests in sex or nudity and lacks serious value for minors. Finke argued that such restrictions might block access to material useful for queer kids to learn about themselves, their lives, and their community. She suggested porn can serve an educational purpose for these youth and warned that vague terms like âprurient interestâ could be misused to suppress content related to transgender existence. The remarks, captured in viral video clips from the hearing held around February 20, 2026, drew sharp criticism online for appearing to downplay child protections in favor of unrestricted access.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, FOX News
đŹ U.S. Trade Representative Announces New Section 301 Probes Targeting Major Trading Partners
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated on February 20, 2026, that his office will initiate several new investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. These probes will cover most major trading partners and focus on unfair practices, including industrial excess capacity, forced labor, pharmaceutical product pricing, discrimination against U.S. technology companies and digital goods, digital services taxes, ocean pollution, and trade issues related to seafood, rice, and other products. The move follows a Supreme Court decision striking down certain existing tariffs, prompting the administration to pivot to this more durable legal tool, which could lead to new tariffs if violations are found. Ongoing probes involve countries like Brazil and China, with details on additional targets expected soon.
Sources: The Epoch Times, Reuters
đ˘ US Trade Partners Approach Trumpâs Tariff Shift with Measured Caution
US trade partners, including the European Union, Canada, and the United Kingdom, responded with cautious optimism to the Supreme Courtâs February 20, 2026, ruling that invalidated President Trumpâs broad âLiberation Dayâ tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, viewing the decision as a step toward greater trade stability while awaiting the administrationâs next moves. The court found that the president exceeded his authority with those emergency-based duties, prompting quick statements from officials emphasizing the need for predictability and lower tariffs to support businesses and workers. Trump promptly countered by announcing a new 10% global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, to apply over existing normal tariffs, while retaining national security-based levies under Sections 232 and 301 and launching investigations into unfair practices, a pivot that keeps pressure on foreign exporters and aims to boost US revenue without fully backing down.
Sources: The Washington Examiner, Reuters
â UK Blocks Trump From Using RAF Bases in Potential Iran Strikes
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has refused a request from President Trump to allow U.S. forces to launch potential strikes on Iran from key British-controlled sites, including RAF Fairford in England and the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean. This decision stems from concerns that such actions could violate international law and draw the UK into the conflict without clear legal grounds, amid ongoing U.S. pressure on Iran over its nuclear program and a major American military buildup in the region. The refusal has sparked friction, with Trump withdrawing prior support for the UKâs plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands (home to Diego Garcia) to Mauritius while leasing back the base, and publicly criticizing Starmer on social media for risking control of the strategic asset.
Sources: The New York Post, The UK Telegraph
đĽ Poland Withdraws from Global Landmine Ban Treaty to Bolster Eastern Defenses
Poland has officially exited the 1997 Ottawa Convention banning antipersonnel mines on February 20, 2026, after a six-month withdrawal period that began last August. Deputy Defense Minister PaweĹ Zalewski (or Cezary Tomczyk in related reports) explained that Warsaw will now stockpile, produce, and potentially deploy both antipersonnel and anti-tank mines along its eastern borders with Russia and Belarus to counter what officials describe as a growing Russian threat, though deployment would only occur if a realistic aggression risk emerges. The country, which ratified the treaty in 2012 and destroyed its stockpiles by 2016, joins other NATO eastern flank nations like the Baltics and Finland in this shift for better deterrence as part of the âEastern Shieldâ fortifications. Prime Minister Donald Tusk noted that new systems could enable mining the border within 48 hours if needed, emphasizing readiness over immediate use while human rights groups criticize the move for endangering civilians long-term.
Sources: The Washington Times, Reuters
đ Israeli Forces Strike Hezbollah and Hamas Targets in Lebanon, Eliminating Three Commanders
Israeli airstrikes on February 20-21, 2026, targeted Hezbollah command centers in the Baalbek area of Lebanonâs eastern Bekaa Valley and a Hamas command center in the southern Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp. The IDF reported eliminating three Hezbollah commandersâAli Zeid al-Moussawi, Muhammad Ibrahim al-Moussawi, and Hussein Yaghiâalong with other operatives from the groupâs missile array, in response to alleged ceasefire violations involving force buildup and planning attacks on Israel. Hezbollah confirmed eight of its members killed in the Baalbek strikes, while Lebanese health authorities reported at least 10 deaths and dozens wounded overall, including civilians and children in some accounts, amid ongoing tensions despite the 2024 ceasefire.
Sources: Reuters, The Times of Israel