Key Events (10)
Trump announced plans to exclude Democratic governors from a usually bipartisan meeting at the White House, marking a departure from traditional presidential practice of hosting governors from both parties.
The Trump Justice Department moved to dismiss the criminal case against Steve Bannon, the former Trump adviser who was convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to testify before the House January 6 committee.
Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime companion of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, invoked her Fifth Amendment rights and refused to answer questions during a House Oversight Committee deposition, prompting Democratic congressman Jamie Raskin to accuse the Department of Justice of a cover-up.
Trump criticized Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show, which celebrated Latino heritage with a largely Spanish-language performance. The Puerto Rican superstar has been a vocal critic of ICE deportation policies.
Trump posted a racist video depicting the Obamas on Truth Social, prompting Sony Pictures CEO Tom Rothman to publicly call the content 'despicable' and 'regressive' in a rare intervention by a major Hollywood executive.
The Trump administration announced plans to cut $600 million in health funding from four Democratic-led states, with the grants previously supporting HIV prevention, surveillance, and other public health functions.
ICE deportation operations continued to escalate nationwide, with raids documented in Maine, Minnesota, and Idaho, prompting school walkouts and protests. Some Republican senators like Susan Collins face political backlash from constituents opposing the intensity of the crackdowns.
Journalist Don Lemon was arrested while covering anti-ICE protests and subsequently urged the country to 'keep fighting' for the right to a free press, describing the experience as 'very frightening' and representing official overreach.
European security experts characterized Trump as a global 'wrecking ball' in a Munich Security Conference report, arguing that the president is helping destroy the postwar international order and prompting Europe to pursue greater military autonomy.
Trump indicated he is weighing expanded nuclear arms production and underground nuclear testing as Cold War arms control treaties expire, though it remains unclear whether this represents an attempt to spur negotiations or the beginning of a new arms race.