Key Events (10)
President Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in history, claiming a 'turnaround for the ages' while repeating criticisms of Democrats and offering few concrete policy pledges. The speech faced polarized reactions, with Democrats accusing the address of containing numerous false and misleading claims, while Republicans hailed his assertions about his year in office.
Trump touts 'drill, baby, drill' energy agenda in State of the Union, deriding Biden's 'green new scam' and celebrating rising US oil production, with no acknowledgment of climate crisis concerns.
US trade representative Jamieson Greer warns tariffs could rise to 15% or more after a Supreme Court ruling exposed Trump's tariff plans as unlawful, with tariffs currently at 10%. The court decision has exposed weaknesses in the administration's trade strategy.
Democrats are investigating whether the Justice Department withheld Epstein files related to a woman who accused Trump of abuse. Interviews with the survivor appear to have been excluded from documents released by the DOJ.
Trump's surgeon general nominee Casey Means, who is aligned with RFK Jr. on vaccine skepticism and lacks an active medical license, dodged vaccine questions during her Senate hearing. Critics expressed concerns about her qualifications and positions.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed lawmakers on Iran as Trump used his State of the Union to threaten Iran's nuclear program. The US has deployed its largest force of aircraft and warships to the Middle East since 2003.
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against UCLA over alleged antisemitism amid pro-Palestinian protests. The lawsuit represents the latest Trump administration action against a university and escalation of the president's dispute with California.
The Trump administration met with UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) at the US State Department through a senior adviser. The meeting drew scrutiny for the administration's engagement with a controversial figure.
The US is to offer passport services to citizens in illegal West Bank settlements, a move welcomed by Israel but condemned by the Palestinian Authority as undermining prospects for an independent Palestinian state.
The US abstained from a UN General Assembly vote supporting Ukraine, as UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the war a 'stain on our collective conscience' on the conflict's four-year anniversary.