Thursday, February 26 | By Cate Martel |
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It's Thursday. Only two more days left of February! There's a light at the end of this arctic tunnel. | Today's high-stakes Iran talks Washington prepares for war with Iran Hillary Clinton deposed in Epstein case Dunkin' tests 48-ounce coffee bucket National Mall transforms into tulip garden in March
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Today is an incredibly important day: |
President Trump has suggested the U.S. is on the brink of war with Iran. The U.S. is building a massive military presence in the region, and the president used his State of the Union address this week to build the case. But first: Officials from the U.S. and Iran are in Geneva today for high-stakes talk about Iran's nuclear program. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are leading the talks. Omani officials are mediating. This is considered the last opportunity to avoid a conflict. How are the talks going so far?: Witkoff and Kushner have held more than three hours of talks so far today, per Axios. After a break, the talks will resume, says the Omani foreign minister. What each side must accomplish for today to be a success: "In the talks, Iran must convince Americans that it has no intention to weaponize its nuclear program and also give Mr. Trump enough leeway to claim he achieved more than his predecessors ever did in dealing with Iran. The U.S., in turn, has to incentivize Iran with some tangible rewards, like lifting both the threat of war and economic sanctions on Iran's international banking and oil sales that have contributed to the near collapse of its economy." (The New York Times) Timing: Seven days ago, Trump said he would decide whether to strike Iran in the next 10 to 15 days. The growing U.S. military presence in the region: The Trump administration has destroyers and aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to prepare for a possible strike on Iran. Read more on how close to war the U.S. is with Iran: 'Trump builds case for war with Iran ahead of pivotal talks' 💬 Follow today's live blog |
➤ WHAT THE SENATE GOP LEADER WANTS FROM POTENTIAL IRAN STRIKES: |
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said today that any military strikes against Iran should result in regime change. |
🍎 THE EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION |
The Clintons get deposed: |
House lawmakers are deposing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Chappaqua, N.Y., today as part of their investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. They will then do the same with former President Clinton tomorrow. What we know about Hillary Clinton's deposition: She told the committee about Epstein's criminal activities. She also said she doesn't recall ever encountering Epstein. The Clintons' attorneys have been arguing with leaders of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee for months about this interview. The Clintons wanted public testimony, while the committee insisted it happen in private. The GOP-led panel even threatened the Clintons with contempt charges if they did not comply. Why these proceedings are a big deal: A former president is being forced to testify. And it's coming from both sides. Democrats joined Republicans in requiring their testimony. Keep in mind: The Clintons have denied any wrongdoing. "As the first tranche of Epstein files were released, Republican figures were quick to draw attention to various photos of Bill Clinton, including one on a plane as a woman whose face is redacted wraps her arm around him and another with the former president relaxing in a pool." Read more |
What Epstein files did the DOJ withhold?:
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"The Justice Department will review whether it failed to publish several documents in the Epstein files after various media outlets reported several records related to accusations made against President Trump were removed from the tranche," reports The Hill's Rebecca Beitsch. What documents?: "The documents in question relate to accusations made by a woman who said that as a minor she refused Trump's sexual advances, prompting the president to respond violently and kick her out of the room. While the woman's accusation was cataloged in the Epstein files, serial numbers tracking the various documents show that while the woman spoke to the FBI four times, roughly 50 pages related to the woman's interviews were not publicly released; instead, only files detailing her accusations against Epstein were published." The DOJ has denied the accusations but changed its tune on Wednesday. It will now conduct a review. Read more: 'DOJ reviewing whether any Epstein records withheld after reports of missing Trump-related documents' |
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What did Trump's ex-surgeon general think about Casey Means's testimony?:
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Trump's former Surgeon General Jerome Adams was not impressed by the new surgeon general nominee, Casey Means, after hearing her confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Adams wrote on X: "As a former U.S. Surgeon General who held an active medical license and practiced medicine while in the role (at Walter Reed and aboard the USS Comfort) it is incomprehensible that the Senate is even considering a nominee for this role who lacks any active license and has never practiced unsupervised." Keep in mind that historically, it has been a requirement for the surgeon general to be a licensed physician. However, Casey Means is a wellness influencer who dropped out of her residency and does not hold an active medical license. Senators grilled her on her stances on vaccines, birth control and her business ties. Related analysis from The Atlantic's Tom Bartlett: "Well, That Didn't Sound Like Casey Means. The nominee for surgeon general kept her most eccentric wellness beliefs largely in check at her confirmation hearing." Meanwhile: Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) called the focus on Means's past recommendation about using psilocybin, commonly called magic mushrooms, "a red herring" in a NewsNation interview. "Let's focus on the fact that she's a great communicator, that she has a great following, that she is leading this Make America Healthy Again fad that's going on out there," he said. Catch up on more fireworks from the hearing 📺 here. |
The New York Times: Trump's Push for Election Power Raises Fears He Will 'Subvert' Midterms The Wall Street Journal: Wall Street Traders Are Pouncing on the Tariff Refund Chaos Politico: Republicans are freaking out over Texas Senate race The New York Times: Kash Patel's Olympics Schedule Left Plenty of Time for Leisure The Hill: Trump adds pressure on Thune to pass voting bill despite 'talking filibuster' misgivings The Washington Post: Why RFK Jr. is suddenly talking less about vaccines |
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The House is out. The Senate is in. President Trump is at the White House. (All times EST) |
Noon: Vice President Vance speaks at an event in Plover, Wis. 💻 Livestream 1:45 p.m. The Senate holds a confirmation vote. 📆 Today's agenda 3 p.m. Trump holds a private meeting in the Oval Office. |
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🟢 Celebrate: Today is National Pistachio Day. Can you think of a food that has had a bigger glow-up in the past few years than pistachios? The Dubai chocolate craze has really made an impact. 🪣 I fear we've strayed too far from the sun: Dunkin' is testing a 48-ounce iced coffee bucket. 🌷 The National Mall will look stunning in a few weeks: The National Mall will transform into a huge tulip garden in March, according to Washingtonian. On March 15, visitors can build their own tulip bouquets. |
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