Trump News for Thursday, February 26, 2026
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Top Mideast commander briefs Trump on military options on Iran: Exclusive
Anne Flaherty, Abcnews.com
Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, briefed President Donald Trump on Thursday on potential military options in Iran, a source said.
Feb 26, 2026, 11:46 PM
Netflix Backs Out Of Warner Bros. Deal, Paramount Set To Acquire Historic Studio
staff@slashfilm.com (Jeremy Smith), /FILM
Netflix is no longer pursuing the acquisition of Warner Bros., paving the way for Paramount to take over the historic studio.
Feb 26, 2026, 11:35 PM
Netflix says it won't raise its offer for Warner Bros.
James Faris, Business Insider
Netflix said it wouldn't pay more for Warner Bros. two days after Paramount increased its offer.
Feb 26, 2026, 11:06 PM
Cuba says speedboat attackers from Florida planned to destabilise country
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
Associates of one of the passengers killed in the alleged raid attempt said he sought to overthrow Cuba's government.
Feb 26, 2026, 10:58 PM
Mamdani charms Trump (again)
Cameron Peters, Vox
This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: So far, so good for New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s de…
Feb 26, 2026, 10:41 PM
The Pentagon’s battle with Anthropic is really a war over who controls AI
Bryan Walsh, Vox
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth sometimes appears as if he’s more interested in the optics of playing the part of a military leader than he is in actually being a military leader. Maybe that’s why he has chosen a Hollywood-esque high noon — or, at least, late …
Feb 26, 2026, 10:40 PM
Ecuador hikes tariffs on Colombian imports to 50 percent starting March 1
Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English
The new announcement from Quito follows an initial 30 percent tariff imposed by the Andean nation in early February.
Feb 26, 2026, 10:26 PM
Warner Bros. Discovery Finds Paramount's Latest Bid 'Superior' to Netflix
Kourtnee Jackson, CNET
Depending on the outcome, the Netflix merger may not happen.
Feb 26, 2026, 10:20 PM
What Kind of Fighter Do Democrats Want?
Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic
The crowd was fired up. The candidate was on her game. And I was escorted out by armed guards.
Feb 26, 2026, 10:08 PM
Kremlin speaks out after Cuban border guards get in gunfight with US-registered boat
Bill Hutchinson, Meredith Deliso, Abcnews.com
The Kremlin appears to be backing the Cuban government, a day after Cuban border guards engaged in a deadly high-seas gun battle off the coast of the Caribbean island.
Feb 26, 2026, 9:58 PM
Pro-Trump attorneys push EO that would give Trump wide power over elections: Sources
Will Steakin, Abcnews.com
A group of pro-Trump lawyers is circulating a draft of an emergency executive order that would give President Trump sweeping power over voting, sources tell ABC News.
Feb 26, 2026, 9:52 PM
Trump's ballroom project can continue for now, court says
Tamara Keith, NPR
A US District Judge denied a preservation group's effort to put a pause on construction
Feb 26, 2026, 9:51 PM
Warner Bros. Discovery Declares New Paramount Bid a ‘Superior Proposal’; Netflix Has Four Business Days to Match
Cynthia Littleton, Variety
The board of Warner Bros. Discovery said Thursday it has determined that the latest offer from Paramount Skydance is a “superior proposal” to its existing pact with Netflix. The move sets off a four-day clock for Netflix to make a counteroffer to the nearly $…
Feb 26, 2026, 9:27 PM
Apple Says iPhone and iPad Are Approved to Handle Some Classified Data
Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com
No assembly required.
Feb 26, 2026, 9:25 PM
Family of UN rapporteur Albanese sues Trump administration over sanctions
Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English
Albanese, a supporter of Palestinian rights, has faced US sanctions since July over her criticism of Israel.
Feb 26, 2026, 9:25 PM
Middle East braces for conflict but uncertainty remains over Trump's final decision
Guy Davies, Jordana Miller, Nadine El-Bawab, Abcnews.com
The U.S. and Iran held face-to-face talks in Geneva on Thursday, but a huge military build-up of U.S. forces in the Middle East has the region bracing for war.
Feb 26, 2026, 9:11 PM
Columbia University says US immigration agents lied to detain student
Joseph Stepansky, Al Jazeera English
Administrators say agents 'made misrepresentations', claimed missing person search to detain woman at school building.
Feb 26, 2026, 9:02 PM
DOJ’s Losing Streak Continues Because Federal Officers Just Can’t Stop Lying
Tim Cushing, Techdirt
I’ll take my joy where I can. And this iteration of the Trump DOJ continues to provide bright bursts of schadenfreude-tinted sunshine. Any competent DOJ can close cases. Any barely competent prosecutor can push a case past a grand jury. Any sufficiently slipp…
Feb 26, 2026, 8:54 PM
ICE agents misrepresented themselves to arrest a student at Columbia, lawyers say
The Associated Press, NPR
Columbia University says federal immigration agents entered a residence hall under the guise of searching for a missing person and then arrested Ellie Aghayeva, a student from Azerbaijan.
Feb 26, 2026, 8:47 PM
Columbia University student detained by federal agents in dorm to be released: Mayor
Armando Garcia, Ivan Pereira, Abcnews.com
A Columbia University student was detained by Department of Homeland Security agents after they allegedly made "misrepresentations" to enter a dorm, the school said.
Feb 26, 2026, 8:47 PM
Hillary and Bill Clinton have been married for over 50 years. Here's a timeline of their relationship.
Jillian Selzer,Talia Lakritz, Business Insider
From dealing with cheating scandals to navigating politics, here's a look at the Clintons' relationship over the past few decades.
Feb 26, 2026, 8:40 PM
US-Iran talks conclude with claims of progress but few details
Maziar Motamedi, Al Jazeera English
Technical discussions to continue in Vienna, but unclear whether differences can be resolved to avoid war.
Feb 26, 2026, 8:22 PM
US government asks Supreme Court to allow deportation of Syrian migrants
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
Trump has pushed to strip migrants of Temporary Protected Status, arguing that their countries are no longer unsafe.
Feb 26, 2026, 8:22 PM
After State of the Union, Trump’s agenda faces new political reality
Joseph Stepansky, Al Jazeera English
US president strikes triumphant tone in speech but faces legal setbacks and hurdles in Congress as midterms approach.
Feb 26, 2026, 8:08 PM
Some AI policymakers and lawyers warn that DOD's threats to Anthropic are contradictory and could chill partnerships between the government and Silicon Valley (Brendan Bordelon/Politico)
Techmeme.com
Brendan Bordelon / Politico: Some AI policymakers and lawyers warn that DOD's threats to Anthropic are contradictory and could chill partnerships between the government and Silicon Valley — Dean Ball, a former AI adviser in the Trump administration, said th…
Feb 26, 2026, 7:50 PM
Meet the toymaker who helped take down Trump’s tariffs
Kelli Wessinger, Noel King, Vox
Late last week, the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s tariffs imposed under the federal International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) as unlawful. The Court did not, however, say how or when — or whether — the Trump administration will …
Feb 26, 2026, 7:47 PM
Hillary Clinton calls for Trump to testify at US House Epstein hearing
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
The former secretary of state accused the Republican-led panel of seeking to protect political allies in probe.
Feb 26, 2026, 7:15 PM
“Not Ready for Prime Time.” A Federal Tool To Check Voter Citizenship Keeps Making Mistakes.
Jen Fifield and Zach Despart, Techdirt
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. When county clerk Brianna Lennon got an email in November saying a newly expanded federal system had flagged 74 people on the county’s voter roll as potential nonc…
Feb 26, 2026, 6:55 PM
He saw an abandoned trailer. Then, uncovered a surveillance network
Wendy Fry, Khari Johnson, CALmatters
California residents are noticing new license plate readers that appear to be operated by the Border Patrol. Some have had confusing encounters with agents.
Feb 26, 2026, 6:27 PM
The High-Stakes Fight Between Hegseth and Anthropic
Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic
Even when companies vow to develop AI responsibly, geopolitics may force them to abandon that commitment.
Feb 26, 2026, 6:18 PM
A Presidential Problem of Canine Proportions
Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic
Misbehaving dogs in the White House have plagued administration after administration.
Feb 26, 2026, 5:45 PM
The Degraded State of the Union
Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic
Presidential oratory once sought to elevate its audience, through high seriousness and artful rhetoric, but also by being high-minded and fair.
Feb 26, 2026, 5:11 PM
WATCH: Cuba says four killed on Florida-registered speedboat were attempting 'infiltration'
ABC News, Abcnews.com
Four people on a speedboat were killed and six injured in a "confrontation" near Cuba after those on the U.S.-registered vessel opened fire on Cuban troops, the Cuban Ministry of the Interior said.
Feb 26, 2026, 5:09 PM
Nvidia CEO says the economics of space data centers are 'poor right now,' but will improve
Brent D. Griffiths, Business Insider
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is the latest big name in tech to weigh in on the possible future of orbital data centers.
Feb 26, 2026, 4:45 PM
Democrats to introduce bill aimed at resurrecting IRS Direct File
Emma Roth, The Verge
160 Democratic lawmakers from across the country are backing a soon-to-be-introduced bill that would reverse the Trump administration's decision to eliminate IRS Direct File. The Direct File Act, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA…
Feb 26, 2026, 4:17 PM
Trump U-turn: Is Venezuelan oil really available to Cuba again?
Shola Lawal, Al Jazeera English
The US says it will licence entities to sell the oil to Cuba except those linked to the Cuban government and military.
Feb 26, 2026, 3:54 PM
Daylight Saving Time Is the Latest Argument Waiting to Divorce MAHA from MAGA
Jim Vorel, Jezebel
Trump seems to prefer permanent daylight saving time, while RFK Jr. wants standard time ... but is too cowardly to say so.
Feb 26, 2026, 3:53 PM
Epstein and the politics of distraction
Yoav Litvin, Al Jazeera English
Scandal individualises corruption, creating a spectacle that redirects anger away from structural power.
Feb 26, 2026, 3:44 PM
The Two Key Villains of 2022’s Crypto Crash are Trying to Rewrite History
Kyle Torpey, Gizmodo.com
The rot at the heart of crypto in 2022 is now up for debate, as the industry goes through another crash.
Feb 26, 2026, 2:55 PM
NBC Expects Savannah Guthrie’s ‘Today’ Return, But Timeline Remains Uncertain
Brian Steinberg, Variety
The new normal at NBC’s “Today” is anything but. Anchors at the long-running A.M. franchise have grappled with many challenges over the years, ranging from personal health issues to talent transitions, but this past month has presented a set of circumstances …
Feb 26, 2026, 2:40 PM
Every Time a U.S. Presidential Candidate Won the Popular Vote but Lost the Election
Colin Scanlon, Mental Floss
The rare but pivotal elections that changed the conversation about American democracy.
Feb 26, 2026, 2:00 PM
Has Trump’s trade strategy lost leverage?
Al Jazeera English
A Supreme Court setback on tariffs challenges Trump's protectionist trade strategy.
Feb 26, 2026, 1:59 PM
Danish PM calls snap election with Greenland issue centre-stage
BBC News
The issue of Greenland, which Donald Trump wants to annex, is likely to dominate the election campaign.
Feb 26, 2026, 1:56 PM
India-Israel axis: What are the IMEC corridor, I2U2 grouping Modi spoke of?
Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English
During his Knesset speech in Jerusalem, Modi mentioned multilateral projects on which India and Israel collaborate.
Feb 26, 2026, 1:48 PM
Trump FCC Demands ‘Pro-America’ Media Programming All Summer Long
Karl Bode, Techdirt
Most of Trump FCC boss Brendan Carr’s time lately has been split between destroying all consumer protection oversight and threatening media companies with fake investigations if they’re not appropriately deferential to our mad idiot king. The latter has tende…
Feb 26, 2026, 1:26 PM
UFC to spend around $60m on White House event
Paul Battison, BBC News
The UFC will spend up to $60m (£44.3m) on its one-of-a-kind event at the White House, according to TKO Group Holdings chief Mark Shapiro.
Feb 26, 2026, 1:16 PM
How Trump’s 2026 Iran ‘war’ script echoes and twists the 2003 Iraq playbook
Mohammad Mansour, Al Jazeera English
Echoes of 2003: How Trump is using conflicting intel and homeland threats to justify a new escalation with Iran.
Feb 26, 2026, 1:03 PM
Hillary Clinton testifies she has no information on Epstein's crimes and doesn't recall meeting him
STEPHEN GROVES, Yahoo Entertainment
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told U.S. House lawmakers in New York on Thursday that she had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s or Ghislaine...
Feb 26, 2026, 12:10 PM
Americans Are Leaving the US in Record Numbers
msmash, Slashdot.org
An anonymous reader shares a report: In its 250th year, is America, land of immigration, becoming a country of emigration? Last year the U.S. experienced something that hasn't definitively occurred since the Great Depression: More people moved out than moved …
Feb 26, 2026, 12:07 PM
Building the Electrostate
Sandeep Vaheesan, The New York Review of Books
In the United States today, officials at all levels of government generally act as if private enterprise is the only way to provide goods and services. Yet a bastion of public ownership survives: more than a quarter of electricity customers—including the resi…
Feb 26, 2026, 12:00 PM
Men in their 50s may be aging faster due to toxic 'forever chemicals'
Sandee LaMotte, CNN
Some types of “forever chemicals” are aging men in their 50s and early 60s faster than at other times of life, a new study found.
Feb 26, 2026, 11:58 AM
Anthropic has less than 36 hours before it barrels toward uncharted territory with the US government
Lloyd Lee, Business Insider
Anthropic is at risk of getting blacklisted by the US government on Friday unless it agrees to terms established by the Defense Department.
Feb 26, 2026, 11:03 AM
Pentagon shifts toward maintaining ties to Scouting
Graham Smith, NPR
Months after NPR reported on the Pentagon's efforts to sever ties with Scouting America, efforts to maintain the partnership have new momentum
Feb 26, 2026, 11:00 AM
Why Pick a Fight With Iran Now?
Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic
President Trump has yet to give a good rationale.
Feb 26, 2026, 11:00 AM
The Tariffs Loss Is Paradoxically a Win for Trump
Rosalind Dixon, David Pozen, The Atlantic
The president will need the Court to have a veneer of legitimacy for when it blesses other, more damaging parts of his agenda.
Feb 26, 2026, 11:00 AM
Why farmers in California are backing a giant solar farm
Dan Charles, NPR
Many farmers have had to fallow land as a state law comes into effect limiting their access to water. There's now a push to develop some of that land… into solar farms.
Feb 26, 2026, 10:25 AM
Judge to hear arguments over whether Abrego Garcia is being vindictively prosecuted
Laura Romero, Abcnews.com
A federal judge in Tennessee will hear arguments over whether the government is being vindictive in pursuing a human smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
Feb 26, 2026, 10:14 AM
'Get back to integrity': Oklahoma's Kevin Stitt on Republicans after Trump
Steve Inskeep, NPR
NPR's Steve Inskeep asks Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt about his spat with President Trump, immigration and the future of the Republican Party.
Feb 26, 2026, 10:00 AM
Tariffs cost American shoppers. They're unlikely to get that money back
Stephan Bisaha, NPR
After the Supreme Court declared the emergency tariffs illegal, the refund process will be messy and will go to businesses first.
Feb 26, 2026, 10:00 AM
Civil rights leaders say the racial progress Jesse Jackson fought for is under threat
Debbie Elliott, NPR
Activists say racial progress won by the Rev. Jesse Jackson is under threat, as a new generation of leaders works to preserve hard-fought civil rights gains.
Feb 26, 2026, 10:00 AM
The White House Correspondents' Dinner is going mentalist this year
Drew Gillis, Jezebel
Since 2007, Jezebel has been the Internet's most treasured source for everything celebrities, sex, and politics...with teeth.
Feb 26, 2026, 9:38 AM
How relief for the 40 million Americans without a retirement account could work
Allie Kelly,Noah Sheidlower, Business Insider
President Donald Trump announced a federal savings match plan for private-sector workers during his 2026 State of the Union speech.
Feb 26, 2026, 9:28 AM
Near-blind Rohingya refugee dies after US agents left him far from home
Lyndal Rowlands, Al Jazeera English
Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, was a nearly blind Rohingya refugee from Rakhine state in Myanmar, family members said.
Feb 26, 2026, 8:39 AM
Germany’s Merz eyes business opportunities at Chinese tech hub in Hangzhou
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
German chancellor visits eastern city, home to AI firm DeepSeek and e-commerce giant Alibaba, with business leaders.
Feb 26, 2026, 8:39 AM
Bill and Hillary Clinton set for Epstein deposition: What to know
Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English
Hillary is scheduled to testify on Thursday, February 26, followed by Bill Clinton on Friday, February 27.
Feb 26, 2026, 7:57 AM
WATCH: Mexican marines on patrol in Cancun in wake of cartel violence
ABC News, Abcnews.com
ABC News' Matt Rivers went on patrol with Mexican marines in Cancun as authorities in the country step up security efforts.
Feb 26, 2026, 6:59 AM
U.S. and Iran to hold a third round of nuclear talks in Geneva
The Associated Press, NPR
Iran and the United States prepared to meet Thursday in Geneva for nuclear negotiations, as America has gathered a fleet of aircraft and warships to the Middle East to pressure Tehran into a deal.
Feb 26, 2026, 6:54 AM
US, Ukraine to meet in Geneva as Russia attacks Kyiv with missiles, drones
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
Kyiv hopes progress in talks in Geneva will pave the way for a direct meeting between Russian and Ukrainian leaders.
Feb 26, 2026, 6:52 AM
Nvidia rolls back 2 hot-button topics in a slimmer — and more China-focused — annual report
Shubhangi Goel, Business Insider
The report highlighted US chip export rules hindering Nvidia's competitiveness in China's market.
Feb 26, 2026, 6:50 AM
UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson talks up US State Department visit
Erin Hale, Al Jazeera English
Robinson is notorious in the UK where he has been accused of promoting hatred against Muslims and migrants.
Feb 26, 2026, 5:54 AM
Hong Kong appeals court overturns Jimmy Lai’s fraud conviction
Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English
Surprise ruling comes weeks after the media mogul was convicted and jailed for 20 years on national security charges.
Feb 26, 2026, 5:19 AM
At least 6 FBI agents who worked on Trump classified documents case fired: Sources
Luke Barr, Abcnews.com
The agents were fired after FBI Director Kash Patel told Reuters that phone records belonging to him and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles had been subpoenaed.
Feb 26, 2026, 4:39 AM
ICE not being deployed to polling places for midterms, state officials told: Sources
Luke Barr, Abcnews.com
ICE will not be deployed at polling places during the midterm elections later this year, state election security administrators were told during a call.
Feb 26, 2026, 4:05 AM
Trump says lawmakers Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib should be removed from US
Erin Hale, Al Jazeera English
US President Donald Trump lashed out at two congresswomen after their protests during his State of the Union address.
Feb 26, 2026, 3:56 AM
Iran, US set to hold talks as Trump threatens force, imposes sanctions
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
Iran's top diplomat arrives in Geneva as US announces new sanctions on vessels linked to Tehran's oil trade.
Feb 26, 2026, 2:14 AM
‘Compute Equals Revenues’: Nvidia Needs Jensen Huang’s New Catchphrase to Be True
Ece Yildirim, Gizmodo.com
Here's everything you need to know from Nvidia's latest earnings call.
Feb 26, 2026, 2:05 AM
Congressman Al Green Thinks His SOTU Confrontation of Donald Trump Was Needed
TMZ Staff, TMZ
Democratic Congressman Al Green thinks peaceful protests still matter ... especially when it comes to President Donald Trump and his incendiary language and conduct. Green, a representative for the state of Texas, made headlines last night when he…
Feb 26, 2026, 1:00 AM
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,463
Lyndal Rowlands, Al Jazeera English
These are the key developments from day 1,463 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Feb 26, 2026, 12:43 AM
Maduro's lawyer says US is blocking Venezuela government from paying deposed leader's drug defense
JOSHUA GOODMAN, Yahoo Entertainment
The Trump administration is blocking Venezuela's government from paying for the cost of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro's defense against drug trafficking...
Feb 26, 2026, 12:06 AM