Top Items:
Politico:
‘Could have been an email’: Officials balk at Hegseth's generals meeting … Defense officials, in the Pentagon and at bases around the world, spent much of Tuesday trying to make sense of the last-minute gathering at the Quantico base in Virginia. Hegseth called out “fat generals,” and …
Discussion:
The Hill, Wall Street Journal, NewsMax.com, Raw Story and Semafor
RELATED:
Jonathan V. Last / The Bulwark:
“It's a war from within.” — If you were expecting Triumph of the Will, you were disappointed because what you got instead was fat, disoriented Elvis stumbling through his set. Except that it wasn't funny. It was dangerous. — I promise you that the flag officers in attendance were more alarmed than amused.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, The Post Millennial, New York Magazine and NextDraft
New York Times:
Here's the latest. — Here's the latest. — President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned more than 800 of the country's top brass to a military base in Virginia on Tuesday to voice a familiar litany of culture war talking points and criticize a military that they complained …
Discussion:
Newsweek, New Republic, Raw Story and The Daily Caller
Daniel Dale / CNN:
Fact check: Trump makes numerous false claims to generals and admirals, some about the military — President Donald Trump made numerous false claims in a rambling Tuesday speech to hundreds of generals and admirals who were summoned to a military base in Virginia to listen to addresses …
Discussion:
Associated Press and The Independent
Avery Lotz / Axios:
Trump says military should use U.S. cities as “training grounds” — President Trump told the nation's top military officials Tuesday troops should use “dangerous” American cities as “training grounds.” … - Trump has repeatedly floated applying his D.C. blueprint to the Windy City …
Associated Press:
Trump calls for using US cities as a ‘training ground’ for military in unusual speech to generals — President Donald Trump on Tuesday proposed using American cities as training grounds for the armed forces and spoke of needing U.S. military might to combat what he called the “invasion from within.”
Discussion:
Raw Story, Los Angeles Times, ABC News, Washington Times, WTOP News, Oregonian, Task & Purpose, New York Times, al.com, New York Sun, Associated Press and New Republic
Washington Post:
Trump defends using troops to police U.S. cities in address to military leaders — President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended the administration's use of the military to police U.S. cities, decrying “the enemy within” and citing presidents early in the country's history who “used the armed forces to keep domestic order and peace.”
NPR:
Trump, Hegseth to headline a highly unusual gathering of top military officials — President Trump defended the use of U.S. troops in American cities and told top U.S. commanders that the military would be used against the “enemy within.” — “This is going to be a big thing for the people in this room …
Discussion:
MSNBC, Associated Press, Salon and The Intercept
Sarah K. Burris / Raw Story:
‘Disbelief’: Pentagon reporter can't find one military official who liked Hegseth's speech
Discussion:
The Atlantic, The Independent and Louder With Crowder
Greg Jaffe / New York Times:
Hegseth Lectures Military Brass on ‘Woke’ Leaders, Fitness and Grooming
Hegseth Lectures Military Brass on ‘Woke’ Leaders, Fitness and Grooming
Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling / New Republic:
Hegseth Summoned Military Leaders to Say “FAFO” in Disturbing Speech
Hegseth Summoned Military Leaders to Say “FAFO” in Disturbing Speech
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Daily Signal and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Herb Scribner / Axios:
Trump and Hegseth's plan for a MAGA military reset, told in 11 quotes
Trump and Hegseth's plan for a MAGA military reset, told in 11 quotes
Discussion:
New York Times, Washington Examiner and Daily Kos
Jill Filipovic:
All the President's Wimps — Actual tough guys don't have to tell you they're tough guys.
All the President's Wimps — Actual tough guys don't have to tell you they're tough guys.
Discussion:
New York Times
Shawn McCreesh / New York Times:
Trump Refers to Racial Slur During Address to the Military
Trump Refers to Racial Slur During Address to the Military
Discussion:
New Republic and Not the Bee
Washington Post:
Trump, Hegseth lecture military leaders in rare, politically charged summit
Trump, Hegseth lecture military leaders in rare, politically charged summit
Discussion:
Stars & Stripes, The Hill, CBS News, Truthout, OutsideTheBeltway, Slate, Bloomberg, Progress Pond and Washington Times
Colin Demarest / Axios:
Trump says he'll fire generals “on the spot” if he dislikes them
Trump says he'll fire generals “on the spot” if he dislikes them
Discussion:
The Guardian, Associated Press, New York Times, Daily Kos, The Borowitz Report, Advocate, The Wrap, Daily Mail, The Hill, Blaze Media, The Independent, New Jersey Online and al.com
Washington Post:
Government shutdown set to begin overnight as Congress hits impasse — The Senate is expected to vote Tuesday on extending government funding. If the measure fails, a shutdown would start early Wednesday. — just now — The federal government is on track to shut down just after midnight Wednesday …
RELATED:
Marisa Kabas / The Handbasket:
Trump mandates all federal agencies send email blaming Dems for potential gov't shutdown — Workers call the partisan email “a vile slap in the face.” … As the federal government teeters on the brink of a shutdown, workers across many agencies received identical emails late Tuesday afternoon blaming Democrats for the possibility.
New York Times:
After Volatile Summer, Trump's Approval Remains Low but Stable, Poll Finds — A new Times/Siena survey shows the president retaining the support of nine out of 10 G.O.P. voters, even as the government races toward a shutdown on Wednesday. — President Trump's efforts to send National Guard troops …
The Atlantic:
Trump's Grand Plan for a Government Shutdown
Trump's Grand Plan for a Government Shutdown
Discussion:
Washington Post, MSNBC, Fox News, PolitiFact, Raw Story, New York Sun, E&E News, Newsweek and Bloomberg
NPR:
Trump administration uses taxpayer dollars to blame Democrats for government shutdown
Trump administration uses taxpayer dollars to blame Democrats for government shutdown
Discussion:
NOTUS, NewsMax.com and Oregonian
President Donald J. Trump / The White House:
Americans Don't Agree with Democrats' Actions
Americans Don't Agree with Democrats' Actions
Discussion:
NBC News, Associated Press, Representative Shontel Brown, Slate, UPI, The Daily Signal, Michigan Advance and El País
Katherine Hapgood / Politico:
HUD blames ‘radical left’ for government shutdown
HUD blames ‘radical left’ for government shutdown
Discussion:
Bloomberg, New York Times, The Guardian, Raw Story, The Hill, The Daily Caller, Axios and NewsMax.com
Max Rego / The Hill:
More blame would go to GOP than Democrats over shutdown: Poll
More blame would go to GOP than Democrats over shutdown: Poll
Discussion:
Townhall, NPR, CNN and PBS NewsHour
Jennifer Scholtes / Politico:
The other reason Democrats are taking Trump to the mat in a shutdown battle
The other reason Democrats are taking Trump to the mat in a shutdown battle
Discussion:
The Daily Signal
Benjamin Wittes / Lawfare:
The Situation: What a Shutdown Has to Accomplish
The Situation: What a Shutdown Has to Accomplish
Discussion:
CNN, Reuters and The National Pulse
The Hill:
Republicans refuse to swear in newly elected Democrat, delaying success of Epstein petition — Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Republican leaders refused requests from Democrats to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) on Tuesday, saying she will be sworn in when the House returns to regular session.
Discussion:
New Republic and Fox News
RELATED:
Axios:
Democrats plan unusual House floor tactic ahead of shutdown
Discussion:
NOTUS, New York Times, Washington Examiner, New York Sun and New Republic
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Murkowski to vote for House-passed government funding measure
Murkowski to vote for House-passed government funding measure
Discussion:
NewsMax.com
NOTUS:
Voters Elected Her to Congress. Mike Johnson Is Making Her Wait.
Voters Elected Her to Congress. Mike Johnson Is Making Her Wait.
Discussion:
Mediaite and The Parnas Perspective
Nikki McCann Ramirez / Rolling Stone:
Dem Says Mike Johnson Is Delaying Her Swearing-In to Prevent Epstein Vote
Dem Says Mike Johnson Is Delaying Her Swearing-In to Prevent Epstein Vote
Discussion:
NewsNation and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Bloomberg:
Pfizer's Drug Price Cuts Yield Three-Year Trump Tariff Reprieve — Pfizer Inc. secured a reprieve from President Donald Trump's long-threatened tariffs on the pharmaceutical industry Tuesday by agreeing to slash some of its drug prices by up to 85% and selling directly to the American public …
Discussion:
Fortune, The White House, Ace of Spades HQ, PBS NewsHour, Daily Mail, Raw Story, Al Jazeera and The Hill
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
White House to Announce ‘TrumpRx’ Drug-Buying Website, and Deal With Pfizer — President Trump is expected to unveil the measures Tuesday; Pfizer's CEO expected to attend — WASHINGTON—The White House is planning to unveil a direct-to-consumer website for Americans to buy drugs …
Discussion:
Business Insider, Politico, NBC News, CNBC, NPR, Scripps News, Associated Press, STAT, NewsMax.com, New York Times, CBS News, The Hill, UPI, The Guardian, RedState, WTOP News, Townhall, The National Pulse, Deseret News, IJR, Axios, New Republic, Washington Times, Blaze Media, Forbes, 77 WABC and Newsweek
Politico:
Judge excoriates Trump in blistering decision calling efforts to deport pro-Palestinian academics illegal … The ruling is the long-awaited result of a lawsuit brought by university professors who say the Trump administration is illegally chilling free speech by targeting prominent pro …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, CNN, Mother Jones, Fox News, Esquire, MSNBC, NBC News, The Boston Globe, The Hill, Bloomberg, CBS News, All Rise News, The Intercept, emptywheel, NewsMax.com and New Republic
RELATED:
AM New York:
ICE agents assault amNewYork reporter at Federal Plaza immigration court; another journalist seriously injured after shove — ICE agents assaulted amNewYork's own Dean Moses, and allegedly attacked another journalist, on Tuesday morning as they were documenting the ongoing arrests …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Raw Story, Gothamist, New York Times, Newsweek, WTOP News, The Independent and Mediaite
ACLU:
Legal Organizations Across the Ideological Spectrum Urge Court to Reinstate Lawsuit Against Trump Administration's Unconstitutional Attack on Academic Freedom — Federal interference in academic affairs at Columbia University violates the First Amendment, the brief argues
Jay Peters / The Verge:
Google is blocking AI searches for Trump and dementia — AI Mode uncharacteristically pulls up a list of 10 web links instead of a written explanation. … Google appears to have blocked AI search results for the query “does trump show signs of dementia” as well as other questions …
Alan Feuer / New York Times:
In Unusual Move, Prosecutors Secure Federal Charges From Local Grand Jury — A judge, Zia M. Faruqui, said that what appeared to be a kind of grand jury forum shopping seemed to have broken “decades-long norms and the rule of law.” — In the past month or so, federal prosecutors in Washington …
Discussion:
The Hill and FactCheck.org
Caroline S. Engelmayer / The Harvard Crimson:
Trump Claims White House Has Struck Deal With Harvard — U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday in the Oval Office that the White House had “reached a deal” with Harvard, before cautioning that the agreement had not been finalized. — “All you have to do is paper it, right …
Seth Simons / The Guardian:
US comedians defend decision to play in Saudi Arabia: 'They're paying me enough to look the other way' — Usual supporters of free speech are under fire for signing on to Riyadh festival despite the government's human rights abuses — Billed as “the biggest comedy festival in the world” …
Washington Post:
Trump's USAID pause stranded lifesaving drugs. Children died waiting. — As a result, when 5-year-old Suza Kenyaba contracted malaria, the medicine was not available. — She died on Feb. 19. — In the first half of the year, hundreds of USAID shipments of antimalarial …

