Trump refuses to apologize over video showing the Obamas as apes  —  “No, I didn't make a mistake,” the president said.  —  ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE — President Donald Trump declined to apologize for sharing a social media video that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes …

Prosecutors Began Investigating Renee Good's Killing.  Washington Told Them to Stop.  —  Federal prosecutors had a warrant to collect evidence from Ms. Good's vehicle, but Trump administration leaders said to drop it.  About a dozen prosecutors have departed, leaving the Minnesota U.S. attorney's office in turmoil.

Military Pressured to See ‘Melania’ Against Their Will  —  ‘PEOPLE ARE SCARED’  —  A military group has evidence of troops being ordered into theater—the movie theater.  —  Thousands of active-duty military personnel may have been “pressured” into seeing the Melania documentary at cinemas around the country, a watchdog has warned.

Lutnick and Epstein were in business together, Epstein files show  —  Add CBS News on Google  —  U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said he had “limited interactions” with Jeffrey Epstein, but documents show they were in business together as recently as 2014.

Judge rules in favor of New York and New Jersey for now in $16B tunnel fight with Trump  —  The construction on the tunnel, which will connect New York and New Jersey, was expected to end Friday night.  —  Listen to this article with a free account  —  A federal judge ruled Friday …

208. The Fifth Circuit Jumps the Immigration Detention Shark  —  I've written before about the deeply contested (and contestable) reinterpretation of federal immigration law that the Trump administration adopted last summer, under which any non-citizen who was never lawfully admitted …

Zelensky warns of ‘risk’ US, Russia could strike bilateral deals on Ukraine without Kyiv  —  The U.S. and Russia could reach bilateral agreements affecting Ukraine without Kyiv's participation, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 6 during a briefing with journalists in Kyiv.

White House excluding Dems from its annual governors meeting … NGA is meeting this year from Feb. 19 to 21.  —  The NGA said in a Friday email to people involved in planning that the association's leadership has decided the White House meeting will no longer be an association event.

STAT+: TrumpRx claims to offer the lowest prices.  But many drugs have cheaper generics  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump said his administration's new TrumpRx website will offer the cheapest prices in the world for 43 brand-name drugs, and counting.  But about half of them are already available as generics, usually for much less.

DeLauro to pressing clergy: ‘I will not vote to abolish ICE’  —  A Friday roundtable discussion with faith leaders and Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro grew contentious at times, with some clergy calling for the abolishment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE …

RFK Jr.'s Bizarre Trip With Epstein and Ghislaine Exposed in Files  —  JURASSIC ADVENTURES  —  The trip took place on a Native reservation where collecting fossils without explicit tribal permission is considered looting.  —  Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. went hunting for dinosaur bones …

Members of Congress will have access to unredacted Epstein files  —  The Justice Department will let members of Congress view unredacted copies of the more than 3 million documents related to Jeffrey Epstein that have been publicly released, according to a letter obtained by Axios.

State Department will delete X posts from before Trump returned to office  —  The State Department is removing all posts on its public accounts on the social media platform X made before President Trump returned to office on Jan. 20, 2025.  —  The posts will be internally archived …

Trump Opens Marine National Monument in Atlantic to Commercial Fishing  —  Off the coast of Cape Cod, the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is a unique stretch of ocean that had been protected for a decade.  —  President Trump moved on Friday to allow commercial fishing …

Judge denies DHS bid to rush removal of Liam Ramos and his family  —  Kristen Stenvik, superintendent of the district where Liam goes to school, said the ruling provides both “additional time” and “continued uncertainty.” … The Department of Homeland Security unsuccessfully sought …

NBC appears to cut crowd's booing of JD Vance from Winter Olympics broadcast  — Vice-president given hostile reception by some in Milan  — US broadcast cuts out crowd's show of dissent  —  The US vice-president, JD Vance, was greeted by a chorus of boos when he appeared …

Trump administration won't let student deported to Honduras return  —  President Donald Trump's administration on Friday called a judge's proposal that the government issue a student visa to a college student it deported to Honduras in violation of a court order “unfeasible” …

Republican Chairman of Homeland Security Spending Panel to Exit Congress  —  Representative Mark Amodei of Nevada added his name to the growing list of Republicans planning to give up their seats as their party faces losses that could cost them the House.  —  Representative Mark Amodei …

The Epstein scandal is taking down Europe's political class.  In the US, they're getting a pass. … But as Europe's political class moves to clean up its mess and address its shame concerning ties with the convicted sex offender, it's inadvertently highlighting something else — the comparative lack of accountability in the U.S.

2/7/26📝 Readback  —  Welcome to The Readback, our weekend digest featuring the best of Punchbowl News this week — a quick roundup of all our scoops, analysis and Capitol Hill insight you won't find anywhere else.  We've also included a few of our favorite outside reads from the week.

What's Up With This Big Freeze?  Some Scientists See Climate Change Link  —  A warming Arctic can stretch the polar vortex, a high-altitude air ribbon, one says.  The “wobble” can disrupt the jet stream, causing extreme cold in the East.  —  If the planet is getting warmer, why is it so cold this winter?

Hegseth Says Defense Department Will Cut Ties With Harvard  —  Mr. Hegseth's order appeared to target his alma mater, Harvard's Kennedy School for public policy.  —  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday that the Defense Department would sever its academic ties with Harvard University …

Why Trump's Calls to ‘Nationalize’ Voting Have Raised Midterm Fears … President Trump has repeatedly suggested that he wants the Republican-led federal government to “nationalize” or “take over” the running of elections.  —  His position is at odds with the Constitution, which leaves the administration of elections to the states.

Reform-run Kent council accused of fabricating £40m net zero savings  —  Disclosures show figures cited by authority's leader rested on unfunded ideas listed briefly in budget papers  —  Reform UK's flagship council has been accused of telling a “blatant lie” after its claim …

The little-known aide helping to shape Trump's Europe policy … Andy Baker's only moment in the spotlight came by accident — when, in March, Vice President JD Vance named him as his point-person in the administration's infamous leaked group chat about the Houthi strikes in Yemen.

Children trapped in Texas immigration facility recount nightmares, inedible food, no school  —  A photo of Liam Conejo Ramos, a scared 5-year-old, drew attention to a detention center in Dilley, Texas.  Advocates say his experience reflects what hundreds of children have endured out of public view.