Europe hits back at ‘pure tariff chaos’ from the U.S., warning trade deals are at risk … Europe has warned that trade deals struck with the U.S. could now be at risk after President Donald Trump unveiled a new global 15% tariff on all imports at the weekend.

Judge Cannon permanently blocks release of Jack Smith report … The Trump-appointed judge said releasing the report now would “contravene basic notions of fairness and justice” and amount to a “manifest injustice” because the case never reached a jury.  It could also risk revealing information protected …

Texts From Late Staffer's Phone Show Rep. Gonzales Made Explicit Sexual Requests  —  Support independent journalism, $5/month, $50/year.  —  Embattled Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) made explicit sexual requests to his late congressional staffer who repeatedly resisted, according …

FBI's “Stand Down” Directive to NYPD on Jeffrey Epstein Investigations, and More  —  Just five days after Jeffrey Epstein's arrest in the summer of 2019, federal authorities “directed” the New York Police Department to “stand down” its investigations related to Epstein, new documents released by the Department of Justice show.

25 Mexican National Guard troops left dead during an operation that killed cartel leader ‘El Mencho’  —  Mexico Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said Monday 25 members of the National Guard were left dead in Jalisco in six separate attacks after the killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes.

State Dept orders evacuation of non-emergency US personnel from embassy in Beirut  —  The US has deployed forces to the Middle East for a potential attack on Iran  —  The U.S. State Department ordered non-emergency personnel to evacuate the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon on Monday.

The tariffs ruling is the right result from a terrible process  —  PN is supported by paid subscribers.  Become one ⬇️  —  🏛️ Subscribe to PN 🏛️  —  If you're trying to make sense of the Supreme Court's decision last Friday in Learning Resources v. Trump, well, good luck.

BBC and host apologize after racial slur shouted during BAFTA awards by guest with Tourette's  —  Britain's film academy and the BBC apologized to viewers after an audience member with Tourette syndrome shouted a racial slur during the British Academy Film Awards.

Patel sparks outrage partying with Team USA as MAGA cheers him on  —  FBI Director Kash Patel is at the center of an online firestorm after videos captured inside Team USA's men's hockey locker room on Sunday showed him chugging beers, singing a Toby Keith song and partying with the Olympic gold medal-winning team.

Armed Man Shot Dead at Mar-a-Lago Was Fixated on Epstein Files, Text Shows  —  The armed man shot and killed by Secret Service agents outside President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property Sunday had grown increasingly obsessed with the Epstein files and was also a vocal supporter of Trump ... TMZ has learned.

Trump's approval rating with independents hits a new low ahead of the State of the Union  —  When President Donald Trump gives his State of the Union address Tuesday, he will face a public that increasingly questions his priorities and expresses broad doubts about whether his proposed policies …

The Epstein Files Should Never Have Been Released  —  Every day seems to bring new reports of financiers, academics, politicians and royalty (among others) who cozied up to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender whose predation took a horrendous toll on innocent lives.

Vaccine Skeptic RFK Jr.'s Allies Pitch Cringe Comedy on COVID Response  —  RASH RESPONSE  —  The estimated production budget for “The Rash” is close to $6 million.  —  Allies of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are desperately trying to raise funding so a comedy movie about the response to the COVID-19 pandemic can be made.

James Talarico Puts His Faith in Texas Voters  —  The Senate candidate believes that Democrats can win by appealing to higher values.  Can he succeed in the age of Trump?  —  After the 8:30 a.m. service at the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas, Senior Pastor Amos Disasa brought two worshippers to his office for a prearranged chat.

Nicki Minaj's social media propped up by thousands of bots, analysis finds … Nicki Minaj spent the past year transforming herself from a polarizing rap superstar into a high-profile conservative provocateur, lobbing viral attacks at Democratic leaders, boosting MAGA talking points …

February 22, 2026  —  On February 6, four direct descendants of President Theodore Roosevelt wrote to United States senators to ask them to vote against a measure that opens up the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in Minnesota to the Chilean mining giant Antofagasta Plc and its subsidiary Twin Metals Minnesota.

The Trump Administration Is Ending Aid That It Says Saves Lives  —  The State Department will let lifesaving projects expire because “there is no strong nexus between the humanitarian response and U.S. national interests,” according to an internal email.  —  A year after the Trump administration began …

Days after $5M donation, Trump administration backs Crypto.com in lawsuit  —  In a document quietly filed with the Federal Election Commission on Friday night, MAGA Inc., the primary Super PAC supporting President Trump, revealed that it received a $5 million donation from Crypto.com on January 23, 2026.

Gov. Wes Moore's redistricting plan is poised to die.  He's still fighting.  —  Tuesday's candidate filing deadline marks the unofficial end of the window to redistrict Maryland ahead of the 2026 midterms.  Moore, a potential 2028 White House contender, refuses to concede defeat.

What Trump Sells Is Impunity  —  Trump stands out in the GOP not for his racism, but his vision of emancipatory irresponsibility.  —  On January 10, 2025, a 23-year-old woman was shot to death by her father after a heated argument about Donald Trump.  Lucy Harrison, a UK citizen and fashion buyer …

Trump Reverts to First-Term Tumult as Republican Fears Mount  —  President Donald Trump's first year back in office won praise from supporters for its efficiency in passing legislation, enacting a trade agenda and rapidly deporting immigrants.  —  His second year, however …