Top Items:
Politico:
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 …
Discussion:
CNN
RELATED:
Jacob Rosen / CBS News:
Judge permanently blocks release of Jack Smith's report on Trump classified documents case — Add CBS News on Google — Washington — A federal judge on Monday permanently blocked the Justice Department from releasing the portion of former special counsel Jack Smith's report that details …
Discussion:
Axios, Bloomberg, New York Times, New York Post, Fox News, Scripps News, New York Sun, Associated Press, Raw Story, New Republic, MS NOW and The Independent
Andrew Goudsward / Reuters:
US judge permanently blocks release of report on Trump documents case — A U.S. judge permanently barred the Justice Department on Monday from releasing a prosecutor's report on the criminal case accusing President Donald Trump of unlawfully retaining classified documents following his first term in office.
Discussion:
The Hill
Holly Ellyatt / CNBC:
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.
Discussion:
Straight Arrow News, Bloomberg, New York Times, Joe.My.God., European Commission, Financial Times, Eschaton and Politico
RELATED:
Steve Kopack / NBC News:
E.U. hits the brakes on U.S. trade deal after Trump threatens 15% global tariffs — The pause is the latest fallout from the Supreme Court's ruling that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority when he imposed emergency tariffs. — The European Parliament on Monday halted …
Discussion:
Politico, Bloomberg, The Guardian, New York Times, The Hill, France 24, TheJournal.ie, Reuters, Associated Press and NewsMax.com
Stephen Collinson / CNN:
Trump won't blink on tariffs — because he can't — No, President Donald Trump isn't looking for a new “most beautiful word” in the dictionary to replace his beloved tariffs. — True to his philosophy of never accepting a defeat, he's already battling back after the Supreme Court declared …
Discussion:
Raw Story, New York Daily News, NewsMax.com, Newsweek, Bloomberg, The i Paper, MS NOW, San Diego Union-Tribune, Washington Times and Fox News
Aaron Parnas / The Parnas Perspective:
Major Update: Bombshell Epstein Developments as Trump Support Falls Ahead of State of the Union and FBI Director Faces Calls to Resign — Good morning everyone. We are kicking off an absolutely packed and consequential week. Major new developments in the Epstein case have emerged …
Discussion:
Politico and twitchy.com
RELATED:
Juliegrace Brufke / 24sight News:
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 …
Discussion:
Mediaite, New York Post and The Daily Caller
Associated Press:
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.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, New York Post, Reuters, RedState, New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, Townhall, Washington Post, Fox News, WXIA-TV, CNN, WTTG-TV, Agence France-Presse, archive.ph, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, WCNC-TV, BBC, Associated Press, CBS News, Axios, El País, Blaze Media, FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth, France 24, WTOP News, The i Paper, NewsMax.com, The Daily Wire, UPI, Straight Arrow News, Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, Chicago Sun Times, The Japan News, Orlando Sentinel and Fortune
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New York Times:
Mayhem Rocks Mexico After Most-Wanted Cartel Boss Is Killed
Mayhem Rocks Mexico After Most-Wanted Cartel Boss Is Killed
Discussion:
Reuters, Los Angeles Times, Wonkette, The Daily Wire, Raw Story, Straight Arrow News, Fox News, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, France 24, Washington Times, TheJournal.ie, The Spectator, El País, Al Jazeera, CBS News, RedState, Mediaite, San Diego Union-Tribune, FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth, NewsMax.com, Ngo Comment, TMZ.com, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Breitbart, Rolling Stone, New York Sun, twitchy.com, The Post Millennial, The Hill, HotAir, KUSA-TV, New York Daily News, Courthouse News Service and Bloomberg
Ryan Goodman / Just Security:
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.
Associated Press:
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.
Lisa Needham / Public Notice:
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.
Discussion:
SCOTUSblog and Reason
RELATED:
Liz Dye / Law and Chaos:
You Do Not, Under Any Circumstances, Gotta Hand It To Chief Justice Roberts
You Do Not, Under Any Circumstances, Gotta Hand It To Chief Justice Roberts
Discussion:
Cafe Hayek, Washington Post and New York Times
Ewan Palmer / The Daily Beast:
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.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Washington Times, Politico and Semafor
CNN:
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 …
Discussion:
USA Today, New Jersey Online, Raw Story, Newsweek and The Hill
TMZ.com:
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.
Daniel Richman / New York Times:
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.
Heather Cox Richardson / Letters from an American:
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.
Jason Beeferman / Politico:
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 …
Judd Legum / Popular Information:
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.
Katherine Alejandra Cross / Liberal Currents:
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 …
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
The Hill:
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.
Hana Kiros / The Atlantic:
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 …
New York Times:
Judges Grow Angry Over Trump Administration Violating Their Orders — At least 35 times since August, federal judges have ordered the administration to explain why it should not be punished for violating their orders in immigration cases. — The judge was angry.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Wall Street Journal:
Why Tariffs Aren't Shrinking the U.S. Trade Deficit — Trump is doubling down on the levies, which have prompted many trade partners to boost support for their own exporters — STUTTGART, Germany—President Trump is doubling down on his tariffs, even though they have so far failed to achieve …
Discussion:
Semafor and Drezner's World
Amanda Marcotte / Salon:
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin's replacement is even worse — Kristi Noem isn't shaking up DHS, she's doubling down on violence and propaganda — Even in an administration of shameless liars, Tricia McLaughlin is a standout. The Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman …
Lawrence Hurley / NBC News:
Supreme Court takes up oil companies' plea to end climate change lawsuits — The court will hear an appeal brought by Suncor and Exxon Mobil asking it to throw out a lawsuit in Colorado seeking damages for harm caused by the use of fossil fuels. — WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court agreed …
Discussion:
CBS News, Associated Press, Reason, Los Angeles Times, BizPac Review, SCOTUSblog, Courthouse News Service and WTOP News
Tom Nichols / The Atlantic:
The Republican Party Has a Nazi Problem — The Republican Party has become a haven for Nazi sympathizers. — over the past few months, during his agency's chaotic crackdowns in Chicago and Minneapolis, the U.S. Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino has worn an unusual uniform …
Asher Notheis / Washington Examiner:
Newsom's office rebuffs ‘MAGA-manufactured outrage’ on his SAT score statement — Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D-CA) press office pushed back on online criticism over comments he made Sunday night during his book tour. — Newsom is promoting his new book, Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery …
Discussion:
New York Post, Fox News, RedState, Louder With Crowder, NewsMax.com, The Daily Wire, BizPac Review, California Globe, Newsweek, Breitbart, Townhall and twitchy.com
Sam Stein / The Bulwark:
At the Spot Where Alex Pretti Was Killed — We don't know about you, but we've found it a little trickier than usual to summon a spirit of uncomplicated, leave-it-all-on-the-dance-floor, red-white-and-blue patriotism these days. But after a magical few days for America to close out the Winter Olympics …
Discussion:
The Hill, NewsMax.com and Washington Examiner, more at Mediagazer »
Bloomberg:
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 …
Discussion:
The Liberal Patriot and San Diego Union-Tribune
The Guardian:
I am a 15-year-old girl. Let me show you the vile misogyny that confronts me on social media every day — Anonymous — Objectification, hate, rape threats: the politicians debating online abuse mean well, but to truly understand, they need to see what I see

