Trump hosted his first Board of Peace meeting today.
Nine countries pledged $7 billion toward rebuilding Gaza. He pledged $10 billion that Congress never appropriated. Meanwhile, his aides briefed him on options for attacking Iran, ranging from targeted strikes to full regime change.
Two carrier strike groups, nine destroyers, combat ships, jets, drones, and airborne radar are already staged around Iran. He sent special forces to kidnap Venezuela’s president in January and authorized strikes in Syria. Maduro is still in a New York jail cell. If Trump attacks Iran, that’s three countries before spring.
Call your senators and your representative. The president does not have the authority to wage war without congressional authorization. Remind them it’s their job to enforce that.
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Hegseth invites Idaho pastor who believes women should not vote to preach at the Pentagon's monthly prayer service, praising his "willingness to be bold" as service members look on.
Today’s GovBrief News
Man arrested for trespassing at Oklahoma city council meeting after speaking past his three-minute limit about a proposed data center and refusing to leave when ordered.
Source: KOTV Tulsa
February 19, 2026
National Governors Association withdraws from annual White House meeting after Trump reverses course and again excludes two Democratic governors he had briefly agreed to include.
Source: The Hill
February 19, 2026
Trump pledges $10 billion without specifying its purpose at first Board of Peace meeting where nine countries commit $7 billion toward Gaza's estimated $70 billion reconstruction.
Source: Deutsche Welle
February 19, 2026
Trump weighs initial limited military attack on Iran to force a nuclear deal, with aides presenting options ranging from targeted hits to a regime change campaign.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
February 19, 2026
Trump administration proposes spending $2 billion a year to rebuild disease surveillance systems it abandoned by leaving the WHO, roughly three times the $680 million it contributed annually.
Source: The Washington Post
February 19, 2026
Trump invokes Defense Production Act to declare Roundup chemical glyphosate a national security priority one day after Bayer proposes $7.25 billion settlement in cancer lawsuits.
Source: USA Today
February 19, 2026
NASA formally declares Boeing's 2024 Starliner crew flight a serious failure after internal report reveals astronauts nearly lost control of the spacecraft during docking.
Source: Ars Technica
February 19, 2026
EEOC files its first workplace diversity lawsuit of Trump's second term, suing a Coca-Cola distributor for holding a women-only networking event that excluded men.
Source: Axios
February 19, 2026
Trump defends tariffs and claims "I've won affordability" at Georgia campaign stop as polls show 57% disapprove of his economic stewardship and 68% rate the economy fair or poor.
Source: Roll Call
February 19, 2026
Labor Secretary's husband barred from department headquarters after two female staffers allege he sexually assaulted them in the building, with one incident captured on security camera.
Source: CNBC
February 19, 2026
HUD proposes evicting families from federal housing if any household member is undocumented, reversing a policy that allowed reduced assistance for mixed-status families.
Source: Politico
February 19, 2026
DHS admits its "Worst of the Worst" arrests website was full of incorrect information after CNN found hundreds of people listed for minor offenses like traffic violations and marijuana possession.
Source: Mediaite
February 19, 2026
Trump orders Defense Department to release government files on "alien and extraterrestrial life" after accusing Obama of leaking classified information for saying aliens are statistically likely to exist.
Source: UPI
February 19, 2026
Workers hang a giant banner featuring Trump's portrait and "Make America Safe Again" on the Department of Justice building, the agency he accused Biden of weaponizing against him.
Source: Newsweek
February 19, 2026
Trump-appointed Fine Arts Commission unanimously approves White House ballroom after receiving 2,000 public comments that were "over 99%" in opposition.
Source: CBS News
February 19, 2026
Federal judge accuses Trump administration of "terror" against immigrants and violence against its own citizens, finding DHS violated her order to end mandatory detention nationwide.
Source: The Associated Press
February 19, 2026