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What Happened Today – February 2, 2026

He keeps telling us exactly what he’s going to do.

He said he’d take Venezuela. We laughed. He invaded. He said he’d put troops in American cities. We said that was campaign talk. Troops remain in DC and have been deployed to Los Angeles, Chicago, and the Texas border. He told 20,000 people, “I am your retribution.” His Justice Department has since filed criminal charges against the FBI director who investigated him, the attorney general who prosecuted him, and a former CIA director who criticized him.

Last week the FBI raided a Georgia election warehouse and seized ballots from 2020. His intelligence director confirmed today that Trump personally told her to be there and she patched him through to the agents on site. Tonight he posted that Republicans should “nationalize” voting and take control of elections in at least 15 states he calls “crooked.”

He is telling you what comes next. Stop laughing.

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🚨 GovBrief Intensity Score 273
Extreme. History will remember.
Volume: Normal (19)
Severity: Moderate (2.37)
Defining Moments: 1
President calls for federal election takeover
Previous 5 Days
🚨176|🔴139|🚨200|🟠116|🚨232
100 = normal day. Volume is headline count. Stories weighted by significance. Defining Moments are the ones history remembers.
Today's Quote
Well, look, I’ll never say no, and we will always investigate any evidence of misconduct, but as you know, it’s not a crime to party with Mr. Epstein. So as horrible as it — it’s not a crime to e-mail with Mr. Epstein. Some of these men may have done horrible things, and if we have evidence that allows us to prosecute them, you better believe we will. But it’s also the kind of thing that the American people need to understand that it isn’t a crime to party with Mr. Epstein. It’s not a crime –
Deputy AG Todd Blanche speaking on Fox News on February 2, 2026
Yesterday's Most Read

Justice Department published dozens of unredacted nude photos of young women in the Epstein files while redacting a photo of Trump's face in the same release.

Today’s GovBrief News


Health 1 of 19

HHS announces $100 million addiction and homelessness initiative less than three weeks after cutting then restoring $2 billion in mental health funding.

46+ million Americans have substance abuse disorders

Source: Spectrum News

February 2, 2026

DEI 2 of 19

HHS has been using Palantir AI tools since March 2025 to screen child welfare grants and job descriptions for DEI and gender ideology phrases.

$35M in Palantir payments, none mention this work

Source: Wired

February 2, 2026

Voting Rights 3 of 19

Maryland House passes redistricting map along party lines that would reshape the state's lone Republican congressional district, but Senate expected to stall.

Democratic Senate President opposes effort

Source: WBFF Baltimore

February 2, 2026

Voting Rights 4 of 19

Trump calls on Republicans to "nationalize" voting and take control of elections from states in at least 15 places he calls "crooked."

Constitution gives states authority over election administration

Source: USA Today

February 2, 2026

Economy 5 of 19

BLS suspends all data collection and delays January jobs report just 48 hours into partial government shutdown, the second jobs data blackout in four months.

2025 shutdown delayed jobs data 1 month

Source: The Hill

February 2, 2026

Economy 6 of 19

Trump announces trade deal with India lowering reciprocal tariffs to 18%, but no signed text exists and the White House has not confirmed details.

$500B in purchases claimed, no document filed

Source: CNBC

February 2, 2026

Intelligence 7 of 19

Gabbard has withheld a classified whistleblower complaint about her conduct from Congress for eight months, attorney says, despite federal law requiring its referral.

IG deemed complaint not credible

Source: The Associated Press

February 2, 2026

Justice Dept 8 of 19

Trump's weaponization chief Ed Martin expected to leave Justice Department after deputy AG Blanche stripped his authority and sidelined him for months.

Failed confirmation, 3 reassignments 9 months

Source: CNN

February 2, 2026

Courts 9 of 19

Courts block all five Trump stop-work orders against offshore wind farms, handing the industry a clean sweep of legal victories over the administration.

Reagan appointee Judge Lamberth issued the final injunction

Source: The Hill

February 2, 2026

Courts 10 of 19

Federal judge rules DHS likely broke the law by requiring lawmakers to give one week's notice before visiting ICE detention facilities.

Noem reimposed policy using OBBBA funds to dodge restrictions

Source: Politico

February 2, 2026

Criminal Justice 11 of 19

D.C. U.S. Attorney Pirro threatens jail for anyone bringing a gun into Washington, the same day Trump called for nationalizing state elections.

Pirro dropped felony gun charges in August

Source: Axios

February 2, 2026

Immigration 12 of 19

Federal judge blocks Trump administration from ending deportation protections for 350,000 Haitians one day before they were set to expire, citing racial animus by Noem.

DHS: "Supreme Court, here we come"

Source: CBS News

February 2, 2026

Immigration 13 of 19

ICE nearly doubled its detention network to 203 facilities in one year while DHS began buying warehouses in at least eight states to hold thousands more.

70,805 detained, up 70% YOY

Source: Statista

February 2, 2026

Immigration 14 of 19

Noem orders body cameras for all federal officers in Minneapolis after two fatal shootings, with plans to expand nationwide "as funding is available."

Agents who killed Pretti identified

Source: KMSP Minneapolis

February 2, 2026

Education 15 of 19

Trump demands $1 billion from Harvard over antisemitism claims and calls for criminal charges after a federal judge blocked his $2.2 billion funding freeze in September.

Judge already blocked $2.2B funding freeze

Source: Mediaite

February 2, 2026

Oversight 16 of 19

Intelligence director Gabbard says Trump personally requested she attend FBI search of Georgia election center, then facilitated a call between Trump and agents.

Gabbard no legal role in domestic law enforcement

Source: The Associated Press

February 2, 2026

Congress 17 of 19

Bill and Hillary Clinton agree to testify in House Epstein investigation after facing contempt charges for ignoring subpoenas issued six months ago.

Subpoena issued last August

Source: UPI

February 2, 2026

Transportation 18 of 19

Gateway Development Commission sues Trump administration over $205 million in withheld funding, with 1,000 workers facing layoffs by Feb. 6.

$16B project, Congress already appropriated the funds

Source: The Bergen Record

February 2, 2026

Arts 19 of 19

Trump says Kennedy Center will close for two years for $200 million renovation, won't be demolished, after his board added his name and overhauled programming.

Murkowski: "Congress should've been consulted"

Source: NBC News

February 2, 2026

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