The longest State of the Union address in American history lasted over two hours.
Donald Trump talked about children when they were useful to him, parading stories of kids he claimed were hurt by immigrants and transgender policies. He never mentioned the ones his government is hurting.
Unaccompanied immigrant children are being threatened with jail and told the government will go after their families if they don’t sign documents giving up their legal rights. This happens before they ever reach the shelters where federal law guarantees them attorneys and judges. Legal advocates filed an emergency petition today to stop it. These are children alone in the U.S., and the government is racing to deport them before anyone with a law degree can say hello.
Trump also never spoke about the children whose abuse is detailed in the Epstein files. A new analysis found that over 90 FBI interview records are missing from the DOJ’s document release. Three are connected to a child who says Epstein abused her and who also accused Trump of sexual assault.
With Trump it’s always what he doesn’t say that matters most.
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France bars U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner from direct access to government ministers after he skips formal summons over State Department comments calling a French activist's death "terrorism."
Today’s GovBrief News
U.S. Ambassador Kushner pledges not to interfere in French public debates after France restricted his access to government ministers over embassy's repost of State Department "radical leftism" warning.
Source: France 24
February 24, 2026
Fifteen states sue HHS and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over revised childhood vaccine schedule that cut recommended immunizations from 17 diseases to 11 without scientific review.
Source: The New York Times
February 24, 2026
Def. Secretary Hegseth gives Anthropic until Friday to drop AI safeguards or face Defense Production Act order, declaring Pentagon won't let any company "dictate" operational terms.
Source: Axios
February 24, 2026
Pentagon appeals ruling that blocked Hegseth from punishing Sen. Mark Kelly for video calling on troops to resist unlawful orders, after grand jury declined to indict.
Source: The Associated Press
February 24, 2026
DOJ sues University of California over alleged antisemitism at UCLA, weeks after dropping appeal of ruling that its $1.2 billion penalty against the school was unconstitutional.
Source: Higher Ed Drive
February 24, 2026
Judge bars DOJ from reviewing seized Washington Post reporter's data, ordering independent judicial review after prosecutors failed to disclose law protecting journalists.
Source: NBC News
February 24, 2026
Federal judiciary asks Congress to take courthouse control from GSA after DOGE cuts eliminated nearly half the agency's staff, leaving buildings with collapsing ceilings and contaminated water.
Source: Politico
February 24, 2026
Supreme Court rules 5-4 that USPS cannot be sued for intentionally failing to deliver mail, sending Black landlord's racial harassment case back to lower courts.
Source: USA Today
February 24, 2026
Appeals court allows IRS to continue sharing immigrant taxpayer data with ICE, months after the agency erroneously shared thousands of records beyond the agreement's scope.
Source: The Associated Press
February 24, 2026
DOJ sues New Jersey Gov. Sherrill over executive order prohibiting ICE from entering nonpublic areas of state property without a warrant for civil immigration enforcement.
Source: CBS News
February 24, 2026
Legal advocates seek court order to stop CBP from pressuring unaccompanied immigrant children to self-deport before reaching shelters where federal law guarantees them attorneys and judges.
Source: The Associated Press
February 24, 2026
White House weighs executive order requiring banks to collect citizenship information from all customers, a new enforcement tool that banks say has no clear legal basis.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
February 24, 2026
Trump declares "golden age" in record longest State of the Union, pivoting from economic sales pitch to blaming Democrats for "destroying" the country.
Source: The Associated Press
February 24, 2026
Rep. Tony Gonzales refuses to resign over allegations he had an affair with a district staffer who later died by setting herself on fire.
Source: The Hill
February 24, 2026
House Republicans block bipartisan Senate bill requiring aircraft locator systems one day after Pentagon raised national security objections, falling one vote short.
Source: Roll Call
February 24, 2026
Rep. Al Green escorted out of second consecutive State of the Union after holding sign reading "Black People Aren't Apes" referencing Trump's deleted social media post depicting the Obamas.
Source: Houston Public Media
February 24, 2026