Monday, Feb. 23
EU, US discuss trade agreements amidst Supreme Court ruling
After the Supreme Court ruled against a handful of President Donald Trump's tariffs, he expressed his intent to impose a global 15% tariff, according to The Associated Press.
Trump's statements ushered concern from the European Union, with the European Commission describing Trump’s actions as detrimental to fair trade.
The U.S. and EU landed on a trade deal in 2025 that imposed a 15% import tax on 70% of European goods exported to the U.S., the AP reported. Some of Europe's largest exports to the U.S. include pharmaceuticals, cars, aircraft, chemicals, medical instruments and wine and spirits.
If unresolved, the conflict could close off the access to the EU's 450-million customer market and cause losses up to billions of dollars to U.S. businesses and the economy.
Tuesday, Feb. 24
US Women's Hockey team declines invite to State of the Union
The recent gold-winning U.S. women’s hockey team declined Trump’s invitation to the State of the Union. The team said the inability to attend was due to timing and prior commitments, according to the AP.
The women's team was not set to return to the U.S. until Monday evening via a commercial flight, whereas the U.S. men's hockey team, who were in attendance, flew by charter earlier that same day. Additionally, the women's team was supposedly not notified of the invitation until Sunday night, giving little time to adjust travel plans.
When inviting the men's team, Trump joked he had to invite the women's team or he would be impeached, the AP reported.
Wednesday, Feb. 25
Trump delivers State of the Union address
Trump delivered the annual State of the Union Tuesday, marking a record for the longest speech at 108 minutes. During the speech, Trump made remarks saying the country is winning so much, according to the AP.
He made comments praising immigration reform, detailing efforts to deport illegal immigrants and pushed for tighter voter identification laws. The president also championed the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump also took time on multiple occasions to honor veterans and active duty military. He also brought out the U.S. Men's Hockey team, bringing a rare bipartisan applause, the AP reported.
Thursday, Feb. 26
FBI fires agents who worked on Trump investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently terminated several employees who previously helped contribute to an investigation into Trump’s storage of classified documents, the AP reported.
The investigation centered around Trump’s holding of classified documents at his house in Mar-a-Lago. The investigation eventually brought about a federal prosecution charging Trump with retaining classified records and obstructing the government from regaining them.
The mass firings are a part of a broader plan by FBI Director Kash Patel to terminate individuals who are not in alignment with the president and his administration. The FBI Agents Association denounced the decision, saying it puts the nation at higher risk.
Friday, Feb. 27
US military strikes down drone with laser
According to the AP, the U.S. military shot down a drone Thursday using a laser. The drone was flying near the U.S.-Mexico border and was seemingly threatening. The drone ended up belonging to Customs and Border Protection.
The event caused the Federal Aviation Administration to shut down airspace around Fort Hancock and close air traffic at El Paso International Airport.
Trump’s administration stood by the laser usage, iterating that the Department of War, the FAA and Customs and Border Patrol are focused on mitigating drone threats from foreign nations near the U.S.-Mexico Border, the AP reported.
Sunday, March 1
U.S., Israel and Iran engage in mass conflict
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was officially killed during a U.S. and Israeli bombardment. U.S. and Israeli missiles struck Tehran and killed over 200 Iranians thus far, the AP reported.
Iran pledged revenge for the death of Khamenei, and has fired retaliatory missiles at Israel as well as U.S. military bases in the region, according to the AP. Since the conflict began, Trump called for the Iranian people to overthrow the Islamic Republic and take their country back.
According to the AP, three U.S. service members were killed and five others severely wounded, with more suffering minor injuries and concussions.
