The ACTUAL NEWS: Thursday, February 20th 2025 Recap
"Today in History" and the Latest National and Global News
TODAY IN HISTORY
1848: The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, was first published; the pamphlet became hugely influential.
1866: American Lucy Hobbs Taylor became the first woman to earn a doctorate in dentistry.
1876: Abstract sculptor Constantin Brancusi was born in Romania.
1885: The Washington Monument was dedicated on the grounds of the Mall in Washington, D.C.
1916: The Battle of Verdun, one of the most devastating engagements of World War I, began.
1921: Reza Khan (later Reza Shah Pahlavi) overthrew the Qājār dynasty in Iran.
1925: The American weekly magazine The New Yorker began publication under Harold W. Ross.
1965: Malcolm X, who articulated concepts of racial pride and black nationalism in the United States, was assassinated this day and became an ideological hero after the posthumous release of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
1972: U.S. President Richard M. Nixon paid a state visit to the People's Republic of China, ending a 21-year estrangement between the communist country and the United States.
1995: American businessman and adventurer Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon. It was the first of his many aviation records.
QUICK ACTUAL NEWS
NATIONAL
The U.S. Justice Department has determined that multiple layers of removal restrictions shielding administrative law judges are unconstitutional and will no longer defend them in court, top officials announced on Thursday.
On Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department argued that a judge could not block the firing of 21 CIA officers assigned to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programs, as U.S. spy chiefs have the authority to terminate them.
A federal judge ruled on Thursday that the Trump administration can continue its mass firings of federal employees for now, rejecting a bid by labor unions to halt President Donald Trump’s downsizing of the roughly 2.3 million-strong federal workforce.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Thursday that it will release approximately $20 million in funding for previously approved contracts that had been frozen during the Trump administration's push to overhaul the federal government.
U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to dissolve the leadership of the U.S. Postal Service and absorb the independent mail agency into his administration, The Washington Post reported on Thursday. This is illegal.
On Thursday, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a reduction in deportation protections and work permits for 521,000 Haitians covered by a temporary program, which will now expire in August, according to a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday appointed Alice Johnson, a Tennessee woman who had served a life sentence for a drug crime before Trump commuted her sentence, as a "pardon czar" to advise him on further acts of clemency.
The U.S. Justice Department has removed a database tracking misconduct by federal law enforcement—originally proposed by Republican President Donald Trump during his first term and formally created under Democratic former President Joe Biden.
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it would drop a case accusing Elon Musk's space technology company, SpaceX, of refusing to hire certain immigrants. The Justice Department had signaled it might back away from the case last month, which was filed during Democratic President Joe Biden's term.
A federal judge on Thursday ordered Trump administration officials to comply with his previous ruling to lift a freeze on nearly all foreign aid, though he refrained from holding them in contempt of court.
The Trump administration has halted U.S. scientists' participation in key U.N. climate change assessments, two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters. This move is part of its broader withdrawal from climate change mitigation efforts and multilateral cooperation.
The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency has reduced the U.S. auto safety agency unit overseeing autonomous vehicle safety by cutting three of the roughly seven people in the unit, The Washington Post reported on Thursday.
Kash Patel was confirmed as FBI Director by the U.S. Senate in a 51-49 vote.
U.S. President Donald Trump will host his first cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday, February 26, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump voiced his support for a federal government takeover of Washington, D.C., claiming the local government was "not doing the job" on crime and homelessness.
President Donald Trump signed several new executive orders on Wednesday, including one aimed at preventing taxpayer dollars from supporting illegal immigration and another designed to eliminate regulations the administration considers as "overreach."
The IRS began laying off more than 6,000 employees today, reducing the agency’s workforce by roughly 7% during the critical tax-filing season.
A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday upheld an order blocking President Donald Trump from curbing automatic birthright citizenship nationwide, as part of his hardline stance on immigration and illegal border
crossings.
Lawmakers and labor unions have urged Trump to stop layoffs at the Federal Aviation Administration, warning that it could pose safety risks during a tense time for air travel.
Federal regulators have cited Tesla for violating workplace safety rules following the electrocution of a worker last summer at its Austin, Texas, auto-manufacturing plant.
Several labor groups have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging the illegal firing of tens of thousands of probationary employees as part of its overhaul of the federal government. In a complaint filed Wednesday night in San Francisco federal court, the groups claim the Office of Personnel Management lacked the authority to direct federal agencies on February 13 to fire the employees en masse, allegedly for performance reasons.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday revealed that he had placed billionaire Elon Musk in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency, seemingly contradicting the White House's official stance on who runs the program.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced plans to collaborate with Republicans in Congress to significantly reduce taxes for individuals and companies. "We're going to dramatically cut taxes for families, workers, and companies, including eliminating taxes on tips, and hopefully no tax on Social Security and overtime," Trump said at a conference hosted by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund in Miami.
Elon Musk was caught following an X account that posted only Nazi content and soft-core porn. After facing backlash, Musk quietly unfollowed the account, which had shared videos of swastikas edited onto Trump's face and footage of Musk.
Elon Musk confirmed his plans to "die on Mars" in a Fox News interview. President Donald Trump also hinted that the tech billionaire might be touring the red planet soon.
Elon Musk, the billionaire responsible for cutting U.S. federal government spending, took the stage at a conservative conference outside Washington on Thursday, holding a chainsaw gift from Argentina's "libertarian" President Javier Milei.
On Thursday, Elon Musk revealed plans to audit the Federal Reserve, after previously calling for greater scrutiny of the central bank. Musk made the comment at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.
White House and Treasury Department officials have agreed to prohibit the Department of Government Efficiency team from accessing personal taxpayer data at the Internal Revenue Service, The Washington Post reported Thursday, citing two sources familiar with the matter.
U.S. and Russian participants have met quietly in Switzerland for unofficial discussions on the Ukraine war
in recent months, including as recently as last week, three sources with knowledge of the matter said.
U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson stated on Thursday that there is "no appetite" for another funding bill for Ukraine, just a day after President Donald Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "dictator" and warned that "he must quickly secure peace with Russia or risk losing his country."
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Thursday that she would not use her power to remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams as he faces a criminal indictment on corruption charges, but she proposed new oversight of the mayor's office.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has suspended a college scholarship program for students from rural and underserved backgrounds attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), according to the program’s website.
Several major U.S. airlines and a trade association have challenged a Biden administration rule issued in December requiring new consumer protections for disabled passengers using wheelchairs. The rule, which sets stricter standards for wheelchair accommodations and mandates reimbursement for wheelchair damage, is being contested in the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
U.S. oil and biofuel groups have urged the new Trump administration to increase volumes of renewable fuels to be blended into the nation’s fuel mix starting in 2026, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
On Thursday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it is revising a list of more than 600 energy and
infrastructure projects designated for fast-tracking under President Donald Trump's declaration of a national energy emergency.
Some U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientists have been instructed to stop using terms such as "woman," "disabled," and "elderly" in external communications, according to two sources. This directive is part of a list of banned terms, which a White House spokesman said had "misinterpreted President Donald Trump's executive order".
President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he will impose fresh tariffs over the next month, including on lumber and forest products, in addition to previously announced duties on imported cars, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals.
Federal workers fired for alleged poor performance as part of President Donald Trump’s remaking of the federal government had received excellent performance reviews before they were terminated, according to interviews and documents seen by Reuters.
Two people died after two small planes collided near an Arizona airport.
Delta Air Lines is offering $30,000 to each passenger on a flight that flipped upside down during landing in Toronto.
Factory output growth slowed in the U.S. mid-Atlantic region in February, as input prices surged. A measure of prices paid for production materials climbed to its highest point in nearly two-and-a-half years, even before most of President Donald Trump's new tariffs on imports take effect.
Anti-Asian online hate in the U.S. has surged "alarming" since the 2024 U.S. elections won by Donald Trump, data from Stop AAPI Hate showed. The group cited the president's anti-immigration agenda and intense debate surrounding H-1B visas as factors contributing to the rise.
Wall Street's major indexes opened lower on Thursday as investors avoided risky bets following another round of tariff threats from President Donald Trump, while heavyweight retailer Walmart saw a significant drop after a downbeat fiscal 2026 sales forecast.
The Air Force launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on February 19, marking its first test of the year.
The Defense Department has sent lists of its probationary employees to the Trump administration, according to a senior official, as the Pentagon braces for more layoffs affecting various parts of the federal government.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is considering firing or removing generals and senior officers as early as this week, according to multiple U.S. and congressional officials. A list has circulated on Capitol Hill with names of generals and senior officers who could be removed.
A contract to provide the Defense Health Agency (DHA) with millions of dollars worth of biometric trackers has been hit with a second protest, accusing the agency of tailoring the contract to favor a preferred vendor. This issue has raised concerns, especially as cuts to the Pentagon’s acquisition programs loom.
A lack of clearly defined roles and overlapping missions between the U.S. Space Force, Space Command, and intelligence agencies is causing confusion among lawmakers, contractors, and the public, raising concerns about the service’s ability to secure resources and execute its mission effectively.
The Department of Defense is 14 percent of the way toward its goal of making all enterprise networks zero-trust compliant by the end of fiscal year 2027, a key official said on February 19. Col. Gary Kipe, chief of staff of the DOD’s zero-trust portfolio management office, noted that while the 14 percent is a good start, there is still much work ahead.
"Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s February 12 remarks to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group unsettled many Europeans, leading them to believe that America’s commitment to NATO may be waning. While Hegseth reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to NATO—'full stop'—three specific points raised doubts. It is now Europe’s turn to address these points at the NATO summit in June," wrote Hans Binnendijk, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council, and Daniel S. Hamilton, a senior non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Signage marking the Washington headquarters of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has been targeted by the Trump administration, was removed overnight, according to a reporter's observations and photographic evidence.
The Trump administration announced Thursday it is reviewing whether to rescind about $4 billion awarded to California's High-Speed Rail project. While voters approved $10 billion for the project in 2008, costs have risen sharply, and President Trump has sharply criticized it. The Transportation Department under former President Joe Biden awarded more than $3 billion to the project.
U.S. government employees who lose their jobs in President Donald Trump's ongoing purge of the federal workforce and file legal challenges may face an uphill battle, with potentially little recourse, even if they prevail.
Republican U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, known as the "Grim Reaper" for his role in steering American politics to the right, announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, ending a decades-long career.
PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund officials met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday to continue negotiations on an agreement between the tour and LIV Golf, The Washington Post reported.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance defended President Donald Trump's negotiations with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday, saying the end of the Russia-Ukraine conflict is near. "How can you end the war without talking to Russia?" Vance asked at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland. NOTE: Russia leaving the occupied territory would be a start.
GLOBAL
On Thursday, Costa Rica's government received its first group of mostly Asian migrants deported from the United States, part of an agreement with Washington to temporarily house up to 200 deportees from various countries.
South Korean officials have requested an exemption from the U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum during their visit to Washington this week, according to a statement from the industry ministry on Friday.
Hong Kong's Democratic Party announced late Thursday that it would begin preparations to disband and wind up its activities, following a years-long national security crackdown in the China-ruled city.
The G20 foreign ministers have started their series of meetings in South Africa; U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is not attending.
European Union Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said on Thursday that his main priority in trade talks with President Donald Trump's administration is to avoid a period of economic strain for both sides due to unilateral U.S. tariffs and EU countermeasures.
The UK continues to strengthen its security role in Europe as part of efforts to deepen defense ties with Norway.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a second meeting of European leaders in Paris to discuss Ukraine’s future.
The U.S. has refused to co-sponsor a draft U.N. resolution commemorating the third anniversary of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, which affirms Kyiv's territorial integrity and condemns Russian aggression, according to three diplomatic sources.
The White House has continued to urge Kyiv to curtail criticism and quickly sign a minerals deal championed by U.S. President Donald Trump in its ongoing efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope for unity at home and in Europe and pragmatism from Washington, taking a conciliatory tone after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly scolded him.
The Kremlin said on Thursday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had made "inadmissible" remarks about other world leaders after accusing U.S. President Donald Trump of living in a "disinformation bubble."
The Kremlin also noted that discussions about a potential prisoner exchange between Russia and the U.S. were on the agenda, after Moscow and Washington agreed to begin working on restoring relations at all levels.
Trump, speaking to the press on Air Force One, falsely claimed that “Zelenskyy was sleeping and did not meet Secretary Bessent in Ukraine, so he came home empty-handed," referring to Zelenskyy’s reluctance to sign a deal to hand over 50% of Ukraine’s minerals to the Trump administration. In reality, the two did meet.
Russia could see some relief from U.S. sanctions if it agrees to negotiate an end to its war in Ukraine, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Bloomberg Television on Thursday.
The Trump administration may seek to finalize a simplified minerals deal with Ukraine, aiming to get a quick agreement in place and then negotiate the detailed terms later, including how much of Ukraine's vast resources the U.S. would control, according to two people familiar with the matter.
U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said.
French President Macron announced that he would travel to Washington to persuade President Trump that their interests align with those of European allies, and that showing weakness to Russia’s Vladimir Putin would make it harder to deal with China and Iran.
Germany’s conservative leader, Friedrich Merz, warned on Thursday that the U.S. was at risk of long-term authoritarian instability, casting doubt on Washington’s participation in Germany’s 70th NATO anniversary in May.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for Europe to develop its own defense policy in light of a shift by the U.S. on Ukraine and other geopolitical developments in recent months.
Australia, a U.S. security ally, which has contributed A$1.5 billion in support to Ukraine’s war with Russia, said on Thursday that Moscow was the aggressor in the conflict and that the resolution must be on Kyiv's terms.
President Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that Ukraine is ready to work swiftly and diligently to establish a strong and productive agreement on investments and security with the United States.
Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that former colonial powers must apologize and compensate for their historic role in the enslavement of Africans.
The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee held a closed briefing on U.S. activities in the Red Sea.
Hamas returned the bodies of four Israelis abducted during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, including a woman and her two young children, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Israeli officials have yet to confirm the cause of death. Hamas claims "they were killed in Israeli airstrikes". The abduction of the mother and children has come to symbolize the brutality of the assault for many Israelis.
President Trump has proposed a U.S. takeover of Gaza, including a suggestion for the permanent displacement of Palestinians from the enclave. The plan has been condemned globally, with Palestinians, Arab nations, and rights experts denouncing it as "ethnic cleansing."
Arab leaders are working on a plan to help fund and oversee the reconstruction of Gaza. Unlike Trump, they intend to keep Gaza's residents in place and preserve the possibility of a Palestinian state.
The United States' envoy to the Middle East clarified on Thursday that President Trump's plan for Gaza does not involve evicting Palestinians and that discussions about Gaza’s future are focusing on "creating a better future for its people".
Afghanistan’s Taliban government accused Pakistan of carrying out mass expulsions of Afghan refugees without prior notification. Pakistan responded that it was following a process announced in 2023 and would allow those with valid visas to remain. Pakistan also recently approved a plan to deport refugees waiting for resettlement in third countries unless their cases are quickly processed; this includes tens of thousands of Afghans awaiting U.S. resettlement, now in limbo after Trump paused U.S. refugee programs last month.
Japan's Trade Minister Yoji Muto plans to visit the U.S. in March to seek exemptions from Trump administration tariffs on steel and cars, according to the Asahi newspaper on Thursday.
Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attended hearings on two legal proceedings today: a Constitutional Court case on whether to definitively remove him from office after his brief attempt to impose martial law in December, and a criminal trial—the first for a sitting South Korean head of state—on insurrection charges in a Seoul district court. Yoon and his lawyers assert that his intent was not to fully enact martial law but to prevent the country from stagnating.
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he expects Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit the U.S. without providing a timeline. Trump also suggested that a new trade deal with China is possible, with a potential conversation between Xi and Trump seen as crucial to easing or delaying trade tariffs.
The U.S. condemned China's "dangerous maneuvers" on February 19 after a Chinese navy helicopter flew within 10 feet of a Philippine patrol plane in a disputed area of the South China Sea.
The U.S. State Department has updated its website, emphasizing the trade deficit in its expanded section on economic ties with China, while removing mentions of working with allies or providing assistance to China on cultural and environmental issues.
Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino said Thursday that he has instructed the country’s foreign minister to reject any talk of Chinese influence over the Panama Canal during a meeting with the head of U.S. Southern Command.
Most U.S. manufacturers surveyed by the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam said they would likely be forced to lay off workers if the Trump administration imposes tariffs on the export-reliant Southeast Asian country.
Two major U.S.-funded infrastructure projects in Nepal have been put on hold after President Trump suspended all foreign development assistance, a government official said Thursday, leaving their future uncertain.
Satellite imagery has revealed the significant work done in the past year to restore over 20 million square feet of runways and other World War II-era infrastructure at North Field on the U.S. island of Tinian in the Western Pacific.
Some 170 Venezuelan migrants are scheduled to arrive in Honduras from the United States, with the Honduran government stating on Thursday that they will be immediately transported back to Venezuela.
PROJECT 2025 PROGRESS TRACKER
CARTOON OF THE DAY
POSTS OF THE DAY
VIDEO QUICK NEWS
Black History Month “event” at the White House
Leavitt on hockey: President Trump looks forward to US beating our soon to be 51st State Canada
NOTE: Canada won the championship 3:2 against the United States.
Miller: No president comes close to what President Trump has achieved over just the last 30 days.
White House (not the Onion): DEI is DEAD.
Waltz: Ukrainians need to tone it down and sign that deal
JD Vance: UK will be “first Islamist country with nuclear weapons”
Trump: We're going to go to Fort Knox..If there gold isn't there, we're going to be very upset
UK and Norway Begin Negotiations on Defense Agreement to Strengthen Security and Counter Russian Threats
The UK has initiated negotiations on a significant defense agreement with Norway, aiming to enhance security at home and across Europe while deterring Russian aggression. Defense Secretary John Healey outlined the plans during a visit to the Arctic Circle, close to the Russian border, where he proposed a strategic partnership that will deepen the defense relationship between the two nations. The agreement focuses on strengthening armed forces, fostering industrial collaboration, and improving capabilities to address shared challenges such as protecting undersea infrastructure.
The proposed agreement comes as the UK aims to play a leading role in European security and NATO, especially amid Russia's increasing militarization of the High North and Arctic regions. Healey’s visit, alongside Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik, emphasized their commitment to deterring Russian threats and bolstering NATO’s northern flank. The ministers also discussed further support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
Defense Secretary John Healey stated:"Kickstarting work on a deep, ambitious new defense agreement with Norway shows the UK's promise to step up on European security in action. Norway remains one of the UK’s most important allies. We will create a new era of defense partnership to bring us closer than ever before as we tackle increasing threats, strengthen NATO, and boost our security in the High North."
The strategic partnership will also contribute to the UK’s Plan for Change by creating opportunities for growth. The UK and Norway will collaborate on maritime security in the Baltic Sea, with the UK contributing surveillance aircraft under NATO's Operation Baltic Sentry to protect critical infrastructure.
In addition to strengthening ties, the UK and Norway are playing an essential role in supporting Ukraine, with both countries leading efforts to develop Ukraine’s maritime capabilities and training Ukrainian forces to counter Russian aggression. Norway is also participating in the UK’s Carrier Strike Group deployment to the Indo-Pacific later this year, further cementing their military cooperation.
Both ministers highlighted their shared determination to defend their interests in an increasingly unstable global landscape. The agreement underscores the importance of the High North and the two countries’ ironclad support for Ukraine, enhancing their collective security and NATO's strength.
ICYMI
Microsoft has unveiled a quantum computing chip that it claims uses a new state of matter—not solid, liquid, or gas—and suggests that quantum computing could be used to solve industrial-scale problems in "years, not decades." While current quantum computing prototypes show potential for ultra-fast problem-solving, they are still prone to errors. Experts told the BBC that more data is needed to fully assess the significance of Microsoft's product. While private firms are the main researchers in the field of quantum computing in the United States, both the Chinese government and the EU have announced plans to invest billions in the technology.
KFC is moving its corporate headquarters out of Kentucky. The company will relocate to Plano, Texas, where its sister company, Pizza Hut, is based.
A Mississippi judge has ordered a Clarksdale newspaper to remove an editorial critical of city officials from its website.
TODAY'S COVER PHOTO
USA-Canada: McDavid's OT goal ends thrilling 4 Nations final (3:2)
That's all from me for now. Thank you for reading.
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