President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that Republicans who vote against his tariffs would face severe opposition in their upcoming re-election campaigns.
Trump made the comment as the House voted on Wednesday evening to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-in-trouble-house-passes-democrat-resolution-to-overturn-some-of-trumps-tariffs?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=GOP+In+Trouble%3F+House+Passes+Democrat+Resolution+To+Overturn+Some+Of+Trump%E2%80%99s+Tariffs">pass a resolution</a> overturning the president&#8217;s tariffs on Canada. Six Republicans joined all but one Democrat to pass the anti-tariff resolution in a 219-211 vote.
&#8220;Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries!&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116054542648712986">said</a>.
Trump&#8217;s threat comes as Republicans gear up for what promises to be a tightly contested midterm election season. Republicans currently hold a four-seat House majority, and Democrats are widely expected to perform well nationwide in the 2026 elections.
The House Republicans who voted against Trump&#8217;s tariffs were Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Kevin Kiley of California, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Dan Newhouse of Washington, and Jeff Hurd of Colorado. The measure now heads to the Senate, but is largely a symbolic rebuke of Trump&#8217;s far-reaching tariffs. Even if the resolution passed the Senate, it would still need Trump&#8217;s signature.
A spokesman for Rep. Hurd told The Daily Wire that his vote on Wednesday is in line with his constituents&#8217; feelings on Trump&#8217;s tariffs. Hurd&#8217;s district is <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/house/race/482456">considered</a> &#8220;likely Republican&#8221; for the 2026 midterms by the Cook Political Report.
&#8220;The people of Colorado’s Third District have been vocal with Congressman Hurd about the effect these tariffs have had on their livelihoods,&#8221; Hurd&#8217;s office said. &#8220;Congressman Hurd will always fight for Western and Southern Coloradan farmers, ranchers, and small business owners.&#8221;
Rep. Bacon, who has opposed Trump on multiple issues over the past year, responded to Trump&#8217;s warning, telling The Daily Wire, “Folks should vote their conscience and do what is best for our country. We are an independent branch of government.” The president&#8217;s warning will not affect Bacon, since the Nebraska congressman is not running for re-election.
The Daily Wire also reached out to Massie, Kiley, Fitzpatrick, and Newhouse, seeking comment. Newhouse is also not seeking re-election in 2026, and Massie has been in the president&#8217;s crosshairs throughout Trump&#8217;s second term. Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-backs-navy-seal-in-bid-to-knock-off-gop-rep-thomas-massie">endorsed</a> Massie&#8217;s Republican primary opponent Ed Gallrein after Massie pushed back on some of the president&#8217;s signature economic policies and focused on criticizing Trump&#8217;s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein controversy.
Fitzpatrick has also become one of Trump&#8217;s biggest critics in Congress and joined Massie as the only two Republicans who voted against Trump&#8217;s &#8220;Big, Beautiful Bill&#8221; last summer.
The anti-tariffs vote could have the biggest implications for Rep. Kiley, who recently <a href="https://kiley.house.gov/posts/president-trump-endorses-rep-kiley-bill-to-prevent-violent-riots">received</a> a shoutout from President Trump for his bill that seeks to punish nonprofits that help organize &#8220;unlawful riots.&#8221; Kiley introduced the legislation after anti-ICE demonstrations broke out in Los Angeles last year. Kiley&#8217;s 2026 chances are already in question after California redistricted, making his path to re-election much more difficult. Kiley told the Sacramento Bee earlier this month that he did not have a timeline for deciding on where he would run for re-election.
Republicans still largely support Trump&#8217;s tariffs, but earlier this week, the Republican-controlled House cleared the way for more votes on the president&#8217;s trade policy. In a vote on Tuesday night, three Republicans joined with Democrats to shoot down a rule that blocked members from proposing resolutions to reject Trump’s tariffs.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said the chamber&#8217;s vote on tariffs was &#8220;a big mistake.&#8221;
The president said on Wednesday that his tariffs have given the United States an economic boost and reduced the country&#8217;s trade deficit.
&#8220;In addition, TARIFFS have given us Great National Security because the mere mention of the word has Countries agreeing to our strongest wishes,&#8221; he added. &#8220;TARIFFS have given us Economic and National Security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege.&#8221;
Trump recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-rips-canada-threatens-to-shut-down-grand-opening-of-bridge-connecting-ontario-to-michigan?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Rips+Canada%2C+Threatens+To+Shut+Down+Grand+Opening+Of+Bridge+Connecting+Ontario+To+Michigan">threatened</a> to raise the tariff rate on Canada to 100% and suggested he would prevent the opening of a bridge connecting Ontario to Detroit after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held trade talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life,” he said.

Donald Trump

Trump: Republicans Who Vote Against Tariffs Will ‘Suffer The Consequences Come Election Time’

2026 Midterms

House Republicans

Tariffs

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives narrowly passed a measure to overturn President Donald Trump&#8217;s tariffs on Canada on Wednesday.
Six Republicans joined with Democrats to pass the measure 219-211. The Republicans who voted in favor of the measure were Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Kevin Kiley of California, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Dan Newhouse of Washington, and Jeff Hurd of Colorado.
The resolution, which was introduced by Democratic New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, mostly serves as a symbolic rebuke of Trump&#8217;s far-reaching trade policies, but it also shows how the Republican Party&#8217;s dwindling control of the House is already coming with consequences. The anti-tariff measure advanced by a vote of 217-214 thanks to a united Democratic front and the votes of three Republicans: Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Kevin Kiley of California, and Don Bacon of Nebraska.
Shortly before the vote, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116054544240272433">wrote</a> on Truth Social, &#8220;Canada has taken advantage of the United States on Trade for many years. They are among the worst in the World to deal with, especially as it relates to our Northern Border. TARIFFS make a WIN for us, EASY. Republicans must keep it that way!&#8221;
On Tuesday, the House cleared the way for the anti-tariff resolution and set up more potential votes on Trump&#8217;s tariffs in the near future. Tuesday&#8217;s procedural vote, which was approved by when Democrats and those three same Republicans, shot down a rule that blocked members from proposing resolutions to reject Trump&#8217;s tariffs. After the successful vote pushing back on Trump&#8217;s Canada tariffs, Democrats are soon expected to bring up more resolutions rejecting the president&#8217;s tariffs on Mexico and Brazil, POLITICO <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/02/11/congress/house-votes-trump-tariffs-resolution-canada-00775520">reported</a>.
Even though the resolution likely won&#8217;t go anywhere past the House, the vote still takes time away from other matters that the lower chamber could be debating and voting on, including major parts of Trump&#8217;s agenda. That fact was acknowledged by Bacon, who voted in favor of the resolution.
&#8220;I don’t like putting the important work of the House on pause, but Congress needs to be able to debate on tariffs,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/RepDonBacon/status/2021418451911295376?s=20">said</a> Bacon, who has bucked Trump and the Republican Party on multiple occasions.
&#8220;Tariffs have been a &#8216;net negative&#8217; for the economy and are a significant tax that American consumers, manufacturers, and farmers are paying,&#8221; Bacon argued. &#8220;Article I of the Constitution places authority over taxes and tariffs with Congress for a reason, but for too long, we have handed that authority to the executive branch. It’s time for Congress to reclaim that responsibility.&#8221;
The resolution now advances to the Republican-controlled Senate, and even if the upper chamber passed the resolution, it would then have to be signed by the president whose tariffs it seeks to shoot down. While the House resolution will almost assuredly hit a dead end, it represents a growing issue for Republicans as they seek to address the economy and prepare for tightly contested midterm elections. Trump&#8217;s tariffs have also faced scrutiny at the Supreme Court, which could drop a ruling on the issue as early as this month.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who has his hands full trying to keep the small Republican majority in line, said the vote was &#8220;a big mistake.&#8221;
&#8220;I don’t think we need to go down the road of trying to limit the president’s power while he is in the midst of negotiating America-first trade agreements with nations around the world,&#8221; Johnson <a href="https://x.com/atrupar/status/2021575438716297379?s=20">told</a> Fox Business on Wednesday, adding, &#8220;The tariffs [have] been a tool that the president has used very effectively to level the playing field and put America back on top, and I think it&#8217;s wrong for Congress to step in the middle of that.&#8221;
Since the beginning of 2025, Johnson has been tasked with uniting Republicans while holding the narrowest House majority in modern history. What began as a 220-215 Republican majority at the beginning of this term dwindled to a 218-213 majority following the resignation of Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and the death of California Rep. Doug LaMalfa. Democrat Christian Menefee&#8217;s victory in a Texas special election earlier this month further reduced the GOP majority to 218-214, where it currently stands.
The GOP could soon receive another blow, as the Florida Congressman Neal Dunn is <a href="https://x.com/PeterSchorschFL/status/2021293823431716976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2021293823431716976%7Ctwgr%5E327351469860fe8cb0e6a4acffd7e486f19cf0ea%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fpolitics%2Fwith-house-gop-majority-teetering-on-the-brink-florida-congressman-plans-to-retire-early-report%2F">reportedly</a> planning to announce his immediate resignation next week. Dunn already said he would not seek re-election in 2026, but a resignation before the election would drop the Republican Party&#8217;s majority to just three seats.

Trump Goes On With New Tariffs

GOP In Trouble? House Passes Democrat Resolution To Overturn Some Of Trump’s Tariffs

House GOP

Mike Johnson

Republicans

The House of Representatives passed a new version of the SAVE America Act on Wednesday evening, giving some new life to legislation that would require photo identification and proof of U.S. citizenship for voters.
The vote went largely along party lines, with every Republican who was present voting in favor of the measure. The lone Democrat to break with his party and vote for the SAVE America Act was Henry Cuellar (D-TX).
The bill, introduced by Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy and pushed by President Donald Trump, now heads to the Senate, where it faces an uphill battle to reach Trump&#8217;s desk. To pass the Senate, the SAVE Act will have to reach the 60-vote threshold to overcome the filibuster, meaning at least seven Democrats would have to join all Republicans in approving the bill, which is unlikely.
Recent polling shows that the vast majority of Americans support photo ID requirements for voting, but legislation mandating ID requirements has struggled to gain traction in Congress. On Tuesday, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska also came out <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/gop-sen-lisa-murkowski-comes-trumps-election-bill-warning-party-rcna258353">against</a> the bill, arguing that it would &#8220;effectively&#8221; federalize elections, something she said Republicans have opposed in the past.
The House passed another version of the SAVE Act last year, but it stalled in the Senate. The revamped version of the bill would require voters to provide proof of citizenship along with photo ID before they cast their ballots, meaning people would have to show additional documentation such as a passport or a birth certificate.
Democrats claim that the SAVE America Act would &#8220;disenfranchise millions of Americans.&#8221; Earlier this month, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/2018443554201452623">called</a> the bill &#8220;Jim Crow 2.0,&#8221; the same criticism Democrats used for Georgia&#8217;s photo ID law that passed in 2021.
&#8220;Millions of American citizens — millions — don’t have access to the paperwork that SAVE would require and would be in danger of getting shut out of our democracy,&#8221; Schumer <a href="https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/leader-schumer-floor-remarks-on-how-the-save-act-would-disenfranchise-millions-of-american-voters-says-it-is-dead-on-arrival-in-the-senate">said</a> during remarks on the Senate floor on Monday. &#8220;For example, if you’re one of the 50% of Americans who doesn’t have a passport, or if you’re one of the tens of millions of Americans who can’t quickly access your birth certificate, the SAVE Act could, in effect, take away your right to vote.&#8221;
Republicans have pushed back on Democrats&#8217; arguments, saying that U.S. citizens can obtain passports and copies of their birth certificates.
“The SAVE America Act provides multiple ways to prove citizenship, as millions of Americans do every day for work, travel, and financial transactions,” <a href="https://www.deseret.com/politics/2026/02/10/mike-lee-save-act-women-voters/">said</a> Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, who introduced the legislation in the Senate. “It’s sad that congressional Democrats are so afraid of election security that they’re willing to spread falsehoods about commonsense safeguards supported by a majority of both Republicans and Democrats across the country.”
For months, Trump has called on Republicans to abolish the filibuster, which would help them pass some of his important agenda items like the SAVE Act, but Republican leaders have pushed back. Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said, &#8220;There aren’t anywhere close to the votes, not even close, to nuking the filibuster.&#8221;
Lee told Deseret News that there could be another way to pass the SAVE Act without &#8220;nuking&#8221; the filibuster. He said the Senate could revive the talking filibuster, which requires senators to be on the floor and actively speaking to stall a vote, a move that could circumvent the 60-vote threshold needed for cloture.
“Nothing in the Senate’s an easy move. This one’s certainly not,” Lee added. “But if we want to do this, this is how we have to go about it.”

House Passes Revamped Bill To Prevent Illegal Immigrants From Voting, Senate Battle Looms

Congress

Elections

House of Representatives

A Washington, D.C., grand jury refused to indict six Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday over a video they produced in November urging military members to disobey &#8220;illegal orders&#8221; given by President Donald Trump.
The video — which featured Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and four Democratic House members — was labeled by the Trump administration as a &#8220;seditious&#8221; act. Members of the grand jury, however, did not sign off on the charges brought by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro against the lawmakers, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-orders-democrats-video-e1435655587ad9715c4d1cc776edd545">reported</a>. It remains unclear what specific charges prosecutors were seeking to bring against the members of Congress.
The federal government could attempt to bring charges against the Democrats before a grand jury again. The Daily Wire reached out to the Justice Department for comment.
Slotkin, who organized the video message, <a href="https://x.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/2021401432235155834">said</a> on Tuesday night that the grand jury&#8217;s refusal to indict was &#8220;embarrassing&#8221; for the Trump administration. Last week, the Michigan Democrat <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senator-thumbs-her-nose-at-doj-rejects-call-to-answer-for-illegal-orders-video">rejected</a> the Justice Department&#8217;s request to sit down for a voluntary interview and answer questions about the video.
&#8220;Today, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro attempted to persuade a Grand Jury to indict me. This was in response to me organizing a 90-second video that simply quoted the law. Pirro did this at the direction of President Trump, who said repeatedly that I should be investigated, arrested, and hanged for sedition,&#8221; Slotkin posted on X. &#8220;Today, it was a grand jury of anonymous American citizens who upheld the rule of law and determined this case should not proceed. Hopefully, this ends this politicized investigation for good.&#8221;
The other lawmakers featured in the short clip were Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, and Chrissy Houlahan and Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania.
In the video, the Democrats — who are all military veterans or former members of the intelligence community — told U.S. service members that &#8220;threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home&#8221; and that the Trump administration “is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.&#8221;
&#8220;Our laws are clear, you can refuse illegal orders,&#8221; the Democrats added. &#8220;You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders.&#8221;
The video was released as Democrats — and a few Republicans — criticized the Trump administration&#8217;s military strikes on suspected drug runners in the Caribbean Sea. Just weeks after the Democrats made the video, President Trump authorized a military operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
President Trump suggested that the video represented &#8220;SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.&#8221; Trump later clarified that he was not calling for the Democrats to be executed.
&#8220;I would say they’re in serious trouble. I’m not threatening death, but I think they’re in serious trouble,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;In the old days, it was death. That was seditious behavior.&#8221;
The War Department, led by Secretary Pete Hegseth, moved to strip Senator Kelly, a retired astronaut and naval officer, of his rank and retirement pay over his participation in the video. Last month, Kelly sued Hegseth, along with Navy Secretary John Phelan, the Department of the Navy, and the War Department, arguing that their action against him violates the First Amendment.

Mark Kelly/Elissa Slotkin

Grand Jury Refuses To Indict Dem Lawmakers Over Video Urging Military To Disobey ‘Illegal Orders’

Department of Justice

Elissa Slotkin

Mark Kelly

Trump Administration

U.S. Military

Washington D.C.

The New York Times editorial board expressed concern this week that the massive marijuana craze in America might have some major side effects — besides drowsiness and the munchies.
The Times editorial board, which dedicated a series of articles to pushing for marijuana legalization over 10 years ago, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/opinion/regulate-legalized-marijuana.html">admitted</a> on Monday that some of its arguments for legalized weed have been proven wrong after states began allowing recreational and medicinal marijuana use. It seems that many talking points from the pro-marijuana legalization side are falling apart as research uncovers some brutal truths about America&#8217;s pot craze.
&#8220;In our editorials, we described marijuana addiction and dependence as &#8216;relatively minor problems.&#8217; Many advocates went further and claimed that marijuana was a harmless drug that might even bring net health benefits. They also said that legalization might not lead to greater use,&#8221; the Times editorial board wrote. &#8220;It is now clear that many of these predictions were wrong. Legalization has led to much more use. Surveys suggest that about 18 million people in the United States have used marijuana almost daily (or about five times a week) in recent years. That was up from around six million in 2012 and less than one million in 1992. More Americans now use marijuana daily than alcohol.&#8221;
Later, the editorial board added, &#8220;The unfortunate truth is that the loosening of marijuana policies — especially the decision to legalize pot without adequately regulating it — has led to worse outcomes than many Americans expected. It is time to acknowledge reality and change course.&#8221;
It&#8217;s rare for the Times to admit to so clearly pushing a narrative that turned out to be wrong. So, if America&#8217;s pot problem is becoming so evident that even the legacy media is pumping the brakes, how bad is it?
Addiction and other health issues stemming from marijuana use have spiked in the past decade as more states hopped on the pot bandwagon. As the Times pointed out, a large percentage of marijuana users aren&#8217;t just smoking a joint or two on the weekend; they&#8217;re consuming marijuana on a daily basis. According to <a href="https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/marijuana-use-disorder">research</a> from Yale Medicine, a staggering 30% of cannabis users &#8220;meet the criteria for addiction.&#8221;
This heavy reliance on marijuana comes with multiple potential health risks, including cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, which gives users intense stomach pain and can cause vomiting. At least one recent study has also linked cannabis use to schizophrenia. The <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/young-men-highest-risk-schizophrenia-linked-cannabis-use-disorder">study</a>, published in &#8220;Psychological Medicine,&#8221; found that up to 30% of schizophrenia cases in young men can be linked to cannabis use disorder.
A <a href="https://fortune.com/well/article/marijuana-abuse-cannabis-use-disorder-workplace-absenteeism-sick-days/">study</a> conducted by UC San Diego School of Medicine and the New York University Grossman School of Medicine, meanwhile, found that employees who use cannabis regularly were more likely to miss work.
The advocacy group Smart Approaches to Marijuana has also <a href="https://learnaboutsam.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SAM-impact-report-2026-2027.pdf">pointed</a> to research showing that driving fatalities involving marijuana skyrocketed between 2000 and 2018. Kevin Sabet, the president and CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, told The Daily Wire that legalization leading to increases in addiction was &#8220;absolutely predictable.&#8221;
&#8220;Despite the promises of the legalizers, federal data show that (just as the Times notes) legalization drives use, including youth use increases,&#8221; Sabet said. &#8220;This is true in the national aggregate and in individual state data. It’s not rocket science: If you make a powerful addictive drug easier to access (and send the signal that it’s OK to use in the process), more people are going to use it. That is what I and many other people who were aware of the danger warned would happen and it is precisely what did happen.&#8221;
Now that nearly half the country has legalized marijuana in some or all forms, Sabet said the best path forward is for &#8220;states to focus on making sure that people, and above all young people, know how dangerous and destructive marijuana is: a permanent investment in infrastructure meant to promote prevention and awareness.&#8221;
&#8220;And it’s beyond important to remember here what the Times piece truly reveals,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Namely, that while people may disagree about policies and execution, they are now all agreed on the same set of facts. And those facts show beyond doubt that marijuana is dangerous, addictive, and creating havoc across America.&#8221;
The data pointing to some of these issues was available when the Times editorial board began publishing its <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/07/27/opinion/sunday/high-time-marijuana-legalization.html?op-nav">series</a> arguing for federal legalization. In a 2014 <a href="https://www.nber.org/digest/oct14/consequences-legalizing-marijuana?page=1&amp;perPage=50">paper</a>, researchers Hefei Wen, Jason M. Hockenberry, and Janet R. Cummings found that marijuana legalization led to an increase in marijuana abuse and dependence. The 2014 paper also found that as legalization surged, so did the rate at which adolescents experimented with the drug.
Ironically, the Times editorial board&#8217;s shift on marijuana coincides with the federal government in the process of reforming how it regulates the drug. In December, President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-reclassifies-marijuana-at-federal-level-we-have-people-begging-for-me-to-do-this">signed</a> an order to open the door to reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III drug, meaning marijuana would be in the same <a href="https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling#:~:text=Schedule%20I%20drugs%2C%20substances%2C%20or,)%2C%20methaqualone%2C%20and%20peyote.">category</a> as drugs that have “a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.” For decades, the U.S. government has categorized marijuana as a Schedule I substance, which is defined as &#8220;no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.&#8221;
The U.S. government&#8217;s potential reclassification would not legalize marijuana at the federal level, but it could reduce the scale of marijuana-related offenses. As the president was considering the marijuana reclassification last year, nearly 50 organizations signed a letter urging Trump to keep marijuana classified as a Schedule I drug, arguing that marijuana &#8220;fits squarely&#8221; in the definition of a Schedule I drug, &#8220;a fact acknowledged in every scheduling review prior to 2023.&#8221;

Marijuana USA

20 Million Americans Say They’re Always High, And Even Liberals Recognize The Craze Has Gone Too Far

Drugs

Leftists

Marijuana

New York Times

Social Issues

U.S.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told senators on Tuesday that he visited Jeffrey Epstein&#8217;s Little Saint James Island with his wife and children in 2012, four years after Epstein pled guilty to procuring a minor for prostitution.
During a Senate Appropriations subcommittee <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/2021249984729927980">hearing</a>, Lutnick was asked by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) to confirm whether he visited Epstein&#8217;s island as was suggested in email correspondence that was recently made public in the Justice Department&#8217;s trove of Epstein files. Lutnick, who previously said that he cut off contact with Epstein after a troubling first encounter in 2005, confirmed on Monday that he had lunch on Epstein&#8217;s island in late 2012, alongside his wife and four children and another couple and their children.
&#8220;Secretary Lutnick, I think you understand the root of concern here. It&#8217;s the way you described, very emphatically, your first encounter with him &#8230; [and] said you were disgusted and would never have any contact with him again,&#8221; Van Hollen said. &#8220;Did you, in fact, make the visit to Jeffrey Epstein&#8217;s private island?&#8221;
Lutnick replied, &#8220;I did have lunch with him as I was on a boat going across, I was on a family vacation. My wife was with me as were my four children and nannies. I had another couple — they were there as well with their children — and we had lunch on the island. That is true, for an hour, and then we left with all of my children, with my nannies and my wife all together.&#8221;
Lutnick added that he doesn&#8217;t remember &#8220;why we did it,&#8221; referring to the lunch with Epstein on his island, but said it was false &#8220;to suggest there was anything untoward about that.&#8221; The Trump official also said that he did not witness anything inappropriate when he was on the island with Epstein.
Lutnick has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection to Epstein&#8217;s crimes. Lutnick said he conducted his own search of Epstein files and found that his name appears in about 10 emails among the millions of pages of documents released by the Justice Department. He added that he would be willing to talk more about sharing his records related to Epstein with Congress.
Epstein-related <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00664162.pdf">documents</a> recently made public also appear to show Lutnick&#8217;s Wall Street firm emailing Epstein in 2011 in hopes of setting up a meeting. It&#8217;s unclear if that meeting took place. Lutnick told senators that he &#8220;did not have any relationship with&#8221; Epstein, adding, &#8220;I barely had anything to do with that person.&#8221;
In an interview with the New York Post&#8217;s Miranda Devine last year, Lutnick said that after he and his wife first met Epstein in 2005, he vowed to never be in the same room as him. Lutnick told Devine that after he moved into a house next door to Epstein in New York, Epstein took Lutnick and his wife on a tour of his home. During the tour, Epstein pointed out the massage table &#8220;in the middle&#8221; of his home and made remarks about getting the &#8220;right kind of massage,&#8221; prompting Lutnick and his wife to leave, according to Lutnick.
&#8220;In the six or eight steps that it takes to get from his house to my house, my wife and I decided that I will never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again,&#8221; the Commerce secretary added. &#8220;So I was never in the room with him socially, for business, or even philanthropy. If that guy was there, I wasn&#8217;t going because he&#8217;s gross.&#8221;
After more came to light on Lutnick&#8217;s 2012 visit with Epstein, Democratic lawmakers, along with staunch Trump critic Thomas Massie (R-KY), criticized the Commerce secretary for appearing to change his story.
“It’s now clear that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has been lying about his relationship with Epstein. He said he had no interactions with Epstein after 2005, yet we now know they were in business together. Lutnick must resign or be fired. And he must answer our questions,” <a href="https://x.com/RepRobertGarcia/status/2020622223925792934">said</a> Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, which is investigating Epstein&#8217;s crimes and alleged ties to powerful people.
Over the weekend, Massie called on Lutnick to &#8220;make life easier on the president &#8230; and just resign.&#8221;
The White House told The Daily Wire on Tuesday that President Donald Trump remains confident in Lutnick&#8217;s ability to lead the Commerce Department.
&#8220;President Trump has assembled the best and most transformative cabinet in modern history. The entire Trump administration, including Secretary Lutnick and the Department of Commerce, remains focused on delivering for the American people,&#8221; White House Spokesman Kush Desai said.
A Commerce Department spokesman told The Daily Wire, &#8220;This is nothing more than a failing attempt by the legacy media to distract from the administration’s accomplishments, including securing Trillions of dollars in investment, delivering historic trade deals and fighting for the American worker. Mr. and Mrs. Lutnick met Jeffrey Epstein in 2005 and had very limited interactions with him over the next 14 years.&#8221;

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick

Trump Cabinet Secretary Confirms He Visited Epstein’s Island With Wife And Children In 2012

Epstein Files

Howard Lutnick

Jeffrey Epstein

Politics

U.S. Senate

President Donald Trump tore into Canada again on Monday, threatening to prevent the opening of a bridge connecting Ontario to Michigan — a project finally nearing completion after almost eight years of construction.
Trump blasted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for holding trade talks with China as Canada continues to levy tariffs on U.S. products. The president said that Canada must treat &#8220;the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve,&#8221; and until that happens, he will not allow the bridge to open.
&#8220;The Tariffs Canada charges us for our Dairy products have, for many years, been unacceptable, putting our Farmers at great financial risk. I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116043090074364624">wrote</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY.&#8221;
The bridge, which is named after Detroit Red Wings hockey legend Gordie Howe, would connect Windsor, Ontario, to the Motor City. The Canadian government paid for its construction and would jointly own the bridge with the state of Michigan, The Detroit News <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/09/trump-threatens-to-block-gordie-howe-international-bridge-from-opening-michigan-ontario-canada/88597688007/">reported</a>.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge is slated to open sometime this year, but Trump&#8217;s threat could throw a wrench in those plans. While the bridge would be partly owned by Michigan, Trump could prevent the bridge from being operational by declining to staff the port of entry with U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, however, promised Michigan&#8217;s Democratic senators last year that the crossing would be staffed.
Trump complained that Canada constructed the bridge &#8220;with virtually no U.S. content,&#8221; adding, &#8220;They own both the Canada and the United States side.&#8221; Trump also criticized former President Barack Obama for &#8220;stupidly&#8221; granting Canada a waiver &#8220;so they could get around the BUY AMERICAN Act, and not use any American products, including our Steel.&#8221;
Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who met with Trump in the Oval Office last year, wasn&#8217;t concerned with the bridge&#8217;s grand opening being pushed back because of Trump&#8217;s comments.
&#8220;It&#8217;s going to open one way or another, and the governor looks forward to attending the ribbon cutting,&#8221; a Whitmer spokeswoman said on Monday. The spokeswoman said the Gordie Howe Bridge is &#8220;a tremendous example of bipartisan and international cooperation.&#8221;
The bridge would allow people to cross the border by bike, on foot, or in a vehicle. There are currently two ways for vehicles to cross from Detroit into Windsor, or vice versa: through the Windsor Tunnel, which runs under the Detroit River, or across the Ambassador Bridge, a 96-year-old suspension bridge. The Gordie Howe International Bridge would help with traffic congestion at the U.S.-Canada border crossing while also providing a more direct connection between I-75 and Ontario&#8217;s Highway 401.
Last month, Canada and China reached a preliminary agreement on trade that would lower some tariffs, including on Chinese electric vehicles shipped to Canada. After Prime Minister Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping held trade talks, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115950424403894234">threatened</a> to increase U.S. tariffs on Canadian products to 100% if the two countries reached a deal. Trump also warned Carney against allowing China to use Canada as a &#8220;drop off port&#8221; to send its goods into the United States.
&#8220;China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life,&#8221; the president said. &#8220;If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A.&#8221;
On Monday, Trump warned that if Canada agrees to a deal with China, &#8220;The first thing China will do is terminate ALL Ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate The Stanley Cup.&#8221;

Donald Trump/Gordie Howe International Bridge

Trump Rips Canada, Threatens To Shut Down Grand Opening Of Bridge Connecting Ontario To Michigan

Canada

China

Michigan

trade

Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who pled the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer questions before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, said she would only testify on the convicted pedophile&#8217;s crimes if President Donald Trump grants her clemency, her lawyer said.
Maxwell appeared virtually from prison before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, but she kept quiet, using her constitutional right against self-incrimination. After her deposition, the convicted sex trafficker&#8217;s lawyer, David Markus, said that Maxwell would &#8220;speak fully and honestly&#8221; about her knowledge of her and Epstein&#8217;s crimes if Trump granted her clemency. Markus said that Maxwell would also &#8220;explain why&#8221; both Trump and former President Bill Clinton are &#8220;innocent of any wrongdoing,&#8221; CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ghislaine-maxwell-house-oversight-committee-deposition-fifth-amendment/#">reported</a>.
&#8220;If this committee and the American public truly want to hear the unfiltered truth about what happened, there is a straightforward path. Ms. Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump,&#8221; Markus said. &#8220;Only she can provide the complete account. Some may not like what they hear, but the truth matters. For example, both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing. Ms. Maxwell alone can explain why, and the public is entitled to that explanation.&#8221;
House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said following the deposition that he was &#8220;disappointed,&#8221; but not surprised by Maxwell&#8217;s refusal to talk.
&#8220;We had many questions to ask about the crimes she and Epstein committed, as well as questions about potential co-conspirators,&#8221; Comer said. &#8220;We sincerely want to get to the truth for the American people and justice for survivors.&#8221;
Maxwell is currently serving out a 20-year prison sentence for her role in Epstein&#8217;s sex trafficking scheme and has been pushing for a pardon from President Trump, who has shown no indication that he&#8217;s considering what would be one of the most controversial pardons in U.S. history.
Both Trump and Clinton appear numerous times in the photos and documents from Epstein&#8217;s estate that have been released by the Justice Department, but none of the evidence incriminates the presidents in any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s crimes. Trump and Clinton have also not been accused of any wrongdoing by Epstein&#8217;s victims.
In a 2019 interview with the Justice Department, then-Palm Beach police chief Michael Reiter said that Trump called him in 2006 as Epstein crimes came to light and said that &#8220;everyone has known he&#8217;s been doing this.&#8221; The interview, which was part of the Justice Department&#8217;s Epstein files dump, was first reported on by the Miami Herald on Monday. Trump also told the police chief in 2006 to &#8220;focus on&#8221; Maxwell, saying, &#8220;She is evil,&#8221; according to Reiter.
Maxwell met with U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for multiple hours-long <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ghislaine-maxwell-reveals-whether-she-believes-epstein-committed-suicide">interviews</a> in July and was grilled for information on Epstein and those associated with him. During the interview with Blanche, Maxwell confirmed that high-profile men, such as Trump and Clinton, had close ties with Epstein, but added she never saw either man act inappropriately with a woman of any age. Maxwell had glowing remarks for Trump, telling the Justice Department, &#8220;The president was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.&#8221;
During her deposition on Monday, Maxwell&#8217;s lawyer again said that Maxwell has no reason to believe that Trump or Clinton are guilty of any wrongdoing, according to Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, who was at the closed-door hearing. Democrat Rep. Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia said that Maxwell&#8217;s proposition &#8220;is all strategy for her to try to get a pardon from President Trump.&#8221;
The top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, Rep. Robert Garcia of California, claimed that Maxwell has already been given &#8220;special treatment&#8221; by the White House. Shortly after her meeting with the Justice Department last summer, Maxwell was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ghislaine-maxwell-moved-from-florida-prison-to-lower-security-facility">moved</a> from a low-security prison in Florida to a minimum-security prison in Texas. In October, the Supreme Court declined to hear Maxwell&#8217;s appeal to overturn her conviction.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-hes-allowed-to-pardon-ghislaine-maxwell-keeps-option-open-after-doj-meeting">said</a> last July that he had &#8220;not thought about&#8221; pardoning Maxwell. Three months later, Trump <a href="https://www.c-span.org/clip/white-house-event/user-clip-president-trump-will-look-into-possible-ghislaine-maxwell-pardon/5174684">said</a> he would &#8220;take a look at&#8221; Maxwell&#8217;s case and &#8220;speak to the DOJ.&#8221;
&#8220;A lot of people have asked me for a pardon,&#8221; he added.
Later this month, the House Oversight is scheduled to grill former President Clinton and former Secretary of State and first lady Hillary Clinton over their ties to Epstein.

Trump, Knauss, Epstein, & Maxwell At Mar-A-Lago

Ghislaine Maxwell Will Only Testify On Epstein If Trump Gives Her What She Wants, Lawyer Says

Bill Clinton

Crime

Ghislaine Maxwell

Vice President JD Vance became the highest-ranking U.S. official to ever visit Armenia while in office on Monday, joining Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to sign a civil nuclear agreement as part of the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to secure peace in the South Caucasus.
During Vance&#8217;s visit, Pashinyan also reaffirmed Armenia&#8217;s commitment to the peace deal between his country and Azerbaijan that was brokered by President Donald Trump last August. The agreement signed on Monday promises $9 billion in potential U.S. investment in Armenia&#8217;s nuclear sector, an $11 million shipment of U.S. drones to the South Caucasus country, and a partnership on the sale of Nvidia chips to Armenia.
Vance <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/9NXWxKZhejE?si=zEdoR-IYl-vdgbcQ">called</a> the agreement a &#8220;win-win&#8221; that will provide additional energy exports to Armenia from the United States, as well as economic opportunities for American companies and security for Armenia. The nuclear cooperation would set up &#8220;a way for American and Armenian companies to strike deals on civil nuclear projects,&#8221; according to Vance, who added, &#8220;That means up to five billion dollars in initial U.S. exports, plus an additional four billion in long-term support through fuel and maintenance contracts.&#8221;
The civil nuclear agreement marks a major shift for Armenia, which has long relied on Russia for its energy and security. After President Trump took office last January, the United States strengthened its relationship with Armenia, a country that has grown increasingly open to the West under Pashinyan. Last August, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-week-in-armenia-hope-emerges-after-trumps-major-steps-toward-peace">struck a peace deal</a> between Armenia and its neighbor, Azerbaijan, after years of conflict that saw over 100,000 ethnic Armenians forced to flee Nagorno-Karabakh, a region inside of Azerbaijan that has been home to Armenians for thousands of years.
Pashinyan said that Vance&#8217;s visit &#8220;reflects the depth of the strong and strategic partnership&#8221; between the United States and Armenia. The prime minister also expressed gratitude for President Donald Trump&#8217;s work to negotiate a deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan and strengthen the U.S.-Armenia relationship.
&#8220;After the Washington Peace Summit, [Azerbaijani] President Aliyev and I nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize through a joint letter, and I have great hope that the president will rightfully receive this award in 2026,&#8221; Pashinyan added.
Vance commented on the &#8220;visionary&#8221; accomplishment that Trump achieved alongside Pashinyan in the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan last year.
&#8220;We&#8217;re not just making peace for Armenia, we&#8217;re also creating real prosperity for Armenia and the United States together,&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;So much of the great cooperation that we&#8217;re going to announce today would not have been possible without [Pashinyan&#8217;s] leadership, without the peace that you committed your country to and without, of course, the president of the United States&#8217; leadership.&#8221;
&#8220;I really do believe that tonight marks a new beginning for Armenia and the United States and the partnership that our countries can have together,&#8221; Vance added.
Monday&#8217;s energy and economic agreement between the United States and Armenia comes on top of plans to develop an international trade route in Armenia to better connect the country to its neighbors. The route, which would be called the Trump Road for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), would open up more opportunities for business and trade in the region that has long been unstable. The Trump administration is hopeful that TRIPP will also ensure that the peace agreement signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan &#8220;will stick.&#8221;
Stepan Sargsyan, a former Armenian governor who works closely with the prime minister, told The Daily Wire on Monday that the TRIPP project is moving along smoothly.
&#8220;Right now, the Americans and Armenians and their Azeri counterparts are working very diligently and very expeditiously to bring it into fruition,&#8221; Sargsyan said. &#8220;Actually, literally a few days ago, the American embassy in Yerevan, Armenia, announced that a team of engineers from a U.S. company had already arrived in Armenia to do the surveying [for TRIPP]. So, we too in Armenia are very hopeful that this will come into existence very, very quickly.&#8221;
Vance plans to travel to Azerbaijan on Tuesday in hopes of continuing the Trump administration&#8217;s successful negotiations in the region and moving the August agreement forward.
In his press conference with Pashinyan on Monday, Vance also highlighted Armenia&#8217;s Christian foundation. Armenia is known as the first Christian nation in the world, officially declaring itself Christian in A.D. 301. Vance called Armenia a &#8220;true bedrock of Christian civilization and culture.&#8221;
&#8220;As a devout Christian myself, I know the meaning of this country to the entire world and to the religion that the prime minister and I share,&#8221; Vance added.

U.S. Vice President Vance Travels To Armenia

‘A New Beginning’: JD Vance Signs Nuclear Deal In Historic Visit To Armenia

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Economy

Foreign Policy

JD Vance

Before the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots even kick off for Super Bowl LX in San Francisco on Sunday, the game will already be in the record books as the first Super Bowl to feature two teams that missed the playoffs the previous season.
The unusual Super Bowl matchup is a fitting ending to a season that saw the downfall of past seasons&#8217; dominant teams and the rise of new talent. At the beginning of the 2025 season, neither the Seahawks nor the Patriots were expected to compete for a Super Bowl. The Seahawks, coming off a 10-7 record in 2024, were overlooked in a stacked NFC West division this year. The Patriots, meanwhile, were believed to be in the middle of a long rebuild with a young quarterback after finishing with just four wins last season.
But now, both teams have clawed their way to the biggest game in sports.
At first glance, Super Bowl LX seems to lack the intrigue that NFL fans are accustomed to. There&#8217;s no dynasty looking to collect more hardware and there&#8217;s no superstar quarterback who&#8217;s expected to dominate the game. But Super Bowl LX has plenty of storylines to make it a must-watch game.
<h3>Redemption on Both Sides</h3>
<div id="attachment_1040521" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1040521" class="wp-image-1040521 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257728168-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257728168-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257728168-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257728168-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257728168.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />SEATTLE, WASHINGTON &#8211; JANUARY 25: Sam Darnold (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)</div>
When Seattle runs out of the tunnel and onto the field at Levi&#8217;s Stadium, it will be led by quarterback Sam Darnold, whose NFL career appeared to be reduced to playing full-time backup just two years ago. Darnold was picked No. 3 overall in the 2018 draft by the New York Jets with the hope that he would become the team&#8217;s franchise quarterback. The hype around Darnold in New York, however, lasted only three seasons as he went just 13-25 with the Jets before he was traded to the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 2021 season.
In Carolina, Darnold played well in some games, but dealt with injuries and battled to remain a starter before he was let go and signed by the San Francisco 49ers in 2023. In San Francisco, Darnold backed up young QB Brock Purdy and made his first Super Bowl appearance, but he didn&#8217;t contribute much to the Super Bowl run, only appearing in one game all season.
In 2024, Darnold got another chance on a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings, where he became the starting quarterback and led the team to a surprising 14-3 record and a playoff appearance. Darnold&#8217;s solid season with the Vikings wasn&#8217;t enough to keep the critics off his back as many analysts and commentators slammed him for choking in big games down the stretch. His impressive record with the Vikings also wasn&#8217;t enough to keep him in Minnesota as the team opted to let Darnold go, and he was quickly signed by the Seahawks.
Many thought of Darnold as a reliable veteran who could lead a team to some wins while it continued to build up the offensive line and receiving core, but despite leading the league in turnovers this season, Darnold did enough to lead the Seahawks to the best record in the NFC and a dominant playoff run.
<div id="attachment_1040523" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1040523" class="wp-image-1040523 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2258770424-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2258770424-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2258770424-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2258770424-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2258770424.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />DENVER, COLORADO &#8211; JANUARY 25: Mike Vrabel (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)</div>
There&#8217;s a redemption arc on the New England sideline, too, where head coach Mike Vrabel is hoping to win a Super Bowl in his first year with the Patriots after being fired by the Tennessee Titans in 2023. Vrabel, a former Patriots linebacker, is also looking to become the first person in NFL history to win Super Bowls as a player and a coach for the same franchise.
Vrabel&#8217;s journey to the big game was likely not what he envisioned. Just a few years ago, Vrabel appeared destined to be the man to lead the Tennessee Titans into glory. Under Vrabel, the Titans made a remarkable playoff run in 2018, defeating Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots and then beating the AFC&#8217;s best team, the Baltimore Ravens, to reach their first AFC championship game since 2002. The Titans would eventually lose to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, who went on to win Super Bowl LIV.
Vrabel reached the playoffs with the Titans again in 2020 and 2021, attaining the #1 overall seed in the AFC in 2021. The Titans, however, struggled in those playoff appearances, losing in the wild card round to the Baltimore Ravens in 2020 and getting upset by the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round in 2021.
In a shocking decision, the Titans fired Vrabel after rough seasons in 2022 and 2023. Vrabel took a break from coaching the following season before he was hired by the Patriots ahead of the 2025 season. In just one season with New England, Vrabel has already proven that he should have never been fired, but a Super Bowl ring would put an exclamation point on his return to the NFL.
&#8220;From Day 1, he set that standard. That culture,&#8221; Patriots linebacker Harold Landry <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/patriots-players-laud-mike-vrabel-for-setting-standard-for-super-bowl-turnaround">said</a> of Vrabel. &#8220;And he brought in guys to kind of help him with that message. [Vrabel] is just at the forefront of it all. Guys have a lot of respect for him because he&#8217;s been here and done it as a player.&#8221;
<h3>Rematch of the Unforgettable</h3>
<div id="attachment_1040525" style="width: 864px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1040525" class="wp-image-1040525 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-474971694-854x576.jpg" alt="" width="854" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-474971694-854x576.jpg 854w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-474971694-300x202.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-474971694-768x518.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-474971694.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 854px) 100vw, 854px" />GLENDALE, AZ &#8211; FEBRUARY 01: Malcolm Butler #21 of the New England Patriots intercepts the pass at the goal line late in the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl XLIX. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)</div>
The Seahawks and Patriots last met in the Super Bowl on February 1, 2015, in Glendale, Arizona. It&#8217;s a game that won&#8217;t be soon forgotten — no matter how hard Seahawks fans try to erase it from their minds. Simply saying the phrase &#8220;2nd down from the one-yard-line&#8221; or the name &#8220;Marshawn Lynch&#8221; is all that&#8217;s needed to evoke memories of that unforgettable game when Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7rPIg7ZNQ8">inexplicably decided</a> to throw the ball on a game-deciding play from the one-yard line instead of handing it off to one of the league&#8217;s most dominant running backs, and Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler jumped the route and intercepted Russell Wilson.
Of course, this year, Carrol is not calling plays on the Seattle sideline, and Wilson and Lynch won&#8217;t be lining up together. New England&#8217;s team is no longer defined by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick&#8217;s dynasty, but the shadow from that 2015 Super Bowl still looms, and if Seattle lines up at the New England one-yard line late in the 4th quarter, there will be no escaping the comparisons to the play call from more than a decade ago.
<h3>An Opportunity for History</h3>
<div id="attachment_1040527" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1040527" class="wp-image-1040527 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2258688802-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2258688802-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2258688802-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2258688802-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2258688802.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />DENVER, CO &#8211; JANUARY 25: Drake Maye (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)</div>
While Sam Darnold goes for redemption, 23-year-old Patriot Drake Maye is seeking to become the youngest starting quarterback to ever win the Super Bowl. If he hoists the Lombardi trophy on Sunday night, Maye — who is 23 years and 162 days old — would surpass Steelers great Ben Roethlisberger, who won his first Super Bowl at 23 years and 340 days old.
Maye, who was taken by the Patriots as the third overall draft pick in 2024, became one of the NFL&#8217;s most consistent quarterbacks in his second season. Maye ranked fourth this season in total passing yards at 4,394, which was just ahead of Darnold&#8217;s 4,048 yards. Maye was also third in the NFL in total touchdown passes with 31.
The New England quarterback has a lot to live up to after Brady&#8217;s two decades of MVPs and Super Bowl championships for the Patriots. But the young gunslinger Maye is off to an impressive start, and if he gets his Super Bowl ring on Sunday alongside his new head coach, things in New England will look eerily similar to 2002 — only Maye would be one year younger than Brady was when the all-time great won his first Super Bowl.

Super Bowl LX

Redemption, Rematch, And Records: Super Bowl LX Is Filled With Great Storylines

Football

General

New England Patriots

San Francisco

Seattle Seahawks

Super Bowl

Suspected assassin Luigi Mangione spoke out in court on Friday after a New York judge set his state trial date for June 8.
As he was being escorted out of the courtroom, Mangione raged against the state trial moving forward, as he also faces a federal trial. Mangione faces multiple state charges, including second-degree murder related to the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all state and federal charges.
&#8220;One plus one equals two. This is the same trial twice,&#8221; Mangione said, according to <a href="https://www.fox5ny.com/news/luigi-mangione-double-jeopardy-claim">Fox 5 New York</a>. &#8220;This is double jeopardy by any common sense definition.&#8221;
The suspected assassin was unexpectedly ordered back in court on Friday by Manhattan state Judge Gregory Carro. His next appearance in state court wasn&#8217;t scheduled until May. Mangione&#8217;s lawyer objected to the June 8 trial start date, arguing that the defense team would also be preparing for the federal trial at that time.
“Mr. Mangione is being put in an untenable situation,” defense lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo said, according to the Associated Press. “This is a tug-of-war between two different prosecution offices.&#8221;
&#8220;The defense will not be ready on June 8,&#8221; she added.
&#8220;Be ready,&#8221; the judge replied.
Jury selection for Mangione&#8217;s federal trial was set for September 8, with opening statements scheduled for October 13. Last week, the judge overseeing Mangione&#8217;s federal trial <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-says-prosecutors-cant-pursue-death-penalty-against-luigi-mangione?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Federal+Judge+Says+Prosecutors+Can%E2%80%99t+Pursue+Death+Penalty+Against+Luigi+Mangione">dropped</a> the murder charge that carried a potential death penalty.
In a surprising twist to the federal trial, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett agreed with Mangione’s defense team and said that stalking does not constitute “a crime of violence.” The judge acknowledged that her decision was “strange,” but argued that violence is defined by using force, and stalking could technically be committed without using force, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/luigi-mangione-latest-judge-rule-death-penalty-stays/story?id=129677290">reported</a>.
Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Joel Seidemann argued for Mangione&#8217;s state trial to begin before the federal trial, saying that the state’s interests &#8220;would be unfairly prejudiced by an unnecessary delay.&#8221; Seidemann also told the judge that Thompson&#8217;s family wants the state trial to proceed first, which would also help prosecutors avoid a double jeopardy challenge. New York state law could prevent Mangione from being tried at the state level if his federal trial comes first.
Judge Carro said on Friday, &#8220;It appears the federal government has reneged on its agreement to let the state, which has done most of the work in this case, go first.&#8221;
In May, Carro will decide whether prosecutors can use evidence seized from Mangione when he was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Investigators say that Mangione was found with a 9 mm handgun that connects him to the crime scene and a notebook, where Mangione allegedly discusses taking out Thompson.
U.S. District Judge Garnett ruled last week that federal prosecutors can use the items found on Mangione when he was arrested as evidence.

Luigi Mangione

Luigi Mangione Erupts In Courtroom Outburst After Judge Sets State Trial Date

Court

New York

A gunman shot and seriously wounded a senior Russian intelligence official in his Moscow apartment building on Friday in yet another assassination attempt that the Kremlin is blaming on Ukraine.
Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, a deputy head of Russia&#8217;s military intelligence arm, was taken to the hospital after the shooting and remains in critical condition, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-military-official-hospitalised-after-being-shot-agencies-report-2026-02-06/">reported</a>, citing Russian investigators. The gunman fled the scene and has not been identified as of Friday morning.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called the shooting a &#8220;terrorist attack&#8221; and claimed that Ukraine was attempting to derail talks between Moscow and the United States, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/russia/senior-russian-military-general-vladimir-alekseyev-shot-moscow-rcna257748">reported</a>. The shooting took place just one day after U.S., Russian, and Ukrainian officials concluded another round of peace talks in the United Arab Emirates. Ukraine and Russia agreed to another prisoner swap during the negotiations, but no breakthroughs on a potential peace deal or ceasefire were announced.
Alekseyev, 64, is a highly respected military official in Russia and was honored by Russian President Vladimir Putin with the &#8220;Hero of Russia&#8221; award, which recognizes exceptional service for the country. The United States has sanctioned the Russian general for his role in Russian cyberattacks. Alekseyev was also sanctioned by the European Union after Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned in England in 2018.
In 2023, Putin sent Alekseyev to negotiate with Wagner mercenary group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin after Prigozhin started a mutiny and attempted to overthrow the Russian dictator. The coup attempt ultimately failed, and Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash that U.S. officials <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/wagner-prigozhin-russia-assassinated-intelligence-3e456fab">believe</a> was caused by a bomb on board &#8220;or some other form of sabotage.&#8221;
Russian news media cited law enforcement sources who said the gunman was waiting for Alexeyev outside of his apartment and opened fire when the military official left to go to work. Alekseyev reportedly sustained gunshot wounds to the chest, along with one of his arms and a leg. Following the assassination attempt, some Russian journalists questioned why top military leaders are not better protected, Reuters reported.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to some of those criticisms, saying, &#8220;It is clear that military commanders and high-level specialists are at risk during wartime. But it is not the Kremlin that should be deciding how to ensure their safety. This is a matter for the special services.&#8221;
Ukraine has not taken responsibility for the assassination attempt, which comes just two months after another Russian general was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-russian-general-taken-out-by-car-bomb-on-moscow-street?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Another+Russian+General+Taken+Out+By+Car+Bomb+On+Moscow+Street">killed</a> in a car bombing in Moscow. In December, Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, who was head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces, was killed along with his assistant in a blast that Russian authorities blamed on Ukraine&#8217;s intelligence agency.
Sarvarov was the third high-ranking Russian military leader to be assassinated since late 2024. Ukraine has claimed responsibility for the assassinations of multiple Russian generals since the beginning of the war.
During the trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates this week, the White House agreed to resume high-level military dialogue with Russia, something that has not happened since before Moscow invaded Ukraine. The agreement comes as the nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nuclear-caps-gone-as-u-s-russia-treaty-expires">expired</a> on Thursday.

Top Russian Military Intelligence Lt.Gen. Vladimir Alexeyev Wounded In Moscow

Top Russian Military Official Shot In Moscow Shortly After Trilateral Peace Talks Conclude

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Zach Jewell