News On Tap For Friday, February 20, 2026

Rule Of Law

It’s Friday and today’s “News On Tap” tastes like victory, in more than one way. We’ve got a full explanation of Trump’s beatdown by SCOTUs on tariffs & how Trump’s economy is failing. We also have news on Trump’s regime of idiots, and more news from the Trumpstein files. We’ve also got updates on Trumps wars on immigration, on education, and on the city of Washington DC. Plus, Election Land & SOTU news, & a great Olympic update too. Plus, Karen & Anita from the Tru Blu Politics podcast are in the bar tonight. Read up, get informed, then join us tonight!

First Round - The Trump Regime Is A Failure

Trumponomics Is Failing

• Supreme Court Strikes Down Most Of Trump’s Ability To Wield Tariffs In A Major Blow To Trump’s Economic Plans

• Commerce Dept Releases New GDP Report Showing U.S. Economy Slowed Sharply In The Fourth Quarter, Expanding At A Rate Of Just 1.4%, Slowest Pace Since 2020

• Trump Leaks Disastrous Economic Figure In Typo-Filled Post Before Actual GDP Numbers Released

• Trump’s Economy Decelerated As Republican-Caused Govt. Shutdown & Weaker Consumer Spending Drag On Growth

A Regime Of Criminals & Idiots

• Labor Secretary’s Husband Barred From Department Premises After Reports Of Sexual Assaults [Gift Link]

• Trump’s Labor Secretary Accused Of Taking Staff To A Strip Club On Official Trip

• FBI Dir. Kash Patel Heading To Milan For The Olympics — On The FBI Jet, At A Cost Of $75,000

• Another Distraction: Trump Now Claims He’s Directing The Pentagon To Release Files Related To UFOs And Aliens

Second Round - The Trumpstein Files

• Jeffrey Epstein’s Estate Agrees To Pay Up To $35m To Settle Survivors’ Class Action Lawsuit

• Latest Batch Of Files Reveal Epstein Cultivated Relationship With Corrupt CBP Officers, Prompting Criminal Investigation From DOJ

• UK Police Now Investigating Claims That Epstein Trafficked Women Through UK Airports

• New Mexico Reopens Investigation Into Alleged Illegal Activity At Epstein’s Former Zorro Ranch

Third Round - Trump's Many Wars

Immigration Wars

• New Trump Executive Order Could Lead To The Detention Of Thousands Of Legal Refugees

• Federal Judge Scorches Trump Regime For Terrorizing Immigrants & Recklessly Violating The Law In Scathing Decision

• Trump Lawyer Astonishingly Admits Trump DOJ Has Flouted Court Orders More Than 75 Times: ‘Everybody Is On Notice’

• Defendants In Minnesota Are Going Free Due To Exodus Of DOJ Prosecutors

War On Education

• University Of Texas Regents Approve Limits On Teaching “Unnecessary Controversial Subjects”

• Kentucky Supreme Court Rules State’s Establishment Of Public Funding For Charter Schools Is Unconstitutional

Trump’s War On DC

• Massive Authoritarian-Style Banner Featuring Trump’s Face Is Unfurled & Hung At DOJ Headquarters

• Vietnam War Veterans Sue To Block Construction Of Arch Trump Wants To Build In DC

• Internal Memo Details Cosmetic Changes And Facility Repairs That Trump Regime Is Planning For The Kennedy Center

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

State Of Our Disunion

• Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger To Deliver The Democratic Message Tuesday Night

• Democrats To Hold Rally On The National Mall During The State Of The Union

Election Land

• Virginia Republican Judge Temporarily Blocks Democrats’ Redistricting Referendum For Second Time; Virginia Atty. Gen. Jay Jones To File Emergency Appeal To Virginia Supreme Court

• Newly Proposed California Bill Would Block Immigration Agents Near Polling Sites

• House Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky Withdraws Endorsement In Chicago-Area Race Over AIPAC Funding

Foreign Affairs

• Trump Gives Iran A 10-Day Timeline During ‘Board Of Peace’ Meeting On Whether He’ll Continue Talks Or Strike

• UK Blocking Use Of Air Bases Trump Says Would Be Needed For Strikes On Iran

• As Trump Weighs Iran Strikes, He Declines To Make Clear Case For Why [Gift Link]

• Michelle Goldberg: This Is How An Autocrat Goes To War [Gift Link]

Miscellaneous News

• Slavery Exhibit Removed By Trump Admin. Returns To Philadelphia’s Independence Mall After Judge’s Order

• Fmr. Pres. Bill & Fmr. Sec. Hillary Clinton Scheduled To Give House Oversight Testimony Next Week

• Oklahoma Man Opposing Data Center Arrested For Speaking 30 Seconds Too Long

• Ohio Republican Mayor Wesley Dingus Charged After Allegedly Sniffing Teen Relative’s Underwear

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Rest In Peace

• Eric Dane, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ And ‘Euphoria,’ Star, And ALS Awareness Advocate, Dies At 53

Media & Entertainment

• Universal Music subsidiary Virgin Music Closes $775 Million Deal to Buy Downtown Music In Major Merger

• ‘Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Averaging Nearly 13 Million Viewers Per Episode, ‘The Pitt’ Season 2 at 12 Million

Olympics Recap

• Alysa Liu Gives U.S. Its First Women’s Figure Skating Olympic Gold In 24 Years

• Alysa Liu’s Unlikely Olympic Gold Medal Caps Off A Roller-Coaster Week In Figure Skating At The Winter Olympics

• Amber Glenn Finishes In Fifth, Just Off The Podium, After An Amazing High-Scoring Free Skate

• U.S. Women’s Hockey Wins Olympic Gold Medal In Overtime Victory Over Rival Canada

• With Tying Goal, Team USA’s Hilary Knight Sets All-Time U.S. Hockey Goal-Scoring Record

• Team USA Chooses Five-Time Olympians Hilary Knight And Evan Bates To Be Closing Ceremony Flag Bearers

Your Bar Regulars Tonight…

Our friends Karen from Chicago, & Anita From San Antonio, co-hosts of Tru Blu Politics (and on Patreon too) are back in the bar tonight, to talk about all of this weeks’ crazy news. Of course, we’ll talk about Trump getting his clock cleaned on tariffs, Trump’s cabal of criminals, the Trumpstein files, and more. Plus, we’ll talk a little about the Olympics, and some 2026 election talk. Grab a seat & a sip, & join us tonight!

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