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Voters react to SOTU moment when Trump got standing ovation from longtime Dem nemesis
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Polling data tracking voters’ real-time reactions to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, showed Independents and Republicans were highly motivated when the president urged members of Congress to pass restrictions on congressional stock trading, but Democrats appeared less enthused.
This moment in Trump’s address was one of the few moments during the speech when Democrats inside the House chamber, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., offered standing applause.
«They stood up for that, I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it,» Trump quipped after calling for an end to congressional stock trading. «Think Nancy Pelosi would stand up if she was here? Doubt it. Pass the Stop Insider Trading Act without delay,» the president continued to a roaring applause. During one moment, a camera panned over to Warren, who could be seen standing and clapping.
Republicans and Independents showed a marked difference in positive feelings, as opposed to Democrats, after President Trump urged lawmakers to pass tougher restrictions on congressional stock trading. (Fox News)
The dial test administered by Lee Carter, the president of Maslansky & Partners, showed that after Trump said the Stop Insider Trading Act must be passed «without delay» that Democrats remained largely stagnant, but Republicans and Independents reacted far more positively.
As the crowd inside the House chamber Tuesday night continued to applaud following Trump’s remark that a law on congressional stock trading restrictions should be passed immediately, the Democrats’ dial returned to baseline. It had taken a turn downwards after Trump took a jab at Pelosi over the matter. She has long been the brunt of criticism over the success of her stock portfolio and the manner in which certain trades have lined up with matters in front of lawmakers.
The group of voters monitored during the president’s speech Tuesday night, included 29 Democrats, 41 Republicans and 30 Independents.
Warren and other Democrats could be seen giving a standing ovation to the president’s urgency around adding stricter restrictions to congressional stock trading. Warren was also reportedly seen standing after Trump insisted Iran cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
When asked to respond to Trump’s jab at her Tuesday night, Pelosi told Trump to «look at your own self.»
DEMOCRATS’ BIG MISFIRE AT STATE OF THE UNION HAS GOP STRATEGISTS SALIVATING: ‘HUGE MOMENT’
«The inference he wants to draw is there was something wrong with that, which there wasn’t, and if there was, people get prosecuted for it. For a long time now we’ve been trying to pass this law. It doesn’t have — now it has more support than it had before, and —» Pelosi said before being cut off by CNN’s Kasie Hunt, who pointed out Warren stood up to applaud Trump’s urging to pass the Stop Insider Trading Act.
«Well, we all did. I did too,» the former House speaker shot back. «He said, ‘Did Nancy stand up?’ Yeah, I did too. A lot of people stood up, a lot of Democrats stood up.»
Lawmakers attend the State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Stop Insider Trading Act would go beyond the current rules members of Congress must follow when trading on the stock market, ushered in by the 2012 STOCK Act. Since 2012, lawmakers have attempted to implement tighter federal restrictions to no avail.
While Trump’s urging to get the latest restrictions passed was one of the rare moments that Democrats appeared to applaud the president during his SOTU speech, left-wing nonprofit groups have simultaneously argued that the Stop Insider Trading Act does not actually go far enough to stop insider trading.
«Passing SITA would hide insider trading instead of stopping it, leading to the same concerns we see today,» said a statement earlier this month from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). «The only path forward that can rejuvenate the American people’s faith in Congress is serious reform though meaningful bipartisan cooperation.»
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CREW points to a bill it believes would do a better job at reining in insider trading among lawmakers called the Restore Trust in Congress Act, which «effectively bans members of Congress from buying, selling and owning stocks and their equivalents and ends the conflicts of interest that have plagued Congress for far too long.»
«Abandoning viable, bipartisan legislation in favor of partisanship and ineffectual half measures would be a political and ethical failure that would further erode Americans’ trust in government,» CREW insisted.
Fox News Digital’s Marc Tamasco contributed to this report.
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INTERNACIONAL
DHS shutdown triggers TSA ‘emergency measures’ as lawmaker warns airports could feel economic pain
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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is taking emergency measures amid a partial DHS shutdown that dragged on for another week, as a top lawmaker who oversees transportation warned of potential economic fallout at airports.
While Democrats have held up funding for DHS, their intended target — ICE — remains resourced due to a $75 billion infusion from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year.
Over the weekend, several reports claimed DHS was prepared to pause TSA PreCheck — the program that allows qualified frequent fliers a speedier pass through security.
But a TSA spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that PreCheck remains «operational with no change for the traveling public.»
TSA agents scan luggage at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Crystal City, Va. (Valerie Plesch/Getty Images)
«As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly,» the spokesperson said.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also told CNN on Wednesday that one contingency could arise in which unpaid TSA officers may need to find alternative employment to provide for their families.
At that point, «we’ll have to prioritize where the most travelers go through their security checkpoints,» she said.
So far, there have been no noticeable flight delays due to the TSA shutdown.
As of now, the main TSA program suspended is that of «courtesy escorts» for dignitaries, including members of Congress. Escorts have been paused to «allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America’s skies,» a TSA spokesperson said.
WHY KEEPING LAWMAKERS IN DC DURING SHUTDOWN MAY HAVE CAUSED MORE HARM THAN GOOD
Travelers move through a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoint ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday at Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, November 25, 2020. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)
«Until funding is restored, all travelers should expect a process that does not sacrifice security,» the agency said in a statement.
However, the top lawmaker on the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation told Fox News Digital that the program does not appear to be universally in place, noting he either goes through TSA security like other travelers or occasionally gets assistance from the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office when flying to Washington.
«I personally haven’t seen too much of a slowdown because they are essential personnel and they’re gonna be working,» Chairman Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital in an interview Wednesday.
«The problem is, those folks — they need their paychecks. And so, we’re making them work without a paycheck and that’s just not right,» he said, adding that he plans to ask DHS about long-term contingencies if the shutdown drags on.
«If somehow this is going to be affecting service in any way, I would expect more people not to be showing up to work, but again, I haven’t had direct reports from TSA telling me that travel has been disrupted.»
Gimenez said that for a district like his — South Dade and the Florida Keys — air travel is inextricably tied to its economy. It is served by two airports: the major international hub of MIA and the much smaller, tourism-powered EYW.
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«Obviously, in Miami, a lot of people know who I am, and a lot of those agents know who I am, and they’ve acted very professionally,» he said when asked if he has heard directly from constituents or agents about the shutdown.
A source familiar with the situation also said Miami International Airport is the city’s top employer and the region’s leading economic generator.
Gimenez agreed, adding that when MIA faces any adversities, it ripples into the surrounding area.
«The longer this goes on, I would think you’re going to see some travel disruptions due to TSA, due to, you know, those folks that aren’t getting paid – and [then onto] hotels, and it’ll affect everything. It affects everything.»
Fox News Digital reached out to ranking member LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., for her take on the situation.
McIver’s district notably encompasses another major international hub: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Noem said the current situation is the third time Democrats have forced a shutdown of her agency during the 119th Congress.
«Shutdowns have real-world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but they endanger our national security,» she said.
«The American people depend on this department every day, and we are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians. TSA and CBP are prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts.»
Noem further warned that FEMA — another affected agency — must brace for yet another nor’easter and will halt all non-disaster-related response efforts while its resources are tied up.
Global Entry, a Customs and Border Protection-facilitated program at airports receiving international flights, will be halted.
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The program, seen as the traveler’s version of TSA PreCheck for international arrivals, will have officers reassigned to assist other arriving passengers.
«CBP will also be suspending requests for port courtesies for members of Congress at all ports of entry to include escorts and tours in order for personnel to be reassigned to essential border security operations,» the agency said.
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INTERNACIONAL
Los cuatro de Guayaquil: familias exigieron disculpas presenciales del ministro de Defensa
Las familias de los cuatro adolescentes víctimas del caso Las Malvinas –como se llamó jurídicamente a la desaparición forzada que resultó en el asesinato de los cuatro niños de Guayaquil– solicitaron que el ministro de Defensa, Gian Carlo Loffredo, comparezca personalmente para ofrecer disculpas públicas y rectificar declaraciones emitidas en las primeras etapas del proceso, luego de que el Tribunal de Garantías Penales notificara por escrito la sentencia que condenó a 16 militares por desaparición forzada con resultado de muerte. El pedido fue formulado el 25 de febrero de 2026 en Guayaquil, en una rueda de prensa convocada por el Comité Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos (CDH).
La sentencia reconoce la responsabilidad penal de una patrulla militar por la aprehensión y posterior muerte de Josué e Ismael Arroyo, Steven Medina y Nehemías Arboleda, de entre 11 y 15 años, quienes fueron retenidos el 8 de diciembre de 2024 en el sector de Las Malvinas, en el sur de Guayaquil.
Sus cuerpos fueron hallados 16 días después, el 24 de diciembre, en una zona rural vinculada al sector de Taura. El tribunal determinó que la muerte fue consecuencia directa de la desaparición forzada y descartó que el estado de excepción o la obediencia debida puedan justificar la comisión de delitos por parte de agentes estatales.
En el fallo se ordenaron medidas de reparación integral, entre ellas disculpas públicas por parte del Ministerio de Defensa y del Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas. No obstante, los abogados patrocinadores de las familias sostienen que el texto no precisa la modalidad del acto de desagravio ni los plazos para su cumplimiento, por lo que anunciaron la presentación de un recurso de ampliación dentro del término legal.
Fernando Bastias, integrante del CDH, afirmó que la reparación moral debe concretarse en un acto directo y no únicamente en una declaración formal. Según indicó, el ministro debería “sentarse frente a las familias, disculparse y rectificar” la narrativa que, a criterio de la defensa, afectó la honra de los menores. En la misma línea, el abogado Abraham Aguirre señaló que el Ejecutivo podría ejecutar las disculpas sin esperar la ejecutoria de la sentencia, como una manifestación de cumplimiento de buena fe.
Durante la comparecencia pública, los familiares insistieron en que la decisión judicial restituye la memoria de los adolescentes, quienes, según expresaron, fueron objeto de estigmatización tras su desaparición. En declaraciones posteriores a la notificación del fallo, uno de los padres sostuvo que el reconocimiento judicial de la inocencia de los menores constituye un paso relevante, pero que el acto de disculpas es indispensable para reparar el daño causado a su imagen y a la de sus familias.
El tribunal impuso 34 años y ocho meses de prisión a 11 militares como autores directos del delito de desaparición forzada, mientras que otros cinco recibieron penas reducidas por cooperación eficaz . Dos defensas técnicas presentaron recursos de apelación, por lo que la sentencia aún no se encuentra ejecutoriada.
Además de la condena penal, la sentencia dispuso medidas inmateriales que incluyen disculpas públicas en un medio de comunicación nacional y una ceremonia de desagravio en la Base Aérea de Taura, con la colocación de una placa que reconozca la responsabilidad estatal e institucional. Para las organizaciones de derechos humanos que acompañan el caso, la precisión sobre el “cómo” y el “cuándo” de estas medidas resulta clave para evitar demoras o interpretaciones restrictivas.
El CDH calificó el fallo como un precedente en materia de graves violaciones a derechos humanos y pidió que se aceleren otras investigaciones por desaparición forzada en el país, así como la apertura de archivos institucionales para el esclarecimiento de responsabilidades. Mientras tanto, las familias reiteraron que el acto de disculpas presenciales no es un gesto simbólico menor, sino una condición necesaria para avanzar en el proceso de reparación integral y garantías de no repetición.
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Iran’s deputy foreign minister insisted Tuesday that his country will do «whatever it takes» to reach a deal with the U.S. over its nuclear program.
The vow from Majid Takht-Ravanchi comes as U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are set to meet with an Iranian delegation in Geneva Thursday, according to Reuters.
«We are ready to reach an agreement as soon as possible. We will do whatever it takes to make this happen. We will enter the negotiating room in Geneva with complete honesty and good faith,» Takht-Ravanchi reportedly said.
«If there is an attack or aggression against Iran, we will respond according to our defense plans. … A U.S. attack on Iran is a real gamble.»
President Donald Trump leaves after an event to proclaim «Angel Family Day» in the East Room of the White House Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP)
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday morning that President Donald Trump’s first option for Iran is «always diplomacy» but that he is «willing to use the lethal force of the United States military if necessary.»
Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday that «it will be a very bad day» for Iran if the country can’t strike a deal over its nuclear program.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner meet ahead of the U.S.-Iran talks in Muscat, the capital of Oman, Feb. 6, 2026. (Oman Foreign Ministry/Anadolu via Getty Images)
WITKOFF WARNS IRAN IS ‘A WEEK AWAY’ FROM ‘BOMB-MAKING MATERIAL’ AS TRUMP WEIGHS ACTION
In a series of posts on X, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday, «Pillared on the understandings forged in the previous round, Iran will resume talks with the U.S. in Geneva with a determination to achieve a fair and equitable deal — in the shortest possible time.
«Our fundamental convictions are crystal clear: Iran will under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon; neither will we Iranians ever forgo our right to harness the dividends of peaceful nuclear technology for our people.
Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi speaks to the media outside the Security Council chambers at U.N. headquarters in New York June 24, 2019. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)
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«We have a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests. A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority,» he added. «We have proven that we will stop at nothing to guard our sovereignty with courage. We bring the same courage to the negotiating table, where we will pursue a peaceful resolution to any differences.»
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