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Trump pushes Congress to pass SAVE Act during State of the Union; no meddling with tariffs
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State of the Union speeches are all about aspirations. It doesn’t matter if you’re Reagan. Clinton, Obama, the Bush tandem or Trump. Aspirations are the quintessence of State of the Union speeches. What presidents aspire to do. And what a president wants Congress to do.
All of this flows toward the ultimate of political aspirations: winning elections. Be it the next presidential election. Or, House and Senate seats during the midterms.
There were two big asks — and one admonition — from President Donald Trump this week. He wants Congress to approve the SAVE Act, requiring proof of citizenship for people to vote. He wants lawmakers to pass a stock trading ban, handcuffing Congress from dealing in stocks. And the President doesn’t want Congress to meddle in tariff policy.
President Trump touted his new tariffs, arguing that they will eventually replace the nation’s income tax. This commander-in-chief has wielded executive power more broadly than any other president. So he instructed lawmakers to trade in their tariff authority.
«Congressional action will not be necessary,» Trump said of his new tariffs.
The Constitution blesses Congress with the power to impose tariffs. The Supreme Court upheld that power last week. But President Trump went ahead and slapped another set of tariffs on all nations, leaning on a different law.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., speaks to reporters on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act at the U.S. Capitol. The legislation would introduce more proof-of-citizenship requirements for Americans voting in federal elections. (Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images)
Like most presidents, Trump wants to control legislation. That includes precluding Congress from tampering with his tariffs. However, a number of Republicans have their own aspirations: getting re-elected. That’s why some House Republicans, who believe their districts are getting hammered by tariffs, would like to reclaim that power. Or, at the very least, be on the record opposing the president.
The House voted a few weeks ago to extinguish a special rule House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and others put in place to block members from unwinding the tariffs for a year. Then the House adopted a plan to undo tariffs with Canada.
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But again, these are aspirations of some Republicans fed up with tariffs. The bulk of Republicans are okay with keeping them in place. And that’s exactly what Trump wants – regardless of what the Supreme Court decided.
President Donald Trump leaves after delivering the State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, in Washington, D.C. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
Let’s go back to Trump’s two major legislative asks in his speech. The SAVE Act is the one he really wants to be passed. This fits nicely with Trump’s narrative about illegal immigration, his claim that former President Joe Biden stole the 2020 election and voter fraud.
«They want to cheat. They have cheated. And their policy is so bad that the only way they can get elected is to cheat,» said the President of Democrats during his speech. «Cheating is rampant.»
TRUMP UNDERCUTS GOP PUSH TO ATTACH SAVE ACT TO SHUTDOWN BILL AS CONSERVATIVES THREATEN MUTINY
A study examining election fraud by the conservative Heritage Foundation, discovered that examples of election fraud are minuscule. For instance, Pennsylvania, a swing state, has only unearthed 39 instances of voting fraud over the past three decades.
The House already approved the SAVE Act. But the question is the Senate.
«The Senate is working. I think every Republican over there is obviously in favor of the SAVE America Act, and they’re trying to cobble together the votes. It’s a 70% Democrat issue. It’s over 90% in some polls,» said Johnson. «Hopefully, some Democrats will come to their senses. I don’t know how they can go home to their voters and say that they were opposing that when it’s such a popular issue. So we’ll see how it goes.»
See how it goes is right.
It was notable that in his plea for Congressional action on the SAVE Act, Trump did not demand that senators end the filibuster. Fifty GOP senators now support the SAVE Act. But the trick is whether those who endorse the legislation can hit the magic threshold of 60 yeas. That’s the number of votes required to break a filibuster.
Senate Majority leader John Thune, R-S.D., has repeatedly resisted altering the Senate’s filibuster customs and precedents to pass the SAVE Act. The bill will never become law unless the Senate changes things. And Thune reiterated his opposition to undoing the filibuster.
Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and others have advocated a «talking filibuster.» That means senators must actually speak and hold the floor for hours on end. Otherwise, the Senate must vote. Talking filibuster proponents don’t want senators to silently object from the sidelines. That’s what compels the Senate to take procedural votes needing 60 yeas to overcome a filibuster.
LEAVITT DEMANDS SENATE GOP ‘GET OFF THEIR BUTTS’ AND ABOLISH FILIBUSTER RULE TO ADVANCE TRUMP’S AGENDA
«The talking filibuster issue is one on which there is not a unified Republican conference. And there would have to be (unity) if you go down that path,» said Thune.
He mentioned that the GOP must «keep 50 Republicans unified pretty much on every single vote,» adding that «there isn’t the support for doing that at this point.»
President Donald Trump arrives to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, in Washington, D.C. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo)
Fox News is also told that there is some friction between House and Senate Republicans. Some Senate Republicans don’t appreciate the House amping up pressure to ditch the filibuster. The right to filibuster is a privilege to which senators of both parties cling tightly.
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Moreover, subjecting the Senate to lengthy debate could tee up amendment votes which many vulnerable senators may find unsettling. Getting them on the record on a host of controversial issues wouldn’t help the GOP ahead of the election.
So, while it’s Trump’s aspiration to pass the SAVE Act, his aspirations regarding the filibuster are unclear at best.
Then, there’s the aspiration about prohibiting lawmakers from trading stocks. Even Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., stood and applauded when Trump made that entreaty.
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Johnson said that the House is trying to «move (the bill) as aggressively and as quickly as we can.» But says he’s got to have «the votes for it.»
That’s the reason the House hasn’t addressed the bill yet. It lacks the votes. For now, that is an aspiration. If the bill has the votes, Johnson will deposit the legislation on the floor.
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There’s an old expression that the president «proposes» and Congress «disposes.» It’s certainly possible that even a GOP Congress will do that this year with some of Trump’s legislative wishes.
But that doesn’t handicap presidential aspirations. After all, even presidents can dream.
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Rusia afirma haber derribado casi 150 drones ucranianos en 12 horas, 17 de ellos rumbo a Moscú
Las defensas antiaéreas de Rusia aseguraron haber derribado 148 drones ucranianos de ala fija en el transcurso de doce horas, entre la noche del jueves y la mañana de este viernes, incluidos 17 aparatos que se dirigían hacia la capital, Moscú, según informó el Ministerio de Defensa de Rusia.
De acuerdo con dos comunicados difundidos en Telegram, 53 drones fueron abatidos durante la noche del jueves sobre diez regiones del país, entre ellos doce en la región de Moscú.
Horas más tarde, las fuerzas rusas informaron la destrucción de otros 95 drones en once regiones adicionales y sobre los mares Negro y de Azov, incluidos cinco que volaban hacia la capital.
En paralelo, el alcalde de Moscú, Serguéi Sobianin, había informado el jueves por la tarde que las fuerzas militares derribaron 27 drones en poco más de seis horas en zonas cercanas a la ciudad.
La escalada obligó a cerrar de manera temporal los cuatro aeropuertos moscovitas -Sheremétievo, Domodédovo, Vnúkovo y Zhukovski-, que reanudaron sus operaciones una vez levantada la alerta por nuevos ataques. Sin embargo, al menos diez vuelos fueron desviados y debieron aterrizar en la ciudad de Nizhni Nóvgorod.
Ucrania y Rusia mantienen a diario ataques cruzados con drones y misiles contra infraestructura estratégica, en una estrategia de desgaste destinada a debilitar las capacidades del adversario.
En ese contexto, la región fronteriza de Bélgorod, una de las más castigadas por los ataques ucranianos, sufrió durante la noche un ataque masivo con drones y misiles, informó su gobernador, Viacheslav Gladkov.
Aunque no se registraron víctimas, los bombardeos provocaron graves daños en el sistema energético, dejando a más de 60.000 usuarios sin electricidad, agua ni calefacción, según las autoridades locales.
En paralelo a la escalada de ataques, representantes de Ucrania y Estados Unidos mantuvieron el jueves una ronda de diálogo en Ginebra con la mira puesta en avanzar hacia una salida negociada al conflicto y preparar un nuevo esquema de conversaciones que incluya a Rusia.
Según confirmó el presidente ucraniano, Volodimir Zelenski, el intercambio dejó “una mayor disposición” para un próximo formato trilateral. “Lo más probable es que la próxima reunión se celebre en los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, concretamente en Abu Dabi”, afirmó en su discurso vespertino, y estimó que el encuentro podría realizarse a comienzos de marzo.
Las gestiones forman parte del proceso impulsado por Donald Trump para intentar poner fin a más de cuatro años de guerra. En ese marco, delegaciones rusa y ucraniana viajaron a Suiza para mantener reuniones por separado con funcionarios estadounidenses.
El principal negociador de Kiev, Rustem Umerov, se reunió durante unas seis horas con los enviados de Washington Steve Witkoff y Jared Kushner en un hotel céntrico de Ginebra.
Tras el encuentro, aseguró que las conversaciones se centraron especialmente en la reconstrucción de Ucrania tras la guerra. “Trabajamos en detalle con los estadounidenses en un documento sobre la recuperación del país”, señaló, y sostuvo que ya se acordaron posiciones que servirán de base para futuros acuerdos.
Pese a los contactos, las negociaciones siguen lejos de un cierre. Rusia, que ocupa cerca del 20% del territorio ucraniano, insiste en su demanda de controlar por completo la región de Donetsk, una condición que Kiev rechaza de plano por considerarla equivalente a una capitulación.
Desde Moscú, el canciller Serguéi Lavrov advirtió que su país no maneja plazos para alcanzar un entendimiento. “No tenemos fechas límites, tenemos tareas. Las estamos llevando a cabo”, afirmó. En la misma línea, el Kremlin señaló que aún es prematuro hacer pronósticos sobre un eventual acuerdo.
Zelenski reiteró que una solución de fondo requerirá una reunión cara a cara con Vladimir Putin, aunque el Kremlin volvió a descartar una cumbre presidencial hasta que los equipos negociadores cierren un acuerdo definitivo.
Con información de EFE y AFP
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Vance says America ‘cannot give power back to congressional Democrats’ following their behavior at SOTU
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Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that the Democrats’ behavior during the State of the Union address this week «showed us that we cannot give power back to congressional Democrats» in the midterm elections this November.
Vance, speaking during a visit to a machining factory in Plover, Wisconsin, made the remark before ripping Democrats for not standing up Tuesday in support of Dalilah Coleman, a young child who survived after an illegal immigrant from India allegedly struck the car she was in on a highway in San Bernardino County, California, in June 2024.
«I want to talk about the stakes coming up in November because it feels like this election in November is very far away. But, if anything, the State of the Union should have showed us that we cannot give power back to congressional Democrats,» Vance said.
«Now, I am fundamentally an optimist about this country. I believe most people, most human beings, most American citizens, whether they got a D next to their name or an R next to the name or they have no political affiliation, they’re good people.
«They love our country. They want our country to thrive and prosper. But I got to tell you, after the State of the Union, I’m not so sure that is true of the congressional Democrats that we saw at the State of the Union address.
Vice President JD Vance speaks at Pointe Precision in Plover, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (Matt Rourke/AP)
«For example, you have this beautiful little girl. She had such a sweet moment with her dad. You may have remembered. She was probably 6 years old. She had been assaulted by an illegal immigrant. She had had a very bad, I think, medical prognosis. But it turned out that she was OK. This 6-year-old girl, hurt by a human being who never should have been in this country in the first place, who was led into this country by Joe Biden, the Democrats,» Vance said.
«And she’s hugging her dad, and she’s so excited. And you can tell, and I think everybody’s heart feels very, you know, you get that warm and fuzzy feeling. And then I look over at the congressional Democrats, and they’re just scowling. They cannot clap their hands for a 6-year-old who survived an attack from an illegal alien. What is that?» the vice president added.
«What kind of a person can’t stand up and cheer for an innocent young girl who’s doing well, who’s showing the entire country strength and resilience?»
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Marcus Coleman holds his daughter Dalilah Coleman as President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The man driving the 18-wheeler that allegedly struck Coleman was identified as Partap Singh, who was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and immigration-related charges.
«I think when that little girl was standing up hugging and kissing her dad, that those Democrats, there was at least a part of them, the human part and their soul that wanted to stand up and cheer for that little girl. And all of them sat on their hands. And you have to ask yourself, why is that?» Vance also said.
Republican members of Congress stand while Democrats keep their seats during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (Alex Brandon/AP)
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«And the answer is because they know they don’t answer to you, they answer to somebody else. They answer to people who have corrupted this country,» he concluded.
«They answer to the people who open the border. They answer the people who got rich off of illegal immigrant labor. We want you guys to get rich off of the labor of American citizens. We want American workers to get rich for working hard, not illegal aliens.
«And that, to me, is the fundamental difference between congressional leadership and congressional Democrats and the congressional Republicans under the leadership of this president.»
Fox News Digital’s Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
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India and Israel elevate ties to ‘special strategic partnership’ status during Modi visit
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India and Israel declared themselves a «special strategic partnership» on Thursday after signing 16 new agreements, the two countries announced in a joint statement on Thursday.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel this week. Representatives of the two countries held working meetings this week to discuss agreements spanning security, agriculture, water, development and labor.
«This is an amazing visit. An amazing conclusion to an amazing visit,» Netanyahu said alongside Modi. «It was short, but extraordinarily productive and also extraordinarily moving.»
«The future belongs to those who innovate, and Israel and India are bent on innovation. We are proud ancient civilizations, very proud of our past, but also absolutely determined to seize our future and we can do it better together.» he added.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu in New Delhi, India on February 25, 2026. (Photo by Press Information Bureau (PIB)/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The two countries ultimately signed 16 agreements spanning a range of topics, including articifial intelligence, cultural exchange, agriculture, and energy, with Netanyahu adding that they are still working on a more «concrete» agreement.
«This friendship is built on a deep foundation of democratic and human values,» Modi said, as translated by Israel’s Ynet News. «Our ties have stood the test of time. Today we made a historic decision to elevate our longstanding partnership to a special strategic partnership, symbolizing the aspirations of our two peoples.»
The elevated relationship comes as the U.S. and Israel have ramped up tensions with Iran. The U.S. has undergone a massive military buildup in the region, and Netanyahu discussed Iran with President Donald Trump during a White House visit earlier this month.
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President Donald Trump bids farewell to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he leaves the White House. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Trump said Wednesday that he wants to resolve tensions with Iran through diplomacy, but he also accused Tehran of expanding its missile capabilities.
«They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas,» he said. «And they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America.»
«My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy,» Trump added. «They want to make a deal. But we haven’t heard those secret words: we will never have a nuclear weapon.»
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«But one thing is certain, I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror … to have a nuclear weapon. Can’t let that happen.»
Fox News’ Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.
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