Based on the latest news reports, here are the major stories from the week of February 22, 2026:
Trump’s Tariff Escalation Following Supreme Court Setback
President Trump raised global tariffs to 15 percent on Saturday after the Supreme Court ruled much of his tariff policy illegal on Friday[5]. He initially announced a 10 percent increase but escalated to 15 percent within 24 hours[1]. Trump launched a personal attack on the conservative justices who sided with the majority, calling them “fools and lap dogs” and accusing them of “disloyalty”[5]. The ruling marked his biggest Supreme Court defeat since returning to office 13 months ago[5]. Business groups largely supported the court decision, with the National Retail Federation saying it “provides much-needed certainty” for companies[5].
Government Shutdown Impacts Airport Security
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security suspended the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry airport security programs as a partial government shutdown continued[3]. The shutdown began February 14 after Democrats and the White House failed to reach a deal on Department of Homeland Security funding, with Democrats demanding changes to immigration operations central to Trump’s deportation campaign[3]. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that “TSA and CBP are prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts”[3].
Other Breaking News
Additional stories from the week include the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother in Tucson, Arizona[2], a kidnapping case involving two female siblings in Florida[2], multiple earthquakes hitting the San Francisco Bay Area[2], and an FBI investigation into a possible unauthorized biological laboratory in Las Vegas[2].
