Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who has been leading the charge in forcing the release of the Epstein files, said today that he will take Haley Robson, a survivor of Epstein's abuse, as his guest to the State of the Union address next week.

“Haley’s courageous fight is proof that this isn’t about politics, it’s about exposing America’s two-tiered system of justice and bringing accountability to the Epstein class involved in the horrific abuse of young girls," Khanna said in a statement.

Robson, who alleges that — starting at age 16 — she was trafficked by Epstein, joined Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., in September to stand alongside other survivors on Capitol Hill to demand the release of the Epstein files.

“I’m honored and it came as a wonderful surprise to have been invited," Robson said in a statement today. "I intend to show up fully with not only a hero, but a man who I have immense respect and admiration for."

Trump said today during remarks at a steel plant in Georgia that he would speak about affordability and inflation in his State of the Union address next Tuesday.

"The last three months, we’ve had the lowest inflation we have had in over a decade," Trump told the crowd in Rome, Georgia. "You don’t have it anymore. I’m going to make a State of the Union address on Tuesday. I hope you’re going to watch and we’re going to be talking about it."

Inflation increased 0.2% from December to January, but dropped to 2.4% in January compared to a year earlier.

The president continued his remarks today by referencing Democrats' use of the word affordability, asking the crowd, "Do people believe it?"

"They cause the affordability problem, and we've solved it, and we're going still lower, but we've solved it," Trump said.

The president has repeatedly called affordability a "hoax" and a "scam" by Democrats, despite the fact that some Democrats won in November by using affordability as a center of their campaigns amid rising economic concerns from Americans.

The Florida Legislature has passed a bill to rename Palm Beach International Airport as "President Donald J. Trump International Airport."

The bill, which the House passed Tuesday and the Senate passed today, now heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk.

The legislation states that the name change is subject to approval by the Federal Aviation Administration. It also outlines the need for an agreement between the trademark holder authorizing commercial use of the new name by Palm Beach County.

The proposed change to the airport minutes from Mar-a-Lago comes after the Trump administration allegedly asked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to support renaming Penn Station in New York and Dulles International Airport in Virginia after Trump to clear funding for the Gateway Tunnel Project, which would link New York City and New Jersey. Trump denied that the push was his idea, writing on social media this week that the renaming “was brought up by certain politicians and construction union heads, not me.”

The $10 billion Trump has pledged for his Board of Peace initiative, which he called “a very small number,” is more than twice what the U.S. owes the United Nations.

“That number is a very small number when you look at that compared to the cost of war,” Trump said today at the board’s first meeting. It is not clear where the $10 billion would come from or how it would be spent.

The U.S., which is the biggest contributor to the U.N., owes about $4 billion to the world body, whose secretary-general says it faces “imminent financial collapse.” Trump, whose administration did not pay anything to the U.N. last year, said at the meeting that the U.N. had not “lived up to” its potential and that the Board of Peace is “going to help them money-wise, and we’re going to make sure the United Nations is viable.” 

A U.N. spokesperson said today that the U.S. repaid about $160 million last week after U.. Ambassador Mike Waltz said a down payment would be coming soon.

The Trump administration has issued a sweeping new order that could lead to the arrests of tens of thousands of refugees who are lawfully in the United States but do not yet have permanent residency, overturning years of legal and immigration safeguards.

A memo the Department of Homeland Security filed ahead of a federal court hearing today in Minnesota says refugees applying for green cards must return to federal custody one year after they were admitted to the U.S. for review of their applications.

DHS “may maintain custody for the duration of the inspection and examination process,” said the memo, which was filed yesterday.

Advocacy and resettlement groups slammed the order, which is likely to face legal challenges and could sow confusion and fear among the nearly 200,000 refugees who came to the U.S. during the Biden administration.

Read the full story here.

Trump offered a forceful defense of his tariff agenda today at a steel manufacturing factory in northwest Georgia as the Supreme Court weighs whether to strike down the policy at the center of his economic platform.

The justices could rule as early as tomorrow on Trump’s authority to impose the kind of broad global tariffs he implemented last year. Losing the case would deal a major economic and political blow to a signature initiative of his second term.

“Thanks to the fact that we got elected on Nov. 5, and thanks to what I call the Trump tariffs, business and steel is booming again,” Trump said after he toured a Coosa Steel Corp. facility in Rome. He also credited tariffs for what he called “a big, massive order” the factory received in October.

Read the full story here.

Trump said today that he will direct Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other relevant agencies to “begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs).”

Trump wrote on Truth Social that he was doing so “based on the tremendous interest shown.”

The House Oversight Committee released the full video of the committee’s deposition yesterday with billionaire businessman Les Wexner.

Wexner said that he was "conned" by Epstein and that he never witnessed Epstein having sexual contact with women or girls. He said that his relationship with Epstein was solely business-related and that he did not consider him a close friend.

Wexner said he was “effing shocked” when Oversight counsel read that reportedly money from two of his charities went to one of Epstein’s charities.

Wexner said he, his wife, Abigail, and at least two of their children visited Epstein’s island for "probably an hour visit."

When they visited Epstein's ranch in New Mexico, Wexner said, "we flew down there and drove around for an hour or two, got back on the plane and came home."

Wexner said that he never met the former Prince Andrew but that he had a phone call with him for airplane advice.

The House Oversight Committee will hold depositions with former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton next week in Chappaqua, New York, a committee spokeswoman said. The depositions are in connection with the committee's investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.

Hillary Clinton’s deposition is scheduled for Feb. 26, and Bill Clinton’s is scheduled for Feb. 27.

A banner featuring a photo of Trump and the words “Make America Safe Again” was hung from the Justice Department’s headquarters in Washington today in one of the most public signs of Trump’s influence over a department that once brought criminal charges against him.

The Justice Department has traditionally operated with a degree of independence from the White House. That separation, however, has eroded during Trump’s second term as the Justice Department has gone after his perceived political foes.

“We are proud at this Department of Justice to celebrate 250 years of our great country and our historic work to make America safe again at President Trump’s direction,” a Justice Department spokesperson said when asked about the banner.

Read the full story here.

As the Democratic Party wrestles with how much to focus on Trump on the campaign trail, one Senate candidate is giving a clear answer: “F--- Trump.”

Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton is running her first TV ad beginning tomorrow, a spot featuring a series of people, including Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., all saying, “F--- Trump.”

“F--- Trump, vote Juliana,” one person after another says in the ad.

At least half a dozen bleeps will be audible to obscure the salty language when it airs on TV, according to the campaign.

Stratton does not take part in the cursing.

“They said it, not me,” Stratton says as she appears on the screen.

Read the full story here.

In a gathering with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump was asked about today's arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the king's brother.

"I’ve been totally exonerated. That’s very nice. So I can actually speak about it very nicely," Trump said, adding: "I think it’s a shame. I think it’s very sad. I think it’s so bad for the royal family. It’s a very, very sad."

Since Jan. 19, residents of a Maryland county just outside Washington have been dealing with a broken sewer pipe that so far has pumped more than 240 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River.

The smell is so pungent that “you can taste it when you’re talking,” according to NBC Washington reporter Mark Segraves, who has been at the site of the spill. The fire and rescue squad for Montgomery County, where the spill occurred, has warned its first responders to wear personal protective equipment for any assignments near the area.

The University of Maryland called it one of the largest sewage spills in U.S. history. The Environmental Protection Agency says it’s an ecological disaster of “historic proportion.”

Washington officials declared a public emergency late Tuesday and are asking the White House for a presidential emergency disaster declaration, which would open up funding for the repair and cleanup — expected to cost millions of dollars. Maryland has yet to do the same.

When asked why it took Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser a month to request this assistance, an official with her administration said she makes decisions “based upon her assessment of the situation.”

Read the full story here.

During a gathering with reporters on Air Force One, Trump said that "a lot" of countries are interested in joining the Board of Peace and that he would be open to China's and Russia's joining the group.

"A lot of countries are in the process of coming on," he told reporters after today's meeting of the group in Washington.

"It's going to be successful," he added.

Asked whether he'd like Russia or China to join the coalition, Trump said, "I would love to have China and Russia," and he added that they've been invited to join.

The Department of Homeland Security committed to spend more than $144 million on guns, ammunition and other weapons during the first year of the Trump administration in a “drastic increase” in resources, according to a report released today by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s spending commitment on weapons increased fourfold in 2025 from the previous year, while Customs and Border Protection’s contracts for weapons doubled compared with 2024, according to the report, which looked at publicly available government contracting data.

“Just in 2025, ICE and CBP have together placed orders to purchase thousands of new high-powered lethal weapons at taxpayer expense,” the report said.

The administration has faced heavy criticism over its use of force in immigration enforcement operations in Democratic-led cities. Images and videos flooded social media of immigration law enforcement’s violent encounters with protesters, which included shooting rubber bullets, spraying chemical agents at close range and smashing car windows.

Read the full story here.

Police in Augusta, Maine, said no injuries were reported after a letter filled with white powder was sent to state Republican Party headquarters today. 

"The package was isolated, occupants were evacuated, and we are working with other law enforcement partners to identify the contents of the package. At this time there are no known injuries nor illnesses are associated with the package," the police department wrote in a release, adding that its investigation continues.

Attorneys for the the banking giant JPMorgan Chase are trying to move Trump’s $5 billion lawsuit against it over allegations of “debanking” from state to federal court in the Southern District of Florida. 

JPMorgan Chase argues that Trump’s claims against CEO Jamie Dimon are “barred as a matter of law,” because the statute invoked by Trump’s team “expressly exempts federally regulated bank officers acting in their official capacities.”

“Plaintiffs have ‘fraudulently joined’ JPMorgan’s CEO by naming him in their Complaint without any possibility that their claim against him could succeed,” attorney Eliot Pedrosa wrote.

An executive jet the Department of Homeland Security has told the White House’s Office of Management and Budget it needs for immigrant deportation flights and Cabinet officials’ travel features a bedroom with a queen bed, showers, a kitchen, four large flat-screen TVs and even a bar, according to images of the aircraft obtained by NBC News.

DHS recently began leasing the Boeing 737 Max 8, which DHS officials have described as a luxury jet, but now Immigration and Customs Enforcement is seeking approval from OMB to purchase it for $70 million, according to two DHS officials involved in the request. ICE told OMB that it would be used for deportations and travel for Cabinet officials, the two officials said.

A DHS spokesperson said “at least one of the bedrooms is currently being converted for seating to prepare the aircraft to meet the demands of its deportation mission set” when asked how the plane would be used for deportations.

Some officials at ICE, which is under DHS, initially deemed the aircraft too luxurious in the way it was outfitted to be used for immigrant deportations, according to one of the officials. The request to purchase the jet has prompted some DHS officials to privately question whether it is a necessary expense to support Trump’s mass deportations policy.

Read the full story here.

Representatives from several countries made commitments toward rebuilding Gaza.

Here's what countries are pledging:

• Indonesia reaffirmed a commitment to send 8,000 troops to take part in an international stabilization force.
• Qatar pledged $1 billion to support the Board of Peace's mission.
• The United Arab Emirates pledged $1.2 billion to support Gaza.
• Morocco made a commitment to deploy police officers and train police from Gaza. The country said it will also deploy high-ranking military officers to the international stabilization force.
• Romania said it can be counted on to increase flights evacuating children with diseases to be treated in Romanian hospitals. Romania said it will also extend scholarships to Palestinian students and refurbish schools in Gaza.
• Albania confirmed it would participate in the international stabilization force.
• Egypt committed to continue to train Palestinian police to advance security efforts.

The Commission of Fine Arts earlier today approved construction plans for the White House ballroom and East Wing renovation.

The move comes as construction is ongoing and Trump has for months touted his plans to build a massive ballroom at the White House.

Just yesterday, the White House defended the appointment of Chamberlain Harris, 26, Trump’s longtime executive assistant, to the commission. In October, the White House fired all six previous members of the independent federal agency, which reviews government construction projects in D.C., as the Trump administration embarked on their plans to build the new ballroom.

The current members of the commission are Harris, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., who serves as chairman; James C. McCrery II, the vice chairman; Mary Anne Carter; Roger Kimball; Pamela Hughes Patenaude and Matthew Taylor.

Trump posted on Truth Social tonight about the approval, saying it was "for what will soon be the Greatest Ballroom ever built!"

President Donald Trump signs a memorandum of understanding during the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace at the Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

The Board of Peace meeting has concluded.

It lasted about three hours, with dozens of speakers and representatives from participating countries.

Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, today announced a new partnership between the organization and the board, which has pledged to build soccer fields and arenas in Gaza as part of the Board of Peace's initiative to rebuild the region.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Fabrice Coffrini / AFP - Getty Images

"We don't have to just rebuild houses, our schools, our hospitals, our roads, we also have to rebuild and build people, emotion, hope and trust. And this is what football, my sport, is about," Infantino said.

In a video that played after his remarks, a narrator said that FIFA is committing $2.5 million to this effort.

"These investments will create a complete football ecosystem designed to support communities and future generations," the narrator added.

Infantino and Trump have shared a close relationship since the U.S. president took office for his second term. In December, Infantino presented Trump with a FIFA "peace prize" in Washington. The organization's premier international tournament — the World Cup — will be played in the U.S. later this year.

All of the speakers at the Board of Peace event have been men, besides White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, who is emceeing the program.

There have been more than two dozen speakers so far.

Marc Rowan, the CEO of Apollo Global Management, detailed the Board of Peace's plan to build housing in Gaza.

"The potential here is tremendous, but it has to start somewhere," Rowan told attendees at today's meeting. "The plan is 100,000 homes for 500,000 residents."

Rowan added that over time, the board plans to build over 400,000 homes for the population of Gaza.

"This is not a problem of money or collateral. This is a problem of peace," he added.

Prabowo Subianto, the president of Indonesia, reaffirmed his commitment to send troops to Gaza to participate in the international stabilization.

“The achievement of the ceasefire is real. We commend this and therefore we reaffirm our commitment to contribute significant number of troops, up to 8,000 or more, if necessary,” Prabowo told attendees. 

He also praised Trump, saying that “with the leadership of President Trump, this vision of real peace will be achieved.”

Liran Tancman, who launched a cybersecurity startup, emphasized the importance of reconnecting Gaza to the rest of the world, noting that the area used to be a trade hub between Asia and Europe.

He laid out goals of building out Gaza's digital infrastructure, which he said was supported by regional partners. He also said they were advancing a logistics system, similar to Amazon, to help Gaza's economy.

U.S. Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers spoke about specific plans to train and deploy military and police in Gaza.

"In the short term, we plan to deploy to the Rafah sector first," he told attendees at the Board of Peace summit, adding that the group plans to build its ranks to 12,000 police and 20,000 soldiers.

Ali Shaath, the head of the Palestinian technocratic committee, laid out the priorities for Gaza, starting with restoring security.

He emphasized training and developing thousands of police officers as part of the security initiative. He also laid out the importance of reviving Gaza's economy and creating jobs, especially for young people.

He also emphasized the importance of ensuring sustainable emergency relief and restoring services like electricity and water.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz shared statistics about the increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, which include:

The Jabalia camp, in Gaza City, on Feb. 13. Ramez Habboub / Future Publishing via Getty Images

• 4,200 aid trucks entered Gaza each week for 13 consecutive weeks
• The percentage of households experiencing severe hunger dropped from about 30% to 1%
• Access to drinking water has doubled
• Childhood malnutrition has dropped by half

At the start of his remarks, Vice President JD Vance scoffed at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who was mocked in conservative media earlier this week after she paused for 20 seconds before answering a question about U.S. intervention in China during an appearance at the Munich Security Conference.

"I didn't want to repeat our congresswoman, who froze for 20 seconds over in Munich," Vance said when he came up to the podium to speak after Trump. "Now I'm tempted, sir, just to freeze for 20 seconds and just stare at the cameras and maybe they'll say nice things about me, like they do about Congresswoman Cortez."

Later Thursday, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez posted a video of Vance's remarks on X and wrote, "The only thing longer than my pause to think was their silence to his joke." 

Trump said that the Board of Peace would be "looking over" the United Nations to some degree, though he did not elaborate on how.

"The Board of Peace is going to almost be looking over the United Nations and making sure it runs properly," Trump said.

Some countries expressed hesitation over immediately joining the Board of Peace over concerns that it could replace the U.N.

Despite his past criticisms of the U.N., Trump said in his remarks today that the U.S. would support the U.N. and "make sure" it stays "viable."

"We're going to strengthen up the United Nations," he said. "We're going to make sure its facilities are good. They need help, and they need help money-wise. We're going to help them money-wise, and we're going to make sure the United Nations is viable."

The president said that Indonesia, Morocco, Albania, Kosovo and Kazakhstan "have all committed troops and police to stabilize Gaza."

Trump added that other nations, like Egypt and Jordan "are likewise providing very, very substantial help" to create "a very trustworthy Palestinian police force."

The remarks came as Trump spoke about plans to promote peace in Gaza.

Trump said that the U.S. would contribute $10 billion to the Board of Peace.

"We've had great support for that number," he said. "And that number is a very small number when you look at that compared to the cost of war."

He did not go into specifics about what the funds would go toward.

Trump said that Norway agreed to host a Board of Peace event.

"I'm excited to announce that Norway has agreed to host an event bringing together the Board of Peace," Trump said during his speech.

Norway previously indicated that it would not immediately join the Board of Peace. It's unclear if the country's stance has changed.

Trump also criticized Norway because he was not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. A committee determines the prize, not the Norwegian government.

In his remarks, the president said that the leaders of several nations, including Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait "have all contributed more than $7 billion toward the relief package."

"That's great. Thank you, fellas," Trump said, adding that "many more are contributing. ... This is our first meeting."

Trump revived complaints about the U.N. last year, citing a malfunctioning teleprompter and escalator.

In September, an escalator stopped moving when Trump and first lady Melania Trump were riding it. The U.N. concluded that a White House videographer likely tripped a safety mechanism. Separately, Trump had criticized the U.N. for teleprompter issues during his speech.

Some countries are skipping joining the Board of Peace because of concerns that it could be a competitor to the United Nations.

In his remarks, Trump touted his role in bringing peace to Gaza and returning the bodies of Israeli hostages to Israel.

"The war in Gaza is over. It’s over," he said, adding that still, "there are little flames."

"Hamas has been, I think they’re going to give up their weapons, which is what they promised," the president said. "If they don’t, it’ll be, you know, they’ll be harshly met, very harshly met. They don’t want that."

Trump said the outcome of talks with Iran will be decided over the next 10 days. Earlier this week, Iran's foreign minister said that the U.S. and Iran reached an understanding on "guiding principles" for the nuclear talks.

The talks come as the U.S. has increased its military presence in the region amid the possibility of U.S. strikes on Iran. The U.S. struck nuclear targets in Iran last year as well.

"Now we may have to take it a step further, or we may not," Trump added later.

During his speech, the president pointed to the leaders of nations with whom he's worked to reach peace deals, including the leaders of Albania and Azerbaijan.

"These are two tough cookies," Trump said, pointing to the two leaders. "You think that was easy? It wasn't easy. These are two tough people, good people, but tough people."

He added an anecdote about meeting the two leaders in the Oval Office, telling attendees, "We made a deal, they hugged, they signed, and we had peace, two very important countries, and I'll never forget it."

Trump went on to shout out the leaders of Italy, Hungary and Argentina, all of whom he's endorsed in their respective elections.

"Where is [Argentinian] President [Javier] Milei? I endorse him. I'm not supposed to be endorsing people, but I endorse when I like people. You know, I've had a very good record of endorsing candidates within the United States, but now I endorse foreign leaders, including [Hungarian President] Victor Orban, who's here, and others," Trump said.

Trump claimed that he had "nothing to do" with his name being added to the sign on the United States Institute of Peace headquarters.

"I swear," he added.

It's the second time in a few days that the president argued that renaming buildings after him wasn't his idea. Earlier this week, Trump said on Truth Social that the idea for renaming New York's Penn Station after himself was raised by other people.

"Also, the naming of PENN Station (I LOVE Pennsylvania, but it is a direct competitor to New York, and “eating New York’s lunch!”) to TRUMP STATION, was brought up by certain politicians and construction union heads, not me — IT IS JUST MORE FAKE NEWS!" Trump said in the post.

NBC News has previously reported that the Trump administration had asked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to rename Penn Station and Dulles airport after Trump in exchange for the federal government releasing funds for a tunnel project between New York and New Jersey.

In his opening remarks, Trump said that the Board of Peace is "one of the most important and consequential things" he has been involved in and touted the countries and leaders who are participating. He also expressed optimism that other countries invited to the Board of Peace would accept the United States' offer after multiple key U.S. allies declined invitations.

"Almost everybody’s accepted, and the ones that haven’t will be," he said. "Some are playing a little cute. Doesn’t work. You can’t play cute with me."

The U.K., France, Norway, Sweden and Slovenia are among the counties that have said they wouldn't join, in part due to concerns that it could sideline the U.N.

Trump has arrived at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C. He joined Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and participating world leaders for a photo before the meeting begins.

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio stand with world leaders participating in the inaugural Board of Peace meeting today. Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

Attendees of the Board of Peace meeting have gathered at the U.S. Institute of Peace.

The meeting began with a photo of those present, with Trump flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Vice President JD Vance and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, a member of the organization's executive board.

Trump made a joke as they all posed, asking if the others were enjoying the music playing. As attendees, including foreign leaders and Trump administration officials, took their seats behind the podium, some were given MAGA-style red hats emblazoned with "U.S.A." in large white letters.

Trump will kick the meeting off with remarks to attendees, who are gathering to focus on the future of Gaza. Representatives of dozens of countries are expected to attend the program.

Democratic Majority for Israel, a group that backs Democratic candidates who support Israel, just announced its initial slate of 11 endorsements, which include candidates in key Democratic primaries and likely major battleground races in the fight for control of the House.

Wading into races that are likely to be competitive in the general election, the group is backing Maura Sullivan in New Hampshire’s 1st District, Cait Conley in New York's 17th District, Paige Cognetti in Pennsylvania's 8th District, Janelle Stelson in Pennsylvania's 10th District, Johnny Garcia in Texas' 35th District, Shannon Bird in Colorado's 8th District and Elaine Luria in Virginia's 2nd District. A handful of those candidates are also in tight primary races.

The group is also wading into competitive open primary races in safe Democratic seats in Illinois, backing Donna Miller in the 2nd District and Melissa Bean in the 8th District, as well as Adrian Boafo in Maryland's 5th District.

A Cambodian national has died in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Indiana, in at least the seventh death this year in federal immigration custody.

Lorth Sim, 59, was found unresponsive Monday in his cell at Miami Correctional Facility in Miami County and was later pronounced dead at a hospital, ICE said in a statement yesterday. The cause of death is under investigation.

Sim, who came to the U.S. as a refugee in 1983 and became a permanent resident in 1986, had been ordered removed to Cambodia by an immigration judge in 2006, ICE said, and was arrested at an ICE office in Boston in December. Sim had previously been arrested for disorderly conduct in 1989, indecent exposure in 1996, and larceny in 2005, receiving a suspended sentence and probation but no prison time.

Democrats and civil rights activists have criticized as inhumane the conditions at ICE detention facilities, where there were 68,000 people in custody as of early this month compared with 40,000 when Trump took office, and deaths reached a two-decade high last year. Federal officials say detainees receive proper medical care and are treated humanely.

The Trump administration has appointed Riley Barnes as the U.S. special coordinator for Tibetan issues, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

Rubio announced the appointment of Barnes, who is also the assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, on Tuesday to mark Losar, the Tibetan New Year. The position was created by Congress in 2002 to protect the autonomy and rights of the people of Tibet, a remote Buddhist-majority region of China.

“On this first day of the Year of the Fire Horse, we celebrate the fortitude and resilience of Tibetans around the world,” Rubio said in a statement. “The United States remains committed to supporting the unalienable rights of Tibetans and their distinct linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage.”

There was no immediate comment from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China, where government offices are closed for the Lunar New Year holiday, but Beijing has objected to such appointments in the past as interference in domestic affairs.

Construction on the massive $16 billion Hudson Tunnel Project will resume next week after the Trump administration yesterday released $127 million in frozen funding, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

New York and New Jersey sued after the U.S. Department of Transportation had withheld $205 million in funding for the project since Oct. 1. The funding freeze triggered a halt to construction on Feb. 6 that put 1,000 workers out of work.

The Hudson Tunnel Project aims to build a new commuter rail tunnel connecting Manhattan and New Jersey and repair a century-old tunnel used by more than 200,000 travelers and 425 trains daily.

“A major win for workers and commuters,” Hochul said on social media. “We’ll keep fighting to ensure the federal government meets its commitments.”

Read the full story here.

Trump said Britain was making a “big mistake” by ceding sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to the Indian Ocean nation of Mauritius, reversing his position on the deal for the third time hours after his own government expressed support for it.

Under the deal, which Trump said he supported last May, Britain will cede control of the Chagos Islands — its last overseas territory in Africa — while maintaining a 99-year lease on the island of Diego Garcia, which is home to a strategically important U.S.-British military base. Britain says the deal will secure the future of the base in the face of international legal challenges and allow people to return home after being displaced decades ago.

Last month, Trump criticized the deal in a social media post as an act of “total weakness” and “great stupidity,” before saying earlier this month that he supported it after speaking with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Trump attacked the deal again in a post yesterday, saying the claims on the Chagos Islands were being made by entities that were “fictious in nature” and that Britain should “remain strong in the face of Wokeism.”

Police arrested the former Prince Andrew today — his 66th birthday — after weeks of revelations about his friendship and dealings with Jeffrey Epstein.

The Thames Valley Police said it arrested a 66-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in the United Kingdom.

The police force, which covers an area in southern England where Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor used to live, did not name him, as is standard practice under British law. Asked whether Mountbatten-Windsor had been arrested, the police responded with a statement.

“We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time,” Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said. “Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.”

Read the full story here.

The Defense Department is sending a large array of additional weaponry to the Middle East, including more warships, air defenses and submarines, in preparation for a possible military strike on Iran if Trump makes that decision, according to U.S. officials and information from public tracking.

The buildup of military hardware comes as the U.S. and Iran are still pursuing diplomatic talks that could help avert a conflict. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted “good progress“ after indirect talks with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner in Geneva on Tuesday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said yesterday that “there was some progress made” in the talks but that “there are still a lot of details to discuss.”

The prospect of a breakthrough looked remote, with the sides far apart on fundamental issues. The Trump administration has insisted that Iran agree to restrictions on its missile program, as well as its nuclear work, which Tehran so far has rejected as out of the question.

Read the full story here.

Trump’s immigration policies have divided Minnesotans even more sharply than adults nationwide, new polling shows.

After federal officers killed two U.S. citizens last month, self-identified Republicans in the state expressed stronger support for Trump’s immigration agenda than Republicans nationwide, while Minnesota Democrats and independents pulled more strongly the other way than their national counterparts.

That’s according to two NBC News Decision Desk polls powered by SurveyMonkey fielded nationwide and specifically in Minnesota in late January and early February. The polls were conducted after federal immigration officers shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti and before the Trump administration began to pull immigration officers out of Minneapolis.

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Trump‘s “Board of Peace” will convene for its long-awaited first meeting today, with the next stage of the fragile ceasefire in Gaza in focus.

Key U.S. allies will be absent from the meeting, however, amid concern Trump may hope to challenge the United Nations with his broader ambition of using the body to help resolve global conflicts.

Representatives of at least 40 countries, including heads of state, are expected to descend on Washington for the summit, which is expected to take place at the U.S. Institute of Peace, a senior U.S. official told NBC News. At least five world leaders are expected to attend, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Argentinian President Javier Milei, both allies of Trump.

Trump is expected to announce a multibillion-dollar reconstruction plan for Gaza, along with contributions from board members, with the president saying over the weekend that so far more than $5 billion had been pledged, without identifying the countries that have pledged the funding.

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