February 25, 2026: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

Key takeaways from Trump’s State of the Union address

President Trump delivered a State of the Union address to the nation, setting a record for the longest speech of its kind. Polls show him struggling to connect with the public on the economy and Republicans bracing for a challenging midterm election. In an address heavy on patriotism, Trump billed the past year as a “turnaround for the ages.” Here’s a look at the main takeaways from Tuesday’s address before a joint session of Congress. Trump addressed the nation only days after the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling striking down his sweeping tariffs agenda and the president’s swift move to impose 10% tariffs on imports from all countries for 150 days. He said last Saturday that he would raise duties to 15% but hasn’t done so yet. Trump said “everything was working well” and the U.S. was gaining revenue through tariffs. He bemoaned the Supreme Court’s ruling but said foreign countries and companies wanted to keep the tariffs in place.

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The president said tariffs were “saving the country” through the “kind of money we’re taking in” and implausibly said tariff revenue could one day replace the nation’s income tax, “taking a great financial burden off the people that I love.” But Trump’s new tariff approach is premised on a legal authority never before used by a president for tariffs and is likely to be challenged in court. The stage was set for a confrontation between Trump and the Supreme Court after the president vented his frustration over the court’s tariffs ruling last week. He previously said the families of justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett—whom he nominated during his first term—should be “embarrassed” they voted with the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts. But there were no major blows. When Trump arrived and walked past the area where the justices were seated, he shook hands with the four justices in attendance, including Roberts and Coney Barrett. Gorsuch didn’t attend. During his speech, the president referred to the tariffs decision as an “unfortunate ruling,” but avoided attacking the justices by name. Trump blamed Democrats for making the high cost of living an issue. “You caused that problem,” he said, eliciting a standing ovation from Republicans. “Their policies created high prices; our policies are rapidly ending them.” Trump painted a rosy picture of declining costs on major goods—eggs, beef and fuel—though prices haven’t broadly fallen.

Key witness who saw immigration agent fatally shoot friend dies in car crash

The passenger in the car when Texas driver Ruben Ray Martinez was fatally shot last year by a federal immigration agent gave a lengthy statement to lawyers for the slain man's family disputing the government's version of events. That witness died Saturday in a fiery car crash in San Antonio, according to a lawyer for Martinez's family. Joshua Orta rode with Martinez on a Spring Break trip last March when they came upon a group of local police and federal agents directing traffic around an accident at a busy intersection. In a statement issued Friday, the Department of Homeland Security alleged that Martinez “intentionally ran over a Homeland Security Investigation special agent,” thereby causing another agent to fire “defensive shots to protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public.”

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The Associated Press and other media outlets reported last week on details of Martinez’s death, which would mark at least six deadly shootings by federal officers since President Donald Trump’s coast-to-coast immigration crackdown. DHS made no public disclosure for 11 months that one of its agents pulled the trigger. According to the draft affidavit prepared following interviews in September, Orta reportedly said that Martinez did not hit an officer with his vehicle, that their car was “just crawling as we were trying to turn around” and that a federal agent fired into the driver’s side window from about two feet away without “giving any warning, commands, or opportunity to comply.” San Antonio Police said a 25-year-old man was killed Saturday when he drove into a curved highway exit at a high rate of speed before losing control and slamming into a utility pole. Passengers were able to escape as the vehicle caught fire, but they were unable to pull out the driver. Lawyers for Rachel Reyes, Martinez’s mother, said Orta was the man who was killed in the car accident. The draft affidavit indicated Martinez’s family is preparing to file a wrongful death lawsuit in the earlier shooting.

Ted Cruz endorses Steve Toth in race against U.S. Rep. Crenshaw

U.S. Sen Ted Cruz on Tuesday endorsed state Rep. Steve Toth in his campaign to unseat U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, the Houston Republican who has come under fire from right-wing media figures. In a post on X, Cruz said Toth had, "faithfully served the people of Texas in the Texas House of Representatives, championing our Texas values of liberty, limited government, and constitutional governance." The endorsement comes as President Donald Trump has stayed out of the race. Cruz and Crenshaw clashed around the Jan. 6 riots in 2020, with Cruz supporting Trump's unfounded claim the 2020 election was stolen and Crenshaw calling out the effort as a "political theater." However, they both criticized former Fox News host Tucker Carlson last year for having the white nationalist and Holocaust-denier Nick Fuentes on his podcast.

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Trump administration considers requiring banks to collect citizenship information

The Trump administration is considering executive action that could require banks to report more information on the citizenship of their customers, the latest move by the White House to crack down on illegal immigration, according to four people familiar with the matter. The steps under consideration include a potential executive order requiring banks to collect information from all customers — both new and existing — and could require new forms of documentation, such as a passport, to verify citizenship, according to one of the people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Bank executives and industry experts fear the potential new documentation requirements would create new impediments to obtaining financial services in the United States, though people familiar with the administration’s thinking said the details of any forthcoming order or similar action have yet to be decided.

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It’s not clear whether the order would require banks to simply collect more information about their customers or go further by closing the accounts of individuals who don’t have the added documentation, such as a passport. Approximately half the U.S. population doesn’t have a passport. The White House declined to comment on the possibility of an executive order on immigration, which was earlier reported by the Wall Street Journal. A separate person familiar with the administration’s deliberations said officials within the Treasury Department were working on the initiative and weighing steps to crack down on undocumented immigrants’ access to bank accounts. “Any reporting about potential policymaking that has not been officially announced by the White House is baseless speculation," White House spokesman Kush Desai said. Jeremy Kress, associate professor of business law at the University of Michigan, said the coming order could prevent many legal residents from accessing traditional banks, pushing them toward higher-cost, less regulated financial services. “This is a way to weaponize the banking system to achieve political ends, which is exactly what the Trump administration criticized the Biden administration of doing with respect to climate and DEI,” he said, referring to “diversity, equity and inclusion” initiatives.

State Stories

Republican appalls internet with defense of House colleague accused of sex misconduct

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) is facing mounting calls from within his own party to resign as details trickle out about his alleged sexual misconduct against a House staffer who died in a gruesome suicide last year. But one of his Texas colleagues is pushing back on that whole effort: Rep. Troy Nehls. Gonzales, who represents a sprawling district stretching from the San Antonio suburbs to the border near El Paso, allegedly carried on an extramarital affair with the staffer, Uvalde regional director Regina Santos-Aviles, and asked her over text to send him "sexy pics," which caused her to express discomfort. So far, Gonzales has resisted calls to resign — and Nehls appears to agree.

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"We can't afford him to resign," said Nehls, a former Houston-area sheriff, in conversation with reporters on Tuesday. "Should he pull out of the race? Well, that's up to Tony, but the voters are halfway through this. Let's just see if he wins his primary, but it's just not a good look." Nehls' comments provoked a swift backlash from commenters on social media. "Troy Nehls says the quiet part out loud. 'We can’t afford him to resign.' If @RepTonyGonzales resigns, Republicans will be down to 217 Rs in the House," wrote Jeremy Wallace of the Houston Chronicle. "'It's not a good look' — Rep Nehls says of Rep Gonzales' extramarital affair while standing next to Attorney General Paxton," wrote Quorum Report's Scott Braddock, referencing Paxton's own allegations of marital infidelity. "I think I’m starting to understand why we have so many sexual predators in government," wrote Texas state representative candidate Sara McGee. "It’s because they wouldn’t be able to get a job anywhere else."

Bastrop County drops Charlie Kirk highway renaming proposal

A proposal to rename a stretch of road in a small Texas county after slain conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk has been put on hold after dozens of people showed up at a meeting Monday to weigh in on the resolution, according to local media outlets. Bastrop County commissioners were set to vote on whether to support a resolution designating FM 969, a nearly 29-mile stretch connecting Bastrop to the Austin area, as the “Charlie Kirk Corridor.” The resolution called on state lawmakers representing the county to sponsor legislation in the next session to codify the change.

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“Bastrop County Commissioners Court urges members of the Texas Legislature to support the passage of this designation in recognition of Charlie Kirk’s contributions to encouraging civic engagement, expanding youth participation in political processes, defending free expression, and promoting core conservative principles,” the resolution stated. The issue drew a crowd of more than 100 people to the Bastrop County Courthouse for Monday’s meeting, where attendees took turns voicing their support and dissent, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Some reportedly held signs reading “No” to show their opposition. The alternating comments came after the resolution was tabled at the request of Commissioner David Glass, who later told the newspaper an influx of emails led to the decision. “Two-thirds of them were from very considerate constituents asking me to postpone the vote and/or to reconsider the resolution,” Glass said. “I felt that I would honor their request. I replied to every email myself. The other 1/3 were very hateful with threats, etc.”

Tony Gonzales defiant after affair revelations: ‘Not gonna resign’

U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales on Tuesday declared he will not give in to mounting pressure from Republican colleagues to step down over his affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. “I’m not gonna resign,” Gonzales, a third-term Republican from San Antonio, told CNN in the halls of Congress Tuesday afternoon. “I work every day for the people of Texas.” Gonzales was set to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson later in the afternoon. On Monday, Johnson, R-La., called the “allegations” about the staffer “very serious” but said he was waiting on the House Ethics Committee to investigate the matter.

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On Tuesday, former California Rep. Kevin McCarthy, a Republican who served as House speaker before Johnson, told CBS News that Gonzales should step down. "If this was in a business, he would've been fired," McCarthy said. Several hard-right GOP members of Congress publicly condemned Gonzales in recent days, after the San Antonio Express-News reported that Gonzales had repeatedly pressed an aide in 2024 to send him “a sexy pic.” She pushed back and told him he was going “too far, boss” in the text messages, which the Express-News obtained. Last week, the Express-News was first to publish a verified text message in which aide Regina Santos-Aviles told a coworker that she had “an affair with our boss.” U.S. Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Nancy Mace of South Carolina on Monday called Gonzales’ behavior “disgusting” and “disturbing.” Two Texas Republicans – U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill of Flower Mound and Rep. Chip Roy of Austin – have urged Rep. Tony Gonzales to drop out of his competitive GOP primary race. Roy previously endorsed Gonzales’ opponent, YouTuber and gun manufacturer Brandon Herrera, in 2024. On Tuesday, Gonzales did not address CNN’s question about the authenticity of the text messages or answer whether he had an extramarital affair with a staffer, and has repeatedly refused to answer detailed questions from the Express-News. However, he told CNN on Tuesday, “There will be an opportunity for all the details and facts to come out. What you've seen is not all the facts." U.S. House ethics rules prohibit members from having sexual relationships with their employees. Gonzales has been under investigation by the Office of Congressional Conduct over his relationship with Santos-Aviles since at least November, according to a letter of inquiry the office sent to Santos-Aviles’ widower, Adrian Aviles, that month. Mace on Tuesday filed a resolution directing the House Ethics Committee to “preserve and publicly release” records pertaining to inquiries into “sexual harassment and unwelcome sexual advances” by members of Congress. "This is an abuse of power,” Mace posted on X. "Congressional staff serve their country. They should never have to endure predatory behavior from the people they work for.”

Is Austin CrowdStrike’s home? Texas court weighs trade secrets lawsuit.

Cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike was in court Tuesday in Austin arguing the city isn’t its home. The location of its headquarters — which it says is in California — is at the heart of an argument over the proper venue for a trial in a lawsuit alleging the company was founded on stolen trade secrets. The 3rd Business Court Division’s decision will determine whether the intellectual property case can go forward. The lawsuit filed by GoSecure Inc. claims two CrowdStrike employees, including a co-founder, “ripped off” systems GoSecure developed for cybersecurity. It says CrowdStrike’s ubiquitous Falcon platform was based on the data. CrowdStrike denies the allegations.

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But its chief concern Tuesday was getting the case thrown out of the Texas court and back to California, where it was originally filed. Marcy Greer, an attorney representing CrowdStrike, asked for the online hearing to be closed to the public citing the presence of an Austin American-Statesman reporter and confidential data in their motions and presentations. Judge Melissa Andrews closed the court over the newspaper’s protest. GoSecure, a California company, sued its adversary in Texas after, it says, a court in its home state took too long to produce results. At the heart of the current dispute is whether CrowdStrike has sufficient business ties to Texas for the case to be heard in Austin. While CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. moved its principal offices to Austin in 2021, corporate offices for Crowdstrike Inc. are located in Sunnyvale, Calif. In court documents, CrowdStrike Inc. argues its “decision makers” are all located outside Texas and its Austin office is merely a “satellite” filled with mostly junior sales staff.

Year in review: Top 5 changes President Jim Davis brought to UT

One year ago, the University of Texas System Board of Regents unanimously appointed then chief operations officer Jim Davis as UT’s interim president. The former administrator has overseen significant changes to the Forty Acres in his first year on the job. Davis is the first UT president in more than 100 years not to come from an academic background. His experience includes time as a UT student and graduate, Navy cryptologist, deputy attorney general and senior administrator overseeing legal affairs and operations at UT. There was no national search or committee involved in his selection last February. UT System Chair Kevin Eltife charged the new president with improving the school’s operational efficiency. Eltife said he had full confidence that Davis’s passion, knowledge of campus and commitment to the role will lead UT to success.

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In the last year, Davis has named new leaders, bolstered campus safety and reassured faculty that UT would support them amid federal cuts to research. Davis has also declined all interview requests with the Austin American-Statesman about decisions made during his tenure thus far, but told The Alcalade, UT’s alumni magazine, in August that “I bring a different set of experiences to questions that many universities haven’t faced in a long time.” Shortly after becoming interim president, Davis ended the Skills & Experience Flags Program, a series of UT-specific requirements that every Longhorn had to take to graduate. The program required students to take courses in quantitative reasoning, cultural diversity and global cultures. Former President Jay Hartzell charged a committee with reviewing the program after conservative lawmakers targeted core courses focused on race and gender. Davis’s decision to end the program came after the committee said they supported the program’s value and suggested tweaks to better align it with graduate requirements. To determine future requirements, Davis launched a core curriculum review committee aimed at ensuring graduates leave UT with a broad and ideologically diverse mix of courses. In an effort to better steward limited university resources and to broaden overly “fragmented” degree programs, Davis announced several reorganizations across multiple schools and colleges.

Houston Rep. Al Green again removed from Congress during Trump speech

U.S. Rep. Al Green, the Houston Democrat in the midst of a primary fight for his political life, was again removed from the House chamber during a speech by President Donald Trump. Minutes into Trump’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday in Washington, Green was escorted out. Last March, Green was removed from the House chamber after interrupting Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress when he shouted and pointed his cane at the president. He was subsequently censured over the outburst.

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On Tuesday night, when Trump walked toward the podium before his speech, Green held up a sign that said, “Black People Aren’t Apes!” It was a reference to a racist video Trump’s social media account posted and subsequently deleted earlier this month that depicted former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. “I don't think the president has really received the message that it's unacceptable,” Green told reporters after his removal. “He seems to think he can do these dastardly things with impunity. Tonight I wanted him to have a person confront him and let him know that Black people aren't apes, that Black people are not going to tolerate this kind of behavior.” The 78-year-old Green, the longtime representative of the 9th Congressional District, is seeking reelection in the newly redrawn 18th Congressional District. He switched after Texas Republicans undertook a rare mid-decade redistricting — at the behest of Trump — in an attempt to help the GOP win up to five additional congressional seats in Texas during the November midterm. Green is facing U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee, 37, in the March 3 primary. Menefee was recently sworn in to Congress after winning a special election runoff to complete the term of late U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner. The seat was vacant for nearly a year, which helped Republicans maintain a slim advantage in the House and push through Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill.

Another city joins Plano in canceling DART withdrawal election while 3 others keep vote

Farmers Branch decided Tuesday night to join Plano in calling off an election to cut ties with Dallas Area Rapid Transit — but Addison and the Park Cities are going forward with their plans to put membership in DART on the May ballot. Plano leaders voted Monday to cancel their referendum and Irving will decide on Thursday. Highland Park announced Tuesday it will keep its May election to let voters decide the town’s future with DART, joining University Park in the decision. Negotiations to find compromises to DART’s funding, governance and service have succeeded in convincing two of six cities with scheduled votes to cancel their elections just days away from deadlines to finalize ballot language. Proposed deals to convince its member cities include giving smaller cities more representation on DART’s governing board and returning some sales tax back to cities for transportation-related uses.

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“No one’s going to walk away from this happy,” Farmers Branch Mayor Terry Lynne said before his council voted 4-1 to cancel its election. “Both sides have to give … it gives us a starting point that we’ve never had before.” More than 50 people packed the Farmers Branch council chambers and dozens of speakers addressed City Council members, with most in favor of keeping DART. In Addison, more than 30 people addressed the council, many in favor of keeping DART but many in favor of letting town voters decide the city’s future with the transit agency. The Park Cities did not consider an ordinance to cancel elections. Nearly half of DART’s 13 member cities — six total — had scheduled an election this spring to leave the system after citing concerns with its funding, governance and subpar services compared to the cost of a one-cent local sales tax that each member pays to the agency. The opportunity to hold an election to leave DART comes every six years, per state law.

San Antonio mayor says she won't step down from committee, issue written apology if censured

Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones on Tuesday said she won’t step down from a key committee role, undergo leadership training or issue another written apology if the majority of City Council votes to censure her on Friday. “I’m not doing that,” Jones said at a a City Hall press conference when asked if she would give up her seat on council’s Governance Committee — one of the demands outlined in the proposed censure resolution council is scheduled to vote on Friday. The document also calls for Jones to undergo leadership training and issue a written apology to District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur with whom she had a heated exchange earlier this month. Five members of council issued a complaint about the mayor’s treatment of Kaur, which took place behind closed doors — a move that led to the upcoming censure vote.

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Under San Antonio city policy, a vote to censure the mayor or a council member is a largely symbolic move meant to signal disapproval. Still, such a vote against Jones would be unprecedented, since no Alamo City mayor has been formally censured by colleagues before. During Tuesday’s press conference, Jones told reporters she had already apologized in person to Kaur for “hurting her feelings,” adding that it was “certainly not” her intention to offend the councilwoman. The mayor also said she had already apologized to Kaur in writing, so a formal apology letter shouldn’t be needed to resolve the matter. Further, Jones said she wouldn’t participate in the recommended leadership training — which would include discussions on civility, de-escalation, conflict resolution and effective workplace interactions — unless the rest of council also agreed to take part. “I think that’s something that if the council wanted to undertake as a collective, then I would be more than happy to do,” Jones said. Jones’ press conference came a day after a majority of City Council decided to move forward with the censure vote during closed-door executive session. An independent third party investigation also found that Jones’ verbal spat with Kaur violated the anti-harassment and workplace violence clauses in City Council’s code of conduct.

Spring man accused of giving abortion drug to mother of his unborn child

Sheriff investigators have charged a Spring man who they said secretly gave an abortion pill to the mother of his unborn child. Montgomery County Sheriff Office deputies were called to a hospital in The Woodlands on Saturday to investigate a report that a woman had a miscarriage under suspicious circumstances. The victim told deputies she believed the father of her baby had secretly given an abortion drug to her, without her knowledge or consent, to end her pregnancy. The child, whom her mother named Presley Mae, was stillborn at the hospital, according to deputies. Detectives with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and crime scene investigators were then called to the hospital.

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Investigators say they found the suspect, 25-year-old Jon Rueben Gabriel Demeter, had tried to convince the mother to undergo an abortion on multiple occasions, and even offered to pay for her to travel out of state. The mother repeatedly refused and expressed her intent to carry the pregnancy to term, according to the sheriff's office. Investigators said Demeter got mifepristone and gave it to the mother without her knowledge or consent with the intent to cause the death of the unborn child. Demeter was arrested Feb. 23, 2026, and is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury-family violence. Authorities said more charges may be added. He is being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail. The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office says Demeter has asked for a bail review on Wednesday. Sheriff Wesley Doolittle said "Our thoughts and prayers remain with the mother and her family as they mourn the loss of Presley Mae."

Prairieland ICE center trial: Officer testifies about being shot, returning fire

A collection of just shy of two dozen people furious at U.S. government efforts to deport illegal immigrants gathered outside a detention center in rural Johnson County on the symbolically significant July 4 to carry out a violent rebuke, prosecutors described to a jury in Fort Worth on Tuesday at a joint trial for nine defendants. With a rifle, Benjamin Song, a former Marine Corps reservist, fired upon Alvarado police Lt. Thomas Gross just after Gross arrived at the center, prosecutors allege. A projectile entered his upper shoulder, left the back of his neck and took a path through tissue and muscle, but avoided vital organs. Song confessed to three co-defendants, who have pleaded guilty, Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Smith said in the government’s opening statement. The accomplices will testify at the trial, Smith forecast.

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“They’re going to tell it to you,” Smith said of the expected testimony on Song’s admission. Defense attorneys who represent eight of the nine defendants offered in their openings a radically different account of evidence they said would fall short of establishing a sophisticated conspiracy to commit violence. Rather, many of the defense attorneys asserted, their clients intended to participate in nothing more than a noise demonstration to bring hope to detainees. One is a mechanical engineer; another operates a benign book club, the defense attorneys said. Defense attorney Phillip Hayes, who represents Song, reserved his opening statement for a time later in the trial. The indictment represents an attempt to prosecute citizens for their political beliefs, defense attorneys have argued. Defense attorney Warren St. John, who represents Meagan Morris, said his client was present at the detention center but was not involved in a crime. “She didn’t get out of the van one time,” St. John said in his opening statement. Beyond Song and Morris, who is referred to as Bradford Morris in the indictment, the defendants are Autumn Hill, referred to as Cameron Arnold in the indictment, Zachary Evetts, Savanna Batten, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto and Daniel Rolando Sanchez Estrada. Gross took the witness stand for the government, recalling being shot, falling to the ground and returning fire at a moving silhouette. The emotional toll of the shootings continues, the lieutenant testified. “It’s a day I’m going to have to live with for the rest of my life,” Gross said. The trial is to continue on Wednesday with the government’s case.

Medical board: Ken Paxton made 'inaccurate' claims supporting Houston doctor

Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office made “numerous inaccurate statements” in court filings and statements when it sided with a Houston doctor in her legal battle against the Texas Medical Board, state regulators said. The medical board’s response came one week after Paxton’s office announced it would not defend the state agency in a lawsuit filed by Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, an ear, nose and throat specialist who has garnered national attention for her opposition to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and support for using ivermectin, an anti-parasite medication, to treat the virus. Paxton’s office accused the medical board of “acting on nothing more than personal animosity and spite” when it issued a public reprimand to Bowden over her treatment of a COVID-19 patient.

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“I will not stand by as Dr. Bowden has her Constitutional rights trampled and ability to serve her patients impeded with an illegal reprimand,” Paxton said in a statement. The Texas Medical Board said some of Paxton's claims were erroneous, though a spokesman for the agency declined to specify which statements in the court filing were inaccurate. “(The board) has provided ample justification for disciplining Dr. Bowden for attempting to treat a patient at a hospital in which she did not have privileges,” the board said in a statement last week. “(The board) intends to vigorously contest these claims and will stand firm to ensure hospitalized Texans receive care from doctors who are authorized to be on hospital premises.” The medical board is still evaluating its options for legal representation in the case now that Paxton’s office is not defending the agency, the spokesman said. The Texas Medical Board is a state agency tasked with protecting the public by licensing and disciplining physicians and other health care professionals. Paxton’s office would normally represent the agency in litigation. But his office has refused to defend state agencies dozens of times in the past, a 2023 investigation by ProPublica and the Texas Tribune found.

Ted Cruz's air safety bill blocked by House after Pentagon opposition

A more than year-long effort by Sen. Ted Cruz to ramp up airline safety regulations in response to the D.C. plane crash last year was blocked by House Republicans Tuesday after the Pentagon came out against the bill. The bipartisan legislation, which passed the Senate unanimously in December, would have required airplanes and helicopters to use tracking technology to better locate aircraft around them — technology the military helicopter that collided with a jet plane in D.C. last year was not using, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

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The bill only got a vote of 264-133, short of the two-thirds threshold required for passage in the House, where it was opposed by GOP leadership. Almost every Democrat and 77 Republicans, including Texas congressmen Troy Nehls, Chip Roy and Michael McCaul, voted for the legislation. The vote came after the Pentagon on Monday said that it was reversing course and opposing the bill. A spokesman called the new requirement overly costly and said it wouldcreate significant risk for military aircraft, adding the Senate failed to include “mutually discussed updates” to the bill. Cruz said in a statement Monday that the legislation, known as the ROTOR Act, included language added "at the Pentagon’s behest to best protect classified flights." Cruz is the chairman of the Senate Commerce Science and Transportation Committee, which led the legislation. "(Military training) flights— like the one that killed 67 people last January — should have to broadcast their position using ADS-B Out in busy airspace like every other military and civilian flight," Cruz said in the joint statement with U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, the ranking member on the committee. "We appreciate the dialogue with the Pentagon and look forward to the ROTOR Act’s passage so that our skies are made safer immediately.”

As some cities cancel DART withdrawal elections, Addison moves ahead

Voters in Addison will decide this spring whether the city stays in or leaves Dallas Area Rapid Transit after city leaders voted to move forward with a planned withdrawal election. The city council on Tuesday voted 5-2 not to rescind the election, even as Plano and Farmers Branch canceled theirs. Addison is one of six cities that called for a withdrawal election amid concerns with DART’s funding and governance structure. The vote came after months of negotiations between DART and the several member cities looking to leave the system over funding and governance. In a deal struck between the agency, city leaders and the Regional Transportation Council, DART will give $360 million to member cities over the next six years to use on transit-related projects — if they sign onto the agreement.

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Addison would receive $8 million back. The DART board of directors is also set to be restructured for each member city to have a representative on the board. This reduces voting power for the city of Dallas. Transportation DART cities could cancel withdrawal elections after agency approves ‘Hail Mary’ deal Pablo Arauz Peña , February 23, 2026 Four cities have confirmed they're considering a new DART plan to keep the agency intact. Council member Chris DeFrancisco said the deal isn’t perfect, but “it represents progress.” Plano on Monday approved its agreement with DART; Farmers Branch City Council voted Tuesday to cancel its election. Addison leaders said the question of whether to stay in DART should go to voters. "The poison pills that DART puts in their agreements are absolutely unacceptable and ... take away the right of the people voting," council member Randy Smith said. After a failed vote in December, council members voted 5-2 last month to call the election, citing DART's financial accountability. Ahead of Tuesday's discussion, residents urged council members to protect DART in the city. Addison’s only light rail station is on the newly opened Silver Line.

County Stories

Tarrant incumbent clerk calls out Dem candidate for misstating the office’s role

The incumbent Tarrant County Clerk is calling out a Democratic primary candidate for not understanding the job. In the Star-Telegram’s 2026 March 3 Primary Election Questionnaire, Democrat candidate Lydia Bean said the county clerk has authority over the elections administration. “The incumbent has helped our County Judge advance his voter suppression agenda,” Bean said in the questionnaire. “I will stand up for voting rights as the deciding vote on the Tarrant County Elections Commission.” For the average resident, the county clerk’s office is where someone goes to file or get copies of important personal and business records. According to the website, the office also collects over $24 million in fees and fines and $17 million in bonds.

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County Clerk Mary Louise Nicholson, who is running for re-election in November, said her office has not had authority in the elections administration since 1999, when the county commissioners created the elections administrator position. Nicholson has held the seat since 2011. Bean, a small business owner, was the Democratic nominee for Texas House District 93 in 2020 but lost to Republican Matt Krause. By statute, the Tarrant County Clerk is the vice chair of the County Election Commission, which meets regularly for updates from the elections administrator about election matters. The Texas Legislature in 2011 outlined that the commission cannot do anything beyond appointing, accepting the resignation of or recommending the termination of the county’s election administrator. The commission is chaired by the county judge and includes the tax-assessor collector, the county Republican Party chair and the county Democratic Party chair. As of now, four of the five are Republicans. “Given the above, the idea the County Clerk can advance an agenda of voter suppression or otherwise influence an election outcome is baseless,” Nicholson said to the Star-Telegram in a statement. Bean said she stands behind her questionnaire response because Nicholson “refused to stand up to” County Judge Tim O’Hare when the previous elections administrator, Heider Garcia, resigned in April 2023 following disagreements with O’Hare.

National Stories

U.S. private school tuition nears $50K as costs climb, boarding programs face pressure

Average tuition at U.S. private schools is approaching $50,000 a year, according to a report from S&P Global Ratings. Among 59 rated schools, day school tuition rose about 5% to an average of $49,745, while boarding school tuition increased 3.5% to $75,466. Though still steep, the increases were smaller than last year’s surge. Despite higher prices, enrollment grew at nearly two-thirds of the schools S&P tracks, with median enrollment up 6% to 705 students. Tuition accounts for roughly 73% of revenue at these institutions. S&P analyst Sue Ryu said independent schools retain strong pricing power and are relatively well positioned compared with other education providers, even as the overall school-age population declines and competition expands through school choice programs. To attract students, many schools are investing in upgraded athletic complexes, wellness centers and STEM facilities. At the same time, operating expenses are rising, particularly for boarding schools. Half of the schools reporting deficits in fiscal 2025 were boarding institutions, prompting some to scale back or reconsider those programs. Ryu noted that schools with sizable endowments can better absorb the higher costs, while smaller institutions are increasingly questioning whether boarding remains financially sustainable.

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In Democratic response to Trump, Abigail Spanberger frames the party's midterm message

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger blasted President Trump's policies and invoked a civic call for Americans to push for better leadership, in a rebuttal to the State of the Union that offered a preview of how Democrats plan to message against the GOP in this year's midterm elections. "In his speech tonight, the president did what he always does, he lied, he scapegoated and he distracted, and he offered no real solutions to our nation's pressing challenges, so many of which he is actively making worse," Spanberger said. Speaking from Colonial Williamsburg as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, the recently sworn in governor structured her address around three questions: "Is the president working to make life more affordable for you and your family? Is the president working to keep Americans safe, both at home and abroad? Is the president working for you?"

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Spanberger, who previously served in Congress for six years,became the first woman elected governor of Virginia in November, flipping control of the office from Republican to Democrat. Prior to her career on Capitol Hill, she served in the CIA. Her gubernatorial race was under the national spotlight as one of the first major indicators of voters' political leanings during the second Trump administration. Spanberger focused her campaign on affordability, a message Democrats continue to embrace ahead of the midterm elections and one that featured heavily in her roughly 13-minute speech. "As I campaigned for governor last year, I traveled to every corner of Virginia and I heard the same pressing concern everywhere: costs are too high — in housing, health care, energy and child care," she said, underlining that Democrats "across the country are laser focused on affordability." She slammed what she called Trump's "reckless trade policies." "Americans are paying the price," she said, "and even though the Supreme Court struck these tariffs down four days ago, the damage to us, the American people, has already been done."

Mortgage rates hit lowest level in nearly 4 years, but homebuyers are still stuck on the sidelines

Mortgage rates dropped sharply last week, and while that helped to prolong gains in refinancing, homebuyer demand seemed unimpressed. Total mortgage application volume was essentially flat, rising just 0.4% compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances, $832,750 or less, decreased to 6.09% from 6.17%, with points decreasing to 0.53 from 0.56, including the origination fee, for loans with a 20% down payment. That was the lowest level since September 2022.

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Applications to refinance a home loan increased 4% last week from the week before and were 150% higher than the same week one year ago, when rates were 79 basis points higher. Refinancing has been on a bit of a tear lately, as rates drop. While the comparisons to a year ago are quite large, it is important to take into account that refinancing was quite low at this time last year. Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home dropped 5% for the week and were 12% higher year-over-year. While lower mortgage rates are improving affordability, home prices are still slightly higher than they were at this time last year and economic uncertainty is weighing heavily on consumers. Redfin cited this uncertainty in a report showing that nearly 40,000 home-sale agreements nationwide were canceled in January, equal to 13.7% of homes that went under contract. That’s up from 13.1% a year ago and the highest January share in records dating back to 2017. Borrowers are also sought more savings in adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs), which are slightly riskier but offer lower rates. “The ARM share stayed above 8 percent, as ARM rates remained more than 80 basis points below conforming fixed rates,” said Joel Kan, an MBA economist in a release. “This is giving payment-sensitive borrowers or those seeking larger loans, an incentive to choose this product offering.”

Hegseth appeals ruling blocking punishment of Dem senator over ‘illegal orders’ video

War Secretary Pete Hegseth moved to reignite his high-profile clash with Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., on Tuesday, appealing a federal court ruling that blocked the Pentagon from punishing the Democratic lawmaker over a video urging U.S. service members to defy "illegal orders." The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed the appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on behalf of Hegseth, the Department of War, the U.S. Navy and Navy Secretary John Phelan. The filing follows a ruling earlier this month by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, who determined the Pentagon likely violated Kelly’s First Amendment rights, and those of "millions of military retirees," when it formally censured him on Jan. 5. Leon blocked the Pentagon from demoting Kelly’s retired rank of captain or reducing his military retirement pay, prompting Hegseth to swiftly vow an appeal.

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Kelly reacted to the latest move while reposting coverage of the appeal on X. "These guys don’t know when to quit," he wrote. "A federal judge told Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth that they violated my constitutional rights and chilled the free speech of millions of retired veterans." "There is only one reason to appeal that ruling: to keep trampling on the free speech rights of retired veterans and silence dissent," Kelly continued. "I went to war to defend Americans’ constitutional rights and I won’t back down from this fight, no matter how far they want to take it." Hegseth previously fired back on X following the district court ruling, writing: "Sedition is sedition, ‘Captain.’" In November, a group of Democratic lawmakers with military and intelligence backgrounds found themselves in hot water after posting a 90-second video urging service members to "refuse illegal orders." The video, which was first posted by Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., also included military veteran Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania.

Epstein hid secret files in storage units across US

Jeffrey Epstein hid computers and photographs from United States authorities in secret storage lockers across the country, The Telegraph can reveal. Documents uncovered by this newspaper show the paedophile paid private detectives to remove equipment from his Florida home in an apparent attempt to prevent investigators from finding it. The documents also show that he rented six storage units across the US and used them to house items from his properties, including computers from Little Saint James, his private island in the Caribbean. He leased at least one unit from 2003, when he was part of a Florida social set that included Donald Trump. Credit card receipts obtained by The Telegraph show regular storage payments continued until 2019, the year of his death.

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Search warrants reviewed by The Telegraph suggest US authorities never raided the lockers, raising the possibility that they may contain unseen evidence relating to Epstein and his associates, including Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Lord Mandelson. In December, the US department of justice (DoJ) released thousands of files relating to the financier. The revelations they contain led Lord Mandelson to resign from the Labour Party and quit the House of Lords. They have also led to the arrest of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office and the prospect of his removal from the line of succession. On Sunday, a Cabinet minister suggested the former prince could face a judge-led inquiry. However, while Epstein has long been suspected of collecting compromising material on his associates, relatively few such photographs or videos have emerged. That has fuelled claims that the DoJ is seeking to shield powerful figures from scrutiny, although authorities have repeatedly denied this.

Data center tax breaks are on the chopping block in some states

After years of states pushing legislation to accelerate the development of data centers and the electric grid to support them, some legislators want to limit or repeal state and local incentives that paved their way. President Donald Trump also has changed his tone. Last year he issued an executive order and other federal initiatives meant to support accelerated data center development. Then last month, he cited rising electricity bills in saying technology companies that build data centers must “pay their own way,” in a post on Truth Social. As the momentum shifts, lawmakers in several states have introduced or passed legislation that aims to rein in data center development by repealing tax exemptions, adding conditions to certain incentives or placing moratoriums on data center projects. Virginia lawmakers, for example, are considering ending a data center tax break that costs the state about $1.6 billion a year.

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“Who is actually benefiting from these massive data centers that, in many cases, are the size of one or two shopping malls combined?” asked Michigan Democratic state Rep. Erin Byrnes, who introduced a proposal to repeal the state’s data center tax exemptions. “They have a large footprint in terms of land and energy usage. And by and large, it’s not going to be the average resident who lives near a data center who’s going to benefit.” Over the past few years, more data centers have been built in an effort to meet the demand for digital processing power, which has rapidly increased as more artificial intelligence systems come online. Data centers house thousands of servers that are responsible for storing and transmitting data required for internet services to work. But as local communities voice growing outrage over rising electricity prices and environmental concerns brought by data centers, such as water and energy use, lawmakers in several states are hoping to slow data center development. By limiting incentives or placing moratoriums on new projects, state legislators are hoping to give themselves more time to determine whether the massive facilities are worth losing millions or more in tax revenue each year.

Copyright February 25, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved