Monday, February 23rd, 2026 - SCOTUS tosses Trump tariffs; Greenland hospital boat; DHS targets online critics; Russia energy deal

Morning Announcements

Betches

News, Daily News, Politics, News Commentary

4.7 • 1.7K Ratings

🗓️ 23 February 2026

⏱️ 9 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today’s Headlines: On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that Donald Trump’s tariffs are unconstitutional under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The dissenters: Thomas, Alito, and Kavanaugh. Trump responded by blasting Justices Gorsuch and Barrett as “disloyal” and insisting he can “destroy trade” but not “charge a little fee.” He then proposed a global 10% tariff workaround — later bumped to 15%. Meanwhile, Americans are still effectively paying 9.1% in tariffs, and the Court didn’t address what happens to the $133 billion already collected. Over the weekend, Trump announced he’s sending a “great hospital boat” to Greenland, despite Denmark saying it wasn’t informed and doesn’t need it. The Navy ships in question are reportedly in Alabama. Sure. On the Russia beat, a Trump ally signed a natural gas deal with Russian energy giant Novatek despite U.S. sanctions tied to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine — the first known new U.S.–Russia venture of its kind. Separately, ICE and other agencies contracted with phone-forensics firm Oxygen Forensics, which has ties to sanctioned former FSB figures. At the same time, DHS has issued hundreds of subpoenas to tech companies seeking identifying information on users critical of ICE. Trump is also pressuring Netflix to remove Susan Rice from its board amid maneuvering around a media acquisition deal that could affect CNN. Casual. In Florida, Secret Service agents shot and killed a 21-year-old man who allegedly breached the perimeter of Mar-a-Lagowith what appeared to be a shotgun and fuel can; the investigation is ongoing. Meanwhile, Florida lawmakers approved renaming Palm Beach International Airport after Trump — a $5.5 million rebrand. And finally, taxpayers will now provide new Secret Service agents with two tailored suits upon graduation. Inflation hits us all differently. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NBC News: Trump raises global tariff to 15% shortly after implementing reworked 10% levy NYT: Denmark Rejects Trump’s Plan to Send Hospital Boat to Greenland NYT: With ‘Tremendous’ Deals at Stake, Trump Is Bringing Russia in From the Cold Substack: ICE Is Using Phone Extraction Software Linked to Russia’s FSB-Connected Network Military: DHS Collecting Big Tech Users' Personal Data, Issuing Subpoenas For ICE-Related Criticism Financial Times: Trump demands Netflix remove former Obama official from board NBC: Law enforcement shoots and kills armed man trying to enter Mar-a-Lago, Secret Service says Politico: Now boarding: Florida Legislature approves renaming Palm Beach airport after Trump NYT: Homeland Security to Shut TSA PreCheck and Global Entry at Airports CNN: Exclusive: Secret Service will offer tailored suits to new protective detail agents Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: ⁠⁠⁠betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Today is Monday, February 23rd, and you're listening to the morning announcements presented by Betches Media.
0:07.3	I'm your host, Sammy Sage, and the morning announcements is your daily five-minute breakdown of the headlines
0:12.0	that isn't a megaphone for the loudest voices, but a magnifying glass for the most important news.
0:20.0	If it's a Monday morning, you know you're getting a loaded episode.
0:23.6	This week is no exception.
0:25.1	And who knows, Trump could be bombing Iran by the time you hear this.
0:28.6	But that has not happened as of this recording.
0:31.1	So let's review the weekend.
0:32.7	On Friday, the Supreme Court released its six to three ruling that Trump's tariffs are
0:36.8	not constitutional
0:38.1	under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. By the way, the three were Thomas
0:43.1	Alito and Kavanaugh. Predictably, Donald went on a psychotic bender at a post-court decision
0:49.0	press conference where he called justices Gorsuch and Barrett, quote, disloyal, fools, and a disgrace to our nation.
0:56.0	And he said that, quote, I am allowed to cut off any and all trade. I can destroy the trade.
1:01.1	I can destroy the country. I'm even allowed to impose a foreign country destroying embargo.
1:06.8	I can do anything I want to do to them. I'm allowed to destroy the country, but I can't charge a little fee.
1:13.6	He continued his Trump or tantrum on his little fucking social media app,
1:17.8	at first saying that he's going to impose a global 10% tariff.
1:21.6	Apparently this is a loophole of some sort within the Justice's ruling,
1:25.3	which he later kicked up to a global 15% tariff.
1:28.6	This, of course, hurts no one but U.S. consumers, and the Yale Budget Lab found that American
1:33.2	consumers are still paying a 9.1% tariff, even without the ones that the court overruled.
	...

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