President Donald Trump called for Republicans to get a national voter ID law passed ahead of the midterm elections, saying that he would take executive action if Congress could not get it done. Trump’s call comes after the SAVE America Act requiring photo identification and proof of citizenship to vote in elections passed the House on Wednesday and headed to the Senate. “We cannot let the Democrats get away with NO VOTER I.D. any longer. These are horrible, disingenuous CHEATERS. They have all sorts of reasons why it shouldn’t be passed, and then boldly laugh in the backrooms after their ridiculous presentations,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday. “If it weren’t such a serious matter, it would be considered a TOTAL JOKE! No Voter I.D. is even crazier, and more ridiculous, than Men playing in Women’s Sports, Open Borders, or Transgender for Everyone.” Trump said Republicans should be talking about the issue in every speech, pointing to polling that most Americans support voter ID laws. “This is an issue that must be fought, and must be fought, NOW!” Trump said. “If we can’t get it through Congress, there are Legal reasons why this SCAM is not permitted. I will be presenting them shortly, in the form of an Executive Order.” Trump said that if Democrats took back power, they would move to make Washington, D.C.,  and Puerto Rico states, pack the Supreme Court, and remove the filibuster in the Senate. “Our Country will never be the same if they allow these demented and evil people to knowingly, and happily, destroy it,” Trump said. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, “Thirty-six states have laws requesting or requiring voters to show some form of identification at the polls. The remaining 14 states and Washington, D.C., use other methods to verify the identity of voters. Most frequently, other identifying information provided at the polling place, such as a signature, is checked against information on file.” After the House passed the SAVE America Act on Wednesday, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has been pushing for it to move forward in the Senate. He has already picked up 49 Republican co-sponsors of the legislation and got commitment to support the bill from Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). In a video posted to social media, Lee said that Republicans in the Senate should now move forward to debate and force Democrats to use the “talking filibuster” instead of the “zombie filibuster.” Polling released by Cygnal this week found that 72% of white voters, 69% of Hispanic voters, and 56% of black voters support requiring identification at the polls.

There are lots of emotions surrounding the Winter Olympics this year, and not all of them are tied to the actual competition. Several American Olympians have voiced their “mixed emotions” about representing their country, with one choosing to compete for an entirely different nation. Freestyle skier Hunter Hess, for example, is one competitor who has gained significant attention, even from President Donald Trump. The president called the athlete a “real loser” over comments Hess made in a pre-Olympics press conference last week. When asked what it means to represent America, Hess said it “brings up mixed emotions” and that it’s “a little hard.” “There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t. … If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S. I just kind of want to do it for my friends and my family and the people that support me getting here.” A few days after the internet backlash, Hess took to social media to expand: “I love my country,” he wrote. “There is so much that is great about America, but there are always things that could be better. One of the many things that makes this country so amazing is that we have the right and the freedom to point that out. The best part of the Olympics is that it brings people together, and when so many of us are divided, we need that more than ever. I cannot wait to represent Team USA next week when I compete.” Another freestyle skier, Chris Lillis, feels similarly. In the same press conference, Lillis said he is “heartbroken” over the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Minnesota. “As a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect. I hope that when people look at athletes competing in the Olympics, they realize that that’s the America that we’re trying to represent.” Lillis did, however, post this on social media: “Love, dignity and respect to everyone even those who disagree with us. I love my country and am proud to represent the USA.” Figure skater Amber Glenn is another Olympian who hit the headlines of many prominent outlets for her controversial comments. Last week, she said the queer community is having a “hard time” under the Trump administration, leaving them to “fight for [their] human rights.” Glenn said a “scary amount of hate” trailed her in a now-expired Instagram story: “When I chose to utilize one of the amazing things about the United States of America (Freedom of speech) to convey how I feel as an athlete competing for Team USA in a troubling time for many Americans, I am now receiving a scary amount of hate/threats for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel.” After the internet backlash, she announced a break from social media before firing back at her haters, “They hate to see two woke b*tches winning.” Conversely, before the games began, snowboarder Chloe Kim delivered a heartfelt tribute to America in a social media post: “I can’t believe I’ve arrived in Milan to represent my country at the Olympic Games for the third time.” “My parents left South Korea in search of a better future for their family. They left behind everything they knew so that my sisters and I could have the chance to one day live the American dream. Their sacrifice is one I will never take for granted. So when I stand at the top of the halfpipe, competing on the biggest stage in sport, I do so with immense pride. I am representing my country but I am also representing those who took a leap of faith, who came to this beautiful nation carrying hopes, dreams, and courage.” “I am proud of my heritage. I am proud of my journey. And I am proud to represent a country that is strongest when it embraces diversity, dignity, and hope. GO TEAM USA!!” she added. When asked by a reporter for a response to Trump calling Hess a “real loser,” Kim said she hopes to lead with love and compassion. “Obviously, my parents being immigrants, this one definitely hits pretty close to home. I think in moments like these, it is important to unite and stand up for one another, for all that’s going on.” “I’m really proud to represent the United States,” she said. “The U.S. has given my family and I so much opportunity, but I also think we are allowed to voice our opinions on what is going on, and I think we need to lead with love and compassion. I would love to see some more of that.” Along the same lines, Kim’s teammate Maddie Mastro posted something similar, “I am truly honored and proud to wear Team USA on my back. Being an American athlete means representing a country built on diversity, strength, and resilience … When I drop in, I’m riding for an America that leads with kindness, love, and compassion; one that supports one another and rises together.” One of the most controversial Olympians is American Eileen Gu, who has chosen to compete for China, where her mother is from, since 2019. She recently said in an interview with TIME, “The U.S. already has the representation. I like building my own pond.” Critics have pointed out that Gu makes millions a year from Chinese brands, but she has denied that it was a factor: “I’m glad that there’s enough money in the sport now for people to think that’s a consideration.” On the other hand, Jasmine Jones is a first-time Olympian competing in bobsled who also served in the Air Force. In an interview with Fox, she said, “Being able to represent my country, as well as being an athlete for my country, it definitely brings a different meaning.” “I’m honored to have this opportunity to do both.”

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump released a plan on Friday to expand American shipbuilding, ease regulations on commercial carriers, and boost domestic maritime jobs. The plan represents what the White House called “the first holistic approach” to strengthening the maritime industry in the United States and streamlining government procurement, Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told reporters on Friday morning. The White House said the initiative would involve “hundreds of billions of dollars” in new investments, fulfilling Trump’s promise “to build ships in America.” Kelly argued that America’s “strategic position and shipbuilding industrial capacity” has been weakened over the decades due to unnecessary regulatory burdens and a lack of sustained policy focus. Kelly also accused foreign competitors of using unfair trade practices to expand their shipbuilding industries. The White House described Trump as the first president in decades to elevate “American maritime dominance” as a priority, pointing to the newly released plan. Workers construct a grand block of the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel Five (NSMV V), a training platform for state maritime academies, in the grand block shop at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. Photographer: Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images. “He has done more than anyone to revitalize this vital sector for our national security,” Kelly said, citing his April 2025 executive order directing his team to craft a maritime action plan. The plan calls for strengthening maritime supply chains, developing a strategy to secure Arctic waterways, expanding the fleet of American-built and American-flagged commercial vessels, and recapitalizing government-owned sealift ships. Kelly said the plan would improve coordination among federal agencies involved in ship procurement. She added that it would expand government programs, encourage private investment in domestic shipbuilding, and pursue deregulation. A copy of the plan indicates that the proposal is structured around four key pillars: expanding domestic shipbuilding capacity, reforming maritime workforce education and training, protecting the industrial base from foreign competition, and strengthening national security. The document concludes by projecting that the plan will “reestablish America’s position as a global maritime power,” thereby strengthening national security and economic prosperity.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio used his first appearance at the Munich Security Conference to deliver a call for a renewed “Western century” grounded in sovereignty, industrial power, borders, and civilizational confidence. “The euphoria of this triumph led us to a dangerous delusion,” Rubio said, describing the post-Cold War belief that history had ended and that liberal democracy would inevitably spread. “That every nation would now be a liberal democracy; that the ties formed by trade and by commerce alone would now replace nationhood; that the rules-based global order would replace the national interest.” “This was a foolish idea that ignored both human nature and the lessons of over 5,000 years of recorded human history,” he added. “And it has cost us dearly.” Rubio contrasted that worldview with what he described as the lived consequences of Western policy choices: deindustrialization, weakened defense capacity, and economic dependence on adversaries who never shared the West’s assumptions. “In this delusion, we embraced a dogmatic vision of free and unfettered trade,” Rubio said, “even as some nations protected their economies and subsidized their companies to systematically undercut ours—shuttering our plants, deindustrializing large parts of our societies, shipping millions of working- and middle-class jobs overseas, and handing control of our critical supply chains to both adversaries and rivals.” Rubio argued that energy policy in particular had become an exercise in self-harm “to appease a climate cult.” He added, “We have imposed energy policies on ourselves that are impoverishing our people, even as our competitors exploit oil and coal and natural gas—not just to power their economies, but to use as leverage against our own.” Rubio also rejected the framing common in recent Munich conferences that mass migration is primarily a humanitarian challenge rather than a civilizational one. “In a pursuit of a world without borders,” he warned, “we opened our doors to an unprecedented wave of mass migration that threatens the cohesion of our societies, the continuity of our culture, and the future of our people.” “Controlling who and how many people enter our countries,” Rubio continued, “is not an expression of xenophobia. It is not hate. It is a fundamental act of national sovereignty.” On national security, Rubio explicitly rejected modern abstractionist framing. “The fundamental question we must answer at the outset is what exactly are we defending?” he said. “Because armies do not fight for abstractions. Armies fight for a people. Armies fight for a nation. Armies fight for a way of life.” That way of life, Rubio argued, is not interchangeable with other systems, nor should it be treated as morally neutral among equals. “We are part of one civilization—Western civilization,” he said. “Bound by centuries of shared history, Christian faith, culture, heritage, language, ancestry, and sacrifice.” It is time to unshackle our ingenuity and build a new Western century. pic.twitter.com/KJjGQ24bCd — Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) February 14, 2026 Rubio’s speech also departed sharply from Biden-era deference to multinational institutions. While stopping short of calling for their abandonment, he argued that they have repeatedly failed on the most pressing security challenges of the age. “The United Nations could not solve the war in Gaza. It did not solve the war in Ukraine. It was powerless to constrain the nuclear program of radical Shia clerics in Tehran,” Rubio said, crediting American military and diplomatic leadership with producing results. “In a perfect world, these problems would be solved by diplomats and strongly-worded resolutions,” he added. “But we do not live in a perfect world.” Rubio said plainly that the United States under President Trump intends to pursue renewal, and invites Europe to do the same. The future, Rubio concluded, depends on whether Western nations choose pride over guilt, sovereignty over submission, and renewal over retreat. “We have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline,” Rubio said. “What we want is a reinvigorated alliance—one that is not paralyzed by fear, but bold enough to race into the future.”

Colorado Democrats have introduced a bill that would make the Centennial State the first to fully legalize prostitution. Senate Bill 97, sponsored by Democrat Senate Majority Whip Nick Hinrichsen, would repeal penalties for prostitution, currently a petty offense under Colorado law. It would also allow for “soliciting for prostitution, keeping a place of prostitution, patronizing a prostitute, and prostitute making display.” Michael Allen, district attorney for Colorado’s 4th Judicial District and unopposed candidate for state attorney general, called the bill “disgraceful.” “Coloradans are leaving this state in record numbers because crime is rising and the cost of living is out of control — yet radical Democrats in the legislature are focused on legalizing prostitution,” Allen said in a statement. Colorado ranked 13th in the nation with 88 human trafficking cases in 2024. Preliminary data show the state had 110 cases in 2025, surpassing its previous record of 107 in 2023, according to Center Square. “Human trafficking is inseparable from violent crime, drug activity, and organized criminal networks,” Allen said. “Legalizing prostitution will only fuel these dangers and further victimize the most vulnerable among us.” Prostitution is legal in certain Nevada counties, while Maine legalized prostitution, but criminalized paying for sex. The legislation also legalizes advertising prostitution and escort services and removes language classifying buildings used for prostitution as public nuisances. If passed, it would not allow for any local laws prohibiting prostitution. “Criminalizing prostitution endangers adults who engage in consensual sexual activity,” the bill reads. “Sex workers deserve clarity and certainty that they can safely conduct business within the state, regardless of the local governing authority.” The bill does not allow paying for sex with children or pimping. Co-sponsors of the bill include Democrat Senate Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Cutter and Democrat representatives Lorena García and Rebekah Stewart. The ACLU of Colorado supports the bill, but a few towns, including Fountain, Monument, and Woodland Park, are opposing it, according to Westword. The bill has been assigned to the Judiciary Committee, which includes Hinrichsen, but a hearing date has not been set. Democrats have a 5-2 majority on the committee. If passed, the bill would take effect immediately. “The Democrats running for attorney general must join me in condemning this legislation and the most extreme elements of their party — immediately,” Allen said. “Colorado deserves better.”