The role of the President of the United States is not typically occupied by a showman. You could gesture at various prior inhabitants of the office – Andrew Jackson mounting his horse and standing between cannon and the Tennessee militia, Teddy Roosevelt surviving charge and shot to become more myth than man, Barack Obama levitating above us all as a biracial angel sent from on high to cleanse all our sins – but no one has seized that motivating spirit more mightily than Donald J. Trump, the ultimate television producer. He watches it all, and he knows what the people want: more, more, and more. They don’t want a speech. They want a show. At the State of the Union, he gave them their show, all that while trading barbs with a heckling crew of gesticulating idiots, whose political acumen has aged so poorly that they did not even realize that sitting on their hands would grant the president and his party the best midterm advertising fodder they could ever have. “A billion dollar ad!” one consultant texted me. Republicans are going to need it come midterm time – and Democrats could’ve easily avoided giving it away with a lick of common sense. In days past, you had Joe Manchin and a handful of red state Democrat House members standing and applauding coal or cops or dead terrorists. This time around, Trump himself couldn’t help but break the script to comment: “These people are crazy.” Yes, it’s the kind of thing you might hear from your uncle watching Fox News. But it’s not wrong! It’s a reason Trump won, and a reason his party might keep winning. “How can you not stand for that?” the president said, giving running commentary on his own speech, gesturing toward the sparse but diligently seated Democrats to his right. How hard is it to applaud respectfully for at least some of Trump’s speech as a Democrat? It shouldn’t be hard at all. Illegal immigrants aren’t the reason you ran for office. Your first priority should be your citizens. You can’t honestly claim that the world isn’t a safer place with a hamstrung Iran nuclear program, a Nicolas Maduro in custody, and a narco regime to our south hemmed in by military forces. All these are policies many Democrats, including Chuck Schumer, claimed to support before in some form. Is it really going to end their career to admit Trump is right about even one thing? You get the hint of how far things have gone in the response from Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, who went all the way to Williamsburg to speak to the nation from the very stodgy and very fake replica House of Burgesses. The original, where Patrick Henry did his very problematic liberty thing, burned down twice. The one she was speaking to you from was built in the 1930s by the Rockefellers. And her speech had a similar flavor to it: applause that sounded clipped and rinsed, and delivery that was robotic and circular with an odd “did Gemini help write this?” rhythm. What’s more, she herself seemed to catch at certain lines of critique. You mean to tell me that Spanberger, a veteran CIA agent, thinks killing terrorists and pressuring Iran is… bowing to China and Russia? Don’t insult our intelligence, Abigail. Not even you believe what you’re saying at this point, you’re just vying to be Gavin Newsom’s Number Two. The State of the Union is a storied tradition that should remain just that: the stuff of stories, past, written down and shelved. It is wholly unnecessary. The whole thing could just be an email. Except – and this is where Trump comes in – that the best moments in it were created by people who had nothing at all to do with politics or his policies. When he flashed on the screen in the early going, Royce Williams was nothing to look at – a diminutive military veteran, seated next to the First Lady for reasons unbeknownst to the crowd. But I, and likely many others watching, recognized the man as the great unheralded hero of a forgotten war – the man who took down four MiGs, the terrorizer of Soviets, a century old legend. The headlines and pictures tomorrow will probably focus on the young heroic hockey team that brought Olympic Gold to the United States for the first time in 46 years. But Royce Williams, the man whose mission made him unappreciated for so long, finally getting his due? That’s the real tearjerker. That’s what a showman pulls off. And that’s who Donald Trump is. Early returns indicate his speech worked. A poll from CNN found the number of Americans who think Trump’s policies will move the country in the right direction went up by 10% among people who watched his speech. Fortunately for Republicans, Trump is very good at this. Unfortunately for Republicans, he’s basically all they’ve got. And like it or not – he’s not on the ballot any more. Time to wake up to reality, GOP: the reality of a future without your champion at the lead.

Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib lashed out multiple times during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night, including in a moment when she appeared to shout “KKK” while most of the chamber was chanting “USA.” The camera caught the Michigan congresswoman on screen during the exchange. Is Rashida Tlaib chanting “KKK” while everyone else chants “USA”? Sure looks like it pic.twitter.com/5nnp0or3Xn — Matthew Foldi (@MatthewFoldi) February 25, 2026 Republicans blasted Tlaib over the clip, with the National Republican Congressional Committee stating, “Everything you need to know about today’s Democrats. They cannot stand this country, they cannot stand its comeback, & they cannot hide their contempt anymore.” The Daily Wire reached out to Tlaib’s office for comment. Tlaib, a Muslim whose district includes the highly-populated Muslim city of Dearborn, Michigan, wore a pin to the State of the Union that read “F*CK ICE.” She also wore a pair of watermelon earrings that apparently signify her solidarity with the “Palestinian cause” and another pin that read “Stand with survivors, release the Epstein Files.” The Michigan congresswoman stood up alongside Minnesota leftist Rep. Ilhan Omar on other occasions during the speech to shout and wave fingers at Trump. Neither Omar nor Tlaib, however, stood when Trump asked members of Congress to get on their feet if they supported prioritizing Americans over illegal immigrants. They also did not stand when Trump highlighted the dozens of Israeli hostages who were rescued from Hamas captivity. Tlaib mostly ignored the instructions from Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who urged Democrats to remain quiet or skip the State of the Union altogether. “The two options that are in front of us in our House [are] to either attend with silent defiance or to not attend and send a message to Donald Trump in that fashion, which will include participation in a variety of different alternate programming that is going to take place in and around the Capitol complex,” Jeffries said last week. Dozens of Democrats boycotted the State of the Union and attended the “alternate programming” events, which were similar to political rallies where Democrats largely focused on bashing Trump’s immigration policies and tariffs. Tlaib and Omar opted to attend Trump’s speech and make a scene. Texas Democrat Al Green made a similar decision and was booted from the chamber after holding up a large sign that read, “Black people aren’t apes,” a reference to a video that was shared by President Trump on Truth Social that briefly depicted former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as guerillas. It was the second year in a row that Green was escorted out of the chamber during Trump’s speech to Congress. During his address, Trump ripped Democrats multiple times, including calling them “crazy” for refusing to stand in support of protecting children from life-altering gender procedures. “Who can believe that we’re even speaking about things like this?” Trump asked. “But surely we can all agree no state can be allowed to rip children from their parents’ arms and transition them to a new gender against the parents, well, who would believe that were even talking about? We must ban it, and we must ban it immediately.”

Former Vice President Kamala Harris hinted on Tuesday at a possible return to the presidential campaign trail in 2028, saying that she “might” throw her hat into what’s likely to be a crowded Democratic primary ring. Harris spoke with podcast host and author Sharon McMahon, and was asked point blank whether she planned — after bowing out of the 2020 primary before the first vote and then losing in spectacular fashion in 2024 — to run for president a third time. WATCH: Harris on running in 2028: “I might” pic.twitter.com/PbPalTRHsw — Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) February 24, 2026 “Will you run again?” McMahon asked. “I haven’t decided,” Harris replied. “You’re still thinking about it,” McMahon added. “I might,” Harris said, her voice creeping up an octave as she shrugged. McMahon said she’d expected no less, adding, “That’s what I’ve been saying. That’s what — I’m like — I closed the book and I’m like, oh, she wants to, she’s just thinking about it.” Early polls, according to CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten, have not been kind to the twice-failed candidate. He told host John Berman that Harris, polling at just 18% — and second to Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) — was in a precarious position if she intended to drop in on a Democratic primary. In addition to Newsom, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) are polling at 13% and 12%, respectively. “Quite a weak number for [Harris], given that, of course, she was the nominee last time around,” Enten said, adding, “This is just a total clown car. It is a total mess. There is no clear frontrunner at this particular point on the Democratic side. Who the heck knows who the nominee is going to be in two years?” Enten also suggested that flagging interest in Newsom — despite his new memoir just hitting bookstores — meant that even the likely favorite was “flailing” a bit. Newsom, during a recent interview, spoke with CNN anchor Dana Bash about the upcoming presidential election cycle and how he might handle it if his career path ended up on a collision course with that of his old friend, Harris. “That’s — you know, fate will determine that,” Newsom shrugged. “And I’ve never gotten in the way of her ambition, ever. I haven’t. And I don’t imagine I would in the future. But I don’t —” “But if you run against each other for president —” Bash tried again. “That’s fate,” Newsom said again. But during another recent interview, the California Governor took a swipe at Harris — and attributed her rapid rise in the California political world to her romantic relationship with then San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. WATCH: Governor Newsom tonight: “You would not know Kamala Harris without Willie Brown” Fact-check: TRUE

New York City Democratic Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he does not believe anyone should be charged after a mob of people surrounded NYPD officers and flung snowballs at them Monday afternoon, sending multiple officers to the hospital with minor injuries. Mamdani told reporters on Tuesday that he disagrees with calls for those responsible for the attack on police officers to be charged. The leftist mayor said the videos of the incident he has watched show nothing more than “a snowball fight.” “I think there were two officers who were facing lacerations on their face,” Mamdani said. He was then asked if he would call for the prosecution of the people who pelted the officers with snowballs. Mamdani replied, “Look, I’ve seen the videos of this snowball fight. I think that it was a snowball fight.” The mayor’s comments are at odds with other New York officials, including Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who called the mob’s actions “disgraceful” and “criminal.” “The NYPD is aware of certain videos taken earlier today in Washington Square Park showing individuals attacking cops. I want to be very clear: The behavior depicted is disgraceful, and it is criminal,” Tisch said. “Our detectives are investigating this matter.” One video of the incident showed two of the police officers attempting to walk through the crowd as people slung snowballs at them and ran up behind them to dump large pieces of snow on their heads. Some people in the crowd stood in front of the officers as they tried to walk through the park, and the officers threw at least two people to the ground. Another video showed a group of police officers fleeing the scene as the crowd continued to hurl snowballs at them. No arrests have been made. New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the mob that targeted police officers in New York City’s Washington Square Park. “Our NYPD officers put themselves on the line to protect us every day. It is never acceptable to throw anything at a police officer, full stop,” Hochul said. Meanwhile, Mamdani’s 2024 rivals, former Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, called on the mayor to condemn the attack on police officers and ripped his past anti-police rhetoric. “Words have consequences. We are seeing that in the growing disrespect for law enforcement — just as we’ve seen it in the rise in antisemitism. Real leaders understand that. This mayor does not,” Cuomo said. Mamdani referred to those who pelted NYPD officers with snowballs as “kids” and was asked by a reporter if he knew that “for a fact or is it possible these were adults?” “I can just tell you from the video I saw it looked like kids at a snowball fight,” the mayor said. Mamdani also urged people to treat the city’s law enforcement with respect: “Officers have been on the front line of helping us respond to this blizzard. They have been keeping New Yorkers safe … they and our entire city workforce, of course, deserve to be treated with respect.” “The only person in our city’s workforce who deserves to be treated with a snowball is me,” he added. On Monday, Mamdani said that students who were upset that he made the decision to have remote classes after the massive snowstorm could throw snowballs at him.

Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas is facing mounting pressure to resign after he was accused of having an extramarital affair with a staffer before she committed suicide last year. Reps. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, and Thomas Massie of Kentucky have all made public calls for Gonzales to immediately step down. Texas Republican Reps. Chip Roy and Brandon Gill, meanwhile, have urged Gonzales to end his re-election bid. Gonzales, a 45-year-old husband and father of six children, has denied allegations of an affair with Regina Santos-Aviles, his former staffer, who committed suicide last September by dousing herself in accelerant and setting herself on fire at her Uvalde, Texas, home. Santos-Aviles, who was 35 at the time of her death, left behind a young son. The latest revelations in the scandal came last week when the San Antonio Express-News published messages that Santos-Aviles’ husband said were sent between Gonzales and his former staffer. Screenshots of the messages show Gonzales allegedly making sexual requests of Santos-Aviles, including asking her to send him a “sexy” photo of herself and asking what her “favorite position” is. One message shows the congressman allegedly telling Santos-Aviles about his sexual fantasy before the staffer replies, “This is too far, Tony.” In another message, she wrote, “This is going too far boss. So how long have you thought I was this hot?” Santos-Aviles’ husband, Adrian Aviles, told the Express-News, “I said the truth would come to light when it’s time, and the time is now. Tony abused his power. He should have held himself to a higher standard as a congressional leader.” Gonzales remained defiant on Tuesday, telling CNN, “I am not going to resign. I work every day for the people of Texas … and there will be an opportunity for all the details and all the facts to come out. What you’ve seen is not all the facts.” Gonzales did not answer when asked by CNN whether the text messages reported by the Express-News were real. Last week, the Republican congressman said he would “NOT BE BLACKMAILED” and added that it was “disgusting to see people profit politically and financially off a tragic death.” Adrian Aviles said he wanted to release the text messages to push back on Gonzales’ claim that he is being “blackmailed.” “I’m releasing them now because I don’t want to be called a liar and don’t want her to be called a liar,” Aviles added. “I also want to show proof to everybody the type of person that he is. He’s a predator. He took advantage of a very vulnerable woman.” The Daily Wire reached out to Gonzales’ office for comment. House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Monday that Republicans should “wait for more of the facts to come out” before calling for Gonzales’ resignation. A Gonzales resignation would further endanger the House Republicans’ majority as the party holds on tightly to a four-seat lead over the Democrats. Some Republicans have seen enough, and are voicing their disgust with Gonzales over the allegations. “The entire Texas delegation, as well as every single other Member of Congress, should be condemning a sitting Member of Congress asking for explicit photos of their staff,” Luna said on Monday. “As a woman, this is really disgusting to see. Not to mention, it brings dishonor on the House of Representatives. I am so sick of people not calling this crap out. Again, like I’ve said before, this is not the only case of this crap up here. @RepTonyGonzales, shame on you.” Congressman Roy, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, said that Gonzales should end his re-election campaign “for the good of the country” and the “good of the party.” Roy previously endorsed Gonzales’ Republican primary challenger, Brandon Herrera. Herrera called Gonzales a “sexual predator” who “wrecked a family.” “I have now seen some of the text messages between Tony Gonzales and his late aide, Regina Santos-Aviles. It is now clear to me Tony Gonzales is a sexual predator, who abused his position of power and wrecked a family,” Herrera said on Sunday. “I also now know this is not the only case. He must resign.” A recent poll from Political Intelligence shows Gonzales trailing Herrera by over 20 points ahead of the Republican primary. Gonzales was also underwater by 30 percentage points in approval rating, with 54% of those surveyed holding an unfavorable opinion of the third-term representative.