'No challenge Americans cannot overcome'

The wildfire was produced by man, according to Airnow.gov

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he would award Connor Hellebuyck, goalie for the U.S. men’s hockey team, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Hellebuyck is the 50th athlete to receive the prestigious award. Hellebuyck played a crucial role for the U.S. hockey team in the 2026 Winter Olympics, the Americans’ first gold medal since the 1980 Winter Olympics. In the gold medal game against Canada, Hellebuyck blocked a total of 41 shots, which led to a 2-1 victory. “The members of this great hockey squad will be very happy to hear based on their vote and my vote, and in this case, my vote was more important that I will soon be presenting Connor with our highest civilian honor,” Trump said during the State of the Union address. “Great athletes have gotten that very great, the best. And I thought he deserved it. And I did take a vote.” CONNOR HELLEBUYCK COMES UP HUGE TO DENY MCDAVID. ? pic.twitter.com/bV0sxh8GiG— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 22, 2026 Hellebuyck is one of NHL’s top goaltenders with the Winnipeg Jets, a three-time Vezina Trophy winner, and the 2024-25 Hart Trophy winner. He’ll soon join a distinguished list of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients. In 2016, President Barack Obama gave NBA superstar Michael Jordan the award to recognize his accomplishments. Over the course of playing 15 seasons, Jordan is known as the greatest basketball player of all time. He played for the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards, won six NBA championships, and won two Olympic gold medals for Team USA in 1984 and 1992. Baseball titan Babe Ruth joined the list of athletes after Trump posthumously bestowed the award in 2018. During his playing career, Ruth won a total of seven World Series titles and set the MLB home run record. He played for the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, and the Boston Braves. During his first term, Trump recognized Tiger Woods with the honor in 2019 at a White House ceremony. Woods has won 82 PGA Tour events and 15 major championships. The term “Tiger Slam” was coined when Woods won all four major golf championships consecutively. A list of all athletes who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom is below. RecipientYearSportPresidentRobert J.H. Kiphuth1963Swimming CoachJohn F. KennedyJesse Owens1976Track & FieldGerald FordJoe DiMaggio1977BaseballGerald FordPaul “Bear” Bryant*1983Football CoachRonald ReaganJackie Robinson*1984BaseballRonald ReaganEarl Blaik1986FootballRonald ReaganTed Williams1991BaseballGeorge H.W. BushRichard Petty1992Auto RacingGeorge H.W. BushArthur Ashe*1993TennisBill ClintonHank Aaron2002BaseballGeorge W. BushRoberto Clemente*2003BaseballGeorge W. BushJohn Wooden2003Basketball CoachGeorge W. BushArnold Palmer2004GolfGeorge W. BushFrank Robinson2005BaseballGeorge W. BushMuhammad Ali2005BoxingGeorge W. BushJack Nicklaus2005GolfGeorge W. BushBuck O’Neil*2006BaseballGeorge W. BushBillie Jean King2009TennisBarack ObamaStan Musial2011BaseballBarack ObamaBill Russell2011BasketballBarack ObamaPat Summitt2012Basketball CoachBarack ObamaErnie Banks2013BaseballBarack ObamaDean Smith2013Basketball CoachBarack ObamaCharlie Sifford2014GolfBarack ObamaWillie Mays2015BaseballBarack ObamaYogi Berra*2015BaseballBarack ObamaMichael Jordan2016BasketballBarack ObamaKareem Abdul-Jabbar2016BasketballBarack ObamaVin Scully2016AnnouncerBarack ObamaAlan Page2018FootballDonald TrumpRoger Staubach2018FootballDonald TrumpBabe Ruth*2018BaseballDonald TrumpTiger Woods2019GolfDonald TrumpBob Cousy2019BasketballDonald TrumpRoger Penske2019Auto RacingDonald TrumpMariano Rivera2019BaseballDonald TrumpJerry West2019BasketballDonald TrumpDan Gable2020WrestlingDonald TrumpLou Holtz2020Football CoachDonald TrumpJim Ryun2020Track & FieldDonald TrumpBabe Didrikson Zaharias*2021Golf, Track & FieldDonald TrumpGary Player2021GolfDonald TrumpAnnika Sorenstam2021GolfDonald TrumpSimone Biles2022GymnasticsJoe BidenMegan Rapinoe2022SoccerJoe BidenJim Thorpe*2024FootballJoe BidenKatie Ledecky2024SwimmingJoe BidenMagic Johnson2025BasketballJoe BidenLionel Messi2025SoccerJoe BidenConnor Hellebuyck2026HockeyDonald Trump * Awarded posthumously The post Olympic Hero Connor Hellebuyck Is 50th Athlete to Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom appeared first on The Daily Signal.

President Donald Trump called on lawmakers to pass the SAVE America Act during his State of the Union address Tuesday night. “I’m asking you to approve the SAVE America Act,” Trump said, adding, “cheating is rampant in our elections.” If passed and signed into law, the SAVE America Act, which stands for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, would require proof of United States citizenship to register to vote and a valid photo ID to vote. The legislation has passed the House but faces an uncertain future in the Senate. Democrats are expected to use the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to overcome, to block the passage of the bill in the Senate. Some House Republicans are pressuring Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to employ a procedural maneuver known as a “talking filibuster” that would ultimately require only 50 votes to pass the bill. “They have cheated, and their policy is so bad that the only way they can get elected is to cheat,” Trump claimed of Democrats. “We have to stop it, John,” Trump said to Thune. “It’s very simple: All voters must show voter ID.” President Trump is 100% right: all voters must show proof of citizenship and valid ID to vote.Rep. Roy’s SAVE America Act gets the job done. pic.twitter.com/cU9HSrCIrF— Rep. Chip Roy Press Office (@RepChipRoy) February 25, 2026 Trump called the bill “common sense” before accusing Democrats of using “race” as an excuse to not back voter ID and wanting to “cheat” to win elections. Voter ID requirements continue to poll well among voters, according to a 2025 Pew Research survey, which found 83% of voters support Americans being required to show a government-issued ID to vote. The Pew Research poll also found that 80% of U.S. voters support early in-person voting being made available to voters at least two weeks before an election. A Heritage Action poll of likely voters in five Senate battleground states showed more than two-thirds of likely voters supporting proof of citizenship to register to vote. More than 70% of likely voters across Alaska, Georgia, Maine, North Carolina, and Ohio oppose noncitizens voting. Almost 80% support applying the same voter eligibility standard in every state for federal elections. The post Trump Calls on Senate to Pass SAVE America Act appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The House chamber broke out in U.S.A. chants after President Donald Trump called on all elected officials to place American citizens over illegal immigrants during his State of the Union address, but the cheers were from only one side of the aisle: that of the Republicans. “One of the great things about the SOTU is how it gives a chance to see what their representatives want them to believe,” Trump said. “So tonight, I’m inviting every legislature to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle. “If you agree with this statement, please stand up,” Trump added. “The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens and not illegal aliens.” Despite the chants and cheers from Republicans, Democrats did not stand. PUT ON THE SPOT: Trump asks Congress members to stand if they believe “the first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” pic.twitter.com/CXIw2ALffN— The Daily Signal (@DailySignal) February 25, 2026 Trump told Democrats they “should be ashamed” of themselves. “These people are crazy,” the president later observed. Earlier in his remarks, the president touched on the ongoing partial government shutdown, which was caused by Democrats’ refusal to extend Department of Homeland Security funding. “Democrats in this chamber have cut off all funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” Trump said. “It’s all cut off; it’s all cut off. “Now they have closed the agency responsible for protecting Americans from terrorists and murderers,” Trump added. “Tonight, I’m demanding the full and immediate restoration of all funding for the border security and Homeland Security of the United States, and for helping people clean up their snow. We have no money because of the Democrats.” Democrats demanded that the department adopt new guidelines for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to have its funding reinstated. The new guidelines include demands to halt immigration enforcement operations near polling places and to allow states to sue the department. Trump called it “another Democrat shutdown.” The government had shut down for 43 days in November after Democrats blocked funding for the federal government. Republicans at that time accused Democrats of wanting to extend health care subsidies for illegal immigrants. The post Dems Sit in Protest After Trump Demands Americans Be Placed Over Illegal Aliens appeared first on The Daily Signal.

President Donald Trump highlighted the successful raid in Venezuela, the U.S. triumph at the Olympics, and new plans for tariffs and affordability in his first official State of the Union address of his second term. Here are five highlights from his speech on Tuesday night. 1. Honoring a Hero of Raid to Capture Maduro Trump put a spotlight on Chinook helicopter pilot Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover, who was injured in the raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro.  Slover was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his role in the operation.  While piloting the helicopter, Slover was hit in the leg and hip by enemy machine gun fire but continued to carry out the mission.  “He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces,” Trump said. “And yet, despite the fact that the use of his legs was vital to a successful helicopter flight, flying a helicopter to deliver the many commandos who would capture and detain Maduro was the only thing Eric was thinking about.” “Even as he was gushing blood which was flowing down the aisle, the helicopter landed at a steep angle,” Trump said. Trump also reunited a former Venezuelan prisoner of war with his niece for the first time. “I’m pleased to inform you that not only has your uncle been released, but he is here tonight,” Trump said. “We brought him over to celebrate his freedom with you in person.” 2. Calling for the SAVE America Act “We have to stop it, John,” Trump said to Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune about illegal immigrants voting in America.  Trump called on the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID to vote in federal elections. “Why would anybody not want a voter ID?” Trump asked. “One reason is because they want to cheat.” “They want to cheat,” he said. “They have cheated, and their policy is so bad that the only way they can get elected is to cheat, and we’re going to stop it.” Trump called out Democrats for refusing to put American citizens ahead of illegal aliens. “If you agree with this statement, please stand up,” Trump said. “The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens and not illegal aliens.” Many Democrats did not stand. 3. Hockey Player Gets Medal of Freedom  Trump announced that Connor Hellebuyck, the U.S. men’s hockey team’s goaltender, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  After the U.S. beat Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics finals on Sunday, Trump welcomed the team to his first State of the Union address. Trump described the medal as “the highest civilian honor.” President Trump announces he will be awarding Connor Hellebuyck, the U.S. Men's Hockey Team goalkeeper, the Presidential Medal of Freedom pic.twitter.com/PXzfXMFE2o— The Daily Signal (@DailySignal) February 25, 2026 The hockey team received a standing ovation from the crowd as they entered the chamber, with the exception of some Democrats who refused to stand. 4. New Retirement Plans  Trump announced a new initiative to create retirement savings plans for workers who don’t have one provided by their employer.  “Since I took office, the typical 401(k) balance is up by at least $30,000 million because the stock market has done so well, setting all those records, your 401(k)s are way up, yet half of all working Americans still do not have access to a retirement plan with matching contributions from an employer,” Trump said.  “To remedy this gross disparity, I’m announcing that next year, my administration will give these often forgotten American workers, great people, people that built our country,” Trump said, “access to the same type of retirement plan offered to every federal worker. We will match your contribution with up to $1,000.”  Trump also highlighted his executive order to stop large institutional investment firms from buying single-family homes. Trump promised to always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.  He renewed his call for Congress to pass his “Great Health Care Plan” to lower health care prices for Americans.  ?FLIPPING THE SCRIPT ON AFFORDABILITYPresident Trump flips the script on affordability—blaming Democrats for inflation? and noting that the increase in prices has cooled. Then he slams the "Unaffordable Care Act." pic.twitter.com/rXgFV7Fj7V— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 25, 2026 “I want to stop all payments to big insurance companies and instead give that money directly to the people so they can buy their own health care, which will be better health care at a much lower price,” Trump said. “My plan requires maximum price transparency,” Trump added. “That’s a big deal.” 5. The Future of Tariffs Trump addressed the Supreme Court’s “unfortunate ruling” against his tariffs last week, pivoting to his next plan.  Trump said the Supreme Court on Friday “got it really wrong.” “But the good news is that almost all countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they already made,” Trump said, “knowing that the legal power that I as president have to make a new deal could be far worse for them, and therefore they will continue to work along the same successful path that we had negotiated before the Supreme Court’s unfortunate ruling.” Trump attributed the wars he helped end partially to the tariffs.  “I used these tariffs, hundreds of billions of dollars, to make great deals for our country, both economically and on a national security basis, everything was working well, countries,” Trump said, “they were ripping us off for decades and now paying us hundreds of billions of dollars they were ripping us so badly all know that everybody knows it, even the Democrats.” The post 5 Highlights From Trump’s 2026 State of the Union appeared first on The Daily Signal.

SOTU Tuesday Final Word with Full Speech

In October, the new owners of CBS appointed Bari Weiss to the new position of “Editor-in-Chief,” which has made her far more controversial than the actual content of CBS News would suggest. Weiss quickly became a scandalous figure out of all proportion to the actual content of CBS News under her watch. She was tumbling “the dominoes of capitulation,” wrote Margaret Sullivan. It’s a little shocking that Weiss felt it necessary to cancel an upcoming lecture at UCLA, the Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture, because of the virulence of the expected student protests. The Daily Bruin school newspaper reported a petition calling for the event's cancellation collected "nearly 11,000 signatures." The petition, sponsored by the radical pro-Hamas leftist group Code Pink, claimed “Weiss has recently aligned herself with the Trump administration by attempting to cover up the fact that ICE agents are sending Venezuelan migrants to a torture center in El Salvador.” Weiss delayed the airing of an anti-Trump story, but since then it aired without any word change in Sharyn Alfonsi’s slanted leftist report. It concluded: “Weiss is unpopular with the American people because of her deeply biased and opportunistic reporting, and our academic institutions must stop platforming someone who is a mouthpiece for the White House.” None of this seems to reflect the recent on-air content of CBS News in any way, shape, or form. It would be easier to conclude that the petitioners don’t want her to speak because she’s Jewish and supports Israel. Add to that one Margaret Peters, the associate director of the Burkle Center for International Relations, which hosts the lecture. She said she planned to resign if UCLA followed through with the Weiss event in any capacity (like a Zoom call). Peters claimed Weiss “used the guise of free speech” to attack people on the Left. “To invite somebody who is working against that mission in highly powerful places just seems like anathema in the university mission,” Peters said. Apparently the “university mission” is wokeness, and anyone seen as skeptical of that mind-numbed state should not be allowed to speak at the university, which formerly vowed to cherish the free expression of ideas. The CBS security team was not convinced Weiss would be safe on this California campus. They may have in mind what happened to “anti-trans” speaker Riley Gaines in 2023 at San Francisco State University, where she was slapped in the hallway afterward, and was trapped for hours by leftist agitators until she could safely exit. This is especially perverse for a lecture in honor of Daniel Pearl, a Jewish journalist whose throat was slit by al-Qaeda jihadis back in 2003. Loads of “mainstream” journalists from Jake Tapper to Bob Woodward have safely spoken at the annual Pearl event, but that flagrant Zionist Weiss was beyond the “pro-Palestinian” pale. Many of the most prestigious campuses are puckered with intolerance for opposing points of view, and after Hamas slaughtered hundreds of Jews in Gaza on October 7, 2023, students and professors who hate Israel have loudly deployed their heckler’s veto against people who denounce that genocide. They not only seek to silence their opponents, but goad the uncommitted into parroting their radical talking points. Join the Cause, or be punished. The Weiss cancellation was not considered an outrage anywhere in “mainstream” media, an elite full of Jim Acostas staring at themselves in the mirror and admiring themselves as the guardians of democracy, when they’re intolerant of opposing views. Only the Left apparently represents Democracy and Free Speech, and you should probably shut up if you disagree.

Partap Singh, an Indian national who illegally stole into the United States in 2022, reportedly managed to obtain a commercial driver's license from California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom's Department of Motor Vehicles.On June 20, 2024, Singh allegedly caused a multicar pileup that left numerous Americans grievously injured, including then-5-year-old Dalilah Coleman.'Against all odds, she is now in the first grade, learning to walk.'During his State of the Union speech on Tuesday, President Donald Trump recognized Dalilah and her struggle for a normal life after the horrific incident, adding that legislation is in the works that would hopefully spare future Americans from a similar fate."Doctors said Dalilah would never be able to walk or talk have a good life," said the president.According to the Department of Homeland Security, Dalilah suffered a broken femur and skull fractures in the accident; was left in a coma for three weeks; and has since been diagnosed with both diplegic cerebral palsy and global developmental delay for which she will require lifelong therapy."But against all odds, she is now in the first grade, learning to walk — and she's here this evening with her dad, Marcus — a fantastic man."Trump added that Dalilah is a "great inspiration."Dalilah, lifted and kissed by her father, smiled and waved to the president and officials below.RELATED: Watch the State of the Union tonight on BlazeTV's YouTube Channel Department of Homeland Security"Dalilah Coleman’s life was forever changed when an illegal alien driving an 18-wheeler slammed into her and her family. This tragedy was entirely preventable," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in September."How many more innocent people must become victims before Gavin Newsom stops playing games with American lives? DHS is working around the clock to remove dangerous aliens — like Singh — who have no right to be in the U.S.," added Noem.After noting that many of the illegal aliens who have taken to American roads "do not speak English and cannot read even the most basic road signs as to direction, speed, danger, or location," Trump called on congressional lawmakers to "pass what we will call the Dalilah Law, barring any state from granting commercial driver's licenses to illegal aliens."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Democratic Rep. Al Green of Texas briefly interrupted the State of the Union address Tuesday and was quickly kicked out of the U.S. House of Representatives chamber. The Democrat was ushered out of the chamber, and one Republican grabbed at the sign on his way out. The president later said that he did not see the video before it was posted.Green held up a banner reading, "Black people aren't apes," in an apparent reference to a video depicting former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes that was posted to the president's Truth Social account. "These people are crazy! I am telling you, they're crazy!" the president later said in the address while pointing to Democrats. Green interrupted the president's address last year before Congress and was escorted out at that time as well. "You have no mandate!" he yelled at one point, while shaking his cane at the president. Many Democratic members of Congress later joined Republicans in a vote to censure him for the incident. The resolution passed 224-198. Republicans and Democrats both condemned the anti-Obama video, including Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina. The president later said that he did not see the video before it was posted and blamed a staffer for the incident.RELATED: Rep. Al Green of Texas releases statement on sexual assault allegations from 2008 Photo by Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images Green blamed racism for his ejection after the interruption last year. "There is invidious discrimination in the House of Representatives. I’m a son of the segregated South. The rights that the Constitution recognized for me — my friends and neighbors deny it. I had to sit in the back of the bus, the balcony of the movie, drink from a colored water fountain," he said in an interview. "When the speaker decided that I would be removed and then there was this motion," he added, "this resolution to censure me, it became obvious to me that I was not being treated as others were, and candidly speaking, it is invidious discrimination." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!