President Donald Trump made history with a record-breaking 108-minute State of the Union (SOTU) address on Tuesday. Shortly after the marathon speech, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reinforced the administration’s legislative roadmap in a detailed post on X.

The Cuban government claimed on Wednesday that a speedboat bearing a Florida registration crossed into Cuban waters on Wednesday, and then fired on Border Guard Troops as they approached the vehicle. The resulting firefight left four dead on board the speedboat. The Cuban Embassy in the United States shared a statement on Wednesday afternoon, attributed to the Ministry of the Interior, detailing a confrontation that took place early that morning. “On the morning of February 25, 2026, a violating speedboat was detected within Cuban territorial waters. The vessel, registered in Florida, United States, with registration number FL7726SH, approached up to 1 nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, in Cayo Falcones, Corralillo municipality, Villa Clara province,” the statement read. The Ministry of the Interior went on to assert that those on board the speedboat fired the first shots when Border Guard Troops approached to request proof of identification. “When a surface unit of the Border Guard Troops of the Ministry of the Interior, carrying five service members, approached the vessel for identification, the crew of the violating speedboat opened fire on the Cuban personnel, resulting in the injury of the commander of the Cuban vessel,” the statement continued. “As a consequence of the confrontation, as of the time of this report, four aggressors on the foreign vessel were killed and six were injured. The injured individuals were evacuated and received medical assistance.” The statement concluded: “In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region. Investigations by the competent authorities continue in order to fully clarify the events.” The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the unfolding situation. An unnamed U.S. official told The New York Times that the speedboat was a civilian vessel and was “part of a flotilla to get relatives out of Cuba” — and also clarified that the boat did not belong to either the U.S. Navy or the U.S. Coast Guard. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeir issued a statement on the incident: “I’ve directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to work with our federal, state, and law enforcement partners to begin an investigation. The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable.” Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), former Mayor of Miami-Dade, also issued a statement: “I am calling for an immediate investigation into this massacre. United States authorities must determine whether any of the victims were U.S. citizens or legal residents and establish exactly what occurred. The regime in Cuba must be relegated to the dustbin of history for its countless crimes against humanity.”

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani this week released a video encouraging illegal immigrants to enroll in the city’s free childcare programs. “Any New York City parent, regardless of your occupation, income, or immigration status, is eligible to sign their child up,” Ocasio-Cortez said in the video, which was entirely in Spanish. Mamdani briefly addressed viewers, saying his Spanish was rusty before deferring to the New York congresswoman. Children turning three or four in 2026 are eligible to enroll for Pre-K or 3-K, “free, full-day, high-quality education to three-year-old children.” Parents are generally required to provide proof of the child’s age and verification of New York City residency. However, the residency requirement can be waived if a parent indicates the child is living in temporary housing. “Students in temporary housing, as defined by McKinney-Vento, are not required to submit documentation (including address, proof of date of birth, and immunization) in order to enroll,” the form states.  My Spanish is… not very good,” Mamdani wrote on X, in a post also in Spanish. “But the fight for universal childcare? That’s very good.” Mi español es… no muy bueno. Pero la lucha para cuidado infantil universal? Eso es muy bueno. Asi que traje una amiga para ayudarme a compartirles porque registrarse para el kinder-3 y prekinder esta semana importa. Vamos a registrarlos. Visite https://t.co/Ghy11RZNkq para… pic.twitter.com/8GkRRPJeDX — Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) February 24, 2026 Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez are both at the forefront of the Democratic Party’s defense of illegal immigration. The congresswoman has publicly clashed with border czar Tom Homan over the Trump administration’s detention and deportation of illegal aliens. Mamdani’s immigration chief is a radical leftist activist who has called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Parents can apply online through the city’s “MySchools” portal, by phone with interpretation services available in more than 200 languages, or in person at Family Welcome Centers. The free Pre-K program is indicative of Mamdani’s young administration. The avowed socialist ran for office promising to make a number of things free — notably city buses and city-run grocery stores — pledges that appealed to young New Yorkers but have made Mamdani the bete noir of conservatives across the country. Mamdani has thus far struggled to find funding for the free programs he’s promised. Mamdani’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year projects that total city spending is going to jump to $127 billion, resulting in a large deficit. The mayor has faced backlash for proposing raising property taxes by 9.5% to pay for the budget jump.  To avoid raising property taxes, Mamdani has an open request to Governor Kathy Hochul to raise taxes by 2% on those who make over one million dollars a year, but Hochul has pledged not to raise taxes in 2026. She did, however, promise Mamdani $1.5 billion dollars over the next two years to help fund his budget, with some of the funding going towards early childhood programs. But even a successful launch of the universal childcare program may not save Mamdani from criticism. Since taking office in January, the mayor has come under fire for failing to deliver on his agenda, and for resuming homeless encampment sweeps, which the leftist had eliminated shortly after taking office.

Disclaimer: Mayflower cigars does not sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21. If you are not at least 21 years of age, please do not enter our website. No U.S. government official or entity endorses Mayflower Cigars. Daily Wire host Michael Knowles proudly repped conservative values and his Mayflower Cigars brand at the Capitol on Tuesday night for President Donald Trump’s State of the Union. Knowles had the privilege of sitting in the chamber for Trump’s address as a special guest of House Speaker Mike Johnson.