We have breaking news this afternoon: the United States is barreling toward a government shutdown, and as of now, nothing is stopping it. Unless a deal is reached, the government will shut down tomorrow night. While members of Congress will continue to collect their paychecks, hundreds of thousands of federal workers—people who keep this country running—will go without.
Today, Democratic and Republican leaders met with Donald Trump at the White House in a last-ditch effort to prevent this crisis. No agreement was reached. The clock is ticking, and millions of Americans are about to feel the impact. I’ll be here covering every moment as it unfolds.
And in the middle of this chaos, another headline broke: YouTube has agreed to pay over $24 million to Donald Trump, most of which is reportedly going to fund the presidential ballroom he’s building, to settle a lawsuit over his account suspension. Another tech giant has caved to Trump.
This is exactly why my work matters. This newsletter isn’t owned by a corporation, a billionaire, or a social media platform. It’s owned by me—and supported by you. While others bow to power, I stand firm because of my readers. If you value independent, unbought reporting at a time when it’s needed most, consider subscribing today.
With that, here’s what you missed:
Vice President J.D. Vance argued that the country is headed toward a government shutdown because Democrats “won’t do the right thing,” framing them as the obstacle to a funding agreement.
Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer pushed back strongly, saying they will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that cuts health care for ordinary Americans, and emphasized that Trump seemed to only realize the real consequences for health care during their meeting.
After the White House talks, Democrats remarked that Trump appeared more open to negotiating than Hill Republicans, with Trump often responding to Democratic suggestions by saying he was willing to have the conversation—but only in the context of keeping the government open.
During a government shutdown, federal workers may miss paychecks, but members of Congress still get paid because their salaries are guaranteed by the Constitution and funded through a permanent appropriation that doesn’t require annual renewal.
If the government shuts down, the Labor Department will halt Bureau of Labor Statistics operations, delaying key reports like Friday’s monthly jobs data—closely watched by the Federal Reserve and already under scrutiny after Trump fired the labor statistics commissioner over disappointing numbers.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reportedly spiraling, with aides describing him as “manic” and obsessed with his security after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, lashing out at staff, forcing generals worldwide to attend a “pep rally,” and cracking down on Pentagon press access in what critics call an attack on transparency.
MAGA figures erupted after the NFL chose Bad Bunny to headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, blasting him as a “Trump hater” and “anti-ICE activist” who “doesn’t sing in English,” while the Puerto Rican star framed the honor as a celebration of Latino culture and history.
An Arizona Republican lawmaker, John Gillette, sparked outrage by calling for Representative Pramila Jayapal to be “tried, convicted, and hanged” after a deceptively edited clip misrepresented her remarks about organizing peaceful protests.
The Trump administration and House Republicans are proposing nearly $2 billion in cuts to HIV prevention and treatment funding — including eliminating the CDC’s HIV-prevention division — a move experts warn could cause over 200,000 additional infections and billions in medical costs by 2030, though the Senate’s plan maintains current funding levels.
A photo surfaced of the Treasury Secretary reading a message from the Agriculture Secretary warning that China had outmaneuvered the U.S. by buying Argentine soybeans—hurting American farmers—while the administration still plans to bail out Argentina with billions.
The co-founder of Women for Trump has come out against the current Administration’s policies.
A gunman, identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, killed four and injured eight in a Mormon church in Michigan before being shot by police; investigations continue into his motives, with records showing he had pro-Trump signs and prior anti-Mormon statements, while authorities stress speculation remains premature.
Trump announced that Gaza will be placed under a temporary transitional governance led by a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee — but controversially declared that he himself would chair the committee.
Over the weekend, six mass shootings across four US states left nine people dead and at least 33 injured, including the Michigan church attack, bringing the 2025 national tally to 324 incidents so far and highlighting the country’s ongoing gun violence crisis.
Dolly Parton postponed her December 2025 Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace to September 2026 due to unspecified health procedures, assuring fans she won’t retire and maintaining humor while focusing on recovery.
Electronic Arts is being taken private in a record $55 billion leveraged buyout led by Silver Lake Partners, Saudi Arabia’s PIF, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, marking the largest deal of its kind and ending EA’s 36-year run as a publicly traded company.
A suspected stowaway was found dead in the landing gear of an American Airlines flight from Europe after it arrived in Charlotte, North Carolina, with police investigating the case and officials noting the high fatality rate of such attempts due to extreme conditions in flight.
An American Airlines flight at LAX aborted takeoff at 167 mph after an AeroLogic cargo jet mistakenly crossed its runway without authorization, forcing emergency braking; no injuries occurred, but the American flight was delayed 2.5 hours while the FAA investigates.
Top comedians including Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, and Aziz Ansari are facing backlash for performing at Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Comedy Festival, with critics and human rights groups condemning the event as image-washing amid censorship rules and the kingdom’s repressive record, while some comics declined or later withdrew over ethical concerns.
Good news:
A 66-year-old Illinois woman became the first patient to receive Northwestern Medicine’s new Hepzato Kit treatment, which isolates blood flow to the liver to deliver chemotherapy directly to tumors, cutting side effects and shrinking her uveal melanoma tumors by 50% after two courses.
A UC Davis study of 13,000 adults found that having a strong sense of purpose in life lowers dementia risk by about 28% and delays cognitive decline, with benefits seen across racial groups and even among those genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s.
The James Webb Space Telescope has detected possible signs of an atmosphere on TRAPPIST-1e, an Earth-sized exoplanet 40 light years away in the habitable zone, marking a major step in the search for life beyond our solar system, though further observations are needed to confirm.
A yearlong clinical trial found that a 2-in-1 budesonide–formoterol inhaler reduced asthma attacks in children aged 5–15 by 45% compared to the standard salbutamol inhaler, with researchers urging global guidelines to align pediatric care with adult standards after confirming its safety and effectiveness.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
