A federal judge in Oregon late Wednesday ordered narrow changes to hydropower dam operations on the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest in order to help salmon, saying that the Trump administration’s plans for the massive structures would harm salmon runs that are “disappearing from the landscape.”
The ruling came in a decades-long legal effort by the states of Oregon and Washington, Native American tribes and conservation and fishing groups to ensure better protections for migrating salmon, which are killed in large numbers by the massive dams.
In a landmark 2023 deal that paused the litigation in favor of finding long-term solutions, the Biden administration promised to spend $1 billion over a decade to help restore salmon while also boosting tribal clean energy projects.
But last year the Trump administration torpedoed that agreement, calling it “radical environmentalism” that could have resulted in the breaching of four controversial dams on the Snake River, and the plaintiffs went back to court.
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U.S. District Judge Michael Simon in his ruling Wednesday lamented what he described as the “disappointing history of government avoidance and manipulation instead of sincere efforts at solving the problem.”
“One of the foundational symbols of the West, a critical recreational, cultural, and economic driver for Western states, and the beating heart and guaranteed resource protected by treaties with several Native American tribes is disappearing from the landscape,” Simon wrote. “And yet the litigation continues in much the same way as it has for 30 years.”
A dispute over water and spill levels
Oregon and the other plaintiffs had asked Simon to lower the levels of reservoirs behind the dams, which they argued can help fish travel through them faster, and increase the amount of water spilled past them, which can help fish pass over the dams instead of through turbines. The federal government sought higher reservoir levels.
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Simon ordered that reservoirs remain at the same level as last year and wrote the changes in his order were “narrowly tailored” and essentially maintained the status quo.
“The Federal Defendants have, for years, maintained a safe and reliable power system and dam operations with the nearly the same spill levels as ordered here, and with the same reservoir levels from 2025,” he wrote.
Amanda Goodin, an attorney with the environmental law firm Earthjustice, said she was “incredibly relieved and happy that he ordered the levels of spill that he did.”
“If the government had been allowed to implement their proposal it would have had really, really devastating consequences for salmon,” Goodin said.
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The Justice Department and National Marine Fisheries Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment after business hours Wednesday. The Bonneville Power Administration, which markets the electricity from the dams, referred an inquiry to the Justice Department.
In court filings, the federal government called the request a “sweeping scheme to wrest control” of the dams that would compromise the ability to operate them safely and efficiently for power generation, navigation and irrigation. Any such court order could also raise rates for utility customers, the government said.
Dams altered life in massive area
The Columbia River Basin, spanning an area roughly the size of Texas, was once the world’s greatest salmon-producing river system, with at least 16 stocks of salmon and steelhead. Today, four are extinct and seven are endangered or threatened. Another iconic but endangered Northwestern species, a population of killer whales, also depend on the salmon.
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The construction of the first dams on the Columbia River, including the Grand Coulee and Bonneville in the 1930s, provided jobs during the Great Depression as well as hydropower and navigation. They made Lewiston, Idaho, the most inland seaport on the West Coast, and many farmers continue to rely on barges to ship their crops.
But the dams hurt salmon in a number of ways, including by forcing them through turbines, warming the slow-moving water in reservoirs to inhospitable temperatures, and greatly slowing the migration of juvenile fish to the sea. Juvenile salmon once reached the ocean from the upper Snake River in two or three days as swift currents pushed them along. Now, the journey past eight dams can take weeks, during which time they are exposed to more predators.
The plaintiffs, which include the state of Oregon and a coalition of conservation and fishing groups such as the National Wildlife Federation, filed the motion for a preliminary injunction, with Washington state, the Nez Perce Tribe and Yakama Nation supporting it as “friends of the court.”
Opponents of the injunction include the Inland Ports and Navigation Group, which says increasing spill to benefit fish can hinder navigation, disrupting the flow of commerce and hurt the economy.
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“The order increases the risk of harm to infrastructure, listed species, and public safety while failing to demonstrate that there will be benefits to listed salmon and steelhead,” the organization said in a written statement.
However, the dams are also a main culprit behind the decline of salmon, which regional tribes consider part of their cultural and spiritual identity.
The dams for which changes are being sought are the Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite on the Snake River, and the Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day and McNary on the Columbia.
Ms Ferullo has been giving talks over the last two weeks at the museum on Brontemania, the literary pilgrimages to the sisters’ home in Haworth which began in the late 19th century even when the sisters’ father, the Reverend Patrick Bronte, who outlived them, was still living in the building.
Donald Trump’s approval ratings have hit an all-time low, with 60% of Americans disapproving of his leadership.
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The dismal ratings were released right before his lengthy State of the Union address on Tuesday, in which the President rambled for almost two hours about how America was entering its ‘golden age’.
But in one speaking event, Trump appeared to offer a bizarre reason for why so many Americans aren’t publicly supporting him.
‘It just amazes me that there’s not more support out there,’ he said.
‘We actually have a silent support… that’s probably how I won [the election],’ Trump said.
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The numbers have even been reported by one of Trump’s most favourable media organisations, Fox.
The poll, conducted by the Washington Post, ABC and Ipsos, found that just 39% of Americans approve of Trump’s leadership, with a whopping 60% saying they didn’t.
The US President has just 39% of Americans’ approval (Picture: AP)
The lowest ever Presidential approval rating was Harry Truman, who had only 22% of Americans approve of his leadership in 1952, due to the Korean War, firing a popular general and economic issues.
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Trump’s approval rating could be tanking for any number of reasons, but immigration appears to be a major one.
58% of those surveyed said they don’t approve of how Trump is dealing with illegal immigration, with 57% saying they disagree with his economic deals.
One catalyst for that shift in approval could be the Jeffrey Epstein files – an issue which Trump campaigned on, promising to release them in full, before calling the matter ‘pretty boring stuff’.
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The files were eventually released, but Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the matter has been under scrutiny as well.
The Epstein drama, Charlie Kirk’s murder in September, tariffs, and a press conference claiming paracetamol was linked to autism in children also sowed seeds of doubt in Trump’s followers.
Hospitality has the highest rates of low pay of any industry in Northern Ireland,
Claudia Savage Press Association
09:41, 26 Feb 2026
Northern Ireland has the second-highest rate of low pay in the UK, a report has found.
Low pay in the region was increasing, despite some overall falls, according to analysis of the ONS’ Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) by the Living Wage Foundation.
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Overall rates of below real living wage pay fell to 17.3% from 20.1% in 2024, but Northern Ireland continues to have one of the highest rates of low pay, second only to the north-east of England.
The real living wage is independently calculated based on the cost of living and is £13.85 across the UK and £14.80 in London, slightly higher than the Government’s legal minimum (national living wage) of £12.21.
Hospitality has the highest rates of low pay of any industry in Northern Ireland, with nearly three in four (72%) jobs paid below the real living wage, up 11.7 percentage points from 2024 and higher than the UK average of 53%.
Wholesale and retail have the highest number of low-paid jobs of any industry in the region, with 62,000 paid below the real living wage, up 7% on 2024.
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Young people in Northern Ireland are more likely to be low paid than any other age group.
In 2025, nearly three in four workers aged 18-21 were paid less than the real living wage.
Causeway Coast and Glens, where 29% of jobs are paid below the real living wage, is the council area with the highest rate of low pay in Northern Ireland and has the 15th highest rate across the whole of the UK.
To date, 211 businesses in Northern Ireland have signed up to pay the real living wage, uplifting the salaries of more than 5,000 workers.
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Mary McManus, Living Wage NI regional manager, said the overall reduction in low-paid jobs was encouraging but “the reality is stark: we still have the second-highest rate of low-paid jobs in the UK”.
Fiona Magee, interim chief executive, Advice NI, said her organisation sees “every day the impact low pay has on people in work who are still struggling to meet basic costs, turning to advice services for support with debt, housing and making ends meet”.
“Low pay is a key driver of financial stress and in-work poverty. While the rate of low pay in Northern Ireland has fallen slightly, we still have too many people on low pay,” she said.
In 2024, Advice NI launched Living Wage NI, a partnership with the Living Wage Foundation funded by the Department for the Economy NI.
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Kevin Miller, 70, admitted causing death by careless driving after mum-of-one Rebecca Ableman, 30, was struck by unsecured equipment
A lorry driver has pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving after a mother pushing a pram was fatally struck by crane equipment hanging from a trailer.
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Rebecca Ableman, 30, was out with her two-year-old daughter, Autumn in Willingham, Cambridgeshire, in September 2022 when she was struck on the head.
Kevin Miller, 70, had been driving the vehicle with its equipment inadequately secured, meaning it was “plainly potentially lethal”, a jury was told at a trial last year, which had to be abandoned due to insufficient time for witnesses.
Miller was due to stand trial again today for causing death by dangerous driving, however the prosecution accepted an alternative charge of causing death by careless driving.
He responded: “Guilty”, when presented with the new charge, which had been raised as a possibility the previous day, said the prosecution. “We considered this with obviously the police, with the expert witnesses who were to have to give evidence, and with, of course, Miss Ableman’s family,” said Prosecutor William Carter, reported the Mail.
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“I had a meeting this morning with the CPS. It has been decided, after a great deal of consideration with everyone, that that plea is acceptable.”
Judge Matthew Lowe reportedly told Peterborough Crown Court that sentencing would be adjourned until April 14 to allow a report to be prepared by the Probation Service, with Miller released on unconditional baill, reports the Mirror. However, the judge cautioned him to expect a custodial sentence, stating: “The custody threshold is met in this case.”
Mr Miller had been transporting scrap metal from King’s Lynn docks to two Network Rail depots in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex and March, Cambridgeshire on September 22, Mr Carter had informed the trial the previous year.
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The court heard that the loose, unsecured crane equipment shifted from its original position, hanging over the edge of both the trailer and the footpath in Willingham.
Ms Ableman had just left a farm shop in Station Road with her daughter Autumn when she was struck by the moving lorry at just before 11.15am.
The NHS healthcare assistant sustained “very serious head and brain injuries”, Mr Carter stated on the opening day of the trial. Ms Ableman died three weeks later on October 16 from a traumatic brain injury whilst in the Neuro ICU at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
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She had been planning to marry her partner Chris Tuczemskyi, Autumn’s father, who spoke of his devastation in the wake of the tragedy. Chris said: “We planned to get married but life got in the way. It’s tough, especially with Autumn. They were so close.”
GENEVA (AP) — Iran and the United States prepared to meet Thursday in Geneva for nuclear negotiations viewed as a last chance for diplomacy as America has gathered a fleet of aircraft and warships to the Middle East to pressure Tehran into a deal.
U.S. President Donald Trump wants a deal to constrain Iran’s nuclear program, and he sees an opportunity while the country is struggling at home with growing dissent following nationwide protests last month. Iran meanwhile has maintained it wants to continue to enrich uranium even as its program sits in ruins, following Trump ordering an attack in June on three of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear sites, part of a bruising 12-day war last year.
If an American attack happens, Iran has said all U.S. military bases in the Mideast would be considered legitimate targets, putting at risk tens of thousands of American service members. Iran has also threatened to attack Israel, meaning a regional war again could erupt across the Middle East.
“There would be no victory for anybody — it would be a devastating war,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told India Today in an interview filmed Wednesday just before he flew to Geneva.
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“Since the Americans’ bases are scattered through different places in the region, then unfortunately perhaps the whole region would be engaged and be involved, so it is a very terrible scenario.”
Geneva talks will be the third meeting since June war
Araghchi again will sit across from Steve Witkoff, a billionaire real estate developer and friend of Trump who serves as a special Mideast envoy for the president. The two men held multiple rounds of talks last year that collapsed after Israel launched its war against Iran in June. These latest talks are again being mediated by Oman, a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula that’s long served as an interlocutor between Iran and the West.
Araghchi met Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi after arriving in Geneva on Wednesday night. The men “reviewed the views and proposals that the Iranian side will present to reach an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, based on the guiding principles agreed upon in the previous round of negotiations,” a report from the state-run Oman News Agency said. Al-Busaidi will pass on Iran’s offer to American officials on Thursday, it added.
An Associated Press journalist saw al-Busaidi after he met with the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog. The Omani diplomat flashed a thumbs up to a question about whether he was hopeful for the talks.
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Al-Busaidi returned Thursday to the Omani diplomatic residence on the shores of Lake Geneva . A convoy believed to be carrying American diplomats later arrived to the compound, followed by another believed to be carrying Iranian diplomats.
In this round of negotiations after the June war, Trump has pushed to halt Iran’s enrichment of uranium entirely, as well as address Tehran’s ballistic missile program and its support of regional militant forces. Iran has maintained the talks must remain focused only on nuclear issues.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Wednesday that Iran is “always trying to rebuild elements” of its nuclear program. He said that Tehran is not enriching uranium right now, “but they’re trying to get to the point where they ultimately can.”
The West and the IAEA say Iran had a nuclear weapons program until 2003. Before the June attack, it had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.
U.S. intelligence agencies assess that Iran has yet to restart a weapons program, but has “undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so.” While insisting its program is peaceful, Iranian officials have threatened to pursue the bomb in recent years.
“The principle’s very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.
Vance said Trump is “sending those negotiators to try to address that problem” and “wants to address that problem diplomatically.”
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“But, of course, the president has other options as well,” Vance added.
Threat of military action sparks war fears
If the talks fail, uncertainty hangs over the timing of any possible attack.
If the aim of potential military action is to pressure Iran to make concessions in nuclear negotiations, it’s not clear whether limited strikes would work. If the goal is to remove Iran’s leaders, that will likely commit the U.S. to a larger, longer military campaign. There has been no public sign of planning for what would come next, including the potential for chaos in Iran.
There is also uncertainty about what any military action could mean for the wider region. Tehran could retaliate against the American-allied nations of the Persian Gulf or Israel. Oil prices have risen in recent days in part due to those concerns, with benchmark Brent crude now about $70 a barrel. Iran in the last round of talks said it briefly halted traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes.
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Satellite photos shot Tuesday and Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC and analyzed by the AP appeared to show that American vessels typically docked in Bahrain, the home of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, were all out at sea. The 5th Fleet referred questions to the U.S. military’s Central Command, which declined to comment. Before Iran’s attack on Qatar in June, the 5th Fleet similarly scattered its ships at sea to protect against a potential attack.
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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Melanie Lidman from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.
Writing for the Daily Record, Joani Reid, the Labour MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, paid tribute to the women who forced a u-turn by the SNP Government.
This marks a real turning point for the survivors of child sex abuse and exploitation in Scotland.
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For almost a year they were told that reviews were enough. That existing processes would look at the issue. That there was no need for a full public inquiry. They knew that was not good enough.
They asked for a inquiry with full legal powers. And they kept asking. They refused to give up.
Now they have it. This is their victory.
It should never have required this level of pressure. Women who had already endured appalling abuse found themselves fighting a second battle – this time simply to be heard and believed. Some were dismissed. Some were criticised. On social media SNP hangers on called them racist and attention seekers. All they were asking for was transparency and accountability.
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For almost a year, the SNP defended its position and resisted calls for a full investigation. Survivors and campaigners kept pushing. Public confidence was strained. Eventually the Government shifted. The First Minister has now agreed to a full public inquiry with teeth. People will make up their own minds about why on earth it took so much effort to get here.
An inquiry under the Inquiries Act carries real force. It can compel witnesses to give evidence. It can demand documents. It can scrutinise the actions of Police Scotland, local authorities and government in public. That matters.
Because this is not only about the crimes themselves. It is about whether warning signs were missed, whether vulnerable girls were believed or dismissed and whether those who should protect women and girls acted when concerns were raised.
Survivors are not looking for revenge. They want the truth established. They want accountability where it is due. They want to know that no other girl in Scotland will be failed in the same way.
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That is the minimum they are owed.
There is also a responsibility now on ministers to ensure this process is thorough and independent. The inquiry must proceed at pace. It must not be narrowed or diluted. It must follow the evidence wherever it leads, without fear or favour.
The courage of these women has brought Scotland to this point. They spoke up when it would have been easier to stay silent. They stood firm when they were doubted.
The centre received an unannounced inspection in January and came out with superb marks with the centre receiving ‘very good’ in two categories and ‘good’ in two others.
A Wishaw nursery has been hailed in a new report from the Care Inspectorate.
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Craigneuk Family Learning Centre received an unannounced inspection in January and came out with superb marks with the centre receiving ‘very good’ in two categories and ‘good’ in two others.
The report states: “The vision, values and aims of the service were clearly embedded and consistently reflected in the nurturing, responsive and inclusive practice observed throughout the inspection.
“Leaders had taken an inclusive approach to developing the settings vision and values by consulting with staff, children and families about what was important to them. This supported staff to provide the care and support children needed to flourish.
“Leaders had created conditions where staff felt empowered and confident to lead and initiate change. Staff worked well as a team and demonstrated a commitment to provide a high quality service.
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“They were motivated, enthusiastic and spoke positively of how continuous professional development, including using current guidance and research helped to inform their practice.
“Children’s health and wellbeing was supported through daily outdoor play opportunities. We asked the service to monitor the temperature of the playroom when children were moving freely between indoor and outdoor spaces.
“Children enjoyed playing with water, bikes and construction toys outdoors.”
Inspectors suggested the centre should continue to review outdoor play spaces, through consultation with children, to provide challenges that would support their holistic development. This could include opportunities for adventurous play.
The report also said the children within the setting were having fun and were engaged in their learning.
The report adds: “Staff were knowledgeable and demonstrated a good understanding of what children need to learn and develop. They were responsive to children and interacted in a way that supported their thinking and learning.
“Children’s numeracy and literacy skills were promoted through varied approaches. Children enjoyed listening to stories and singing with staff.
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“The use of props helped aid fun and enjoyment, whilst helping to support language development.
“Children experienced warm, caring and nurturing interactions that helped them feel safe and secure. Staff were gentle and nurturing, narrating and talking to children throughout routines and experiences.
“Relationships with families were strong, respectful and meaningful. Staff valued their connections with families and strived to create a warm, welcoming and inclusive environment, which was mindful of cultural sensitivity and accessibility.”
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Since the last inspection the service had underwent extensive refurbishment. This included replacing flooring, painting playrooms and reviewing the layout of all playrooms.
The setting was bright, clean and well maintained, which was contributing towards a warm, safe and well looked after environment.
“We are not contenders to be in the top five,” Emery said last month.
“There are other teams with more potential than us.”
That was followed by silence when he was asked why other teams had more Champions League potential than Villa.
Yet Villa have continued to outstrip expectation after making their worst start to a Premier League season in 28 years with just two points and no goals after four games.
Having taken them to the Champions League for the first time since 1982-83, when it was the European Cup – and then to last season’s quarter-finals – workaholic Emery has transformed Villa.
Of the managers who have taken charge of more than 100 Premier League games, he sits 10th, having earned 1.8 points per game during his 179 games with Arsenal and Villa.
And of the nine above him, only Mikel Arteta, who succeeded Emery at the Gunners, is not a title winner, with Pep Guardiola top on 2.28 points per game.
He drives the players, meticulously planning, and while Villa’s performances have not been exceptional this season, they have found ways to win consistently.
According to Opta, Villa should be 12th – they have an expected points score of 33.8 – demonstrating how Emery has got them overperforming.
He is now doing it without Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans and captain John McGinn after losing all three to injury last month while battling financial restrictions as Villa look to comply with Premier League and Uefa rules.
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Emery is also trying to end Villa’s 30-year trophy drought, with winning the Europa League a real possibility.
“We are setting our standards high and sometimes we can become frustrated because we are not achieving during the process some results,” Emery said.
“But overall, our consistency is still there and our demand is still there.
“If we are third, it is because we are being consistent and we are being demanding.
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“Of course, maybe we can change something but tactically and in our idea of how we are building the team, everything we built before makes sense.
“It is not easy now to change everything. No, it is completely wrong if we are feeling that.”
It comes after a shocking brawl occurred during the under-14s match between Aberkenfig BGC and Trefelin BGC
Adults throw punches at kids’ football match as children try to stop violence
Adults involved in a shocking brawl which saw them throw punches during an under-14s match in Bridgend have been banned for life following the conclusion of an internal investigation.
The match, held at Coleg Cymunedol Y Ddderwen in Tondu, was abandoned by the referee after fighting continued for around 90 seconds.
Onlookers could be heard shouting “it’s just a game” and “you’ve got your boys watching” as several adults grappled and threw punches.
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Both clubs confirmed over the weekend that internal investigations were under way. Trefelin BGC has now announced its investigation had concluded, with individuals involved handed lifetime bans.
In a statement posted on social media, the club said: “Following the incident on the weekend an internal investigation has been conducted and individuals involved have been handed a life ban by Trefelin BGC.
“Further investigations are in the hands of the relevant governing bodies.
“We will not be making any further comments.”
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Aberkenfig BGC previously described themselves as “extremely disappointed” by the incident and apologised to match officials, players and the wider football community, confirming they would compile a full report for the relevant authorities.
In a statement released on Sunday evening, Trefelin BGC said: “As a club we have been made aware of an incident on social media.
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“Trefelin BGC certainly don’t condone this behaviour and are awaiting reports from the relevant match and league officials.
“We are also conducting an internal investigation. Updates will be made in due course.”
The governing bodies are now understood to be examining the matter, with potential further sanctions possible following their review.
The incident is believed to have occurred shortly after a player was sent off late in the game, though both clubs have now stressed that investigations are ongoing.
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The footage prompted widespread condemnation online, with many expressing concern at the example set in front of young players.
Further updates are expected once the governing bodies conclude their inquiries.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has delivered the State of the Union. Now the challenge for him is to make that message stick.
His address Tuesday was a declaration of pride in the achievements of his still-young second term, as he boasted of an economic renaissance at home while he’s imposed a new world order abroad. Trump is getting his first opportunity to test drive that midterm year message later this week, when he travels to Texas, where the Latino voters whose shift toward Trump in his successful 2024 reelection campaign highlighted how he had reshaped the Republican coalition.
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President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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The White House aims to promote that message to a broader electorate that’s largely disenchanted with Trump’s job performance, while a looming conflict in the Middle East threatens to shift focus from his domestic priorities. Trump also has a proclivity to go off-script during political rallies, such as during a speech last week in Rome, Georgia, asserting he’s “solved” affordability when high prices remain a chief concern for voters.
Still, the themes of economic prosperity and a more secure America that Trump emphasized in his 108-minute speech Tuesday will underpin the broader narrative he and his fellow Republicans will seek to sell to voters this November. A slew of Cabinet officials — including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins — blanketed the airwaves Wednesday, promoting the highlights from Trump’s address.
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“This is going to be setting the tone for the following year,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who has close ties with Trump, told The Associated Press.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., arrives before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., arrives before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
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Trump is known for being a master of the ‘big moments’
Presidents often travel immediately after delivering the State of the Union to amplify their agenda. President Joe Biden, for instance, went to swing states such as Wisconsin and Pennsylvania the day after his speech in the last two years of his term.
Vice President JD Vance will be first to hit the road with a Thursday visit to a Wisconsin factory. Trump won’t leave the Washington area until Friday, when he heads to Texas, to talk about the economy and energy policies just days ahead of the state’s March 3 congressional primaries. On the day after the State of the Union, the president will spend much of his time participating in meetings at the White House, including policy sessions and a sit-down with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
But Trump — who wove a series of made-for-social media surprises into his address — is known for being able to command attention in a fractured news environment, and he’s likely to find other ways to break through aside from the usual post-State of the Union blitz.
“Donald Trump is a master at the big moments, so he obviously cares a lot about how the speech goes, but what he cares a lot about are the clips that get replayed over and over again from the State of the Union,” said Austin Cantrell, who served as an assistant White House press secretary in Trump’s first term.
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Cantrell, who’s now with the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based firm Bridge Public Affairs, said: “I don’t expect this to be some Aaron Sorkin-esque, perfectly choreographed post-State of the Union media fan-out.”
Six years ago, it was Trump’s move to award conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, that surprised the audience. Tuesday’s address — record-breaking in its length — included similar attention-grabbing moments. He said he’d give the same honor to Connor Hellebuyck, goaltender for the U.S. men’s hockey team, fresh off winning a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy. Trump called Hellebuyck and his teammates into the House chamber, where they were greeted with applause.
White House says Trump will get out on the trail for his party
Trump also used his speech to roll out new proposals to address affordability concerns, while castigating Democrats for opposing policies he said have led to a more prosperous, safer America. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, in Democrats’ response, argued costs remain high for many Americans and families are still struggling under Trump’s policies.
Trump called on both parties to “protect American citizens, not illegal aliens,” and pushed for measures to limit mail-in ballots and tighten voter identification rules, while warning about the dangers of unchecked, illegal migration.
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“I do think a lot of the success outlined in the State of the Union will be a part of the Republican message in the fall,” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., another close Trump ally, told the AP, pointing to the GOP’s achievements on tax policy and border security. “As far as the president is concerned, I think he’ll be anxious to get on the road and talk about the success.”
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., speaks to members of the media at the Capitol, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
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Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., speaks to members of the media at the Capitol, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
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Senior White House officials have promised that Trump will travel the country regularly until the midterms. He so far has hit critical battleground states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and North Carolina on his economy tour, but he also traveled to reliably conservative Iowa and the congressional district of former Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. He has boosted candidates — in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, he bantered with Republican Michael Whatley and promoted his Senate run — while sometimes veering far away from the economic points the trips are meant to emphasize.
Just the optics of leaving Washington can help telegraph to voters that a president cares about connecting with them. Edward Frantz, a historian at the University of Indianapolis, said Herbert Hoover — an engineer, self-made millionaire and technocrat — believed he could solve the nation’s ills by working with his team in isolation and rarely leaving Washington. That led to a perception among voters that Hoover simply didn’t care, because they didn’t see him connecting with Americans.
“If you think about a call and response … the call is the State of the Union, and if you really do care about being in touch with others, then what’s the response?” Frantz said. “The best way to be able to see that is by hitting the road.”
How Americans feel about Trump has remained relatively stable throughout his second term, making it unlikely that one speech will meaningfully shift the way he’s perceived. His approval rating has changed very little during his second term, Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling has found, falling only slightly from 42% in March 2025 to 36% in early February.
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Nevertheless, the annual address offers Trump the chance to reframe his message, just as it has for presidents who came before him.
Presidential historian Timothy Naftali pointed out that in 1996, Bill Clinton used his State of the Union to set the themes of his Democratic reelection campaign. After George W. Bush’s midterm drubbing in November 2006, the Republican struck a noticeably more conciliatory tone toward the new Democratic leadership that had just taken charge on Capitol Hill.
“The State of the Union, they’re less important than they once were because with a president like Trump, he’s always available,” said Naftali, a senior research scholar at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. “But the State of the Union is an opportunity to reset the president’s agenda or to reaffirm it, and resetting an agenda in the social media era is different from resetting it in previous times.”
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Associated Press polling editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this report.
