Reports indicate President Trump and allies are considering major federal actions ahead of the 2026 midterms, including a draft executive order tightening voting rules and renewed legal battles over election control, while the SAVE Act has stalled in the Senate due to Republican divisions. At the same time, the Supreme Court struck down Trump-era tariffs—triggering massive refund claims—and expanded USPS immunity, immigration enforcement has intensified with DACA deportations, and rising tensions with Iran have prompted embassy drawdowns and war powers disputes in Congress.

President Donald Trump’s record-long State of the Union speech focused on the economy, immigration, tariffs, crime, and foreign policy, portraying his first year back in office as a major national turnaround. However, fact-checkers found dozens of false or misleading claims, especially on the economy and trade. Trump overstated economic decline under President Biden, exaggerated the impact of his tax cuts and tariffs, and falsely claimed tariffs are paid by foreign countries and could replace income taxes. While some data support parts of his message—such as lower border crossings and a drop in homicide rates—other claims about inflation, gas prices, noncitizen voting, drug costs, and foreign policy successes were inaccurate or overstated.

After the Supreme Court of the United States struck down President Trump’s IEEPA-based tariffs, Senate Democrats proposed the Tariff Refund Act of 2026 to return roughly $175 billion in collected duties, prioritizing small businesses. Trump’s approval has fallen to 39%, with about 60% disapproving of his handling of tariffs and inflation, giving Democrats midterm openings in red and battleground states, as Gavin Newsom urged a focus on cost-of-living issues. Meanwhile, courts and foreign policy tensions remain central, including climate litigation before the Supreme Court, Judge Aileen Cannon blocking Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report, renewed trade friction with the EU, rising Iran tensions, and cartel violence in Mexico.

In a 6–3 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), with Chief Justice John Roberts writing that the law was not meant for broad trade policy, leaving up to $200 billion in tariffs and major refund questions unresolved. Trump denounced the decision and quickly announced a new 10% global tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, while signaling he may turn to Section 301 as a fallback, setting up a potential congressional battle near the midterms. At the same time, U.S.–Iran tensions intensified as Trump weighed limited military strikes to push Tehran toward a nuclear deal, prompting bipartisan war powers concerns and raising the risk of wider regional conflict.

This week saw mounting political turbulence: Stephen Colbert accused CBS of caving to regulatory pressure after it refused to air his interview with Senate candidate James Talarico over FCC “equal time” concerns, while UN experts urged independent investigations into the “Epstein Files” and Rep. Ted Lieu called for U.S. action; DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stepped down amid immigration backlash under Secretary Kristi Noem; New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani proposed major tax hikes, pressuring Gov. Kathy Hochul; Sen. Mark Kelly floated a 2028 presidential bid; fierce redistricting battles expanded in states like Texas and Florida; speculation grew about Justice Samuel Alito’s potential retirement as the Court weighs Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump; and rising U.S.–Iran tensions prompted Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna to push for a War Powers vote, underscoring a volatile pre-midterm climate.

A partial DHS shutdown began after Senate Democrats blocked a GOP funding bill over immigration enforcement reforms, leaving thousands of federal workers unpaid while ICE operations and a major new detention center in New York move forward. At the same time, the House passed the SAVE America Act, backed by the Heritage Foundation, requiring proof of citizenship to vote despite only about 99 documented noncitizen voting cases since 1982, intensifying the fight over election access. As Republicans grow nervous about holding the Senate, Democrats push party renewal with figures like Barack Obama urging generational change and Gavin Newsom rising nationally, all against a backdrop of weak job revisions, persistent inflation, and mounting 2026 midterm stakes.

Amid rising fears of a Department of Homeland Security shutdown, Pam Bondi testified that Senate Democrats’ blockade of the DHS funding bill jeopardized national security and border operations, arguing the White House had offered reasonable compromises that were rejected. She framed the standoff as part of broader Democratic obstruction on immigration enforcement and election integrity measures like the SAVE Act, as Congress departed without a deal and shutdown risks escalated.

Mikal sits down with Jackson Franklin, Jackson Franklin is a Democratic candidate running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District (IN-5) in the 2026 election. He’s a 25-year-old progressive, a Staff Sergeant and combat medic in the Indiana Army National Guard, and a nationally registered paramedic who has served since 2019, including a deployment to Kosovo in 2023. Franklin lives in Muncie, originally hailing from nearby Albany, and speaks often about his working-class roots and commitment to public service shaped by his family’s experiences. His grassroots campaign centers on the slogan “People Over Profits,” emphasizing reforming money in politics, expanding healthcare access, and advocating for working families rather than corporate interests. Franklin rejects corporate PAC money, draws inspiration from movements like Bernie Sanders’s campaigns and the Money Out of Politics movement, and focuses on issues such as economic justice, healthcare reform, and democratic accountability as part of his bid to represent IN-5 in Congress.