What Did They Say?

On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran — codenamed "Epic Fury" by the Pentagon and "Roaring Lion" by Israel — striking nuclear facilities, missile sites, and government compounds across Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah. By Day 2, CENTCOM confirmed over 1,000 targets had been hit, and Iranian state media acknowledged that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed along with dozens of senior officials. Iran retaliated by launching waves of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, US military bases, and Gulf states including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, killing three US service members and eight people in Israel. Hezbollah broke its November 2024 ceasefire by firing rockets at northern Israel, the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted, and Middle Eastern airspace was largely closed. In Congress, bipartisan war powers resolutions were introduced with votes expected as early as March 4, while Trump said the operation was "ahead of schedule" and could take "four weeks or less." As of March 1, strikes continued with international calls for ceasefire from the UN, China, and others, while Oman offered mediation and Iran signaled openness to de-escalation.

During a nearly two-hour appearance on Dan Bongino's podcast on February 2, 2026, President Trump called on Republicans to "take over" and "nationalize" voting in at least 15 unspecified places, claiming without evidence that noncitizens were being brought to the country to vote illegally. The remarks drew bipartisan pushback, with legal experts noting such a move would contradict the Constitution's elections clause, which delegates election administration to state governments. The comments came days after the FBI executed a search warrant at a Fulton County, Georgia election office seeking 2020 election records.

On January 28, 2026, the FBI executed a search warrant at Fulton County's Elections Hub in Georgia seeking records from the 2020 election. The warrant cites potential violations of election record retention and election official fraud statutes. This follows Fulton County's December 2025 admission that tabulator tapes weren't properly signed and some documents were misplaced. The search comes as FBI Director Kash Patel pursues investigations aligned with Trump's claims about the 2020 election.

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and officials from Germany, Netherlands, UK, and South Africa are calling for boycotts of World Cup 2026 matches in the United States. A German poll shows 47% support boycott if Trump annexes Greenland; 150,000+ Dutch citizens signed a petition. Concerns center on Trump's Greenland stance, immigration enforcement, and expanded travel bans affecting fans from Senegal, Ivory Coast, Iran, and Haiti. FIFA President Infantino urges separating sport from politics.

The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group with 5,000+ troops is heading to the Middle East amid reports that US military action against Iran could come within 24 hours. The buildup follows mass protests in Iran where UN officials report at least 5,000 protesters killed by security forces. Iran has warned it will strike US bases in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Turkey if attacked. Trump says Iran "wants to talk" while deploying what he calls a "massive fleet."

President Trump announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he has a framework deal with NATO for US control of Greenland, drawing criticism from European leaders and fueling international tensions. The expansionist push has prompted boycott discussions for World Cup 2026 and strained transatlantic relations.