Year: 2026

On February 15, 2026, Rep. Thomas Massie told ABC’s This Week that President Donald Trump remains “in with the Epstein class,” calling the White House “the Epstein administration” amid a fight over Jeffrey Epstein files. Massie, a co‑sponsor of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi for refusing clear answers about redactions and the Justice Department’s partial release of documents. He accused powerful figures named in the files of mounting political attacks to suppress disclosure and said Trump’s allies have targeted him in retaliation. Massie framed his campaign for fuller transparency as the reason for the feud. (realclearpolitics.com)

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned President Trump that while an aircraft carrier is a dangerous tool, “more dangerous than the aircraft carrier is the weapon that can send this warship to the bottom of the sea.” (aa.com.tr) He made the threat on February 17 addressing supporters in East Azerbaijan province as indirect nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington resumed in Geneva. (presstv.ir) The comments came amid an expanded U.S. naval presence, including the USS Abraham Lincoln and reports the USS Gerald R. Ford could deploy, (washingtonpost.com) and after Iran launched live missiles and briefly closed the Strait of Hormuz for drills. (apnews.com)

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said President Donald Trump “will not succeed” in destroying the Islamic Republic, delivering the warning as indirect U.S.–Iran nuclear talks began in Geneva. Khamenei framed the remark as a response to recent U.S. threats and blunt presidential statements, rejecting pressure and vowing resistance. His comments coincided with Iranian live-fire missile drills that temporarily closed the Strait of Hormuz and a heightened U.S. military presence in the region. Geneva meetings, mediated by Oman, involve Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. envoys as both sides probe whether diplomacy can avert further escalation and avoid war. (moneycontrol.com)

Speaking Feb. 17, 2026 as indirect nuclear talks opened in Geneva, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned President Donald Trump that the United States “will not succeed” in destroying Iran, dismissing U.S. military threats and saying weapons could send U.S. warships “to the bottom of the sea.” The remarks coincided with Iranian live-fire missile drills in the Strait of Hormuz and a rising U.S. military buildup in the region, including carrier deployments. Iranian state media said the Geneva talks would focus only on nuclear issues; Tehran insists on sovereignty and rejects predetermining outcomes as negotiators met via Omani mediation. (apnews.com)

President Trump, asked aboard Air Force One about reports that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her top aide Corey Lewandowski are in a romantic relationship, said, “I don’t know about that. I mean, I haven’t heard that. I’ll find out about it, but I have not heard.” The alleged affair — which both deny — has been described as the “worst-kept secret” in Washington. Reporting says the pair frequently traveled together on government aircraft and provoked internal DHS disputes over staffing and resource use. A department spokesperson called the coverage “salacious, baseless gossip.” Media accounts include pilot and travel anecdotes reported by news outlets. (rollcall.com)

On February 17, 2026, President Donald Trump said he did not believe Iran wanted to “deal with the consequences of not getting a deal,” signaling pressure ahead of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva. Trump said he would be indirectly involved while envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff attend negotiations mediated by Oman. He stressed a preference for diplomacy but ordered a U.S. military buildup in the region, warning of “steep” consequences if talks fail. Iranian officials describe willingness to negotiate conditioned on sanctions relief. The comments came amid heightened tensions, recent naval incidents and resumed IAEA engagement with Tehran. (axios.com)

On February 3, 2026 President Donald Trump said the Justice Department’s recently released Jeffrey Epstein files “fully clear” him of any wrongdoing, declaring “nothing came out about me” and urging the country to move on. The DOJ had disclosed millions of pages under the Epstein Files Transparency Act after an internal FBI/DOJ review found no incriminating “client list” or evidence to predicate investigations of uncharged third parties. Critics — including lawmakers and survivors — say heavy redactions and missing records leave serious questions, and they continue to press congressional oversight and calls for fuller disclosure and accountability and transparency now. (yahoo.com)

President Trump on February 17, 2026 told reporters aboard Air Force One that he has “been totally exonerated” of any link to Jeffrey Epstein after the Justice Department released a large tranche of Epstein-related files; he said investigators “found just the opposite” of what critics expected. (thedailybeast.com) The released documents, the DOJ cautioned, include public tips and some “untrue and sensationalist” claims and many redactions. (justice-integrity.org) Among the disclosures is an FBI interview with a woman alleging abuse involving Epstein and naming other prominent men. (thedailybeast.com) Democrats including Hillary Clinton have demanded faster, fuller disclosures and accused the administration of slow-walking the files. (ndtv.com)

President Trump ordered the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to leave the Caribbean and head to the Middle East, sending a second carrier strike group into waters near Iran ahead of crunch negotiations. (washingtonpost.com) The Ford will join the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group as Washington and Tehran resume indirect nuclear talks in Geneva. (apnews.com) Trump warned that diplomacy must succeed or the U.S. is prepared to use force, declaring, “If we don’t have a deal, we’ll need it.” (israelhayom.com) U.S. officials say the deployment, ordered despite maintenance concerns, is intended as pressure on Iran and could take weeks to arrive. (washingtonpost.com)

President Trump ordered USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group to the Middle East, joining USS Abraham Lincoln and creating a second carrier group near Iran as diplomacy resumed. The Ford, recently operating in the Caribbean, will take roughly three weeks to reach the region, a move intended to pressure Tehran ahead of U.S.-Iran talks mediated by Oman. The deployment comes despite Navy warnings about the Ford’s maintenance needs and follows recent incidents, including a U.S. jet shooting down an Iranian drone and Tehran’s naval drills. Officials say the show of force aims to strengthen U.S. leverage in negotiations. (washingtonpost.com)