AFFORDABILITY AND PROSPERITY: Republican strategists are launching a new, seven-figure funded nonprofit focused on making the case to voters that Republican policies make America more affordable. The Coalition for Affordability and Prosperity will be led by Chuck Flint, former chief of staff to Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.), and it will make a formal launch next week.
PENTAGON AI FIGHT: Congress is looking into the public feud between the Department of War and Anthropic, with widespread skepticism from Congressional Republicans towards Anthropic’s demands to restrict the use of its tools. Sources tell the Washington Reporter to expect oversight from the relevant committees, including the Senate Armed Services Committee.
PRIMARY SEASON: While Texas has received most of the attention, Arkansas and North Carolina are also holding primaries next Tuesday, March 3. Expect big wins from incumbent Republicans in each state. The Washington Reporter will be ramping up our election coverage as more primaries come.
4
Exclusives
Rep. Al Green (D., Texas) continued his annual tradition of getting escorted off of the House floor during a State of the Union address by President Donald Trump.
Green, who is poised to lose renomination in his party’s primary next week, was taken off the floor after he displayed a sign reading that “black people aren’t apes.”
Green’s actions, widely derided as a publicity stunt, received immediate condemnation. Rep. Steve Scalise (R., La.), the House GOP’s Majority Leader, told the Washington Reporter that “decorum matters, especially during one of the most important proceedings in our system of government.”
5
Scoops
President Donald Trump embraced Republicans on his way to the podium Tuesday night before delivering his hour and 47 minute State of the Union speech, flanked by Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) and Vice President JD Vance.
Trump entered the arena ready to deliver a verbal record of the wins that his administration has stacked in the last year.
“When I last spoke in this chamber 12 months ago, I had just inherited a nation in crisis, with a stagnant economy, inflation at record levels, a wide-open border, horrendous recruitment for military and police, rampant crime at home, and wars and chaos all over the world,” he said. “But tonight, after just one year, I can say with dignity and pride that we have achieved a transformation like no one has ever seen before, and a turnaround for the ages. It is indeed a turnaround for the ages.”
6
Scoops
Hours before President Donald Trump showcased the stark differences between the parties on the issue of illegal immigration, the Republican Study Committee (RSC) invited Angel Families to speak about the dangers posed by years of America’s open borders.
“We need help,” Angel Mom Boni Driskill said, while flanked by RSC members. “I see other families who lose their loved ones in the most horrific ways, over and over and over, everything from rape, homicide, any other ugly thing you can imagine. Why do we have to keep seeing this? It’s like a revolving door. Those borders need to be closed. People need to be arrested or sent back to the country of their origin, where they have prisons for them.”
During Trump’s historic State of the Union (SOTU) address, he announced that February 22 will be National Angel Family Day, which “honors the families who have suffered the loss of a loved one due to crimes committed by illegal immigrants,” as Rep. Stephanie Bice (R., Okla.) noted.
7
Op-Eds
Today, Vice President JD Vance will visit a machining facility in Plover, Wisconsin — a fitting place to celebrate the resurgence of American manufacturing and our great economic comeback under President Trump’s leadership.
Here in the Badger State, manufacturing isn’t just an industry. It’s a way of life. It’s the backbone of our communities, the source of good-paying jobs, and a proud tradition passed down through generations of skilled workers.
Vice President Vance’s visit comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, which made clear that America is back on track after years of economic hardship. And nowhere is that comeback more evident than right here in Wisconsin.
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Op-Eds
Whether you’re a waitress in Tamaqua, a doctor in Danville, a farmer in Lebanon, a senior in Williamsport living on a fixed income, a small business owner in Bloomsburg, or finishing a shift at a coal mine in Schuylkill County, President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have remained focused on delivering policies that put the American worker and family first.
Because of the Working Families Tax Cuts, families across Pennsylvania’s 9th District are seeing real results. Bigger paychecks. Less taxes. Lower energy costs. A stronger Main Street economy. In 2025, we set the policies. In 2026, we deliver the payoff, and if we keep the current team in place to finish the job, that success will continue into the years ahead.
The Biden years: Inflation, deficits, waste, and decline — now is time for the Trump turnaround
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Op-Eds
As I reflect on President Donald Trump’s recent State of the Union Address, it’s clear we are witnessing the most consequential president of our lifetime.
President Trump inherited a nation in serious decline after years of failed policies under former President Joe Biden and his administration. Our country was being taken advantage of by foreign adversaries: China, Russia, Venezuela, and others — and even by long-time strategic allies who started to doubt our standing in the world.
President Trump’s leadership has truly put our nation back on the right track and has done so at a breakneck pace. It’s been truly impressive to witness.
