Hey! Imagine government news like a big family meeting where everyone argues about money, safety, and rules—it’s messy, but it affects your daily life, like school funding or airport waits. February 2026 has been super eventful in the U.S. government, mostly under President Trump’s second term. Here’s the top 10 biggest stories explained simply, like chatting with a friend.
- Partial Government Shutdown Hits DHS Hard The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been partially shut down since mid-February because Congress couldn’t agree on funding—blame game between parties over immigration rules. This means TSA airport screening, Coast Guard rescues, and border stuff run on limited resources. Emergency measures kicked in like no special airport escorts, and it drags on into week two with no quick fix.
- Trump Administration Pushes Aggressive Tariffs After the Supreme Court struck down some of his big global tariffs as overreach, President Trump hiked “temporary” import duties to 15% on many goods. This aims to protect U.S. jobs but could raise prices on stuff you buy. It’s part of ongoing trade battles, with more executive orders on tariffs and de minimis rules.
- U.S.-Iran Tensions and Nuclear Talks The admin is prepping possible military strikes on Iran while also doing diplomacy—talks in Geneva, but Trump called it an “obsession” to counter threats. Aircraft carriers moved in, and Iran’s doing naval drills. It’s high-stakes foreign policy that could impact oil prices and global safety.
- Military Strikes Against ISIS in Syria U.S. forces hit over 30 ISIS targets with airstrikes in early February under Operation Hawkeye Strike. This follows attacks on American troops late last year—it’s retaliation to keep terrorists in check without full ground war.
- Immigration Enforcement and Refugee Detentions DHS memos allow indefinite detention for rescreening refugees and migrants without green cards. Cities like Chicago fight back against ICE operations. Protests continue nationwide over crackdowns, and some states see softer approaches in places like Minnesota.
- Trump’s Business Ties and Net Worth Surge Reports show the President’s net worth jumped billions since returning to office, thanks to crypto ventures like World Liberty Financial and real estate deals. Critics call it unprecedented profiteering from the presidency—big questions about conflicts of interest.
- FY 2026 Budget Finally Wrapped (Mostly) Congress passed most of the delayed budget after a long fight, funding Defense, Health, Education, etc.—but DHS got shortchanged, leading to the shutdown. Expect more battles ahead for next year’s spending.
- Supreme Court and Redistricting Battles Cases on congressional maps (like New York’s) heat up, with Democrats pushing redraws for fairer minority representation. SCOTUS might decide soon, affecting 2026 midterms.
- Economic Outlook and GDP Slowdown Q4 2025 GDP grew slowly at 1.4% partly from prior shutdown effects, but inflation ticked up. CBO projects big deficits ahead—tariffs help cut some, but overall spending pushes debt higher.
- Other Wins and Moves California cracked down on “claim shark” companies charging vets for help; NASA reauthorization bill advanced; and Trump signed orders on things like coal power for national defense and critical minerals to counter China.
These stories show a government focused on borders, trade, security, and big economic shifts—lots of drama, but it’s shaping jobs, prices, and safety. Politics is like a game with real stakes, so stay informed and think about how it hits your wallet or future.
