1. Joint session
All eyes are on Donald Trump’s first address to a joint session of congress, scheduled for this evening.
The president is expected to outline his agenda on topics such as healthcare and immigration, and to celebrate himself for the campaign promises he’s already acted on during his whirlwind first 40 days in office.
2. Thanks, Obama
In an interview with Fox and Friends that aired Tuesday morning, Donald Trump said he thought Barack Obama was to blame for nationwide protests of Trump, and for continued leaks from his administration.
Summary
“You never know what’s exactly happening behind the scenes … I think that President Obama’s behind it because his people are certainly behind it,” Trump said.
There is no evidence that the former president, who has been on vacation and out of the country for much of Trump’s presidency so far, has had any involvement.
3. A zero-sum game
US spending on overseas aid is expected to bear the brunt of dramatic cuts as part of Trump’s plan to increase defense spending by $54bn in his forthcoming budget.
Updated
Not all in the GOP agree.
Foreign Aid is not charity. We must make sure it is well spent, but it is less than 1% of budget & critical to our national security.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 28, 2017
4. Waterworld
Trump signed an executive order Tuesday aimed at unraveling one of Barack Obama’s signature environmental policies, intended to protect American waterways from pollution. The president called the regulation “overreach”.
5. Say it ain't so, DeVos!
Betsy DeVos drew criticism Tuesday for a statement her education department made about historically black colleges and universities. The secretary described them as “real pioneers when it comes to school choice”.
Summary
A number of legislators came out to let DeVos know that school choice, the secretary’s pet issue, was not comparable to the Jim Crow-era racist exclusion that forged the country’s HBCUs.
Read the whole statement. It is BANANAS. Says the solution to school segregation was to build more black only schools. I'm not kidding. https://t.co/MOZ8RyUUfe
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 28, 2017
... also, is this what it’s come to?
When George Bush says he doesn't like the racism and alienation trump has created @tennismatador pic.twitter.com/kvu9eRBbZT
— JuJu MilTank (@SageSation) February 28, 2017
... lastly, speaking of “joint sessions”:
AG Sessions 'warns' of marijuana being sold at every corner grocery store. They teased us with taco trucks and now this! Heartless bastards!
— philip harris (@pharris830) February 28, 2017
