Mark Carroll's Journal

Posted by Matt Kiser

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/23/day-1861/

Today in one sentence: The European Union demanded that the U.S. honor last summer’s EU-U.S. trade deal, saying “a deal is a deal,” after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s emergency tariffs and he moved to replace them with new, temporary global levies; U.S. economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter, with real GDP up at a 1.4% annual rate; a federal judge permanently blocked the Justice Department from releasing Volume II of former special counsel Jack Smith’s final report on Trump’s handling of classified records at Mar-a-Lago; the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy that could decide whether cities and states can sue fossil fuel companies for climate-damages in state court under state law; 32% of Americans said Trump has had the right priorities, while 68% said he hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems; and 39% of Americans said they approve of Trump’s job performance, while 60% said they disapprove.

1/ The European Union demanded that the U.S. honor last summer’s EU-U.S. trade deal, saying “a deal is a deal,” after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s emergency tariffs and he moved to replace them with new, temporary global levies. The European Commission said it needed “full clarity” on what the Trump administration will do next, insisting EU exporters must have “predictability” and “legal certainty,” with “no increases in tariffs beyond” the deal’s 15% ceiling. Trump responded with a barrage of social media posts, warning: “Any Country that wants to ‘play games’ with the ridiculous supreme court decision […] will be met with a much higher Tariff, and worse […] BUYER BEWARE!!!” He also claimed that “the court has also approved all other Tariffs, of which there are many,” and that they “can all be used in a much more powerful and obnoxious way, with legal certainty,” adding: “As President, I do not have to go back to Congress to get approval of Tariffs. It has already been gotten, in many forms, a long time ago!” After the ruling, Trump announced a 10% across-the-board tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, then said he would raise it to 15%, the legal maximum for a 150-day window without Congress. EU officials and lawmakers said it’s still unclear whether the new 15% rate would honor the deal’s “all-inclusive” ceiling or stack on top of existing U.S. “most-favoured-nation” duties on some products, effectively pushing rates above 15%. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it would stop collecting duties on Tuesday. (Reuters / Associated Press / New York Times / The Guardian / Politico / NBC News / Bloomberg / Washington Post / The Hill / CNBC / New York Times / ABC News / Politico)

• FRIDAY: Trump imposed a new 10% across-the-board tariff on imports after the Supreme Court struck down most of his tariffs. In a 6-3 ruling, the justices said the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which Trump used to impose import levies on goods from nearly all trading partners, doesn’t authorize tariffs. Trump nevertheless said he’d use Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act to replace the voided tariffs, a rarely used authority that caps tariffs at 15% and limits them to 150 days without congressional approval. The administration said other tariff options, including national security tariffs under Section 232 and existing Section 301 duties, would remain in place, while Trump also moved to end duty-free “de minimis” treatment. The court didn’t address whether billions in tariffs must be refunded. (Axios / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News / CNN / Wall Street Journal)

• SATURDAY: Trump said he would raise his new global tariff to 15% less than a day after unveiling a 10% “replacement” levy meant to keep his tariffs alive after the Supreme Court struck down most of his prior duties. The increase would max out Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, a rarely used authority that permits an across-the-board tariff of up to 15% for 150 days unless Congress extends it. The White House, however, hasn’t officially implemented the higher rate. The move would leave a single flat tariff that raises rates for some U.S. partners and lowers them for others, while shielding some trade, including USMCA-covered goods and products already subject to separate national-security tariffs. Trump said the administration would use other, slower trade tools in coming months to impose additional “legally permissible” duties. (New York Times / Politico / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)

2/ U.S. economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter, with real GDP up at a 1.4% annual rate – well below forecasts and down from the prior quarter. The Commerce Department said the 43-day government shutdown cut federal output and likely knocked about 1 percentage point off growth, but also said the full effect “cannot be quantified.” Consumer spending, meanwhile, slowed to 2.4% in Q4 – down from 3.5% in Q3 – while inflation stayed above the Fed’s 2% target, with core PCE up about 3.0% from a year earlier in December. Trump, meanwhile, claimed the shutdown cost the U.S. “at least two points in GDP” and demanded “LOWER INTEREST RATES,” calling Fed Chair Jerome Powell “the WORST.” (CNBC / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press)

• Trump claimed he engineered a historic national turnaround in his first year back in office, but the data showed most trends largely continued from late in the Biden administration. Inflation cooled to 2.4% in January 2026 and border crossings and homicides fell further, but both declines started before he took office. While employment hit a record level, labor-force participation stayed flat, unemployment edged up to 4.3%, and job growth slowed sharply versus the prior year. (New York Times)

3/ A federal judge permanently blocked the Justice Department from releasing Volume II of former special counsel Jack Smith’s final report on Trump’s handling of classified records at Mar-a-Lago. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon said disclosure would create “manifest injustice” and “irreparable damage” to Trump and former co-defendants Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira because the case ended without any adjudication of guilt. She also cited concerns about grand jury secrecy, privilege, and a protective order covering discovery, while pointing to her 2024 ruling that Smith was unlawfully appointed, faulting him for compiling the report after she dismissed the case and calling it a “brazen stratagem.” Trump’s lawyers praised Cannon’s order and said the report “should never see the light of day.” (Associated Press / Reuters / New York Times / NBC News / Politico / Washington Post / Bloomberg / The Hill / CBS News / CNN / ABC News / CNBC)

4/ The Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy that could decide whether cities and states can sue fossil fuel companies for climate-damages in state court under state law. The case stems from a 2018 suit by the city and county of Boulder, Colorado, alleging that the companies “intentionally misled the public” about climate risks. They’re seeking billions for past and future costs tied to climate change impacts like wildfires and flooding. The, however, companies argue the claims are preempted by federal law, including the Clean Air Act, because greenhouse gas emissions and climate policy are “inherently federal” and cross state lines, warning that “Boulder, Colorado, cannot make energy policy for the entire country.” The Trump administration urged the justices to take the case, while Boulder argued states can address in-state harms caused by out-of-state conduct. (Washington Post / Associated Press / Axios / NBC News / The Hill / CBS News)

poll/ 32% of Americans said Trump has had the right priorities, while 68% said he hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems. 38% said Trump’s policies will move the country in the right direction, and 61% said they will move it in the wrong direction. (CNN)

poll/ 39% of Americans said they approve of Trump’s job performance, while 60% said they disapprove, including 47% who said they strongly disapprove. 65% said Trump has gone beyond his authority, while 33% said he has not. 48% said the economy has gotten worse since Trump was inaugurated, while 29% said it has gotten better. 22% said they are personally better off financially, while 33% said worse off and 44% said there has been no change. (Washington Post)

⏭️ Next: Trump will deliver his State of the Union Tuesday at 8:15 p.m. ET. view. The White House said he’s reviewed the speech with a small group of aides, and that Trump has promised “a long speech.” (Wall Street Journal / New York Times)

The 2026 midterms are in 253 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 988 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. Trump said he was sending a “great hospital boat” to Greenland to treat people he claimed were being neglected, even though Greenland and Denmark said they didn’t ask for it and don’t need it. Greenland’s prime minister said “no thank you,” and Denmark’s defense minister said Copenhagen hadn’t been told of any deployment. It’s also unclear what ship could sail, since the Navy’s two hospital ships are in Alabama for maintenance. (New York Times / The Guardian / Washington Post / Associated Press)

2. FCC Chair Brendan Carr asked broadcasters to sign onto a “Pledge America” campaign and air “patriotic, pro-America” content to support the White House’s July 4 Semiquincentennial push, framing it as a civic education effort. Critics, including FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, said it functioned as government pressure on editorial decisions, with added leverage because many broadcasters have FCC approvals and mergers pending. Politico)

3. A giant Trump banner was hung on the Justice Department headquarters, using the DOJ seal and the slogan “MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.” The department said it was a Semiquincentennial display “at President Trump’s direction,” but Democrats and former FBI director James Comey said it looked like political branding of an agency meant to stand apart. (Washington Post)

• Four years ago today: Day 400: "Ready to go."
• Five years ago today: Day 35: "Intelligence failures."
• Eight years ago today: Day 400: Bit of a bonus.
• 9 years ago today: Day 35: Frayed. Rejected.

Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Subscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/23/day-1861/