Morning Wire
DOGE Authority Suit & Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions | Afternoon Update | 2.17.25
Mon, 17 Feb 2025
Developing stories you need to know just in time for your drive home. Get the facts first on Morning Wire.
Chapter 1: What are the key stories in today's update?
A liberal judge appears to side with Doge, U.S. and Russia officials plan a meeting in Saudi Arabia, and big banks backpedal on DEI. I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley. It's Monday, February 17th, and this is your Morning Wire Afternoon Update.
Chapter 2: What is the Doge authority suit about?
A federal judge appeared skeptical today of an effort to block the Department of Government Efficiency.
Daily Wire reporter Tim Pearce has the latest. Attorneys general from 14 states claim that Doge is overstepping its authority by accessing federal data and firing government employees. But Judge Tanya Chutkan isn't convinced the states have the evidence to block it for now. The case focuses on actions within seven agencies, including the Department of Education and Health and Human Services.
While Chutkin questioned the urgency of the state's arguments, she also pushed back against claims that Musk has no direct influence over government decisions. A ruling is expected within 24 hours as the Trump administration pushes forward with its cost-cutting agenda.
Several top Trump administration officials will meet face-to-face with their Russian counterparts tomorrow in Saudi Arabia. Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips has more.
Chapter 3: What are the U.S. and Russia discussing in Saudi Arabia?
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz will lead the U.S. delegation for what will be the first direct talks between the countries about ending the nearly three-year war. Notably absent is Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who has insisted no peace deal should be made without Kyiv at the table.
For their part, the White House says Ukraine will be included at future formal negotiations. Russia, meanwhile, is expected to demand security guarantees. Trump has signaled skepticism over Ukraine's NATO ambitions, raising questions about what concessions he will seek from Russia. Rubio said yesterday on Face the Nation that negotiations are still in the early stages.
I want to go back to the point I made. President Trump ran. He was very clear. He thinks this war needs to end. And if he sees an opportunity to end it, which is what he's looking for, whether there is an opportunity or not, we're going to pursue it. Ultimately, it will reach a point when you are, if it's real negotiations, and we're not there yet.
Chapter 4: How is the U.S. responding to Iran's nuclear ambitions?
Iran is taunting the U.S. and Israel, saying they can in no way prevent Tehran's nuclear ambitions. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson declared, quote, This comes after a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israel's prime minister, in which Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to weaken Iran's influence.
We agree that the Ayatollahs must not have nuclear weapons. And we also agree that Iran's aggression in the region has to be rolled back. Over the last 16 months, Israel has dealt a mighty blow to Iran's terror axis. Under the strong leadership of President Trump and with your unflinching support, I have no doubt that we can and will finish the job.
The meeting coincides with a shipment of bombs from the US to the Jewish state following Trump's decision to lift the Biden-era hold on heavy munitions.
Four of New York Mayor Eric Adams' deputy mayors, all core members of his administration, resigned today in response to the mayor's handling of immigration. The deputy mayors say Adams is too closely aligned with Trump when it comes to his approach to deportations.
Just last week, Trump's DOJ ordered that corruption charges against Adams be dropped, signaling an alliance forming between the two on the immigration front. Adams is up for reelection in June, but is facing major headwinds in the polls.
Jack Smith, the former special counsel who brought two federal cases against Trump, is back in the headlines, this time over a $140,000 gift. Daily Wire reporter Amanda Prestigiacomo has the details.
The prosecutor disclosed last month that he received $140,000 in pro bono legal services from a powerful Washington law firm as he prepared to leave office. That's according to a disclosure Smith filed last month as he prepared to leave the DOJ, as first reported by Politico.
What exactly he sought outside counsel for is not clear, but Trump repeatedly railed against Smith about his attempts to take him down while he was a presidential candidate. Trump's AG, Pam Bondi, has announced a probe into potential weaponization of the government, including the role Smith possibly played.
Canadian traffickers are allegedly using social media to advertise illegal crossings into the U.S. through the northern border. The ads, which promise safe same-day crossings for a hefty fee, have been removed by TikTok for violating community standards. Lawmakers are now calling on the Justice Department to investigate.
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