Trump’s tariffs; State of the Union; Winter Games : NPR
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Today’s best stories
President Trump announced plans to raise tariffs globally on Saturday. from 10% to 15%. The move comes a day after the Supreme Court struck down the president’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. After the ruling, the president claimed he had the authority to impose a global tariff using certain sections of the 1974 Trade Act.
President Donald Trump answers questions during a press briefing at the White House February 20, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images
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Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images
- 🎧 These sections are more onerous than the sweeping powers previously claimed by Trump.tells NPR’s Mara Liasson First. Some tariffs will only last 150 days before Congress has to decide. Others could be permanent, but would require months of investigation. The high court’s ruling meant Republicans wouldn’t have to defend Trump’s wildly unpopular tariffs, Liasson said. But now Congress will have to show its loyalty to the president by voting to impose new tariffs, which he has no interest in doing. A vote would force lawmakers to take more ownership of a policy that voters say has driven up their costs.
- 🎧 China is a major target of Trump’s tariffs. NPR’s Jennifer Pak, who is in Shanghai, reports that Chinese companies that deal with the United States are cautiously optimistic about the Supreme Court’s decision. They have faced uncertainty since Trump’s first term. The president has used tariffs against China as a threat to reduce the trade deficit, stop intellectual property theft and much more. Trump is expected to visit China in the coming weeks. Friday’s Supreme Court ruling has, in theory, weakened his power, Pak says.
As Trump prepares to deliver his State of the Union address tomorrowMost Americans say the country is worse off than it was a year ago. The latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll indicates that a majority of Americans think the state of the union is not strong.
- 🎧 NPR’s Domenico Montanaro says 60 percent of respondents believe the situation in the United States is worse. now that just after Trump took office. Additionally, 55 percent of respondents view the president’s direction for the country as a change for the worse. Montanaro notes that this disapproval rating is the highest Trump has faced in this poll during his two terms in office. The president faces a very skeptical public in a midterm year, which is not good for his party. Trump’s message tomorrow will set the backdrop for the coming months leading up to the November election.
Federal Communications Commission calls on broadcasters to increase ‘patriotic and pro-American’ content to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States. On Friday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr launched the “Pledge America Campaign” to encourage broadcasters to align with Trump’s Salute to America 250 task force. Carr challenged them to leverage their reach to celebrate the American journey. One of Carr’s programming suggestions is for broadcasters to start each day with the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Broadcasters are not required to participate in the FCC initiative, according to Carr’s statement.
The 2026 Winter Olympics ended as one for the U.S. team’s record books. Athletes entered the games facing questions about protests in their country and their country’s politics. Some of the team’s biggest stars have had dramatic downfalls. But in the end, they closed the Games with 33 medals. Among these medals, the United States won a record 12 gold medals, which is its best total ever at the Winter Games. The U.S. men’s hockey team won the United States’ last Olympic gold medal in Milan, ending a 46-year drought by beating rival Canada in a thrilling overtime final. Watch First Winter Games“A look back at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
- ➡️ NPR’s Rachel Treisman took you all over the Olympic Village throughout these games. His last journalist’s notebook from Milan describes the splendor of the closing ceremony.
Life advice
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Taking care of our fingernails and toenails is often an afterthought to how we think about our teeth and hair. But nails require attention that goes beyond aesthetics. To keep them healthy and strong, you need to examine them regularly. Do not scratch cuticles and avoid excessive exposure to water. Dermatologists and a nail technician share with Life kit some basic tips for healthy nail habits:
- 💅 Cut your nails straight rather than oval to avoid an ingrown toenail.
- 💅 Take a break from manicures and pedicures to let your natural nails breathe. Frequent use of acetone-based removers causes brittleness. Constantly wearing nail polish stains them.
- 💅 Light polishing after trimming can promote healthy growth and increase shine. But overdoing it can thin and weaken the nail plate.
For more tips on how to keep your nails healthy, listen to this episode of NPR Life kit. Subscribe to THE Life kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
Image exhibition
From the ‘Homo Mobilis’ project. The photo was taken on a large white background. Several images in this project have undergone digital corrections, mainly on white backgrounds. In Homo Mobilis, Martin Roemers explores the relationship between people and their vehicles. What does a car or other vehicle tell us about culture, society and identity?
Martin Römers
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Martin Römers
Photographer Martin Roemer devoted almost five years to his ninth book of photographs, Homo Mobilis. He visited eight countries on four continents, including Senegal, India and the United States, capturing images of around 200 cars and other vehicles. Unique vehicles include animal-drawn vehicles, bicycles and even a car with a roof garden. Roemer believes that the spirit of a car reflects its owner and says a lot about their culture, worldview, identity and society. Take a look at some of the 160 vehicles that found their way into the book.
3 things to know before you leave
A building is seen at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Julia Démarée Nikhinson/AP/AP
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Julia Démarée Nikhinson/AP/AP
- Law enforcement officers shot and killed an armed man who entered Trump’s private club, Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida, early yesterday morning.
- France has named Ali Akbar, a 73-year-old Pakistani immigrant who has sold newspapers on the Left Bank of Paris for decades, a knight of the National Order of Merit. It is one of the highest honors in the country.
- Complications with the Artemis II lunar mission rocket have prompted NASA to announce it may delay all Mars launch attempts. This mission will be the first time humans have returned near the Moon since 1972.
This newsletter was published by Suzanne Nuyen.
