The Bulletin

• Denmark's bid for California: Outraged by President Trump's bid to seize Greenland, a group of activists—fresh from a diving session in the Philippines—gathered over beers and with the help of Chinese AI app DeepSeek, devised a satirical petition proposing to "buy California" from the United States.

• Trump promises to meet Putin: According to President Trump, he and Russian President Vladimir had agreed to visit "each other's Nations" as part of an effort to end the war in Ukraine. Here's what we know.

• Car drives into crowd in Munich: Several people have been injured after a car drove into a crowd in Munich, authorities said, describing it as a "major police operation." More about the incident.

• Mitch McConnell receives praise from Democrat: Republican Senator Mitch McConnell received some unexpected praise from Democrat Richard Blumenthal following Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation for director of national intelligence. Know here.

• Are Ukrainian weapons being sold on black market? Tucker Carlson recently claimed that the Ukrainian military is selling a significant portion of the weapons it receives from the United States. Here's the truth behind this claim.

• Pam Bondi announces lawsuit: On Wednesday, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Department of Justice has filed a civil lawsuit against New York Governor Kathy Hochul and state Attorney General Letitia James, both Democrats, for allegedly failing to enforce federal immigration laws.

• In the ongoing war in Ukraine, the current rate of Russian tank losses in President Putin's invasion of Ukraine could see them run out of the military vehicles by the end of next year, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

The rundown: Donald Trump has promised sweeping reforms to the immigration system, with a major clampdown already taking place on illegal migration. While these policies have garnered support, they may negatively impact U.S. retirees. Here's how.

Why it matters: Trump's immigration reforms, including deportations and border fortifications, could harm U.S. retirees by reducing funding for Social Security and Medicare. Immigrant workers, including those illegally in the U.S., contribute significantly to these funds but may not claim benefits. If Trump's policies reduce this workforce, it could accelerate the projected depletion of the Social Security trust fund by 2034. Additionally, industries reliant on immigrant labor could face labor shortages, driving up wages and inflation. This could lead to higher costs across the economy, impacting retirees, as fewer workers contribute to funding essential programs.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Trump's Mass Deportation Plan Faces Hurdle: 4M Court Cases and Counting

TL/DR: While there is widespread support for Trump's policies, it could have a negative impact on retirees across the U.S. by reducing the pool of funding available to pay benefits, increasing costs and contributing to an increase in inflation.

What happens now? Goldman economists said in a research note released on Monday that analysts forecast that net immigration to the U.S. will drop to 750,000 annually, a drop from an annualized rate of 1.7 million per year in 2025, which could reduce potential gross domestic product growth this year by 30 to 40 basis points.

Deeper reading Donald Trump's Immigration Plans Could Push Up Retirement Costs

The rundown: Elon Musk urged the elimination of entire U.S. federal agencies on Thursday, as he continued to advocate for drastic spending cuts and a major restructuring of priorities under President Trump. Read his full remarks.

Why it matters: Speaking via video call at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Musk framed his vision as a bold effort to cut waste and redefine America's global role, while also weighing in on artificial intelligence and foreign policy. Musk said, "we really have here rule of the bureaucracy as opposed to rule of the people—democracy." His remarks align with Trump's stance on foreign policy, emphasizing a more insular approach, and reaffirmed Trump's push to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Musk singled out USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy, questioning their effectiveness.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Trump Starts Mass Firings Across Federal Agencies: What to Know

TL/DR: "I think we do need to delete entire agencies as opposed to leave a lot of them behind," Musk said. "If we don't remove the roots of the weed, then it's easy for the weed to grow back."

What happens now? Musk's growing role in shaping government policy raises questions about the boundaries between private business and public governance. His proposed cuts to federal agencies could face legal and legislative challenges, while his foreign policy stance may further signal a shift in U.S. global engagement during a second Trump term.

Deeper reading Elon Musk Says US Government Needs to 'Delete Entire Agencies'

The rundown: The developer behind a new mixed-use property in Chicago has decided to scale the project back by nearly 80 percent in response to tariffs imposed by President Trump. Learn more.

Why it matters: Mavrek, the developer, planned to build a 210-unit mixed-use complex in Chicago's Lake View neighborhood but announced this week the development has shrunk to only 46 units amid concerns about the economy and tariffs, reported Crain's Chicago Business. Mavrek CEO Adam Friedberg said that the developer will be focusing on smaller projects due to the uncertainty created by these economic pressures. The Chicago development reflects broader concerns about how construction costs—already outpacing inflation in many urban areas—may be further affected by tariffs that raise prices on input costs like steel.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Trump Housing Market Warning Issued by JPMorgan Chase

TL/DR: Trump announced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and Mexico over the weekend, while his larger, blanket tariffs on the two neighbors remain on pause.

What happens now? Trump announced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and Mexico over the weekend, while his larger, blanket tariffs on the two neighbors remain on pause.

Deeper reading Chicago Housing Development Shrinks Itself by 80% in Face of Trump Tariffs

The rundown: Hezbollah has told Newsweek it rejected the Israeli military's recent claims that an elite Iranian unit was illicitly using civilian flights at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport to transfer funds to the Lebanese group in the midst of a ceasefire. Find out more.

Why it matters: The allegation was made Wednesday by the Israel Defense Forces' Arabic-language spokesperson, Colonel Avichay Adraee. In response, a Hezbollah spokesperson told Newsweek that the airport was administered not by the group, but by the Lebanese government, and that such accusations were without merit. "The Lebanese state is responsible for these facilities and Hezbollah has no control over any of the state's facilities," the Hezbollah spokesperson said in a statement. Iran has previously been accused of sending aid to Hezbollah via civilian flights at Beirut's airport.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Hamas Accuses Israel of Nearly 270 Ceasefire Violations in New Report

TL/DR: Shortly after the Palestinian Hamas movement launched a surprise attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, Hezbollah began firing rockets, drones and missiles across Lebanon's southern border.

What happens now? Morgan Ortagus, President Trump's deputy special envoy to the Middle East, asserted that Hezbollah being a part of the Lebanese government moving forward would be a "red line" for Washington following a meeting with President Joseph Aoun, a former Lebanese Armed Forces commander, last Friday. Meanwhile, "President Aoun has repeatedly stressed Lebanon's insistence on the complete withdrawal of the Israeli enemy within the deadline set for February 18," Aoun’s office said.

Deeper reading Exclusive—Hezbollah Reacts to Israeli Claim Iran Smuggles Funds at Airport

The rundown: Residents in portions of Los Angeles County have been issued evacuation warnings beginning on Thursday morning due to the risk of mudslides. Get more details.

Why it matters: The evacuation warnings issued due to an incoming storm begin at 7 a.m. Thursday and last until 2 p.m. Friday "due to high mudslide and debris flow risk" in recently burned areas, the LAFD said in an alert. Neighborhoods with an evacuation warning near the Palisades Fire damage are listed below: Getty Villa area; Highlands near the fire damage; Bienveneda area near Temescal Canyon Park; Reseda Boulevard area/Marinette Road near Will Rogers State Park; and Mandeville Canyon above Tanners Road.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Atmospheric River Maps Show Impacts on California: 'Major Hazards'

TL/DR: Los Angeles County was ravaged by concurrent deadly wildfires in January.

What happens now? Los Angeles County Fire Department notes that homes with a "high risk" in the warning zones will be "visited" by officers to be given evacuation orders. The storm is expected to exit the region by the weekend, the NWS says.

Deeper reading Los Angeles Evacuation Warnings Issued as Risk of Mudslides Looms