It was another week filled with endless wins for the American people under President Donald J. Trump.
Here are only a few of the many victories from the past week:
•President Trump brought home an American citizen wrongfully detained in Russia and another American detained in Belarus — the tenth and eleventh hostages freed since he took office.
◦Michael McFaul, U.S. Ambassador to Russia under President Obama, reacted to Marc Fogel’s release and said: “Hallelujah! Fantastic news! Praise be to President Donald Trump … This is just fantastic news for anybody who cares about patriotic Americans.”
•President Trump restored a 25% tariff on steel imports and elevated the tariff to 25% on aluminum imports to protect these critical American industries from unfair foreign competition.
◦The Steel Manufacturers Association released a statement applauding “President Trump for putting the American steel industry and its workers first by imposing a 25 percent tariff on all steel imports. President Trump understands that America’s steel industry is the backbone of our economy. A thriving domestic steel industry is critical to U.S. national, energy and economic security.”
◦The president of the Aluminum Association said: “We appreciate President Trump’s continued focus on strong trade actions to support the aluminum industry in the United States.”
◦Colorado Springs-based, family-owned Western Steel, Inc., praised the move: “What we hope that the tariffs will bring is some sort of stability to U.S. pricing. It allows a little bit more money to be made … on the intermediate level like us.”
•President Trump unveiled a plan for fair and reciprocal trade, making clear to the world that the United States will no longer tolerate being ripped off.
◦The Renewable Fuels Association said: “The Brazilian tariff on U.S. ethanol now stands at 18 percent and has virtually eliminated all market access for U.S. ethanol producers. We thank President Trump for taking this action and hope this reciprocal tariff will help encourage a return to free and fair ethanol trade relationship with Brazil.”
•President Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in pursuit of finally securing peace.
•President Trump hosted Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who announced the Kingdom will accept 2,000 sick children from Gaza “as quickly as possible.”
•President Trump joined Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce new deals between the two countries on immigration, trade, energy, and artificial intelligence.
•The Department of Energy approved the first liquefied natural gas project since the prior administration banned LNG exports last year.
•President Trump declared all foreign policy must be conducted under the President’s direction, ensuring career diplomats reflect the foreign policy of the United States at all times.
•President Trump paused enforcement of the overregulation of American business practices abroad, which negatively impacted national security.
•Hamas agreed to free additional Israeli hostages after President Trump declared “all hell is going to break out” if the terrorist group delayed.
•Taiwan pledged to boost its investment in the United States amid President Trump’s tariffs.
•President Trump received his highest ever approval rating in a CBS News poll — with 70% of Americans agreeing he is keeping his promises.
•President Trump attended Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, becoming first sitting President to do so and bringing back tradition of pre-Super Bowl interviews.
•Illegal border crossings have hit lows not seen in decades.
•Hundreds of illegal aliens from Venezuela were repatriated back to their own country on Venezuelan-owned planes.
•Illegal aliens have started turning around in droves amid the Trump Administration’s crackdown on dangerous illegal immigration.
•The Department of Homeland Security “clawed back” tens of millions of dollars in funds paid by rogue FEMA officials to house illegal aliens in luxury New York City hotels.
•President Trump instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to stop production of the penny, which costs 3.69 cents to make.
•Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins were confirmed by the Senate — continuing the Trump Administration’s rapid pace of confirmations.
•President Trump signed an executive order barring COVID-19 vaccine mandates in schools that receive federal funding.
•President Trump established the National Energy Dominance Council to advise on achieving energy dominance.
•President Trump established the Make America Healthy Again Commission, which redirects the national focus to promoting health rather than simply managing disease.
•President Trump signed an executive to end the use of paper straws.
•President Trump shut down the Biden-era “Climate Corps” work program.
•President Trump secured the resignations of 75,000+ federal workers, or approximately 3.75% of the federal workforce, in an effort to eliminate inefficiency at taxpayer expense.
•President Trump commenced his plan to downsize the federal bureaucracy and eliminate waste, bloat, and insularity — including an order that agencies hire no more than one employee for every four employees who leave.
•The Trump Administration ordered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — the brainchild of Elizabeth Warren, which funneled cash to left-wing advocacy groups — to halt operations.
•President Trump ended the wasteful Federal Executive Institute, which had become a training ground for bureaucrats.
•President Trump ordered the immediate dismissal of the Board of Visitors for the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard following years of woke ideologies infiltrating U.S. service academies.
•Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth restored Fort Liberty, North Carolina, to “Fort Bragg,” in honor of a World War II hero.
•President Trump instructed EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to terminate Biden-era regulations restricting water flow and mandating inadequate lightbulb standards.
•President Trump proclaimed “Gulf of America Day” after the Department of the Interior officially changed the name on its mapping databases.
◦Google Maps and Apple Maps both updated their apps to reflect the new name.
•The Department of Justice filed suit against the State of New York and its elected officials over their willful failure to follow federal immigration law.
•The Environmental Protection Agency canceled tens of millions of dollars in contracts to left-wing advocacy groups and announced an investigation into a scheme by Biden EPA staffers to shield billions of dollars from oversight and accountability.
•The Department of Education announced an investigation into the Minnesota State High School League and California Interscholastic Federation for violation of federal anti-discrimination law by allowing men to compete in women’s sports.
•The Federal Bureau of Investigation discovered 2,400 additional records on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which were never provided to the board tasked with reviewing and disclosing the documents. The discovery happened due to President Trump’s executive order calling for the declassification of JFK assassination documents.
•The Department of Veterans Affairs implemented a new flag policy to promote the prominence of the American flag and ensure consistency among its facilities.
•President Trump was unanimously elected as Chairman of The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees and fired a slew of the Center’s board members over their obsession with perpetuating radical ideologies.
•U.S. crude oil stockpiles continued to rise, which they have done every week since President Trump took office.
•Chicago Lurie Children’s Hospital paused sex change surgeries for minors in response to President Trump’s executive order ending the radical practice.
•Taxpayer-funded PBS closed its DEI office and Disney dropped two of its DEI programs after President Trump’s executive order reining in such discriminatory practices.
President Donald J. Trump Approves Kentucky Emergency Declaration
Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that an emergency exists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and ordered Federal assistance to supplement Commonwealth and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, and landslides beginning on February 14, 2025, and continuing.
The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population. FEMA will provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in all 120 counties of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.
Mr. Jeremy Slinker of FEMA has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.
Presidential Message on the 2025 Daytona 500
Today, I look forward to joining tens of thousands of American Patriots in Daytona Beach, Florida, for the “Great American Race”—the legendary Daytona 500—and the official start to the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series.
This iconic race showcases the fastest, most fearless drivers in motorsports, who represent our Nation’s love of tradition, competition, and automotive innovation. The Daytona 500 brings together people from all walks of life—from lifelong racing fans to first-time spectators—they all join in celebrating a shared passion for speed, adrenaline, and the thrill of the race. From the roar of the engines on the track to the echo of “The Star-Spangled Banner” soaring through the stands, the Daytona 500 is a timeless tribute to the speed, strength, and unyielding spirit that make America great. That spirit is what will fuel America’s Golden Age, and if we harness it, the future is truly ours.
Since the very beginning, NASCAR has carried forth a proud tradition of honoring our heroic Service members for their unwavering courage. While fans from around the world gather today at Daytona International Speedway, we extend our unending gratitude to the selfless men and women in uniform who risk their lives to keep us safe. When the engines start or the checkered flag waves, and all 500 thrilling miles in between, our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and Guardians stand ready to defend cherished traditions like this—and for that, we are truly thankful.
Melania and I send our best wishes for a safe and successful race. May God bless our Armed Forces, and may He continue to bless the United States of America.