The briefing for Saturday, February 21.

The Supreme Court struck down President Trump's far-reaching global tariffs on Friday in a 6-3 decision, ruling that the president overstepped his constitutional authority. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the Constitution clearly gives Congress, not the president, the power to impose taxes including tariffs. Trump had used the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to levy duties ranging from 10% to 50% on nearly every country, but the court found this law does not grant such sweeping tariff powers. Three conservative justices dissented, with Justice Brett Kavanaugh writing the tariffs "may or may not be wise policy" but are "clearly lawful."

Trump responded by calling the ruling "deeply disappointing" and "ridiculous," saying he was "absolutely ashamed" of the six justices who ruled against him, including two he appointed. Within hours of the decision, Trump signed an executive order imposing a new 10% global tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, which allows temporary tariffs for 150 days. He also announced plans to use other legal authorities including Section 301 investigations to reimpose tariffs, though these require lengthier processes. The administration had collected more than $133 billion from the now-invalidated tariffs as of December.

The ruling opens thorny questions about potential refunds for billions in tariff payments, though the court did not address this issue. Justice Kavanaugh warned the refund process would likely be a "mess." The decision weakens Trump's negotiating position with trading partners and injects new uncertainty into global trade, though many sectoral tariffs imposed under different laws remain in place. Wall Street reacted calmly, with the S&P 500 rising 0.7%, as many investors had anticipated such a ruling. European officials said they remain in contact with the administration seeking clarity on next steps.

President Trump confirmed Friday he is considering limited military strikes against Iran, even as Tehran's foreign minister said a draft nuclear deal could be ready within days. When asked directly by reporters whether limited action was possible during negotiations, Trump said "I guess I can say I am considering that," later warning Iran to "negotiate a fair deal" or face consequences. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told MSNBC his country expects to finalize a draft proposal "in the next two to three days" for serious negotiations with Washington.

The U.S. has deployed the largest military presence in the Middle East in decades, with the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group entering the Mediterranean Sea on Friday and the USS Abraham Lincoln also being deployed. Both sides have signaled they are prepared for war if diplomacy fails. "We are prepared for diplomacy, and we are prepared for negotiation as much as we are prepared for war," Araghchi said. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has posted messages threatening U.S. forces, warning about weapons "that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea."

Trump set a roughly 10-day timeline for determining whether a deal can be reached, telling his Board of Peace that "we have to make a meaningful deal otherwise bad things happen." The negotiations focus on Iran's uranium enrichment program, with Araghchi claiming U.S. officials have not demanded zero enrichment as previously stated publicly. Congressional Democrats and some Republicans have voiced opposition to military action without congressional approval, with California Democrat Ro Khanna and Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie planning to force a vote under the 1973 War Powers Act. Any protracted conflict could prove challenging for Trump domestically as polls show growing disapproval of his handling of the economy and immigration.

Poland officially withdrew Friday from the 1997 Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty, also known as the Ottawa Convention, joining Finland and the three Baltic states in leaving the international agreement. Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski told the Associated Press that Poland will use both antipersonnel and anti-tank mines to defend its eastern border against what he called Russia's "very aggressive intentions." The country ratified the treaty in 2012 and completed destruction of its stockpile in 2016, but now plans to resume domestic production of mines.

Zalewski said the mines are "one of the most important elements of the defense structure we are constructing on the eastern flank of NATO" along Poland's borders with Russia and Belarus. Poland will prepare mine stockpiles as part of its Eastern Shield fortification system but will only deploy them "when there is a realistic threat of Russian aggression," according to Zalewski. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Thursday that Poland would "soon" have the ability to mine its eastern borders within 48 hours if threatened. Russia never signed the Ottawa Convention and remains outside the international ban.

Human rights groups have condemned the withdrawals, arguing antipersonnel mines cause too much danger to civilians long after conflicts end. The 1997 treaty was created in response to large-scale civilian suffering in former conflict zones including Cambodia, Angola and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Zalewski defended the decision by noting Poland will keep mines in reserve rather than deploying them routinely. "We are not an aggressive country," he said, "but we have to use all available means to defend ourselves." The move reflects growing security concerns among NATO's eastern members since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.

NASA set March 6 as the earliest launch date for its Artemis II mission after successfully completing a critical fueling test Thursday night. The "wet dress rehearsal" saw launch teams load the Space Launch System rocket with liquid hydrogen and run through the complete countdown sequence to 29 seconds, marking major progress after a failed first attempt earlier in February that was disrupted by hydrogen leaks. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said teams made "major progress" between tests and called it "a big step toward America's return to the lunar environment."

The mission will send four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the far side of the Moon, making them the first humans to reach lunar orbit since Apollo 17 closed NASA's first chapter of moon exploration in 1972. The crew consists of Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, plus Canadian Jeremy Hansen. They will travel aboard the Orion capsule atop the 98-meter Space Launch System rocket, spending about four days traveling to the Moon before flying 6,500 to 9,500 kilometers above the lunar surface. The astronauts will have several hours to study and photograph the Moon before beginning their four-day return journey.

NASA has only five days in March to launch before standing down until April, creating a narrow launch window. The crew plans to enter mandatory two-week health quarantine Friday night to preserve their options. Technicians replaced two seals between the failed first test and Thursday's successful run. The mission, if successful, will pave the way for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon's south pole. NASA says the landing will happen by 2028, though delays to SpaceX's Starship lander have created scheduling challenges as both the U.S. and China compete to establish lunar bases at the south pole.

A federal appeals court cleared the way Friday for Louisiana's law requiring poster-sized displays of the Ten Commandments in public classrooms to take effect, with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals voting 12-6 to lift a lower court block. The majority opinion said it was too early to judge the law's constitutionality because key details remain unclear, including how prominently schools will display the religious text, whether teachers will reference it during classes, or if other historical documents like the Mayflower Compact will also be displayed. Without these specifics, the panel said it lacked enough information to weigh First Amendment issues.

The six dissenting judges argued the law clearly exposes children to government-endorsed religion in a place they are required to be, presenting an obvious constitutional burden. Circuit Judge James L. Dennis wrote the law "is precisely the kind of establishment the Framers anticipated and sought to prevent." The ruling reverses a decision by a three-judge panel from the same court that had found Louisiana's law unconstitutional last June. Republican Governor Jeff Landry celebrated the ruling, declaring "Common sense is making a comeback," while the ACLU of Louisiana pledged to explore all legal pathways to continue fighting the law.

Arkansas has a similar law facing federal court challenge, while a Texas law took effect September 1 marking the widest-reaching attempt to hang the Ten Commandments in public schools nationwide. Some Texas districts were barred from posting them after federal injunctions, but they have already appeared in many classrooms as districts paid for printing or accepted donations. The laws are part of Republican efforts, including by President Trump, to incorporate religion into public classrooms. Families from various religious backgrounds including Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism have challenged these laws. In 1980, the Supreme Court struck down a similar Kentucky law as violating the Establishment Clause.

The Justice Department fired a lawyer chosen by judges to serve as interim U.S. attorney for Virginia's Eastern District within hours of his Friday appointment, escalating a standoff over executive control of powerful prosecutor positions. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the firing of James Hundley on social media shortly after judges unanimously selected him to replace former Trump lawyer Lindsey Halligan. "EDVA judges do not pick our US Attorney. POTUS does. James Hundley, you're fired!" Blanche posted on X. While federal law states district courts may choose U.S. attorneys when initial appointments expire, the Trump administration insists this power belongs solely to the executive branch.

The firing reflects ongoing turmoil in one of the Justice Department's most elite prosecution offices, which has been mired in upheaval since September following pressure to prosecute Trump political foes including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Prosecutor Erik Siebert was effectively forced out and replaced by Halligan, a White House aide who secured indictments against Comey and James. A judge later deemed Halligan's appointment unlawful and dismissed the cases, though the Justice Department has appealed. Halligan resigned last month after judges signaled continued skepticism about her appointment's legitimacy.

The incident mirrors a similar clash last week when a lawyer appointed by judges to serve as U.S. attorney for northern New York was fired by the Justice Department after less than a day in the position. U.S. attorneys typically require Senate confirmation, though the law permits temporary appointments for limited periods. The Justice Department has attempted to leave temporary appointees in place beyond their terms in ways that have drawn court challenges and resistance from judges who have found the appointments unlawful. Hundley, who has handled criminal and civil cases for over 30 years, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.