Monday, February 17th, 2025 - Vance stuns US allies; Ukraine excluded; Musk’s DOGE fail; Trump’s MAHA & RFK Jr.’s probe; Measles outbreak update

Today’s Headlines: Vice President JD Vance delivered a speech at the Munich Security Conference accusing European leaders of abandoning their core values and meeting with far-right leader Alice Weidel while ignoring Germany’s chancellor. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated Ukraine’s NATO membership is off the table, as U.S. officials travel to Saudi Arabia for peace talks that excluded Ukraine and Europe. In response, European leaders, led by France’s Macron, convened an emergency summit. Russian state media celebrated the fracturing of Western alliances. The White House banned the Associated Press over a naming dispute, and the DOJ dropped corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams after mass resignations of prosecutors. Elon Musk, fresh from a meeting with India’s PM Modi, announced plans for a Dubai tunnel system, oversaw IRS layoffs, and faced a cybersecurity breach of the DOGE website. National Nuclear Security let go key employees responsible for nuclear safety, coinciding with a Russian strike on Chernobyl. RFK Jr. launched a commission on childhood health, but Texas faces a growing measles outbreak linked to low vaccination rates. A hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas saw mixed outcomes, with Trump signaling U.S. support for any Israeli retaliation. Lastly, a new bill aims to designate Trump’s birthday as a federal holiday. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Guardian: JD Vance stuns Munich conference with blistering attack on Europe’s leaders Axios: Hegseth stands by Ukraine comments as GOP senator slams "rookie mistake" NBC News: Top Trump administration officials to head to Saudi Arabia for Russia-Ukraine peace talks Reuters: France's Macron to host emergency European summit on Ukraine CNN: Zelensky warns days of guaranteed US support for Europe are over, as Kellogg says Europeans won’t be at table for peace talks The Daily Beast: Laughing Kremlin Insiders Say Trump Has Given Putin Greenlight to Expand the War CNN: The White House bans the AP indefinitely over the use of ‘Gulf of Mexico’ NBC News: Justice Department moves to dismiss Eric Adams case after extraordinary internal revolt WA Post: Read prosecutor’s resignation letter in N.Y. Mayor Eric Adams’s bribery case AP News: Elon Musk met with Modi during the Indian prime minister's US visit. What does he want from India? Business Insider: Elon Musk's Boring Company is planning to build a tunnel system in Dubai more than 10 miles long Reuters: IRS prepares to lay off thousands of workers ​Huff Post: Elon Musk’s DOGE Posts Classified Data On Its New Website The Independent: DOGE’s hastily-launched website has already been hacked: ‘This is a joke of a .gov site’ NBC News: DOGE software approval alarms Labor Department employees NBC News: Trump administration wants to un-fire nuclear safety workers but can’t figure out how to reach them Axios: Trump creates MAHA commission on childhood chronic illness NBC News: In rural West Texas, a measles outbreak grows with no end in sight ABC News: Netanyahu to convene security cabinet after release of 3 hostages Huff Post: New York Congresswoman Introduces Bill To Make Trump's Birthday A Federal Holiday Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Bridget Schwartz and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices