The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Mon Feb 16 2026

Nicole Fallert
Newsletter Writer & SEO Editor

Monday's Olympic schedule | Medal count | Ilia Malinin's meltdown

Morning! Welcome to the Daily Briefing. Here's what's breaking this morning:

•	Most states don't tax Social Security, but some still do.
•	Welcome to the Year of the Horse.
•	Here's why Kansas State fired Jerome Tang.

Nicole Fallert here, is it spring yet?! Here is the news to know on Monday, from a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security to concerns about school pictures linked to Jeffrey Epstein. Plus: Why you should watch USA women's hockey tonight.

Reading early midterm indicators

Believe it or not, we're in an election year. The 2026 midterms are coming up in November, testing a Democratic sweep or the resilience of the Republican status quo.

A few statistics give early signals about how these races could go: Older women voters are spooked about the economy, meaning a key voting group could could go either way in the 2026 midterms, a new survey says. That means candidates of both major parties will be crafting ads and speeches to reach this demographic.

Consumer feelings about the economy have sunk 20% since Trump took office again a year ago. And a new report shows American consumers and companies paid nearly 90% of the cost of Trump's tariffs through late 2025

Another number to watch is Trump's approval rating. If it persists at its current 36%, that would be a seven-decade low for a president at a midterm — and a red alarm for the GOP.

More news to know now

•	How the DHS shutdown could affect you. Funding for the Department of Homeland Security has expired, potentially jeopardizing critical government services like airport security and disaster relief.
•	School pictures and Epstein linked: Widespread concern that school photography company Lifetouch appears in the Department of Justice's files on Jeffrey Epstein have sparked viral social media posts and school districts around the country responding to upset parents. But the company is refuting the claims.
•	Millennial women are getting cancer. A website, Jadey, is particularly a boon for younger women facing cancer . It offers everything from answering medical and lifestyle questions on topics like fertility to recommending what skin care items to use during chemo.

NBA All-Star Game

Courtside former president

Team USA Stars guard Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns embraces former president Barack Obama during the 75th NBA All-Star Game on Sunday.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Barack and Michelle Obama cheered on the best of the best at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game Sunday night, as a new "U.S. vs. World" format took the court. USA TODAY Sports analysts wrote that the revised All-Star Game format worked because players bought in and chose to push themselves.

2026 Winter Olympics

The next generation of USA women's hockey is here

Milano Cortina is something of a changing of the guard for U.S. women's hockey, which faces off against Sweden Monday in the semifinals. The Americans are undefeated going into tonight's game, and their plus-25 goal differential is the best of the four teams left. Meet the team.

Before you go

•	Shop the best President's Day deals today.
•	Americans are moving abroad to access health care.
•	A USA TODAY journalist tagged along on an AI date.