The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Wed Feb 25 2026

Nicole Fallert
Newsletter Writer & SEO Editor

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

•	More snowstorms may be brewing.
•	A NIL hack is funneling Nike and Adidas money to NCAA athletes.
•	A late "Lizzie McGuire" star faced a battle with mental illness.

Nicole Fallert here, bringing you the news to know on Wednesday, starting with President Trump's longest-ever State of the Union address. We'll talk about whether to travel to Mexico and pick up live updates from the NFL Combine.

Recapping Trump's combative State of the Union

President Donald Trump delivered a marathon State of the Union address Tuesday evening that comes as polls show deep skepticism of his leadership. The president said his administration is engaged in unprecedented levels of "winning," declared the country is booming, his opponents are "crazy" and inflated his track record on ending wars. His attacks to his opposition signaled a bitter upcoming midterm election cycle .

USA TODAY has your SOTU recap:

•	Are groceries cheaper under Trump? The president blamed Democrats for living costs and touted his economic record. Yet, more than two-thirds of shoppers surveyed late last year said they struggled to afford their grocery runs.
•	US men's hockey was present. The chamber applauded the gold-medal winners. Five players didn't attend.
•	Dems rebuttal: Some protested as Trump spoke. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered the Democratic response and Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, issued his own rebuttal in Spanish.

More news to know now

•	Should I go to Mexico right now? Americans spent thousands on security and private flights to get home following shelter-in-place orders in Mexico. Most airports in Mexico are operating normally, but security experts aren't convinced it's the right time to visit.
•	Martin Short's daughter dies. On Feb. 24, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office confirmed Hartley Short's manner of death.
•	Looking to lose weight? GLP-1s are about to get a lot less expensive — for some customers.

Epstein

Virginia Giuffre's brother fights for her

Sky Roberts speaks during a press conference held by the Democratic Women's Caucus and House Democratic Caucus on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.

Kylie Cooper, REUTERS

It was to be Virginia Roberts Giuffre's day on Tuesday, watching the State of the Union Address after House Democrats introduced "Virginia's Law," named after her, to eliminate the statute of limitations that has shielded sex traffickers such as the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Giuffre, a key Epstein accuser, died by suicide in April 2025. Now her brother Sky Roberts carries on her legacy .

NFL

Rumors we heard at the NFL Combine

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is an opportunity for nearly 400 NFL draft candidates to show off to coaches and team executives looking to bolster their rosters with young talent. USA TODAY Sports is live in Indianapolis and will bring you the latest news and rumors, starting with why Indianapolis Colts GM Chris Ballard finds himself in a pickle.