schedule
Happy Tuesday! Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! Instead of (or in addition to) the standard-issue flowers or chocolates, we suggest giving your loved one the gift of a Dispatch membership—clear-eyed analysis, thought-provoking perspectives, and writing that makes you both smarter.
Quick Hits: Today’s Top Stories
- Hamas said on Monday that it would delay the release of additional Israeli hostages, which had been scheduled for Saturday, “until further notice.” The terrorist group’s announcement—which threatens to derail the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and hostage release deal—came amid Israeli and American outcry over the emaciated state of the three abductees who were freed last Saturday. On Monday, President Donald Trump called for the release of all of the remaining 73 hostages in the Gaza Strip by Saturday at noon, warning that “all hell is going to break out” otherwise. Meanwhile, the Israeli military’s Southern Command raised its readiness level and postponed leave for combat soldiers in apparent preparation for the resumption of fighting.
- President Trump on Monday imposed 25 percent tariffs on all aluminum and steel imports to the U.S., with no exemptions for any country. The move followed his announcement on Sunday that he would impose the tariffs along with reciprocal tariffs, which match the duties other countries have levied against the United States. Trump issued similar aluminum and steel tariffs in 2018, imposing a 25 percent duty on steel and 10 percent on aluminum while exempting Canada, Mexico, and other American trading partners. So far, the president has yet to announce any exceptions to this latest round of duties, though he hinted at a possible carve-out for Australia—one of the few countries with which the U.S. has a trade surplus.
- The Department of Justice on Monday ordered federal prosecutors to drop charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, saying that the indictment limited his ability to address illegal immigration and violent crime. Prosecutors charged Adams in September 2024 with bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy, and soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals, including receiving $100,000 worth of plane tickets and luxury hotel stays from people connected to the Turkish government. Prosecutors have not yet officially dismissed the case against Adams, who met with President Trump ahead of his inauguration last month.
- President Trump issued an executive order on Monday pausing the Justice Department’s enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bars American companies from bribing foreign governments in exchange for doing business in the country. The order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review the law—which was codified in 1977 and amended in 1998 to include foreign firms and individuals that accept bribes—and prepare new enforcement guidelines. Announcing the move, Trump argued the law had a chilling effect on Americans’ legal and legitimate overseas business dealings.
- A federal judge in Rhode Island said Monday that the White House had not fully adhered to his January 31 order to unfreeze federal spending. In the ruling—which marked the first time the Trump administration had been accused of defying a judicial mandate—Judge John McConnell called on the federal government to “immediately take every step necessary” to release billions of dollars in funding. The Trump administration moved to appeal the judge’s initial order on Monday. The ruling followed Vice President J.D. Vance’s claim on Sunday that “judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sent a February 7 memo to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent requesting that some law enforcement personnel—including Internal Revenue Service agents—assist in the enforcement of immigration laws, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. In addition to investigating financial networks related to human trafficking, the officials would have the authority to detain and deport illegal immigrants. Invoking President Trump’s “Securing Our Borders” executive order, Noem said the Treasury Department had “qualified law enforcement personnel available to assist with immigration enforcement.”
A message from Philip Morris International
We can end smoking faster.
At PMI U.S., our mission is clear: to reduce smoking by replacing cigarettes with scientifically-proven, smoke-free alternatives, such as nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products.
As the leader in smoke-free products in the U.S., we’re helping to end smoking for the almost 30 million legal-aged adults who smoke in the U.S.
See our progress
Trump’s Deportation Dilemma
By all appearances, President Donald Trump’s long-promised immigration crackdown is well and truly underway. In the weeks since he took office, public clashes with foreign leaders over deportee flights, TV star ride-alongs on enforcement sweeps, and videotaped raids have all projected frenzied activity toward the president’s goal of mass deportations. And in perhaps the highest-profile move yet, the Pentagon announced last week that the first batch of illegal immigrants—10 alleged gang members—had arrived at the U.S. naval base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, which the administration plans to use as a detention facility.
But despite the flurry of activity, the Trump administration’s early immigration enforcement efforts may not be on pace with the president’s sweeping promises. And the White House faces legal and logistical barriers ahead as it seeks to ...
As a non-paying reader, you are receiving a truncated version of The Morning Dispatch. You can read our 1,277-word item on Trump’s early immigration challenges in the members-only version of TMD.
Worth Your Time
- For the New York Times, Ephrat Livni recounted recently freed Israeli hostages’ stories of abuse and torture at the hands of their terrorist captors—and reflected on the chilling implications for the abductees who remain in the Gaza Strip. “Dr. Hagai Levine, who leads the medical team for the Hostage Family Forum, an umbrella group, told reporters on Monday that the hostages had been ‘starved’ and endured ‘intentional torture,’ and that many had returned home with infections that could become a threat, as well as emotional damage. ‘The findings are clear and deeply alarming,’ he said. ‘They are subject to deliberate starvation and severe water deprivation’ and ‘are undergoing extreme physical and emotional abuse,’ she reported. “Ofer Calderon, who was released earlier this month, said in a statement on Monday, ‘I was held in tunnels without seeing daylight, had no access to media, experienced severe hunger conditions, went entire months without showering or receiving proper care.’ He called for a continuation of the cease-fire and noted that after the first temporary deal of the war was struck between Israel and Hamas, in November 2023, the conditions during his and other hostages’ captivity had ‘severely deteriorated and became brutal.’ ‘We must not stop the current deal and must continue working to free all the hostages,’ Mr. Calderon said. ‘Hamas is a cruel enemy who will not hesitate to harm the hostages left behind.’”
Presented Without Comment
Politico: Britain to ‘Wait and See’ on Trump’s Tariff Threat
Also Presented Without Comment
New York Times: For Google Maps Users in U.S., It’s Now the Gulf of America
In the Zeitgeist
A trailer for Marvel’s new antihero movie, Thunderbolts, dropped Sunday. Is it just us, or does Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ character—the film’s scheming Central Intelligence Agency head—resemble a certain nominee for director of national intelligence?
Toeing the Company Line
- In the newsletters: Kevin D. Williamson wrote about Donald Trump’s protectionist predecessors: 1980s Democrats.
- On the podcasts: Dr. Einat Wilf joined Adaam James Levin-Areddy to discuss Trump’s plan for Gaza on The Dispatch Podcast, and Sarah Isgur and David French went to Stanford University to unpack antisemitism in higher education, gender identifiers for government employees, and more on the latest Advisory Opinions.
- On the site: Mike Warren looks at Trump’s honeymoon phase, Justin Stapley explains how the Founding Fathers warned against a spoils system, and Daniel McKivergan examines how Edward Snowden’s release of National Security Agency documents helped China.
Charlotte Lawson is the editor of The Morning Dispatch, currently based in southern Florida. Prior to joining the company in 2020, she studied history and global security at the University of Virginia. When Charlotte is not keeping up with foreign policy and world affairs, she is probably trying to hone her photography skills.
Grayson Logue is a staff writer for The Dispatch and is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the company in 2023, he worked in political risk consulting, helping advise Fortune 50 companies. He was also an assistant editor at Providence Magazine and is a graduate student at the University of Edinburgh, pursuing a Master’s degree in history. When Grayson is not writing pieces for the website, he is probably working hard to reduce the number of balls he loses on the golf course.
James P. Sutton is a Morning Dispatch Reporter, based in Washington D.C. Prior to joining the company in 2024, he most recently graduated from University of Oxford with a Master's degree in history. He has also taught high school history in suburban Philadelphia, and interned at National Review and the Foreign Policy Research Institute. When not writing for The Morning Dispatch, he is probably playing racquet sports, reading a history book, or rooting for Bay Area sports teams.
Cole Murphy is a Morning Dispatch Reporter based in Atlanta. Prior to joining the company in 2025, he interned at The Dispatch and worked in business strategy at Home Depot. When Cole is not conributing to TMD, he is probably seeing a movie, listening to indie country music, or having his heart broken by Atlanta sports teams.
Please note that we at The Dispatch hold ourselves, our work, and our commenters to a higher standard than other places on the internet. We welcome comments that foster genuine debate or discussion—including comments critical of us or our work—but responses that include ad hominem attacks on fellow Dispatch members or are intended to stoke fear and anger may be moderated.
With your membership, you only have the ability to comment on The Morning Dispatch articles. Consider upgrading to join the conversation everywhere.