Friday morning news: February 21, 2025

Senate vote on reconciliation bill » Senators stayed up late last night to pass a $340 billion dollar package in a step toward President Trump’s agenda.

Republicans passed the bill using the reconciliation process allowing them to bypass a Democratic filibuster.

The bill would fund national security priorities as well as border security, including Trump’s mass deportation of illegal immigrants.

But it still needs to be merged with a bill from the House. The lower chamber is preparing a larger bill that includes almost $5 trillion dollars in tax cuts. The president prefers that approach.

Kash Patel confirmation » The Senate also voted on Thursday to confirm Kash Patel as FBI director.

AUDIO [Patel vote]: The yeas are 51. They nays are 49. The confirmation is confirmed.

It was a largely party line vote. Two moderate Republicans joined all Democrats in voting no.

Patel is a former Justice Department prosecutor who focused on terrorism cases. He served on the White House National Security Council during Trump’s first term. Critics note that he lacks traditional law enforcement experience.

Ukraine: Meetings, Ukraine/European involvement » White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz says despite a public rift between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine is very much a part of ongoing talks to bring peace to the war-ravaged country.

WALTZ:  I've been talking to, uh, uh, his national security advisor, Zelensky's national security advisor on a regular basis. Uh, we just mentioned the meetings both Secretary of State and Vice President Vance have had with him. Uh, Special Envoy Keith Kellogg is out there literally right now.

Kellogg met with Zelenskyy and other top leaders in Kyiv on Thursday telling Ukraine’s president he understands his need for security guarantees.

Ukraine: Trump’s complaints » Kellogg’s Thursday meeting came, again, amid friction between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy.

Trump recently blamed Ukraine for Russia’s invasion and referred to Zelenskyy as a “dictator.”

Those remarks drew condemnation from Democrats and pushback from some Republicans.

But aboard Air Force One, Trump shared some of his frustrations regarding Zelenskyy’s government.

TRUMP:  We don't get our money back and we told them that the deal is we'll do something for the rare earth and some oil etc …

Trump says he wanted to rebuild certain infrastructure in Ukraine and then partner with the country on things like aluminum production and producing rare earth minerals. The US would own a stake in the mineral rights. That, he said, would benefit Ukraine while also recouping some US tax dollars.

But Trump added that when the US Treasury Secretary traveled to Kyiv, Scott Bessent

TRUMP: … was treated rather rudely because essentially they told him no and Zelenskyy was sleeping and unavailable to meet him. He traveled many hours on the train which is a dangerous trip …

Zelenskyy said the US proposal did not go far enough in providing security guarantees.

That upset President Trump, who noted that a portion of European aid for Ukraine was sent with the expectation of repayment whereas all prior U.S. assistance during the war was given outright.

Trump order on migrants benefits » President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that aims to cut federal funding for benefits that support illegal immigrants.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates current benefits for illegal migrants over the next 10 years would include more than $175 billion for Obamacare, Medicaid tax credits and food stamps.

Border czar Tom Homan:

HOMAN:  These billions of dollars we're going to save that illegal aliens shouldn't be getting. They can help rebuild California where they're devastated by these fires. In Kentucky, there's a lot of things we can do for American citizens, the homeless vets.

All departments and agencies are now directed to identify and end any program that provides the financial benefits to illegal migrants.

The order also mandates improvements in welfare eligibility verification.

Israel latest » The Israeli military says a body released by Hamas is NOT that of the Israeli mother the terror group claims died in captivity.

The terror group sent four caskets back to Israel Thursday. It was said that three of them contained members of the Bibas family … a young mother and her two small children.

The bodies of four-year-old Ariel and 9-month-old Kfir Bibas were returned. But the remains of their mother, Shiri Bibas, were not.

Dr. Chen Kugel with the Israeli Health Ministry:

KUGEL: Since October 7th, 2023, the team of the Israeli National Center of Forensic Medicine is dedicating itself to identifying all October 7th victims, and thus providing closure for the families … and proper burial.

The body of 83-year-old Oded Lifshitz was also identified.

But the fourth body was not Shiri, and could not be identified as any known hostage. Israel is demanding that Hamas return Shiri's remains.

Christian deaths in DRC » Officials in the Congo are investigating the brutal execution of 70 Christians. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more.

KRISTEN FLAVIN: Militants from a group with ties to ISIS … kidnapped the Christians from a village in the country’s north east.

Authorities later found their bodies … beheaded in an abandoned church.

The militant group called the Allied Democratic Forces … has launched numerous attacks against Christians, peacekeeping forces, and aid workers.

Violence in the region has forced many churches, schools, and health centers to close.

The president of International Christian Concern Jeff King … is calling for an all-Africa military force to step in and restore order in the Congo.

For WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Katie McCoy is back for Culture Friday. Plus, a film about a frail child with an unbreakable spirit.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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