Thursday morning news: February 20, 2025

Trump Ukraine-Zelenskyy rift » President Donald Trump is facing criticism for remarks he made this week about the war in Ukraine … and about Ukraine’s president.

On Wednesday, Trump referred to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator” … and said he must move quickly to strike a deal with Russia to end the war … and criticized Kyiv for not holding recent elections.

TRUMP:  A dictator without elections. Zelensky better move fast or he's not going to have a country left. Gotta move. Gotta move fast. Cuz that war is going in the wrong direction.

Ukraine’s constitution prevents the country from holding elections while under martial law … which the government declared after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Trump’s latest comments came one day after he seemingly blamed Kyiv —not Moscow— for Russia's invasion.

TRUMP: You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.

That drew condemnation from Democrats… and pushback from some Republicans … like Sen. John Kennedy.

KENNEDY: To the extent that the White House said that Ukraine started the war, I disagree. I think Vladimir Putin started the war.

Meanwhile, in Kyiv President Zelenskyy said he’s talking with European leaders about continuing to back Ukraine's defense … if the U.S. pulls funding for Ukraine’s military.

Republican budget » Republican leaders in the Senate are planning a vote today on a budget reconciliation bill that would allocate $300 billion for border and national security.

This despite President Trump saying he prefers the House version that includes nearly $5 trillion dollars in tax cuts.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune says that's not a problem.

THUNE: We're prepared to work with them to get that across the finish line. But we believe that the president also likes optionality.

There's no guarantee the House bill can pass with Republicans only able to lose a few votes.

Some members are worried about potential cuts to benefits, while others are worried about the impact on the deficit.

Burgum on energy pipeline » Interior Secretary Doug Burgum says the Trump administration is working to lower energy prices in America. One key to that, he says, is cutting red tape and regulation that makes oil more expensive.

And he said the administration also wants to bring more energy revenue into the U.S.

BURGUM: I think the key infrastructure that President Trump is focused on right now, and he's spoken about these, uh, is that  … in Alaska, an 800 mile pipeline that would help deliver LNG for export to South Korea, the Philippines, and Japan … uh huge advantage, uh, for our, our partners and from a national security standpoint.

Burgum says those countries right now buy oil from the Middle East, but a pipeline from the United States could largely change that.

President Trump has signed an executive order directing Burgum to undo former President Biden's offshore oil ban.

Small Business Administration chief confirmed » The Senate just confirmed another new member of the Trump administration.

Former U.S. Senator  Kelly Loeffler will return to public service as the next head of the Small Business Administration.  

LOEFFLER VOTE: On this vote, the ayes are 52. The nays are 46. The nomination is confirmed.

Loeffler was a Republican senator from Georgia between 2020 and 2021 before losing reelection to current Democratic senator Raphael Warnock.

She had an extensive business career including serving as the CEO of a software service company.

California fire recovery in process » In the Los Angeles area … officials and local residents have embarked on the long road to recovery … after last month’s devastating wildfires.

The first step is to clean up hazardous debris. EPA spokesman Bill Dunbar:

DUNBAR:  Of the 13,000 plus properties, uh, impacted by the fires, EPA has completed over 80 percent of our work to conduct, uh, uh, our portion of the recovery process.

The flames scorched tens of thousands of acres and killed at least 29 people.

Hamas to return remains of Israeli hostages » Hamas today is turning over the remains of four Israelis who died while being held hostage by the terror group.

And an Israeli official confirmed yesterday that among them … would be the bodies of a young mother, Shir Bibas … and her two small children … Ariel and Kfir, who were 4 years old and 9 months old when they were captured.

It’s the first Israeli confirmation that the bodies of the family are being returned to Israel.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: rethinking how U.S. air traffic control operates. Plus, seeking safety and finding a new home.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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