Welcome to The Readback, our
weekend digest featuring the best of Punchbowl News this week – a quick
roundup of all our scoops, analysis and Capitol Hill insight you won’t
find anywhere else. We’ve also included a few of our favorite outside
reads from the week.
Tariffs: The Supreme Court dealt a massive blow on Friday to President Donald Trump’s economic agenda, striking down a vast swath of the administration’s tariffs.
The decision immediately
made waves on Capitol Hill. What was set up to be a quiet Friday with
both chambers in recess instead became a rush to respond to a major
court ruling.
For weeks now, members
of Congress and aides had been anticipating the Supreme Court’s
decision — waiting on edge for what the ruling would be, debating why it
was taking so long and gaming out how to respond.
The Supreme Court case hung over the entire debate about Trump’s tariffs and trade agenda.
But now, it’s finally time to confront the fallout.
Democrats are quickly changing gears in their war against Trump’s tariffs to press for refunds
of the revenue collected by the administration. This has become a huge
political issue for Democrats, who are trying to use the tariffs to tie
Republicans to rising prices.
After the high court’s decision, Trump announced he’d use Section 122 authority to levy 10%
global tariffs. That authority will allow the president to impose
tariffs for 150 days without congressional action. The president also
said he’ll ramp up Section 301 investigations to apply additional
tariffs.
Trump added he doesn’t need to work with Congress
on tariff legislation. That will be a relief for many congressional
Republicans, who’ve avoided the issue as Trump’s trade wars rage. Many
in the GOP still dislike tariffs, but they’ve largely avoided breaking
publicly with Trump on the issue and drawing his ire.
Still, the decision is already highlighting diverging views from congressional Republicans.
Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Moreno
(R-Ohio) is already seizing on it to demand another party-line
reconciliation bill to codify Trump’s tariffs. There’s a lot of
skepticism even among Republicans about another reconciliation package —
for good reason. But supporters of the idea may draw on the tariff
decision to make their case and tout a big pot of potential revenue.
What I’m watching: I’ve been doing weekly watches of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” with some friends, and it’s way better than I expected.
– Laura Weiss
You can find The Readback in your inbox every Saturday at 8 a.m. And don’t hesitate to reach out to readback@punchbowl.news with feedback. Enjoy The Readback.
I just returned from a four-day trip to Texas where I got to see the Senate race play out on the ground after a year of watching from afar.
It was great
to be back on the trail. I was able to make it to campaign stops for
the five major Senate candidates and ask each of them questions about
the race.
I caught GOP Rep. Wesley Hunt in Dallas, Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in Austin, Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett in Fort Worth and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton way out east in Tyler.
Anyone familiar with Texas geography knows that’s a LOT of driving. But I also got plenty of good tacos, so it evens out.
One thing that stood out to me on the trail: Democrats seem to be more fired up than the GOP.
Both Talarico and
Crockett inspired massive crowds. The Talarico event I attended drew
1,000 people on a Tuesday evening, according to his campaign. And
Crockett’s team said she pulled in 700 people to a church at 10:30 a.m.
on a Thursday!
The GOP events I attended were smaller, probably closer to 100 people.
The last Trump midterm generated
a lot of Democratic enthusiasm, and this one is likely to as well.
That’s part of why both parties have made such a focus on electability.
Democrats see
a rare opportunity to win statewide in Texas. Republicans know they
could be vulnerable in a good Democratic year. But both want the right
candidate.
Cornyn and his allies have spent
more than $60 million to try and stop Paxton because they believe he
puts the seat at risk. This hasn’t really worked. It seems highly likely
Paxton will take the first slot in the March 3 primary, and the race
will drag out into a runoff.
Some Democrats and nearly all Republicans believe Crockett would be the least formidable nominee for her party. The NRSC even took credit for helping nudge her into the race.
But Crockett has far less money than Talarico, though her high name ID gave her a strong head start.
Here’s something
I’ve been thinking about: Republicans believe any of their candidates
could beat Crockett, even Paxton, who has serious ethical issues.
Instead of spending $60 million to try to help Cornyn make it into a
runoff, what if they spent a fraction of that to help Crockett keep pace
with Talarico?
In Republicans’ minds, if
Crockett is the Democratic nominee, then it doesn’t matter who wins the
Republican primary. It seems more cost-effective to meddle in the
Democratic primary, which is far less likely to go to a runoff.
This is especially true
because Paxton would be favored to win a GOP primary runoff, as it
tends to have a smaller and more conservative electorate. That means
Republicans have only just begun their Cornyn rescue mission.
What I’m reading: I am about to start “Best Offer Wins,” a novel about the competitive DC real estate market by Marisa Kashino. My colleague Samantha Handler recommended
it to me back in August, and it’s finally my turn to read it at the
library! But I’m going to wait a bit longer because I left my Kindle at a
hotel in Austin and it’s still making its way back to me in the mail.
President Donald Trump
is set to deliver the first State of the Union speech of his second
term on Tuesday night. You’ll remember that Trump’s address to a joint
session of Congress last year was not technically a State of the Union.
While we can’t bet on what exactly will happen inside the House chamber, we can do our best to guess what Trump might say.
Will Trump
mention his “great tariffs,” or will he bring up the “rigged Nobel
Peace Prize?” And how many times will he say former President Joe Biden’s name?
Once again, we’ve made a game out of it, and you can play too! Re-introducing (drum roll, please): Power List Bingo.
You can find
your bingo card tucked inside the Special Edition State of the Union
newsletter, which will hit your inbox Tuesday morning. It includes some
of Trump’s favorite phrases that he posts on social media or he uses
most in his speeches or responses to reporters.
Play to see
if your favorite Trumpism made the cut by watching the State of the
Union at 9 p.m. on Tuesday and marking off any phrases Trump says. And
be sure to share your card on social media using #thepunchlist and
tagging us @PunchbowlNews.
What I’m watching: ”One Hundred Years of Solitude” on Netflix. The adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s novel is beautifully done. The visuals transport me right into Macondo from the comfort of my couch.
Commercial satellite imagery collected in February 2026 by Planet Labs and Airbus shows what appear to be Iranian S-300 surface-to-air missile launchers repositioned at multiple air defense sites around Tehran and Isfahan, even as the fire control radars typically paired with those systems are not visible in their customary locations.
The images, reviewed against the backdrop of renewed friction between Washington and Tehran, indicate that portions of Iran’s long-range air defense inventory have resurfaced after months of limited visibility following Israeli strikes in 2024.
While the absence of engagement radars raises questions about operational status, the launcher redeployments point to at least a partial effort to restore layered defenses around key political and nuclear infrastructure.
Satellite imagery shows Iran redeploying S-300 launchers near Tehran and Isfahan as tensions with the U.S. rise. (Picture source: Airbus and Planet Lab via Arms Control Wonk)
At UMEX 2026, Unmanned Defense Systems Exhibition in Abu Dhabi, Army Recognition’s on-site defense analyst conducted a detailed technical assessment of the exhibition’s unmanned aerial systems. They selected 10 combat aerial drone innovations that best represent the trajectory of modern airpower. The chosen platforms span loitering munitions, long-endurance ISR strike drones, and modular multi-mission UAVs engineered for distributed and high-intensity operations. Each system demonstrated advances in autonomy, secure communications, payload flexibility, and survivability, highlighting how unmanned platforms are moving from supporting roles to core elements of force structure.
On 21 February 2025, Turkish Aerospace Industries released new video footage on its official X account showing the National Combat Aircraft KAAN in three distinct prototype configurations, P0, P1 and P2. Published exactly two years after KAAN’s maiden flight on 21 February 2024, the video underlines how rapidly the program is transitioning from a single demonstrator to a structured prototype fleet supporting flight test and systems integration.
The U.S. Navy has formally approved Raytheon’s StormBreaker smart weapon for operational use on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the company announced February 20, 2026, from Tucson, Arizona. The precision air-to-surface munition is designed to engage moving and stationary targets in adverse weather, using a multi-mode seeker to operate over land and at sea.
L3Harris Technologies announced on February 18, 2026, that it secured its largest full-rate production contract for U.S. Navy submarine communications systems, following an award from General Dynamics Electric Boat. The agreement calls for delivery of 26 shipsets for Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines and Columbia-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, with production extending through 2033.
The U.S. Army Security Assistance Command on February 20, 2026, delivered the first two AH-64E Apache attack helicopters to Australia, initiating a 29-aircraft procurement under Project Land 4503, as reported by Terri Stover. The transfer, executed through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales framework, formalizes the Australian Army’s shift from the Airbus Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter to Boeing’s latest Apache Guardian configuration.
U.S. Marines with the 1st Marine Division conducted well deck operations using the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) aboard USS Ashland (LSD 48) off California, according to a February 20, 2026, Marine Corps release. Led by the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit under Task Force Ashland, the training validated ship-to-shore launch and recovery procedures as the Corps continues replacing legacy Assault Amphibious Vehicles.
BAE Systems Hägglunds, on February 20, 2026, ceremonially unveiled the first CV9035 Mk IV tracked infantry fighting (IFV) vehicle destined for the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, formally launching deliveries under a 152-vehicle government-to-government agreement with Sweden. The rollout represents a pivotal phase in Bratislava’s long-planned replacement of its Soviet-era BMP-1 and BMP-2 fleet with a modern, NATO-standard mechanized platform.
According to U.S. Navy information published on February 18, 2025, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Mobile Unit Eight participated in Exercise Arctic Specialist 26 with Norwegian and Swedish forces from February 3 to 12 above the Arctic Circle. Hosted annually by Norway, the exercise concentrated on expeditionary mine countermeasure missions and land-based explosive ordnance disposal under severe Arctic conditions.
The International Pavilion at World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has become one of the event’s most strategically observed halls, showcasing operational armored vehicles, missile systems, unmanned aerial platforms, and integrated battlefield technologies ready for near-term procurement rather than future concepts.
U.S. Company Blue Water Autonomy unveiled its Liberty-Class autonomous surface vessel on February 11, 2026, introducing a 190-foot steel-hulled ship designed for extended unmanned operations in support of the U.S. Navy. Unlike earlier technology demonstrators, Liberty is presented as a production-ready platform, with construction scheduled to begin in March 2026 at Conrad Shipyard in Louisiana and delivery expected later this year under a Navy program of record.
According to information released by the U.S. Company Syracuse on February 18, 2026, the company’s Generic Multi-Function Array (GMFA) system was featured during a live fire demonstration involving the MQ-28A Ghost Bat Collaborative Combat Aircraft. The event moved the modular electronic warfare payload from laboratory validation into an operational setting that combined spectrum contestation with kinetic activity.
On 19 February 2026, NATO’s Joint Force Command Brunssum reported that Turkish forces had deployed the ASLAN Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) during exercise STEADFAST DART 26 in northern Germany. As one of NATO’s major manoeuvre exercises of the year, STEADFAST DART 26 serves as a key testbed for the new Allied Reaction Force and for emerging robotic and autonomous systems on the land domain.
Information released by the U.S. Department of War on February 19, 2026, shows Mathtech Inc. of Falls Church, Virginia, has secured a $10,555,868 firm-fixed-price award to deliver 123 Intercommunication Systems for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, the U.S. Navy’s carrier-based airborne command-and-control workhorse. The buy covers 96 systems for Navy aircraft and 27 for Foreign Military Sales customers, with 23 destined for France and four for Japan.
On 20 February 2026, NATO Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum announced that the Turkish drone carrier TCG Anadolu is being deployed toward the coast of Latvia as part of the Eastern Sentry operation. In its communication, JFC Brunssum underlined that the ship will operate under NATO Air Command, strengthening air surveillance and air defense along the Alliance’s eastern frontier in the context of repeated airspace violations attributed to Russia.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems said on 19 February 2026 that the U.S. Air Force has assigned the experimental designation X-68A to DARPA’s LongShot concept, formalizing an air-launched uncrewed “end-game” weapons carrier designed to fly ahead of crewed aircraft and fire its own air-to-air missiles.
On February 20, 2026, open-source imagery and videos, alongside flight-tracking data and spotter reports, indicated that a second group of United States Air Force F-22A Raptor aircraft had been observed at United Kingdom air bases, including RAF Mildenhall.
Austal’s February 20, 2026, announcement confirms that Canberra has now locked in a major amphibious logistics investment, awarding the shipbuilder an approximately 4 billion contract from the Commonwealth Department of Defence to deliver eight Landing Craft Heavy vessels under the Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement. The 100 m ships, derived from Damen’s LST100 design, will be built in Henderson, Western Australia, using Austal facilities and the precinct’s Common User Facility.
On 20 February 2026, Rheinmetall announced that General Dynamics European Land Systems, as prime contractor for the Bundeswehr’s next-generation Luchs 2 reconnaissance vehicle, has commissioned the company to supply the turret, main armament and corresponding simulators. The contract was signed in Kaiserslautern at the beginning of February 2026 and its value is in the mid three-digit million-euro range, covering the turret, weapon and training package.
On 19 February 2026, the U.S. Navy announced that the Small Diameter Bomb II, better known as the StormBreaker, has reached initial operational capability on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, following a qualification campaign led at Patuxent River, Maryland. According to a release from Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, this decision formalizes a capability that had already been exercised during limited early operational use in 2025.
A Type 910 test ship belonging to the People’s Liberation Army Navy has been photographed at Liaoning Shipyard in Dalian, fitted with a previously unseen 155 mm naval gun mounted forward, The War Zone reported on February 19, 2026. The vessel was moored near Lüshun Naval Base, a location frequently linked to Chinese experimental naval programs.
The Virginia-class fast attack submarine USS South Dakota returned to the United States on February 19 after nearly six months at sea, concluding a scheduled deployment supporting national and maritime security objectives. The submarine is set to arrive at its homeport at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, on February 20, closing out an operational cycle that highlights the high tempo maintained by the U.S. Navy’s undersea force.
Embraer and Northrop Grumman have put the KC-390 Millennium at the center of a new push to reshape allied air mobility, confirming on February 19, 2026, a joint effort aimed at the U.S. Air Force and partner nations. The announcement is not a routine teaming note.
The French Ministry of the Armed Forces and the Marine nationale confirmed on February 19, 2026, that the Jeanne d’Arc 2026 task group has sailed from Toulon for a five-month deployment stretching from the Mediterranean into the Red Sea, East Africa, the Indian Ocean and onward to the Indo-Pacific.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command announced on February 19, 2026, that it detected and tracked a five-aircraft Russian formation operating within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, prompting the launch of two F-16 Fighting Falcons, two F-35 Lightning II fighters, an E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, and four KC-135 Stratotankers to identify and escort the aircraft.
Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, the state-owned Polish Armaments Group, publicly presented core elements of its new SAN short-range air defense system during a demonstration on February 19, 2026, at the Military Institute of Armament Technology in Zielonka, signaling Warsaw’s intent to field the system along Poland’s eastern border before the end of the year.
Rostec disclosed on February 20, 2026, that Uralvagonzavod has delivered a new batch of modernized BREM-80 armored repair and recovery vehicles to Russia’s Ministry of Defense ahead of Defender of the Fatherland Day. The company frames the upgrade package as a direct response to battlefield realities in Ukraine, where recovery crews operate under constant pressure from drones, artillery, and loitering munitions.
