{"id":200751,"date":"2026-02-17T20:47:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T20:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/trump-administration-live-updates-jesse-jackson-dies-russia-ukraine-talks-start-in-geneva-nbc-news\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T20:47:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T20:47:09","slug":"trump-administration-live-updates-jesse-jackson-dies-russia-ukraine-talks-start-in-geneva-nbc-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/trump-administration-live-updates-jesse-jackson-dies-russia-ukraine-talks-start-in-geneva-nbc-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump administration live updates: Jesse Jackson dies; Russia-Ukraine talks start in Geneva – NBC News"},"content":{"rendered":"

The U.S. and Iran also held indirect talks aimed at resolving their long-running nuclear dispute.
<\/span>President Donald Trump praised civil rights icon Jesse Jackson in a social media post Tuesday.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Nathan Howard \/ Getty Images<\/span>
A flood of tributes poured in\u00a0for Jesse Jackson<\/a>\u00a0after his family announced the death of the civil rights icon today.
Activists, public figures and many of the country\u2019s most prominent politicians,\u00a0including Trump<\/a>, took to social media this morning to commemorate Jackson, 84, the civil rights pioneer, Baptist minister and two-time presidential candidate.
Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a>
Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama paid tribute to the Rev. Jesse Jackson in a statement today, saying he “helped lead some of the most significant movements for change in human history.”
The Obamas also emphasized that Jackson “created opportunities for generations of African Americans and inspired countless more, including us.” They pointed to Jackson’s runs for president, saying that he “laid the foundation” for the former president’s successful campaign.
“Michelle and I will always be grateful for Jesse’s lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share,” the statement said. “We stood on his shoulders.”
The military launched strikes yesterday on three alleged drug smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean, killing 11 people, U.S. Southern Command announced.
\u201cIntelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations,\u201d Southern Command said Tuesday in\u00a0a post to X.\u00a0<\/a>
The strikes are the latest in a series of controversial military operations that have alarmed and frustrated critics of the administration in Congress, although lawmakers\u00a0have opted to\u00a0<\/a>allow the strikes to continue without prior congressional approval.\u00a0
Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a>
\u201cLate Show\u201d host Stephen Colbert said CBS did not air his interview last night with Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, out of fear of the Federal Communications Commission.
Colbert kicked off last night\u2019s show by almost immediately mentioning Talarico\u2019s absence.
\u201cHe was supposed to be here, but we were told in no uncertain terms by our network\u2019s lawyers, who called us directly, that we could not have him on the broadcast,\u201d Colbert said. \u201cThen, then I was told in some uncertain terms that not only could I not have him on, I could not mention me not having him on. And because my network clearly doesn\u2019t want us to talk about this, let\u2019s talk about this.\u201d
CBS and the FCC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a>
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, confirmed to NBC News today that she is planning to leave her position.
McLaughlin\u2019s last day will be next Friday, Feb. 27.
She has served as the department’s main spokesperson during Trump’s second term so far, defending Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and the administration from the backlash to its immigration enforcement efforts.
The department’s handling of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent came under fire after videos from witnesses<\/a> appeared to contradict the initial statements DHS and McLaughlin put out.
McLaughlin first told news outlets in a statement that was also posted to X, <\/a>\u201cThe officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted. Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots.\u201d
Noem made similar comments, saying, claiming Pretti \u201cattacked\u201d officers and referred to the incident as \u201cdomestic terrorism.”
A DHS spokesperson clarified days later that the initial statement was “based on reports from CBP from a very chaotic scene on the ground. That\u2019s precisely why an investigation is underway and DHS will let the facts lead the investigation.\u201d
Diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran got underway in Geneva today, led by Trump\u2019s envoy and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for a new round of nuclear talks. It comes as the president is making new threats about what could happen if a deal is not reached. NBC\u2019s Keir Simmons reports for “Today.”
Former President Joe Biden paid tribute to Jackson as someone who “helped lead our Nation forward through tumult and triumph,” emphasizing that Jackson influenced generations and “countless elected leaders.”
“Throughout our decades of friendship and partnership, I\u2019ve known Reverend Jackson as history will remember him: a man of God and of the people. Determined and tenacious. Unafraid of the work to redeem the soul of our Nation,” Biden wrote in his post.<\/a>
Biden expressed gratitude for Jackson’s “lifetime of dedicated service and inspirational leadership.”
“We extend our love to the entire Jackson family, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and all those who counted Reverend Jackson as a mentor, friend, and hero,” the former president said, referring to the civil rights and social justice nonprofit that Jackson founded.
Leaders of the NAACP released a joint statement honoring Jackson’s civil rights legacy, saying he “was not only a civil rights icon \u2014 he was family to the NAACP.”
“His work advanced Black America at every turn,” the statement said. “He challenged this nation to live up to its highest ideals, and he reminded our movement that hope is both a strategy and a responsibility. His historic run for president inspired millions and brought race to the forefront of American politics.”
The statement, released by the NAACP’s board Chair Leon W. Russell, Vice Chair Karen Boykin Towns and President Derrick Johnson, said: “We honor his legacy by continuing the work he championed: protecting the right to vote, expanding economic opportunity, and fighting for the freedom and dignity of Black people everywhere.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem\u2019s relationship with U.S. Coast Guard officials has become strained throughout her first year leading the department, according to two U.S. officials, a Coast Guard official and a former Coast Guard official.
The tensions between Noem and the only branch of the U.S. military overseen by DHS stem from some early decisions she made that rankled Coast Guard officials, including a verbal directive to shift Coast Guard resources from a search-and-rescue mission to find a missing service member, the sources said.
Noem\u2019s leadership at DHS has created a specific split in the Coast Guard. Many rank-and-file members are motivated by her approach, where she showcases their work by joining them on operations and visiting their ships. Some more senior officials, however, see that approach as taking away from the Coast Guard\u2019s traditional missions.
Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a>
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said today on CNBC that the Trump administration is bracing for the Supreme Court\u2019s looming ruling on the president\u2019s sweeping tariffs and has a contingency plan ready if the justices strike them down.
\u201cSo we\u2019ll just see when it comes, when, if and when it comes, and we win, then we\u2019ll just carry on our successful tariff and trade policy program,” Greer said. “If it goes the other way, then we\u2019ll try to re-create that in the best way possible, so we can have continuity in what the president\u2019s doing.\u201d
Greer noted that Friday is the court\u2019s next designated date to hand down opinions.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Trump\u2019s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose global tariffs in November, and both liberal and conservative justices<\/a> <\/a>appeared skeptical <\/a>of the administration\u2019s position.
Chief Justice John Roberts noted that taxing Americans has always \u201cbeen the core power of Congress,\u201d while Justice Neil Gorsuch, another conservative, questioned whether there would be any limit to Congress \u201cjust abdicating all responsibility to regulate foreign commerce, or for that matter, declare war\u201d if the court were to rule for Trump.
Trump said his administration would decide \u201cpretty soon\u201d on arms sales to Taiwan<\/a> in what has become a key issue of contention with Beijing ahead of Trump\u2019s anticipated visit to China.
In December, the U.S. announced an $11 billion arms sale<\/a> to the Beijing-claimed island that is believed to be the largest ever. China opposes such sales, and President Xi Jinping warned Trump<\/a> in a call earlier this month to handle them with \u201cprudence.\u201d
\u201cI\u2019m talking to him about it,\u201d Trump told reporters on Air Force One. \u201cWe had a good conversation, and we\u2019ll make a determination pretty soon,\u201d he said, adding that he and Xi have a \u201cgood relationship\u201d and he plans to travel to China in April.\u00a0
The U.S. has no formal relations with Taiwan, which rejects China\u2019s sovereignty claims, but is legally bound to provide the self-governing democracy with defensive weapons. The Trump administration has been pressuring Taiwan to spend more on its own defense, but President Lai Ching-te\u2019s $40 billion special defense budget faces resistance<\/a> from the opposition-controlled legislature.
Trump said in a post<\/a> on Truth Social that Jesse Jackson “was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and ‘street smarts.'”
“Despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left, Democrats ALL, it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way,” he said in the post.
Trump pointed to his record on issues Jackson pushed for, including criminal justice legislation, funding for historically Black colleges and universities, and the creation of opportunity zones to provide incentives for investment in low-income areas.
Jackson was critical of Trump<\/a>‘s presidency after he was elected to his first term, saying that “fifty years of civil rights have been threatened.”
Trump also said in the post that Jackson “had much to do with the Election, without acknowledgment or credit, of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand.” The comment appeared to be a reference to sometimes strained relations between the two men after Jackson accused Obama<\/a> of sometimes seeming to be “talking down to Black people” during his candidacy in 2008.
“He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences,” Trump said in the post. “Jesse will be missed!”
In remarks to reporters last night, Trump referred to the need to make an endorsement of a candidate to fill Republican former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s seat in Georgia, although he did in fact endorse someone earlier this month.
“We have a lot of people that want to take Marjorie ‘traitor’ Greene’s place, and many, many candidates, and I have to choose one, and they say whoever I endorse is going to win, but we have a lot of good candidates who want to take her place,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One.
Earlier this month, Trump said he was endorsing Clay Fuller to fill Greene’s seat. Trump reposted his endorsement of Fuller this morning.
Reached for comment on whether Trump stood by his endorsement in light of last night’s comments, a White House official pointed to Trump’s reposted endorsement.
Trump told reporters on Air Force One last night that he has yet to make a decision over whom to endorse in the GOP primary race for Senate in Texas.
“I just\u00a0haven\u2019t\u00a0made\u00a0a\u00a0decision\u00a0of\u00a0that race\u00a0yet,” he said, responding to a question about potential endorsements. “It\u2019s got\u00a0a\u00a0ways\u00a0to\u00a0go.”
Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is facing competitive primary challenges from state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. Trump told reporters that he liked all three candidates.
“I like\u00a0all three,” he said. “Those\u00a0are\u00a0the\u00a0toughest races. They\u2019ve\u00a0all supported me. They\u2019re\u00a0all good,\u00a0and\u00a0you’re supposed\u00a0to\u00a0pick one, so we\u2019ll see what happens.\u00a0But\u00a0I support\u00a0all three.”
In an interview on MS Now, Al Sharpton said Jesse Jackson’s goals went far beyond politics.
“He basically was not a politician,” Sharpton said. “He was one that saw politics as a means, not an end, and he saw himself fighting in the social policy arena.”
“He had accumulated such influence that he used it to help what he wanted to see done in terms of social policy,” Sharpton said, responding to a question about why Jackson did not run for president again after 1988.
Jackson ran for president in 1984 and 1988 and was a high-profile civil rights activist for decades, dating back to the 1960s, and had marched with Martin Luther King Jr.
Sharpton said that Jackson helped change both American politics and civil rights, saying, “He kept Dr. King’s dream going, and we have to keep his going.”
Jackson demonstrated alongside King and participated in marches and sit-ins. In the MS Now interview, Sharpton also credited Jackson with teaching him about activism, calling him \u201cthe most definitive teacher in my life.\u201d
The U.S. and\u00a0Iran<\/a>\u00a0held\u00a0indirect talks<\/a>\u00a0in Geneva today aimed at resolving their long-running nuclear dispute, with little clear indication of compromise as\u00a0Washington masses a battle force<\/a>\u00a0in the region.
Trump said he would be involved \u201cindirectly\u201c in the Geneva talks and that he believed Tehran wanted to make a deal.
\u201cI don\u2019t think they want the consequences of not making a deal,\u201d Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One yesterday. \u201cWe could have had a deal instead of sending the B-2s in to knock out their nuclear potential. And we had to send the B-2s.\u201d
Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a>
Negotiators from\u00a0Ukraine<\/a>\u00a0and Russia gathered in Geneva today for two days of U.S.-mediated peace talks that will focus on the main sticking point of land, with Trump pressing\u00a0Kyiv<\/a>\u00a0to act fast to reach a deal.
Trump is pressing Moscow and Kyiv to reach a deal to end Europe\u2019s biggest war since 1945, though Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has complained that\u00a0his country is facing the greatest pressure to make concessions<\/a>.
Ahead of the talks, Russia carried out heavy airstrikes overnight across swaths of Ukraine, inflicting severe damage on the power network in the southern port city of Odesa, which authorities said left tens of thousands without heat and water.
Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a>
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the longtime civil rights activist, Baptist minister and two-time presidential candidate, died today, his family said.\u00a0
\u201cOur father was a servant leader \u2014 not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,\u201d the Jackson family said in a statement. \u201cWe shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.\u201d
Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton said in a statement that \u201cour nation lost one of its greatest moral voices\u201d and paid tribute to a man who \u201ccarried history in his footsteps and hope in his voice.\u201d
\u201cReverend Jackson stood wherever dignity was under attack, from apartheid abroad to injustice at home. His voice echoed in boardrooms and in jail cells. His presence shifted rooms. His faith never wavered,\u201d Sharpton said.
A cause of death was not immediately given. Jackson\u2019s family said he died peacefully surrounded by his loved ones.
Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a>
NBC News<\/p>\n

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The U.S. and Iran also held indirect talks aimed at resolving their long-running nuclear dispute.President Donald Trump praised civil rights icon Jesse Jackson in a social media post Tuesday.\u00a0Nathan Howard \/ Getty ImagesA flood of tributes poured in\u00a0for Jesse Jackson\u00a0after his family announced the death of the civil rights icon today.Activists, public figures and many […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":200752,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-200751","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-us","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200751","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=200751"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200751\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/200752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=200751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=200751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=200751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}