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Bill O'Reilly here. You are listening to the O'Reilly Update. Coming up next, the news with Mike Slater.
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Thank you, Bill. It is Monday, February 23, 2026. Here's what's happening today in America. Attack thwarted, cartel leader killed, Tariff increased. And Team USA for gold's all coming up. Then Bill's gonna be here with your message of the day. But first, the Secret Service shot a man and killed him after he tried to unlawfully enter Mar A Lago. The suspect is Austin Tucker Martin. He's A white male, 21, from North Carolina. He was reported missing after leaving his home a few days ago. He was walking on Mar A Lago property with a shotgun and gas canister. The president was hosting a dinner in Washington, D.C. at the time. Law enforcement released a photo of the shotgun the man was carrying. During this break in, Caroline Levitt said in the middle of the night while most Americans were asleep, the the United States Secret Service acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a crazy person in Mexico. Mexican forces killed their most wanted cartel boss. His name is El Mencho. He's the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, widely regarded as the country's most violent of all the cartel leaders. The Trump administration has been pressuring Mexico to remove this cartel leader. Mexican forces led an operation on Sunday to capture him in in his town about 20,000 people in the western coastal state of Jalisco. This is where the cartel was founded and based. At least seven cartel members were killed during this operation. This operation then set off an outbreak of violence across Mexico in at least six states. A lot of burning cars and leaving them in the middle of the street. Cartel guys like to do that. The US Government has warned its citizens to shelter in place until further notice. In five Mexican states. The Supreme Court ruled against the president's tariffs. These are the ones that he instituted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. It was a 6 to 3 ruling against the president. But the president in response said based on a thorough, detailed and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written and extraordinarily anti American decision on tariffs. After many months of contemplation by the United States Supreme Court, please let this statement serve to represent that I as President United States will be effective immediately raising the 10% worldwide tariff on countries to the fully allowed and legally tested 15% level. The President says he has the authority to do this under other tariff legislation. Team America, one of the greatest hockey games of all time. 24 year old Jack Hughes, just a couple minutes after getting his teeth knocked out, literally scored the game winning goal for Team USA over Canada 2 to 1 in overtime. This is the third gold medal for Team USA men's hockey on the 46th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice. After the game, Jack Hughes said, this is all about our country right now. I love the usa. I'm so proud to be an American. Today. The final medal count, Norway with 41. We got 33, Italy with 30 overall. I'm Mike Slater from the podcast Politics by faith, Bill O'Reilly has your message of the day next.
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Time now for the O'Reilly update message of the day on this Monday. I have some information to give you that might be of interest. Europe is a fairly liberal place, all right. Out of the 45 countries that comprise the continent, all of them have voter ID laws. All of them. The exception is some precincts in Great Britain where they don't really care. But places like Sweden and Denmark and Switzerland and Greece, even Spain all say if you want to vote in our national elections. You have to prove citizenship. So why is there resistance in the United States of America? Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer leading that charge. Schumer says that if you pass a law demanding an id, you're racist. The poor blacks or poor minorities can't vote. That's gibberish. Hogwash. The states will provide you with an ID free of charge. They'll even bring it to your house. So what's the deal here, really? Well, it has to be. We want undocumented people to vote. I'm Bill O'Reilly. I approve the message by writing it. You can reach me billoreilly.com, billoriley.com name in town if you wish to opine. Now, let's go to the mail. Linda says if you were asked if the United States should defend Taiwan, O'Reilly, how would you respond? I would defend Taiwan via President Trump or any other president. Now, it doesn't mean you start a nuclear war. What it means is if China comes over and militarily takes a free country, no one buys any China stuff anywhere. And that's the end of China. And if anybody did, then they can't do business with the United States. You'd have to have all the South Asian nations and do Japan and everybody on board. And NATO, you have to line that up. That's how you would cripple China. That's why they don't do it now. They know that's what would happen. Shooting war, boy, that would be catastrophic for the world, wouldn't it? Peter Avila, Nottingham, N.H. i take issue, Bill, with your assessment of the economy being vibrant, I think it's more about who you ask. The average person is simply not having that experience. I, for one, with many of my peers, experience difficulties making ends meet. And the stock market is not the only barometer. Okay, but when I say the economy is vibrant, I mean there are opportunities for you. So you're not doing that well in New Hampshire. All right. Look around. There are jobs, good jobs. You may have to move. I had to move a lot. But there are opportunities to earn money here, and you got to be smart about it. It's not like we have 10% unemployment, inflation at 10%. All of that is fairly tame. You're right. It depends on the individual. But if you're not doing well, you got to go to plan B. In a moment, something you might not know.
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Lose more@weightwatchers.com now the O'Reilly update brings you something you might not know. On this day in 1945, US Marines overran forces from the Empire of Japan defending Mount Suribachi. The image of American soldiers hoisting the American flag is one of the most iconic photographs ever taken. Codename Island X, this barren speck of volcanic rock, one third the size of Manhattan, better known to the world as Iwo Jima, the invasion of that territory, codenamed Operation Detachment, was planned a year in advance. The tiny island was vital to the Allies. The Pentagon wanted the airfields to prepare future strikes against Japan. Tokyo viewed the island as the last line of defense for their sacred homeland. Beginning in June 1944, the US Navy began bombarding Iwo Jima. American soldiers then stormed the beaches on February 19, but met little resistance. As the troops moved inward, however, they encountered brutal Japanese defenses entrenched all over the island. On February 23, US forces won the high ground on Suribachi. Once the top was secured, an American flag was attached to a damaged water pipe and raised over the island. It was the first foreign flag to fly on Japanese soil in history. Three out of six Marines depicted in the photo were killed days later. The brutal battle would last for weeks. 70,000 U.S. soldiers fought against thousands of Japanese troops. After five weeks of combat, 7,000 Marines were killed, 20,000 Japanese dead. The surrender of Iwo Jima put Americans just 750 miles away from Tokyo. And here's something else you might not know. For some soldiers, the mission to defend the island would go on. Two Japanese lieutenants held out on Iwo jima for another four years. The pair of machine gunners finally surrendered on January 6, 1949. For more incredible stories about America's brutal campaign to vanquish Japan, please check out my book, killing the Rising Sun. Back in a moment. Thank you for listening to the O'Reilly update. I am Bill O'Reilly. For more news and honest analysis, please go to billoreilly.com no spin, just facts. And always looking out for you.
Host: Bill O’Reilly
Guest News Recap: Mike Slater
Release Date: February 23, 2026
This episode of The O’Reilly Update covers major current events in the U.S. and globally, with a focus on security, international law enforcement, tariffs, sports triumphs, and American history. Bill O’Reilly also delivers his "Message of the Day," primarily discussing voter ID laws and their political implications, and answers listener questions about U.S. foreign policy and economic outlook. The episode concludes with a historical segment on the iconic flag-raising at Iwo Jima.
[00:39–01:18]
[01:19–01:54]
[01:55–02:36]
[02:37–03:14]
[04:32–05:45]
[05:46–06:36]
[06:37–07:35]
[08:53–10:09]
Caroline Levitt (via Slater) on Mar-a-Lago incident:
Presidential Statement on Tariff Ruling:
Jack Hughes (Team USA Hockey):
Bill O’Reilly on Voter ID:
Bill O’Reilly on China/Taiwan strategy:
Tone: The episode maintains O’Reilly’s signature direct, opinionated, and combative style, with a focus on straightforward news delivery and pointed editorial commentary on policy and politics.