Trump Defunds Maine & Eric Adams Stays | Afternoon Update | 2.21.25

Summary

Morning Wire Summary: "Trump Defunds Maine & Eric Adams Stays | Afternoon Update | 2.21.25"

Release Date: February 21, 2025
Hosts: John Bickley (Editor-in-Chief, The Daily Wire) and Georgia Howe

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Eric Adams Remains Mayor of New York City

Timestamp: [00:34]

Governor Kathy Hochul has decided not to remove Mayor Eric Adams from his position amidst mounting pressure and allegations. In her statement, Hochul emphasized the importance of democratic processes, stating:

"My strong belief is that the will of the voters and the supremacy and sanctity of Democratic elections preclude me from any other action. I cannot deny the people of this great city the power to make the decision for themselves." ([00:34])

These calls for Adams' resignation stem from Democratic accusations that he negotiated with the Trump administration to drop corruption charges against him. Governor Hochul's stance reinforces the principle of voter sovereignty in political matters.

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Senate Republicans Approve a $342 Billion Budget Blueprint

Timestamp: [01:03]

The Senate Republicans successfully passed a substantial budget bill totaling $342 billion after an overnight voting session, concluding with a 52-48 vote. Key allocations include:

• $150 billion for military spending
• $175 billion for border security

John Bickley highlighted that this Senate bill is less extensive than the House version proposed by Speaker Johnson, which includes significant tax cuts and major reductions in federal programs to finance the new funding. The House bill is anticipated to be presented for a vote in the upcoming week, indicating ongoing negotiations and potential adjustments between the chambers.

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Trump Defunds Maine Over Sports Policy

Timestamp: [01:32 - 02:12]

President Trump announced that Maine would be deprived of federal funding following the state's defiance of his executive order, which prohibits male athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports. Addressing Republican governors, Trump specifically singled out Maine:

“I heard men are still playing in Maine. Is anybody here from Maine? ... we’re not going to give them any federal money. They are still saying we want men to play in women's sports and I cannot believe that they're doing that.” ([01:47])

This decisive move underscores Trump's commitment to enforcing his policies on gender in sports, signaling to other states the potential consequences of non-compliance.

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President Trump Proposes Federal Control Over Washington, D.C.

Timestamp: [02:12 - 02:31]

During a press conference aboard Air Force One, President Trump advocated for the federal government to assume control of Washington, D.C., citing ongoing issues with crime and homelessness. He criticized Mayor Muriel Bowser's administration:

“I think that we should govern District of Columbia ... make it absolutely flawlessly beautiful. ... Too much crime, too much graffiti, too many tents on the lawns. It's a sad thing, you know, homeless people all over the place and we got to take care of the homeless, but you can't have that.” ([02:31])

Trump's proposal reflects his administration's focus on law and order, aiming to transform the nation's capital by addressing visible social challenges.

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Argentine President Javier Milei and Elon Musk at CPAC

Timestamp: [02:59 - 03:30]

At the Conservative Political Action Conference, Argentine President Javier Milei and tech mogul Elon Musk made headlines by appearing together on stage. Milei introduced a chainsaw as a symbolic gesture, presenting it to Musk. John Bickley described the moment:

"This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy. Chainsaw." ([05:30])

This act symbolizes a shared commitment to cutting through governmental inefficiencies, with Milei's unorthodox approach to leadership and Musk's involvement hinting at potential collaborations in governmental reform and technological advancements.

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Attorney Withdraws from Sean "Diddy" Combs' Defense Team

Timestamp: [03:30 - 04:30]

Sean Combs faces significant legal challenges as his attorney, Anthony Ricco, has resigned from his defense team. In a motion filed in New York, Ricco stated:

"Under no circumstance can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs." ([05:30])

This withdrawal does not delay Combs' upcoming May 5 trial on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Despite Ricco's departure, lead counsel Mark Agnifolo remains committed to the case. The resignation adds uncertainty to Combs' defense strategy moving forward.

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President Trump's Approval Ratings Reach New Highs

Timestamp: [04:30 - 05:15]

According to Real Clear Politics, President Trump's job approval rating is approximately 49%, with 47% disapproving. Georgia Howe reported that a CNN poll revealed:

• One-third of Americans view securing the southern border as Trump's most significant achievement.
• Slashing government spending ranks second.
• 62% want the president to do more to lower everyday prices.

In contrast, Democratic approval is at an all-time low, with Quinnipiac showing only 21% approval and 68% disapproval for how Democrats in Congress are handling their duties. This disparity highlights Trump's growing popularity amidst declining confidence in Democratic leadership.

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Terror Attack in Bat Yam, Israel

Timestamp: [05:15 - 05:37]

A terror attack took place in Bat Yam, just south of Tel Aviv, where two buses exploded in an empty parking lot. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as firefighters swiftly responded, searching for additional explosives. All bus and train services were suspended to ensure public safety. The incident underscores the persistent security challenges faced by Israel.

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Microsoft's Breakthrough in Quantum Computing

Timestamp: [05:37 - 06:40]

Microsoft researchers have announced the discovery of a new state of matter, poised to revolutionize computer science. Michael Whitaker detailed the innovation:

“Microsoft's new quantum chip, Majorana One, reportedly uses extremely thin topo conductors to manipulate subatomic particles, creating a state of matter which, according to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, is neither solid, liquid or gas.” ([05:58])

This advancement enables qubits to encode and process vastly more information than classical bits by leveraging superposition. Despite current quantum computers utilizing approximately 1,000 qubits, Microsoft claims a pathway to developing a million-qubit chip that remains compact. Such a quantum leap could surpass the combined processing power of all existing computers globally, marking a significant milestone in technological progress.

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Forever 21 to Close 200 More Stores Amidst Struggles

Timestamp: [06:40 - 07:07]

Retail giant Forever 21 announced the closure of an additional 200 stores, anticipating its second bankruptcy since 2019. The brand, once boasting over 500 stores nationwide and 800 internationally, has faced declining sales attributed to competition from fast fashion rivals like Temu, Shein, Zara, and Uniqlo. These closures reflect broader challenges within mall retail, highlighting shifting consumer preferences and the increasing dominance of online and alternative fast fashion brands.

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Conclusion

In this afternoon update, Morning Wire covered a spectrum of significant topics ranging from political shifts and legal battles to technological breakthroughs and retail industry changes. President Trump's sustained approval ratings and decisive actions, such as defunding Maine and proposing federal oversight of Washington, D.C., reflect his ongoing influence in American politics. Meanwhile, international developments and advancements in quantum computing signal broader global and technological dynamics. Retail struggles for Forever 21 further illustrate the evolving landscape of consumer behavior. For a comprehensive understanding of these stories and more, visit dailywire.com.

Transcript

[Georgia Howe]

This episode is brought to you by Beam. Groggy and exhausted is no way to start off your day, which is why we're introducing Beam's Dream Powder, a science backed, healthy hot cocoa. For sleep. Head to shopbeam.com wire and use code WIRE at checkout for up to 40% off.

[John Bickley]

Eric Adams will stay in office, Trump enjoys his highest approval ratings and Microsoft unveils a new quantum leap technology. I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Editor in Chief John Bickley. It's Friday, February 21st, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.

[Tim Rice]

New York Governor Kathy Hochul will not remove Eric Adams from his mayoral position. The governor said in a statement, quote, my strong belief is that the will of the voters and the supremacy and sanctity of Democratic elections preclude me from any other action. I cannot deny the people of this great city the power to make the decision for themselves. Calls for Adams resignation came amid allegations from Democrats that he had worked out a deal with the Trump administration to drop corruption charges against him.

[John Bickley]

Senate Republicans approved a $342 billion budget blueprint this morning. The bill passed with a 5248 vote after an all night voting session and includes $150 billion for military spending and $175 billion for border security. The Senate bill is not as extensive as the House version championed by Speaker Johnson, which includes tax cuts and major cuts to federal programs to cover new funding. The House bill will likely be put to a vote next week.

[Tim Rice]

The state of Maine will be cut off from federal funds, President Trump announced this Thursday after the state defied his executive order preventing male athletes from competing in girls and women's sports. Speaking to Republican governors in Washington, Trump called out, maine.

[Donald Trump]

I heard men are still playing in Maine. Is anybody here from Maine? Who is that? Is that the governor at Swell? I hate to tell you this, but we're not going to give them any federal money. They are still saying we want men to play in women's sports and I cannot believe that they're doing that. So we're not going to give them any federal funding. None whatsoever, until they clean that up.

[John Bickley]

President Trump has called for the federal government to take control over Washington, D.C. citing concerns about crime and homelessness. While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump criticized the city's current leadership under Mayor Muriel Bowser and says he wants the federal government to crack down on crime and beautify the city.

[Donald Trump]

I think that we should govern District of Columbia. It's so important, the D.C. situation. I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawlessly beautiful. And I like the mayor. I get along great with the mayor, but they're not doing the job. Too much crime, too much graffiti, too many tents on the lawns. It's a sad thing, you know, homeless people all over the place and we got to take care of the homeless, but you can't have that.

[Tim Rice]

In Washington, D.C. argentina's President Javier Milei and Elon Musk appeared together on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference yesterday afternoon. Milei brought along a popular stage prop from his unorthodox presidential campaign, a chainsaw, which he then gifted to Musk. The symbolism was unmistakable. Argentina's libertarian president passing the torch of government reform to Musk and his Department of Government efficiency. Here's what that sounded like.

[John Bickley]

This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy. Chainsaw. An attorney working for Sean Diddy Combs has quit the rapper's defense team. In a motion filed in New York on Friday, Anthony Ricco stated, quote, under no circumstance can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs. There was no further explanation given and prosecutors were informed. Ricko says his withdrawal will not delay Combs May 5 trial on federal federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges to which he has pleaded not guilty. Despite Ricko's departure, Combs lead counsel Mark Agnifolo remains on the case. Take control of your data and keep your private life private by signing up for Deleteme now at a special discount for our listeners today, get 20% off your DeleteMe plan by texting Wire to 64000. That's Wire to 64000 message and data rates may apply. See terms for details.

[Tim Rice]

President Trump's approval rating remains higher than it averaged at any point during his first term. Daily Wire deputy managing editor Tim Rice has the numbers.

[Georgia Howe]

According to the Real Clear Politics average of major polls, the president's job approval rating is hovering around 49% with 47% disapproving. A recent CNN poll found that about a third of Americans view Trump's single most significant action thus far to be securing the southern border. Slashing government spending is next, while 62% of respondents say they want the president to do more to bring down everyday prices. While Trump's at new heights, Democrats are hitting new lows. Quinnipiac found that just 21% of voters approve of the way Democrats in Congress are handling their job, an all time low, while 68% of voters disapprove.

[John Bickley]

A terror attack rocked Israel yesterday when two buses exploded in a parking lot in Bat Yam, a city just south of Tel Aviv. The buses were empty and had been returned to the lot for the evening. No injuries were reported. All bus and train services were halted Thursday as firefighters searched the vehicles for bombs. Additional explosives were found on other buses.

[Tim Rice]

Microsoft researchers claim they've discovered a new state of matter which could be used to create a quantum leap in computer science.

[Michael Whitaker]

Every single atom in this ship is placed purposefully. It is constructed from ground up. It is entirely a new state of matter.

[Tim Rice]

Resident researcher Michael Whitaker has the techy details.

[Michael Whitaker]

Microsoft's new quantum chip, Majorana One, reportedly uses extremely thin topo conductors to manipulate subatomic particles, creating a state of matter which, according to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, is neither solid, liquid or gas. Qubits can encode and process exponentially more information than a classical bit by taking advantage of superposition, a property of quantum particles that allows them to exist in several states at once. Creating stable qubits has proven to be extraordinarily difficult. Right now, even the most advanced quantum computers only use about 1,000 qubits. Microsoft claims that they now have a clear pathway to delivering a million qubit chip that can fit in the palm of one's hand. All the world's current computers operating together can't do what a 1 million qubit quantum computer will be able to do.

[John Bickley]

And retail giant Forever 21 is closing 200 more stores as it plans for its second bankruptcy since 2019. At its peak, the chain had more than 500 stores nationwide and 800 internationally. The rise of Temu and Shein, as well as growth from other fast fashion brands like Zara and Uniqlo, are thought to be the cause of Forever 21's sagging sales. The closures come as mall retail stores are struggling nationally.

[Tim Rice]

All right, those are your Drive Home updates this afternoon. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com and in case you missed it, this morning, we covered some important stories, including Trump's record first 30 days in office, Doge's continued progress and California's insurance crisis. Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with another edition of MORNING W.