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--:-- John Bickley: Trump to reinstate pandemic era border policy, federal unions challenge Doge, and Pope Francis remains in critical condition. I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley. It's Monday, February 24th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
--:-- Georgia Howe: In an effort to speed up deportations, Trump plans to reinstate a pandemic-era border policy. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce has the latest. According to CBS, the CDC is planning to bring back Title 42. That's the order from Trump's first term that classified illegal migrants as public health risks over diseases such as tuberculosis. Title 42 was first implemented in 2020 under Trump and later ended by President Biden in 2023. It remains unclear when the measure will take effect.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Meanwhile, border crossings have plummeted since Trump's return to office. Earlier this month just 396 illegal aliens were encountered across sections of the once southwest border.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A group of federal unions has challenged the Doge email ultimatum Daily Wire Deputy Managing Editor Tim Rice has the details. Today in federal court, the unions argued that the Office of Personnel Management's email requiring government employees to report their weekly accomplishments violates federal regulations. The message sent Saturday gave employees until midnight tonight to respond or risk being fired. The unions are seeking emergency intervention.
--:-- Tim Rice: Trump addressed the email during a press conference today. I thought it was great because we have people that don't show up to work and nobody even knows if they work for the government. So by asking the question, tell us what you did this week. What he's doing is saying, are you actually working? And then if you don't answer, like you're sort of semi-fired or you're fired because a lot of people are not answering because they don't even exist.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The news comes as Doge, along with the EPA, have frozen over $67 million in grants awarded to environmental groups under the Biden administration.
--:-- Tim Rice: Pope Francis remains hospitalized in Rome, battling a severe lung infection and early signs of kidney dysfunction. The Vatican says the 88-year-old pontiff is resting after a stable night. While his condition remains critical, doctors report no signs of sepsis, which is a major concern given his frail health. Francis, who had part of a lung removed in his youth, is receiving oxygen and blood transfusions.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Cardinal Timothy Dolan acknowledged the Pope's fragile state. We of the Catholic family and so many of our friends and neighbors find ourselves this morning at the bedside of a dying father.
--:-- Tim Rice: Apple is pledging $500 billion and 20,000 new jobs in the U.S. over the next four years. Apple will build a new 250 AI server facility in Houston Texas as well as several data centers in eight states Trump says the investment in U manufacturing is a direct response to his tariff threats as Apple currently makes most of its products in China Cook made smaller pledges during the Biden administration and the first Trump administration, but didn't follow through.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Trump calls Apple's plan a sign of faith in what we are doing. Axios co-founder Mike Allen gives Trump the credit for Apple's U.S. investment. This gives Trump the leverage to say to other companies, Apple can do this. Apple is bringing these jobs into the U.S. Apple is investing in the U.S. Why can't you? Why won't you?
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--:-- Georgia Howe: Senator Marsha Blackburn is pressing the FBI's new director to release the unredacted records on Jeffrey Epstein's associates. In a letter today, Blackburn called for full transparency, demanding Epstein's flight logs, Ghislaine Maxwell's records, and IRS files on their financial ties. New FBI Director Cash Patel previously pledged to work toward disclosure, but it's unclear how much will be released.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Blackburn told Morning Wire that it's important to release this now so Epstein survivors see justice. We know that Jeffrey Epstein helped develop a global trafficking ring. And by getting this information, it will help us begin to break apart some of this human trafficking, sex trafficking that's taking place around the globe. We understand that human trafficking has become a billion a year business Epstein died in custody in 2019 sparking ongoing speculation.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Attorney General Pam Bondi recently confirmed that Epstein's client list is under review for potential release. President Trump has tapped another famous figure for a cabinet position. In a Truth Social post last night, Trump announced that Dan Bongino has been named deputy director of the FBI. The position does not require Senate confirmation. Bongino will serve under newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The move continues Trump's trend of selecting anti-establishment figures to top law enforcement roles. Lester Holt, the longtime anchor of NBC's Nightly News, is stepping down. Holt's been with the network for more than two decades. He'll now focus full-time on Dateline NBC starting this summer. NBC has yet to name his replacement.
--:-- Georgia Howe: NBC, like other legacy outlets, is experiencing a major shakeup post Trump's electoral victory. And sister network MSNBC is reportedly shaking up their primetime offerings as well, most notably canceling Joy Reid's 7 p.m. show The Readout. The far left commentator is expected to be replaced by a younger set of three left-wing talents, including Simone Sanders Townsend, Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez. Jen Psaki is expected to pick up additional hours, and Rachel Maddow will be stepping back from a daily show and returning to a weekly slot.
--:-- Georgia Howe: 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 big stories, including Trump's Pentagon overhaul, the cartel crackdown, and Maine digging in its heels over boys' and girls' sports.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with another full edition of Morning Wire. Thanks Mike.
