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Nearly 6 in 10 women could have at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor by 2050, AHA warns

February 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The number of women with risk factors for cardiovascular disease could significantly increase over the next 25 years, the American Heart Association (AHA) warned on Wednesday.

Without improving prevention and early detection tools, about six in 10 women could be diagnosed with hypertension or obesity by 2050, and risk factors could appear in children and teenagers as well, according to the AHA’s scientific statement.

“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, and fewer than half of women know that fact,” Dr. Stacey Rosen, executive director of Katz Institute for Women’s Health and volunteer president of the AHA, told ABC News. “And the percentage of awareness is even lower in African Americans and Hispanics.”

Published in the journal Circulation, the AHA’s projections suggest that 59.1% of women could have high blood pressure by 2050 — up from 48.6% in 2020 — even as diet, physical activity and smoking rates are projected to improve.

About one in four women may have diabetes in 2050, up from 14.9% in 2020, and more than 60% are estimated to have obesity, an increase from 43.9% over the same period, according to the report.

Heart health risk factors won’t hit all demographic groups of women equally, the report predicted.

High blood pressure will increase the most among Hispanic women with a projected rise of 15%, the report noted.

Additionally, more than 70% of Black women could have high blood pressure and obesity may increase the most among Asian women by nearly 26%.

Young women and girls may also see an increase in heart risk factors, partially driven by less opportunity for exercise as well as an abundance of inexpensive foods that often are not heart health.

Estimates also suggest that nearly one-third of girls between ages 2 and 19 will have obesity, an increase from 19.6% with obesity in 2020.

Dr. Jennifer Miao, a board-certified cardiologist, told ABC News that earlier hormonal changes in girls may also contribute to cardiovascular risk later in life.

“Several studies have also shown that starting menstruation at an early age can lead to increased risk of heart disease down the road,” she said.

Miao said she counsels parents that it’s never too early to start thinking of heart health for their children by “choosing good foods, physical activity over screen time and regular pediatrician check-ups.”

Despite the report’s predictions, Rosen stressed that meaningful progress for women’s heart health is still within reach.

“As a medical community, we have amazing tools to treat disease and detect it early, but lack when it comes to primary prevention,” Rosen said, adding that managing diseases like obesity requires a time intensive, multidisciplinary approach that the current U.S. health care system is not built to support.

She also said that optimizing health doesn’t require a costly gym membership or expensive organic foods.

“Every bit of movement counts, whether that means taking a walk or standing more if you work at a desk,” Rosen said.

Small, sustainable changes, like cutting back on sweetened beverages, can make a meaningful difference over time, she said.

Miao added that both the medical community and local leaders can do their part. By partnering with local health clinics, expanding home visit programs and leveraging telemedicine, health systems can extend their reach and bring essential care directly to isolated and underserved populations.

Takisha Morancy, MD, is a chief emergency medicine resident, medical ethics fellow and member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

What to expect as Casey Means’ surgeon general confirmation hearing begins

February 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump’s surgeon general nominee is appearing before the Senate on Wednesday for her confirmation hearing.

Dr. Casey Means was originally scheduled to testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee in October, but it was postponed for four months after she went into labor.

If confirmed, Means would become the nation’s top doctor, leading more than 6,000 members of the U.S. Public Health Service, including physicians, nurses, scientists and engineers working at various federal health agencies.

Means’ views largely mirror those of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with a focus on tackling the chronic disease epidemic, creating a healthier food supply and expressing vaccine skepticism.

Senators are expected to grill Means on her qualifications as well as her business endeavors. In prior filings, Means pledged that, if confirmed, she would resign from her position as an adviser for a wellness company and promised to stop working as an influencer promoting supplements and other wellness products.

“Dr. Means would clearly be an atypical or unusual person to serve in the role of surgeon general,” Dr. Richard Besser, former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told ABC News. “Typically, the surgeon general has been viewed as the nation’s top doctor or America’s doctor, but Dr. Means has never practiced medicine, and so that is unusual. The part that’s not unusual is that the surgeon general’s impact is largely through influence. Dr. Means is skilled in this regard, when it comes to influence.”

Means graduated from Stanford School of Medicine in 2014 with plans to become an otolaryngology surgeon, also known as a head and neck surgeon, but she dropped out in her fifth year, according to her website.

Means went on to study functional medicine, which uses a holistic approach to prevent disease and illness by studying the root causes of health issues. The field has been criticized for promoting some interventions that are not evidence-based and for an overreliance on expensive supplements. Having never completed residency, Means is not board-certified in a medical specialty, and she does not hold an active medical license.

Over the course of her career, she co-founded Levels, an app that allows people to track their food, along with biometric data like sleep and glucose monitoring, to see how their diet is impacting their health.

Means wrote a book with her brother, Calley Means, titled “Good Energy,” which was published in May 2024 and claims to take a look at why Americans are sick and how to fix it.

The siblings rose to prominence within the Trump campaign in 2024 and among Trump allies, including Kennedy. They appeared at a September 2024 roundtable discussion on health with Kennedy hosted by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc.

“The message I’m here to share and reiterate is that American health is getting destroyed,” Casey Means said during her opening remarks at the 2024 event. “It’s being destroyed because of chronic illness.”

Meanwhile, Calley Means currently serves as senior adviser for HHS. He has worked closely with Kennedy and has touted many of his health proposals. Calley Means has a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University and does not have medical training.

According to a copy of her prepared testimony for her original confirmation hearing in October, obtained by ABC News, Casey Means wrote that she would work to put “Americans back on the road toward wholeness and health.”

Like Kennedy, Casey Means has called for the removal of ultra-processed foods in school lunches and has advocated for organic foods and ingredients sourced from so-called regenerative farming practices in school meals.

In her “Good Energy” newsletter, she wrote that the U.S. needed to move away “from industrial agriculture that uses synthetic pesticides” in order to create “nutrient-rich food.”

“If she were to use the platform to truly work towards improving the school lunch program in America, that would be that would be terrific, because the Secretary talks a lot about nutrition, the importance of eating healthy food,” Besser said. “But if people can’t afford it, telling people to eat healthy food doesn’t lead to a healthier nation. and one of the ways that we could see big impact in that regard would be if the school lunch program were funded to the extent that every school could have a kitchen, and the people working in that kitchen could actually prepare real food, rather than handing out packaged food.”

While Casey Means’ nomination has received support from members of the administration, including Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, acting CDC acting director and head of the National Institutes of Health, others have expressed concern over some of her more controversial views.

On Tucker Carlson’s show in August 2024, Casey Means said birth control is being “prescribed like candy” and that Ozempic has a “stranglehold on the U.S. population.”

Means has expressed skepticism about the safety of childhood vaccines and has called for more research on the “safety of the cumulative effects” of vaccines when following the CDC vaccine schedule, she wrote in her newsletter.

“There is growing evidence that the total burden of the current extreme and growing vaccine schedule is causing health declines in vulnerable children. This needs to be investigated,” she continued.

Doctors and major medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, have said the previous childhood immunization schedule recommended by the CDC was safe and effective. The CDC recently changed the childhood immunization schedule, cutting the number of vaccines recommended for kids.

“I will be very eager to see whether the members of the health committee use this time to lift up concerns and to get Dr. Means’ perspective on the changes the Secretary has made to the vaccine system in America,” Besser said. “I’ll be interested to see if they ask Dr Means about her perspective on the changes that have taken place at CDC and the impact that these could have on health so that it’s clear coming in where she stands on the draconian cuts that the Secretary has made to our federal public health health system.”

She has also criticized the administration of hepatitis B vaccine among infants. The CDC recently removed the universal recommendation for a birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine among babies in the U.S.

Kennedy said on Monday he is “excited” for Casey Means’ confirmation hearing and that the health department has been waiting “a long time” for her to join the team.

“We’ve been waiting for a long time for Dr. Means to come on board,” Kennedy told ABC News on Monday at the department’s rare disease therapies event. “We are very, very excited about her coming on board. She has an extraordinary capacity to communicate to the American public — that is the function of the surgeon general.”

ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud and Arthur Jones II contributed to this report.

Louvre director resigns months after jewel heist in Paris, replacement announced

February 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(PARIS) —The director of the Louvre Museum in France has resigned, months after $102 million in jewels were stolen, according to the office of the French president.

Laurence des Cars’ tenure has been under intense scrutiny since the heist and she has faced calls for resignation.

Christophe Leribault has been named the new director of the Louvre. Leribault’s resume includes running the Versailles Palace, another world-renowned French landmark and tourist attraction, and was also the previous head of Paris’ Orsay Museum.

Leribault will oversee a long-overdue multi-million-dollar renovation project.

A French government spokesperson said he’s the perfect choice, saying, “He will notably have to direct major projects for the future of the institution, on the one hand securing and modernizing the Louvre, and on the other, the continuation of the ‘Louvre — New Renaissance’ project.”

French President Emmanuel Macron praised des Cars’ resignation “as an act of responsibility at a time when the world’s largest museum needs both stability and a strong new impetus to successfully complete major security and modernization projects,” the Élysée said in a statement Tuesday.

“The President thanked her for her work and commitment over the past few years and, recognizing her undeniable scientific expertise, entrusted her with a mission within the framework of the French G7 presidency, focusing on cooperation between the major museums of the participating countries,” according to the statement.

At least seven suspects have been arrested in connection with the October robbery but the jewels have not been recovered.

Empress Eugénie’s crown was the only item the thieves did not escape with during the robbery. The thieves dropped it on the street outside the Louvre during the roughly five-minute long heist.

The crown “was crushed and significantly deformed” during the heist, the Louvre said in a statement earlier this month. However, “it remained largely intact,” meaning museum officials believe it can be fully restored.

In light of the robbery, security lapses at the museum have been exposed, including that the password to the world-famous museum’s video surveillance system was “Louvre,” according to a museum employee with knowledge of the system.

During testimony before a French Senate committee after the robbery, des Cars said the only camera installed outside the Apollo Gallery, where the stolen jewels were displayed, was facing west and did not cover the window where the thieves used power tools to break in and exit.

Des Cars said all of the museum’s alarms and video cameras work, but said there was a “weakness” in the museum’s perimeter security “due to underinvestment.”

Snowstorm pushes through Northeast with days of melting expected to follow

February 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Snow is moving through the Northeast Wednesday morning, though much of the snow is light with heavier bands of precipitation further inland and higher elevations.

In New York City, snow is expected to last a few hours before ending in the late morning with less than an inch of snow accumulation anticipated.

In Boston, snow should end by midday with less than an inch of snow expected and, in Portland, Maine, snow totals could be up to 2 to 3 inches.

There is a chance for lingering snow showers scattered across New England through the evening but without much additional accumulation expected.

Meanwhile, temperatures the rest of the week will likely reach above freezing each day from New York City to Boston, meaning there should be some daily melting and then an overnight re-freeze that could create black ice in areas.

The chance for heavy snow across the Northeast is dwindling as the storm looks to stay farther south and temperatures too warm for snow, meaning it is much more likely this will be a rain event for the South with little to no snow for areas north of there.

While there may be thunderstorms accompanying some of the rain, no flood or severe weather threat is anticipated.

Elsewhere, on Saturday there is a chance for snow from Bismarck, North Dakota, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and through southern Michigan that should move quickly and dump a couple of inches of snow in these regions.

Some of that snow may linger into the Northeast on Sunday but, overall, it is looking weaker and light with about an inch or less expected for those experiencing the snow.

On Sunday and Monday nights, there is a chance for snow over parts of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic but it is currently too soon to know how this storm will develop with another round of rain and snow possible on Tuesday for the East and Northeast.

US child, teen obesity rates reach record high while adult trends appear to slow, CDC report finds

February 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — U.S. childhood and teen obesity rates have reached record-highs while adult obesity rates may be slowing, according to two new reports published early Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Researchers used measured heights and weights from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) — run by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics — to track trends over more than six decades.

In the first report, the team found that, in the most recent survey conducted between August 2021 and August 2023, 40.3% of adults aged 20 and older were found to be obese, including 9.7% with severe obesity and another 31.7% classified as overweight.

By comparison, for the survey conducted between 1988 and 1994, 22.9% adults aged 20 and older were found to be obese including 2.8% with severe obesity and 33.1% classified as overweight.

However, some of the newest estimates suggest the rapid rise seen in earlier decades may be slowing slightly.

In the 2017-2018 survey, 42.4% of adults were classified as obese, which is the highest figure ever recorded. The decrease between the two most recent surveys could be indicative of a downward trend. Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News contributor, noted that it aligns with observations of electronic medical record data.

“So, we’re seeing, for the first time in decades, that there’s like a leveling off and even maybe a slight decrease and I think this is like challenging a major shift from the long-held expectation that obesity would just be climbing year after year,” he said.

According to Brownstein, the decrease is likely due to many factors including public health policies and education about healthier lifestyles as well as medications such as GLP-1s.

GLP-1s, or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, mimic the GLP-1 hormone that is produced in the gut after eating.

It can help produce more insulin, which reduces blood sugar and therefore helps control Type 2 diabetes. It can also interact with the brain and signal a person to feel full, which — when coupled with diet and exercise — can help reduce weight in those who are overweight or obese.

Many GLP-1s have become household names, including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound and Trulicity.

“I do think the advent of the GLP-1s are absolutely playing a role,” Brownstein said. “At that point in 2023, they weren’t as widespread as they are today. So, we expect that these factors could play even more significant role in more recent times.”

Dr. Justin Ryder, an associate professor of surgery and pediatrics at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, said he’s cautiously optimistic about the slight decrease.

However, he added that it remains to be seen whether this is a blip or if the decrease is indicative of a longer-term trend.

“We’ve seen dips in the past and typically, when they do, in the next reporting period it goes right back up,” Ryder told ABC News. “And that’s because of how the sampling is done. This is a random sample of U.S. adults.”

He noted that the random sampling makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions.

“Could it just be the people who were sampled, or is it real?” he said. “And I think we won’t know that until we have another set or a larger set of data over either the same sampling period or a couple more years from now.”

Meanwhile, a second report found that more than one in five U.S. children and teenagers have obesity, which is the highest figure ever recorded.

The survey conducted between August 2021 and August 2023 found 21.1% of U.S. children and teenagers between ages 2 and 19 have obesity, up from 5.2% during the 1971-1974 survey.

Additionally, 7% of children live with severe obesity, an increase from the 1% seen 50 years ago, according to the report.

“This is exceptionally concerning,” Dr. David Ludwig, co-director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital and professor of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, told ABC News.

He added that in the 1970s, “children were certainly recognized [as obese] but it was the rare child, one in 20. And now we’re looking at one in five children with obesity.”

Ludwig said it had seemed for a short period of time that the prevalence of obesity was decreasing at least among 2-to-5-year-olds when rates declined from 12.1% in 2009-2010 to 9.4% in 2013-2014.

At the time, he viewed it as a “glimmer of hope” — but rates increased again and now sit at 14.9% for this age group.

“We saw that dip and we all got excited thinking that we were beginning to turn the tide,” Ludwig said. “In retrospect, that was more of a statistical aberration, more of mirage than a true glimmer of hope because the trend overall has continued upward.”

To reverse the trends among children, Ryder said the 2-to-5-year-old group will need lifestyle modifications such as healthier eating. The 6-to-11-year-old group will need similar methods although some medications are available, he said.

For children above age 12, Ryder said medications and bariatric surgery are options.

Nearly 23% of children ages 12 to 19 were considered obese in the most recent survey. Ryder said that means they meet the guidelines for intensive treatment, whether that’s lifestyle adjustments or in combination with medications or surgery.

“I think the only way that we’re going to see a downward trend in that number is if we take that adolescent group of 12- to 19-year-olds and actually start to apply the clinical practice guidelines and treat those kids seriously, offering them medications,” he said.

Ishani D. Premaratne, MD, is an integrated plastic & reconstructive surgery resident and member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

Trump awards Medals of Honor to 2 military pilots during State of the Union

February 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — During his State of the Union address Tuesday, President Donald Trump awarded two Congressional Medals of Honor, the nation’s highest decoration for valor in combat — one for heroism from more than 70 years ago and the other for heroism in the most recent U.S. military action.

One of the recipients was Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover, a special operations helicopter pilot severely wounded in the raid that captured Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro. As Slover’s Chinook swept in, rounds fired from the ground tore through the cockpit and into his legs and hip.

“Eric was hit very badly in the leg and hip, one bullet after another. He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces,” Trump said as Slover stood with the aid of a walker.

Slover was presented the award by Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, a break from tradition in which the president personally presents the award.

In recent decades, the review and awarding the Medal of Honor comes after exhaustive reviews and interviews with witnesses that can drag on for years. That had become the norm with heroic actions that occurred in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But the announcement of Slover’s award marks a break with that pattern as he was awarded the medal just 52 days after his mission, a short turnaround similar to what was seen in World War II.

First lady Melania Trump presented the second Medal of Honor to retired Navy Capt. E. Royce Williams, a 100-year-old retired Navy captain whose extraordinary dogfight during the Korean War remained classified for decades, even to his wife, as the encounter could have ignited World War III.

“At 100 years old, this brave Navy captain is finally getting the recognition he deserves,” Trump said. “He was a legend long before this evening.”

According to Navy records, on Nov. 18, 1952, during the Korean War, Williams launched from an aircraft carrier on what was supposed to be a routine patrol. Then came a warning that seven MiG-15s were inbound. The three other American aircraft in Williams’ formation were unable to engage with the MiGs.

The MiGs he faced were Soviet aircraft flown by Soviet pilots at a time when the Soviet Union was not officially a combatant in the conflict. Public acknowledgment of the clash risked escalating into direct confrontation between nuclear powers, a step that, in 1952, many feared could ignite a third world war.

What followed was 30-minutes of aerial combat. By the time it ended, he had shot down four enemy jets. His own aircraft, a F9F-5 Panther, was riddled with more than 250 bullet holes, yet he managed to guide it back to the carrier and land safely on deck.

There was no celebration waiting for Williams. Instead, he was told he could not speak about what had happened and the encounter was immediately classified. He didn’t even tell his wife until the 1990s, when the records of the fight were declassified.

ABC News’ Luis Martinez contributed to this report.

Spanberger hits Trump on affordability and immigration tactics in State of the Union response

February 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a rising star in the Democratic Party who captured the governor’s office last year by a large margin, delivered the Democrats’ response Tuesday night to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address,

In her roughly 12-minute speech, delivered live in front of a crowd in colonial Williamsburg, Spanberger focused on affordability and made pointed remarks about Trump’s hardline immigration policies.

“Let me ask you, the American people watching at home, three questions,” Spanberger said. “Is the president working to make life more affordable for you and your family? Is the president working to keep Americans safe both at home and abroad? Is the president working for you?”

Spanberger, who was inaugurated in January after serving three terms in the House of Representatives, hit on key issues of affordability, including lowering the persistently high costs of housing, health care, energy and groceries despite the Trump administration’s insistence that some of these costs have come down.

“Democrats across the country are laser focused on affordability in our nation’s capital and in state capitols and communities across America,” Spanberger said.

The daughter of a law enforcement officer and a nurse, Spanberger focused relentlessly on affordability throughout her 2025 gubernatorial campaign. Despite the economy being the top issue Trump ran on in the 2024 election, it’s been one of the issues he’s struggled with the most during his second term, as Americans still haven’t felt the “Trump boom” they were promised.

In an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll, 57% of Americans disapprove of how Trump’s handling the economy, and 64% disapproved of how he’s handling tariffs on imported goods.

Spanberger, a former CIA officer, also criticized the Trump for his role on the world stage, saying he is contributing to greater worldwide uncertainty, saying, “Our president has endangered the long and storied history of the United States of America, being a force for good.”

A former federal law enforcement officer who worked on narcotics and money-laundering cases for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Spanberger also addressed what critics call the chaos caused by the Trump administration, which continues its immigration enforcement efforts that Americans are seeing in their communities.

“Our president has sent poorly trained federal agents into our cities where they have arrested and detained American citizens and people who aspire to be Americans,” Spanberger said in her speech. She referred to mothers being taken away from their babies and children — including “a little boy in a blue bunny hat” –being sent to “far-off detention centers.”

She added: “Our broken immigration system is something to be fixed not an excuse for unaccountable agents to terrorize our communities.”

The governor gave her speech live from Colonial Williamsburg, the restored 18th century capital where Virginian representatives voted for its delegation to Congress to propose independence for all 13 colonies from Great Britain, and later adopted the Virginia Declaration of Rights — which influenced the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights.

“In his speech tonight, the president did what he always does,” Spanberger said. He “lied, he scapegoated, and he distracted. And he offered no real solutions to our nation’s pressing challenges, so many of which he is actively making worse.”

Spanberger has been able to appeal to both Democratic and Republican voters. She won the governor election in November by more than 15% — the largest margin for a Democrat in the state since 1961 — winning counties that voted for Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024.

There were at least two major counter events that several Democrats planned to attend, including MoveOn’s People’s State of the Union, which is promoting the participation of more than 20 members of Congress; and the “State of the Swamp” event by Defiance.org that features a handful of celebrities appearing by video or in person, such as Robert De Niro.

Spanberger prepared for her remarks by watching speeches other Democrats have delivered in response to Trump’s previous addresses to Congress.

Key takeaways from Trump’s State of the Union address

February 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, in which he touted his administration’s achievements so far and sparred with Democrats opposed to his agenda.

“Our nation is back,” Trump said as he kicked off what would be the longest State of the Union speech in history.

The moment marked one of Trump’s most high-profile chances to speak directly to Americans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections and counter his low approval ratings.

More than 70 Democrats boycotted the address, and about a dozen more walked out of the House chamber throughout his 108-minute speech. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered the Democratic response.

Here are the key takeaways:

Trump touted economy, immigration policies

Trump tried to make his case on the economy and immigration, as polls show most Americans are displeased with how he’s handled those two issues.

He painted a rosy picture of the economy, touting lower gas prices and a booming stock market. He blamed Democrats for inflation, which he said was now “plummeting,” and he vowed to make health care more affordable, calling on Congress to codify his drug pricing initiatives and make his plan to pay Americans so they can buy insurance directly a reality.

“The roaring economy is roaring like never before,” Trump said.

But a recent ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos found only about one-third of Americans approve of his handling of inflation, and more than half (57%) disapprove of his handling of the economy.

On immigration, Trump boasted of low border crossings and defended his administration’s deportation on “illegal alien criminals.” He shared several graphic stories of American families affected by illegal immigration, and some were in the audience for the address, including a young girl injured after being hit by an undocumented immigrant driving an 18-wheeler.

Trump again pushed Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require voters to show ID and proof of citizenship. Democrats in the Senate say the bill is a nonstarter.

The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found immigration to be Trump’s best and worst issue.

Trump had a tense exchange with Democrats, including Ilhan Omar

The most heated moment of the night came when Trump and several Democrats exchanged words.

Trump asked lawmakers to stand if they agreed that “the first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” Trump said those who did not stand should “be ashamed of themselves.”

“You have killed Americans,” Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar shouted back, referencing the fatal shooting of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis.

Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan also jumped into the fray, shouting, “You’re the most corrupt president!”

At one point, Trump took a jab at former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as he called for a ban on members of Congress trading stocks — a proposal met with a standing ovation, including from some Democrats.

“Did Nancy Pelosi stand up if she’s here? Doubt it,” Trump said. Pelosi has faced allegations of trading on insider information during her time in Congress but has denied any impropriety.

Special guests in the spotlight

One of the biggest bipartisan moments of the night was when Trump feted the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team. Democrats and Republicans were on their feet as the athletes entered the gallery wearing their gold medals.

Trump specifically shouted out goaltender Connor Hellebuyck for his performance, saying he will award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Trump also congratulated the U.S. women’s hockey team, who also won gold in Milan. The women’s team declined an invitation to attend his speech, but Trump said they will visit the White House.

Another notable moment occurred when Trump addressed Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. She wiped away tears as Trump spoke and Vice President JD Vance, a close friend of Charlie Kirk’s who has already earned Turning Point USA’s presidential endorsement for 2028, was among the first to clap. Pelosi, whose husband was attacked in 2022, stood up and clapped when Trump condemned political violence.

Petty Officer Scott Ruskan, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer credited with saving 165 people during last year’s deadly July 4 flooding in the Texas Hill Country, was awarded the Legion of Merit. Trump also awarded two congressional Medals of Honor, one to Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover for the actions he took during the raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the other to 100-year-old retired Navy Capt. Royce Williams, who shot down four Soviet MiG fighters in a Korean War encounter that was kept secret for almost 40 years.

Trump criticized the Supreme Court as justices looked on

With four Supreme Court justices seated in the front row, Trump continued to criticize last week’s ruling striking down most of his global tariffs.

The justices remained stone-faced as Trump spoke. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who Trump nominated to the high court and who ruled against his tariffs, was among the justices in attendance.

Trump called the decision “unfortunate” and “disappointing” but said he’ll move the policy forward under different legal authorities. The president also notably said he’ll move forward with tariffs without action from Congress, despite Republican majorities in both chambers.

Democrats in the chambers applauded as Trump spoke about the Supreme Court rebuke.

Trump had a warning for Iran

Trump delivered a message to Iran as tensions continue to build in the region, vowing Tehran would not obtain a nuclear weapon.

“They were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program, in particular nuclear weapons, yet they continue, starting it all over,” Trump said. “We wiped it out, and they want to start all over again and are, at this moment, again pursuing their sinister ambitions.”

“We are in negotiations with them. They want to make a deal, but we haven’t heard those secret words, ‘We will never have a nuclear weapon,'” Trump said.

The president said his preference would be diplomacy, but said no country should test America’s resolve.

“One thing is certain, I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

ABC News’ Ivan Pereira and Meredith Delisio contributed to this report.

Exclusive: No. 2 House Democrat to skip Trump’s State of the Union address

February 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — House Minority Whip Katherine Clark told ABC News she will not attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night, making her the highest-ranking House Democrat to skip the event.

“And let me tell you why,” Clark told ABC’s Linsey Davis in an exclusive interview. “What we have seen from this president is a series of lies, of disrespect for the American people. He campaigned that he would lower costs on Day 1, he would keep people safe and secure. And he has done just the opposite.”

“So, I’m going to spend my evening, while he is spewing his misinformation tonight, talking to my constituents about their state of the union and how this administration is impacting them,” Clark said.

Dozens of Democrats, at least 45, are set to skip the State of the Union address. Many instead are opting to take part in a counter-program on the National Mall sponsored by the progressive group MoveOn.

House Speaker Mike Johnson earlier Tuesday criticized Democrats who will be absent, saying it was “shameful that they would boycott an address.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has made the case for members of his caucus to attend without outbursts or to sit it out altogether.

“It’s our expectation that there will be some members who attend and attend in silent defiance, and there will be other members who will choose not to attend. And it’s up to every individual member to make the decision that makes the most sense for their constituents,” Jeffries told reporters on Tuesday afternoon.

Still, a majority of Democrats are expected to attend Trump’s speech, which is one of the president’s most high-profile opportunities to address Americans ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Notable guests of Democratic lawmakers include survivors of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the business owner who successfully challenged Trump’s global tariffs and individuals affected by the administration’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic response following Trump’s remarks. The two main themes she will focus on are affordability and the chaos the Trump administration has caused at home and abroad, according to Spanberger’s team.

Johnny Gaudreau’s widow speaks out about USA hockey’s emotional tribute at Olympics

February 24, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Meredith Gaudreau, the widow of professional hockey player Johnny Gaudreau, is speaking out about the emotional moment the U.S. men’s hockey team celebrated her husband and their children at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.

As soon as USA beat Canada 2-1 in the gold medal game on Sunday, the players brought two of Johnny Gaudreau’s kids onto the ice. Three-year-old Noa and Johnny Jr. — who turned 2 that same day — posed with their dad’s number 13 jersey as they sat in the arms of the new Olympic champions.

“They didn’t have to do that,” Meredith Gaudreau told ABC News Live on Tuesday.

“I was just very, very proud, and I’m very thankful to them for including my kids in it, and just honoring my husband the way they do,” she said. “It’s the classiest thing. They do all these really kind gestures and include our kids in everything, because I know that’s exactly what John would want.”

Meredith Gaudreau said she told her daughter, “Daddy’s friends want to take a picture with you and Johnny. … You get to do this because of daddy and they love and they miss him, too.”

“She was really excited,” she said. “… She’s started to put things together and she’s very, very proud.”

Johnny Gaudreau’s parents were also in the crowd to witness the special moment.

Johnny Gaudreau, a 31-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets star known as “Johnny Hockey,” died on Aug. 29, 2024, alongside his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, 29, a former pro hockey player.

The brothers were riding bikes in New Jersey on the eve of their sister’s wedding when they were struck by a driver suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, according to police. The suspected driver was arrested and has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, evidence tampering and leaving the scene of an accident. He’s not yet gone to trial.

“Still every day is kind of a gut punch,” Meredith Gaudreau said. “So when the guys do what they can to still include John and our kids, it just means everything to me. You know, these guys are really good people, really good friends of ours. And I just consider them really great role models.”

She added that it shows “how much they love John and all the respect they have for him. … I am really proud of John for having that type of impact.”

Meredith Gaudreau said her third baby, Carter — who was born about seven months after his father died — didn’t travel with them to the Olympics, but watched the game from home.

“He doesn’t have a passport yet cause he’s only, almost 11 months old. So I felt so bad, but he watched along and he looks pretty good wearing number 13!” she said.

Matthew Gaudreau also left behind a wife, Madeline Gaudreau, who was pregnant at the time of his death. Their son, Tripp, was born four months after the crash.

Madeline Gaudreau told ABC News last year she wants her husband to be remembered as “a good soul. He was just a pure, happy, good soul, fearless.”

ABC News’ Kyra Phillips, Olivia Osteen, Drew Millhon, KellyMarie Braun and Bridget Perry contributed to this report.

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