[00:00] Daniel Brooks: From Neural Newscast, I'm Daniel Brooks.
[00:03] Daniel Brooks: And I'm Elise Morel.
[00:04] Daniel Brooks: Today is Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
[00:08] Daniel Brooks: We examine the fallout from President Trump's longest-ever state-of-the-union address
[00:13] Daniel Brooks: and the Democratic response from Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger.
[00:18] Announcer: We also look at the Justice Department's decision to drop a case against six members of Congress.
[00:23] Announcer: We also have the latest economic data on rising energy costs.
[00:26] Daniel Brooks: President Trump delivered the longest state-of-the-union address in history on Tuesday night.
[00:32] Daniel Brooks: He spoke for over 100 minutes.
[00:35] Announcer: The length of the address served as a backdrop for expansive claims about the economy.
[00:40] Announcer: However, many of those numbers require a closer look.
[00:43] Daniel Brooks: While the president boasted about record job creation, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows only 181,000 jobs were added in 2025.
[00:55] Announcer: This slowed down contrasts with the administration's claim of the hottest economy in the world and the purported $18 trillion in global investment.
[01:03] Daniel Brooks: Energy costs also took center stage.
[01:06] Daniel Brooks: The president suggested prices are falling despite a nearly 7% increase in household utility bills.
[01:14] Announcer: These rising costs for heating and electricity reflect a broader shift in utility rates that affect millions of families across the country.
[01:21] Daniel Brooks: The president also claimed to have ended eight wars.
[01:25] Daniel Brooks: But several of those ceasefires, including the one between Thailand and Cambodia, have already collapsed.
[01:32] Announcer: It is a complex landscape where the form of the announcement does not always match the reality of the geopolitical friction on the ground.
[01:40] Daniel Brooks: In other news, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger delivered the official Democratic rebuttal.
[01:46] Daniel Brooks: She centered her critique on urban safety and the cost of living.
[01:50] Announcer: Spanberger specifically highlighted recent immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.
[01:56] Announcer: These resulted in the deaths of two American citizens last month.
[02:00] Daniel Brooks: She described federal agents as poorly trained.
[02:04] Daniel Brooks: She also criticized the administration for deploying masked agents into cities without proper warrants or accountability.
[02:11] Announcer: The deaths of Alex Priti and Renee Good have fueled a significant outcry over how these federal interventions are designed and executed in urban centers.
[02:21] Daniel Brooks: Turning to the economy, the governor also attacked the president's tariff policies.
[02:26] Daniel Brooks: She claimed they have cost the average American family $1,700 annually.
[02:32] Announcer: She noted that while the Supreme Court ruled against some tariff policies, the financial damage to the American public remains a pressing concern.
[02:40] Daniel Brooks: Spanberger, who cannot seek re-election due to Virginia's term limits, used the platform to suggest Democrats are well positioned for the upcoming midterm elections.
[02:51] Announcer: Her perspective brings a unique observation of the current political structure,
[02:55] Announcer: given her history of flipping a traditionally Republican district.
[02:58] Daniel Brooks: Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington has reportedly shelved its pursuit
[03:04] Daniel Brooks: of six Democratic lawmakers over a social media video.
[03:09] Announcer: This decision follows a federal grand jury's refusal to indict the group for a video urging military members not to follow unlawful orders.
[03:19] Daniel Brooks: Legal experts view this as a significant moment for protected political speech and the limits of Justice Department authority in the current administration.
[03:30] Announcer: It marks a shift from the aggressive legal posture seen earlier this month when the grand jury first rejected the proposed charges.
[03:38] Daniel Brooks: I'm Daniel Brooks.
[03:40] Announcer: And I'm Elise Murrow.
[03:42] Daniel Brooks: Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human-reviewed.
[03:45] Daniel Brooks: View our AI transparency policy at neuralnewscast.com.
[03:50] Elise Moreau: Neural Newscast uses artificial intelligence in content creation
[03:54] Elise Moreau: with human editorial review prior to publication.
[03:57] Elise Moreau: While we strive for factual, unbiased reporting,
[04:00] Elise Moreau: AI-assisted content may occasionally contain errors.
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[04:06] Elise Moreau: Learn more at neuralnewscast.com.
[04:09] Elise Moreau: you