It’s Tuesday, February 24. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Arthur Brooks on how to deal with stress after you unplug. In defense of hazing. The American suing the Palestinian Authority over his murdered son. Plus: Looking for love? Free Press Cupid is here to help. And much more.
But first: The state of the union.
On Monday, President Donald Trump offered a brief sneak preview of the State of the Union address that he will deliver to Congress tonight. “It’s going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about,” Trump said. But what will Trump say, and how much of a difference will it make for his presidency?
According to Ruy Teixeira, it is inevitable that the punditocracy will assign huge significance to everything Trump says, while Democrats will try to outdo their previous demonstrations of white-hot hatred for him. But how much does the political theater actually matter for President Trump and his approval ratings? Read Ruy’s essay here:
The audience that might matter most for Trump on Tuesday night is those Americans who voted Republican in November but have since cooled on the president. For some, that change came because of the president’s aggressive crackdown on immigration. Tanner Nau reports on a Mississippi town that voted for Trump but cast aside their loyalty to him when they caught wind of plans to open an immigrant detention center nearby.
As for the speech itself, why not watch along with The Free Press? We’ll be livestreaming at 8 p.m. Eastern time, with senior editor Will Rahn and Free Press contributor Reihan Salam hosting.
They will be joined by voices from across the political spectrum, including former Obama speechwriter David Litt, former Trump deputy assistant May Mailman, and former presidential candidate Dean Phillips.
Plus: Former deputy national security adviser Elliott Abrams on the foreign policy stakes as tensions with Iran loom; linguist John McWhorter on the rhetoric of the speech; and CBS News’ Caitlin Huey-Burns on the mood from Capitol Hill.
These guests—and many more—will join us before and after the president’s address. Tune in right here at 8 p.m. Eastern.
—The Editors
Last week, a creepy video from a police body camera filmed in a fraternity basement went viral. More than 50 male underclassmen stare silently at the camera, half-naked, with unknown substances dripping down their chests. “Anyone here that is against their will?” one police officer asks. A chorus of “no” echoes in response. Is it possible that hazing makes better men? Yes, argues Catherine Morrissette. While the practice is certainly strange, we shouldn’t be surprised at the boys who, born into a world of tone policing and safetyism, also create unsafe spaces for themselves where limits are tested, chest hair sprouts, and boys become men.
For years, American victims of terrorist attacks in Israel had no legal recourse. But last year, the Supreme Court ruled that terrorist-linked organizations could be held liable for civil claims regarding their sponsorship of terror through a so-called “Martyrs’ Fund.” Today, Jonas Du speaks to Stuart Force, the father of Taylor Force, who was fatally stabbed in Tel Aviv in 2016. They discuss Stuart’s lawsuit—among the first to test the new ruling—its chances of success, and the terror rewarded by “pay-for-slay” payouts.
Every era has its social contagions. In the 18th century, there was romantic despair. In 2026, it is “the reflexive reach for a phone every time we feel a moment of unease,” writes Arthur Brooks. But once we stop the mindless scrolling—no small feat—we still need to deal with that anxiety. In his latest column, Arthur answers the question of what comes after we finally unplug—and how to deal with the stress that remains when we can no longer blame our screens.
Looking for Love?
If the prospect of braving another blizzard—or the midterm elections—all alone bums you out, The Free Press is here to help. Our old-school, straightforward matchmaking service, Free Press Cupid, is back and better than ever. This past week, we ran letters from a 22-year-old who is “substance-free, but with substance,” a Paris-born hotelier, and an “evangelical Christian slowly making my way toward Rome.” (And a few more!) Read all of last week’s letters from the eligible Free Pressers here (you’ll get their emails, too). If you’d like to be included in next week’s romantic batch, email cupid@thefp.com with a short write-up about who you are and what you are looking for in a mate.
THE NEWS
Nick Reiner pleaded not guilty yesterday in the stabbing deaths of his parents, film director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele. Read Jed Rubenfeld on whether an insanity plea could exonerate Nick, and Jonathan Rosen on the danger of nurturing delusion—and how some of the best intentions can create the worst outcomes.
More than 40 million people saw blizzard conditions pummel the East Coast, with snow accumulations totaling over two feet in some areas. New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani increased the pay rate for emergency snow shovelers to $30 an hour from about $19.
Iranian entities with links to terrorist groups received about $1.7 billion through cryptocurrency exchange Binance, internal investigators found. The New York Times reported that potential legal violations were found even after Binance vowed in 2023 to crack down on suspicious transactions. The warnings about Iran emerged before President Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao last October. He spent four months in prison for money-laundering violations.
London police arrested Peter Mandelson, a former UK ambassador to the U.S., over his alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Emails released by the Justice Department appeared to show that Mandelson shared confidential information with Epstein while Mandelson was in government.
Trump’s top general, Dan Caine, has warned the president against bombing Iran, citing the risk of a prolonged conflict, Axios reported. “General Caine, like all of us, would like not to see War but, if a decision is made on going against Iran at a Military level, it is his opinion that it will be something easily won,” Trump wrote on Truth Social later on Monday.
The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case from Boulder, Colorado, that seeks billions of dollars in damages from oil and gas companies for allegedly misleading the public about the impact of fossil fuels. The case could determine whether climate lawsuits must proceed in federal court, where past claims have seen little success.
The BBC apologized for failing to edit out a racial slur during its Sunday coverage of the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs). John Davidson, who suffers from Tourette syndrome and whose life story is the basis of the film I Swear, yelled the N-word as two black actors took the stage to present an award during the ceremony.
So...any update by The Free Press about that ICE agent who was attacked with a shovel?
Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were supremely professional. Unfortunate the "Tourette's" guy had a MAGA moment....weird...because Michael and Delroy "dId tHinGs tHe rIghT wAy."