The 7: How Trump’s mass firings were blocked; Gene Hackman investigation; tonight’s planet parade; and more

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Get unlimited access for $1 a week You heard it here first. Read the rest with The Post. → PUBLISHED BY READ ONLINE   By Jamie Ross Listen to this briefing Good morning. It's Friday, Feb. 28, and I spent way too much time scrolling this visual guide to how President Donald Trump choreographs his executive order signings. Now let's get to the news. A judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration's firings of federal workers. Why? Some firings were probably illegal, the judge said. But the ruling's impact is unclear — and terminations appear to be continuing, including plans to gut civil rights offices. In related news: Federal workers may soon get another email ordering them to justify their jobs. And five former defense secretaries denounced "reckless" Pentagon staff cuts. One more thing: Do Trump voters have regrets? There are some warning signs. Read this story       Trump met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer yesterday. Starmer gave Trump a letter from King Charles III on Thursday. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) What happened? Starmer used flattery and a royal invitation to push Trump to support Ukraine. At one point, Starmer corrected Trump — foreign leaders keep doing that. Today: Trump will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in D.C. They will discuss plans to give the U.S. access to Ukraine's minerals, although their value is unclear. Read this story       The deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife remain under investigation. The latest: The actor and Betsy Arakawa had been dead for some time when they were found, officials said yesterday. Arakawa was discovered in a bathroom near some scattered pills. The acting world paid tribute to Hackman: The Oscar winner was known for his many roles playing ordinary men under stress. We listed 11 of his best performances here. Read this story       Iowa lawmakers voted to remove transgender people's civil rights protections. What to know: The Iowa Senate and House passed the legislation overwhelmingly along party lines after protesters packed the galleries and hallways of the Capitol in Des Moines. Zooming out: Iowa would be the first state to revoke nondiscrimination protections for transgender people. It follows recent actions by Trump to roll back transgender rights. Read this story       The Justice Department released more Jeffrey Epstein files yesterday. The details: Flight logs from the convicted sex offender's plane are among hundreds of released files. But many documents had already made their way into the public domain. Why were they released now? Epstein has been a fixation for Trump allies — some were left disappointed. Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered the FBI to hand over more files. Read this story       A rare seven-planet "parade" will light up the sky tonight. The other seven planets should be visible across the country. (iStock) What to expect: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will appear aligned. But they probably won't all be visible at the same time. How to see it: Look up just after sunset. Keep away from city lights and, if possible, take a telescope. Find all our tips for getting the best out of celestial show here. Read this story       ADVERTISEMENT   It's nearly time for the 97th Academy Awards. A crazy Oscars season: "Emilia Pérez" imploded. "Anora" became the front-runner — before a late twist. And the best actor race is too close to call. See all the nominees here. How to watch: It starts at 7 p.m. Eastern Sunday on ABC. In the meantime, take this quiz to see which nominees to stream, and try to spot all the Oscars in this fun image search.   Read this story       Before you go … need more movie inspiration this weekend? Here are the 25 best movie musicals of the 21st century — and five of the worst. One more good read: A giant pothole plagued his commute. He put an upside-down statue in it. And finally … end your week by playing On the Record, The Post's quotable quiz. The weekend version is 10 questions, and you can risk all your points on a final bonus question. Ready to play? Click here. Or try our word games, Keyword and the brand-new Wridges. You're all caught up. See you Monday. (Illustration by Katty Huertas/The Washington Post) Do you know someone who would like this newsletter? Share it with them. Prefer push notifications? Download The Post's app to get one when The 7 publishes. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE The 5-Minute Fix Reporter Amber Phillips explains and analyzes the why behind the day's biggest political news — in five minutes or less. Sign up ➝     You received this email because you signed up for The 7 or because it is included in your subscription. Manage newsletters | Unsubscribe 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071 DOWNLOAD OUR APP      ©2025 The Washington Post | Privacy Policy | Help & Contact