The 7: State of the Union takeaways; NYC snowball fight; how to fix all-or-nothing thinking; and more

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Premium sale: Share the savings with three extra accounts Billed as $3/four weeks for the first year, then $19/four weeks. Pricing subject to change. Cancel anytime. → PUBLISHED BY READ ONLINE   By Jamie Ross and Hannah Jewell Listen to this briefing Good morning. It's Wednesday, Feb. 25, and we hope the people who got more free beer than expected during last night's big speech aren't feeling too bad this morning. Let's start there. President Donald Trump delivered a defiant State of the Union address. What happened? At first, Trump stuck to a largely positive message. But that all changed at this key moment, after which he turned to partisan barbs. Find our takeaways here. How Democrats responded: Some brought along survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. Rep. Al Green of Texas was kicked out of the chamber for holding up a sign protesting Trump. White jackets and frog costumes: Many attendees let their outfits do the talking. Read this story       We asked 2,300 Americans about the best and worst things Trump has done. People who support Trump were asked to describe his best actions. Those who disapprove were asked to name his worst actions. (The Washington Post) A mirror image: Most of those who approve of Trump cited his immigration policies as his best action. But most opponents cited those policies as his worst. See the results here. Looking ahead to the midterms: Republicans are facing an epic voter enthusiasm gap. Many more Democrats than Republicans say they're certain to vote this fall, a poll found. Read this story       A Republican lawmaker privately questioned the "disturbing" East Wing demolition. Who? Rep. Michael Turner of Ohio. In a letter seen by The Post, he told a White House aide that he had "substantial concerns" about Trump's decision to tear down the East Wing. More Trump resistance: As the Trump administration seeks to recast history in Smithsonian museums, a volunteer army is photographing wall text to fight censorship. Read this story       Nancy Guthrie's family offered a reward of up to $1 million. The latest: In a video shared 24 days after her mother disappeared, "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie said the family still hoped to bring her home, even if not alive. The case: Authorities are still searching for their suspect, a man seen on Guthrie's doorbell camera, despite an avalanche of tips and extensive searches near Guthrie's home. Read this story       A snowball fight in New York City has become a political flash point. Why? Viral videos showed people pelting police officers with chunks of snow and ice this week. Republicans have tried to cast blame on Mayor Zohran Mamdani for the incident. Has it been snowy where you are? Post readers have been sending in stunning photos they took of nature in winter and describing how going out brought them joy — take a look. Read this story       Most teens believe their schoolmates are using AI to cheat in school. According to new research: Nearly 60% of Americans ages 13 to 17 say their peers use AI to cheat at least "somewhat" often. Schools are struggling to adapt to AI cheating. And AI is being used to cheat you: Scammers are using deepfakes to steal money from taxpayers. But you can avoid getting tricked by following this expert advice. Read this story       Advertisement   An all-or-nothing mindset could be hurting your exercise and health goals. Studies show even a few minutes a day of relatively easy activity can improve health. (iStock) Given up on your New Year's resolutions? You're not alone. About half of all people who start a new exercise program quit within a few months, one researcher says. Get back on track: Find three ways to fix all-or-nothing thinking here. The most important piece of advice is to pick "good enough" workouts over perfect ones. Read this story       Before you go … spring movie season is upon us: Here are 10 hotly anticipated films. In theaters now: A new Elvis documentary explains his unraveling through jumpsuits. One more good read: Who gets the best room in a vacation rental? Follow this etiquette. We want to hear from you: Do you have questions about stories you've seen in The 7? Send them here. We'll find the right person to answer them and share responses in our weekend edition. And finally … take a game break: News quiz: A workout in jeans in today's On the Record.   Word game: One word to spell 'em all! Can you solve today's Keyword in 6 guesses? Crossword: It's time to solve! Play now.    Wridges: Speed and spell your way up to a high score in our newest game.   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow. (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 Must Reads Get a curated selection of 10 of our best stories in your inbox every Saturday. 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      ©2026 The Washington Post | Privacy Policy | Help & Contact