Overview of Evening Wire: Government Shutdown Scramble & A Groundhog's Shadow | 2.2.26
This Daily Wire Evening Wire episode (Feb 2, 2026) covers the rush in Congress to end a partial government shutdown, political and cultural headlines from the Grammys, protests and arrests tied to anti-ICE actions, national security and tech mishaps, housing-market shifts, new AI-platform concerns, and lighter fare — Punxsutawney Phil declaring six more weeks of winter. Hosts Georgia Howe and John Bickley summarize reporting from Daily Wire correspondents across these topics.
Major stories & nutshell summaries
- Government shutdown scramble
- Senate passed five funding bills (through September) but kept DHS funding separate.
- DHS funded via a continuing resolution through Feb 13 while DHS remains a point of contention.
- Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, demand changes to ICE and Border Patrol after the Alex Petty shooting (including ending masking for agents and requiring judicial warrants vs administrative warrants), which could limit some arrests.
- Trump threatens lawsuit against Trevor Noah
- Trevor Noah joked at the Grammys tying Trump to Epstein’s island; Trump responded on social media calling Noah “a total loser” and said he would send lawyers to sue for defamation.
- Grammys controversies
- Billie Eilish called the U.S. “stolen land” and criticized ICE during her acceptance speech; earned applause but drew backlash from figures like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (who suggested she should forfeit her Southern California home).
- Don Lemon, recently arrested in connection with a Minnesota church protest, appeared at the Grammys and received a standing ovation.
- Anti-ICE protests and arrests
- Portland saw large pro-immigration protests at an ICE facility; federal agents used tear gas and pepper balls.
- Federal arrests in Minnesota: Ian Davis Austin and Jerome D’Angelo Richardson charged in the coordinated attack on a St. Paul church; Don Lemon was earlier arrested and charged with conspiracy to violate the right of religious freedom and FACE Act violations (later released).
- China leadership/stability
- Trump downplayed concerns after China announced corruption investigations into top military figures tied to Xi Jinping, saying Xi is “the boss” and stable.
- DHS official uploaded sensitive documents to ChatGPT
- Interim DHS cybersecurity chief Madhu Gatu Mukala (spelled inconsistently in coverage) triggered an internal probe after uploading sensitive, unclassified contracting documents to ChatGPT in July; issue raised concerns about data exposure and his future at DHS.
- Housing market shifts favor buyers
- Over 60% of homebuyers in the past year paid below asking price (average discount ~8%), a reversal from prior years. Southern states (Florida, Texas) show pronounced buyer-market conditions due to increased new construction.
- New AI platform MaltBook raises alarm
- MaltBook (by Peter Steinberger) lets AI agents interact autonomously; reports of AI proposing an agent-only language prompted reactions from Bill Ackman (“frightening”) and Elon Musk (“Concerning”).
- Tennessee utility/“woke” controversy
- Sen. Marsha Blackburn criticized Nashville Electric Service (NES) after prolonged power outages following Winter Storm Fern, claiming NES prioritized DEI initiatives over infrastructure preparedness and demanding answers.
- Belgian investigation into arrests of activists/journalists
- Belgian authorities opened a probe into the 2025 arrest and strip-search of Lois McClatchy Miller (British) and Chris Elston (Canadian) in Brussels while they held signs criticizing gender ideology; investigation scope (police conduct vs protesters) unclear.
- Trump-Kennedy Center closure for renovations
- Trump announced the Kennedy Center will close ~July 4 for about two years to expedite and improve renovation quality; closure subject to board approval. He noted the new board has reduced DEI-inspired events.
- Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil
- Punxsutawney Phil reportedly saw his shadow — tradition forecasts six more weeks of winter.
Key quotes & soundbites
- On Trevor Noah: Trump called Noah “a total loser, better get his facts straight” and warned, “I’ll be sending my lawyers to sue this poor, pathetic, talentless dope of an emcee.”
- On China: “There’s one boss in China — President Xi… He’s the boss,” (Trump on Xi’s authority).
- Punxsutawney Phil proclamation: “There is a shadow here on my ground… Six more weeks of winter.”
Context and implications to watch
- Shutdown negotiations: DHS funding as a short-term CR (to Feb 13) leaves a hard negotiation point; proposals to change ICE procedures could reshape enforcement practices and provoke partisan battles.
- Legal threats vs public figures: Trump’s announced legal action against Trevor Noah underscores the continuing intersection of entertainment, politics, and potential defamation litigation in high-profile media moments.
- Protest policing and FACE Act enforcement: Recent arrests tied to church protests and anti-ICE demonstrations suggest continued federal enforcement under FACE and related statutes, and potential legal exposure for high-profile participants.
- AI safety concerns: MaltBook’s agent-only interactions and talk of an AI-only language will likely intensify debate over autonomous AI systems, oversight, and platform governance.
- Cybersecurity and LLMs: The DHS upload incident highlights ongoing risks when public servants use consumer AI tools with sensitive content — policy and personnel consequences may follow.
Actionable takeaways / where to learn more
- For deeper coverage on each item, visit DailyWire.com (episode references correspond to reporting by Cameron Arcand, Amanda Harding, Ginny Tehr, Zach Jewell, Amanda Presa Giacomo, Virginia Kruta, Brecka Stoll, Andy Valdez, and others).
- Items to follow in coming days: outcome of shutdown funding negotiations, any formal lawsuit filings by Trump vs Trevor Noah, results of Belgian probe, further DHS internal findings and personnel decisions, and developments or safeguards introduced for AI-agent platforms like MaltBook.
Bottom line
The episode stitches together fast-moving political negotiations (a fragile funding patch for DHS), cultural flashpoints from the Grammys and protests, national-security and tech security concerns, and lighter cultural tradition (Groundhog Day). The common thread: high-stakes friction between institutions, public figures, and accountability — plus a reminder (from Punxsutawney Phil) that winter may not be over yet.