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Trump Signs $1.5 Trillion Spending Bill, Meets Colombia’s Petro, Pushes Election Nationalization, Epstein Settlement

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Spending Bill Ends Shutdown but Leaves DHS Funding Gap President Donald Trump signed a $1.5 trillion appropriations package that reopened federal agencies after a three‑day partial shutdown, yet the measure funds the Department of Homeland Security for only two more weeks, creating a new budget cliff[1][2]. The legislation was described as sprawling and intended to avoid further government interruptions. Lawmakers secured the final vote after a lone holdout, Rep. John Rose, demanded a neutrality pledge from Trump for a Tennessee primary[1].

Trump Meets Colombian President Petro After Year‑Long Feud At the White House, Trump greeted Colombian President Gustavo Petro and said he “got along very well,” a marked shift from their previous public disputes over immigration and drug‑trafficking policy[1][2]. The leaders discussed cooperation on counternarcotics operations and the situation in Venezuela. Both outlets highlighted the diplomatic overture as a potential reset in U.S.–Colombia relations.

President Calls States Federal Agents and Urges Election Nationalization During the signing ceremony, Trump told reporters that states running “horribly” act as federal agents in elections and urged Republicans to “nationalize” future contests, citing Atlanta, Detroit and Philadelphia as examples of alleged corruption[1][2]. He framed the claim as a constitutional remedy to perceived state‑level fraud. The remarks intensified partisan debate over election oversight.

Epstein Victims Secure Privacy Settlement While Clinton Depositions Scheduled Lawyers for Jeffrey Epstein’s victims reached a settlement with the Justice Department to address privacy concerns stemming from redaction errors in the massive document release, prompting Judge Richard Berman to cancel a hearing[1]. Separately, the House Oversight Committee set deposition dates for Bill Clinton (Feb. 27) and Hillary Clinton (Feb. 26) in the congressional Epstein probe[2]. Trump expressed sympathy for the Clintons and urged the public to move on from the Epstein files[1].

Additional Moves: Ballroom Design, Iran Talks, and Political Maneuvering Trump posted a rendering of a new 22,000‑sq‑ft White House ballroom costing $400 million, claiming private funding for the project[2]. Iran announced that preparations for nuclear‑talk negotiations with the United States were complete, with a location to be announced soon[2]. These items illustrate the administration’s broader agenda beyond the spending bill.

Sources

Timeline

2025 – President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro engage in a year‑long public feud over immigration policy and drug‑trafficking cooperation, setting a contentious backdrop for later diplomatic overtures [1][2].

Early Feb 2026 (three‑day period) – A partial federal government shutdown halts operations across multiple agencies, creating urgent pressure to pass a funding package [1][2].

Feb 3, 2026 – Trump signs a $1.5 trillion appropriations bill that ends the three‑day shutdown, but the legislation funds the Department of Homeland Security only for the next two weeks, creating a looming budget cliff [1][2].

Feb 3, 2026 – Trump greets Colombian President Gustavo Petro at the White House, declares “I got along very well” with him, and the two discuss renewed counternarcotics collaboration and Venezuela policy after their previous dispute [1][2].

Feb 3, 2026 – During the signing ceremony, Trump tells CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that states “running horribly” act as federal agents in elections and urges Republicans to “nationalize” future elections, citing Atlanta, Detroit and Philadelphia as examples [1][2].

Feb 3, 2026 – Trump releases the first public rendering of a new 22,000‑sq‑ft White House ballroom, estimating a $400 million cost and insisting the project will be privately funded [2].

Feb 3, 2026 – The House Oversight Committee secures deposition dates for Bill Clinton (Feb 27) and Hillary Clinton (Feb 26) in the congressional Epstein investigation, marking a key step in the probe [2].

Feb 3, 2026 – Trump urges the American public to move on from the released Epstein documents, expresses “bad” feelings for Bill and Hillary Clinton as they prepare for their depositions, and declines to address survivors’ concerns [1].

Feb 3, 2026 – Rep. John Rose holds up the shutdown‑ending vote, demanding Trump’s neutrality in the Tennessee GOP gubernatorial primary; Speaker Mike Johnson secures Rose’s vote without promising the endorsement [1].

Feb 3, 2026 – Victims of Jeffrey Epstein reach a privacy settlement with the Justice Department after redaction errors in the massive document release, prompting Judge Richard Berman to cancel a scheduled hearing [1].

Feb 3, 2026 – Iran’s foreign‑ministry spokesperson announces that preparations for nuclear‑talks with the United States are complete, says the meeting location will be announced soon, and expects talks to resume later that week [2].

Mid‑Feb 2026 (≈Feb 17) – The Department of Homeland Security faces a funding cliff as the appropriations bill’s two‑week allocation expires, threatening agency operations unless Congress acts [1][2].

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