The Daily Schtick: SCOTUS Greenlights Deportations, 10‑Day War Clock, Cuban Blackouts – 20 February 2026 Edition

Empire hits Friday with the Supreme Court smacking down Trump’s tariff stunt while greenlighting his deportation machine, all as he sells “peace” next to an Iran war countdown and Cuba’s lights go out.


SCOTUS on Tariffs: Trump’s Emergency Cash‑Grab Gets Nuked

In a 6‑3 ruling, the Supreme Court torched Trump’s signature “reciprocal” global tariffs, saying he cannot hide behind emergency powers to slap import taxes on over 100 countries whenever he feels disrespected. Chief Justice Roberts wrote that Congress, not the president, holds the taxing power and that the emergency law Trump used “does not empower the president to levy tariffs” at all.

The decision overturns huge chunks of his trade war and could force the administration to unwind deals and possibly refund billions to importers, though some separate metal tariffs still stand under different statutes. It’s a rare public slap from a conservative‑tilted court that had happily blessed his emergency powers on immigration and executive firings, and it yanks a core pillar from his second‑term economic cosplay.

SCOTUS on Deportations: Fast‑Track Wins While Due Process Loses

On the same docket from hell, the court lifted nationwide injunctions that were slowing Trump’s mass‑deportation agenda, letting ICE again use mandatory detention and narrow bond access for tens of thousands. The ruling undercuts lower‑court judges who had called the campaign a form of “terror” against immigrants, and it clears the backlog of over 20,000 habeas petitions to be flushed at administrative speed instead of judicial pace.

The message from One First Street: tariffs need Congress; cages don’t. The same justices who suddenly rediscovered the Constitution’s trade clauses are fine with the executive playing God over who gets a hearing before being deported.

Trump’s Board of Peace: Gaza Cash, Iran Clock

Inside the Beltway, Trump’s shiny new Board of Peace wrapped its inaugural meeting with pledges of Gulf cash for Gaza reconstruction and talk of U.S. and Arab troops forming a “stability coalition.” Trump declared the Gaza war “basically over” while sidestepping ongoing strikes and a still‑suffocating blockade, using the moment to brand himself as the architect of regional calm.

Then he set the room on fire by hinting at a 10‑day window on Iran, telling reporters they’d “find out very soon” whether Tehran accepts limits on enrichment and missiles—or meets “consequences.” Carrier groups are sliding into range, Israel is openly lobbying for joint strikes, and Iran’s leadership is juggling street protests, crackdowns, and back‑channel talks in Geneva.

Cuba on the Brink: Oil Blockade Bites Harder

Farther south, Cuba is buckling under Washington’s de‑facto oil blockade after the U.S. seized Venezuela’s fields and turned them into leverage over Havana. Imports have plunged, blackouts stretch for hours, and fuel lines snake through cities as officials warn people to prepare for “war‑time” conditions.

Analysts say the island is nearing a point of no return economically, with hospitals, transport, and food supply chains all strained by the energy crunch. Russia and others talk tough about helping, but replacement barrels and tankers are scarce, so the blockade keeps doing what blockades do: starve civilians while leaders trade speeches.

Britain Blocks Bombers, Allies Get Wobbly

In Europe, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer quietly told Washington that British bases—from Diego Garcia to RAF Fairford—are off‑limits for any pre‑emptive Iran strike that doesn’t have rock‑solid international law cover. The U.S. carrier USS Gerald R. Ford still transits into the Mediterranean, but the “special relationship” is suddenly less eager to be the runway for another Middle East adventure.

Gulf monarchies are writing checks and offering troops for Trump’s peace‑cum‑pressure project, while European governments grumble about being dragged toward a conflict that could torch energy markets again.

Today’s Schtick

So 20 February gives us: SCOTUS ripping up Trump’s emergency tariffs while blessing his fast‑track deportation machine, a Board of Peace that doubles as an Iran war timer, Cuba inching toward blackout‑induced collapse under a U.S. oil choke, and Britain politely slamming the door on American bombers. The Daily Schtick: World News, Our Style—because in late‑empire America, even the Supreme Court can’t decide whether the president is an emperor or just the guy who crashed the global checkout line.