1. Putin said he would respond to any deployment of new intermediate-range missiles placed in Europe by targeting the United States with Russia’s own new field weapons that could reach U.S. decision-making centers. During his annual address to parliament, Putin said the U.S. has the right to think they can place missiles anywhere they want, “but can they count?” he asked. “I’m sure they can. Let them count the speed and the range of the weapons systems we are developing.” He continued: “Russia will be forced to create and deploy types of weapons which can be used not only in respect of those territories from which the direct threat to us originates, but also in respect of those territories where the centers of decision-making are located.” Putin said Russia is not looking for confrontation and would not take the first steps toward deploying missiles in the wake of Trump’s decision to pull out of a landmark Cold War-era arms treaty. (CNBC / NBC News / Daily Beast)

  2. Democrats in the House and Senate say they have evidence that a senior Department of Education official tried to oust the department’s independent watchdog because she pushed back against an attempt by the department to intervene in an investigation into Betsy DeVos. Lawmakers on four committees overseeing the DOE say the attempt to remove Sandra Bruce as acting inspector general was related to the probe of DeVos’ decision to reinstate an accreditor that had its certification revoked by the Obama administration. (NBC News)

  3. Trump is moving forward with plans to use his national emergency declaration to divert federal funds from other programs in order to build his border wall, despite multiple lawsuits challenging his authority to do so. The White House plans to start with funds from the Defense Department’s drug interdiction program and the Treasury Department’s civil asset forfeiture fund before moving on to siphon funds from military construction projects. Trump is currently preparing for the possibility that a federal court will issue an injunction and prevent him from accessing the military construction funding. (CNN)

  4. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas called on the Court to reexamine a landmark 1964 case that makes it harder for public officials to win libel suits. Justice Thomas said New York Times v. Sullivan has no basis in the Constitution as the founders understood it. Thomas wrote for himself in a concurring opinion that the Court correctly refused to hear an appeal from Katherine McKee, who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault and sued him for libel after his lawyer said she had been dishonest. Thomas says the First Amendment does nothing to prevent states from protecting the reputations of their citizens and leaders as they see fit. Thomas’ opinion comes in the wake of complaints by Trump that libel laws make it too difficult for public figures to win libel suits. (New York Times)