Monday, Feb. 24

· President Donald Trump began a 36-hour trip to India to reaffirm his ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hold mega-rallies with Indian supporters. “America loves India,” Trump said in a speech in Ahmedabad to a crowd of about 100,000 people, “America respects India and America will always be faithful and loyal friends to the Indian people.” Meanwhile, street demonstrations against the American president were reported in at least three Indian cities.

· The White House requested at least $2.5 billion in emergency funds from Congress “to accelerate vaccine development, support preparedness and response activities and to procure much-needed equipment and supplies” in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Tuesday, Feb. 25

· Federal health officials warned that COVID-19 spreading to the United States was extremely likely. According to Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, “It’s not so much of a question of if this will happen anymore but rather more of a question of exactly when this will happen,”

Wednesday, Feb. 26

· Following bipartisan criticism of the federal government’s tepid and contradictory response to the threat posed by COVID-19 thus far, Trump assigned Vice President Mike Pence to coordinate the U.S. government’s response to the coronavirus.

· The House passed the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act, a measure to add lynching to the United States Criminal Code that members of Congress have been attempting to push through in some form since at least 1900. The Senate version of the bill passed last year. Once the two bills are reconciled, it will be sent to the White House for the president’s signature.

· The Justice Department gave its immigration office the ability to strip citizenship rights from naturalized immigrants by way of a newly-formed Denaturalization Section. Joseph Hunt, head of the department’s civil division, said the section “underscores the department’s commitment to bring justice to terrorists, war criminals, sex offenders and other fraudsters who illegally obtained naturalization.” Critics warn this is a means for the Trump administration to undermine U.S. citizenship in general.

Thursday, Feb. 27

· The New York Times interviewed Democratic Party establishment leaders and found that should Sen. Bernie Sanders earn the Democratic candidacy, they were “willing to risk intraparty damage to stop his nomination at the national convention in July if they get the chance.”

· The White House directed government scientists and health officials and to coordinate their statements and public appearances with Pence’s office to centralize the federal government’s control on coronavirus messaging.

· A government whistleblower said that federal health employees without proper medical training or protective gear interacted with quarantined Americans in two military bases in California and then rejoined the general populace.

Friday, Feb. 28

· Trump announced his intention to nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe of Texas as director of national intelligence. Trump considered him last summer as well, but senior Republicans in Congress deemed him unqualified for the post. If confirmed he would replace current acting director Richard Grenell.

Saturday, Feb. 29

· Former Vice President Joe Biden won the South Carolina primary race, earning him 39 delegates and shooting him up to second place in the national polls, behind Sen. Bernie Sanders. The state’s Republican Party cancelled its primary, essentially endorsing Trump.

· The first confirmed U.S. coronavirus death occurred in Seattle, out of about 70 reported cases in the country. Following this, Trump contemplated issuing new travel restrictions and downplayed his earlier claim that the coronavirus was a “hoax” by the Democrats. The Food and Drug Administration also authorized American laboratories to develop coronavirus tests.

· Billionaire former hedge fund executive Tom Steyer dropped out of the Democratic primary race.

Sunday, March 1

· Former South Bend, Indiana, mayor and first openly gay major candidate Pete Buttigieg dropped out of the Democratic primary race.

· Federal judge Randolph Moss ruled that that Kenneth Cuccinelli’s appointment as leader of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services was unlawful and recommended the nullification of policies Cuccinelli established that limit asylum seekers’ access to counsel.