From New York Times, I'm Michael Bobarrow.

This is the Daily.

This week, the president falsely claimed that Ukraine started the war against Russia,

ordered independent federal agencies created by Congress to answer directly to him,

and installed himself as the leader of Washington's premier cultural institution.

To make sense of all of that, I spoke with three of my colleagues, White House reporter Zolan Cano Youngs, national security

reporter Charlie Savage, and writer at large Elizabeth Bueh Miller.

It's Friday, February 21st.

Friends, welcome to the Roundtable, where we acknowledge week after week that covering this presidency requires multiple minds in the same room at the same time. I want to thank you all for being here, Charlie.

Thank you.

Zolan.

Thank you.

Good to see you.

And Elizabeth, making your debut here in this format.

Thank you.

And Elizabeth, your resume requires just a little bit of an

explanation. You were until very recently, Charlie Enzollin's boss. You were the Washington

Bureau Chief overseeing all of our coverage of really the entire federal government during the

first Trump administration and the

entire Biden presidency, after which I think you justifiably collapsed into a heap and,

and I assume got a well-earned rest. I would disagree with collapsing into a heap, but yes.

Really appreciate all of you being here.

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