The Brief: Feb. 20, 2025 - Trump’s Saudi Trillions, IRS Abolition & Zelensky’s Election Meltdown

Patrick Gunnels breaks down the latest geopolitical and economic shake-ups, starting with Trump’s speech at the Future Investment Initiative, where he called on Saudi Arabia to invest $1 trillion in the U.S. and strengthened ties with MBS. Meanwhile, Howard Lutnick just casually announced Trump’s plan to abolish the IRS, replacing it with an External Revenue Service that shifts the tax burden to foreign entities.

On the Ukraine front, Trump and Putin are negotiating peace...without Zelensky. The new condition? Ukraine has to hold an election first. Unsurprisingly, Zelensky is panicking as the U.S. and Russia set the terms for a post-war Ukraine.

Also in this episode: DOJ finds billions stashed for Stacey Abrams’ climate group, Trump media sues a Brazilian Supreme Court justice over censorship, and Pope Francis’ health declines amid speculation.