18 FEB 26 SITREP

• President Trump’s team, including Steve Witkoff and Jared oKushner, met with Iranian diplomats in Geneva while the White House issued a two-week deadline for Tehran to stop enriching uranium, identifying nuclear nonproliferation as a core U.S. red line.
• The United States deployed two aircraft carriers, including the Ford Carrier Strike Group, along with tactical air-to-air refuelers and additional naval armadas to the Middle East and the Persian Gulf, signaling readiness for potential air operations.
• Israel pressed for military action against Iran’s ballistic missile capability, and Major General Shea Kalper of the Israeli Home Front Command announced preparations for a “large multi-front scenario,” referencing broader regional escalation risks.
• A report indicated a 90 percent chance of military action in the coming weeks, describing a potential joint U.S.-Israel campaign lasting weeks and warning that escalation could affect global stability and drive gas prices higher during an election year.

• Washington State House Democrats passed House Bill 2034 on a 55–39 vote, with every Republican voting against it, authorizing the transfer of approximately $2.5 billion, with projections up to $4 billion over time, from the Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ (LEOFF) Plan 1 retirement system to address a state budget deficit.
• LEOFF was created in 1969 to provide defined-benefit pensions and medical coverage to police officers and firefighters, split into Plan 1 and Plan 2 in 1977, with Plan 1 covering members hired before October 1, 1977, and currently including more than 4,400 retirees and 4 active members as of June 2025.
• The Office of the State Actuary estimates LEOFF 1 is approximately 150–160 percent funded and projects it could reach 200 percent funded status by 2029, generating a projected surplus of roughly $3.3 billion as liabilities decline and investment returns accumulate.
• House Bill 2034 would repeal LEOFF 1 effective June 30, 2029, create a “Restated LEOFF” funded at 110 percent, transfer approximately $569 million into the Climate Commitment Account, and redirect remaining surplus funds into the Pension Funding Stabilization Account to support systems including PERS, PSERS, and TRS, while Rep. Travis Couture characterized the proposal as a “$4 billion cash grab” from pensions promised to retired police officers and firefighters.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, under Secretary Kennedy and Secretary Rollins at USDA, advanced new dietary guidelines promoting fresh fruits and vegetables, reduced sugar, avoidance of added sugar for children, and elimination of highly processed and ultra-refined carbohydrates.
• The guidelines emphasized protein and nutrient-dense foods including fish, eggs, beef, poultry, and seafood, and stated that healthy fats, including saturated fat, are part of a healthy diet.
• The policy shift directly affects federal systems, including how U.S. military personnel are fed and how nutrition standards are applied in public schools across the country.
• The initiative asserted that food prices, including eggs, poultry, seafood, fruits, and vegetables, were lower than one year ago, and claimed that following the guidelines would result in both improved health outcomes and greater affordability for American families.