PYN ANIO

PYN ANIO

ShowBiz & Sports

Hot

Monday, February 23, 2026

Armed man shot and killed at Mar-a-Lago was never interested in politics or guns, cousin says

February 23, 2026
Armed man shot and killed at Mar-a-Lago was never interested in politics or guns, cousin says

CAMERON, N.C. (AP) — The 21-year-old North Carolina man whoentered a gateat President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort with a shotgun before he was shot and killed worked as a golf course groundskeeper and liked to sketch.

Associated Press A vehicle blocks access to a property in Cameron, N.C., Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed) This image provided by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, shows a weapon and gas can found after a 21-year-old man was shot and killed by authorities after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago. (Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office via AP) A fisherman casts his neat near Mar-a-Lago Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. The U.S. Secret Service announced Sunday that an armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's resort. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier) A Palm Beach County sheriff deputy talks to a bicyclist on the bridge leading to Mar-a-Lago Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. The U.S. Secret Service announced Sunday that an armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's resort. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier) A map showing the layout of Mar-a-Lago. (AP Digital Embed)

Mar-a-Lago Shooting

Austin Tucker Martin rarely, if ever, talked about politics, seemed afraid of guns, and came from a family of Trump supporters, according to Braeden Fields, a cousin who said the two grew up together.

"I wouldn't believe he would do something like this. It's mind-blowing," Fields said. "He wouldn't even hurt an ant. He doesn't even know how to use a gun."

Martin walked up to the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago early Sunday and went through a gate when it opened for employees to leave, a U.S. Secret Service spokesperson said Monday. Martin dropped a gas can and raised a shotgun at two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy who then opened fire "to neutralize the threat," said Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.

Trump, who often spends weekends at the Palm Beach, Florida, resort, was at the White House at the time.

Investigators have not identified a motive. Trump faced twoassassination attemptsduring the 2024 campaign, including one just a few miles (kilometers) from Mar-a-Lago when a man was spottedaiming a riflethrough shrubbery while Trump was golfing.

Following Sunday's incident, Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said investigators believe Martin bought his shotgun while driving to Florida. Authorities said his family had recently reported him missing.

Martin was from central North Carolina, where guns and hunting are a part of life, his cousin said. But whenever they'd go hunting or target shooting, Martin would never pick up a gun, Fields told The Associated Press on Sunday.

He lived with his mother in a modest modular house down a rutted sandy road near the town of Cameron. No one answered the door Monday, and the large police presence from the day before was gone.

Advertisement

Martin's sister was just 21 when she was killed in a car accident in 2023, and he has an older brother who's in the military, Fields said.

For the past three years, Martin worked as a groundskeeper at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club.

"It's tragic. I feel for his family," said Kelly Miller, president of the course in nearby Southern Pines. "It's just unfortunate what transpired. It was totally unexpected."

Martin last year started a business to sell pen drawings he made, according to state records. A website matching the company name features illustrations of golf courses, buildings and ancient Roman architecture.

Politics didn't seem to be among his interests, his cousin said

"We are big Trump supporters, all of us. Everybody," Fields said, but his cousin was "real quiet, never really talked about anything."

This story was corrected to show that the suspect walked through the gate and didn't drive through it.

Associated Press reporters Michelle L. Price in Washington, Ali Swenson in New York, Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed.

Read More

Judge permanently blocks release of Trump classified documents report

February 23, 2026
Judge permanently blocks release of Trump classified documents report

WASHINGTON − A federal judge permanently blocked the Justice Department from releasingformer special counsel Jack Smith's report on his criminal case accusingPresident Donald Trumpofmishandling classified documentshe took with him following his first term in office and obstructing government efforts to retrieve them.

USA TODAY

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, on Feb. 23 found that any public release of the report would be a "manifest injustice" to Trump and two associates because it would detail allegations of alleged criminal wrongdoing in a case that was dismissed before ever going to trial.

The ruling is the latest in a series of decisions by Cannon to protect Trump from having the contents of the case made public.

<p style=Jack Smith, the former U.S. Justice Department Special Counsel who brought two now-dropped criminal cases against President Donald Trump, will publicly testify to the House Judiciary Committee on Jan. 22.

Pictured here, Special Counsel Jack Smith delivered remarks on a recently unsealed indictment against then-former President Trump at the Justice Department on June 9, 2023 in Washington, D.C. At the time, Trump was indicted in the special counsel's classified documents probe.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Former Special Counsel Jack Smith says the Pledge of Allegiance before he prepares to testify during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Jan. 22, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Smith testified on his team's federal criminal investigations into President Donald Trump which included 2020 election interference and classified documents. Former US special counsel Jack Smith shakes hands with Former US Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn (L) after testifying before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigations into President Donald Trump, in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 22, 2026. Former Special Counsel Jack Smith testifies during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Jan. 22, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Smith testified on his team's federal criminal investigations into President Donald Trump which included 2020 election interference and classified documents. <p style=Smith gave private testimony to the committee in December 2025 where he defended his investigations into Trump, saying that the basis for the prosecutions "rests entirely with President Trump and his actions."

Smith was appointed independent special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022 to oversee two criminal investigations into former President Donald Trump's alleged role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol and his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Smith dropped both cases after Trump won the 2024 election, citing a Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Former Special Counsel Jack Smith (C) leaves for a break while testifying during a closed-door deposition before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Dec. 17, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

Smith was appointed independent special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022 to oversee two criminal investigations into former President Donald Trump's alleged role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol and his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Smith dropped both cases after Trump won the 2024 presidential election.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Former Special Counsel Jack Smith leaves after testifying in a closed-door deposition before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Dec. 17, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

Smith is a long-time prosecutor whose experience ranges from prosecuting a sitting US senator to prosecuting a gang member who was ultimately convicted of murdering New York City police officers. He has also prosecuted war crimes at The Hague.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Former Special Counsel Jack Smith leaves after testifying in a closed-door deposition before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Dec. 17, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Smith was appointed independent special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022 to oversee two criminal investigations into former President Donald Trump, one into his alleged role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol and another into his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Trump went on to win the 2024 presidential election, and both cases were dropped. Special Counsel Jack Smith delivers remarks on a recently unsealed indictment including four felony counts against then former U.S. President Donald Trump at the Justice Department on Aug. 1, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Trump was indicted on four felony counts for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. In this photo illustration, pages are viewed from the unsealed federal indictment of then former President Donald Trump on June 9, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Trump has been indicted in Special Counsel Jack Smith's classified documents probe. Special Counsel Jack Smith arrives to give remarks on a recently unsealed indictment including four felony counts against then former U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 1, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Trump was indicted on four felony counts for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Special Counsel Jack Smith arrives to give remarks on a recently unsealed indictment including four felony counts against then former President Donald Trump on Aug. 1, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Trump was indicted on four felony counts for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Special Counsel Jack Smith (C) arrives to deliver remarks on a recently unsealed indictment including four felony counts against then former President Donald Trump at the Justice Department on Aug. 1, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Trump was indicted on four felony counts for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Who Is Jack Smith? The special counsel named in historic Trump investigations.

Jack Smith, the former U.S. Justice Department Special Counsel who brought twonow-dropped criminal casesagainstPresident Donald Trump, will publicly testify to the House Judiciary Committee on Jan. 22.Pictured here, Special Counsel Jack Smith delivered remarks on a recently unsealed indictment against then-former President Trump at the Justice Department on June 9, 2023 in Washington, D.C. At the time, Trump was indicted in the special counsel's classified documents probe.

In July 2024, Cannon ruled that Smith's appointment as special counsel under the administration of PresidentJoe Bidenwas unconstitutional anddismissed the case.

The Biden Justice Department appealed that decision but ultimately dropped the case and another charging Trump withunlawfully trying to stay in powerafter losing the 2020 presidential election, after Trump was elected to a second term last November. In both, Smith citeda Justice Department policyagainst prosecuting a sitting president.

Advertisement

More:'I don't regret it': Jan. 6 prosecutor defends Trump investigations

Citing her 2024 dismissal of the case, Cannon said in her current ruling that Smith was acting "without lawful authority" in obtaining the indictment against Trump, valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago employee Carlos de Oliveira.

"As a result, the former defendants in this case, like any other defendant in this situation, still enjoy the presumption of innocence held sacrosanct in our constitutional order," Cannon wrote in her new order.

Cannon's move means the American public may never see the substantial amount of evidence gathered by prosecutors in one of the four criminal cases Trump faced in his years out of office.

Trump was accused of illegally storing documents related to U.S. national security and defense at his Mar-a-Lago estate and social club and then obstructing U.S. government efforts to retrieve the material.

Trump, Nauta and de Oliveira pleaded not guilty to all charges, with Trump arguing he did nothing wrong in deciding to keep the documents. They asked Cannon to bar the release of the report, which detailed justification for the charges.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Judge blocks release of Jack Smith's Trump classified documents report

Read More

EU hits pause on US trade deal as it seeks clarity over latest Trump maneuver

February 23, 2026
EU hits pause on US trade deal as it seeks clarity over latest Trump maneuver

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Frustrated European officials pushed Monday for clarification on how U.S. President Donald Trump's declaration of a15% global taxon imports would affect thetrade dealthey struck with Trump this summer as EU legislators hit pause on the deal's ratification until they get clarity.

Associated Press FILE - A steel worker walks beside steel coils during a visit of EU Commissioner for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy Stephane Sejourne at the Thyssenkrupp steelworks in Duisburg, Germany, after the EU Steel Action plan was presented, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File) President Donald Trump leaves after an event to proclaim FILE - European Union flags flap in the wind outside of EU headquarters in Brussels, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)

US-Supreme-Court-Tariffs-World

The European Parliament's trade committee postponed a committee vote on ratification after Trump said he would impose the new tariff, after the U.S. Supreme Courtstruck downhis use of an emergency powers law to set new import taxes. Trump thenturned to another sectionof trade law to justify his imposition of the 15% global rate, which take effect Tuesday.

The EU position is expressed in five words: "A deal is a deal," said commission spokesman Olof Gill. "So now we are simply saying to the US, it is up to you to clearly show to us what path you are taking to honor the agreement."

The US-EU deal called for a 15% cap on tariffs on most European goods imports, while tariffs on US industrial goods would be lowered to zero. While the deal burdened consumers and businesses with a tariff increase from the previous average of 4.8%, it also gave businesses certainty so they could plan - a factor credited with helping Europe avoid a recession last year.

Since the new 15% rate announced Saturday would be applied on top of the previous tariffs, it would break the agreed ceiling on tariffs, said Bernd Lange, chair of the parliament's trade committee. Legislators postponed a committee vote on the agreement scheduled for Tuesday.

Advertisement

Questions surrounded other trade deals done with individual countries including Brazil, India and Britain. For instance, Britain agreed a 10% maximum tariff with the US, while India settled on 18% and Vietnam accepted 20%. Although the Supreme Court decision did not directly affect bilateral deals, they were negotiated using threats of imposing the now-invalidated tariffs as leverage. However re-opening those deals could backfire because Trump has made clear he will pursue tariffs under other laws than the one the Supreme Court said he could not apply.

US Trade Representative Jamison Greer said Sunday on US network CBS' "Face the Nation" program that the administration had made clear to negotiating partners that Trump was intent on tariffs whether the Supreme Court ruled against him or not, that "whether we won or lost, there were going to be tariffs."

He said that the bilateral deals "are good deals, we expect to stand by them, we expect our partners to stand by them."

Moving from country-specific tariffs to the flat 15% global tariff "will have considerable implications elsewhere," said Atakan Bakiskan, US economist at Berenberg bank. The new tariff means a reduced rate for some countries, for example Brazil, which faces a reduction of nearly 15 percentage points and China, which sees a reduction of nearly 10 percentage points.

Under the law Trump relied on, these latest tariffs are in effect for only 150 days unless Congress votes to extend them. Trump could use that time to search for other legal provisions that would support his actions.

While uncertainty hits European companies, it puts pressure on the U.S. economy as well, where consumers and companies pay the tariffs on goods purchased from abroad. "Uncertainty around trade policy appears here to stay - putting continued pressure on the US economy," Bakiskan said.

Read More

Ye going to trial in $1M Malibu mansion case: What to know

February 23, 2026
Ye going to trial in $1M Malibu mansion case: What to know

Nearly three years after selling his Malibu mansion,Yeis heading to court over the renovation process for the multimillion-dollar property.

USA TODAY

The Grammy-winning rapper andcontroversial figure, formerly known asKanye West, is going to trial this week after a former employee, Tony Saxon, sued the rapper in September 2023 for various labor abuses while working on his Southern California home.

Three months later, Yeput the beachfront residence up for sale, two years after he paid $57 million for it. The property, designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, includes 4,000 square feet of interior space and about 1,500 square feet of outdoor living areas, and nearly every room has views of the Pacific Ocean.

Around 200 tons of concrete, 200 tons of steel reinforcement and 12 massive pylons were used to construct the home, according to the property's description.

Ye attends the 67th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2025.

"Selling Sunset"starJason Oppenheimlisted the mansion for $53 million, which made for a $4 million loss for Ye. The real-estate broker said the new price reflected the property's value after the rapper removed the home's interiors.

According toRealtor.com, the property returned to the market last August after real-estate developer Steven "Bo" Belmont purchased the home for $21 million and later relisted the home for $39 million, reportedly cutting a short-lived deal with luxury home developer Andrew Mazzella at one point.

"Tony has been waiting two-and-a-half years for his day in court, and he's looking forward to telling his story," Saxon's attorney, Neama Rahmani, said in a statement to USA TODAY. "The public will be able to draw their own conclusions as to who is telling the truth."

USA TODAY has reached out to Ye's representatives for comment.

Here's everything you need to know about the case.

Ye Malibu house case:Rapper sells his beach home after paying $57M

<p style=Born Kanye Omari West, Ye transformed himself from a college dropout in Chicago to an undisputable icon of music and fashion. But a string of controversies has the rapper facing a fallout. In October 2022, several companies, including Adidas and Balenciaga fashion house, cut ties with the star after he made antisemitic remarks.

Look back on Ye's life and career, from his marriage and divorce from Kim Kardashian to his polarizing political statements. Here, Ye and Bianca Censori attend the 67th Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Ye gestures upon arriving at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on July 11, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Ye hit the 2025 Grammys red carpet donning a black shirt and pants, sunglasses and a chain. Meanwhile, wife Bianca Censori wore a black fur coat that she removed to pose in a nearly nude, see-through dress as photographers captured the couple's appearance.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Ye and Bianca Censori attend the Marni fall/winter 2024 fashion show on Feb. 23, 2024, in Milan, Italy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Ye and Bianca Censori are seen in the stands during the UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg football match Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid at the San Siro stadium in Milan on Feb. 20, 2024.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Charlie Wilson, left, and Ye attend Wilson's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony on Jan. 29, 2024, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Ye attended the premiere for "The Greatest Lie Ever Sold: George Floyd and the Rise of BLM," a documentary by conservative political commentator Candace Owens, on Oct. 12, 2022.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye and Owens posed together at the premiere screening for Owens' documentary, which reexamines the the 2020 death of George Floyd. Ye's reflection on the documentary <a href=during an appearance on the “Drink Champs” podcast a few days after the event found the rapper making controversial statements on the manner of Floyd's death." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ray J and Kid Rock also posed with Ye for a group photo at the premiere screening for "The Greatest Lie Ever Sold." <p style=Ye and his children Saint West, Chicago West and Psalm West, who he shares with ex Kim Kardashian, attended the Balenciaga womenswear spring/summer 2023 show at Paris Fashion Week on Oct. 2, 2022.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye performed during Playboi Carti's set during 2022 Rolling Loud New York at Citi Field on Sept. 23, 2022. Jared Leto, left, and Ye attended Vogue World: New York on Sept. 12, 2022, in New York City.  Ye hugged Sean "Diddy" Combs onstage during the 2022 BET Awards on June 26, 2022, after presenting him with the ceremony's Lifetime Achievement Award. Rocking a mask covering his entire face, Ye <a href=gave an impassioned speech about Diddy, who he called his "brother."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye, right, and Chaney Jones attended an NBA game between the Miami Heat and the Minnesota Timberwolves at FTX Arena in Miami on March 12, 2022. Ye and Jones <a href=were rumored to be romantically linked at the time." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye, left, and fellow rapper Future sat courtside during the first half of an NBA game between the Miami Heat and the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 12, 2022. Ye attended an NBA game between the Washington Wizards and the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on March 11, 2022. Ye attended the Super Bowl LVI match between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Feb 13, 2022. Ye, right, and <a href=then-girlfriend Julia Fox, an actress and model, attended the Kenzo Fall/Winter 2022/2023 show during Paris Fashion Week on Jan. 23, 2022." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye was seen at the "Donda by Kanye West" listening event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 22, 2021, in Atlanta. He<a href= temporarily moved into the venue following the event while he finished work on his 10th studio album "Donda," named after his late mother Donda West." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye and Kim Kardashian married in 2014 and Kardashian filed for divorce in 2021. They share four children. Here, they attended the NBA All-Star Game at United Center in Chicago on Feb. 16, 2020. Ye and Kim Kardashian shared a smooch at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. Ye has released 11 studio albums with one album, "Jesus Is King," having a Christain theme. In 2019, he produced the album "Jesus Is King" featuring his Sunday Service gospel choir. Here, the choir performed along with his pastor, Adam Tyson, at the annual Strength to Stand Youth Conference at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on Jan. 19, 2020. Ye presented his "Jesus Is King" album and film experience at The Forum in Inglewood, California, on Oct. 23, 2019. The album, which saw the rapper take on a rap-gospel sound, <a href=peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye, front, performed an<a href= Easter Sunday service during the 2019 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 21, 2019." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye caused political uproar in 2018 when he met with then-President Donald Trump during a visit to the Oval Office on Oct. 11, 2018. During their conversation, Ye delivered a long soliloquy on "male energy," North Korea and his "Make America Great Again" cap, which he said made him <a href="feel like Superman." Trump called him "a smart cookie."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye's son Saint threw out ceremonial first pitches at the Cubs versus White Sox game on Sept. 23, 2018. A week later, Kanye opened the new season of "Saturday Night Live," performing dressed as a bottle of Perrier and delivering a scathing post-show rant that included a MAGA hat and a call to repeal the 13th Amendment. West also caused controversy in May 2018 when in an interview with TMZ, the rapper said slavery was "a choice." In June 2018, he released his eighth studio album, "Ye." In January 2018, Ye's family expanded with the arrival of Chicago West, born by surrogate.  In November 2016, Ye abruptly canceled the remainder of his concert tour and reportedly sought treatment for exhaustion at UCLA Medical Center. Ye embarked on an eye-popping concert tour in 2016 featuring a groundbreaking floating stage. Ye and Kim Kardashian haven't shielded their kids from the spotlight. Daughter North has been a frequent fixture with her parents at fashion shows. Son Saint was born in December 2015. Ye earned a new nickname with the release of his sixth album, "Yeezus," in 2013. Even though record sales weren't high at first, it marked Kanye's seventh platinum record. When did the Kim and Ye romance begin? Kanye rapped, “I fell in love with Kim" on "Cruel Summer," a 2012 compilation album. This time marked the beginning of his much-talked-about romance with the most famous Kardashian. Ye showed off more than his vocal chords in 2011, when he debuted his dw line at Paris Fashion Week. Some of Ye's earliest songs highlighted his melodic rap style. With Auto-Tuned rhymes, he bared his soul in chart-topping 2008 songs like "Heartless" and "Love Lockdown." His 2007 hit "Stronger" was born from Kanye's collaboration with Daft Punk during a time when he experimented with electronic beats, not to mention those iconic shutter shades.

See Kanye West, Ye, the polarizing rapper, fashion mogul

Born Kanye Omari West, Ye transformed himself from a college dropout in Chicago to an undisputable icon of music and fashion. But a string of controversies has the rapper facing a fallout. In October 2022, several companies, including Adidas and Balenciaga fashion house,cut ties with the starafter he made antisemitic remarks.Look back on Ye's life and career, from his marriage and divorce from Kim Kardashian to his polarizing political statements. Here, Ye and Bianca Censori attend the 67th Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles.

Why is Ye being sued for Malibu mansion?

In his lawsuit against Ye, Saxon accused the rapper, as well as 10 anonymous "Doe" defendants, of disability discrimination, violations of multiple labor codes, unpaid wages and reimbursements, and wrongful retaliatory termination.

Saxon said he began working on Ye's Malibu home around September 2021 after being hired as a "project manager" for the property's renovations, a position that required him to be a "full-time security" and "live-in caretaker." His duties, totaling 16-hour workdays, included cleaning construction and demolition work, coordinating workers and hiring contractors.

Advertisement

The former employee also detailed the "dangerous working conditions" he and his coworkers navigated, including sleeping arrangements located near open insulation and a lack of safety equipment for demolition work. Saxon provided several photos and videos allegedly showing these conditions, according to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY.

Saxon alleged he shared his complaints about the unsafe working environment with Ye on "numerous occasions," but the rapper allegedly took no action.

<p style=Bad Bunny and "Wuthering Heights" have dominated the month of February, as the march to the 2026 Oscars continues.

Stars have been stepping out this month at movie premieres and awards shows, including the Grammys and the Independent Spirit Awards. Plus, New York Fashion Week 2026 is underway, featuring appearances by Rihanna and Anne Hathaway.

Scroll through for the best celebrity photos of February 2026 so far, starting with Bad Bunny, left, and Lady Gaga performing during the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Keke Palmer attends the Film Independent Spirit Awards at Hollywood Palladium on Feb. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Rose Byrne

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Kirsten Dunst, left, and Jesse Plemons

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Amy Madigan

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Dylan O'Brien

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Wunmi Mosaku

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Glen Powell attends a screening of "How To Make a Killing" on Feb. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Margaret Qualley

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Topher Grace

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Jessica Henwick

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Charli XCX attends the premiere of "The Moment" during the Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin on Feb. 14, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Callum Turner, left, and Dua Lipa attend the "Rosebush Pruning" premiere during the Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin on Feb. 14, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Pamela Anderson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Haley Lu Richardson attends the "Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die" premiere during the Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin on Feb. 13, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Zazie Beetz

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Bella Ramsey attends the "Everybody Digs Bill Evans" red carpet during the Berlinale Berlin International Film Festival on Feb. 13, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Isabel May attends the "Scream 7" x TikTok Stab House Experience on Feb. 13, 2026, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A$AP Rocky, left, and Rihanna attend A$AP Rocky's AWGE New York Fashion Week show on Feb. 13, 2026, in New York. <p style=Neil Patrick Harris attends the "No Good Men" premiere during the Berlinale International Film Festival on Feb. 12, 2026, in Berlin, Germany.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Timothée Chalamet attends a screening of "Call Me By Your Name" hosted by Cinespia on Feb. 13, 2026, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Hudson Williams attends the Hennessy Gold House Lunar New Year Celebration at Chinese Tuxedo on Feb. 12, 2026, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Margot Robbie attends the "Wuthering Heights" Australian premiere on Feb. 12, 2026, in Sydney, Australia.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Jacob Elordi

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Hailey Bieber

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Dove Cameron attends the premiere of "56 Days" on Feb. 11, 2026, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Halsey

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Neve Campbell attends a screening and Q&A for "Scream" on Feb. 10, 2026, in Paris.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Halle Berry attends the premiere of "Crime 101" in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Chris Hemsworth

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Ben Affleck, left, and Matt Damon

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Angelina Jolie attends a screening of "Coutures" in Paris on Feb. 9, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Anne Hathaway attends the Ralph Lauren runway show during New York Fashion Week on Feb. 10, 2026, in New York.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Bad Bunny performs during the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Ricky Martin

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Bad Bunny, left, and Lady Gaga

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Young Miko and Pedro Pascal

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Alan Ritchson attends the "War Machine" premiere on Feb. 7, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Chase Infiniti attends the NAACP Image Awards Nominees Brunch on Feb. 7, 2026, in Los Angeles, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Anthony Davis, left, and Yvette Nicole Brown

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Tyriq Withers

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Caleb McLaughlin attends the premiere of "GOAT" on Feb. 6, 2026, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Gabrielle Union

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Aaron Pierre

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Jennifer Hudson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Jelly Roll

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Keke Palmer attends the premiere of "The 'Burbs" on Feb. 5, 2026, in Universal City, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Camila Mendes attends the premiere of "Idiotka" on Feb. 5, 2026, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Margot Robbie attends a photocall for "Wuthering Heights" in Paris on Feb. 2.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Jacob Elordi

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=From left, Jacob Elordi, Emerald Fennell, Margot Robbie and Shazad Latif

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Sabrina Carpenter performs during the Grammys on Feb. 1 in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Lady Gaga

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Music's biggest stars are kicking off February on a high note with the 2026 Grammy Awards, where Bad Bunny had a big night with an album of the year win for "Debí Tirar Más Fotos."

Meanwhile, Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi are continuing to step out on red carpets for "Wuthering Heights." February will also see the return of New York Fashion Week, plus the premieres of highly anticipated movies like "Scream 7" and TV shows like ABC's reboot of "Scrubs."

Scroll through for the best celebrity photos of February 2026 so far, starting with Bad Bunny attending the Grammys on Feb. 1 in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Billie Eilish, left, and Finneas O'Connell

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Chappell Roan

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Doechii

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Justin Bieber

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Olivia Dean

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Trevor Noah, left, and Gayle King

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Addison Rae

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Harry Styles

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Jelly Roll

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Miley Cyrus

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Tate Mcrae

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Rex Linn, left, and Reba McEntire

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Charli XCX attends the W Magazine, Charli XCX, and Saint Laurent Grammy after party at Bar Marmont on Feb. 1 in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Paris Hilton

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See Halle Berry, Bad Bunny in the best celebrity photos of February

Bad Bunnyand "Wuthering Heights" have dominated the month of February, as the march to the 2026 Oscars continues.Stars have been stepping out this month at movie premieres and awards shows, including the Grammys and the Independent Spirit Awards. Plus,New York Fashion Week 2026is underway, featuring appearances by Rihanna and Anne Hathaway.Scroll through for the best celebrity photos of February 2026 so far, starting with Bad Bunny, left, and Lady Gaga performing during the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California.

Former Ye employee says he was fired over renovation dispute

Around November 2021, Saxon allegedly injured his back "severely" while working on the project. Although he reported the injury to Ye and requested time off to rest, Saxon said the Yeezy founder ignored his request.

That same month, Saxon was terminated from his project manager role after he said he refused to comply with Ye's "dangerous" demand to remove "all of the electricity and windows from the house."

"'If you don't do what I say, you're not going to work for me,'" Ye reportedly told Saxon, according to the lawsuit. "'I'm not going to be your friend anymore, and you'll just see me on TV."

Ye speaks out:Rapper apologizes, says he's not 'an antisemite' in full-page newspaper ad

How much money is Ye accuser demanding?

Saxon is requesting more than $1 million in unpaid wages and loss of earnings as a result of his employment with Ye.

When does Ye trial start?

Jury selection in the case is scheduled to begin Monday, Feb. 23, at the Los Angeles County Superior Court's Stanley Mosk Courthouse.

Will Ye testify in Malibu mansion trial?

According to a statement from Saxon's attorney, Neama Rahmani, Ye is expected to take the stand during the trial.

How long will Ye trial last?

The rapper's trial, overseen by Judge Brock T. Hammond, is expected to last one week.

Contributing: Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Ye Malibu mansion trial – What to know about rapper's lawsuit

Read More