Another US aircraft carrier heads to the Middle East

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 10:30 pm

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Another US aircraft carrier heads to the Middle East The U.S. is sending the world’s largest aircraft carrier to the Middle East as tensions between Washington and Tehran ratchet up. © Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class...

Ex-FBI agent criticizes Guthrie reward as too low: 'This is insane'

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 10:20 pm

A former FBI agent on Friday slammed the federal government for not raising the reward price higher for information leading to the whereabouts of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC "Today" host Savannah Guthrie, comparing it unfavorably with the award offered in the famous Lindbergh baby kidnapping. "I got a phone call from an old...

Blanche says Khanna named 'random people' in House speech on Epstein files

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 10:16 pm

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Friday accused two congressmen of revealing the names of “completely random people” in relation to the Justice Department’s (DOJ) investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) have been at the forefront of a bipartisan push to release all of the files...

1 year of Health Secretary RFK Jr. 

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 10:03 pm

Presented by the Coalition to Strengthen America's Healthcare {beacon} Health Care Health Care The Big Story One year of Health Secretary RFK Jr. In the year since being confirmed by the Senate, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has undoubtedly transformed the U.S. public health landscape, breaking the federal government away from...

Democrats launch investigation into DOJ tracking of lawmakers' Epstein files searches

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 9:59 pm

House Judiciary Committee and Oversight Committee Democrats launched a joint investigation into the Justice Department on Friday after Attorney General Pam Bondi was spotted reviewing a summary of a lawmaker’s searches of the unredacted Jeffrey Epstein files. The letter demands the Department of Justice (DOJ) “immediately cease tracking Members’ review of the Epstein files” and...

Bannon on ICE Minnesota withdrawal: 'It’s just not going to wash'

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 9:33 pm

Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon slammed the White House's withdrawal of federal immigration enforcement officers from Minnesota, saying on his podcast on Thursday that "it's just not going to wash." Bannon, on the latest episode of his "War Room" podcast, criticized White House border czar Tom Homan for giving compliments to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz...

DHS official says officers apparently lied about shooting incident

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 9:13 pm

Two immigration officers are under investigation over allegations that they may have lied under oath about how an incident unfolded in Minneapolis last month, during which a Venezuelan migrant was shot in the leg, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials confirmed Friday. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the officers — who were not named...

1 year of RFK Jr.: How his MAHA agenda has reshaped US public health

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 9:00 pm

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s first year in office has upended decades of public health norms. He’s touted his overhauls as major wins for his “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda, but critics call his actions "chaos" while his supporters are hoping he’ll deliver more. Following a testy confirmation process marked by cracks in the GOP over Kennedy’s views, the Senate confirmed him as HHS secretary on Feb. 13,...

Rogan: Epstein files 'scare the s‑‑‑ out of me,' 'definitely not a hoax'

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 8:45 pm

Podcaster Joe Rogan said the Jeffrey Epstein files “scare the s‑‑‑” out of him and are “definitely not a hoax,” days after addressing his own appearance in the files.  “This is the one that I hate the most,” Rogan said during a conversation with Black Rifle Coffee Co. Chair Evan Hafer, the guest on an...

Don Lemon pleads not guilty on charges stemming from church protest

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 8:44 pm

Former television host and media personality Don Lemon pleaded not guilty Friday to charges he faces in connection with his coverage of an anti-ICE protest in Minnesota last month. Lemon, who attended the Jan. 18 protest and has argued he was there as a journalist covering the demonstration, faces federal civil rights charges under the Freedom of...

Trump attacks Roy Cooper, hypes GOP opponent during Fort Bragg speech

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 8:43 pm

President Trump went after former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D), who's running for Senate, and hyped up his opponent, Republican Michael Whatley, during his Friday speech at the Fort Bragg military base in North Carolina.  “We want to keep this area safe, and we can't do that without the leaders. And your ex-governor is...

Stephen A. Smith downplays 2028 campaign interest, but 'not ruling it out'

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 8:30 pm

Sports commentator and pundit Stephen A. Smith is downplaying his interest in launching a 2028 campaign for president, though he says he's "not ruling it out." "So when somebody talks about me being a president or whatever, I have no desire to be a politician, zero," Smith told CBS News's Robert Costa in an interview...

Judge dismisses charges against men accused of assaulting ICE officer

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 8:29 pm

A federal judge dismissed charges against two men who were accused of assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer during a scuffle in Minnesota last month that resulted in one of them being shot in the leg. U.S. District Court Judge Paul A. Magnuson granted federal prosecutors’ motion to have the charges against Alfredo...

House Agriculture panel releases farm bill text and sets markup

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 8:24 pm

Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee on Friday released text for the farm bill and announced they will mark up the bill on Feb. 23 — with the framework drawing immediate criticism from the top Democrat on the panel who accused Republicans of filling the package with poison pills. “A new farm bill is long...

Ocasio-Cortez takes progressive vision to Munich: ‘We are ready for the next chapter’

By: The Hill

Published on: February 13, 2026, 8:20 pm

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Friday called for leaders around the world to champion the working class and knocked the Trump administration's foreign policy moves, bringing her progressive vision to the global stage at the annual Munich Security Conference as chatter builds about her political future. The New York congresswoman took part in a panel...