Top U.S. & World Headlines — February 12, 2026

During a Capitol Hill hearing, Attorney General Pam Bondi faced grilling from Democratic lawmakers regarding the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files. She declined to apologize to survivors for the failure to fully redact their names and was accused of insulting Democrats and perpetuating a cover-up. Congress member Pramila Jayapal revealed that Bondi presented a printout of Jayapal's search history of the Justice Department's Epstein files database, leading Jayapal to accuse the DOJ of inappropriate surveillance and a violation of the separation of powers.

Bondi declined to apologize to survivors; she insulted Democrats and praised Trump. A Reuters photographer captured images of Bondi with a printout of Congress member Jayapal's search history of the Epstein files database. Jayapal's social media post stating, 'It's totally inappropriate and against the separations of powers for the DOJ to surveil us as we search the Epstein files.'

The episode detailed multiple instances of aggressive and controversial actions by federal immigration agencies. In Eagleville, PA, masked federal agents forced their way into a family home, holding residents at gunpoint while searching for a cousin with an expired visa. In Minneapolis, human rights lawyers reported that immigrants jailed in the Whipple Federal Building were denied access to legal counsel and privacy. ICE also admitted to jailing immigrants on a previously undisclosed second floor at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan, despite prior orders to address unsanitary conditions. Body cam footage from Chicago showed Border Patrol agents with weapons drawn before shooting US citizen Marim Martinez five times, an action for which a Trump administration official later praised the agent.

Video recorded by Lupe Lopez showing masked agents battering down her door and holding her at gunpoint. Court declarations from lawyers detailing denial of legal services and privacy in Minneapolis. ICE's acknowledgment in federal court about the undisclosed floor in NYC. Body cam footage showing Border Patrol agents with weapons drawn and the subsequent email from Gregory Bovino praising the agent's 'excellent service'.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) abruptly closed the airspace around El Paso, Texas, after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials reportedly fired an anti-drone laser, shared by the Pentagon, without providing the FAA sufficient time to manage risks to commercial flights. Immigration officials believed they were targeting a drug cartel drone, but it turned out to be a party balloon. This incident raised serious questions about coordination and decision-making among federal agencies.

FAA closing El Paso airspace; CBP firing an anti-drone laser; New York Times report that the target was a party balloon, not a drone. Democratic Senator Jack Reid's quote: 'The conflicting accounts... only deepen public concern and raise serious questions about coordination and decisionmaking.'

President Trump accepted an inaugural award from the Washington Coal Club, declaring himself the 'undisputed champion of beautiful, clean coal.' He announced directives for the Pentagon to purchase electricity from coal-fired plants and for the Energy Department to provide $175 million in federal funds for coal plant upgrades. Concurrently, Trump signaled he would veto a House-approved bill to repeal his national emergency declaration for tariffs on Canada, threatening 'serious consequences' for any Republican in the House or Senate who voted against tariffs.

Trump accepting the Washington Coal Club's award; his announcement of Pentagon directives and Energy Department funding for coal. Trump's social media post: 'Any Republican in the House or the Senate that votes against tariffs will seriously suffer the consequences come election time, and that includes primaries.'

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) fired program manager Alexis Goldstein for documenting a meeting between the agency and Elon Musk's 'Department of Government Efficiency' (Doge). Goldstein stated that she was 'illegally retaliating against' for trying to protect sensitive American data and trade secrets of financial institutions from being accessed by individuals from Doge without proper credentials and training.

Emails obtained by Bloomberg News confirming Goldstein's firing. Goldstein's statement to Bloomberg: 'CFPB is illegally retaliating against me for trying to do my job. I acted to protect the sensitive data of Americans and the trade secrets of some of the nation's largest banks and financial institutions from being accessed by individuals from Doge without CFPB credentials and required training.'