Fox News Hourly Update:

"A Big Change From the EPA Concerning Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change"

Date: February 12, 2026
Host: Lisa Licera (FOX News Podcasts)

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a rapid-fire update on major national stories, focusing on the sweeping rollback of a foundational EPA greenhouse gas regulation under the Trump administration. The episode also touches on looming government shutdowns, new state death penalty legislation, a controversial Virginia Supreme Court adoption ruling, and the impact of AI in politics. Fox News anchors and correspondents provide timely details and reactions across the political spectrum.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. EPA Rolls Back 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding

Timestamps: 00:02–00:49

• Main News:
  • The EPA, under President Trump, rescinds the 2009 finding that categorized greenhouse gases as a danger to public health.
  • This finding had served as the legal basis for many climate change regulations in the U.S.
• President Trump's Position:
  • Touts the move as the "single largest deregulation in US History," claiming it will lower energy prices and new car costs.
    • Quote:
      “The action amounts to the single largest deregulation move in US History and will drive down energy prices and the cost of a new car.”
      — Jared Halpern reporting, quoting President Trump (00:25)
• Commentary:
  • An unidentified commentator labels the previous rule "the legal foundation for the green news scam, one of the greatest scams in history, probably.” (00:19)
• Industry Impact:
  • Deregulation especially praised for benefiting the U.S. auto industry.
    • Quote:
      “Perhaps no industry has benefited more from our historic deregulation campaign than the US Auto industry.” (00:34)
• Opposition:
  • Environmental groups and Democratic governors pledge legal challenges, stating “both the science and the law are crystal clear.” (00:41)
• Reporting:
  • Jared Halpern provides a summary from the White House.

2. Looming Department of Homeland Security Shutdown

Timestamps: 00:49–01:31

• Context:
  • The Department of Homeland Security faces a potential shutdown; Republicans lack Senate support to renew funding.
• Democratic Arguments:
  • Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer insists that more reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are required in any DHS funding bill.
    • Quote:
      "Americans are watching what's happened in neighborhood after neighborhood across the country. They know it's wrong. They know it's excessive and they want Congress, the Senate, to fix it." (01:03)
• Republican Response:
  • Senate Majority Leader John Thune and correspondent Grinal Scott counter that reforms—including body cameras, de-escalation training, and increased ICE oversight—were already included in the bill Democrats rejected.
    • Quote:
      “It was a bipartisan bill, had reforms in it. It had body cameras in it, had de escalation training in it. It had more oversight of ICE activities in it. These are reforms that the Democrats had requested, agreed to and then walked away.” — Grinal Scott (01:17)
• Consequences:
  • Impending shutdown would impact FEMA, TSA, and the Coast Guard; could be prolonged with Congress in recess.

3. Other Major News Stories

a. Disappearance in Arizona

Timestamps: 01:31–02:00

• Arizona police seek surveillance footage in the 12-day disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of TODAY show anchor Savannah Guthrie.

b. Alabama Expands the Death Penalty for Child Sex Crimes

Timestamps: 02:37–03:25

• New Legislation:
  • Governor Kay Ivey signs the Child Predator Death Penalty Act, permitting capital punishment for first-degree rape, sodomy, or sexual assault of children under 12.
    • Quote:
      “If criminals commit sex crimes against kids, a cell on death row awaits them.” — Statement from Gov. Kay Ivey (02:41)
• Legal Debate:
  • Alabama is the sixth state to enact, despite the Supreme Court previously ruling death sentences for child predators violate the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

c. Virginia Supreme Court Upholds Controversial Adoption

Timestamps: 03:25–03:55

• Ruling:
  • U.S. Marine and wife retain custody of an Afghan orphan, despite federal directives for reunification with Afghan relatives.
• Court Reasoning:
  • State law finalizes adoption after six months, barring further challenges.
• Dissent:
  • Three justices dissent, calling the ruling "wrong and cancerous."

d. Artificial Intelligence, Politics, and Safety Triggers

Timestamps: 03:55–04:28

• Main Point:
  • AI company Anthropic donates $20 million to support candidates favoring state-level AI regulation.
• Safety Concerns:
  • Anthropic’s own report warns its Claude Opus AI could be misused for chemical weapon development and other crimes.
  • Head of Anthropic’s research team resigns, citing “the world is in peril” and internal pressure to compromise safety values.
    • Quote:
      “The world is in peril and the safety team is under constant pressure to put values aside.” — Unknown commentator summarizing Anthropic research head’s resignation (04:28)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This radical rule became the legal foundation for the green news scam, one of the greatest scams in history, probably.”
  — Unknown Commentator (00:19)
• “The action amounts to the single largest deregulation move in US History and will drive down energy prices and the cost of a new car.”
  — Jared Halpern (00:25; quoting President Trump)
• “Americans are watching what's happened in neighborhood after neighborhood across the country. They know it's wrong... and they want Congress... to fix it.”
  — Unknown Commentator, summarizing Schumer (01:03)
• "[It] had body cameras in it, had de escalation training in it. It had more oversight of ICE activities in it. These are reforms that the Democrats had requested, agreed to and then walked away.”
  — Grinal Scott (01:17)
• “If criminals commit sex crimes against kids, a cell on death row awaits them.”
  — Gov. Kay Ivey (02:41)
• “[The] world is in peril and the safety team is under constant pressure to put values aside.”
  — Resigning Anthropic research head (04:28)

Important Timestamps

• 00:02–00:49 — EPA rescinds landmark greenhouse gas endangerment finding
• 00:49–01:31 — Homeland Security funding and ICE reform standoff
• 02:37–03:25 — Alabama’s new death penalty law for child sex crimes
• 03:25–03:55 — Virginia adoption case highlights state vs. federal authority
• 03:55–04:28 — AI company Anthropic’s political and safety moves

Tone & Style

The episode maintains FOX News’s signature brisk, direct newscast tone, interspersed with pointed commentary and opposition quotes, presenting both policy and political implications with urgency and clarity.