Morning Wire — February 18, 2026
Episode Title: Rhode Island Shooter’s Past & Progress With Iran?
Hosts: John Bickley, Georgia Howe
Key Guests: Cabot Phillips (Daily Wire Senior Editor), Benham bin Taliblu (Foundation for Defense of Democracies), Cameron Arkand (Daily Wire Political Reporter)
Episode Overview
This episode dissects three major stories making headlines:
- The tragic Rhode Island ice rink shooting and its ties to ongoing debates around transgender issues, mental health, and media coverage.
- Updates and analysis from nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran, delving into military posturing and the Iranian government's violent crackdown on dissent.
- Early maneuvering in the pivotal Texas Republican Senate primary, including President Trump’s influence on 2026 midterm races and the broader implications for control of Congress.
1. Rhode Island Ice Rink Shooting & Media Controversy
[00:04 – 07:10]
Key Points & Developments:
- On Monday afternoon in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, a shooter opened fire during a high school hockey game, targeting his ex-wife, son, and injuring three others, including in-laws. The victims remain in critical condition.
- The shooter, identified as 56-year-old Robert Dorgan, who identified as transgender (Roberta), took his own life during the incident after a bystander intervened heroically.
- The violence was caught on a game livestream, showing spectators and players fleeing, and a bystander ultimately subduing the shooter, which law enforcement credited for swiftly ending the attack.
- Dorgan’s family history included ongoing conflict over his transgender identity, exacerbated by mental health issues and online activity featuring violent rhetoric.
- Social media posts leading up to the shooting included threats, support for violence, anti-Semitism, and references to his familial disputes.
- Hosts and correspondents highlight that the case follows a pattern of recent high-profile mass shootings involving transgender individuals, a trend that some say is underplayed or omitted by mainstream media.
Notable Quotes & Moments:
- Daughter of the shooter (outside police station, deeply emotional):
“My father was a shooter, shot my family… He's dead now. He has mental health issues.” — Shooter’s daughter [03:48]
- Cabot Phillips on social media activity:
“A social media account appearing to belong to the alleged shooter contains thousands of posts, many of which contain violent pro trans rhetoric… Just 24 hours before the rampage, the account responded to a post criticizing a Democratic member of Congress who was transgender, saying, ‘keep bashing us, but do not wonder why we go berserk.’” [05:10]
- On media response:
“This week, for example, a number of mainstream outlets refused to comment on the fact that the shooter was transgender.”
- John Bickley on coverage bias:
“It might be a hard reality to face, but we have to look at this if we want solutions.” [07:05]
Memorable Heroism:
- Police praise a bystander whose direct intervention stopped further bloodshed.
Contextual Analysis:
- The episode stresses the friction between trans identity, mental health struggles, and family disputes, as well as the asserted reluctance of major media to address those complications directly.
2. US-Iran Nuclear Talks: Progress or Posturing?
[08:12 – 12:21]
Key Points & Insights:
- US and Iran held nuclear negotiations in Geneva, with both sides reporting 'progress,' but much of the detail remains behind closed doors.
- Benham bin Taliblu notes Iran’s strategy: publicize positive developments to dampen both U.S. resolve (i.e., Trump’s potential for military action) and internal Iranian dissent, signaling to protesters that diplomacy—not U.S. intervention—is likely.
- Amid talks, the US is reinforcing its military presence, including a second carrier strike group and a significant bump in missile defense and electronic warfare assets, intensifying the standoff.
- Meanwhile, the Iranian regime is actively suppressing domestic protests; an estimated 417 executions occurred in just January and February, with a mass killing compared to WWII rates.
- Bin Taliblu gives probabilities for outcomes: under 20% for a meaningful new deal, 70% for a U.S. strike against Iran, and 10% for more military containment and sanctions.
Notable Quotes:
- Benham bin Taliblu on Iran’s messaging:
“The Iranians have been quite keen to shape the information space after every single round of talks, keen to say things are going well so that they can potentially dilute President Trump's resolve or willingness to use military force.” [08:33]
- On executions and regime violence:
“This is a regime that believes it can shoot its way through the crisis. And as Washington entertains more negotiations, the regime is trying to avoid getting caught in a two front war at home and abroad all at once.” [10:52]
- On likely next steps:
“If I had to put some numbers on it, I would say less than 20% chance of a meaningful deal, about a 70% chance of a strike… with a huge question mark over what is the political aim of that strike and the duration of that strike.” [11:45]
Memorable Moment:
- Stark comparison of Iranian regime’s execution rate to WWII atrocities.
3. 2026 Texas GOP Senate Primary & The Midterms
[12:54 – 17:01]
Key Points:
- The Texas Republican Senate primary is drawing national attention as President Trump holds back from endorsing any one candidate, expressing support for all three: Attorney General Ken Paxton, incumbent Senator John Cornyn, and Wesley Hunt.
- The primary election requires a candidate to secure more than 50% to avoid a runoff.
- Senate primary implications: Texas remains a massive battleground, with no Democratic senator elected since the 1990s, though Democrats express optimism and are pouring resources in.
- On the Democratic side, Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico are vying for the nomination, with expectations that if Paxton wins the GOP primary, Democrats see a stronger path to victory.
- Trump’s selective endorsements are notable; in other races, he has weighed in directly, highlighting the strategic importance of retaining and growing GOP majorities amid slim margins in both Senate and House.
Notable Quotes & Timestamps:
- President Trump, from Air Force One, on his approach to the Texas primary:
“I like all three of them, actually… Those are the toughest races… So we'll see what happens. But I support all three in this race.” [13:29]
- Cameron Arkand on the state’s general election context:
“Texas is a huge state with a lot of people, so we could obviously see the implications of that nationwide.” [15:33]
- On broader stakes:
“If you're Trump, you want to keep those majorities, you want to grow them, because right now he's got 5,347 in the Senate and only 218 in the House. That's not a lot to work with for some of his future agenda items.” [15:42]
Memorable Moment:
- The “let them fight it out” approach from Trump, emphasizing his wait-and-see strategy in a messy and expensive race.
Segment Timestamps Overview
| Segment | Start | End | |-------------------------------------------|----------|----------| | Rhode Island Shooting & Media | 00:04 | 07:10 | | Iran Nuclear Talks & Military Tension | 08:12 | 12:21 | | Texas GOP Primary & Midterm Stakes | 12:54 | 17:01 |
Takeaways
- The Rhode Island shooting once again ignites debate over media transparency, mental health, and transgender-related violence—matched by divisive reactions in coverage and public dialogue.
- US-Iran negotiations may be stalling, with both sides posturing for their respective domestic and international audiences, and the specter of violence—both regime oppression and possible US military action—looming.
- The Texas Senate primary is a microcosm for national Republican strategy: with divided loyalties and massive spending, its outcome will set the tone for a fiercely contested 2026 midterm cycle.
Morning Wire remains sharply focused on bringing details and analysis the hosts feel mainstream outlets downplay or miss, providing context, direct reporting, and expert voices to explore complex and contentious issues.