NPR News: 02-12-2026 7AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now — February 12, 2026, 7AM EST

Host: Korvik Coleman
Reporters: Franco Ordonez, Greg Myre, Tom Bowman, Steve Futterman
Duration: ~5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This rapid-fire episode delivers the latest developments in U.S. politics, international affairs, public health, and the Winter Olympic Games. The main themes center on political standoffs in Washington, the impact of tariffs, environmental policy changes, an unusual military incident at the border, major cuts to public health programs, and an update from the Winter Olympics.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Looming DHS Shutdown & Political Gridlock

[00:15]

• Congress has until late tomorrow to pass a spending bill to avoid a partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown.
• The main impasse: disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over proposed changes to immigration enforcement.
• Three key immigration officials will testify this morning before a Senate committee.

2. House Rebukes Trump’s Canadian Tariffs

[00:32]

• The House voted to reject President Trump’s emergency tariffs on Canadian goods. Notably, six Republicans crossed party lines.
• Businesses and constituents have expressed growing concern over increased costs and investment uncertainty.
• Brendan Duke, former Biden White House official, cites a CBO report:

  "Companies are passing on 95% of those costs to consumers..."
  (Franco Ordonez, 00:45)

• This directly undermines the administration's rationale for tariffs.
• President Trump responded by threatening to back primary challengers against Republicans who vote against him.

3. EPA Scientific Rollback & Environmental Regulations

[01:25]

• President Trump is expected to roll back a critical scientific finding the EPA uses to limit fossil fuel emissions under the Clean Air Act.
• The administration now argues that the Clean Air Act should not be used to regulate global warming.
• Energy Secretary Chris Wright is visiting Venezuela to review its oil sector, following controversial U.S. moves to grant no-bid licenses to sell Venezuelan oil—raising conflict of interest concerns due to connections to Trump donors.

4. Border Incident: Drone or Party Balloon?

[02:24]

• The Trump administration claimed a U.S. military laser shot down a cartel drone near El Paso, Texas.
• The FAA took the rare step of closing El Paso’s airspace, only to later reverse the decision within hours.
• An anonymous U.S. official told Tom Bowman it appears the object was actually a harmless Mylar party balloon.
• Quote:

  "But it now appears the object was a Mylar party balloon that posed no threat."
  (Greg Myre, 03:03)

5. Public Health Funding Cuts & Legal Pushback

[03:11]

• Four Democratic-led states (California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota) are suing over $600 million in Trump administration cuts to public health grants—major reductions target HIV programs.
• A judge last week temporarily blocked an attempt to withhold over $10 billion in child care funds for five states.

6. Canadian School Shooting

[03:44]

• Police are investigating the motive of an 18-year-old woman who killed six at a school and two more at her home in northern British Columbia before dying by suicide.

7. Winter Olympics Ice Hockey Update

[04:05]

• The U.S. men’s ice hockey team plays its Olympic debut tonight against Latvia.
• This is the first Olympic appearance for NHL players in 12 years.
  Auston Matthews (U.S. Captain):

  "I think all of us feel the same way. I mean, I think we feel like we're up there and we should be competing for gold. You want to be obviously the best country in the world."
  (Auston Matthews, 04:25)

• USA and Canada are seen as frontrunners. The U.S. women’s team remains undefeated so far in the Games.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Brendan Duke:

  "Companies are passing on 95% of those costs to consumers..."
  (00:45, via Franco Ordonez reporting on the impact of tariffs)

• Greg Myre:

  "But it now appears the object was a Mylar party balloon that posed no threat."
  (03:03, on the El Paso incident)

• Auston Matthews, U.S. Hockey Captain:

  "I think all of us feel the same way... we should be competing for gold. You want to be obviously the best country in the world."
  (04:25, on Olympic hockey expectations)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• DHS spending bill and immigration standoff: [00:15]
• House rebukes Trump’s tariffs: [00:32]
• Tariff impact quote (Brendan Duke): [00:45]
• Trump threatens Republican dissenters: [01:13]
• EPA rollback & Venezuela oil controversy: [01:25]
• Border incident (drone/balloon): [02:24]
• Public health funding cuts & lawsuits: [03:11]
• Canadian school shooting: [03:44]
• Olympics hockey preview & U.S. captain quote: [04:05], [04:25]

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Tone and Style

The episode maintains NPR’s signature concise and factual tone, with direct reporting, expert quotes, and international coverage. Serious issues like national security, public health, and international sport are covered with gravity and clarity.

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Useful For:
Anyone needing a swift, comprehensive update on political, policy, public health, and sports developments as of February 12, 2026.

Transcript

[Capital One Announcer]

This message comes from Capital One with the Capital One Saver card. Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment. Capital One what's IN your wallet? Terms apply. [e-mail] live from NPR News.

[Korvik Coleman]

In Washington, I'm Korvik Coleman. The Department of Homeland Security could partially shut down late tomorrow unless Congress passes a spending bill for it. Democrats and Republicans are far apart on potential changes to immigration enforcement. This morning, three top officials that oversee immigration will testify before for a Senate committee. The House has voted to rebuff President Trump's emergency tariffs on goods from Canada. Six Republicans joined the Democrats in Yesterday's vote. As NPR's Franco Ortonez reports, Republicans have.

[Franco Ordonez]

Faced increasing pressure from constituents about high costs and the business community is afraid to invest with all the uncertainty. Brendan Duke, who served at the National Economic Council in the Biden White House, says a new Congressional Budget Office report shows that companies are passing on 95% of those costs to consumers, which flies.

[Capital One Announcer]

Directly in the face of the justifications that Trump and his entire administration has given for these sweeping taxes.

[Franco Ordonez]

And Trump is pushing back. Last night he threatened to support primary challengers against any Republican who votes against his. Franco Ordonez, NPR News, the White House.

[Korvik Coleman]

President Trump is poised to announce a rollback today to a key scientific finding used by the Environmental Protection Agency. The the EPA uses the Clean Air act to regulate how fossil fuels are burned in the U.S. limiting global warming. The Trump administration now argues it cannot use the Clean Air act to do this anymore. Energy Secretary Chris Wright is in Venezuela for three days. He is reviewing that country's oil industry. Last month, US Seized Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Congressional Democrats have since questioned the Trump administration's decision to grant the no bid licenses to two companies to sell Venezuelan oil. Democrats claim one company is reportedly tied to a major Trump donor. The Trump administration says a US Military laser shot down what it said was a drug cartel drone near El Paso, Texas. It now appears that the target may actually have been a party balloon. NPR's Greg Myhre has details.

[Tom Bowman]

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the military and the Federal Aviation Administration acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized. The FAA also announced the highly unusual step of closing El Paso's airspace for 10 days, then lifted the ban several hours later. However, a U.S. official familiar with the matter but not authorized to speak publicly gave NPR's Tom Bowman a different account. The source said the Pentagon recently authorized Customs and Border Protection to use the high energy laser. The agency then shot down a susp. But it now appears the object was a Mylar party balloon that posed no threat. Greg Myre, NPR News, Washington.

[Korvik Coleman]

This is npr. Four Democratic led states are suing the Trump administration. This is over $600 million in cuts to public health grants. The states are California, Colorado, Illinois and Minnesota. Many of the biggest cuts are to HIV programs. Last week, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from holding up than $10 billion to five Democratic states. That money was intended for child care. Police in Canada are looking for the motive of an 18 year old woman who killed six people at a school in northern British Columbia this week. She also killed two more people at her home before taking her own life at the Winter Olympic Games. The U.S. men's ice hockey team will make its debut tonight. That's in a preliminary match against Latvia. Steve Futterman reports from Milan.

[Steve Futterman]

The US Enters the men's ice hockey competition with hopes of winning its first Olympic gold medal since the famous Miracle on Ice in 1980. This is the first time NHL players will compete in the winter Games in 12 years, and the American squad is loaded with big names, including captain Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

[Auston Matthews]

I think all of us feel the same way. I mean, I think we feel like we're up there and we should be competing for gold. You want to be obviously the best country in the world.

[Steve Futterman]

The US And Canada are the two favorites. Last year, in a four team competition featuring many of the same players, Canada beat the U.S. meanwhile, the U.S. women's team has already played four games here and is undefeated. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Milan.

[Korvik Coleman]

You're listening to NPR News.

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