NPR News: 02-18-2026 8PM EST

Summary

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NPR News: 02-18-2026 8PM EST

Date: February 19, 2026
Host: Ryland Barton
Duration: ~5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This episode of NPR News Now delivers a concise roundup of major national and international news stories as of February 18, 2026. The five-minute bulletin covers U.S. military movements in the Middle East, the impact of expiring health insurance subsidies, President Trump’s Black History Month event in the context of recent controversy, developments in Russia’s war on Ukraine, UN Security Council actions regarding Gaza, and a quirky story about Reese’s ingredients.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

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1. U.S. Military Buildup in the Middle East

[00:17]

• Details:
  The U.S. is reportedly sending around 50 additional fighter jets and a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East amid ongoing discussions with Iran over a possible nuclear deal.

• U.S. Administration’s Position:
  President Trump is vague on intentions, stating support for a nuclear deal but also mentioning regime change in Iran, suggesting conflicting strategies.

  “Trump is intentionally vague about what he wants to achieve. He says he favors a nuclear deal with Iran, which would necessitate more negotiations. Yet he’s also voiced support for regime change in that country, which would likely require a major U.S. military operation.”
  — Greg Meyer ([00:32])

• Iran’s Response:
  Iran warns it is prepared to retaliate if attacked by the U.S. or Israel.

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2. Expiration of Expanded ACA Premium Tax Credits

[01:11]

• Study Findings:
  A new Johns Hopkins University study shows that temporary, expanded premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act led to a 7% increase in health insurance enrollment, especially among children, Black and Hispanic people, and rural residents.

  “Effectively with these enhanced tax credits, we ran a five year natural experiment on what happens when you make insurance affordable and it shows that it works. You know, you lower the price and people will take up that coverage.”
  — Paul Jacobs, health policy scientist, JHU ([01:46])

• Expiration Impact:
  The subsidies have ended, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating that about 4 million people will lose coverage as a result.

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3. President Trump’s Black History Month Event

[02:10]

• Context:
  President Trump hosted a White House reception for Black History Month, amid controversy over a previous racist social media post depicted and later deleted.

• Honoring Jesse Jackson:
  Trump honored the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader who died this week.

  “Jesse was a piece of work, I want to tell you. He was a piece of work, but he was a good man. He was a real… he was a real hero. And I just want to pay my highest respects to Reverend Jesse Jackson.”
  — Attendee at White House Event ([02:28])

• Backlash:
  President Trump was criticized for ‘whitewashing’ African American history and for an offensive social media post involving the Obamas.

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4. Russia’s War on Ukraine Enters Fifth Year

[03:11]

• Conflict Outlook:
  Few Ukrainians expect the war to end soon, believing President Putin will only stop if forced. Ukrainian opposition parliamentarian Inna Sovsun critiques President Trump’s approach to Russia and Ukraine:

  “He has no real plan to stop this war.”
  — Inna Sovsun ([03:35])

  “We are the ones bearing the cost, the burden of this war. We are the ones seeing our citizens, our friends, our family members being killed. We are the ones who are freezing here in Kyiv and other cities.”
  — Inna Sovsun ([03:44])

• U.S. Policy Critique:
  Sovsun argues the Trump administration pressures Ukraine, not Russia, even suggesting elections and territorial concessions while war continues.

  “There are 200,000 people living on those territories.”
  — Inna Sovsun ([04:08])

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5. UN Security Council on Gaza and West Bank

[04:17]

• Diplomatic Tension:
  The UN Security Council is meeting on the Gaza ceasefire and Israel’s actions in the West Bank, just before the Trump administration’s Peace Board convenes. This highlights potential conflict between U.S. and international approaches.

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6. Reese’s Ingredient Change Controversy

[04:40]

• Allegations:
  Brad Reese, grandson of the inventor, claims Hershey’s is using less expensive ingredients, such as “compounds” instead of milk chocolate, and “peanut cream” rather than peanut butter.
• Hershey’s Response:
  The company acknowledges recipe changes but attributes them to innovation and meeting consumer demand.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Trump is intentionally vague about what he wants to achieve...”
  — Greg Meyer ([00:32])
• “Effectively with these enhanced tax credits, we ran a five year natural experiment… and it shows that it works.”
  — Paul Jacobs ([01:46])
• “He has no real plan to stop this war.”
  — Inna Sovsun ([03:35])
• “We are the ones seeing our citizens, our friends, our family members being killed.”
  — Inna Sovsun ([03:44])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Middle East U.S. Military Buildup: [00:17] – [01:11]
• ACA Premium Subsidies Study: [01:11] – [02:10]
• Trump’s Black History Month Event & Jesse Jackson: [02:10] – [03:11]
• Ukraine War Update & U.S. Policy Critique: [03:11] – [04:17]
• UN/Israel-Gaza & Reese’s Ingredient Story: [04:17] – [04:57]

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This rapid-fire newscast provides clarity on developing stories with direct reporting, policy context, and firsthand perspectives.

Transcript

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[Ryland Barton]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm RYLAND Barton. The U.S. military looks to be sending even more ships and top of the line warplanes into the Middle East. This comes as the US And Iran are still discussing a possible nuclear deal. Here's NPR's Greg Meyer.

[Greg Meyer]

The Pentagon isn't talking about the U.S. military buildup, but flight tracking groups on social Media say the US is moving around 50 more fighter jets to countries near Iran. And President Trump has confirmed a second aircraft carrier is on the way. Trump is intentionally vague about what he wants to achieve. He says he favors a nuclear deal with Iran, which would necessitate more negotiations. Yet he's also voiced support for regime change in that country, which would likely require a major US Military operation. Iran says it's prepared to retaliate if attacked by the US Or Israel. Greg Myhre, NPR News, Washington.

[Ryland Barton]

A new study from Johns Hopkins University shows the now expired expanded Affordable Care act premium tax credits drove major increases in health insurance enrollment. Scott Macioni with member station WYPR has.

[Scott Macioni]

More subsidies enacted during the COVID 19 pandemic led to significant enrollment gains among children, black and Hispanic people and those who live in rural areas, according to the data analysis. In total, researchers found the number of people enrolled in health insurance increased about 7% after the subsidies were implemented in 2021. Paul Jacobs is a health policy scientist at JHU.

[Paul Jacobs]

Effectively with these enhanced tax credits, we ran a five year natural experiment on what happens when you make insurance affordable and it shows that it works. You know, you lower the price and people will take up that coverage.

[Scott Macioni]

The expanded premium tax credits expired this and were not renewed by Congress. The Congressional Budget Office estimates about 4 million people will lose coverage without the subsidies. For NPR News, I'm Scott maccione.

[Ryland Barton]

In Baltimore, President Trump hosted a reception at the White House to honor Black History Month. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports. The event comes as Trump has faced backlash over a racist social media post.

[Franco Ordonez]

President Trump kicked off the event by honoring the late Reverend Jesse Jackson, the civil rights icon who died this week.

[Attendee at White House Event]

Jesse was a piece of work, I want to tell you. He was a piece of work, but he was a good man. He was a real he was a real hero. And I just want to pay my highest respects to Reverend Jesse Jackson Attendees.

[Franco Ordonez]

Cheered his efforts to get additional funding for historically black colleges and universities, tax cuts and work for veterans, which he said helped African Americans. But the president has faced criticism for whitewashing African American history. Earlier this month, he posted on social media and then removed a video depicting former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes. Franco Ordonez, NPR News, the White House.

[Ryland Barton]

The US stock market ticked higher today. The S&P 500 rose more than half a percent. Its NPR Russia's war on Ukraine is nearly five years old. Few Ukrainians believe the war will end soon. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports. Ukrainians say Russian President Vladimir Putin will only stop if he's forced to.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

Ukrainian opposition parliamentarian Inna Sovsun says President Trump seems willing to play Putin's game.

[Inna Sovsun]

He has no real plan to stop this war.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

Putin is playing at peace talks to play for time. She says while Ukrainians really want to.

[Inna Sovsun]

End this war, we are the ones bearing the cost, the burden of this war. We are the ones seeing our citizens, our friends, our family members being killed. We are the ones who are freezing here in Kyiv and other cities.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

And yet the Trump administration does not pressure Russia, she says says it pressures Ukraine to hold elections in the midst of the war to give away territory it has fought to hold on to.

[Inna Sovsun]

There are 200,000 people living on those territories.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

SOF soon says Ukraine cannot accept peace at that price. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

The UN Security Council is holding a high level meeting on the Gaza ceasefire deal and Israel's efforts to expand control in the West Bank a day before the Trump administration's Board of Peace meets for the first time tomorrow. It's a sign of the potential for overlapping and conflicting agendas between the UN's most powerful body and Trump's initiative. The grandson of the inventor of Reese's peanut butter cup says Hershey's is using cheaper ingredients. Hershey's acknowledges some changes, but says it's trying to meet demand for innovation. Brad Reese says Hershey replaced milk chocolate with compounds and peanut butter with peanut cream. This is NPR News from Washington.

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