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Democrats take aim at Trump for shelving China tech measures

February 13, 2026 9:18 PM UTC / Reuters

U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) attends a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 4, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo [Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab]

• Summary
• Companies

• Democrats criticize Trump for prioritizing deals over national security
• Shelved measures include bans on Chinese date center equipment sales
• Concerns over Trump’s actions ahead of April meeting with Xi Jinping

WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (Reuters) – Democratic lawmakers slammed the Trump administration for shelving key tech security measures aimed at Beijing ahead of an April meeting between the American and Chinese leaders, arguing the moves threaten U.S. national security.

The shelved measures, first reported by Reuters, include a ban on China Telecom’s [(601728.SS), opens new tab] U.S. operations and restrictions on sales of Chinese equipment for American data centers. They also include proposed bans on domestic sales of routers made by TP-Link and the U.S. internet business of China Unicom [(0762.HK), opens new tab] and China Mobile [(600941.SS), opens new tab], along with another measure that would bar sales of Chinese electric trucks and buses in the United States.

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“The Trump administration has subordinated national security concerns to a haphazard and transactional approach, bowing to U.S. companies pursuing deals with (Chinese) companies-of-concern, granting licenses for export of sensitive U.S. technology, and permitting continued access to U.S. markets by (Chinese) national champions so long as it provides opportunities to enrich the president’s family and friends,” Senator Mark Warner, who serves as ranking member on the Intelligence committee, said in a statement on Friday.

“This is appeasement,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats, led by Gregory Meeks, said in a social media post on Friday. “Trump is making Americans less safe by sacrificing technology security,” it added.

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The White House, the Commerce Department and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The pause comes as the Trump administration has sought to rein in U.S. government actions that could antagonize Beijing following a trade truce reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in October.

The administration has given the greenlight to Nvidia [(NVDA.O), opens new tab] exporting its second most advanced AI chips to China and postponed a rule that would have barred thousands of Chinese companies from buying U.S. technology.

The shelving of curbs raises questions among some Democrats over whether Trump “continues selling out American workers and security during his trip to China” in April to meet Chinese President Xi, Ro Khanna, the House China Select Committee’s top Democrat, said late Thursday.

Senator Jeff Merkley, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations committee, late Thursday described the move as a “lose-lose” undermining the American tech industry and putting American data at risk.

Another Democrat, Senate Intelligence committee member Michael Bennet criticized the Trump administration’s “strategic incompetence,” a departure from Trump’s first term when he rightly identified risks posted by Chinese telecoms giant Huawei.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, the highest ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, tied the decisions to the ouster of key U.S. officials.

“First Trump pushed out career national security experts working to counter cyber threats posed by China. Now he’s shelving critical safeguards they put in place. Why is the Trump Administration so eager to do Beijing’s bidding?” she asked.

Reporting by Alexandra Alper; editing by Jonathan Oatis

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Ilia Malinin misses Olympic medal after falling in free skate, finishes in 8th place

Updated on: February 13, 2026 / 5:41 PM EST / CBS/AP

In a shocking twist at the 2026 Winter Olympics, American figure skater Ilia Malinin didn’t make it to the podium on Friday, failing to medal after falling twice during the free skate. Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov took home the gold.

Malinin, known as the “Quad God” for his talent at quadruple jumps, looked visibly emotional after his skate.

The 21-year-old, who led by a comfortable margin after the short program, merely had to deliver a mediocre performance to add individual gold to the gold medal he won in the team event. Instead, he was trying to fight back tears after one of the worst nights of his career, one that left a star-packed crowd inside Milano Ice Arena sitting in stunned silence.

Ilia Malinin of Team USA falls during the men’s free skate competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Feb. 13, 2026 in Milan, Italy. Jamie Squire / Getty Images

Shaidorov finished with a career-best 291.58 points to give his nation its first gold medal of the Winter Games, while Yuma Kagiyama earned his second consecutive Olympic silver medal and Japanese teammate Shun Sato took bronze.

Then there was Malinin, who fell all the way to eighth place. He finished with 264.49 points, ending a two-plus-year unbeaten streak that covered 14 full competitions, including the past two world championships that he won with ease.

“Honestly, yeah, I was not expecting that,” he said. “I felt going into this competition I was so ready. I just felt ready going on that ice. I think maybe that might have been the reason, is I was too confident it was going to go well.”

Team USA’s Ilia Malinin reacts after competing in the figure skating men’s singles free skating final at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan on Feb. 13, 2026. WANG Zhao /AFP via Getty Images

Much of Malinin’s journey in Milan had felt a little bit off.

He was beaten by Kagiyama in the short program of the team event, later acknowledging that the pressure of competing in the Olympics had started to get to him. And he still wasn’t quite his dominant self despite a head-to-head win against Sato in the team free skate, which clinched the second consecutive gold medal for the Americans in the event.

But by the time of his individual short program Tuesday night, Malinin’s fearless swagger and unrivaled spunk was back. He took a five-point lead over Kagiyama and Adam Siao Him Fa of France that seemed insurmountable going into Friday night.

Malinin decided to practice early in the day at U.S. Figure Skating’s alternate training base in Bergamo, just outside Milan, allowing him to escape the Olympic bubble and avoid having to sit in the arena all night. And he was the picture of calm throughout his warmup, never once falling in all of his practice jumps while wearing his glittering black and gold ensemble.

Then came a performance that might well haunt Malinin for the rest of his career.

He opened with a quad flip, one of a record-tying seven in his planned program, then appeared to be going after the quad axel only he has ever landed in competition, but had to bail out. He recovered to land a quad lutz — and then the problems really began.

Ilia Malinin falls during the men’s free skate program. Ashley Landis / AP

Malinin only did a double instead of a planned quad loop, throwing his timing off. He fell on a quad lutz, preventing him from doing the second half of the quad lutz-triple toe loop combination that would have earned him big points. And in his final jumping pass, which was supposed to be a high-scoring quad salchow-triple axel, Malinin only could muster a double salchow — and he fell on that.

By the time the music stopped, Malinin was left trying to mask the sorrow for a crowd that included Nathan Chen, the 2022 Olympic champion; seven-time Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles, and actor Jeff Goldblum and his wife, Emilie.

Shaidorov was just as shocked as everyone as the realization hit that he had won the gold medal.

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan reacts to his scores after competing during the men’s free skate program and winning the gold. Ashley Landis / AP

Milan Winter Olympics 2026 More

• #### Lindsey Vonn says she will need at least 2 more surgeries after crash
• #### Norwegian biathlete who admitted to cheating on girlfriend wins second medal
• #### U.S. men’s hockey team cruises to 5-1 win over Latvia
• #### Madison Chock says ice dance judges should “be vetted and reviewed”
• #### USA’s Jessie Diggins collapses after winning bronze at Winter Olympics

Go deeper with The Free Press

• Figure Skating
• Ilia Malinin
• Sports

© 2026 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

All U.S. men’s figure skaters advance to final

All 3 U.S. men’s figure skaters, including “Quad God” Ilia Malinin, advance to free skate final 03:05

All 3 U.S. men’s figure skaters, including “Quad God” Ilia Malinin, advance to free skate final

(03:05)

• #### Colorado figure skating duo win Olympic gold after surgeries, concussion
• #### Spanish skater in Minions costume reflects on music rights dispute, performance
• #### How Team USA’s Maxim Naumov carried his parents’ legacy onto the ice
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Anti-ICE chaos erupts at blue state county board meeting after panel endorses detention center

Washington County board endorsed DHS cooperation, including a $102M Williamsport warehouse purchase that sparked Democratic outrage

By Charles Creitz
Fox News

Published February 13, 2026 5:21pm EST

Washington County, Maryland’s board meeting erupted after President John Barr tried to gavel out protesters who had converged outside in Hagerstown.

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

A suburban Maryland board meeting was taken off the air after whistling and protests erupted moments after officials approved a resolution endorsing cooperation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including the purchase of a warehouse in Williamsport that sparked Democratic outrage.

A few miles south of the meeting, DHS had completed the purchase of the $102 million property in Williamsport, just across the Potomac River from Falling Waters, West Virginia, and about 75 miles from Washington, D.C.

The property soon became the site of protests, including a video posted by Total Wine billionaire David Trone, who is running for his former U.S. House seat, in which he stood by a snowbank behind the center and declared ICE was “executing people” and did not belong in Maryland.

PHILLY DA’S ‘HUNT YOU DOWN’ WARNING TO ICE DRAWS CALLS FOR DOJ CRIMINAL PROBE

Anti-ICE protesters converge on a Washington County Board meeting in Hagerstown, Maryland this week.(Katharine Wilson/Getty Images)

Washington County Board President John Barr slammed his gavel Tuesday as outrage erupted over the resolution, declaring the “safety and security of our community is of utmost importance” and that “DHS [and] ICE play a crucial role in safeguarding our nation’s borders and is responsible for enforcing immigration laws, protecting the country from potential threats and maintaining the rule of law for public safety.”

Barr’s voice vote appeared to reflect most if not all board members saying “aye” but elicited “nay!” and “no” from the audience, and people began loudly whistling, clapping and pointing at Barr.

Barr calmly announced, “Clear the room,” and a broadcast producer could be heard saying, “Off air! Off air” before the TV feed was cut.

DHS FIRES BACK AFTER DEM BILLIONAIRE DAVID TRONE CLAIMS ICE IS ‘EXECUTING PEOPLE’

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6376307679112

Outside the building on Washington Street, a throng of anti-ICE protesters similarly whistled and waved signs that said “no concentration camps” and “No ICE Jail.”

“These ICE facilities; they’re inhumane; I don’t want them here,” protester Richard Hartman told Baltimore’s NBC affiliate.

Two counter-protesters waved signs saying “Trump is Your President” and “We Love ICE.”

Maryland federal lawmakers urged the county not to pass the resolution. Rep. April McClain Delaney, who Trone is facing in the primary, called the plan “sweeping and dangerous” and forged in “darkness.”

“[It] is yet another example of the Trump administration acting without transparency, accountability or regard for human life,” she said.

Washington County sits in a transitional area. To the east, deep blue Washington suburbs reliably vote Democrat. To the west, “Mountain Maryland” and the Maryland panhandle form a Republican-friendly bastion, though they are grouped with some of the aforementioned suburbs in a congressional district that trends blue.

ANTI-ICE LEGISLATION HEADS TO DESK OF RISING STAR DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR, TESTING HIS PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6389178518112

Closer to the nation’s capital, officials in once-moderate Howard County blocked another ICE center in Elkridge, according to the Baltimore station.

To the north in Pennsylvania, Democrats have opposed similar transactions, including a center just off US-22 in Shartlesville, a rural community recently home to the now-defunct Roadside America attraction.

In a statement to Fox News Digital about the Williamsport center, Trone said ICE has “detained children as young as 5 years old, American citizens and military veterans.”

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“ICE only needs to expand its detention space because reprehensible legislation was passed by Congress — with the support of Rep. April McClain Delaney — that strips due process rights and expands this administration’s ability to carry out this cruel agenda.”

Republicans running for the seat, including Robin Ficker and Chris Burnett, have signaled support for immigration enforcement, and state Del. Neil Parrott of Hagerstown, who has formed an exploratory committee but not formally declared, said as much in prior comments to Fox News Digital.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.

Trump says he will seek to require voter ID for midterms regardless of Congress

By Reuters
February 13, 2026 10:00 PM UTC Updated 7 mins ago

WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he would seek to impose voter identification requirements for the November midterm elections whether Congress approves them or not, without explaining the legal rationale underlying his assertion.

Trump added that he plans to issue an executive order on the matter, without providing details. The Republican president is backing a House-passed bill that would require proof of citizenship to vote in U.S. elections, which is not expected to advance in the Senate.

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The bill is the latest version of election legislation that first emerged during the 2024 presidential campaign, driven by Trump’s false claims that his 2020 election defeat was caused by large-scale voter fraud. A similar measure passed the House twice – last April and in 2024 – only to die in the Senate.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), flanked by House Republican leadership and activists, speaks during a press conference after the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and when voting, ahead of the November midterm elections, on Capitol Hill in… [Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab]Read more

“I have searched the depths of Legal Arguments not yet articulated or vetted on this subject, and will be presenting an irrefutable one in the very near future!,

ICE to spend $38.3 billion on detention centers across US, document shows

February 13, 2026 9:05 PM UTC / Reuters

By Ryan Patrick Jones

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An ICE officer is seen at Otay Mesa immigration detention center in San Diego, California, U.S. May 18, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo

• Summary

• ICE plans to spend $38.3 billion this year on centers for detention, processing
• Plan calls for eight large detention centers, 16 regional processing centers
• Detention budget rose to $45 billion from $3.4 billion in FY2024

Feb 13 (Reuters) – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to spend $38.3 billion by the end of the year on detention centers to detain and process tens of thousands of immigrants slated for deportation, according to an overview of the plan published by New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte’s office on Thursday.

The document was provided by the Department of Homeland Security after an inquiry Ayotte made following a U.S. Senate hearing on Thursday, her office said in a press release.

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Read more: Democrats say Trump’s foreign deportation deals cost taxpayers millions

ICE plans to buy 16 existing buildings and renovate them to serve as regional processing centers that can hold 1,000 to 1,500 detainees for average stays of three to seven days, according to the plan.

The agency will also open eight large detention centers capable of holding 7,000 to 10,000 detainees for an average of around 60 days that will serve as the “primary location” for immigrants being deported abroad.

In addition, ICE will acquire an additional 10 “turnkey” facilities where the agency already operates, according to the plan.

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The plan states that the centers are necessary as ICE prepares for an expected surge of arrests in 2026 after the hiring of 12,000 more agents.

“This new model will allow ICE to create an efficient detention network by reducing the total number of contracted detention facilities in use while increasing total bed capacity, enhancing custody management, and streamlining removal operations,” the document reads.

ICE plans to hire contractors to conduct renovations to the buildings to build detention spaces, medical and dental services, cafeterias, lobbies, recreational areas, dormitories, and courtroom spaces. The facilities will ensure the “safe and humane civil detention of aliens,” according to the document.

The detention centers will be paid for with funds from the massive spending package the Republican-controlled Congress passed in July 2025. That package, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” included an unprecedented $170 billion for immigration enforcement, including $45 billion for detention. The 2024 fiscal year budget included $3.4 billion for immigration detention.

A spokesperson for DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

FACILITIES TO INCREASE ICE DETENTION CAPACITY

ICE expects the facilities to be in operation by the end of November 2026, and they would increase the agency’s total bed capacity to 92,600 beds, according to the document.

The number of people in ICE detention has increased by around 74% since Trump took office in January 2025 to more than 68,000 this month, government data show.

U.S. President Donald Trump has overseen a widespread immigration crackdown since returning to office last year. The administration has surged immigration agents into major U.S. cities, boosted arrests of immigrants in the U.S. illegally, cracked down on unlawful border crossings and expanded the pool of people who could be deported by stripping hundreds of thousands of immigrants of temporary legal status.

Despite growing signs of political backlash ahead of next year’s midterm elections, the Trump administration is poised to ramp up immigration enforcement this year with funds Congress gave ICE to hire thousands of agents, detain more than 100,000 migrants at any given time and expand surveillance to track down possible immigration offenders.

Reporting by Ryan Patrick Jones in Toronto and Kristina Cooke in Los Angeles; Editing by Ethan Smith

CNN’s Michael Smerconish breaks down the week as DHS hurls towards shutdown | CNN Politics

Published 2:20 PM EST, Fri February 13, 2026 / CNN

CNN’s Michael Smerconish weighs in on the recent dramatic developments out of Washington, DC on The Situation Room

4:33 • Source: CNN

Government shutdowns 8 videos

Trump critics Newsom, Ocasio-Cortez blast president at Munich conference | Fox News

By Paul Steinhauser, Leo Briceno | Fox News

Published February 13, 2026 3:44pm EST

Two of President Donald Trump’s top Democratic critics are using appearances at a high-profile European gathering to blast the Republican president’s agenda and beef up their foreign policy chops on the world stage ahead of possible 2028 White House runs.

“Donald Trump is temporary,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday during a climate change discussion at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. “He’ll be gone in three years.”

And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, during a town hall at the prestigious conference, pointed to Trump and charged, “We are seeing our presidential administration tear apart the transatlantic partnership, rip up every democratic norm.”

Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez are the most well known of a small group of potential Democratic presidential contenders using appearances in Munich to criticize Trump’s international agenda and offer a contrast to Vice President JD Vance, the perceived 2028 Republican front-runner, who delivered a scathing attack on Europe during his speech at the security forum last year.

[NEWSOM STOP IN KEY PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY STATE SPARKS MORE 2028 SPECULATION]

[Image 45: Vice President JD Vance gives a speech at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany, Feb. 14, 2025. ]

Vice President JD Vance gives a speech at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany, Feb. 14, 2025.(Leah Millis/Reuter)

The other Democrats with likely national ambitions making the rounds at the confab and meeting with international leaders are Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly of Arizona and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, and former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

Ocasio-Cortez pointed to her fellow Democrats in Munich and said, “I think many of us are here to say we are here, and we are ready for the next chapter, not to have the world turn to isolation, but to deepen our partnership … and increase our commitment to integrity to our values.”

At a second discussion later on Friday, Ocasio-Cortez argued that “the United States is very much in a compromised position compared to where we were five years ago. Our relationships with our allies are strained. Our commitment and demonstrated consistency on democratic values and human rights are also incredibly strained.”

[JD VANCE SAYS ‘DUMBEST’ DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE WILL WIN NOMINATION IN 2028]

Newsom, who is speaking at his third major international conference in recent months, following appearances last month at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and late last year at a world climate conference in Brazil, hammered Trump over climate policy, arguing the president is “doubling down on stupid.”

[Image 46: Gavin Newsom at Munich Security Conference]

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a session at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.(Michael Probst/AP Photo)

“Never in the history of the United States of America has there been a more destructive president than the current occupant of the White House in Washington, D.C.,” Newsom charged. “Donald Trump is trying to turn back the clock.”

[THE 2028 WHITE HOUSE RACE IS ALREADY UNDERWAY]

Fox Digital has reached out to the White House for a response to the jabs from Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez.

Ocasio-Cortez, during the first of her two appearances at the conference, was asked by the town hall moderator, “When you run for president, are you going to impose a wealth tax or a billionaire’s tax?”

[Image 48: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at Munich Security Conference]

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., takes part in the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.(Sven Hoppe /dpa via AP)

Responding with a laugh, the four-term federal lawmaker who has long advocated for significant tax increases on the ultra-wealthy to fund progressive initiatives then said, “We don’t have to wait for any one president to impose a wealth tax… That needs to be done expeditiously.”

Matthew Bartlett, who served at the State Department during the first Trump administration, told Fox News Digital that “the regular foreign policy crowd is turning into something of a cattle call for 2028 as numerous Democrats take Munich to articulate their vision and try to develop some sort of foreign policy credential as the next presidential race is on the horizon.”

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And Terry Shumaker, who served as U.S. ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago during the Clinton administration, noted that the appearances in Munich by the potential candidates “gives them experience, confidence, and something to refer back to on the campaign trail when they’re asked about their foreign policy experience.”

And Shumaker, a longtime New Hampshire-based attorney and Democratic Party activist, said it also signals to the world “that Trump is not a monolith. That there’s another side of the story in the United States.”

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the campaign trail from coast to coast.

Pentagon may bar tuition aid for top universities in Hegseth’s crackdown on ‘biased’ schools

By Natasha Bertrand, Haley Britzky
32 min ago
PUBLISHED Feb 13, 2026, 5:25 PM ET

Military officers could soon find dozens of top colleges and universities across the United States abruptly off limits for tuition assistance as part of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s campaign against schools he describes as being biased against the US military and sponsoring “troublesome partnerships with foreign adversaries.”

The uncertainty about tuition assistance and eligible programs for Defense Department funding has led to confusion and concern amongst service members who have already applied or been accepted to these schools. Officials also said they were concerned it amounted to an attempt to purge diversity of thought from the military.

The policy was rolled out in a memo signed by Hegseth last week saying that beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, the Pentagon would be severing its relationship with Harvard University and discontinuing all graduate-level professional military education, fellowships and certificate programs there for active-duty service members.

Hegseth ordered the military services to “evaluate all existing graduate programs for active-duty members at Ivy League universities and any other universities that similarly diminish critical thinking and have significant adversary involvement, and determine whether they deliver cost-effective, strategic education for future senior leaders when compared to public universities and military masters programs,” according to a source familiar with the memo.

The guidance’s broad terminology has injected confusion and concern into the military branches, who have begun to compile lists of colleges and universities that may have a moderate to high risk of being impacted, meaning the Pentagon wouldn’t fund any service members’ higher education there.

A preliminary list of at-risk schools compiled by the Army for troops enrolling in law school and reviewed by CNN characterizes the following schools as being at “moderate to high risk” of being banned: American University, Boston College, Boston University, Brown University, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western University, Columbia University, College of William and Mary, Cornell University, Duke, Emory, Florida Institute of Technology, Fordham, Georgetown, George Washington University, Harvard, Hawaii Pacific University, Johns Hopkins University, the London School of Economics and Political Science, MIT, Northeastern University, Northwestern University, New York University, Pepperdine, Princeton, Stanford, Tufts, University of Miami, University of Pennsylvania, University of Southern California, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Washington University in St Louis, and Yale.

A source familiar with Hegseth’s guidance told CNN that the implication is that “graduate programs for highest performing officers and non-commissioned officers are almost certainly at risk.” This source and a military official added that it has created extensive uncertainty within the services about how to proceed with applying for advanced civil schooling, including top law programs, medical programs, and nuclear engineering programs.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense referred CNN to the services for comment. The Army did not respond to a request for comment.

Several top political appointees at the Pentagon, including Hegseth himself, are graduates of Ivy League schools or other top universities. Hegseth attended Princeton and Harvard; Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg attended Princeton; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll obtained his law degree from Yale; Navy Secretary John Phelan holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and completed a general course degree in economics and international relations at the London School of Economics

The guidance was first mentioned publicly in a video Hegseth posted on social media last week, in which he bashed Harvard and other American universities that have “pervasive institutional bias” saying they “no longer live up to their founding principles, as bastions of free speech, open inquiry, and committed to the American values that make our country great.”

“In two weeks time, components of all of our departments — Army, Navy, and Air Force — will evaluate all existing graduate programs for active duty service members at all Ivy League universities, and other civilian universities,” Hegseth said.

Educational programs and opportunities are a key recruiting and retention tool for the military services, often exchanging mandatory years in uniform for tuition assistance to top schools in the country. Graduate programs have been lauded as a way to academically sharpen US military personnel, keeping the best and brightest in uniform, while also allowing them to invest in their futures after they’ve left military service.

Eligible schools are often those accredited by the major associations for those specialties. For qualifying service members who wish to go to law school, for example, schools are typically considered eligible for the Army to pay for them if they are accredited by the American Bar Association. The Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program covers tuition for medical, dental, nursing, and psychology students in return for one year of active-duty service for each year of support. For medical programs, the military typically requires that the school is accredited by the American Medical Association or American Osteopathic Association.

The vagueness of the memo has also raised concern that tuition assistance could be impacted, which active-duty service members can use for other graduate or certification programs in their off-duty time that are not necessarily related to their day-to-day jobs. Service members can enroll in business administration courses, for example, or communication and marketing.

But the military also has extensive partnerships with various universities and colleges for professional military education opportunities. The Space Force, for example, announced in 2023 a partnership with Johns Hopkins, which was included on the Army’s tentative list of universities that are considered at risk.

The military official said the guidance was akin to prohibiting officers from obtaining a top tier education, and said it amounted to the Pentagon “attempting to purge intellect, diversity of thinking, and critical thought from the military.”

“The overall concern is that we want military officers and non-commissioned officers to have the ability to critically think and challenge ideas … and some of these institutions are great places to do that whether you agree with liberal or conservative thought or not,” said the source familiar with the matter. “It seems both very delicate — oh these words and ideas scare me, so I’ll preclude people from engaging — but also short-sighted and is generating confusion.”

Hegseth has been intensely focused on reshaping the culture of the military since taking office last year, which has involved everything from adding a secondary title for the Department of Defense as the “Department of War” to policy shifts that have deeply impacted servicemembers, like a ban on transgender troops and an evaluation of whether women should service in combat roles.

Last year, he also ordered all military academies to identify and remove books from their libraries that deal with issues such as race, gender ideology, and other “divisive concepts” that are now considered “incompatible with the department’s core mission,” according to a memo he signed at the time.

Hegseth’s latest war on Harvard and other top universities has also mirrored one waged by President Donald Trump, who over the last year has targeted federal funding, research grants, and student visas at elite universities across the country — beginning with Harvard— unless they comply with his demands to dismantle Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs and crackdown on pro-Palestine student protesters and antisemitism on campuses.

What services would be affected by a DHS government shutdown?

February 13, 2026 / 3:10 PM EST / CBS News

Washington — The Department of Homeland Security is all but certain to shut down when the clock strikes midnight, since Congress failed to pass a bill to fund its operations before a stopgap measure lapses at the end of the day Friday.

Democrats had made a number of demands to restrain the government’s immigration crackdown in exchange for their support of the funding measure but could not reach an agreement with the GOP.

After the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal law enforcement officers last month in Minneapolis, Democrats wanted a requirement for judicial warrants, better identification of DHS officers, new use-of-force standards, an end to detaining people without verifying they aren’t U.S. citizens first and to conducting searches based on a person’s race, language, accent or job.

Without funding, some DHS functions will cease, although the impact may not be more widely felt unless the shutdown continues well beyond the Presidents Day holiday weekend. DHS’ website says that during a funding lapse, the department “may only continue ‘exempt’ activities such as law enforcement and maritime protection.”

Generally, those whose work is “necessary for safety of human life or protection of property,” will be required to work “as necessary to continue even without funding.” Federal employees whose jobs are “necessary to the discharge of the president’s constitutional duties and powers” continue without funding, according to DHS’ 2025 funding lapse plan.

The shutdown will affect the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency and other agencies within DHS that safeguard national security. About 13% of the total federal civilian workforce is implicated, with most forced to work without pay, according to DHS and Office of Personnel Management data.

Here is what would be affected in a DHS shutdown:

Most DHS employees will continue to work

The vast majority of DHS employees would be exempted — meaning they’re required to work — according to the department’s September 2025 funding lapse plan. They would not be paid during the shutdown but would receive backpay after it ends.

In 2025, DHS estimated 249,065 of its 271,927 employees — nearly 92% of its workforce — would be exempt and continue to work during a funding lapse. But that number can dwindle as time goes on, as workers going without pay, take leave or do not show up for work.

How would air travel be affected?

Air traffic controllers fall under the Department of Transportation’s budget, and that department’s funding for this fiscal year has already been enacted. So, air traffic control operations will not be affected..

But the Transportation Security Administration falls under DHS, so TSA workers will have to work without a paycheck. Eventually, TSA and airport security staffing levels may be affected, depending on the duration of the shutdown, so travelers could eventually see longer security lines.

Immigration enforcement will continue

The shutdown is not expected to affect the Trump administration’s controversial immigration enforcement campaign, thanks to the $165 billion cash infusion from last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including $75 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and $65 billion for Customs and Border Protection. The funding goes well beyond the annual allotments that the agencies typically receive and means they will be able continue operations despite the shutdown.

The DHS funding measure that failed in Congress would have provided $64 billion in discretionary funding for the fiscal year, including $10 billion for ICE.

Secret Service

Protective functions of the U.S. Secret Service, such as protection for the president and vice president, will continue. Other Secret Service functions at the White House are expected to continue, as well.

Coast Guard

The Coast Guard is the only military branch under the DHS umbrella. It will likely suspend functions like training, but search and rescue operations will continue.

Counterterrorism

Counterterrorism surveillance and intelligence gathering are not expected to face disruptions.

Other law enforcement functions

DHS’ previous shutdown guidelines said federal law enforcement officers whose duties include protecting human life or property will continue their work, but those whose jobs are administrative and aren’t directly involved in protecting life or property would be furloughed during the shutdown.

Disaster zone help will continue, but shutdown would cause disruption for FEMA, one official said

When funding has lapsed in the past, Federal Emergency Management Agency deployments to major disasters or emergencies have continued. But Gregg Phillips, associate FEMA director, testified before Congress Wednesday that a shutdown would mean a number of employees would be furloughed and it “would severely disrupt FEMA’s ability to reimburse states for disaster relief costs and to support our recovery from disasters.”

DHS guidelines before the last shutdown at the end of 2025 said FEMA, as of May, had just under 25,000 employees, and about 21,000 would have exempt status and would work during a shutdown.

Caitlin Yilek contributed to this report.

As Trump tests alliances, Democrats with 2028 ambitions offer reassurance at Munich conference

By [Arlette Saenz]
Updated 46 min ago
Updated Feb 13, 2026, 5:16 PM ET
PUBLISHED Feb 13, 2026, 4:28 PM ET

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks during a panel on populism at the 62nd Munich Security Conference on February 13, 2026 in Munich, Germany.

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were among the high-profile Democrats looking to counter [President Donald Trump] at the Munich Security Conference this week as they outlined their foreign policy visions and what could come next.

“Donald Trump is temporary. He’ll be gone in three years,” said Newsom during a panel on climate change. “California is a stable and reliable partner in this space. And it’s important for folks to understand the temporary nature of this current administration in relationship to the issue.”

Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke on a panel about the rise of populism, said “We are ready for the next chapter, not to have the world turn to isolation, but to deepen our partnership on, on greater and increased commitment to integrity to our values.”

Roughly half a dozen Democrats with potential presidential ambitions in 2028 are descending on the annual Munich conference, a frequent stop for politicians to test the foreign policy waters and elevate their own profiles on the international stage ahead of White House runs.

Other possible 2028 hopefuls participating in the weekend events include Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, Sen. Elissa Slotkin and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy and former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

Democrats traveled to Munich one year after Vice President JD Vance, a potential 2028 contender, [chastised European leaders] at the conference, accusing them of suppressing free speech, losing control of immigration and refusing to work with hard-right parties in government.

While Vance is not in attendance this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is often included in chatter about 2028, was set to represent the Trump administration. As he departed for Munich, Rubio told reporters “the old world is gone, frankly” and “we live in a new era of geopolitics.”

[Related article German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks at the opening of the 62nd Munich Security Conference in southern Germany on February 13. Kay Nietfeld/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Rubio and European leaders agree on one thing: The old world order ‘no longer exists’ 4 min read]

“It’s going to require all of us to sort of re-examine what that looks like and what our role is going to be,” Rubio added, also noting that Europe is important to the US. “I think they want honesty. They want to know where we’re going, where we’d like to go, where we’d like to go with them.”

But many Democrats in attendance sought to assure European leaders of their commitment.

In an interview with CNN’s Kasie Hunt, Kelly pushed back on Rubio’s comments, saying, “The old world is gone because Donald Trump blew it up.”

“What I’m hearing now is, even if we are able to repair these relationships, it’s going to take generations before they feel comfortable,” Kelly said. “I think we can fix this. I think we can get past this. It’s going to take a new president, a new administration.”

Ocasio-Cortez said Democrats are seeking “a return to a rules-based order” and warned against an “age of authoritarianism,” accusing Trump of turning the Western Hemisphere into “his personal sandbox.”

During the panel on populism, the progressive rising star also pitched “working class centered politics” to “stave off the scourges of authoritarianism.” Asked if she would impose a wealth tax “when you run for president,” Ocasio-Cortez responded, “We don’t have to wait for any one president to impose a wealth tax. I think that it needs to be done expeditiously.”

The New York Democrat also appeared on a panel with Whitmer on the future of foreign policy later in the day. In the lead-up to her appearance at Munich, Ocasio-Cortez was advised by Matt Duss, a former foreign policy adviser to independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Countering Trump

In an interview with CNN’s Kasie Hunt, Newsom warned of the damage Trump has caused with traditional US allies.

“They see us as a wrecking ball. They see us as unreliable and a lot of them think irrevocable. They don’t think we’ll ever come back to our original form,” Newsom said. “I’m not as convinced of that.”

“Whatever happens, we can undo, we can shape-shift, we can fix. And while trust is difficult to reestablish, there’s too much at stake in a multinational — from a multi-international perspective, that we have a lot of work to do once Trump’s done,” Newsom added.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom attends a panel discussion on climate change at the 62nd Munich Security Conference on February 13, 2026 in Munich, Germany.

Johannes Simon/Getty Images

For Newsom, the Munich appearance marked his second turn on the international stage within the past month. He was on hand at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January and emerged as a focal point in Trump’s own speech at the summit.

Last year, Newsom [traveled to Brazil for COP 30], an international climate conference to which the Trump administration declined to send an official delegation.

“The United States was a footnote. China sent close to 800 delegates. The United States didn’t even send a stenographer. They sent nobody,” Newsom said Friday. “They’ve completely walked away, abdicated any role in relationship to the issue of low carbon green growth.”

Asked what he would do to restore trust in the US on climate issues if he “were to become president, maybe the next president,” Newsom turned to talking about “my day job as governor of California” and the work his state has done on the issue.

[Related article CNN After Newsom trolls Trump in Davos, one of his appearances is blocked 4 min read]

“We have long moved beyond the partisanship on this issue, because there is no Republican thermometer, there’s no Democratic thermometer, there’s just reality. And people in my state have been mugged by reality,” he said.

Newsom was also set to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and sign a memorandum of understanding relating to a new partnership with Ukraine while in Munich, his office said.

Speaking during a panel on Gaza, Murphy argued Trump has “engaged in a consistent campaign to alienate our friends in Europe” and said he must use “leverage” with the Israeli government to ensure the next steps of plan for Gaza are implemented.

“The humanitarian situation continues to be morally unacceptable,” he said “I really worry about the long term health of the US-Israel relationship, if we don’t see real, meaningful progress in the clearing of rubble, in the delivery of humanitarian and medical aid, the construction of actual, real, permanent shelters in which people can live.”

Raimondo, a former commerce secretary under President Joe Biden and governor of Rhode Island, was also on hand to moderate a panel on economic security and emerging technology. Slotkin is scheduled to participate in a panel conversation Saturday about defending Europe and supporting Ukraine while Gallego is slated to speak on a panel about security for the Western Hemisphere.

This story has been updated with additional details.