Thursday, February 12, 2026
Good morning, and welcome to RedState's "Morning Minute" — a brief glimpse at which stories are trending at the moment and a look ahead at what the day may bring. Consider this your one-stop shop for news to kickstart your day.
TOP O' THE MORNIN'
Red-Hot at RedState
Yikes: Jennifer Newsom Goes Full Angry AWFL on Female Reporters; Even Gavin Seemed Embarrassed
You just couldn't make this stuff up if you tried. You just couldn't. And this doesn't even take into account that Jennifer and Gavin also don't support the right of women to play sports and change in locker rooms without having to be ogled or possibly hurt by a man claiming to be a woman invading their safe spaces.
Trump Signs Kennedy Bill Ending Government Payments to Deceased Americans
It’s not sweeping reform. It won’t fix the entire government. But it does something basic that should have been standard practice all along, making sure taxpayer dollars go to eligible, living Americans.
The President's Religious Liberty Commission Is Minus a Member, and Good Riddance
Prejean Boller has proven herself no better than those mobs and their demands that everyone bend the knee to them. As for Owens and Carlson, her friends whom she feels the need to defend, it has little to do with faith, moral high ground, or any grounded belief, and lots to do with clicks, market share, and attention. On its face, it is disturbing, as well as toxic and well beneath the dignity of a religious liberty commission.
Trending Across Townhall Media
Lynchburg, VA Renews Second Amendment Sanctuary Status
Lynchburg, among other communities, is sending a message to Richmond that they're not buying the BS.
May others follow their lead and renew their support for the Second Amendment. I doubt anyone in Richmond will listen, but it's still important to make sure they know.
Look at What Happens When the NGO>Democrat Pipeline Shrinks
Now that the money spigots are being turned off one by one, starting with USAID but going far beyond that, the Democrats can't seem to tap into that sweet flow of cash anymore.
Thursday Essay: What in the Actual Hell Is Going on in Russia?
Losing Telegram access, or even just having it throttled, comes right on the heels of Starlink shutting down access to unlicensed Russian military operators. Until last week, they used Elon Musk's satellite internet service to guide suicide drones — quite effectively, I might add — against the Ukrainian military's rear-area logistics.
CNN's Scott Jennings Wrecks a Lib Guest's Narrative on Election Integrity With a Simple Response
The claim that this is equivalent to Jim Crow or racist doesn’t hold up, as over 70% of Americans, including Black Americans, support it. Therefore, the Left has resorted to implying that their supporters, including non-white groups, are too uninformed to understand their true feelings about the bill.
Captain Kirk Just Set Phasers to Vaporize
Say what you want about William Shatner, but he doesn't brook fools and seems to have a lot of fun at the same time.
WHAT'S ON TAP?
Today on Capitol Hill...
They're unlikely to be quite as spicy as Wednesday's Bondi hearing, but there are several hearings set on the Hill for Thursday, including:
- Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs — An oversight hearing [House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (MN-06), Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director of ICE Todd Lyons to testify]
- Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions — Hearings to examine preventing fraud in child care assistance programs
- Senate Finance — Hearings to examine the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, focusing on evaluating North American competitiveness
- Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs — Oversight hearings to examine the Securities and Exchange Commission
READ MORE: Total Chaos: Pam Bondi House Hearing Goes Nuclear Over Epstein Issue
AG Bondi Is Not Finished Reminding Americans What Dems Are Trying to Distract Them From
Also — the House passed the SAVE America Act...and also passed a measure to undo President Trump's Canadian tariffs.
White House What's Up
On Thursday morning, President Trump will receive his intelligence briefing. At 1:30 PM Eastern, he and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin are set to make an announcement from the Roosevelt Room. Then he's got afternoon policy meetings with economic advisors.
Vice President JD Vance had some sound observations about U.S. Olympic athletes (and the time and place for politicizing).
.@VP: "You're there to play a sport and you're there to represent your country and hopefully win a medal. You're not there to pop off about politics — so when Olympic athletes enter the political arena, they should expect some pushback." pic.twitter.com/eME2LAt8Pv
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 11, 2026
Keeping Up With the Cabinet
Dir. Office of Management and Budget - Russ Vought — Vought has highlighted efforts to curb discretionary spending and reduce regulatory burdens across federal agencies in recent posts. He emphasized fiscal discipline as central to the administration’s economic strategy heading into the next budget cycle.
For the first time in eons, Republicans are getting serious about spending control, writes @KimStrasselhttps://t.co/Zodckf1IN9
— Wall Street Journal Opinion (@WSJopinion) February 6, 2026
Full Court Press...
The courts have continued to be somewhat quiet of late. But here's an interesting development:
First-Ever Federal Antifa Terrorism Trial Cleared to Proceed in Texas
COMING ATTRACTIONS
Supreme Court oral arguments resume February 23.
The SAVE America Act is on its way to the Senate — will it clear the hurdles?
MORNING MUSING
Sorry, friends, I'm just going to beg your indulgence on this one: I am quite saddened by the passing of James Van Der Beek on Wednesday. Van Der Beek, 48, had been battling colorectal cancer. He leaves behind a wife and six children.
I knew he was ill — I didn't realize how ill until I heard the news of his passing. I'm one of the legions of Gen-Xers (and some millennials) who've enjoyed Van Der Beek's work since he first won our hearts as Dawson Leery in Dawson's Creek. He had other notable roles, of course — Mox in Varsity Blues, for instance — but to me, he'll always be Dawson.
💔
— Susie Moore ⚾️🌻🐶 (@SmoosieQ) February 11, 2026
All Dawson's Creek Openings (With 'I Don't Want To Wait') https://t.co/s1W7g4WATj via @YouTube
In recent years, Van Der Beek had occasionally taken to social media to share some observations on life and the world. There were some observations that were politically-tinged, but not really. Mostly, they were just relatable observations. This one, in particular, really strikes a chord:
Okay I honestly cannot explain why this has hit me so hard.
— Kosher (@koshercockney) February 12, 2026
I have never watched anything James Van Der Beek has ever been in.
I did expect this. It’s a message everyone should listen to.
Give yourself a moment to listen to him.
Rest in Peace James.
pic.twitter.com/Ar1kdGmyFc
I encourage you to watch it.
Rest in peace, JVDB.
LIGHTER FARE
Can't swear this isn't AI (so much is anymore), but this made me chuckle:
Wassup..hi..🐻👋😅 pic.twitter.com/DHjTdiqWuo
— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) February 12, 2026
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