Trump's February 12, 2026: Coal, EPA, and Political Scandals

Environmental Policy Shifts

• 💡 President Trump was presented with a trophy for "beautiful clean coal" and signed an executive order directing the Defense Department to buy billions in coal-produced power.
• 💰 The Department of Energy will spend $175 million to modernize and extend the life of coal-fired power plants in several states.
• ⚠️ The Environmental Protection Agency revoked the scientific "endangerment finding" that justified regulating emissions, with the administration claiming climate change is a hoax.
• 📈 Since Trump took office in January 2025, US emissions have increased by 1.9%, largely due to renewed coal use.

Political Influence and Business Deals

• 💸 Trump allegedly told oil executives to raise a billion dollars for his campaign in exchange for eliminating Biden-era regulations and lowering taxes.
• 🌉 Trump threatened to stop the opening of the Gordy How International Bridge shortly after a competing bridge owner, Matthew Maroon, contacted a Commerce Secretary.
• 🇨🇦 The $4.7 billion Gordy How Bridge was fully funded by Canada and is set to compete with the Maroon family's Ambassador Bridge.

National Security and Kushner Controversy

• 🕵️ A whistleblower complaint involved another country intercepting a conversation about Jared Kushner, Iran, and his investment fund Affinity Partners, which receives billions from Arab monarchies.
• 🚫 Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard allegedly "bottled up" this complaint for political reasons, not forwarding it to Congress.
• 🔥 This incident may be related to the abrupt firing of National Security Agency Director General Timothy Hawk and his deputy in April 2025.

Authoritarian International and Organized Crime

• 🌍 Josh Marshall describes an "Authoritarian International" comprising anti-democratic governments, right-wing Silicon Valley figures, and the global billionaire class.
• 🤝 This system operates through secret deals without democratic accountability, mixing national and individual financial interests, often using compromising material.
• 🚨 Former FBI Director Robert Mueller's 2011 explanation of multinational organized crime aligns with Marshall's description, highlighting "iron triangles" of criminals, corrupt officials, and business leaders.

Epstein Files and DOJ Stonewalling

• 🏛️ The Department of Justice refused to release all Epstein files to the public, despite Congress passing the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
• 🎭 Attorney General Pam Bondi stonewalled the House Judiciary Committee, attacking lawmakers and praising Trump instead of answering questions about the files.
• 📸 A photo showed a printout titled "Gyipal Primila search history," suggesting the executive branch was surveilling a member of the legislative branch and weaponizing that information.

Public Opinion and Political Fallout

• 📊 A YouGov poll revealed 85% of US adults believe powerful elites helped Epstein and need investigation.
• ⚖️ 50% of American adults think Trump was involved in crimes allegedly committed by Jeffrey Epstein, while 29% think he wasn't.
• 👏 Despite widespread condemnation, Trump's social media praised AG Pam Bondi's performance, claiming she "exonerated" him from "Russia Russia Russia type charges."