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Stephen A. Smith told CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Robert Costa he is “giving strong consideration” to a 2028 presidential bid and will use 2026 to study issues and decide. (forbes.com) Costa posted on X that Smith is “moving closer” to a campaign. (barrettmedia.com) Smith said he has “no desire” to be a politician but is “not ruling it out,” adding he wants to be on debate stages to challenge other Democrats. (nz.news.yahoo.com) He said he’d run as a Democrat, describing himself fiscally conservative and socially liberal. (forbes.com) The CBS interview airs Sunday, and reactions were immediate across outlets with coverage from major national publications. (ground.news)

Sen. Susan Collins (R‑Maine) announced she supports the House‑passed SAVE America Act, saying revisions balance election security and access while she still opposes eliminating the Senate filibuster. The House approved the bill 218–213. The measure would require proof of citizenship to register for federal elections, mandate photo ID for in‑person voting, and tighten mail‑in rules. Republican leaders say Collins’ backing brings GOP support to roughly 50 senators and argue that with Vice President J.D. Vance as tiebreaker the bill could pass under a standing filibuster. Voting‑rights groups condemn the legislation as voter suppression. Civil‑rights organizations vow legal fights and protests. (newsweek.com)

Breaking: The Wall Street Journal reports that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and adviser Corey Lewandowski—both married—are in a relationship they “do little to hide” inside the Department of Homeland Security. (wsj.com) The paper says Lewandowski, acting as Noem’s de facto chief of staff, once fired a U.S. Coast Guard pilot after Noem’s blanket failed to transfer during a plane change; pilot was later reinstated when no other crew could be found. (wsj.com) The investigation describes sweeping personnel shakeups, polygraphs and use of a leased luxury 737 MAX for travel. (wsj.com) A DHS spokesperson called the allegations “categorically false.” Both deny the reports. (people.com)

Senate Democrats blocked a Department of Homeland Security funding bill on Feb. 12, forcing a partial shutdown set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Saturday that would furlough or curtail TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard and portions of federal cybersecurity operations. Democrats said the move pressures Republicans for immigration-reform measures after recent deadly ICE operations, demanding body cameras, identification rules and limits on enforcement near sensitive sites. Schumer called the votes “a shot across the bow” at Republicans. ICE and Customs and Border Protection should continue operating because they already received separate funding, while other DHS functions will be disrupted nationwide. (washingtonpost.com)

On February 12, 2026, Sen. Elissa Slotkin pressed acting ICE Director Todd Lyons at a Senate Homeland Security hearing to pledge under oath that ICE would not deploy agents to polling places, citing fears the administration might surround voters with uniformed immigration officers. Lyons replied “there’s no reason” for ICE to deploy to polling facilities but stopped short of an explicit refusal if ordered, noting Homeland Security Investigations does probe alleged voter fraud. The exchange follows proposals and comments by Trump allies about using federal officers near polls and prompted lawmakers to seek bans on federal patrols of voting sites. (cbsnews.com)

On February 12, 2026, President Trump announced the EPA’s repeal of the agency’s 2009 greenhouse gas endangerment finding, calling it “the single largest deregulatory action in American history.” (epa.gov) EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin joined him as the final rule rescinded the legal basis for federal greenhouse gas vehicle standards and eliminated related emissions requirements; the agency said the rollback will save Americans about $1.3 trillion. (epa.gov) Environmental and public‑health experts condemned the move, warning it will increase pollution, worsen climate impacts, and harm vulnerable communities. (apnews.com) Advocates said they will sue immediately and seek injunctions nationwide today. (apnews.com)

Israel has joined President Trump’s Board of Peace as a founding member, the Board announced on its official X account. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he signed Israel’s accession ahead of a planned White House meeting with Trump. The Board, chaired by Trump, was created to oversee a Gaza ceasefire, reconstruction and governance and will hold an inaugural session in Washington on February 19. Its formation has provoked controversy: several Western allies declined to join and critics warn it could undermine U.N. authority. Israel’s accession makes it one of the founding partners as the body moves from announcement to implementation. (newsweek.com)

Donald Trump announced that the Republican Party will eliminate mail-in voting for federal elections in all fifty states, with limited exceptions for people with disabilities and military personnel. (politico.com) Lawyers are drafting an executive order to accomplish this. (washingtonpost.com) He also claimed the United States is the only country that uses mail voting—a false assertion. (time.com) Election experts note states control election procedures, so a federal ban would likely face constitutional obstacles. (factcheck.org) Mail and absentee voting are common elsewhere; many democracies including Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany allow postal voting. (euronews.com) Critics warn the move could restrict voter access and face court challenges.

Sources: (congress.gov)