Caught Off Guard by the Truth

Raskin’s Surprise ICE Visit Exposes “Disgraceful” Conditions

Mid-February 2026: the pattern is unmistakable. A shielded elite network is rushing domestic control, flipping allies, and bending foreign policy toward personal gain. Ordinary people—journalists, migrants, voters—pay the price. Europe demands self-reliance. Milano Cortina shines briefly against a darkening sky.

These aren’t scattered stories. They’re one reality: a “big club” that protects its own while everyone else pays. Epstein leaks crack alliances, loyalty flips expose betrayals, voter-rule changes threaten democracy, military moves signal brinkmanship. And Rep. Jamie Raskin’s unannounced visit to the Baltimore ICE facility lays bare the human cost: 60 men packed shoulder-to-shoulder 24/7 with one toilet, no showers, sleeping “like sardines” under foil blankets—while rooms for violent offenders sit empty. With $75 billion already allocated, Raskin calls it “disgraceful” and demands answers. The machinery is fast and catching far too many off guard. The 2026 midterms are the battleground. Will enough people see it and act in time?

Domestic Developments

• Don Lemon Pleads Not Guilty in Minnesota Church Protest Case Former CNN anchor turned independent journalist Don Lemon pleaded not guilty in federal court to civil rights charges linked to his live coverage of an anti-ICE protest inside a St. Paul, Minnesota church. His legal team calls the prosecution an attack on press freedom and a distraction from administration controversies.

• Scott Galloway Launches “Resist and Unsubscribe” Boycott of Big Tech NYU Stern professor Scott Galloway launched “Resist and Unsubscribe,” calling for Americans to cancel subscriptions to Amazon Prime, Netflix, Paramount+, and services from Apple, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Uber, OpenAI, and others. The goal: economically pressure tech CEOs seen as enabling or cozying up to the administration’s policies, especially on immigration enforcement.

• Brazilian Au Pair Sentenced to Maximum 10 Years in Banfield Double Murder Juliana Peres Magalhães, 25, received the maximum 10-year sentence (with two years suspended) for manslaughter in the 2023 Virginia killings of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan. Despite pleading guilty and cooperating with prosecutors—who recommended leniency—the judge cited the crimes’ severity in imposing the full penalty.

• Michael Cohen Shows Lingering Loyalty to Trump in PBD Podcast Interview In a revealing two-hour interview on Patrick Bet-David’s PBD Podcast (aired late January 2026), Michael Cohen ranked Trump among the most loyal people he knows, said he might never have testified if he’d received more support from the inner circle, and described feeling coerced and abandoned. He noted he no longer sees Trump “laughing” or enjoying life—a stark reversal that has stunned former allies and fueled questions about media influence and shifting narratives.

• Epstein Files Reveal Network That Undermined #MeToo Elizabeth Lopatto’s Verge reporting on newly released Epstein documents reveals an interconnected cabal—from Edge Foundation “billionaires’ dinners” (attended by Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Sergey Brin) to Harvard/MIT academics (Steven Pinker, Larry Summers)—that actively worked to undermine #MeToo and BLM accountability. Epstein’s emails dismissed diversity (“women are all weak and a distraction”), coordinated legal pushback against accusers, and aligned with the anti-cancel culture backlash (Harper’s Letter, Bari Weiss’s Intellectual Dark Web promotion).

• Whistleblower Claims Tulsi Gabbard Suppressed Russia-Iran Intelligence A whistleblower complaint claims Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Susie Wiles killed an intercepted Russian call discussing Jared Kushner and Iran. The action reportedly shielded sensitive backchannel discussions and has intensified scrutiny over foreign influence in the administration.

• House Passes SAVE America Act 218–213 — Midterms Already Under Assault On February 12, 2026, the House narrowly passed the SAVE America Act (Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility) 218–213—all Republicans yes, one Democrat joining. The bill requires nationwide voter ID, proof of citizenship for registration, and faster federal verification, potentially effective for November 2026. Critics say it risks disenfranchising millions (voters of color, youth, naturalized citizens, those without easy document access); supporters claim it stops non-citizen voting and secures elections. Let’s stop pretending this is normal: foreign actors, dark money, loyalty flips, and legislative moves like this are actively probing electoral weaknesses to consolidate power before 2026 voters can respond. The close vote foreshadows brutal Senate battles, filibusters, and court fights over voter access.

• Sen. John Fetterman Breaks with Democrats, Votes to Fund DHS Amid Shutdown Threat Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was the lone Senate Democrat to vote to advance full-year funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), bucking his party as Democrats blocked the measure in protest over ICE tactics. Fetterman argued that a shutdown would have “zero impact” on ICE operations—already funded with $75 billion through Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” (One Big Beautiful Bill Act)—but would cripple FEMA, the Coast Guard, TSA, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). “As a Democrat, I can’t vote to shut down critical parts of our government,” he stated, emphasizing country over party amid the looming partial DHS shutdown.

• Rep. Jamie Raskin Makes Unannounced Visit to Baltimore ICE Facility, Reports “Disgraceful” Conditions On February 13, 2026, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) conducted an unannounced congressional oversight visit to the ICE field facility in Baltimore. He described finding 60 men packed shoulder-to-shoulder in a single room 24/7 with one toilet, no showers, sleeping “like sardines” under aluminum foil blankets. The room designated for violent offenders was empty. Raskin stated: “Kristi Noem has a budget of $75 billion she could use to ensure humane conditions, but what I saw was disgraceful.” He demanded immediate answers and action, highlighting the contrast between the administration’s rhetoric on targeting dangerous criminals and the reality of conditions for detainees.

• MAGA Influencers Turn on AG Pam Bondi Over Epstein Files Handling The latest Epstein file releases have fractured parts of the MAGA coalition. Right-wing influencers are now openly calling for Attorney General Pam Bondi to be replaced or face consequences over her combative congressional testimony and the DOJ’s decision to halt further releases. Nick Fuentes has called for impeachment, Erick Erickson has demanded she “fire or resign,” Tim Pool described the rollout as “miserably handled,” and Kyle Rittenhouse is publicly urging her replacement. Trump continues to defend her, but the base revolt is growing louder and more visible.

• Corrupt Super-PACs Flood 2026 Midterms with Dark Money Super-PACs—often fueled by foreign-linked, corporate, and anonymous donors—are pouring hundreds of millions into the 2026 cycle. Critics, including voices like Lev Parnas, argue this hidden funding is the true battleground, enabling policy capture and undermining grassroots democracy.

• ICE’s $38.3 Billion Detention Reengineering Plan Exposed Leaked ICE documents outline a massive plan to convert warehouses into a national detention network with 92,600 beds, 16 regional processing sites feeding eight mega-centers, and 12,000 new officers. One proposed location: Merrimack, NH (400–600 beds). This infrastructure signals a dramatic escalation in mass detention capacity.

International

• Trump Issues Ultimatum to Zelensky on Ukraine Deal President Trump publicly warned Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a Russia deal quickly or risk losing everything for Ukraine. The statement followed reports of intercepted Russian communications discussing backchannel arrangements involving Jared Kushner.

• Trump Praises Indicted Venezuelan Regime and Plans Caracas Visit In a major reversal, Trump described the government of indicted official Delcy Rodríguez as doing a “10 out of 10 job” and indicated plans to visit Venezuela. Oil revenues are reportedly routed through Qatar accounts, bypassing U.S. creditors and benefiting regime insiders.

• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Criticizes U.S. Leadership at Munich Security Conference At the Munich Security Conference on February 13, 2026, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared that under President Trump, the United States’ claim to global leadership “has been challenged, and possibly squandered.” He highlighted a “deep rift” between Europe and the U.S., rejected the MAGA “culture war,” and urged repairing transatlantic trust, emphasizing that even the U.S. “will not be powerful enough to go it alone” without NATO.

• Bavarian PM Markus Söder Calls for Mutual Respect in Transatlantic Ties Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder added a pointed call during the Munich Security Conference opening: “We will respect your leadership, but maybe you pay us a little more respect.” The remarks responded to prior U.S. criticisms (including JD Vance’s 2025 speech) and signaled Europe’s push for greater strategic autonomy amid strained ties.

• EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas Spars with U.S. on Global Order and Mutual Dependence At the Munich Security Conference, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas told U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz that the U.S. “also needs us,” emphasizing mutual reliance in global tensions. She criticized the UN Security Council as “not working the way it was meant to be,” called for reforms to reflect today’s realities and ensure accountability, and highlighted Europe’s contributions to defense and wars alongside the U.S. Kallas also addressed disputes over Gaza’s future, warning that Trump’s “Board of Peace” subverts UN mandates and lacks accountability to Palestinians.

• Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson Calls for European Strategic Shift at Munich Ahead of and during the Munich Security Conference on February 13, 2026, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that the transatlantic relationship “has changed” and “suffered a blow,” with a “very different language” from the U.S. toward Europe. While emphasizing the need to maintain ties (U.S. as NATO guarantor, largest trading partner), he urged a “strategic and mental shift” for Europe: greater self-reliance in security (Sweden tripling defense spending to hit 3.5% GDP target early), boosting competitiveness without protectionism (“Made with Europe” over “Buy European”), and staying focused on Russia’s war in Ukraine. “Without strength, tough words are just empty words,” he quoted Finland’s president, stressing Europe must act united to project influence amid geopolitical shifts.

• Marco Rubio Cancels Key Ukraine Meeting with European Leaders at Munich U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipped a last-minute “Berlin Format” meeting on the Russo-Ukrainian war with European leaders (including Germany, Poland, Finland, the EU, NATO, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy) on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. The cancellation—attributed to “scheduling conflicts” and a packed agenda—was viewed in European capitals as a signal of waning U.S. interest in multilateral involvement in Ukraine peace efforts. A U.S. official noted Rubio was addressing Russia-Ukraine issues in other bilateral meetings instead.

• Denmark and Canada Sign Defense Cooperation Agreement at Munich, Including Greenland Focus At the Munich Security Conference on February 13, 2026, the Kingdom of Denmark (including representatives from the Faroe Islands and Greenland) signed a defense cooperation agreement with Canada. Signed by Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, Faroese Minister Sirið Stenberg, and Greenlandic officials, the deal strengthens ties in areas such as surveillance, joint operations, and Arctic security—explicitly including cooperation in Greenland amid heightened geopolitical tensions over the territory. The move is seen as a strategic alignment to bolster Arctic presence and NATO’s northern flank in response to U.S. pressures.

• Swedish Air Force Leads Historic NATO Air Policing Mission Over Iceland In early February 2026, the Swedish Air Force deployed six JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets and over 110 personnel from Skaraborg Air Wing F7 to Keflavík Air Base in Iceland. This marks the first time Sweden has led NATO’s Icelandic Air Policing mission since joining the alliance in March 2024. The rotation, running through mid-March, provides airborne surveillance, interception capabilities, and Quick Reaction Alert duties to safeguard Icelandic airspace and support Arctic security, demonstrating Sweden’s growing role in NATO’s northern flank amid rising regional tensions.

• Saab and JSC Ukrainian Defense Industry Sign MoU on Aviation and Airborne Surveillance At the Munich Security Conference on February 13, 2026, Swedish defense company Saab and Joint Stock Company “Ukrainian Defense Industry” (JSC UDI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in aviation and airborne surveillance technologies. The agreement leverages complementary expertise to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities, with JSC UDI’s track record in weapons manufacturing and Saab’s advanced systems in surveillance and aviation. This partnership underscores ongoing Western support for Ukraine’s military-industrial base amid the ongoing conflict.

• U.S. Deploys Second Aircraft Carrier to Middle East Amid Iran Tensions President Trump has ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford—the world’s largest aircraft carrier—and its strike group to redeploy from the Caribbean to the Middle East/Persian Gulf region. It will join the USS Abraham Lincoln already on station, creating a dual-carrier presence as Trump ramps up pressure on Iran over its nuclear program and regional activities. Trump stated the move provides leverage “in case we don’t make a deal,” with the Ford expected to arrive in weeks amid ongoing indirect talks and heightened tensions.

• Team GB Secures First Gold at Milano Cortina 2026 as Matt Weston Wins Men’s Skeleton On February 13, 2026, British slider Matt Weston won gold in the men’s singles skeleton competition, delivering Team GB’s first medal—and first gold—of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. The 28-year-old world and European champion, already leading at the halfway mark after setting track records in the first two heats, posted another track record on his third run and sealed victory in the final heat. Weston, who claimed his second world title in March 2025 and third consecutive overall World Cup crown last month, was the clear favorite entering the event.

These threads are not random. They form a coherent picture of a “big club” that protects its own while the rest pays the price. The club isn’t unbeatable—boycotts bite wallets, whistleblowers crack narratives, journalism unmasks cabals, grassroots pressure can still move the needle—but it’s moving fast and catching far too many people off guard. The midterms are no longer a distant election—they’re the immediate battleground. Will enough people recognize the pattern, connect the threads, and act before the window closes?