Trump Smashes Climate Rules, Fuels Tech Race

The Trump administration took significant steps to dismantle climate change regulations, including repealing a key finding that supported restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions, according to multiple reports. This action, announced on February 12, 2026, by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), undermines existing rules and could have far-reaching consequences for efforts to curb carbon emissions, as reported by The Verge.

The EPA's move involved rolling back the 2009 endangerment finding, a crucial ruling that considered climate change a threat to Americans' health, as detailed by Vox. This decision, made in conjunction with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, effectively weakened the federal government's ability to combat climate change, according to Vox. The administration's actions were met with criticism, with experts suggesting the move could exacerbate climate change impacts globally, given the US's significant contribution to carbon pollution, as noted by The Verge.

The rollback of the endangerment finding is expected to face legal challenges. Umair Irfan of Vox noted that lawsuits are anticipated in response to the administration's actions. The decision is part of a broader pattern of the Trump administration's approach to climate change, which has been described as siding with climate change itself, according to Vox.

In other news, a judge blocked the Department of Defense from removing Senator Mark Kelly's military benefits, and the House passed the SAVE America Act, an election reform bill, according to Time. Switzerland is also preparing for a summer referendum on a proposal to cap its population at 10 million due to immigration concerns, Time reported.