A partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) went into effect Friday, February 14, 2026, as lawmakers remained deadlocked over immigration enforcement, according to ABC News. The shutdown, the third funding lapse since October, came as members of Congress were either on recess or attending the Munich Security Conference. Simultaneously, Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the conference, signaling the Trump administration's desire to strengthen ties with Europe, despite existing tensions.
The DHS shutdown was triggered when funding ran out at the end of the day Friday, as reported by ABC News. Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought had already instructed DHS to begin implementing shutdown plans. Trump himself indicated he would be involved in the DHS funding negotiations, according to ABC News.
At the Munich Security Conference, Secretary Rubio delivered a foreign policy speech, emphasizing the need to revitalize the transatlantic alliance, as reported by BBC World. He stated, "We do not seek to separate, but to revitalise an old friendship and renew the greatest civilisation in human history." While he criticized European policies on immigration, trade, and climate, his tone was notably different from that of Vice-President JD Vance's speech at the same event the previous year, according to BBC World.
The conference also saw discussions on the evolving relationship between the U.S. and Europe. The New York Times reported that European officials were "de-risking" from the U.S. due to unpredictability. Four years prior, American officials had presented evidence of impending Russian aggression in Ukraine, which European officials initially dismissed. This year, the roles were reversed, with American officials focusing on negotiating to stop the killing, according to the NY Times.
The conference also provided a platform for discussions on international affairs. Michael Allen, a former Bush-era national security official, discussed clashing viewpoints on international affairs at the conference, according to Fox News.
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