September, 18 2018, 12:00am EDT
Trump Administration Launches More Attacks on Public Health with Methane Rule Rollback
Bureau of Land Management follows pro-polluter EPA with its own rescission of Obama-era protections
WASHINGTON
Today the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) largely rescinded its Waste Prevention Rule. The 2016 rule requires the oil and gas industry to use cost-effective technologies and practices to reduce venting and flaring, as well as find and fix leaks from oil and gas infrastructure on public and tribal lands. The announcement comes on the heels of EPA's proposal to repeal key parts of its Methane Pollution Standard.
The following is a statement from Robin Cooley, Staff Attorney, Earthjustice:
"Repealing a common-sense rule that saves taxpayers money and protects our health from pollution is irrational. The Trump administration is once again taking its marching orders from the oil and gas industry while ignoring taxpayers and people who are living every day with the devastating impacts of drilling in their backyards."
Since taking office, the Trump administration has attempted to roll back health, safety and environmental regulations to advance corporate and polluter interests. In response, Earthjustice has filed more than 100 lawsuits to defend the protections that make our environment healthier and our communities safer. The federal courts have been handing Trump one loss after another, ruling that the administration cannot illegally stop or delay the implementation of existing environmental laws.
Earthjustice has represented several conservation and tribal citizen groups in successful lawsuits to block the Trump administration's prior attempts to illegally suspend the Waste Prevention Rule.
Earthjustice is a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment. We bring about far-reaching change by enforcing and strengthening environmental laws on behalf of hundreds of organizations, coalitions and communities.
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US Women's Olympic Hockey Champs Decline Trump SOTU Invite
"Another win for the US women’s hockey team," said California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Feb 23, 2026
The gold medal-winning US women's Olympic hockey team has declined an invitation from President Donald Trump to attend the State of the Union address in Washington, DC on Tuesday.
In a statement given to NBC News, a spokesperson for USA Hockey said that while the team was "sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal-winning US Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement," its members could not attend "due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments."
The team's decision to decline an invitation to the State of the Union came one day after Trump was heard telling the US men's hockey team, which also won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, that he would be forced to invite the women's team to the White House or risk being impeached.
"I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that?" Trump told the players on Sunday.
This resulted in the men's team breaking out in laughter.
The women's team's decision to not attend Trump's speech drew quick praise from Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is widely expected to seek the presidency in 2028.
"Another win for the US women’s hockey team," he wrote in a social media post.
Activist Charlotte Clymer argued that Trump's ridicule of the women's team showed just how little his attacks on transgender women athletes had anything to do with a sincere appreciation for or desire to "protect" women's sports.
"Weird how Trump has spent the past several years falsely claiming trans youth are an existential threat to women’s sports," she remarked, "and then mocks the US women’s hockey team after they won gold because he thinks it’ll play well with the guys during a locker room celebration."
She also urged the men's hockey team to decline Trump's invitation in solidarity with their fellow gold medal-winners.
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In Fox News Op-Ed, Warren Blasts Trump for Breaking Promise on Credit Card Rates
"While Trump claims he wants a credit card interest rate cap, his own regulators are helping out those very same Wall Street banks that are ripping off Americans."
Feb 23, 2026
Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Monday slammed President Donald Trump for breaking his promise to cap credit card interest rates.
In an op-ed published by Fox News, Warren noted that Trump last month gave the major US credit card companies a deadline of January 20 to set their interest rates at a maximum of 10% over the next year, or face some form of consequences.
However, that deadline has long since passed and Trump still hasn't done anything to punish the credit card firms for keeping their interest rates high.
What's more, Warren wrote, Trump and his administration have continued gutting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which could be used to launch an investigation into credit card billing practices.
"While Trump claims he wants a credit card interest rate cap," Warren argued, "his own regulators are helping out those very same Wall Street banks that are ripping off Americans and blocking states from protecting their citizens from sky-high loans."
The Massachusetts senator also slammed major financial institutions for claiming that capping credit card interest rates would lead to economic disaster.
"Give me a break," she said. "These are the most profitable financial institutions in the history of the world. There is no reason for them to demand 25% or 30% interest rates when smaller banks and credit unions are offering much lower credit card interest rates and are still making solid profits."
Warren revealed that she had a conversation recently with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in which she made a case that it would be politically beneficial to pursue legislation on the issue, but so far the senator has not heard back about any follow-up plans.
"After six weeks, there’s no deal to help the American people," explained Warren. "We don’t need more speeches. We need an agreement on legislation and a commitment from the president to actually fight for it."
Trump's inaction on credit card interest rates came under fire last month from Mike Pierce, executive director of advocacy organization Protect Borrowers, who said that the president would need to lean harder on his congressional allies to make his promises a reality.
"Banks are charging the highest rates ever recorded—raking in windfall profits because both American life and Americans’ debts are more expensive," Pierce said. "If the president is serious about helping families, he needs his Republican allies in Congress to make this a top priority and stand up to the executives and lobbyists trying to protect banks’ bottom lines."
Matthew Stoller, senior researcher at the American Economic Liberties Project, was not surprised that Trump failed to live up to his credit card interest rate pledge.
"Shocker," he wrote in a social media post. "Trump was lying about his 10% credit card interest rate cap."
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Arrest of Ex-UK Ambassador Peter Mandelson Over Epstein Ties Sparks Renewed Calls for Justice in the US
"In the UK, they are prosecuting the Epstein class..." said Rep. Ro Khanna. "We need accountability in the United States."
Feb 23, 2026
After a second prominent associate of Jeffrey Epstein was arrested in the UK, calls are growing louder for those in the US who may have been complicit in his crimes to face similar accountability.
Peter Mandelson, the former British ambassador to the US, was arrested by police on Monday on "suspicion of misconduct in public office.” The arrest is reportedly in connection with an investigation opened into the former minister earlier this month.
Mandelson was dismissed from his ambassadorship by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in September after leaked emails showed that he'd maintained a close friendship with Epstein long after the financier had been convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008.
A criminal probe was opened last month after the US Department of Justice (DOJ) released more files, suggesting that in 2009, Mandelson—then a member of the UK government—had passed Epstein sensitive internal economic information that could have affected international markets.
Bank statements also show Mandelson accepting $75,000 from Epstein over several years for an unknown purpose.
He is the second powerful figure in British society to be arrested amid scrutiny of his relationship with Epstein this month. Last week, former Prince Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in office, after emails showed him forwarding trade reports to Epstein, which were produced during his role as an official UK envoy.
Epstein had been charged with the sex trafficking of dozens of underage girls before his death in jail in 2019, and connections with the financier have led prominent individuals across Europe to be shamed out of office or out of influential corporate positions.
Neither Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor nor Mandelson has been criminally charged with any sexual misconduct related to the billionaire. However, at least two women have publicly accused Mountbatten-Windsor of having sex with them while underage after procuring them through Epstein.
In 2022, Mountbatten-Windsor settled a civil suit for about £12 million with Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that the former prince had sex with her when she was 17.
The arrest of yet another British government official for inappropriate dealings with Epstein has only heightened the contrast with the unaccountability of American elites, who have thus far emerged from the Epstein scandal unscathed despite damning connections.
"Peter Mandelson, the former British Ambassador to the US, was arrested today on suspicion of misconduct in public office. This is after files revealed Jeffrey Epstein sent $75,000 to accounts connected to him," wrote the official social media account for the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, which oversees the release of the files. "As we have said before: No one is above the law. We will make sure accountability and justice come to everyone in Epstein's world."
Files released by the DOJ in January, in compliance with a law passed last year, showed that at least one woman had accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in the 1980s after being introduced to him by Epstein, and that the FBI considered her to be credible, speaking to her on at least four occasions. It is not known what happened as a result of the investigation, and the DOJ slideshow referencing her allegation has since been scrubbed from the department's website.
Meanwhile, at least six other members of the current Trump administration have documented ties to Epstein revealed by the files.
Most notably, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was revealed to have lied when he claimed to have cut off connections to the billionaire in the early 2000s. In fact, Lutnick maintained a relationship with Epstein for nearly a decade after the billionaire registered as a sex offender and even visited his infamous Caribbean island with his family.
Many other figures in the upper echelon of American society also maintained close relationships with Epstein despite his criminal conviction, including former President Bill Clinton, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.
Following news of Mandelson's arrest, US Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.)—who has led the charge for the release of the files in full to the American public, along with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.)—said he wanted to see similar investigations and charges against Epstein's American associates.
"In UK, they are prosecuting the Epstein class [Massie] and I have exposed," Khanna wrote on social media. "We need accountability in the United States."
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