U.S. urges all countries to quit war-crimes court.
Today's events
Criminal court exit.
The State Department welcomed Venezuela's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, called the court “neither credible, independent, nor legitimate,” and urged every remaining member to quit the Rome Statute.1Jul 25 · StateThirteenth night of strikes.
Central Command struck Iranian command centers, drone storage, communications networks and coastal surveillance sites on July 23; the Strait of Hormuz stays open, with more than 50,000 U.S. troops in the region.2Jul 23 · CENTCOMFour reactors go critical.
The Energy Department said four advanced test reactors — from Antares, Valar Atomics, Deployable Energy and Aalo Atomics — reached criticality by its July 4 target, one more than the three it had promised.3Jul 25 · DOECybersecurity directive.
A National Security Presidential Memorandum signed by the President sets national policy for the cybersecurity of national security systems; it entered the official record of presidential documents July 24.4Jul 24 · WHUndersea cable rules.
The Federal Communications Commission filed an 83-page rule and an 18-page companion proposal rewriting submarine-cable landing licenses to weigh national-security, law-enforcement, foreign-policy and trade risks; both publish July 27.5Jul 24 · FCCNorth American trade talks.
Trade Representative Greer met Mexico's President Sheinbaum in Mexico City for the third round of the North American trade pact review, covering steel, autos, agriculture and payments; round four convenes in Washington in September.6Jul 24 · USTRSmithsonian signage order.
An executive order directs the Interior Department to post signs along park walkways outside the National Museum of American History warning visitors of what a White House review calls ideological capture.7Jul 24 · WHMine-hunting exercise.
Naval forces from fifteen countries plus NATO's maritime command ran mine-countermeasure drills at Portland in the United Kingdom, July 13–24, using unmanned underwater and surface vessels, divers and disposal teams.8Jul 13–24 · NavyPrisoner-abuse indictment.
A federal grand jury in Idaho indicted Miran Kostic, 66, a former Bosnian official accused of beating prisoners, for hiding that record and the war-crimes charges filed against him in Bosnia while seeking U.S. citizenship.9Jul 24 · DOJ
This week
Tariffs reach 99.4 percent of imports.
The Trade Representative imposed duties of 10 to 12.5 percent on 60 economies on July 23 for failing to ban goods made with forced labor; those 60 account for 99.4 percent of what the United States imports. Ten partners, India among them, agreed to adopt bans instead. The week's other trade actions — 50 percent on Canadian goods, 25 percent on all Brazilian goods — were narrower than this one. Reported in the July 24 brief.1Jul 23 · USTRFifty percent on Canada.
Trump imposed 50 percent tariffs on roughly $20 billion of Canadian motor vehicles, alcohol and dairy on July 20, under a 1930 trade law rather than the North American trade pact. Energy, potash and critical minerals are exempt, and the duties take effect thirty days after signing. Three proclamations printed the terms in the Federal Register on July 23. Reported in the July 21 brief.2Jul 20 · WHAn email exploit that needs only a glance.
The NSA, FBI and CISA, joined by cyber agencies from 20 allied nations, warned on July 23 that a Russian state group has exploited a flaw in Zimbra webmail since 2025. Viewing a malicious message is enough to trigger it; the exploit then takes a target's last 90 days of email. Government mail servers are the primary targets. Reported in the July 24 and July 25 briefs.5Jul 23 · CISAWho pays for AI's electricity.
The White House expanded its Ratepayer Protection Pledge on July 24 to 200 more utilities and states, bringing coverage to 80 percent of U.S. power and 263 million people. Signers commit that data-center operators, not households, fund the electricity AI demand adds. Two days earlier the administration put more than $5 billion into the Genesis Mission, its artificial-intelligence-for-science program spanning 15 federal agencies. Reported in the July 23 and July 25 briefs.7Jul 24 · WH
Allied Governments
Army spy drones.
Britain will buy Tekever AR5 surveillance drones under a deal worth up to £400 million over ten years — six initially, up to 24 by 2029 — replacing the Watchkeeper fleet in service since 2014.aJul 25 · UK MoDGulf reassurance visit.
NATO's special representative for the southern neighbourhood met Qatar's armed-forces chief of staff on July 23, condemned Iranian attacks and reviewed four Gulf partnership projects launched at this month's Ankara summit.bJul 24 · NATOA second Downing Street.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham opened No 10 North in Manchester, a second seat of government he described as “putting power in every postcode,” with his new chancellor and first secretary of state present.cJul 24 · UK No.10
Voices
“This is blatant overreach, political bias and selective enforcement. The ICC is neither credible, independent, nor legitimate.”
U.S. Dept. of State, Office of the Spokesperson · July 251
“The international waterway remains open for transit despite recent attacks from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
U.S. Central Command · July 232
“After decades of stagnation and regulatory paralysis, America's nuclear power industry is roaring back thanks to President Trump.”
U.S. Dept. of Energy fact sheet · July 253
“Individuals who commit atrocities abroad and lie to immigration authorities to seek safe haven in the United States will be investigated and prosecuted.”
AAG A. Tysen Duva, DOJ Criminal Division · July 249
“[C]urrent leadership of both the Smithsonian Institution and the Museum cannot be trusted to tell America's story with honesty and gratitude.”
Executive order, Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution · July 247
“Every evolution we conduct together strengthens the readiness and lethality of our combined force, ensuring we are prepared to defend our shared interests…”
Vice Adm. J.T. Anderson, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet · July 138
Sources
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Venezuela Withdraws from the ICC,” July 25, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/venezuela-withdraws-from-the-icc
- U.S. Central Command, “U.S. Concludes 13th Night of Strikes on Iranian Military Targets,” July 23, 2026. centcom.mil/MEDIA/…/13th-night-of-strikes
- U.S. Dept. of Energy, “FACT SHEET: The Golden Era of American Nuclear Energy Has Arrived,” July 25, 2026. energy.gov/articles/…/golden-era-american-nuclear-energy
- GovInfo — Presidential Documents, “National Security Presidential Memorandum on National Policy for the Cybersecurity of National Security Systems” (DCPD-202600402), July 24, 2026. govinfo.gov/app/details/…/DCPD-202600402
- Federal Communications Commission, “Review of Submarine Cable Landing License Rules and Procedures to Assess Evolving National Security, Law Enforcement, Foreign Policy, and Trade Policy Risks,” filed July 24, 2026 (publication July 27, 2026). federalregister.gov/…/submarine-cable-landing-license-rules
- Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, “Joint Statement from Ambassador Jamieson Greer and Mexican Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard,” July 24, 2026. ustr.gov/press-releases/…/greer-ebrard-joint-statement
- White House, “Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution,” July 24, 2026. whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/…/restoring-trust-in-the-smithsonian
- U.S. Navy, “Exercise Sea Breeze 26-2 Opens with Focus on Interoperability as a Combat Capability,” July 2026. navy.mil/Press-Office/…/exercise-sea-breeze-26-2
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, “National of Bosnia and Herzegovina Charged with Attempting to Fraudulently Obtain U.S. Citizenship by Failing to Disclose Role in Abuse of Prisoners,” July 24, 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/bosnia-herzegovina-naturalization-fraud
- UK Ministry of Defence, “Fleet of spy drones to equip British soldiers and back jobs in South West England and Wales,” July 25, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/fleet-of-spy-drones
- NATO News, “NATO Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood visits Qatar, reaffirms NATO's solidarity with Gulf partners,” July 24, 2026. nato.int/news/…/special-representative-visits-qatar
- UK Prime Minister's Office (No.10), “Prime Minister's opening remarks to staff following his arrival at No 10 North: 24 July 2026,” July 24, 2026. gov.uk/government/speeches/…/no-10-north-24-july-2026