United States forces strike Iran after two soldiers are killed in Jordan
United States forces began striking Iranian targets at 6 p.m. Eastern, American officials told The Hill. United States Central Command (Centcom) said the strikes hit coastal surveillance and air defense sites, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage. It was the eighth straight day of kinetic action in the Centcom theater. Two American soldiers were killed when Iran struck two bases in Jordan. The strikes answer that attack and are meant to degrade Iran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
A 25 percent tariff on Brazil, with an exemption list the document does not print
A July 15 memorandum directs the United States Trade Representative to impose a 25 percent tariff on Brazilian goods and to rewrite the tariff schedule. It sets no effective date of its own. Four categories are exempt, including goods America cannot grow in sufficient quantity, but the list sits in an annex the published text does not reproduce.
Foreign students lose open ended admission and get a departure date
Foreign students were admitted for the duration of their studies, with no end date. Homeland Security has given them a fixed departure date instead, plus a procedure to file for an extension if they need longer. The rule is a major one, so congressional review could still move its September 15 start.
Grand Staircase-Escalante drops to about 181,541 acres
Trump cut Grand Staircase-Escalante to about 181,541 acres, down from the 1.87 million Biden set in 2021. The proclamation says the sedimentary rock layers and multihued cliffs are common across the Four Corners, and it names uranium, copper and other critical minerals in the wider region. It leans on 800,000 acres of Wilderness Study Areas to argue the land stays protected.
Lindsey Graham has died, and the contest for his seat is under way
Graham died on July 11 at 71, National Public Radio reported. The president ordered flags to half-staff through July 18. South Carolina Republicans begin picking a successor on August 11, with a runoff August 25 if needed. An Emerson College poll through July 15 put no candidate above 17 percent, behind undecided. Trump asked Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to run on July 17. Ralph Norman announced the next day.
- Trump exempted chemical plants listed in an unreleased annex from 2024 Clean Air Act deadlines for two years. The White House →