NATO allies announce $3 billion in arms deals.
Today's events
NATO arms deals.
At NATO’s Ankara summit, allies announced $3 billion in arms deals with U.S. firms — a European Patriot-missile plant, surveillance drones for ten nations, joint missile production — as allied defense spending topped 2025 by $120 billion.1Jul 8 · WHAircraft imports.
Trump signed a national-security trade order directing Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate deals on imported commercial aircraft, jet engines, and parts — with tariffs to follow within 180 days if no agreement lands.2Jul 9 · WHRecord oil output.
The U.S. remained the world’s largest crude producer in 2025 at a record 13.6 million barrels a day — about 40% above Russia and Saudi Arabia — led by the Permian Basin’s 6.6 million; output is forecast near 14.2 million by 2027.3Jul 9 · EIANuclear energy pact.
The U.S., Japan, and South Korea signed a civil-nuclear memorandum to speed small modular reactors into other countries and steer them toward U.S. energy imports; the three also backed Taiwan Strait stability and pressed North Korea’s denuclearization.4Jul 7 · StateVenezuela quake aid.
Two weeks after the June 24 earthquakes, the U.S. said its Venezuela relief now tops $386 million and opened a weekly Miami-to-Venezuela humanitarian air bridge with Amazon and the aid group Airlink; a Navy ship supports distribution offshore.5Jul 8 · StateSyria terror delisting.
Trump notified Congress of his intent to lift Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism after a 45-day period, clearing the way to end sanctions and reopen trade — following his June 2025 relief order and counterterrorism assurances from Damascus.6Jul 8 · StateFentanyl precursors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration proposed controlling phenethyl halides — chemicals used to make fentanyl — as regulated substances, covering every transaction regardless of size; public comment runs through August 10.7Jul 9 · DEAFed policy review.
The Federal Reserve appointed outside advisers to five task forces reviewing how it conducts monetary policy — one, co-led by venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, assessing artificial intelligence’s economic impact.8Jul 9 · FedRansomware insider.
A former ransomware negotiator, Angelo Martino, was sentenced to 70 months for feeding clients’ confidential bargaining positions to the BlackCat gang and helping deploy its ransomware against U.S. victims; investigators seized about $10 million.9Jul 9 · DOJ
This week
China missile test.
The State Department said it tracked China’s launch of an unarmed intercontinental-range ballistic missile from a submarine into the southern Pacific, and urged Beijing to open arms-control talks and notify launches as other nuclear powers do. The test came four days after Secretary Rubio’s call with Wang Yi pressing for “strategic stability,” and it led the July 7 daily.2Jul 6 · StateReactor-export pact.
The U.S., Japan, and South Korea signed a memorandum in Ankara to speed small-modular-reactor deployments in other countries, with Washington adding more than $10 million to a reactor-training program focused on the Indo-Pacific. In a parallel statement, the three foreign ministers backed Taiwan Strait stability and opposed “economic coercion and the weaponization of supply chains for political ends.”7Jul 7 · State
Allied Governments
European strike fund.
Britain led twelve European nations — France, Germany, Türkiye and others — in pledging $50 billion over ten years for long-range precision-strike weapons, part of a drive for a stronger, more European NATO amid U.S. force adjustments.aJul 8 · UK No.10UK–Türkiye pact.
The United Kingdom and Türkiye signed a Security and Defence Partnership at the Ankara summit, institutionalizing cooperation on deterrence, defense industry, cyber and hybrid threats, counter-terrorism, and space between the two European NATO allies.bJul 8 · UK No.10Russia’s Ukraine strikes.
At the U.N. Security Council, Britain said Russia fired 351 drones and 68 missiles at Ukraine over one weekend, mostly at Kyiv, killing at least 26 civilians — its fifth mass strike of 70-plus missiles since May 23.cJul 9 · UK FCDO
Voices
“U.S. crude oil production powered by shale development has turned the United States into not just the world’s largest producer, but the largest producer of crude oil ever.”
U.S. Energy Information Administration · Jul 93
“The U.S. economy has changed significantly over the last generation, and never more so than right now.”
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh · Jul 98
“Lifting sanctions on Syria will unlock international trade and investment, give Syria a chance to rebuild, and open up a new chapter for the Syrian people.”
Sec. of State Marco Rubio · Jul 86
“Instead, Martino betrayed them, fed their confidential negotiating positions to ransomware criminals, and helped squeeze them for more money.”
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones, S.D. Fla. · Jul 99
“[Aircraft, jet engines, and parts] are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States.”
Presidential Proclamation on Aircraft Imports · Jul 92
“Phenethyl halides are important to the illicit manufacture of fentanyl, as well as fentanyl analogues and fentanyl-related substances.”
Drug Enforcement Administration, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking · Jul 97
Sources
- White House, “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures Historic Defense Investment from NATO Allies, Powering American Industry,” July 2026. whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/…/nato-defense-investment
- White House, “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Adjusts Imports of Commercial Aircraft, Jet Engines, and Aircraft and Engine Parts,” July 2026. whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/…/aircraft-imports-section-232
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, “The United States produced more crude oil than any other country in 2025,” July 9, 2026. eia.gov/todayinenergy/…/us-crude-oil-record-2025
- U.S. Dept. of State, “United States-Japan-Republic of Korea (ROK) Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting,” July 8, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/us-japan-rok-trilateral
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Update on the Trump Administration’s Continued Delivery of Life-Saving U.S. Assistance to Venezuela,” July 8, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/venezuela-assistance-update
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Initiating Rescission Process of Syria’s Designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism,” July 8, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/syria-sst-rescission
- Drug Enforcement Administration, “Designation of Phenethyl Halides as List I Chemicals” (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking), July 9, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/phenethyl-halides-list-i
- Federal Reserve, “Federal Reserve announces the leadership and objectives of its task forces to advance the conduct of monetary policy,” July 9, 2026. federalreserve.gov/…/monetary-policy-task-forces
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, “Florida Ransomware Negotiator Who Extorted and Attacked Multiple U.S. Victims Sentenced to Prison,” July 9, 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/ransomware-negotiator-sentenced
- UK Prime Minister’s Office, “$50bn boost for European deep precision strike capabilities as UK leads new initiative,” July 8, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/deep-precision-strike
- UK Prime Minister’s Office, “Joint Statement Regarding the Security and Defence Partnership Between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Türkiye,” July 8, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/uk-turkiye-defence-partnership
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO), “Behind every missile and drone is a conscious decision by Russia…: UK statement at the UN Security Council,” July 2026. gov.uk/government/speeches/…/uk-unsc-ukraine-statement