U.S. commits $150 million for Venezuela earthquakes.
Today's events
Venezuela earthquakes.
The United States mobilized $150 million in aid — $50 million in new bilateral awards plus $100 million to a UN pooled fund — and deployed search-and-rescue teams and military airlift to Venezuela after deadly earthquakes.1Jun 25 · StateGulf summit on Iran.
Secretary of State Rubio met Gulf Cooperation Council ministers in Bahrain to coordinate implementing the U.S.–Iran memorandum; Washington rejected any Iranian toll for Strait of Hormuz transit and welcomed Oman's temporary maritime corridor.2Jun 25 · StateCongo mineral sanctions.
State and Treasury sanctioned two individuals and four entities — including Gasabo Gold Refinery and three Rwandan mining firms — for smuggling conflict minerals to fund the Rwanda-backed M23, enforcing the Trump-brokered Washington Accords.3Jun 25 · StateOffshore drilling cleared.
A federal court dismissed a challenge to offshore oil and gas activity in the Gulf of America after the Endangered Species Committee's first-ever national-security exemption cleared the program from the Endangered Species Act.4Jun 25 · DOJSilicon-carbide chips.
Commerce signed a $250 million CHIPS Act award with I-Pulse to develop silicon-carbide power semiconductors for extreme environments, taking a minority equity stake in the company.5Jun 25 · CommerceBank stress test.
The Federal Reserve's annual stress test found all 32 large banks would stay above minimum capital while absorbing more than $708 billion in losses in a severe-recession scenario.6Jun 24 · FedHuione Group.
Treasury's FinCEN proposed widening its money-laundering action against Huione Group — named a primary money-laundering concern — to cover affiliate H-Pay Service and any successor entities.7Jun 25 · TreasuryChina chemical duties.
Commerce issued an antidumping duty order on methylene diphenyl diisocyanate from China, a chemical used in foams and coatings, after finding it sold below fair value and injured U.S. producers.8Jun 25 · CommerceUzbekistan trade.
The U.S. and Uzbekistan announced an "early harvest" of trade commitments — Tashkent will cut tariffs on U.S. industrial and farm goods — and agreed to accelerate a reciprocal trade and investment agreement.9Jun 25 · USTR
Voices
“I know of no country on the planet that supports tolling or a fee for the use of the straits.”
Sec. of State Marco Rubio, Kuwait City · Jun 242
“M23 and its backers exploit the DRC's vast mineral resources — wealth that rightfully belongs to the Congolese people — to fund weapons, pay fighters, and sustain a destabilizing insurgency.”
State Dept. Spokesperson Tommy Pigott · Jun 253
“The Endangered Species Committee's exemption reflects a judgment at the highest levels of government that producing American energy in the Gulf of America is essential to our national security.”
Principal Deputy AAG Adam Gustafson, DOJ Environment Division · Jun 254
“With today's announced investment, the Trump Administration is strengthening America's capabilities and enhancing its national and energy security goals.”
Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick · Jun 255
“Despite absorbing more than $708 billion in total loan losses under this year's hypothetical scenario, capital declined only 1.6 percentage points in aggregate, staying above minimum capital requirements.”
Federal Reserve Board, 2026 stress-test results · Jun 246
“I-Pulse's high-power, high-frequency switches and packaging are engineered to withstand harsh shocks and temperatures, empowering critical industries to push past previous technical limits.”
Bill Frauenhofer, Commerce Semiconductor Investment & Innovation · Jun 255
Allied Governments
UK–Ukraine energy.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced nearly £290 million for Ukraine's recovery at the Gdańsk conference, including a £210 million deal for Urenco to supply nuclear fuel to Energoatom.aJun 25 · UK FCDOFive-power defense.
France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK pledged in Berlin to accelerate joint European procurement of deep-precision-strike weapons and to back Ukraine, welcoming the U.S.–Iran memorandum ahead of the Ankara NATO summit.bJun 24 · UK No.10NATO burden-sharing.
NATO Secretary General Rutte told President Trump in Washington that Europe and Canada are on track to equalize defense spending with the U.S., citing over $1 trillion in extra outlays since 2016.cJun 25 · NATO
Sources
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Trump Administration Mobilizes Robust Response to Tragic Venezuelan Earthquakes,” June 25, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/venezuela-earthquake-response
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Secretary Rubio and Bahraini Foreign Minister Al Zayani at a Meeting With the Gulf Cooperation Council Member States,” June 25, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/rubio-gcc-bahrain
- U.S. Dept. of State, “United States Sanctions Networks Fueling Conflict and Mineral Theft in Eastern DRC,” June 25, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/drc-conflict-mineral-sanctions
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, “Court Clears Way for Energy Development in Gulf of America,” June 25, 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/gulf-of-america-energy
- U.S. Dept. of Commerce / NIST, “Department of Commerce Announces Definitive Agreement with I-Pulse for a $250 Million CHIPS R&D Award,” June 25, 2026. nist.gov/news-events/…/i-pulse-chips-award
- Federal Reserve, “Annual Bank Stress Test Confirms Large Banks Well Positioned to Weather a Severe Recession,” June 24, 2026. federalreserve.gov/…/2026-stress-test
- U.S. Dept. of the Treasury / FinCEN, “Definition of Huione Group, a Financial Institution of Primary Money Laundering Concern” (NPRM), June 25, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/huione-group-fincen
- U.S. Dept. of Commerce, “Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate From the People's Republic of China: Antidumping Duty Order,” June 25, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/mdi-china-antidumping
- USTR, “The United States and Uzbekistan Announce Early Harvest on Trade,” June 25, 2026. ustr.gov/…/uzbekistan-early-harvest
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO), “Foreign Secretary Announces Nearly £290 Million to Strengthen Ukraine's Recovery and Energy Security,” June 25, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/ukraine-recovery-energy
- UK Prime Minister's Office (No.10), “E5 Leaders' Statement: 24 June 2026,” June 24, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/e5-leaders-statement
- NATO News, “Secretary General Meets President Trump in Washington: ‘Europe is Stepping Up,’” June 25, 2026. nato.int/…/sg-meets-trump-washington