Hormuz standoff, Canada tariffs · July 22

U.S. rejects Iran's control over Hormuz shipping lanes.

Today's events

Strait of Hormuz.
Rubio told Southeast Asian ministers in Manila that Iran has reached out for talks but has not kept its commitments, and holds no legal right to control transit through the waterway.¹Jul 22 · State
Canada tariffs.
Three proclamations impose 50% duties on Canadian cars, alcohol, and dairy regardless of the North American trade pact, effective 30 days after signing; energy, potash, and critical minerals are exempt.²Jul 20 · WH
Second Thomas Shoal.
State condemned China's actions against Philippine navy personnel at the South China Sea shoal and restated that the 2016 arbitration ruling voiding Beijing's maritime claims binds both countries.³Jul 20 · State
Jordan trade pact.
The two governments signed a reciprocal-trade agreement barring Jordanian quotas on U.S. goods and curbing its import licensing; the published text sets no purchase totals, and none were disclosed.⁴Jul 21 · WH
Plywood duties.
Commerce issued final subsidy and dumping determinations on Chinese hardwood plywood, with a critical-circumstances finding that reaches imports made before the ruling; a parallel dumping finding covers Vietnamese plywood.⁵Jul 21 · Commerce
Nicaragua ends voting.
After Daniel Ortega declared his family's government will never again hold an election, State asked other countries to stop treating Managua as a normal partner.⁶Jul 21 · State
Rent-setting algorithms.
The Antitrust Division filed a proposed consent decree with landlord Willow Bridge — the fifth settlement in its case over rents set from shared competitor data and RealPage pricing software.⁷Jul 21 · DOJ
Harvard's China money.
The Civil Rights Division opened a review of whether China-funded student aid at Harvard excludes American citizens; the university has disclosed nearly $4.5 billion in foreign funding, over $630 million of it Chinese.⁸Jul 20 · DOJ
Research overhaul.
The White House science office published Science: A New Golden Age, the first full rethink of the U.S. research system in more than 80 years, paired with a budget memo telling agencies to back individual scientists over legacy institutions.⁹Jul 22 · WH

Allied Governments

Sixth-generation fighter.
Britain, Italy, and Japan admitted Canada to the Global Combat Air Programme as its first observer nation, alongside £8.6 billion of UK investment over four years.^aJul 21 · UK MoD
New British foreign secretary.
Ed Miliband, appointed July 20, set his priorities: deepen the strategic alliance with the European Union, sustain the alliance with the United States, and keep backing Ukraine.^bJul 21 · UK FCDO
Red Sea blockade threat.
The Foreign Office condemned Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia, including plans to impose a maritime blockade, calling them a danger to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.^cJul 21 · UK FCDO

Voices

“Iran demands the right, which they do not have under any existing legal mechanism, to control the transit of traffic through the Straits of Hormuz.”
Sec. of State Marco Rubio, Manila · Jul 22¹

“Canada has taken U.S. alcohol products off Canadian shelves, given better market access to dairy products from the European Union, and has put a cap on U.S. vehicle exports…”
U.S. Trade Representative Greer · Jul 20²

“We reaffirm the July 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, which found that China's expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea have no basis in international law.”
State Dept. Spokesperson Tommy Pigott · Jul 20³

“Jordan shall not impose quotas on imports of originating goods of the United States except as the Parties otherwise agree.”
U.S.–Jordan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, Art. 1.2 · Jul 21⁴

“Schools cannot take federal dollars and then turn around and accept money from foreign sources to give financial aid that deliberately excludes American citizens…”
AAG Harmeet K. Dhillon, DOJ Civil Rights · Jul 20⁸

“After World War II, we adapted to a new world by reinventing our scientific institutions, and we must do so again today.”
OSTP Director Michael Kratsios · Jul 22⁹

Sources

U.S. Dept. of State, “Secretary of State Marco Rubio At the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with the United States,” July 22, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/rubio-asean-post-ministerial
White House, “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Imposes Additional Tariffs on Canada,” July 20, 2026. whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/…/additional-tariffs-canada
U.S. Dept. of State, “China's Actions Against Philippine Navy Personnel at Second Thomas Shoal,” July 20, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/second-thomas-shoal
White House, “Agreement Between the United States of America and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on Reciprocal Trade,” July 21, 2026. whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/…/us-jordan-reciprocal-trade
U.S. Dept. of Commerce, “Hardwood and Decorative Plywood From the People's Republic of China: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination and Final Affirmative Critical Circumstances Determination,” July 21, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/plywood-china-cvd-final
U.S. Dept. of State, “A Call to Action: Addressing the Murillo-Ortega Dictatorship's Vow to Abolish Elections,” July 21, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/nicaragua-abolish-elections
U.S. Dept. of Justice, “Justice Department Reaches Proposed Settlement with Willow Bridge, One of America's Largest Landlords, to Resolve Information Sharing and Algorithmic Coordination Claims,” July 21, 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/willow-bridge-settlement
U.S. Dept. of Justice, “Justice Department Launches Investigation to Determine Whether Harvard's China-Based Financial Aid Programs Discriminate Against American Students,” July 20, 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/harvard-china-financial-aid
White House, “OSTP Director Releases Landmark Report and Recommendations for Renewing American Scientific Discovery,” July 22, 2026. whitehouse.gov/releases/…/science-a-new-golden-age

UK Ministry of Defence, “Canada Joins Next-Generation Fighter Jet Programme as First Observer Nation,” July 21, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/canada-gcap-observer
UK Foreign Office (FCDO), “Statement from Ed Miliband on His Appointment as Foreign Secretary,” July 21, 2026. gov.uk/government/speeches/…/miliband-foreign-secretary
UK Foreign Office (FCDO), “FCDO Statement on Houthi Threats Against Saudi Arabia,” July 21, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/houthi-threats-saudi-arabia