Grid emergency, Iran strikes · Jul 27

Energy Department orders backup power in 17 states.

Today's events

Reserve generators ordered online through August 3.
The Energy Department ordered the Southwest Power Pool, the grid operator for 17 states, to dispatch reserve generating units through August 3 to head off heat-driven blackouts.¹Jul 26 · DOE
America's last announced strike on Iran was July 23.
Central Command's most recent release records a thirteenth consecutive night of strikes on Iranian command centers, drone stores and coastal surveillance sites; it says the Strait of Hormuz stayed open to commercial traffic.²Jul 23 · CENTCOM
Nuclear regulator proposes looser rules for medical licenses.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission would count foreign-trained physicians licensed in any U.S. state and replace a seven-year training-recency requirement — one of three notices it filed Monday under Trump's order to rewrite its rulebook.³Jul 27 · Fed. Reg.
United States sends a delegation to Peru's inauguration.
Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau will lead it to Keiko Fujimori's July 28 swearing-in in Lima, with Commerce and Treasury officials joining talks on security, investment and disaster preparedness.⁴Jul 26 · State
Venezuela withdraws from the international criminal court.
The State Department welcomed interim President Delcy Rodríguez's exit from the Rome Statute, called the court neither credible nor legitimate, and urged every remaining member to leave.⁵Jul 25 · State
Sanctions rule drops a legal-fee reporting requirement.
Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a final rule replacing the reporting requirement in its general licenses for offshore-funded legal-services payments with a recordkeeping requirement.⁶Jul 27 · Treasury
Navy signs a strategy for an AI-first fleet.
Acting Secretary Hung Cao approved the Department of the Navy's Strategy to Weaponize Data and Artificial Intelligence, effective immediately, built around a five-step “Bits2Effects” adaptation cycle.⁷Jul · Navy
Astronaut returns from the space station after 241 days.
NASA's Chris Williams landed near Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev aboard Soyuz MS-28, ending an eight-month mission.⁸Jul 26 · NASA
United States marks sixty years with the Maldives.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio's independence-day statement named maritime security and a stable Indian Ocean as the next priorities for the partnership.⁹Jul 25 · State

Voices

“The Trump Administration is tapping into an abundant supply of unused backup generation to maintain affordable, reliable, and secure power for hardworking American families and businesses.”
Energy Sec. Chris Wright · July 26¹

“The international waterway remains open for transit despite recent attacks from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
U.S. Central Command release · July 23²

“This is blatant overreach, political bias and selective enforcement. The ICC is neither credible, independent, nor legitimate.”
State Dept. media note on Venezuela · July 25⁵

“This strategy positions the Department of the Navy to out-learn and out-fight any adversary by rapidly deploying data and artificial intelligence.”
Acting Navy Sec. Hung Cao · July⁷

“The proposed changes would facilitate the licensing of innovative technologies while maintaining the NRC's commitment to public health and safety.”
Nuclear Regulatory Commission proposed rule · July 27³

“[W]e look forward to growing our partnership on key issues related to maritime security and preserving a stable Indian Ocean region.”
Sec. of State Marco Rubio · July 25⁹

Sources

U.S. Dept. of Energy, “Energy Secretary Secures Grid Across 17 States Amid Period of Hot Weather,” July 26, 2026. energy.gov/articles/…/secures-grid-17-states
U.S. Central Command, “U.S. Concludes 13th Night of Strikes on Iranian Military Targets,” July 23, 2026. centcom.mil/…/13th-night-of-strikes
Federal Register, “Reducing Barriers to Medical Use Licensing” (Nuclear Regulatory Commission, proposed rule), July 27, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/medical-use-licensing
U.S. Dept. of State, “Deputy Secretary Landau's Travel to Peru,” July 26, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/landau-travel-to-peru
U.S. Dept. of State, “Venezuela Withdraws from the ICC,” July 25, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/venezuela-withdraws-from-the-icc
Federal Register, “Updating Website and Contact Information, and Authorizations for Payments for Legal Services” (Office of Foreign Assets Control, final rule), July 27, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/ofac-legal-services-payments
U.S. Navy, “Acting Secretary of the Navy Signs Strategy to Weaponize Data and Artificial Intelligence,” July 2026. navy.mil/…/data-and-ai-strategy
NASA, “NASA Astronaut Chris Williams, Crewmates Return from Space Station,” July 26, 2026. nasa.gov/news-release/…/williams-crewmates-return
U.S. Dept. of State, “Maldives Independence Day,” July 25, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/maldives-independence-day