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🪖 Space Force Awards ISR Satellite Contracts to Two Firms

The U.S. Space Force has selected Northrop Grumman and True Anomaly to build new space-to-space intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellites, with delivery targeted by 2028.

The contracts were announced by the Pentagon as part of its Space Domain Awareness program. The award comes after U.S. officials acknowledged that the United States already has weapons deployed in orbit.

The move signals a significant expansion of American military capability in space, focused on monitoring and tracking other objects and threats in orbit rather than targets on the ground.

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🪖 U.S. Troop Withdrawal From Iraq Complete

The Pentagon has confirmed that the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq is complete, ending more than two decades of American military presence in the country.

The drawdown concludes a mission that began with the 2003 invasion and continued through the global war on terror and the campaign against the Islamic State group.

The withdrawal marks a significant shift in U.S. military posture in the Middle East, closing a chapter that defined American foreign policy and defense strategy for over 20 years.

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🇷🇺 Russia Warns NATO: Nuclear Strikes if Kaliningrad Is Blockaded

Russia has formally warned NATO it would be prepared to use nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempted to cut off Kaliningrad, its Baltic Sea exclave bordering Lithuania and Poland.

In a document sent to NATO and seen by Reuters, Moscow accused the alliance of pursuing a "dangerous and reckless course" carrying "high risks of the outbreak of a direct armed conflict." The document warned of possible "Russian strikes against decision-making centres in the alliance's member states."

Kaliningrad, a Russian territory separated from mainland Russia, has been a flashpoint amid broader tensions over NATO's eastern flank since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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🗳 Outside Groups Pour $50M Into Senate Control Races

Outside spending groups have funneled approximately $50 million into a handful of competitive Senate races that could determine which party controls the chamber after next year's elections.

New Hampshire's Senate contest is among the key battleground races drawing the bulk of that outside money, as both parties target seats they view as essential to flipping or holding the Senate majority.

Heavy outside spending in competitive Senate races has become a defining feature of modern U.S. elections, with independent groups often matching or exceeding candidate fundraising in the final stretch.

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🪖 Pentagon Task Force Launches $7B Counter-Drone Contract Push

The U.S. Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) has announced enterprise contracts with a combined ceiling of nearly $7 billion for counter-drone technologies, covering sensors, non-kinetic disabling systems, and kinetic weapons.

Officials said no single solution can defeat the drone threat. "I'll tell you there isn't one answer to the drone threat — so we didn't build around one solution," said Brent Ingraham, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisitions. The contracts span multiple companies and give federal, state, and military agencies access to a broader mix of capabilities tailored to specific environments.

Urgency has been driven by drone-related casualties — hostile drones killed six U.S. service members in Kuwait in March and three soldiers in Jordan in 2024 — and by lessons from the war in Ukraine. Australia recently became the first ally to procure technology through JIATF-401's drone marketplace.

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💻 Trump and Tech CEOs Launch America.gov

President Trump and Vice President Vance unveiled America.gov, a new website designed to consolidate government information and make it easier for Americans to navigate across federal agency sites.

The launch was joined by leaders from major technology companies. No further details on the site's features or participating tech executives were provided in the source.

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⚖️ Jack Smith Defends Trump Cases, Vows Not To Be Silenced

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith will tell the Senate Judiciary Committee that evidence tied to Donald Trump's own actions — not political motivation — drove his decision to bring charges against the former president.

In prepared opening remarks obtained by The Hill, Smith says he will not be "silenced" by threats, pushing back against criticism of his prosecutorial record. The statement is set to be delivered Tuesday, marking Smith's second appearance before Congress regarding his investigations.

Smith's testimony comes as scrutiny of the special counsel probes continues on Capitol Hill.

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