July 31, 2026

Good morning! Today is Friday, July 31st 2026, and this is The American Conservative's Morning Brief. A little-noticed provision in the 2027 NDAA, Section 219, would create a Pentagon executive agent to synchronize U.S.-Israel defense cooperation across AI, quantum, biotech, and cyber—prompting Rep. Thomas Massie and a handful of Republicans to break ranks and call it a betrayal of American sovereignty. Harrison Berger reports that while Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz insist the measure merely formalizes existing ties, Prime Minister Netanyahu himself has described it as a shift from aid to partnership, and Democratic leaders Schumer and Jeffries have stayed conspicuously silent. W. James Antle III argues that Anthony Fauci derailed Trump's first term and Lindsey Graham may yet derail his second, as the Iran War grinds into its 153rd day with depleted munitions and Hormuz blockades fueling inflation. and now for the details. We begin this morning with a provision buried in the National Defense Authorization Act that critics say could bind America's military future to a foreign power. Two weeks ago, the House passed its version of the 2027 NDAA. Tucked inside is Section 219, which would create a single executive agent inside the Pentagon tasked with synchronizing U.S.-Israel defense cooperation across research, development, acquisition, manufacturing, and joint exercises. The Senate's parallel bill contains a similar measure, Section 1217. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky, joined by six other Republicans, broke with his party to vote no, calling the provision a betrayal of American sovereignty. Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio has also come out against defense industrial integration, saying he doesn't think we should integrate our military with anybody. Defenders, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Senator Ted Cruz, argue the section merely formalizes existing cooperation. But as Harrison Berger reports for The American Conservative, the plain text of the provision reaches far beyond programs like Iron Dome. It covers artificial intelligence, quantum technology, biotechnology, cyber, and directed energy, and it leaves the door open for cooperation with essentially any Pentagon entity. Berger notes that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself, in a recent Fox News interview, described the arrangement as moving from aid to partnership, and has floated a joint sixteen billion dollar research and development fund. Democratic leadership, Berger writes, has been conspicuously silent, with neither Chuck Schumer nor Hakeem Jeffries responding to requests for comment. Berger's conclusion: by writing this cooperation into statute, Section 219 would make any future unwinding of the relationship far more difficult, no matter who occupies the White House. In an analysis piece, W. James Antle III draws a striking parallel between two figures who shaped the two Trump presidencies. Antle observes that Anthony Fauci pleaded the Fifth this week at nearly the same time memorial services were concluding for the late Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. His argument is that Fauci's counsel derailed Trump's first term, and Graham's counsel may yet derail the second. In both cases, Antle writes, Trump's first instinct was to defer to the experts, elevating Fauci during the pandemic and trusting Graham's hawkish judgment on Iran. In both cases, the president was assured the crisis would be short. Instead, Antle reports, the Iran War is now in its 153rd day, marked by fruitless negotiations, depleted munitions, and economically ruinous blockades of the Strait of Hormuz that have fueled inflation. Antle cites a new Wall Street Journal documentary in which Graham reportedly told associates after the initial strikes on Iran, quote, look what we've done here, I almost cried. How long have we been pushing this? Some of Graham's aims, according to the reporting, went too far even for Prime Minister Netanyahu. Antle's verdict is that both situations pulled Trump away from what he does best and toward reassuring a nation in crisis, and neither project has redounded to the president's benefit. Those are today's highlights. For the full stories and more, visit theamericanconservative.com. Thank you for starting your morning with us.