Worldwide: Terrorism, Homeland Security & Defence

President Trump's Executive Order 14420 prohibits the acquisition and installation of foreign-produced bulk-power system electric equipment from countries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, citing national security risks from potential digital backdoors and remote sabotage capabilities. The Order grants the Secretary of Energy broad authority to restrict equipment transactions and may require removal or replacement of previously installed foreign equipment, with implementing regulations expected by

The U.S. Treasury Department has launched Operation Economic Outcast, a comprehensive economic pressure campaign targeting Iran's financial networks and trade relationships worldwide. This initiative marks a dramatic shift from recent sanctions relief efforts, introducing expanded secondary sanctions, new sectoral determinations covering digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping...

The Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital has launched a groundbreaking fund-level financing program targeting critical minerals supply chains essential to U.S. national security. Unlike traditional government loans to individual companies, this initiative provides capital directly to qualified investment fund managers who can leverage federal loans alongside private capital to address strategic mineral shortages and vulnerabilities in the defense industrial base.

The Trump administration announces unprecedented economic sanctions targeting Iran while the US expands its global sanctions reach across multiple fronts, from Cuban officials to ICC leadership. Meanwhile, international tensions rise as allies push back against American sanctions policy and countries navigate complex compliance challenges in an increasingly fragmented global economy.

Last week, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum establishing a federal program authorizing vetted private sector firms to conduct offensive cyber operations against foreign cybercriminal organizations.

The U.S. Department of Defense has ordered 30 domestic universities to conduct comprehensive audits of their collaborations with foreign entities of concern, with reports due by August 31, 2026.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is intensifying its crackdown on companies attempting to bring or market foreign-made drones in the U.S. by using fines, revocations and new rulemaking proposals to enforce its Covered List restrictions.

The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) recently published a temporary final rule and request for public comments that effectively prohibits the export of black mass and tungsten waste and scrap without prior BIS authorization. The rule takes effect August 27, 2026, and expires one year later, although BIS may extend the effective time period beyond this date.

The Trump Administration has introduced a groundbreaking framework allowing vetted U.S. cybersecurity companies to conduct government-supervised offensive cyber operations against transnational criminal organizations. This unprecedented initiative raises critical questions about liability allocation, operational oversight, and the practical implications for private-sector firms considering participation in government-directed cyber surveillance and disruption activities.