News

Only One in Three Americans Back Iran War as Voters Demand Clearer Trump Goals

Common Defense / August 1, 2026

Only one in three Americans say they support the war in Iran, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, marking the weakest level of backing for the conflict since its opening days five months ago.

The survey also found that most respondents believe President Donald Trump has not clearly explained what the United States is trying to accomplish, a warning sign for the White House as the war drags on and voters grow more restless.

The poll, conducted from Friday through Sunday, showed Trump’s overall approval rating rising to 37%, up three points from last month, when his rating had tied the lowest point of his presidency.

That small bump is good news for Trump, but the Iran numbers are much rougher, especially with gasoline prices rising and Americans once again watching Washington spend its time on foreign battlefields while kitchen table costs bite at home.

Trump has described several goals for the conflict, including helping Iranians remove their rulers, destroying Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and stopping Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Still, Reuters found that 69% of Americans, including four in 10 Republicans, believe Trump has not “clearly explained the goals of U.S. military involvement in Iran.”

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales pushed back on the idea that Trump should govern by poll numbers, saying the president will not base national security decisions on “fluid opinion polls.”

“What matters most to the American people is having a commander in chief who takes bold action to keep them safe,” Wales said.

Trump Declares Iran Fight ‘Not Done’ While Left Sounds Alarms Over Ammo Shortfalls

That is the case the White House is trying to make, and it is not hard to understand why. Iran has spent decades exporting terror, threatening Israel, menacing U.S. forces and racing toward weapons capabilities that no sane commander in chief can ignore.

At the same time, voters who backed Trump because he promised to avoid endless conflicts are asking why this fight looks less like a quick strike and more like another open ended Washington project.

Support for the conflict has stayed below 40% since the United States and Israel launched strikes on February 28, a sharp contrast with the early phases of other major U.S. wars.

The Iraq War had support from about 70% of Americans in its first months, while the Afghanistan War opened with roughly 90% backing, according to Gallup polling.

Trump Ends Hormuz Blockade After Securing Peace Deal With Iran — A sailor stands watch on the USS Truxtun, a destroyer participating in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Navy photo.

Those comparisons are imperfect, because each conflict had its own trigger and context, but politically they show the size of the hole the administration must climb out of.

Trump has bristled at comparisons to wars like Vietnam, which lasted two decades and claimed more than 58,000 American service members, and he initially estimated the Iran war would last four to five weeks.

“It’s not clear why we started a war with them. I have no idea,” said Alex Womack, a retired turbine repair specialist from Stockbridge, Georgia.

Womack, a former Marine who served during the 1991 Gulf War, said he became a Republican partly because he admired how President George H.W. Bush handled that conflict.

Now, he says his support for Trump has faded because of Iran. “I don’t think he’s doing very well, personally,” he said.

So far, 18 American soldiers have died in the conflict, while thousands have been killed in Iran and in Lebanon, where Iran aligned fighters have battled Israeli forces.

The war has also hit Americans at the pump, with gasoline averaging just over $4 per gallon nationwide, up from around $3 before the February 28 strikes began.

U.S. Hits Iran With Punishing New Strikes After Oil Sanctions Snapback Over Tanker Attacks — A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft refuels from a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft during Operation Epic Fury, April 2, 2026. (U.S. Air Force)

“This puts pressure on the party in a myriad of ways, all of them bad,” said Alex Conant, a Republican political strategist and former White House spokesman under President George W. Bush.

“The White House officials have been saying since January that they need to win economic arguments. It’s hard to win the economic arguments when you’re clearly focused on foreign policy,” Conant added.

That political pressure is arriving just as Republicans prepare to defend narrow majorities in Congress during the November midterm elections.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll found independent registered voters favoring Democratic congressional candidates over Republicans by 36% to 20%, and also giving Democrats an edge on economic policy.

That is exactly the kind of number that makes campaign operatives sweat, even if the Beltway polling class has been wrong before and will certainly be wrong again.

Independent voter Rhyan Anderson of Fairburn, Georgia, who supported Trump in 2024 after voting for Joe Biden in 2020, said the president should keep his focus closer to home.

Four Fallen Heroes Return Home From Iran Front

“My biggest thing is just focus on the people who are actually in the country,” said Anderson, who works two jobs in security and data collection. “I know we have allies and things like that, but there’s a lot of people here that really need help.”

Reuters/Ipsos has asked about support for military strikes on Iran since the middle of March, when 37% said they supported the war.

On the first day of the conflict, 27% approved, while 29% chose unsure when given that option.

The latest survey was conducted online nationwide among 1,246 U.S. adults and carried a margin of error of three percentage points in either direction.

For Trump, the challenge is clear: keep Iran away from a nuclear weapon, protect American forces, avoid another forever war and explain the mission in a way that voters believe before the political clock runs out.

News

USS Minnesota Powers Back to Guam After Historic First Virginia Class Deployment

Common Defense / August 1, 2026

The USS Minnesota returned to Naval Base Guam on July 29 after completing its first deployment, marking a major milestone for the Navy’s undersea force in the Western Pacific.

The nuclear powered fast attack submarine is the Navy’s first forward deployed Virginia class boat, a distinction that carries real weight in a region where sea control, stealth and endurance are not academic buzzwords.

According to a Navy release, the deployment strengthened the service’s ability to operate and employ advanced capabilities across the Indo Pacific.

That is the sort of quiet, lethal presence that gets noticed by allies, adversaries and anyone in Beijing pretending not to pay attention.

Minnesota is one of four forward deployed fast attack submarines, giving U.S. commanders a powerful undersea toolset from Guam. No parade is required when a Virginia class submarine slips below the surface and makes the strategic math harder for America’s enemies.

“Operating from Guam, this crew demonstrated the readiness, endurance and advanced capabilities the Virginia-class platform brings to … the Western Pacific,” Capt. Christopher Carter, commander of Submarine Squadron 15, said in the release.

The Virginia class fleet is built around stealth, nuclear endurance and flexibility, allowing boats like Minnesota to perform in both shallow and deep ocean environments. That combination matters because the Pacific is vast, contested and unforgiving.

During the deployment, Minnesota took part in Valiant Shield 2026, a multinational field training exercise designed to sharpen allied readiness.

The submarine also made port visits to Okinawa and Sasebo, Japan, reinforcing the close maritime partnership between Washington and Tokyo.

Minnesota then traveled south to Australia, where it visited HMAS Stirling and participated in Exercise Lungfish. That bilateral tracking drill between the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Navy put a premium on undersea skill, coordination and the kind of hard practiced competence that cannot be faked.

The submarine also conducted operations in support of the Submarine Command Course, another sign that this deployment was more than a flag showing cruise.

Minnesota later stopped for a port call in Darwin, adding another allied touchpoint during a busy patrol.

While deployed, 20 enlisted sailors and two officers earned their submarine warfare insignia.

Those dolphins are not handed out for showing up, because they signify specialized training and expert qualification to operate complex undersea systems.

“The sailors aboard Minnesota represented the Navy with pride and professionalism, no matter the task,” Master Chief Electronics Technician (Navigation) Joshua Garrett, Minnesota’s chief of the boat, said in the release.

“Their readiness and effectiveness were evident throughout this deployment, and I could not be prouder of what this crew accomplished.”

Minnesota was commissioned on Sept. 7, 2013, in Norfolk, Virginia, and is the 10th Virginia class submarine to enter service. Its assignment to Naval Base Guam places it at the front edge of America’s undersea posture in the Pacific.

That forward presence is not symbolic. It means faster response times, more persistent coverage and a more credible deterrent in waters where Chinese naval expansion has become a daily reality.

This deployment also fits the broader national security approach President Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth have emphasized, which is peace through strength backed by real capability.

Speeches do not deter hostile regimes, but silent American submarines on station absolutely can.

For allies, Minnesota’s return to Guam is a reassuring signal that the United States is still showing up where it matters.

For adversaries, it is a reminder that America’s undersea fleet remains one of the most dangerous and disciplined forces on the planet.

Minnesota’s first deployment as a forward deployed Virginia class boat gave the Navy exactly what it needed in the Pacific: presence, professionalism and proven performance. That is how deterrence works when it is backed by sailors who know their mission and a submarine built for the fight.

News

Marine Corps F-35B Smashes Down on California Runway as Pilot Survives Fiery Mishap

Common Defense / August 1, 2026

A Marine Corps F-35B was involved in a serious aviation mishap Friday morning near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in Southern California, with the pilot ejecting safely before being recovered by emergency crews.

The Marine Corps confirmed the incident in a statement, describing it as the military’s most serious category of aviation accident.

“We can confirm a Class A mishap involving a Marine Corps F-35B in the vicinity of [Marine Corps Air Station] Miramar,” the Marine Corps said in a statement.

“The pilot ejected and has been recovered. More information will be available as the situation develops.”

The crash happened at approximately 10 a.m. Pacific Time, according to the Marine Corps.

The aircraft was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and was involved in an unspecified mishap on the flightline at the base.

A witness told the Associated Press that the aircraft crashed while landing at the base, which would put the mishap at one of the most dangerous phases of flight.

The Marine Corps later said the pilot was in stable condition and was being treated at a local medical facility for injuries that were not considered life threatening.

That is the good news, and in a business where steel, fuel, speed, and unforgiving physics all meet at once, getting the pilot back alive is no small thing.

Local media in San Diego reported smoke rising near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar after the crash.

Aerial footage described by local outlets appeared to show the aircraft in a burned field just outside the base, a grim visual reminder that even America’s most advanced fighter jets do not come with a magic force field.

F-35’s Near Miss Over Yemen Raises Questions About U.S. Strategy and Stealth Jet’s Role — An F-35A Lightning II performs aerial maneuvers during an airshow in Florida on Oct. 31, 2024. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper.

A Class A mishap is the military’s highest level of aviation accident classification.

According to the military, that category applies when there is a loss of life or when equipment damage exceeds $2.5 million.

With the F-35B, that dollar figure is not exactly hard to reach.

The short takeoff and vertical landing variant flown by the Marine Corps is one of the most complex tactical aircraft in the American inventory, built to operate from amphibious assault ships and austere locations where conventional fighters cannot.

That capability is part of what makes the aircraft so valuable to Marines, especially as the service keeps its eyes fixed on the Indo Pacific and the very real possibility of having to operate from scattered bases under enemy threat.

But complexity cuts both ways.

The more advanced the machine, the more unforgiving the maintenance, training, inspection, and operational tempo can become when anything goes wrong.

US Sends F-35s to Middle East as Strikes on Houthis Continue

Marine Corps officials did not immediately release details about what caused the mishap.

They also did not provide a full damage assessment for the aircraft, though the Class A designation makes clear that this was no minor runway scrape or routine maintenance headache.

The incident adds to a troubling run of stateside aviation accidents in recent months across the military.

In May, two Navy E/A-18G Growlers collided during an airshow in Idaho, though all four crew members safely ejected.

In June, a Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, crashed near Mount Rainier in Washington state.

Then, on June 15, an Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after taking off from Edwards Air Force Base in California, killing all eight people on board.

That string of incidents will almost certainly draw attention from aviation safety investigators, unit commanders, and leadership at the Department of War.

No serious military force can shrug off repeated mishaps involving high value aircraft, especially at a time when America’s adversaries are watching every readiness gap like vultures circling a fence line.

The Marine Corps will now have to determine whether Friday’s crash was caused by mechanical failure, pilot factors, environmental conditions, maintenance issues, or some combination of factors.

Navy Revives Wake Island For Recon Flights As Pacific Heats Up — F-35s fly over Wake Island in 2018. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Francisco J. Diaz Jr.

That process can take time, because investigators must examine flight data, wreckage, maintenance records, training history, weather, and communications before reaching conclusions.

For now, the most important fact remains that the pilot survived.

Marine aviation is dangerous by nature, and every ejection is a violent emergency that can injure or kill even when the system works as designed.

Still, the loss or severe damage of a fifth generation fighter is a serious blow.

The F 35B is not just another aircraft parked on a ramp, but a centerpiece of Marine Corps plans for future combat against sophisticated enemies with long range missiles, drones, sensors, and air defenses.

The crash near Miramar is now another reminder that readiness is not a slogan.

It is built every day by pilots, maintainers, air traffic controllers, commanders, and inspectors who have to get the details right, because a mistake at this level can turn a billion dollar force structure into smoke over Southern California.

The Marine Corps said more information will be released as the situation develops.

Until then, the service has a live pilot, a wrecked aircraft, and a fresh set of hard questions waiting on the flightline.

News

Chris Cuomo Explodes on Camera Defending Fauci After Capitol Hill Firestorm [WATCH]

LifeZette / August 1, 2026

Chris Cuomo is once again putting on a clinic in cable news theatrics, this time over criticism aimed at Dr. Anthony Fauci after a heated Capitol Hill hearing put the former pandemic czar back under the microscope.

Cuomo, who has never been shy about lecturing the public when cameras are rolling, appeared visibly agitated as he defended Fauci and blasted Republicans for daring to question the man who became the face of America’s COVID response.

The problem, of course, is that millions of Americans have very real questions about Fauci’s record, his public statements, his shifting guidance, and the heavy hand of pandemic policy that crushed families, churches, schools, and small businesses.

Rather than engage those concerns directly, Cuomo went straight for emotional outrage, as if volume and profanity could somehow erase the memory of what the country lived through.

“I don’t know who needs to hear this but if you were forced by a situation where people were coming after you to plead the 5th and everything that comes with that, what would you be doing right now? I would be in the fetal position, or hiding. Tony Fauci is seeing patients. Why? Because he’s a real one. And because what they’re doing going after him, is bullsh*t and everybody knows it,” Cuomo said in a video where he was clearly upset and emotional.

That was not a policy argument. That was a televised therapy session with studio lighting.

Cuomo’s defense centered on portraying Fauci as a noble elderly physician under siege, rather than a powerful federal figure whose words carried enormous consequences for the American people.

For years, Fauci was treated by the corporate press as untouchable, a kind of lab coat saint whose guidance was above question, even when that guidance changed, contradicted prior claims, or conveniently lined up with the political needs of the moment.

Cuomo then reached for the familiar strawman, pretending critics are accusing Fauci of personally creating COVID rather than challenging his conduct, his testimony, his influence, and the bureaucratic empire that helped drive lockdown culture.

“You want to find out who started Covid? That’s great, are you saying Tony Fauci did? Are you saying America did? Then what are we talking about. If you didn’t like masks, if you didn’t like mandates, then go after admins that were okay with it. Tony Fauci was foisted into a position because they didn’t want to take the smoke. Trump did it first and then the Biden administration. But you’re just going after one 80 year old man. This is not about the truth, its about bullsh*t and everybody sees it. And the American people still side with what they know is reasonable and not just this bullsh*t. It’s disgraceful whats happening.”

WATCH:

There it is, the old media maneuver.

If the public asks why children were masked, why schools were closed, why dissenting scientists were smeared, or why federal health officials kept changing the story, the answer is apparently to accuse them of picking on an old man.

That may play well in green rooms, but out in the real country, people remember what happened.

Parents remember kids falling behind, workers remember mandates threatening their jobs, and business owners remember watching government officials decide who was essential and who was expendable.

Cuomo wants Americans to aim their frustration only at administrations, not Fauci, even though Fauci was one of the most visible and influential voices during the entire pandemic period.

That is a neat little escape hatch for the expert class, but regular voters are not required to climb through it.

The media spent years demanding that Americans trust the experts, then seemed shocked when citizens wanted those experts questioned under oath.

WATCH:

Accountability is not persecution, no matter how many times Cuomo drops profanity into a camera lens.

The fury from Cuomo also says something larger about the political class and its media defenders.

They still cannot tolerate the idea that the American people have a right to revisit the pandemic years and demand answers from the officials who helped shape them.

Fauci can see patients, give interviews, and defend his record all he wants.

But none of that means Congress, voters, or critics should quietly move along because a news anchor got emotional on video.

If Cuomo thinks cursing enough times makes his point stronger, he may want to try a new strategy.

The public has already heard plenty of scolding from the COVID era elites, and many Americans are in no mood to be lectured again by the same crowd that told them questioning authority was dangerous.

WATCH:

Army Offers Up to 0,000 in Bonuses to Keep Senior Pilots as Aviation Ranks Shrink

News

Army Offers Up to $200,000 in Bonuses to Keep Senior Pilots as Aviation Ranks Shrink

Common Defense / August 1, 2026

The Army is putting serious money on the table to keep experienced aviators in uniform, even as it trims thousands of junior aviation slots and prepares for a future increasingly shaped by drones and uncrewed aircraft.

Senior pilots can now qualify for retention bonuses of up to $200,000 if they agree to remain on active duty for as long as six years. The program comes after the Army announced last year that it would cut 6,500 aviation jobs and shut down nearly all flying units in the reserves.

According to a July 26 Army message, the new Active Duty Service Obligation agreements are aimed at senior flyers and will be capped at a soldier’s 25th year of service. In plain English, the Army is trying to hold onto the people who actually know how to fly, train and maintain combat aviation readiness.

“This program is essential to retain rated aviators critical to the success of the Army’s mission,” officials said in the policy memo. “The rated aviator inventory will be reviewed each quarter and the [aviation bonus] program will be adjusted to meet the needs of the Army.”

That language may sound like standard Army paperwork, but the reality underneath it is much sharper. After years of losing seasoned pilots to commercial airlines, the service is now trying to patch a senior experience gap while also reshaping the aviation branch for the next battlefield.

Before the latest round of cuts, aviation retention was moving in the opposite direction. Congress and the military services had been scrambling to keep pilots from walking out the door and heading for better paychecks in the airline industry.

In the fiscal year 2017 national defense bill, Congress raised the maximum incentive pay available for military aviators across the services. The Army also began offering 10 year contracts to new pilots, hoping to keep them in the cockpit longer.

U.S. Army Pilot Found Dead in Honduras – Investigation Underway

But piling up junior pilots did not solve the deeper problem. A chief warrant officer four with more than 20 years of service told Task & Purpose that the Army now has too many younger aviators and not enough senior hands to train them.

“We’ve recognized massive capability gaps in our tracked aviator pool, mostly because of the rise in airline hiring,” the chief warrant officer said. “They tried increasing accessions, creating [a] glut of junior pilots with no one to train them. But you can’t fix a senior experience gap with a bunch of new pilots.”

That is the part the spreadsheet crowd always seems to discover the hard way. Aviation skill is not manufactured overnight, and no PowerPoint from the Pentagon can replace thousands of hours of cockpit experience.

The bonuses are aimed at chief warrant officers, with monthly amounts tied to time in service and the length of the new commitment. Pilots with 12 to 14 years in uniform can receive $75,600 for agreeing to serve three more years.

Apache Down Near Oman Signals Dangerous Shift in Air Combat — A U.S. Army AH-64E Apache helicopter. (2nd Lt. Hannah Lamb/U.S. Army)

Warrant officers with at least 18 years of service can sign contracts for four, five or six more years. Those deals can bring in between $120,000 and $209,880, depending on the terms.

The Army is prioritizing several key specialties, including instructor pilots, maintenance officers and maintenance test flight evaluators. Those roles are especially important for Black Hawk, Apache and Chinook helicopter units, which remain the backbone of Army aviation.

Bonuses may also be available for aviation mission survivability officers who fly Chinooks. That is a narrow but critical field, because survivability in contested airspace is not some academic talking point when American crews are flying into real threats.

The fiscal year 2026 retention push lands less than a year into a major aviation shakeup. Army officials said last year that the service would cut 6,500 active duty aviation jobs, including pilots, air crews and maintenance soldiers.

U.S. Soldiers Saved by Navy Drone After Apache Crash Off Oman Coast — A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Dec. 19, 2025. (U.S. Army)

The reserve component is also taking a heavy hit. Nearly 4,600 Army Reserve soldiers are facing cuts as the service moves to eliminate its helicopter units.

Officials told Task & Purpose that most active duty reductions would happen through natural attrition, including retirements and career changes. Still, hundreds of junior officers identified as bottom performers are expected to be pushed out.

Aviators have said the overhaul damaged morale and left some soldiers questioning whether they had a future in the Army. That is not exactly surprising when the service tells one group it is cutting aviation jobs while offering another group six figure money to stay.

The strategic logic is clear enough, because the Army needs experienced pilots to train the force it still has while preparing for drones, uncrewed systems and a faster future fight. But the execution will matter, because combat aviation cannot afford a hollow middle where senior competence should be.

Army Eyes Breakthrough in Arctic Ice Landings as New Doctrine Emerges — A U.S. Army UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter approaches a clearing near Knik Glacier in Alaska, March 11, 2026. (Alejandro Peña/U.S. Army National Guard)

For Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and the Trump era national security team, this is exactly the sort of readiness problem that deserves blunt attention.

America does not win wars with buzzwords, it wins with trained crews, maintained aircraft and leaders who understand that experience is a battlefield asset.

News

Terrifying Video Shows Rogue Tire Obliterating Car on Philadelphia Highway [WATCH]

LifeZette / August 1, 2026

A wild and frightening scene unfolded on Philadelphia’s I-76 this week when a loose tire came barreling down the highway and slammed directly into a moving vehicle.

The whole thing was captured by a Tesla camera, giving drivers yet another reminder that danger on the road can appear out of nowhere, even in broad daylight.

The video shows the tire bouncing along the highway median before it suddenly veers into traffic and strikes a Nissan SUV traveling in the left lane.

The impact was violent, immediate, and shocking, crushing the front end of the vehicle and smashing the windshield as traffic continued moving around it.

The tire did not simply drop to the pavement after the collision.

Instead, the force of the crash launched it straight into the air, creating the kind of scene most drivers would expect from an action movie rather than a normal afternoon commute.

The incident happened just after noon near Girard Avenue in West Philadelphia, according to the report.

That is a busy stretch of highway where motorists already have enough to deal with between heavy traffic, aggressive driving, and the usual big city road chaos.

Authorities have not yet made clear where the tire came from.

That unanswered question matters, because a runaway tire does not magically appear on a major highway without something going very wrong somewhere.

It is also unknown whether anyone was injured in the wreck.

Given the condition of the Nissan’s hood and windshield after the impact, it is easy to see how this could have ended in tragedy.

The Tesla driver reportedly heard the crash but did not realize what had happened until reviewing the footage later.

That detail says plenty about how fast the incident unfolded, since even a nearby driver could not immediately make sense of the sudden violence on the roadway.

WATCH:

For the driver of the Nissan, there was no warning and no time to react.

One second the SUV was moving with traffic, and the next it was taking a direct hit from a tire that had become a flying weapon.

Scenes like this raise obvious questions about vehicle maintenance, commercial traffic, roadway safety, and basic accountability.

Someone’s wheel or tire assembly likely failed, and everyone else on the highway was forced to gamble with the consequences.

The footage also shows why cameras in vehicles have become so important.

Without video, this might have sounded like an exaggerated highway story, but the clip leaves no room for doubt about the severity of the crash.

Philadelphia drivers are no strangers to rough roads and unpredictable traffic, but this incident stands out even by big city standards.

A loose tire flying across lanes at highway speed is not a minor inconvenience, it is a deadly hazard.

Officials have not released additional details about possible citations, an investigation, or whether the source vehicle has been identified.

The public deserves answers, especially if the tire came from a vehicle that should not have been on the road in that condition.

Too often, dangerous incidents are treated like random accidents and quickly forgotten once traffic starts moving again.

But when a tire tears through a windshield on a major highway, that is not just bad luck, it is a warning sign.

Drivers already pay taxes, tolls, fees, insurance premiums, and every other charge the system can dream up.

At the very least, they should be able to expect that basic safety rules are enforced and that obvious hazards are taken seriously.

The video is disturbing because it captures how thin the line can be between an ordinary drive and a life changing disaster.

No dramatic build up, no time to prepare, just a tire bouncing out of nowhere and a car taking the full force of the impact.

For now, the origin of the tire remains unclear, and the condition of anyone involved has not been publicly confirmed.

What is clear is that the footage has struck a nerve because every driver understands exactly how helpless that Nissan driver must have been in that moment.

The clip is a brutal reminder that the road can turn dangerous in an instant.

And in a city where public safety already feels like an afterthought far too often, this runaway tire delivered one more reason for motorists to keep their eyes open and their heads on a swivel.

News

Marines Get New Anti Drone Round to Blast Small UAVs with M4 and M27 Rifles

Common Defense / August 1, 2026

Marines are getting a new rifle round built for the ugly reality of modern battlefields, where cheap little drones can hunt troops, spot targets, and drop explosives with a price tag that would barely cover a Pentagon coffee meeting.

The Marine Corps is fielding the Drone Round 5.56 L Variant, a cartridge designed to be fired from standard M4 carbines and M27 Infantry Automatic Rifles, according to a Marine Corps acquisition spokesperson.

The round separates into five distinct projectiles after leaving the weapon, giving a Marine a better chance of hitting a small drone that would otherwise be a miserable target with a single conventional bullet.

That matters because small reconnaissance and attack drones have become one of the most persistent threats facing infantry units, especially in conflicts where low cost aircraft are being used like expendable flying grenades.

So far, the Marine Corps has purchased 400,000 of the rounds, and it plans to buy another 1 million cartridges in fiscal year 2027, which begins on Oct. 1, the spokesperson said.

The Corps has already started moving the ammunition to supply points, with all deliveries expected to be completed in September, according to the spokesperson.

Marine Expeditionary Force commanders will decide which units receive the new anti drone ammunition first, which is exactly the kind of battlefield focused decision that should stay with commanders closest to the fight.

The L Variant meets the Marine Corps requirement for a commercially available option that can disable or destroy smaller reconnaissance and attack drones, the spokesperson said.

Before fielding the ammunition, the Marines tested the round through several user evaluations, giving troops a chance to see whether the concept actually works outside of a contractor brochure.

The War Zone reported in June that the Marine Corps had announced plans to purchase the anti drone round. Separately, soldiers assigned to the 18th Airborne Corps tested the same ammunition against small drones in April at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

First Amphibious Group Reaches Middle East as U.S. Expands War Footprint in Iran Crisis — Marines from Lima Company, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, train onboard the USS Tripoli as its sails to the Middle East. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gerardo Mendez.

Kirk Fernandez, the CEO of Drone Round, said the L Variant is a 5.56X46mm NATO round effective out to 100 meters. He also said the company plans to offer a 7.62mm version soon, which would broaden the concept across heavier rifles and machine gun platforms.

The round is designed to work in standard 5.56mm NATO weapons without modifications or specialized equipment, Fernandez said. It can load into standard magazines and belt fed systems, and it is also suppressor compatible.

That is a major advantage because Marines do not need to wait for some bloated, yearslong acquisition miracle to begin addressing a problem already flying over the battlefield. They can use the rifle already in their hands, which is refreshingly practical.

Fernandez said the ammunition was built specifically as an anti drone cartridge meant to give shooters “a last line of defense against small drones using the rifle already in their hands.”

The round also gives troops another option against drones controlled by fiber optic cables, which cannot simply be jammed by electronic warfare systems. In other words, when the signal cannot be blocked, the drone still has to be physically destroyed.

Top Military Leaders Urge Expanded Amphibious Reach Marines Push for More ARG MEUs — A Marine with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, 31st MEU, during an exercise in the Philippine Sea, Feb. 4, 2026. (Lance Cpl. Victor Gurrola/U.S. Marine Corps)

“The projectiles stay together as they exit the barrel and disperse a few meters downrange,” Fernandez said. “This ensures the round is fully suppressor-safe while still opening into an effective pattern against aerial targets.”

The Marine Corps has been pushing hard to adapt to the drone threat, including the creation of an attack drone team and other organizations meant to test technology and refine training for Marines in combat.

The Corps has also fielded systems such as the SMASH 2000L advanced fire control system, giving Marines more tools to engage small drones before those drones become a lethal problem.

For a force expected to fight in contested littorals, isolated outposts, and rapidly shifting expeditionary environments, this kind of ammunition is not a novelty. It is a practical answer to a cheap, deadly threat that America’s enemies have embraced with enthusiasm.

President Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth have emphasized a military that is lethal, ready, and focused on winning rather than woke distractions, and this move fits that mindset. Marines need tools that kill enemy systems fast, not another seminar from the bureaucratic swamp.

The Drone Round will not replace layered air defense, electronic warfare, or dedicated counter drone weapons. But when a quadcopter is closing in and seconds matter, a Marine with an M4 or M27 may soon have a much better chance of turning that threat into falling debris.

Hegseth Fires Up Pentagon Review to Restore Real Combat Standards — America’s Military Task Force Violent CFC Givers Guide Videos Newsletters Opens in new window Early Bird Brief Military Native Show Military Native sub sections MCON Opens in new window IHG Long-Term Care Partners Navy Federal Installation Guide Opens in new window Press Releases Your Military Hegseth ordered a new study of women in combat. Critics say it’s built to reach one conclusion. By Sonner Kehrt, The War Horse Jul 17, 2026, 02:06 PM Female Marines fire rifles during an all-female marksmanship event in 2024. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Angela Wilcox)

News

Jungle Tab Finally Goes Army Wide for Soldiers Who Earned It

Common Defense / August 1, 2026

Soldiers who sweated through the Army’s jungle warfare school now have official permission to wear the Jungle tab no matter where the Army sends them.

After years of the badge being limited by assignment and geography, the Army has approved service wide wear of the tab as an official skill badge.

The authorization came in a July 22 memorandum signed by Jules W. Hurst III, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

The memo surfaced on social media and the Army subreddit before the Army confirmed that the tab is now authorized across the force, similar to the Ranger and Sapper tabs.

For soldiers who earned it the hard way, this is not some participation ribbon cooked up by a committee. Jungle school is a nasty, humid, exhausting test of survival, movement, navigation and small unit combat in terrain that seems designed by nature to punish the unprepared.

The Jungle tab traces back to the Jungle Operations Training Center at Fort Sherman in Panama.

That school, known to generations of troops as the “Green Hell,” produced soldiers trained to fight and survive in one of the most unforgiving environments on earth until the fort closed in 1999.

After Fort Sherman shut down, jungle warfare training continued in Hawaii.

The 25th Infantry Division’s Lightning Academy later ran the 12 day Jungle Operations Training Course, teaching soldiers how to operate in thick vegetation, oppressive humidity, rough terrain and water heavy conditions where the jungle itself is half the enemy.

Until now, soldiers who completed the Hawaii course could wear the tab only if they were assigned to units under Army Pacific.

That meant a soldier could graduate, earn the tab, then lose the ability to wear it simply because the Army moved him somewhere else, which is exactly the kind of bureaucratic genius the ranks know all too well.

That restriction is now gone. The Army’s move makes the Jungle tab a permanent skill badge, joining Special Forces, Ranger, Sapper and the President’s Hundred as tabs recognized for wear beyond a temporary assignment.

The memo also opens the door for retroactive recognition.

“Retroactive eligibility is authorized for service members who executed unit level raining at JOTC in Fort Sherman, Panama from 1990 until closure in 1999 or completed training at the Hawaii or Panama based Jungle Schools,” the memo says. “Retroactive eligibility is granted for both courses.”

That matters for older soldiers and veterans who completed serious jungle training but never had the same Army wide recognition their peers with other tabs received. Now, if they have the documentation, the Army is giving them a path to have the accomplishment officially reflected.

Soldiers seeking retroactive approval must submit a Personnel Action Request with proof that they completed jungle school.

According to the memo, that packet goes to battalion commanders for review and approval.

U.S. Army Pacific seemed to enjoy the long awaited decision, posting Friday evening, “And some of y’all said it was never going to happen.”

For once, the Army’s social media account captured the mood pretty well, because plenty of soldiers had assumed this common sense change would be buried forever in staff paperwork.

The Army’s jungle training footprint has also returned to Panama. The former Fort Sherman installation was transferred to Panama and is now operated as Aeronaval Base Cristóbal Colón, but the U.S. reestablished jungle school there in October 2025 as part of a broader return to former bases in Latin America.

That return comes as the military puts renewed focus on the region. Since reopening, the course has trained soldiers, airmen and Marines alongside members of Panama’s security forces, giving U.S. troops another venue to sharpen skills in a strategically important environment close to home.

The revised jungle course in Panama runs 21 days and is broken into three phases.

It begins with survival tactics, moves into combat skills such as ambushes and reconnaissance, and ends with the brutal “Green Mile” event.

For soldiers who have earned the Jungle tab, the change is simple but meaningful.

The Army is finally allowing them to wear proof of a demanding combat skill wherever they serve, instead of pretending the jungle stops mattering when a set of orders changes.

That is good news for readiness and good news for the troops who did the work.

In an Army that still needs soldiers who can fight in mud, heat, water and terrain that does not care about PowerPoint slides, recognizing jungle expertise Army wide is overdue and welcome.

News

Cuomo, Fauci, and the COVID Clowns: How the Left’s Media Turned Lies Into Lockdowns [WATCH]

LifeZette / August 1, 2026

Newsmax host Carl Higbie criticized the national media’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that major news organizations prioritized political narratives over facts and helped elevate public officials whose guidance has since come under renewed scrutiny.

Higbie also pointed to remarks from Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who reflected on how partisanship influenced his own views during the pandemic.

Higbie began by questioning why many media organizations continue to retain public trust.

“Why does the media have any credibility at all today?” Higbie asked.

He said he believes viewers who continue watching certain outlets are motivated more by politics than facts.

“My only conclusion, again, I’m going on data here, is that people watching them, the few that are still watching them, they don’t actually care about facts or anything that might make any sense.”

Instead, Higbie argued, “They just want to see things that make Trump look bad.”

According to Higbie, that approach is inconsistent with journalism.

“That’s not journalism. That’s actually a cult.”

He added, “Congratulations, Libs, but I was right and they were wrong.”

Higbie acknowledged that television ratings have declined for several networks but questioned why any audience remains.

“A lot of people are turning them off. The ratings have cratered on a lot of these left-leaning networks.”

He continued, “However, how did they retain any viewers at all at this point?”

Higbie argued that media organizations embraced sensationalism during the pandemic.

“You see these networks; they cut their teeth in the mantra that if it bleeds, it leads.”

He said that once COVID-19 emerged, networks focused on the most alarming aspects of the pandemic.

“So when COVID happened, they found the most sensationalized aspects of Covid, which were in part coming from Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx and all these other nut jobs and proponents of lockdowns.”

According to Higbie, those reports were used to damage President Donald Trump politically.

“And they sensationalized it like this: CNN, pow, death count for the first months when it was on screen.”

He added, “How many people were dying when Trump was in office? And then the second Biden got in, boom! They turned that thing right off.”

Higbie also claimed reported death figures were later overstated.

“And we now know that they overinflated those numbers.”

He continued, “Even Deborah Birx was like, ‘Oh yeah, we had to like lock her up too.'”

Higbie argued that the media elevated Fauci’s public profile throughout the pandemic.

“They placated Fauci’s ego too, putting Anthony Fauci on the cover of any magazine they could get their hands on, giving him more credibility.”

He also criticized messaging directed toward parents.

“They convinced millions of people that oh, your children will die if you go to school, even though we had the data at the time and they ignored it.”

According to Higbie, “Children were almost not even susceptible to COVID in any serious matter at all.”

He also argued that health officials ignored obesity as a significant risk factor.

“We knew being fat was a massive risk factor, and yet anybody who said anything about that, oh, you’re fat phobic and you can’t do that and you’re discriminated against.”

Higbie added, “No, I’m just trying to make people not die. Get on a treadmill.”

He also criticized media coverage surrounding podcast host Joe Rogan.

“They changed Joe Rogan’s skin color through a filter on CNN to make it look like he was sick when he was talking about ivermectin working.”

Higbie argued that media organizations also promoted vaccine messaging through public campaigns.

“They got kids and even adults to sing just the craziest videos about the vaccine.”

He continued with another example.

“A bunch of high octane, high octave men social distancing to a point of basically neutering themselves, singing in a parking lot with pride flags.”

Higbie said those campaigns had the opposite effect on him.

“That made me want to get the vaccine even less because I didn’t want to end up like those people.”

He also criticized the media’s treatment of former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“The media was so interested in rushing to make people that they approved of into heroes that they never stopped to think that maybe those people might have been wrong.”

Higbie continued, “A perfect example is Andrew Cuomo as governor.”

“He was the next coming of Christ, according to the liberal media.”

According to Higbie, “Headline after headline” portrayed Cuomo as “a rising star.”

He argued that later developments contradicted that image.

“Then it turns out he was actually a horrible person and wrong about all of it, and his policies ended up getting a bunch of old people killed that he rammed into old folks’ homes.”

Higbie also criticized former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s vaccine promotion efforts.

“Bill DeBlasio offered free French fries for vaccines. I mean, what a nerd!”

Turning to Sen. John Fetterman, Higbie said even Democrats have begun acknowledging mistakes made during the pandemic.

“And even rational Democrats like John Fetterman regret that he even believed the narrative.”

Fetterman reflected on how partisanship influenced his thinking.

“I think that the next time our nation’s facing something like this, we are not become, you know, as I might have been, blinded by the partisan idea that maybe the truth might come from a side that’s different than than you are.”

Higbie concluded by arguing that many media organizations have refused to acknowledge errors in their pandemic coverage.

“And the guy recovering from a stroke becomes more rational than the rest of his entire party.”

He added, “But the media today still can’t admit that they were wrong.”

“They know they were wrong, which is why they omitted the coverage of it yesterday.”

Higbie concluded by saying, “They were so self-absorbed that, despite all the facts now, they still believe that they can just say whatever they want, and that somehow we at home aren’t laughing at them.”

WATCH:

News

This Woman Just Destroyed the “Democratic Socialist” Myth in Under Three Minutes [WATCH]

LifeZette / August 1, 2026

Political commentator Nick Shirley spoke with activist Chloe Cole about the growing visibility of socialist and communist ideas in American politics, with Cole arguing that those ideologies continue to attract support despite what she described as repeated historical failures.

Shirley opened the conversation by asking Cole for her thoughts on communism.

“Is on the rise, and what do you think about communism?” he asked.

Cole said she believes the ideology appeals to many people because of its simple promises.

“I think communism sells. It’s such a simple idea and message.”

She argued that although the concept is attractive on the surface, history has shown it does not succeed in practice.

“It obviously doesn’t work at all, but it’s something that you could so easily say to a young, naive college person or young person in general.”

Cole said supporters often promote policies by emphasizing free benefits.

“You can say everything should be free, and healthcare should be free, and universal, and education should be free, but people don’t really understand the ramifications behind that statement.”

According to Cole, these arguments are not new.

“So I mean, this is nothing new. People have been trying to sell the idea of socialism and communism for years and years and years.”

She pointed to political movements in Russia before the Soviet Union as an example.

“I mean, obviously, in pre-Soviet Russia, you had communism.”

Cole discussed the differences between the Mensheviks and Bolsheviks, comparing them to factions within modern American politics.

“That’s where a lot of it started. You had the Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks, and the Mensheviks were kind of like your mainstream, run-of-the-mill Democrat, and then you had the Bolsheviks.”

She continued, “This was way back in like the 1800s, 1900s, and the Bolsheviks came in.”

Cole compared the Bolsheviks to what she described as today’s Democratic Socialists of America activists.

“They were kind of like the DSA activists of today.”

According to Cole, the Bolsheviks distinguished themselves by promising more expansive government benefits.

“They said, ‘Well, the Mensheviks and the Democrats aren’t being radical enough, and they aren’t promising you all the things that we’re promising you. We can give you free education and universal health care and all of these great things,’ and then they never deliver.”

Cole argued that the same pattern continues today.

“So that happened back in the day. It’s just like a recurring ideology.”

She added, “History is a big fat circle, and it’s happening again because it’s such an easy thing to sell.”

Cole pointed to several countries as evidence that communism has repeatedly failed.

“But it’s never worked.”

She continued, “Didn’t work in Russia or the Soviet Union or China or Venezuela.”

“Communism never works, but it’s such an easy idea to try to convince people to vote others in with.”

Cole concluded that understanding history is critical to preventing similar outcomes.

“So I hope that people read because those who know history do not repeat it.”

She added, “So we just have to teach kids why it doesn’t work.”

Shirley then asked Cole about the Democratic Socialists of America and what membership in the organization represents.

“What does it mean to be a part of a DSA and be a Democrat socialist? What’s that actually mean?”

Cole described the organization as distinct from traditional Democrats.

“So DSA is the Democratic Socialist of America, and it’s very, very scary.”

She argued that the group advances its goals through the Democratic Party.

“And the Democratic Socialists of America-they are using the Democratic wing of politics to Trojan horse all of their ideas through.”

Cole emphasized that she believes the organization differs substantially from mainstream Democratic politics.

“But they’re very different than mainstream Democrats.”

According to Cole, the group’s ultimate objective is much broader than ordinary policy disagreements.

“What these Democratic Socialists of America want to do is usher in communism and destroy America from within.”

She said she believes those views are openly expressed by some supporters.

“And I’m not being dramatic when I say that because there are many DSA members who are online all over X.”

Cole continued, “You can look it up, saying we want to take down the American Empire from within. We want to destroy Western civilization.”

She argued that the organization seeks to dismantle longstanding American institutions.

“They’re vastly they’re vastly different from the left.”

“They want to destroy all of the institutions that we hold near and dear here in America.”

Cole concluded by comparing those goals to the historical Bolshevik movement.

“They basically want to root out everything that our founders worked so hard to build and start again, just like the Bolsheviks did way back in the day.”

Her final warning was brief.

“Repeating cycles.”

WATCH:

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Chris Cuomo Explodes on Camera Defending Fauci After Capitol Hill Firestorm [WATCH]

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Marines Get New Anti Drone Round to Blast Small UAVs with M4 and M27 Rifles

Cuomo, Fauci, and the COVID Clowns: How the Left’s Media Turned Lies Into Lockdowns [WATCH]

This Woman Just Destroyed the “Democratic Socialist” Myth in Under Three Minutes [WATCH]

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