The Senate Commerce Committee advanced the bill unanimously. Its chairman voted yes and then accused a Detroit automaker of writing part of it to remove a German competitor.
People look at a BYD Seagull car by Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD Auto at the Bangkok International Motor Show in Nonthaburi on March 27, 2024. Lillian Suwanrumpha /AFP via Getty ImagesThe Senate Commerce Committee unanimously advanced the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026 on July 22, codifying into law a Biden-era executive order that barred Chinese and Russian automakers from selling passenger vehicles in the United States. The bill is sponsored by Sens. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), a Republican and a Democrat from two states that build cars. The vote was bipartisan and the margin was total, while the disagreement was about who benefits.
Committee chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX), who supports the bill, told the hearing that General Motors had been pushing for one of its ownership provisions in order to get Mercedes-Benz out of the American market and make its own Cadillac brand more competitive. He said flatly that "we would never consider" banning Mercedes-Benz sales in the United States, and that he would push to change the provision.
GM disputes the characterization. The company said the legislation isn't about any individual automaker and that it "supports policies that protect and strengthen American manufacturing and the global competitiveness of U.S. automakers." Cruz's account is his reading of GM's lobbying, not an established finding.
How A German Carmaker Ends Up In A China BillThe provision at issue is an ownership test. As reported out of committee, the bill reaches not only companies "owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction" of a US adversary, but companies partially exposed to one - with a 15 percent threshold for vehicle manufacturers and 25 percent for software and hardware firms.
Mercedes-Benz carries roughly 20 percent passive Chinese investment. That is a minority financial stake, not operational control, and the company is accused of nothing. It clears the threshold anyway.
Moreno answered that Mercedes would have until 2030 to comply and could seek waivers from the ownership requirement. He also pointed to Detroit's own adjustments: GM plans to move production of its Chinese-made Buick Envision to the United States for the 2028 model year, and Ford has agreed to move Chinese-made Lincolns stateside.
One more supply chain is being redrawn. Moreno said Google's self-driving unit Waymo, which had been in talks with Chinese automaker Geely about sourcing platforms from China, "has committed to looking at a Detroit-based manufacturer for their future platforms."
Polestar said last month that the administration is forcing it to stop selling vehicles in the United States from the 2027 model year. The company is based in Sweden and majority-owned by China's Geely Holding.
Its sister brand Volvo Cars - which co-founded Polestar and shares the same ultimate owner - said in May it received authorization to keep selling in the United States, though it must still meet the rule's requirements. Same parent, opposite outcomes, which is roughly what an ownership-percentage regime is designed to produce and also why the percentages are being fought over.
What The Bill Is ForThe stated rationale is concerns over data and control. Connected vehicles - and almost every new vehicle is one - carry Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular, and in some cases satellite links, any of which could in principle expose driver information or vehicle systems to a foreign adversary. The bill extends the existing ban beyond China and Russia to Iran and North Korea, removes light-vehicle weight limits, and sets a minimum civil penalty of $1.5 million or five times transaction value per violation. Software restrictions bite in 2027, hardware around 2030.
Slotkin's office says the legislation "closes the door on Chinese-origin vehicles, software, and key components at every stage" so that data gathered on American roads cannot be routed back to Beijing. Slotkin herself framed it in industrial terms: "The Chinese Communist Party's playbook of heavily subsidizing their product and underselling the competition puts Michigan's auto industry and millions of American workers at risk." Moreno was blunter - "We're preventing an absolute, total, and complete destruction of our industrial base." Roughly 8 million Chinese-made vehicles enter the global market each year.
Polestar 4 (via Top Gear) Tyler Durden Thu, 07/23/2026 - 13:30After being at the White House just last week, Iraq's new "Washington approved" prime minister is apparently now the new shuttle diplomacy guy, after Qatari and Pakistani peace efforts on Iran have come to naught.
The NY Times is reporting Thursday afternoon that "Iraq’s prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, is in Tehran carrying a proposal for a cease-fire between Iran and the United States, according to Iranian and Iraqi officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about matters of national security."
But the messaging apparently went the other way to, from Tehran to Washington, per more from the Times:
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told local news media that the Iraqi leader had shared with Iranian officials his “insights and impressions” from his recent meeting with Trump. Araghchi added that Tehran and Washington don’t have a problem when it comes to finding mediators, “the problem is America’s attitude.”
At the moment, Trump is threatening new, massive attacks on Iran, which could come tonight or at any time, with the whole region on edge and the State Department telling Americans to urgently find flights out of the Middle East.
Trump "Close" To Bigger Strikes Than Ever Before: InterviewPresident Trump has newly been cited in Axios as saying he's seriously considering restarting major combat operations in Iran. He's previewing strikes that would be bigger than anything before, including in the opening days of Operation Epic Fury, when dozens of Iranian government and military leaders were killed, including the Ayatollah. There's also chatter that Israel could rejoin the attacks this time, after Israeli jets have been absent in the past twelve days of renewed bombing raids.
However, Axios stipulated that Trump has yet to make a final decision. Mideast regional Al Hadath and Israel's Channel 12 are separately reporting that US officials have told regional allies to "be prepared" for such a new major assault on Iran.
Axios writes, "In a brief interview, Trump acknowledged that such a decision would have consequences and stressed he hasn't made a determination yet." This as Brent Crude has climbed past $100 per barrel on Thursday, and as the prospect of all-out war remains unpopular among American voters, especially with months to go ahead of the midterms.
"I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it," the president said. And more via the Axios interview:
The Houthis have meanwhile been ratcheting their involvement, apparently having been called upon by Tehran to help it keep leverage over key oil transit chokepoints. All the while, there have been widespread reports of the Pentagon surging large aircraft, especially refueling tankers, from Europe to the CENTCOM area.
Houthis Threaten Saudi AramcoAfter the Iranian-aligned Houthis confirmed they struck two Saudi oil tankers as part of a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, as a second chokepoint on global oil supplies opens alongside the Strait of Hormuz, on Thursday the Shia militant group is now openly threatening Aramco facilities inside the kingdom... or at least some unnamed officials are telling regional media.
The Houthis have characterized their campaign as "a blockade for a blockade," saying it is intended to pressure Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have already been blockading Houthis controlled-ports in Yemen for years, which hearkens back to a Gulf vs. Houthi chiefly aerial war that opened in 2015.
via Saudi AramcoThe group is threatening to carry on with attacks even if Saudi vessels seek to avoid the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. US regional allies are currently scrambling to establish alternative energy shipping routes that avoids the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint.
Al Jazeera has cited unnamed Houthis sources who say that Saudi Arabia's Aramco oil facilities could be next:
The ship, confirmed by both the Houthis and British maritime organisations, was struck on its top deck, which caught fire – a less severe outcome than a hull strike, which typically causes a vessel to sink. The Houthis claim both ships were hit, though British monitors say the second tanker made a U-turn and redirected toward the Suez Canal.
At least 10 vessels attempting to cross Bab el-Mandeb strait have been forced to reroute towards the Suez Canal instead, facing a much longer journey around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. The two targeted vessels had been heading to India and China.
The Houthis describe the campaign as “a blockade for a blockade”, warning that Saudi Arabia must lift its blockade on Yemen or face further consequences. Houthi officials say they plan to escalate operations to target Saudi oil tankers and ships even when not crossing Bab el-Mandeb – meaning vessels rerouting via the Suez Canal could still be at risk.
Houthi sources also say Aramco oil facilities could become a future target if the blockade on Yemen is not lifted.
The Houthis have until this week largely remained on the sidelines of the US-Israel war on Iran, but are now clearly ratcheting their involvement, helping Tehran with keeping leverage over global oil shipping.
It was in March of 2022 that the last major strike on Saudi Aramco facilities was reported. Prior to that, 2019 saw the major Abqaiq–Khurais attack.
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 23, 2026However, which group was ultimately behind some of those past, historic attacks remained somewhat of a mystery, also amid speculation that it could have been pro-Iranian groups out of Iraq. This as Brent Crude has on Thursday returned to the $100 per barrel mark.
Rubio, Trump Statements As Brent Tops $100US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that Iran is "begging for a deal" and "they need to come to their senses," adding that Tehran will "pay a very heavy price for the things they are doing." Speaking on the sidelines of the ASEAN conference in Manila, he claimed that "Iran is begging us, both directly and indirectly, 'Let’s do a deal. Let’s talk.'" But the reality remains that there's no public indicators showing this; instead, the Iranians have pretty aggressively sought to enforce their red lines, this week attacking a series of international ships in the Hormuz Strait.
Rubio tried to blame an alleged fracturing of the Iranian government, and a takeover by the 'hardline' faction of leadership. "The problem with Iran is every time they make a deal, the people in charge either break it or they want to change it. So it looks like they’re not ready to make a deal, so they’re going to continue to pay a price, and every night the price gets higher and higher," he asserted. Mini-nuke on Pickaxe Mountain facility or something?
US President Trump says "considering a massive attack greater than anything before, I'm close to making a decision," N12 reports
via Associated PressRubio then characterized Iran and its policies as "run by radical clerics" - calling them "oblivious" to its economic problems. In the background is the fact that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent months ago boasted that US policies and sanctions engineered a currency collapse in hopes that the January economic protests would topple the regime. This never materialized and now people in the Trump administration seem perplexed.
Rubio continued the blame-game while suggesting that if Tehran were to play ball on negotiating a deal for the Hormuz Strait, it could receive major economic benefits.
"Iran can be the richest country in the Middle East if they wanted to be. But instead, they take their money, and they use it and they give it to Hezbollah. They give it to Hamas. They give it to the Houthis. They give it to Shia militias. They give it to sponsored terrorism all over the world," he said.
Iran "will pay a very heavy price for the things they are doing. They are already paying a heavy price," he said. Rubio also responded to recent statements of the Iranians talking about exacting "an eye for an eye" in terms of military approach. The US top diplomat then asserted that President Trump's approach was "a head for an eye". He described that currently Iran's military-industrial base is being "decimated" - suffering "billions" of dollars" in damage. This as...
The US bombs Iran for the 12th consecutive night, killing at least two people and wounding 11 others in an attack on the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iraq. Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait have reported retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Iran.
But what's happening in the Red Sea right now does suggest that the Iranians have more cards to play. Their allies, the Houthis of Yemen, have initiated closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait to all Saudi shipping. At least two vessels were attacked, with unconfirmed but widely circulating video showing one on fire and in distress:
BIG: First Saudi oil tanker reportedly hit by Houthi missile near Yemen, engulfed in flames. pic.twitter.com/R3nG7FSdW1
— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 22, 2026The attacks on the tankers pushed Brent up near $100 - its highest since May 26th...
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has newly announced he communicated to Saudi Crown Mohammed bin Salman Pakistan's strong condemnation of Houthi aggression against Saudi vessels.
"Such actions are unacceptable, violate international law, threaten freedom of navigation, and undermine regional peace and security," Sharif said in a statement on X. The PM emphasized that Pakistan stands "firmly and resolutely" with the Saudi leadership.
Trump: Will Punish Iran for Houthi AttacksPresident Trump is threatening to take military action against the Houthis, and on Thursday morning took it a step further in saying he will hold Iran itself accountable for Houthi actions. "The US will hold Iran responsible," he wrote, explaining that "the Houthis area a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran." He warned that "major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis" themselves.
As for Rubio's remarks, there were still clear signs that the administration hasn't totally abandon efforts to revive talks. "The president always prefers to negotiate and reach a deal… and we are prepared to do that. We've tried to do that now for a year and a half," Rubio had further stated from the ASEAN conference.
But then he again reverted to the argument: "If there’s any undermining of confidence, it’s confidence that the Iranian system as it currently is structured can reach an agreement." Rubio added, "Ships are trying to go through the Straits, and they’re getting blown up. Commercial ships are going through the Straits, and they’re being blown up."
Joe Kent: Bombing in Search of a StrategyAs for the big picture of where things stand, Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent highlights to nature of the current 'all bad options' of the table and quagmire the White House has gotten itself into.
"This is a bombing campaign in search of a strategy," Kent wrote on X. We are choosing escalation when de-escalation remains an option, entrenching ourselves deeper into a broader war that we don’t have the capability or desire to sustain. There is not a military solution here that will lead to a win."
There was so much smug talk up to last week about how Gulf pipelines would make the Strait of Hormuz irrelevant and haha isn’t Iran foolish for hastening the SoH’s demise. This tanker’s oil came from Yanbu, ie KSA’s East-West pipeline to the Red Sea. https://t.co/DrOiAnGytT
— Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) July 22, 2026Kent noted that "More bombing will not convince Iran to open the SOH or to give us the deal we want, it will only harden their position. Bombing civilian infrastructure will not make the people rise up against the regime, it will rally them around it."
Tyler Durden Thu, 07/23/2026 - 13:15Update(1258ET): Saudi unnamed officials are pushing back, as expected...
After President Trump earlier this morning in a Truth Social post asserted that the already signed US-Saudi nuclear deal would actually be conditioned on Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords, journalist Laura Rozen quotes an unnamed Saudi source who says Trump’s demand is too late.
"It was signed. So nothing to renegotiate," the Saudi source says. "Tweets don’t overturn signed agreements."
Is the 'civilian nuclear energy' deal already dead on arrival, even as it's expected to be presented to Congress?
in case anyone thought energy secretary chris wright was freelancing and hadn’t run the deal by Trump https://t.co/KSJHsPNiFz
— Laura Rozen (@lrozen) July 23, 2026* * *
President Trump has suddenly pulled back the reins on the Saudi nuclear deal, which is likely being felt as a major shock in Riyadh, given that the deal was already signed Wednesday by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.
Trump in a Thursday morning Truth social post declared that the deal will only be finally approved "totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords."
Upon Wednesday's signing, there was no mention of the Abraham Accords, also when the Energy Department hailed the deal on X, suggesting it was a 'done deal' and all wrapped up - although the text has not been released, and no definitive outlines have been publicly issued.
Also, the oil-rich kingdom did not mention anything about major stipulations like normalization with Israel, but instead an official statement only indicated that the deal would attempt to "diversify energy sources, advance cutting-edge technologies, and expand opportunities for cooperation and investment in ways that serve the mutual interests of the two friendly countries."
The deal has been controversial among US lawmakers, given it opens the potential for a Saudi path to a nuclear bomb, and broader proliferation in the Middle East. But Trump has sought to clamp down on such criticisms, stressing in his new statement there will be "no enrichment of material" under the agreement and that it "pertains only to non-military use."
The pact would allow US companies to build a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia - but the country's direct ability to enrich automatically opens the pathway to future weaponization.
Saudi Arabia's entry into the Abraham Accords has long been a major Trump administration priority, going back to the launch of the accords in Trump's first term, after which the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and later Sudan and Morocco - formally signed on.
But then the Gaza war happened, and Saudi sentiment soured. Even if the kingdom's ruling monarchy wanted to go ahead and enter normalization with Israel, leaders would have an angry population and powerful clerical class to deal with.
Clearly Trump just threw a big monkey wrench into the whole thing at the 11th hour: "A senior administration official told NBC News on Wednesday that Trump had approved the deal, which was expected to be submitted to Congress for review."
via Middle East Institute (MEI)One regional journalist and analyst, Mohammad Shabani, had this to say in reaction: "Either Saudi Arabia quietly agreed to normalization as a condition for buying nuclear technology, or Trump is once again responding to Israeli pressure after a deal is struck by attempting to change the terms."
Tyler Durden Thu, 07/23/2026 - 12:58The Department of Energy (DOE) issued an emergency order authorizing Southwest Power Pool Inc. to use certain energy resources to reduce the risk of potential blackouts, according to a July 21 statement from the department.
Electrical transmission poles and lines in Commerce, Calif., on Aug. 7, 2025. Mike Blake/ReutersThe order, issued on July 20 and signed by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, stated that Southwest Power Pool (SPP) had asked the DOE to temporarily permit certain resources to operate beyond their normal limits to help ensure grid reliability.
SPP, the regional grid operator serving 17 states in the central United States, also sought authorization to access and deploy backup generation resources at data centers and other large industrial and commercial customer sites.
On July 20, SPP issued multiple warnings about the possibility of rolling blackouts across its service area as high temperatures drove electricity demand to record levels. One alert said SPP had been forced to rely on some or all of its operating reserves after several power plants unexpectedly went offline.
According to the order, Wright determined that additional power dispatch was necessary and that backup generation resources might be needed to address the energy emergency created by the expected strain on the grid.
The determination was based on several factors, including an anticipated electricity shortage and the potential loss of power to homes and local businesses, which could threaten public health and safety.
Wright authorized SPP to use the necessary resources to meet electricity demand. He also permitted the grid operator to deploy backup generation resources as a last resort before issuing an Energy Emergency Alert.
In its statement, the DOE said that the order took effect on July 20 and expired on July 21. The department said the measure helped reduce the risk of power outages across the regions served by SPP.
"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," Wright said in the statement.
The DOE estimates that more than 35 gigawatts of backup generation capacity remains unused nationwide.
Wright said the previous administration's policies weakened the U.S. power grid, leaving Americans vulnerable during emergency events.
"Thanks to President Trump's leadership, we are reversing those failures and using every available tool to ensure Americans have continued access to affordable, reliable, and secure energy to power and cool their homes," Wright said.
As the Epoch Times notes further, On July 15, PJM Interconnection, the nation's largest electric grid operator that serves 13 states, announced a hot weather alert for its service region through at least July 17.
Such an alert is issued ahead of expected hot weather or high humidity to prepare power generation facilities and personnel to meet a surge in electricity demand.
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which serves 15 states, also issued an alert on July 15, citing above-normal temperatures, higher-than-forecasted loads, and power generation outages. The alert ended the same day.
High TemperaturesThe emergency alerts issued by power grid operators came amid intense heat in parts of the United States.
According to a July 22 forecast by the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center, "hazardous heat" is expected to continue this week over the southern United States before expanding through the Great Basin and across the Northern and Central Plains.
"Forecast highs range in the mid-90s to mid-100s with heat indices exceeding 105-115 degrees for some locations," the center said.
"Widespread major to locally extreme HeatRisk (levels 3 and 4/4) is expected, which indicates a level of heat dangerous to anyone without adequate cooling or hydration."
Amid the high heat, more emergency alerts may be issued by various power grid operators, and the DOE may issue additional emergency orders to address the situation.
Elevated temperatures for the current summer season are a continuation of last year's trend. In a Jan. 13 post, nonprofit organization Climate Central said that 2025 was the fourth-hottest year on record for the contiguous United States. The nine warmest years in the country have all been recorded since 2012.
According to data from Injury Facts, an online resource run by nonprofit safety advocacy organization National Safety Council, high heat was responsible for 253 deaths in the United States last year.
Tyler Durden Thu, 07/23/2026 - 12:50