Air Force One-Maxxing

Good afternoon. This is the Final NOTUS newsletter for July 20, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

President Donald Trump insists that his new, Qatari-donated Air Force One has all of the necessary security features — but he’s still taking it out of service for at least a month to be “maxed out,” he told a reporter.

• His administration is seeking the phone records of journalists who reported on the jet’s security shortcomings. One reporter’s mother was even targeted as part of the investigation, according to The New York Times.

Trump is claiming credit for a summer promotional sale the grocery chain Giant Eagle is running for staple food items.

• It’s not clear that Trump played any role in the company’s decision to run the sale, which it said was an extension of the chain’s successful fall discount campaign.

THE HILL

Lindsey Graham’s sister, Sen. Darline Graham (R-South Carolina), told Fox News that she will run for a full term after being nominated as his interim replacement. Rep. Russell Fry (R-South Carolina) also declared his candidacy, but a victory could leave his House seat vacant for months at a time when the GOP majority is razor thin.

THE ADMINISTRATION

The Houthis are imposing a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, which could drastically cut Saudi oil exports just as the global oil supply was beginning to rebound.

The Pentagon identified the two soldiers killed in Jordan after Iran launched missiles at a U.S. military base.

Taylor Farms said the Food and Drug Administration had “apologized” for a false-positive test result linking its iceberg lettuce to the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak. The FDA said it did no such thing, and that despite the faulty test, its investigation still points toward the produce giant as the likely source of the outbreak.

A man is in custody after allegedly setting off fireworks and lighting a blaze outside a federal building in Manhattan that houses ICE and FBI offices.

• The Department of Homeland Security described the alleged perpetrator as an “anti-ICE rioter” and said it was investigating the incident as a potential act of terrorism.

ACROSS THE POND

“King of the North” Andy Burnham took over for Keir Starmer as the United Kingdom’s new prime minister today after meeting with King Charles III.

‘HERITAGE FOUNDATION VANCE’ WAS ALREADY TAKEN

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