The President's Week: Monument reductions, Iran strikes, and a housing law — July 7–14, 2026

U.S. military strikes on Iran

U.S. Central Command carried out a series of strikes on targets in Iran, which officials described as retaliation for Iranian attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, with strikes continuing over subsequent days.

Why it matters: Why it matters: the strikes represent direct U.S. military action against Iranian territory, and Iran responded by launching drones and missiles at U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait.

• Officials described the strikes as a response to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran said it launched drones and missiles at U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait in response.
• The administration also revoked a temporary sanctions waiver that had allowed Iran to sell oil on the open market, reimposing penalties on Iranian oil sales.
• On July 10, the Treasury Department imposed additional sanctions targeting Iranian financial facilitator Ali Ansari, described as overseeing a network of assets benefiting regime elites, along with Iranian exchange houses.

Proclamation reducing Bears Ears National Monument

Trump signed a proclamation reducing Bears Ears National Monument from approximately 1.36 million acres to approximately 121,100 acres, opening the surrounding lands to multiple-use management.

Why it matters: Why it matters: the proclamation invokes presidential authority under the Antiquities Act to modify monument boundaries, removing federal monument protections from the affected acreage without an act of Congress.

• The monument was reduced from approximately 1.36 million acres to approximately 121,100 acres.
• The proclamation rolled back an intertribal collaborative management framework for the monument.
• The facts note the action is expected to face legal challenges.

Proclamation reducing Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Trump signed a proclamation reducing Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument from approximately 1.87 million acres to approximately 181,500 acres.

Why it matters: Why it matters: combined with the Bears Ears reduction signed the same day, the two proclamations remove roughly 3 million acres from monument designation.

• The monument was reduced from approximately 1.87 million acres to approximately 181,500 acres.
• Both Utah monument reductions were signed on July 13, 2026.
• Together, the two proclamations remove roughly 3 million acres from monument designation.

Section 232 proclamation on commercial aircraft, jet engines, and parts

Trump signed a proclamation concurring with a Commerce Department finding that imports of commercial aircraft, jet engines, and associated parts threaten to impair national security, and directed Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to pursue negotiations with trading partners.

Why it matters: Why it matters: the proclamation opens a 180-day negotiation window under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act and reserves the option of future tariffs if negotiations do not produce agreements.

• No immediate tariffs were imposed.
• The Commerce Secretary and U.S. Trade Representative are directed to negotiate agreements with trading partners on the covered imports.
• A progress update is due within 180 days.
• The proclamation covers commercial aircraft, jet engines, and aircraft and engine parts.

21st Century ROAD to Housing Act becomes law without signature

The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act automatically became law after Trump declined to sign or veto it within the constitutional 10-day window.

Why it matters: Why it matters: under the Constitution, a bill presented to the President becomes law if he neither signs nor vetoes it within ten days while Congress is in session.

• Trump said he withheld his signature in protest over the Senate's failure to pass the SAVE America Act.
• The law contains more than 40 provisions directed at expanding housing supply and streamlining environmental reviews.
• The law caps additional single-family home purchases by corporate landlords owning at least 350 houses.
• The bill is also identified as H.R. 6644.

NATO summit in Ankara and Patriot manufacturing license for Ukraine

Trump attended the NATO leaders' summit in Ankara on July 8, where he met with Ukrainian President Zelensky and Turkish President Erdogan, and announced the U.S. would give Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air defense systems.

Why it matters: Why it matters: the Patriot manufacturing license reverses a prior U.S. position resisting foreign production of the technology, allowing Ukraine to produce the systems domestically.

• Trump met Ukrainian President Zelensky on the sidelines of the summit.
• Trump met Turkish President Erdogan at the summit.
• Trump announced the U.S. would give Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air defense systems to counter Russian missile attacks.
• The license reverses a prior U.S. position resisting foreign production of Patriot technology.

Proclamation marking the death of Senator Lindsey Graham

Trump issued a proclamation marking the death of Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and directed related honors.

Why it matters: Why it matters: a presidential proclamation on the death of a sitting senator is a standard formal act directing flags and official observances.

• The proclamation was signed July 13, 2026.
• A companion White House release honored Graham's life and career.

Sources

Official government records used to verify the issue. Contextual reporting, when present, is listed separately as further reading. Source links corrected after publication are identified below.

• Proclamation reducing Bears Ears National Monument · 2026-07-13
• Section 232 proclamation on commercial aircraft, jet engines, and parts · 2026-07-09
• Section 232 proclamation on commercial aircraft, jet engines, and parts · 2026-07-09
• Proclamation granting regulatory relief for certain stationary sources · 2026-07-13
• Proclamation on the death of Senator Lindsey Graham · 2026-07-13
• Executive order signed July 13, 2026 · 2026-07-13

Further reading

Context and general reference links. These links do not count toward the publication source floor.

• Proclamation reducing Bears Ears National Monument · 2026-07-13
• Proclamation reducing Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument · 2026-07-13
• Proclamation reducing Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument · 2026-07-13
• 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act becomes law without signature · 2026-07-11
• 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act becomes law without signature · 2026-07-11
• 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act becomes law without signature · 2026-07-11
• 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644) becomes law without signature · 2026-07-11
• NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey · 2026-07-08
• NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey