Axios

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is sending an amphibious assault ship, the USS Tripoli, and its Marine expeditionary unit to the Middle East, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Axios on Friday.

Why it matters: The deployment will add thousands of Marines, several warships, and F-35 fighter jets to support those already in the region, the U.S. official said.

The Pentagon is turning procurement into policy, staking its claim as Washington's most powerful AI player with its decision to ditch Anthropic.

Why it matters: As lawmakers debate guardrails, the Pentagon showed how it can reshape the AI industry with a single contract decision.

The U.S. Navy will escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, "perhaps with an international coalition," as "soon as it is militarily possible," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a Sky News interview broadcast Thursday.

Why it matters: The International Energy Agency said Thursday the global oil market is facing "the largest supply disruption" in history due to the Iran war, which Bessent told Sky News has cost the U.S. $11 billion thus far.