Good Morning. 

A man with an AK-style rifle attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at his Florida golf club, while U.S. and Chinese military leaders concluded talks on various issues, the U.S. State Department imposed sanctions on RT and related Russian media companies, a congressional probe found Chinese cargo cranes at U.S. ports pose an espionage risk, and Sinaloa cartel factions clashed in Mexico after their founder's arrest and U.S. court appearance.

Let’s dive in.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

U.S. Navy SEALs' Covert Role in Taiwan's Defense Strategy

• SEAL Team Six has reportedly been training for over a year to assist in Taiwan's defense, potentially indicating deeper U.S. involvement than previously known.

• Experts suggest the SEALs' role would be limited to specific, high-value tasks rather than large-scale combat operations in the event of a Chinese invasion.

• The revelation of this training program is seen as a strategic move to deter China and bolster Taiwan's defense capabilities, while maintaining the U.S.'s commitment to its one-China policy.

Counterterrorism

• A man with an AK-style rifle attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at his Florida golf club, but was thwarted by Secret Service. ➚

• Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a missile attack on Israel. ➚

• Iranian government forces have deployed heavily in Mahsa Amini's hometown of Saqqez ahead of the second anniversary of her death. ➚

• Somalia's foreign minister suggests potential support for Ethiopian rebels. ➚

• Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian plans to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Russia. ➚

Military & Defense

• U.S. and Chinese military leaders concluded talks on various issues, including the South China Sea and Taiwan. ➚

• Ukrainian President Zelenskyy urges Western allies to allow Ukraine to strike military targets deep inside Russia. ➚

• The Italian army will start guarding a hospital in Calabria after a series of violent attacks on medical staff across Italy. ➚

Cybersecurity

• The U.S. State Department imposed sanctions on RT and related Russian media companies. ➚

• CISA warned that hackers are exploiting a vulnerability in an end-of-life version of Ivanti's Cloud Service Appliance software. ➚

• The DOD hosted Indonesian officials and entrepreneurs to discuss cybersecurity workforce strategies and challenges. ➚

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• A congressional probe finds Chinese cargo cranes at U.S. ports pose espionage risk. ➚

• Russia moves to expel six UK diplomats, accusing them of spying activities. ➚

Transnational Organized Crime

• Sinaloa cartel factions clash in Mexico after founder's arrest and U.S. court appearance. ➚

• Four men, including Jordanian royal relative, charged in $1M insider trading scheme in Miami. ➚

The America Builds podcast sits at the nexus of national security, technology, and venture capital. Hosts Will Allen and Hayley Menser interview the brilliant operators and investors pushing the boundaries of frontier technology.