August 14, 2026

The American Conservative Morning Briefing · Aug 14, 2026 · 4m

Good morning! Today is Friday, August 14th 2026, and this is The American Conservative's Morning Brief. On day 167 of the Iran war, the CIA reportedly doubted Israeli intelligence about a plot against Trump's life that sent him fleeing Air Force One in a catering cart, as the Pentagon has now lost a quarter of its Reaper drone fleet. Eldar Mamedov reports that Tehran, judging Washington incapable of honoring any deal, has settled on a strategy of "neither war nor peace" while waiting out Trump's term. But that patience carries a price: as Iran leans harder on proxies like the Houthis, it…