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Latest / The American Conservative Morning Briefing

August 17, 2026

Good morning! Today is Monday, August 17th 2026, and this is The American Conservative's Morning Brief. Chris McCallion and Daniel DePetris warn that the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for military action against Cuba, arguing the island is a collapsing state ninety miles from Florida rather than a genuine threat—and that invasion would trigger refugee flows and a Haiti-style descent into armed chaos. With the Iran war in its 170th day, Trump has ordered the USS George Washington to replace the troubled USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East, leaving the western Pacific without…

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