October 18, 2026

The American Conservative Morning Briefing · Oct 18, 2026 · 4m

Good morning! Today is Sunday, October 18th 2026, and this is The American Conservative's Morning Brief. Phillip Linderman digs into the Scoular bribery case and other federal prosecutions to argue that booming U.S.–Mexico trade is quietly fattening the cartels and that Washington needs a real Mexico trade plan before the 2027 USMCA review. On day 232 of the war with Iran, Tehran declares the Strait of Hormuz "closed" after a wave of tanker attacks, sending gas to $4.31 a gallon as Foreign Minister Araghchi hands Washington a seven-day ultimatum through Qatar. Katie Zacharia is out as White…