(AGENPARL) - Roma, 16 Agosto 2026 - First new naval shipyard in 80 years, drug prices hit 60-year low, Apple opens in Houston, and DC homicides down 44%.
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WEEKLY BRIEFING
First New Naval Shipyard in 80 Years, Prescription Drug Prices Record 60-Year Low, Apple Opens U.S. Manufacturing Center in Houston, and Federal Cybercrime Powers Expanded
On August 13, President Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum directing the most significant naval expansion since the Reagan era. The order establishes the first new naval shipyard in more than 80 years, creates a dedicated submarine component repair center, and directs a comprehensive reorganization of Naval Sea Systems Command to address chronic delays and cost overruns. The administration's "Finland model" permits foreign shipbuilders to temporarily construct vessels in their home shipyards while investing in American facilities and training American workers — a rapid-scaling pathway that complements the nearly $9 billion already allocated for arctic security cutters and a sweeping buildup of new submarines, destroyers, and aircraft carriers.
Also on August 13, President Trump signed a proclamation imposing new tariffs on drones and their components — 100% on large drones or those equipped with thermal imaging, and 25% on smaller commercial drones — protecting U.S. national security and accelerating domestic drone manufacturing. The administration simultaneously released "The Great Transshipment Scam," a bombshell report exposing how foreign adversaries, primarily China, have exploited third-country trade routes to disguise the origin of their goods and evade U.S. tariffs — undermining American trade enforcement and domestic industry for years.
Prices continued to fall across the American economy. CPI declined in July, with prescription drug prices recording their steepest monthly drop in more than 60 years — powered by TrumpRx, executive actions on drug pricing, and renewed market competition. On August 13, Apple opened its Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston, with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick joining CEO Tim Cook for the ribbon cutting — a major milestone in Apple's commitment to expand its U.S. manufacturing footprint. Stanley Black & Decker announced a $1 billion investment in American manufacturing and skilled trades workforce development, further building out the domestic industrial base.
On August 12, President Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum directing a sweeping federal effort to combat transnational cyber-enabled crime. Americans lost $20.8 billion to cyber fraud and scams in 2025 alone — 73% of U.S. adults experienced online scams. The NSPM creates a new cyber operations program through the Homeland Security Task Force, establishes private sector partnerships with vetted companies for disruption capabilities, and builds a real-time information-sharing framework across federal, state, and local agencies. The FBI, DOJ, and DHS are authorized to take direct action against foreign-based criminal organizations running ransomware, phishing, fraud, sextortion, and scam networks targeting Americans.
The administration delivered a new wave of immigration enforcement actions. The Department of Justice sued New York, Connecticut, and Vermont for offering in-state college tuition to illegal aliens — challenging state policies that reward illegal immigration at the expense of lawful residents. The State Department revoked more than 175,000 visas belonging to foreign nationals arrested for fraud, theft, or drunk driving. And federal agents busted a New York City fraud scheme that engineered hundreds of sham marriages between Americans and Chinese nationals.
