Axios

The latest NATO summit, held in Turkey this month, may be most remembered not for politicking and posturing, but for sideline dealmaking.

The big picture: The Ankara get-together concluded with more than $50 billion in new procurements on the books, according to the alliance's readout, as well as a handful of agreements to expand weapons production across borders.

• "One thing is clear: The money is there, and much more is coming. But this cash must be put to work," NATO boss Mark Rutte said at a defense-industrial-base forum that coincided with the summit.

Trump Accounts for children went live July 4, and the government's one-time $1,000 contributions are now landing in accounts for eligible kids.

The big picture: Families are latching onto the new IRA-style accounts for kids, with 6.5 million signups so far, per the U.S. Treasury Department. Here are answers to parents' common questions.

WASHINGTON — The passage of landmark federal housing legislation is encouraging optimism for more collaborative reform, lawmakers and advocates said at an Axios Live event.

Why it matters: Homeownership costs are nearing historic levels, and addressing the national housing shortage is a rare bipartisan priority.

Axios' Courtenay Brown and Mimi Montgomery moderated conversations with Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.) and National Multifamily Housing Council president Sharon Wilson Géno. The July 16 event was sponsored by Citi.

Stunning stat: Americans hoping to afford payments on a median-priced home need over 75% more income than they did in 2020, according to Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies.

Driving the news: The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act automatically became law last week despite President Trump's refusal to sign it.

What they're saying: The bipartisan work to pass the legislation is a "beacon of hope," Pettersen said.

• "We'll know if it's working when people start to feel like [housing] is within reach again — that they're not spending 50% of their paycheck to put a roof over their head," she added.
• The bill's elimination of a 1974 requirement of a permanent steel chassis for manufactured homes could be "the biggest change," Wilson Géno said.
• One of the most important things the bill accomplishes is the "reduction of the regulatory barriers that go into construction," LaHood said, and the creative financing solutions that free up capital and investment funding.

Yes, but: "There are many pieces that are lacking ... especially that federal investment that we need to help increase the housing supply," Pettersen said.

The bottom line: Housing "affects every congressional district, every state," LaHood said. "No one is immune from it."

Content from the sponsor's segment:

In a View From the Top conversation, Citi head of enterprise services and public affairs Edward Skyler said difficult choices will need to be made for the greater good.

• "If we want to make some progress here, different jurisdictions are going to have to do things as far as expediting permitting, making sure the zoning makes sense and also making some of the hard decisions."

The Trump administration notified Israel it is sending dozens more refueling planes to the country ahead of a potential expansion of military operations against Iran, three U.S. and Israeli officials said.

Why it matters: After he was presented with several new military plans in a Situation Room meeting Tuesday, President Trump is considering a massive offensive in Iran that would be wider in scope than the current strikes around the Strait of Hormuz.

Multiple survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse said a long-awaited meeting with attorney general nominee Todd Blanche felt more like an obligatory box to check than a substantive conversation.

The big picture: For Blanche, the meeting was a necessary step to unlock a crucial vote for his confirmation to be the nation's chief law enforcement officer. For survivors, it was a historic first in their lengthy trek for justice.

Tim Pawlenty, the new head of the solar industry's lobbying group, sees his gig through lenses that are purple and green.

Why it matters: Minnesota's former GOP governor arrives at the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) at a time of huge political problems for renewables under Trump 2.0.

• But there are some tailwinds, too. Rising demand and AI put a premium on energy that can come online fast, and affordability is the political buzzword of the moment as electricity bills rise.

Andy Burnham will be the U.K.'s new prime minister after becoming Labour's leader Friday.

Why it matters: Burnham vaulted from regional politics to the cusp of Downing Street within weeks — an unusually rapid ascent that leaves him little time to prepare for mounting economic and political challenges.

Alumni of the Obama and Biden administrations are launching a public policy initiative aimed at defining the center-left perspective on AI.

Why it matters: Democrats across the country are taking action on AI as the midterms near, implementing data center moratoriums and running for office on AI safety platforms.

AI safeguards advocacy group Public First Action is launching a $15 million project to support Republican candidates in the midterms, according to an announcement shared first with Axios.

Why it matters: The bipartisan group is looking to appeal to conservative Americans who say they want AI rules.

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers on Friday introduced legislation to ensure humans, not AI or machines, make the final decision when the U.S. military uses lethal force.

Why it matters: Lawmakers in both parties are looking to set legal guardrails for military AI as autonomous weapons play a larger role in modern warfare.