Daily Recap: Politics — 18 August 2026

Politics is dominated by fights over state power and legitimacy, from court intervention in Pakistan and a U.S. clash with the International Criminal Court to a domestic legal battle over press freedom. At the same time, Donald Trump’s rhetoric on Iran, territory and voting rules...

The United States sanctions International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye. The measures bar both officials from entering the country, freeze any U.S. assets they may hold and restrict their access to the U.S. financial system, escalating Washington’s confrontation with the Hague-based court.

ABC and Disney sue the Federal Communications Commission, arguing the agency’s early review of some station license renewals is unconstitutional retaliation for the network’s journalism and programming. The companies ask a federal court to block parts of the process, saying the government is using broadcast regulation to pressure a news organization.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court orders former prime minister Imran Khan transferred from jail to a hospital for a medical examination. The ruling sends Khan from custody to a medical facility in the capital amid concerns about his health, placing the court directly into the high-stakes political struggle surrounding the imprisoned opposition leader.

Trump says the United States is not in talks with Iran and has no negotiations planned. The statement comes as tensions remain high around the Strait of Hormuz and as Washington maintains a heightened military posture, signaling that the administration is publicly distancing itself from any suggestion of active diplomacy.

Trump posts a map on Truth Social labeling the Strait of Hormuz as “new U.S. territory.” The message adds to his recent public comments about asserting American control over the strategic waterway, injecting another provocative note into an already tense regional dispute with major implications for shipping and security.

Russia warns Britain of “consequences” after reports that UK-made drones were used by Ukrainian forces to strike targets inside Russia. The warning, delivered by Russia’s embassy in London, sharpens the diplomatic pressure on the UK as the war’s battlefield technology and supply lines become a larger international flashpoint.

Trump renews his push for the SAVE America Act by invoking India’s voter identification rules. In public remarks and social media posts, he argues the comparison shows the United States should require valid photo identification in federal elections, keeping election procedures and voting access at the center of the political debate.