Under a new partnership, the Defense Department would play a larger role in biodefense and pandemic preparedness. Democrats warned it could allow a Pentagon cash grab.
Page A4From§Eachthe early bird edition — 4 September 2026
Trump drops wetland protections while Pentagon and NIH join forces on biodefense
The Trump administration announces a new move to drop more federal protections for wetlands across the country, reducing the scope of land covered under the Clean Water Act. Almost simultaneously, the Pentagon and the National Institutes of Health shake hands on a biodefense agreement, which has drawn alarm from Democratic lawmakers concerned about the militarization of public health and research. The juxtaposition is not lost: on one side, the regulatory nets for water safety are slashed; on the other, the military reaches into the domain of health sciences, ostensibly to prepare for biological threats. Each act on its own might be sold as reform or readiness, but together, they outline a pattern: civilian protections retreat as military involvement in civilian spheres advances. The result is an America where the mudflats are vulnerable but the laboratories are locked down. The question isn’t what they’re defending, but who is left out when the lines move.
“Water protections get tossed out and the Pentagon cozies up with the NIH for 'biodefense.' First, they deregulate the land, then they militarize public health. At this rate, the only thing left unprotected is us.”
“This is about streamlining regulations for American growth and ensuring national security. Democrats always raise an alarm, but these are prudent, forward-looking steps. Did I say 'forward-looking'? I meant...strategic. Yes, strategic.”
The receipts
The proposed rule could strip federal protections from most U.S. wetlands, many of which help feed drinking water systems.
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front.