December 18, 2025

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed annual defense policy legislation into law that aims to force the Pentagon to release footage of military strikes against boats in Latin America and ties his hands as he reconsiders longstanding U.S. military commitments abroad.

A compromise version of the National Defense Authorization Act passed the House and Senate over the past week with broad bipartisan support. Trump’s signature — which occurred Thursday evening, according to a White House press pool report — marks the 65th consecutive year the Pentagon policy bill has become law.

Boat strikes: The final bill ratchets up a fight over footage of the administration’s use of the military against suspected drug smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific by freezing a quarter of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget until Congress receives the video.

Read more: