THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/15/25

Securing Tomorrow: Your Daily Dose of Cyber Safety, Tech Trends, National Defense News, and Inspiration.

“Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.”

— Theodore Roosevelt

A B-2 bomber fly-by greeted Putin over summit in Alaska
A US Air Force B-2 Spirit—escorted by four F-35s—performed a flyover as Russian President Vladimir Putin met President Donald Trump on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, for a summit focused on the four-year war in Ukraine; flight data showed two B-2s staged from Whiteman AFB, whose fleet famously executed June’s “Operation Midnight Hammer,” dropping 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators on Iranian nuclear sites before returning to Missouri, while the Alaska event unfolded amid Northern Edge 2025 exercises and a long history of U.S.–Russian aerial gamesmanship in the region, with F-22s flanking the red carpet on the ground as talks began. Click here to read more.

Sam Altman Says ChatGPT Is on Track to Out-Talk Humanity
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says ChatGPT is on track to surpass all human conversations combined, projecting billions of daily interactions as the chatbot continues to scale globally; speaking after the rocky launch of GPT-5, Altman admitted the company misjudged how personality changes would affect users, promising more customization ahead, while also acknowledging the AI industry is in a bubble—but one rooted in transformative potential similar to past tech booms; he predicted OpenAI will spend trillions on data centers, hinted at novel financial instruments to fund the effort, and compared the risks to the dotcom era, where massive losses coexisted with historic gains, noting OpenAI’s $300 billion valuation and rumored path to $500 billion as evidence of both opportunity and volatility. Click here to read more.

Franklin Graham calls on Christians to pray for ‘end to the bloodshed’ ahead of Trump-Putin summit
Evangelist Franklin Graham has urged Christians worldwide to pray for Friday’s high-stakes summit in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling on believers to ask God to grant Trump wisdom and to work in Putin’s heart to end the war in Ukraine; Graham, who has met both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said only divine intervention can bring “an end to the bloodshed,” echoing his earlier appeals for peace as his ministry Samaritan’s Purse continues aid efforts in the region; his call coincides with a multi-day prayer event led by the Orthodox Church of America in Alaska, where Archbishop Alexei invoked the intercession of Saint Olga, reminding the faithful that “the hearts of kings are in the hand of the Lord” (Proverbs 21:1) as negotiations unfold. Click here to read more.

Trump Administration reportedly wants stake in Intel
President Donald Trump is reportedly in talks for the U.S. government to take a stake in Intel, a move that could help the chipmaker push forward with its repeatedly delayed Ohio factory hub; the discussions, first reported by Bloomberg, follow a meeting between Trump and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan at the White House, where Tan sought to assure the president of his leadership despite past controversies involving Cadence Design Systems and Chinese-linked semiconductor investments; while Trump had previously demanded Tan’s resignation, he praised the CEO after their meeting, saying Tan and his cabinet would present recommendations soon, though officials cautioned the deal remains speculative until formally announced. Click here to read more.

Between martyrdom and ruin: Hamas’s next choice will pave a new chapter in Gaza’s history – opinion
Hamas now faces what analysts describe as an inevitable collapse rather than resilience, as Israel’s strategy shifts from targeting cells to dismantling the group’s entire ideological and symbolic framework; while military tactics combine precision strikes, displacement, and special forces incursions, Hamas’s rhetoric has pivoted toward a sacrificial narrative of martyrdom, with leaders like Khaled Mashaal framing death as the apex of struggle and hostages reduced to tools for buying time; observers note the group’s leadership appears to accept its demise, setting the stage for its leaders’ elimination and the movement’s erasure from international legitimacy, while Gaza prepares for a massive reconstruction effort estimated at $50 billion that will become a new geopolitical battleground; ultimately, Hamas’s pursuit of martyrdom highlights its failure to offer viable political alternatives, ensuring its downfall will mark both the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter in Gaza’s future. Click here to read more.