Patriotism News
The Daily Signal highlights patriotic voices, traditions, and debates over what it means to defend and preserve American values.
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opinion
What the Media Missed About the Great American State Fair
Media outlets such as The Guardian and Forbes described the Great American State Fair as a disappointment because of extreme heat, weather delays, and lower-than-expected crowds. But as a volunteer during the event’s opening days, I saw firsthand that the event was much more than the negative headlines suggested. Presented by Freedom 250, the free… -
opinion
Pamphlets to Posts: The Founders Would Have Been Keyboard Warriors
RealClearWire—If America’s Founding Fathers were still with us today, they wouldn’t avoid social media—they’d master it. Popular platforms like X, Facebook, Truth Social, and Instagram can reduce our ability to build trusting relationships and cross political boundaries. But they are also incredibly powerful tools to spread news and perspectives—and are not inherently incompatible with thoughtful… -
opinion
How A Father’s Musical Legacy Echoes America’s 250 Journey
On this Independence Day, by invitation of the White House Task Force 250, I will stand on the main stage of the Great American State Fair to lead a National Mall crowd in a one-hour program of music and prayers for our nation. This exciting moment marking 250 years of American independence was unimaginable for… -
opinion
Abraham Lincoln and America’s Electric Cord
The debates between Abraham Lincoln and Sen. Stephen Douglas not only rank amongst America’s landmark speeches but could be a primer for political philosophy students. In campaigning against one another, the rising statesman and elder politician tackled some of the most essential questions of morality and politics. What does it mean to be human? To… -
opinion
Reclaiming the Exceptionalism That Built the Greatest Nation on Earth
RealClearWire—As fireworks light the sky this July Fourth and we mark the 250th anniversary of American independence, we celebrate more than a birthday. We honor the most successful experiment in human freedom the world has ever known—an experiment that delivered unprecedented abundance, opportunity, and dignity to ordinary people. No nation in history has lifted the… -
opinion
On America 250, Remember That True Freedom Is Built on Faith
Freedom is a word that is too easily thrown around. America was built on freedom. The colonists’ freedoms were being infringed upon, so they rose against Britain to get them back. They won the freedom to govern themselves—and to do so in a way that was more aligned with their inalienable rights. Unfortunately, freedom has… -
opinion
Patriotism Is in Peril. Here’s How to Fix That.
The World Cup has led to many displays of patriotism from European visitors to the United States. The Scottish “Tartan Army” marched into Florida behind a wall of bagpipes. Norwegians have carried their “Viking row” chant through stadium concourses, airport escalators, and Times Square. A strong country must produce those willing to sacrifice for its… -
opinion
Top 6 Classic Books to Read for America 250
“The Heritage Guide to Historic Sites” pinpoints and evaluates notable places like battlefields, presidential homes, and museums scattered throughout America. These places tell their own unique stories and combine to tell the American story. They give us insight into the American mind. That insight is further enriched by reading primary source documents, classical texts the… -
opinion
Army ROTC Taught Me Never to Call Independence Day ‘the Fourth of July’
Most Americans think nothing of calling our nation’s birthday “the Fourth of July.” But I learned the hard way not to do that in my Army Reserve Officer Training Corps days in college. I’ll never forget the day Sgt. Thayer, a regular Army soldier, decided to randomly quiz our ROTC squad on American history while… -
opinion
America’s Founders Show Us How to Defeat Socialism
Can America survive if the next generation meant to preserve it believes our best days are behind us? As the Daily Signal has worked on a special project for America’s 250th birthday, I’ve been fixating on this question and struggling to answer it. But we might soon know the answer. A recent study from Pew Research found that just… -
opinion
This Is America: Introducing the Heritage Guide to Historic Sites
The following is a lightly edited transcript of a speech delivered on Oct. 27, 2026, at Mount Vernon for an America’s 250th Leaders Reception and Dinner. It is my great pleasure to introduce the Heritage Guide to Historic Sites, the 13 original colonies version. Many of you have probably noticed that exhibits at our nation’s… -
opinion
Rep. Mark Harris: The Faith That Made America Free
As America approaches her 250th birthday, we will look back to Philadelphia; to the signing of the Declaration of Independence; and to the courage of the men who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to the cause of liberty. The declaration was not written merely in rejection of England’s rule. It was… -
opinion
The Democratic Socialists’ War on America
America’s most radical left-wing movement is no longer content to protest from outside; it is now working to dismantle the republic from within. It would be a grave error to dismiss members of the Democratic Socialists of America as mere campus radicals or online agitators. In New York City and beyond, the group and its… -
breaking
An Inside Look at Daily Signal Documentary ‘Sacred Honor: The Declaration That Defines a Nation’
The Daily Signal has released a new trailer for its latest documentary titled “Sacred Honor: The Declaration That Defines a Nation.” “Sacred Honor” takes the audience inside the years and months leading up to America’s Declaration of Independence and invites viewers to think like the great statesmen of our Founding. It premieres on the Daily… -
opinion
What America Can Learn From Alexis de Tocqueville
LUZERNE COUNTY, Pennsylvania—Over the Flag Day weekend in Pennsylvania, crowds gathered, and communities were formed in the most unlikely of places, under viaducts, along gravel-filled tracks, and at the base of some impressive Appalachian mountains, all just to watch as Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 rolled through northeastern Pennsylvania. The sheer presence of the… -
opinion
World Cup Tourists See What Too Many Americans Have Forgotten
Americans are routinely told that our nation is hopelessly divided, irredeemably flawed, and perhaps even in terminal decline. Public polling reflects this pervasive frustration, pessimism, and anomie. If someone halfway around the world only followed the polls, he might be forgiven for believing our republic is all but over. But something remarkable is happening during… -
news
Freedom 250 CEO Addresses Performer Controversies, Security Concerns
Freedom 250 CEO Keith Krach declared that events celebrating America’s 250th anniversary will be secure, adding that the lineup will feature plenty of entertainers, following criticism that performers are fleeing the celebration. “Look, we’ve got so many entertainers here,” he told the Daily Signal in an exclusive interview. “We’ve got a military band. We have all these different acts. You have all these great different speakers.” … -
news
Patriotism Declines as US Nears 250th Anniversary, Driven by Sharp Partisan Divide
A growing number of Americans are feeling less patriotic about their country as the United States prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. According to a Public Religion Research Institute poll released last week, “Just half of Americans are extremely or very proud of being an American (51%) or of America’s… -
news
What Does It Mean to Be American? 3 Defining Beliefs
What makes an American an American? Hillsdale College professor Matthew Spalding joined Heritage Foundation Executive Vice President Derrick Morgan on Monday to answer this question and to discuss Spalding’s new book, “The Making of the American Mind.” The Declaration of Independence offers a unique answer to this question, Spalding told Morgan. He laid out certain… -
opinion
D-Day at 82: An American’s Experience at Normandy
This week, I had the honor of visiting Normandy, France, with Young America’s Foundation. Led by combat veteran Lt. Col. Allen West, our cadre of student leaders walked the five beaches of Normandy, which were hallowed 82 years ago by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s soldiers, sailors, and airmen. After commemorating the anniversary of the D-Day landings, and…