National Security News

The Daily Signal provides reports on national and homeland security issues, including military readiness, intelligence operations, border protection, and global conflicts. Featuring news, analysis, and commentary, this section explores how security policy decisions affect America’s national defense and freedom.
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    • News

    What a Special Committee Investigating Russia’s Cyberattacks Could Do

    A bipartisan group of senators is pressing for the creation of a special panel—known as a select committee—to investigate and provide the definitive account of Russian cyberattacks on the U.S. political system. Sens. John McCain. R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., along with incoming Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I.,…
    Josh Siegel
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    • News

    How Russia’s Cyberattacks Have Affected Ukraine

    KYIV, Ukraine—Ukraine’s May 25, 2014, presidential election was a pivotal moment for the country. A revolution that February, in which more than 100 died, had overthrown pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. Two weeks prior to the election, on May 11, pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukrainian cities of Donetsk and Luhansk declared their independence from Kyiv….
    Nolan Peterson
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    • Opinion

    Cyberattacks Are a Major Security Threat. Here’s How to Deter Them.

    Nearly two years ago, North Korea launched a cyberattack against Sony that nearly crippled the movie giant. The U.S. responded by imposing yet another round of feckless sanctions against the Hermit dynasty. But ironically, if members of the North Korean army had landed in Los Angeles and blown up Sony’s studios with dynamite, they would…
    Albert Wolf
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    • Opinion

    Social Security Needs Real Reform, Not Just a New Commission

    Social Security was a fact of life in 20th-century America, but it may soon reach a critical fork in the road. In less than two decades from now, Social Security’s combined trust fund will be exhausted. If no action is taken to reform this major program, benefits will suddenly be indiscriminately reduced by 23 percent. To…
    Romina Boccia
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    • Opinion

    3 Steps to Making Christmas Special Without Breaking the Bank

    “I love you, man.” It may not be the easiest thing to say, but it’s definitely the cheapest. Yes, sharing why you appreciate someone is much cheaper than buying the hottest gift on Amazon. Maybe more painful for you, but definitely the budget-friendly choice. If you find yourself thinking, “Ugh, feelings,” you’re in good company….
    Beverly Hallberg
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    • Opinion

    New Social Security Reform Bill Moves in the Right Direction

    Finally, a reform plan has been introduced to preserve Social Security without troubling younger generations with undue debt and tax burdens. This plan, the Social Security Reform Act of 2016, was introduced last week by Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Texas, the chair of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security. Johnson’s plan applies the right…
    Romina Boccia
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    • News

    Trump Picks Retired Marine General as Homeland Security Secretary

    President-elect Donald Trump has chosen retired Marine Gen. John F. Kelly to lead the Department of Homeland Security, news organizations reported Wednesday. If nominated and confirmed, Kelly would join a Cabinet that already promises to be well represented by military figures. Trump has announced his selections of retired Marine Gen. James N. Mattis for secretary…
    Rachel del Guidice
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    • Opinion

    Gen. John Kelly Is a Good Pick for a Struggling Department of Homeland Security

    Reports emerged Wednesday that President-elect Donald Trump will nominate retired Marine Gen. John Kelly for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Kelly has both the personal character and years of experience that could make him the right choice for the job. Much like retired Gen. James Mattis, who has been picked by Trump for…
    Riley Walters
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    • Opinion

    Obama Sent Top Official to Castro’s Funeral, but Not Thatcher’s. Why It Sends the Wrong Message.

    President Barack Obama sent high-level administration officials to Cuban dictator Fidel Castro’s funeral procession last week, a gesture of respect he did not offer for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s funeral. After Castro’s death, Obama released a statement saying: “History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and the world around…
    Jarrett Stepman
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    • Opinion

    Homeland Security’s Green Card Follies Are Costing Taxpayers and Leaving America Less Safe

    A recent report from the inspector general concluded that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services mishandled thousands of green cards. The Department of Homeland Security has admitted that these green cards are missing and cannot be accounted for. These missing green cards pose a security risk for American citizens. As the inspector general cautioned in his…
    David Inserra
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    • Opinion

    Top 4 Homeland Security Issues for the Trump Administration

    President-elect Donald Trump and his soon-to-be-selected secretary of homeland security will have a full plate when they take over in January. Indeed, there are so many areas for reform and improvement that any efforts to fix the Department of Homeland Security could easily get bogged down. Luckily, The Heritage Foundation has identified four main priorities…
    David Inserra
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    • News

    6 Interesting Facts About Elaine Chao, Trump’s Pick for Transportation Secretary

    President-elect Donald Trump tapped Elaine Chao to head the U.S. Department of Transportation, his transition team announced Tuesday. “Secretary Chao’s extensive record of strong leadership and her expertise are invaluable assets in our mission to rebuild our infrastructure in a fiscally responsible manner,” Trump said in a statement. “She has an amazing life story and has…
    Kelsey Bolar
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    • News

    7 Things to Know About Trump’s Pick to Lead CIA

    President-elect Donald Trump has selected a conservative congressman, Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., as his Central Intelligence Agency director. Pompeo, elected to Congress in the tea party wave of 2010, is considered one of the strongest national security voices in the House as a prominent member of the Intelligence Committee. He’s a vocal opponent of the…
    Josh Siegel
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    • Opinion

    Dismantling Dodd-Frank: How Congress Can Begin to Restore Financial Security

    President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on the promise of dismantling Dodd-Frank, and now Senate Democrats are pretty much the only thing that can derail that promise. This week, key Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee indicated they want little to do with dismantling the 2010 law. But in their rush to save Dodd-Frank, they’ve shown just…
    Norbert Michel
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    • Opinion

    Remembering Defense Secretary Melvin Laird’s Contribution to America

    Melvin Laird, secretary of defense under President Richard Nixon and nine-term Wisconsin congressman, died Wednesday in a Florida hospital. Before his election to the Wisconsin state Senate in 1946, Laird served in World War II as an ensign aboard the USS Maddox, where he was injured in a kamikaze attack and awarded the Purple Heart. From…
    Rachel Zissimos
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    • Opinion

    New Numbers Show Continued Decline of US Military

    As a new presidential administration prepares to take office, the responsibilities it inherits are daunting. Threats to U.S. interests and security around the globe continue to grow and fester. At the same time, budget cuts have forced the Department of Defense into unsustainable practices, foregoing longer-term modernization to service the military’s more immediate needs and…
    Rachel Zissimos
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    • News

    Oregon Official Who Shut Down Sweet Cakes Loses Election Bid to a Republican

    The Oregon official who ordered the former owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa to pay $135,000 in damages for refusing to make a cake for a same-sex wedding lost to a Republican in his bid for Oregon secretary of state. Brad Avakian, commissioner of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries and a staunch Democrat,…
    Kelsey Bolar
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    • Opinion

    How Obama Can Facilitate a National Security Transition

    From now until Jan. 20, 2017, Obama administration national security officials need to do everything they can to ensure that the incoming team is ready to take over the government and continue the important work of protecting the security of the United States. The Donald Trump team needs to be ready on Day One for…
    Cully Stimson
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    • Opinion

    Why We Celebrate Veterans Day

    Friday is Veterans Day. We celebrate Veterans Day on the 11th day of the 11th month of the year, the day the guns fell silent in Europe following the armistice that ended World War I. For some, it’s a day off from school or work, but for the majority of Americans, it means so much…
    Thomas Spoehr
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    • Opinion

    Radical Social Agenda Now Costing the Democrats ‘Big League’

    Donald J. Trump is president-elect of the United States of America. Many, including me, never expected to read those words. But for many Democrats, this election result is unfathomable. Many reasons exist for why Trump will swear the oath of office on January 20, 2017. But among them is the fact that the Democratic Party…
    Casey Mattox
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