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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  • opinion

    The New York Times Left Socialism’s Role Out of Its Report on Venezuela’s Devastation
    Kudos to The New York Times—yes, The New York Times—for running an excellent, detailed story on the mass starvation and economic catastrophe taking place in Venezuela. As the Times notes, Venezuela has the largest known oil reserves in the world, yet is going through a starvation crisis exacerbated and hidden by its own government. Common…
    Jarrett Stepman
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  • opinion

    House ‘Cromnibus’ Rightly Boosts Defense Spending, but Fails Test of Fiscal Responsibility
    The House of Representatives is expected this week to debate H.R. 1370, which would fund national defense through the remainder of fiscal year 2018 and extend funding for all other discretionary programs until Jan. 19 via a continuing resolution. It would also provide funding extensions to several mandatory programs and potentially add more supplemental funding…
    Justin Bogie
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  • opinion

    5 Ways Energy Dominance Can Bolster Trump’s National Security Strategy
    The Trump administration’s new national security strategy emphasizes the importance of a strong economy to enhance national security. “America’s central position in the global energy system as a leading producer, consumer, and innovator,” the report says, “ensures that markets are free and U.S. infrastructure is resilient and secure.” As a global energy leader already, the…
    Nicolas Loris
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  • news

    Trump Calls Out Russia, China in National Security Address
    President Donald Trump presented his national security strategy as what he called a reassertion of fundamental truths and “principled realism.” “Any nation that trades away its prosperity for security will end up losing both,” @POTUS says. “A nation without borders is not a nation. A nation that does not protect prosperity at home cannot protect…
    Fred Lucas
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  • opinion

    4 Red Flags About Trade in Trump’s National Security Strategy
    President Donald Trump’s new national security strategy is a significant and positive break with the recent past on many political and security issues. It is also relatively and appropriately conventional on some other matters—like the importance of alliances and American engagement in the world. But the area of international trade, the strategy, which presidents are…
    Walter Lohman
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  • opinion

    Podcast: The Big Differences Between Obama and Trump’s National Security Strategies
    The Heritage Foundation’s Nile Gardiner joins us to discuss why President Donald Trump’s national security strategy, released today, matters—and how it differs in its treatment of Islamist terrorism from President Barack Obama’s strategy. We also discuss the long-ranging cultural implications of the tax bill, and why Chick-fil-A is once again the hero.
    Katrina Trinko | Jarrett Stepman
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  • opinion

    Trump’s National Security Strategy Boldly Reasserts American Leadership
    In the Obama White House, the mantra of “leading from behind” was so deeply embedded that America’s allies were often left confused and disoriented when it came to U.S. foreign policy. President Barack Obama’s 2015 national security strategy was a curious mishmash of lofty idealism and outreach to dictatorial regimes such as Iran and Cuba,…
    Nile Gardiner
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  • news

    Arrests of MS-13 Members, Associates Up 83% Under Trump
    President Donald Trump called Friday for reforming and strictly enforcing immigration law, in light of the failed terror attack in New York and increased crime across the country committed by violent gangs. Trump said he has directed federal law enforcement to work with local police to “destroy criminal cartels, like the savages of MS-13,” and…
    Fred Lucas
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  • opinion

    Rebuilding the Military Comes With a Price Tag. But the Price of Waiting Is Higher.
    The Congressional Budget Office estimates that it will cost an additional $295 billion over the next four years to execute President Donald Trump’s plans to rebuild the military. Its calculation was done by comparing the current Budget Control Act defense caps with the Trump budget outline. Those budget caps, established in 2011, limit how much…
    Frederico Bartels
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  • opinion

    With More Investment, Our Missile Defense System Could Be Truly Dependable
    Thirty-three minutes. That’s all the time we’d have to respond to an incoming intercontinental ballistic missile from anywhere in the world. Roughly half an hour to avert disaster—if we’re lucky. Sure, that isn’t the most cheerful thought to entertain, especially at Christmas time. But with all the saber-rattling coming from North Korea these days, not…
    Ed Feulner
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  • opinion

    Our Special Operations Forces Are Stretched Too Far
    America is rightly proud of the incredibly capable and effective special operations forces that serve as the literal point of our military spear. The Army Rangers, Army Special Forces (Green Berets), Navy SEALs, Special Operations Aviation, and other elements are the best in the world. No mission is too tough for these spectacular men and…
    Steven Bucci
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  • opinion

    Contra Activist Judges, It’s Not Discriminatory to Prohibit Transgender Individuals From Joining Military
    On Dec. 11, a federal lower court judge in Washington, D.C., refused to stay her earlier Oct. 30 order blocking President Donald Trump’s Aug. 25 directive regarding transgender military service. That directive, transmitted to the departments of Defense and Homeland Security, put to a halt the Obama administration’s June 2016 plan to allow transgender individuals…
    Alden Abbott
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  • opinion

    How Licensing Laws Protect Special Interests at the Expense of Everyone Else
    New data compiled by the Institute for Justice shows just how far states have overreached in regulating professions. The report, “License to Work,” shows that 1 in 4 jobs are now restricted by licensing requirements, and that these onerous rules generally do nothing to improve service or protect people. Licensing requirements began as a way…
    Timothy Kilcullen | Salim Furth
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  • opinion

    Senate Should Follow House’s Lead in Nixing Special-Interest Loopholes
    President Donald Trump is right. Washington is a swamp, infested with special-interest groups feverishly working to keep their place in the capital bog. Our current tax code is the leading example of institutionalized privilege—bought and paid for by lobbyists. The tax code is riddled with privileges—special deductions for manufacturing, credits for everything from research to…
    Adam Michel
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  • opinion

    I’m a Pediatrician. Here’s What I Did When a Little Boy Patient Said He Was a Girl.
    “Congratulations, it’s a boy!” Or, “Congratulations, it’s a girl!” As a pediatrician for nearly 20 years, that’s how many of my patient relationships began. Our bodies declare our sex. Biological sex is not assigned. Sex is determined at conception by our DNA and is stamped into every cell of our bodies. Human sexuality is binary….
    Michelle Cretella
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  • opinion

    Meet These 2 Trump Judicial Nominees Who Just Fielded Questions in the Senate
    This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee considered two of President Donald Trump’s best nominations to date—Kyle Duncan for the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and David Stras for the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, scheduled the hearing over the protest of Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., who refused to…
    Elizabeth Slattery | Tiffany Bates
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  • opinion

    The US-UK Alliance Is Special and Will Endure
    In the past 48 hours, a political firestorm has developed across the Atlantic following President Donald Trump’s retweet of a series of video tweets from an obscure, extremist United Kingdom-based political group called Britain First. This series of retweets has led to widespread condemnation from British politicians on all sides of the political aisle. Britain…
    Nile Gardiner
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  • opinion

    Podcast: The Move That Will Get Judicial Nominees Confirmed Faster
    Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, announced he won’t hold up two judicial nominees any more because of “blue slips.” We explain. Plus: drama at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Prince Harry’s engagement to American actress Meghan Markle.
    Katrina Trinko | Daniel Davis | Rachel del Guidice
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  • opinion

    We Hear You: God, Faith, Prayer, Veterans, Columbus, and Originalist Judges
    Editor's note: We picked some sentiments and perspectives from The Daily Signal's audience that seem to suit Thanksgiving weekend and what we celebrate, reflect upon, and give thanks for. You can write us at [email protected].—Ken McIntyre Dear Daily Signal: Regarding Katrina Trinko’s commentary, if there is no God, as many have been taught in our…
    Ken McIntyre
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  • opinion

    The Lack of Security on the Border
    The circumstances of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez’s death remain murkier than the Rio Grande River. Martinez succumbed to critical head injuries early Nov. 19. An unnamed partner, who came to Martinez’s aid after he radioed for help from a remote area of the Big Bend Sector in Texas, suffered serious wounds. Whether by…
    Michelle Malkin
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