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

    Federal Worker Union Is Blocking Republican VA Reforms
    President-elect Donald Trump promised to fire incompetent and dishonest Department of Veterans Affairs employees, but he will have to fight the American Federation of Government Employees—the largest federal worker union—every step of the way. During the 115th Congress, Trump—along with Republican majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives—can enact sweeping reforms to improve every…
    Luke Rosiak
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  • news

    VA Hospitals’ ‘Improvement’ Doesn’t Tell Whole Story, Veterans Advocate Says
    MADISON, Wis.—The headlines last month declared that most U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers saw improvement in fiscal year 2016. It seemed like a positive end to another rough year for the VA and the people the government-run health care system is supposed to put first. But a veterans advocate is advising news consumers to read the fine…
    M.D. Kittle
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  • news

    The Healing Power of Fly Fishing for Combat Veterans
    On 112 acres off Springhill Road in Belgrade, Montana, sits a six-bedroom, 10,000-square-foot home called Quiet Waters Ranch. The ranch belongs to the Warriors and Quiet Waters Foundation, a nonprofit located 10 miles south in Bozeman that teaches combat veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan how to fly fish in the place that’s considered the sport’s…
    Melissa Quinn
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  • news

    So Much for the GOP Blockade: Obama Tops Bush on Judicial Confirmations
    Recent stories in Politico and The Washington Post paint a picture of unprecedented obstruction by Senate Republicans of President Barack Obama’s judicial nominees. “Trump set to reshape judiciary after GOP blockade,” blared Politico’s Burgess Everett on Dec. 16. Nine days later, it was The Post’s turn. “Trump to inherit more than 100 court vacancies, plans…
    Robert B. Bluey
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  • opinion

    3 Ways Politicians Play Politics With Public Employee Pensions
    Pensions are a huge part of public employees’ compensation, often providing a quarter to a third of their total compensation. A new report from the American Legislative Exchange Council shows how politicians play politics with public pensions, threatening public employees and taxpayers alike. State and local governments across the U.S. hold about $3.8 trillion in…
    Rachel Greszler
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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 | David Inserra
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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 | Ginny Montalbano
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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 | Ginny Montalbano
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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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