Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
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Mayor Who Sought Entry to ICE Facility Once Called for Reduced Sentence for Gang Member
Before becoming mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Ras Baraka called for leniency in a case related to the leader of a violent street gang. Baraka, a Democrat running for governor of New Jersey, made national headlines after attempting to enter an illegal-alien detention facility last week with New Jersey Democrat Reps. Robert Menendez Jr.,…Virginia Allen -
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‘Sense of National Pride’: W.Va. Lawmaker Offers Resolution Honoring First American Pope
Rep. Riley Moore wants Congress to celebrate the historic election of the first American pope. The West Virginia Republican has introduced a House resolution to honor Pope Leo XIV after his unprecedented election to head the Roman Catholic Church on May 8. The resolution congratulates Pope Leo XIV on his election, commends him “for a…Jacob Adams -
- Opinion
The Left Can’t Tell If They Hate Femininity or Just Conservative Women
The New York Times, which long ago gave up any pretense of objectivity, has once again reminded us what truly keeps the Left up at night: beautiful, confident, conservative women. In a recent style column that reads more like an entry from The Babylon Bee, a writer wrings her hands over a horrifying cultural crisis—no,…Crystal Bonham -
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Trump’s Middle East Strategy Is Ambitious but Also Dangerous
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for The Daily Signal. President Donald Trump this week had a historic tour of the Gulf monarchies in the Middle…Victor Davis Hanson -
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Republicans Could Secure About $1.4 Billion in Savings by Defunding Child Transitions
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Republicans could net approximately $1.4 billion in savings through cutting Medicaid coverage for child gender transitions, a senior legislative aide familiar with the unofficial figure told The Daily Signal. The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s markup Tuesday of budget reconciliation includes a provision from Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, that would block…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
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Jeffries Rejects Republicans’ Welfare Reform Proposals
House Democrat leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries suggested at a Thursday press conference that he would vigorously oppose Republicans' reform proposals for Medicaid and other welfare benefits, with the hope that their budget reconciliation bill fails and the GOP leadership has to seek Democrats’ votes. Jeffries, D-N.Y.—who spoke at a press briefing at the same time…George Caldwell -
- Opinion
App Stores Are Enabling Online Abuse of Kids—Time to End It
For years now, children across our country have been systematically duped by predators into exposing themselves sexually online. The next step is often blackmail. This is what drove 16-year-old Carter Bremseth to take his life one night in 2021, after volunteering as an altar server at his church. His mother Jaime—a licensed mental health counselor—went…Jared Hayden -
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‘UNBELIEVABLY DAUNTING’: Kennedy Allies Launch Nonprofit to Help RFK Reform the Public Health Establishment
Allies of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gathered Thursday to launch the Make America Healthy Again Institute, an organization aiming to outsource the Health and Human Services Department’s oversight and reform efforts. “The people in the bureaucracies like the status quo, and so Bobby Kennedy and all of the great people who are at the top…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
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Pope Leo XIII Rejected Socialism, Defended Private Property. Will Leo XIV Follow Suit?
When Pope Leo XIV addressed the College of Cardinals two days after he was elected to the papacy, he explained why he took the name that he did. “Sensing myself called to continue in this same path, I chose to take the name Leo XIV,” he said. “There are different reasons for this, but mainly…Terence Jeffrey -
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California Considers Downgrading Soliciting Minors for Sex to Misdemeanor
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for The Daily Signal. Recently, a rather bizarre topic came up here in California. There was a bill introduced in…Victor Davis Hanson -
- Opinion
Most Favored Nation Is a Most Flawed Notion
Last November, American voters overwhelmingly sent the GOP to Washington, D.C., to Make Government Small Again. So, why are Republicans importing socialist drug prices from foreign, single-payer, medical bureaucracies? This, alas, is exactly what President Donald Trump did on Monday, with a stroke of the First Sharpie. His executive order ties U.S. pharmaceutical costs to the…Deroy Murdock -
- Opinion
Trump’s Core Strategy in the Middle East
There is an opportunity for the Middle East to be defined “by commerce, not chaos,” President Donald Trump said, speaking at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. The president is using the universal language of economic prosperity as he visits Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates this week, reminding…Virginia Allen -
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EXCLUSIVE: Lankford to Introduce Bill Protecting Conscience Rights
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., was set to introduce legislation on Wednesday to safeguard religious freedom and conscience protections. The Conscience Protection Act of 2025 would bar any federal, state, or local government from discriminating against or penalizing a health care provider if they won’t perform, refer for, pay for, or participate in abortion services. As…Jacob Adams -
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House Considers Bipartisan Jewish American Heritage Month Resolution
The House of Representatives is expected to vote on a resolution Wednesday evening that would call on elected officials and other civic leaders to counter antisemitism and educate the public on the contributions of Jewish Americans for Jewish American Heritage Month. The resolution calls on the executive branch and state and local leaders to take…Jacob Adams -
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Johnson Threads Needle in Stitching Together ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ to Placate Factions
House Republican leadership is facing a herculean task right now, as it seeks to appease various factions with strong opinions on the budget reconciliation bill: fiscal hawks, Medicaid defenders, and tax cut advocates. Pleasing all of those groups would be an Olympian achievement, given Republicans' narrow majority in the House of Representatives. Speaker of the…George Caldwell -
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What Colorado’s New Voting Law Means for Jail Inmates and Gender Identity
A new Colorado voting law carves out special voting rights protections for jail inmates, as well as for gender identity. On Monday, the state’s Democrat Gov. Jared Polis signed the law, which is framed as a state version of the federal Voting Rights Act. Democrat lawmakers in the state contend the Trump administration and federal courts…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Diversity Initiatives Persist at UVA Despite Promised Reforms
The University of Virginia was supposed to have dismantled its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives by now. Two weeks ago, amid accusations that the university had simply renamed many of the DEI offices but not closed them, the U.S. Department of Education asked it to present proof of compliance by May 30. But one must…Joe Thomas -
- Opinion
An American Pope Confounds the Press
The quick election of a pope born and raised in the United States was a shock to almost everyone outside the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Conclaves begin with secular and Catholic experts making a list of possible front-runners, and no one had Robert Prevost on their bingo card. For Americans, it was shocking and…Tim Graham -
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The Left Says Quiet Part Out Loud: Whites Need Not Apply for Asylum
It looks like your liberal neighbors will have to take down their “refugees welcome” signs now. A small group of South African refugees arrived in the United States on Monday bearing American flags. They came to the U.S. after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February designating them as in need of asylum. One would…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
The Media ‘Jumps the Shark’
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for The Daily Signal. I’ve been critical of the media, as many of you are. But recently it’s jumped the…Victor Davis Hanson