Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
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news
Protester Attacks Heritage Foundation Security With Pepper Spray, Is Arrested
Capitol Police arrested a man outside The Heritage Foundation after he allegedly sprayed two security personnel with pepper spray. The incident occurred Wednesday morning outside the conservative policy organization, located on a busy thoroughfare just blocks from the U.S. Capitol. “Heritage believes in the First Amendment and respects American citizens’ right to disagree and to… -
opinion
New Jersey GOP Gubernatorial Nominee Eyes Judicial Openings and Targets Sanctuary Laws
HOLMDEL, New Jersey—Just a few minutes after telling an enthused crowed of supporters that he is committed to the goal of a “safer, more prosperous, and affordable New Jersey,” Jack Ciattarelli told The Daily Signal that he very mindful of the openings on the state supreme court. “We have two new appointments,” the Republican gubernatorial nominee… -
news
House Gets Opportunity to Defund USAID, PBS, and NPR
House Republicans on Thursday will face perhaps the greatest test yet of whether they mean business about decreasing the size of the federal government. The House Republican Conference will vote on a legislative package to cut funding from foreign aid, as well as from the publicly funded National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Service. According… -
opinion
Virginia’s Nursing Shortage Persists, but Targeted Strategies Have Brought Growth
In 2021, then-gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin said he wanted to vastly revitalize Virginia’s nursing community to address a desperate shortage of nurses in the commonwealth. So, now that it’s 2025, is Virginia for Nursing Lovers? According to analysis from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing on the number of registered nurses in each… -
opinion
How Indo-Pacific Allies Can Be ‘Model Allies’: Secretary Hegseth at Shangri-La
During his address at the Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on May 31, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth touted Poland, the Baltic States, Israel, and the Gulf States as “model allies” of the United States. The lack of any Indo-Pacific allies on the secretary’s list was notable, although not necessarily a slight against them, as… -
news
Trump’s Deportation Efforts Backed by Wide Margin, Poll Finds
A new poll released Wednesday shows that a majority of Americans approve of the Trump administration’s efforts to detain illegal aliens in Los Angeles as well as the president’s decision to send in the National Guard to control violence. The RMG Research poll, which was conducted on June 9—two days after President Donald Trump called… -
opinion
Gov. Ayotte Delivers for New Hampshire Parents
With a few strokes of her pen on Tuesday, New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte delivered on her promise to empower parents by signing a Parental Bill of Rights and expanding eligibility for education choice to all families. “Giving parents the freedom to choose the education setting that best fits their child’s needs will help every… -
opinion
Secretary Kennedy’s Bold Agenda: Radical Transparency and Rational Vaccine Policy
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the new secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is quickly delivering on his agenda. First, his promise to senators of “radical transparency” is fulfilled in his rapid response to congressional inquiries into federal policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Team Biden ignored those congressional requests for information over… -
news
Democrats Make Political Gamble by Supporting Sanctuary States
As California Gov. Gavin Newsom seeks to defend sanctuary state policies against federal immigration-law enforcement, congressional Democrat leaders are backing him and other sanctuary state governors to the hilt. Newsom has few resources at his disposal to push back against President Donald Trump’s deployment of troops to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents carry out… -
opinion
To Make American Healthy Again, the Country Needs a More Nuanced Farming Policy
In May, the MAHA Commission report elevated the chronic disease epidemic and laid out, in broad outline, the potential culprits, one of which is “environmental exposures.” The reality of the epidemic, especially among children, is hard to deny. Any effort to identify the cause or causes of that epidemic, however, is bound to be controversial… -
news
EXCLUSIVE: Democrats Push False Narrative on AIDS Program, State Department Says
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Congressional Democrats, with the help of corporate media, are pushing a false narrative about the Trump administration’s cuts to foreign aid programs, according to information provided to The Daily Signal by a State Department official. In response to concerns about the Trump administration’s cuts to global AIDS programs, Secretary of State… -
opinion
American Intifada
The riots that kicked off in Los Angeles last weekend aren’t just about illegal immigration—they’re part of a revolutionary movement. “Anti-colonialism” is a term often heard in America’s college classrooms, but off campus virtually no one takes it seriously. It’s just another harebrained radical academic theory, right? Yes, the theory is mostly silly—but the practice… -
news
Federal Judge Denies Newsom’s Request to Restrict National Guard in LA
A federal judge on Tuesday afternoon denied California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request to immediately limit President Donald Trump’s use of California National Guard troops in Los Angeles. Newson asked U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer to limit the enforcement activities of the federal troops to the “immediate vicinity” of federal property while Newsom’s lawsuit against the… -
news
Female Athletes Fight It Out on X Over Men in Women’s Sports
Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles took to X Tuesday to apologize to fellow athlete Riley Gaines after an online dispute the two had over allowing men to compete in women’s sports. “I wanted to follow up from my last tweets. I’ve always believed competitive equity and inclusivity are both essential in sport. The current… -
news
House Advances Bill to Repeal Law Weaponized Against Pro-Lifers
The bill to repeal the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which the Biden administration used to throw peaceful pro-lifers in jail, passed the House Judiciary Committee in a 13-10 vote Tuesday. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who sponsored the bill to end the law abused by the Biden Department of Justice to arrest, prosecute, and… -
opinion
What Governors Newsom and Faubus Have in Common
I recently visited the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site and couldn’t avoid seeing similarities to the current conflicts in Los Angeles. In 1957, federal law required that black students be allowed to enroll in previously all-white public schools, just as federal law currently requires that people without legal permission to be in… -
news
Hawley Blames ‘Woke Corporations’ for His New Bill to Double Federal Minimum Wage
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introduced a bill on Tuesday that would more than double the federal minimum wage. Hawley’s bill, titled the Higher Wages for American Workers Act, would increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour in 2026 with future increases tied to inflation. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., has joined Hawley on the… -
news
‘Law Enforcement Needs All the Support’ We Can Give Them, Thune Says of Troops Sent to LA
Senate Republicans weighed Tuesday in on the riots that have been occurring in Los Angeles, stressing support for law enforcement. The protests in LA quickly morphed into outbreaks of violence against law enforcement, prompting President Donald Trump to send in the California National Guard and U.S. Marines. A majority of registered voters support Trump’s deployment… -
news
GOP Whip Emmer Blasts Tim Walz: ‘Challenged Human Being’
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is set to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Thursday, and he’s sure to be grilled on “sanctuary city” policies in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The Daily Signal spoke with Walz's fellow Minnesotan, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who spared few words in criticizing a governor he views… -
opinion
The ‘Californication’ of Virginia’s Power Grid Brings Increased Costs, Less Reliability
There are things that strike our equilibrium when they fail us even if we intellectually know that they shouldn’t. The lights going on when we flip a switch is one of those things, and in Virginia, the governor and General Assembly are trying to address a dire report on the fragility of the commonwealth’s electricity…