Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
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- Opinion
Detrans Awareness Day Comes With a Warning
WASHINGTON—“I realized I am a guinea pig,” Forrest Smith said of his transition from male to female at age 19. After five years, Smith detransitioned. He spoke about his personal journey at a briefing on Capitol Hill on March 12, Detrans Awareness Day, first celebrated in 2021 to promote awareness of individuals who realized they…Debra Saunders -
- Opinion
It’s Time to Pull the Brake on California’s Bullet Train to Nowhere
The California bullet train to nowhere keeps going nowhere and the Trump administration might finally pull the emergency break. The California High Speed Rail project is no doubt one of the grandest boondoggles in American history. It was originally sold as an efficient, “green” method to connect San Francisco to Los Angeles. Since it was officially approved…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
A Perfect Storm Threatens Universities
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. Have you noticed the dilemma that higher education is in? Recently, the Trump administration cut off…Victor Davis Hanson -
- News
AFPI’s New Leadership Team Promises to Advance America First Agenda
The America First Policy Institute announced changes to its leadership team Thursday to advance its mission after founders Brooke Rollins and Linda McMahon were tapped for Cabinet positions in the Trump administration. Greg Sindelar, chief executive officer of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, was appointed as the new interim president and chief executive officer of…R.E. Wermus -
- Opinion
Yes, Non-Citizen Terror Supporters Should Leave
It should go without saying, but America does not need more Hamas sympathizers. Yet this simple truth seems to confound a wide variety of commentators across the political spectrum. This week, the White House announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be deporting an apparently green card-holding Columbia University graduate student named Mahmoud Khalil. Khalil…Ben Shapiro -
- News
With GOP Senate’s Approval of Labor Nominee, Trump’s Cabinet Is Almost Complete
The Senate set a modern-day record for confirming a president’s Cabinet appointments on Tuesday when it voted to confirm former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., as secretary of labor. The confirmation of Chavez-DeRemer means that all federal government Cabinet departments now have a Trump appointee leading them. The only Cabinet-level official yet to be confirmed by…Jacob Adams -
- Opinion
When the Word ‘Insurrectionist’ Should Be Used
It would have been a dangerous drinking game during the Joe Biden presidency to chug every time the media broadly described Jan. 6 protesters as “insurrectionists.” It didn’t matter whether the protesters were violent or vocally supported overthrowing the government. That was the automatic journalistic assumption for every protester on the scene. So it’s remarkable…Tim Graham -
- Opinion
Equal Justice for Social Justice Warriors
WASHINGTON—Kudos to President Donald Trump’s administration for canceling $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia University “due to the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.” “Since Oct. 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and antisemitic harassment on their campuses—only to be ignored by those who are…Debra Saunders -
- Opinion
How a Black Movement About Freedom Became a Movement About Welfare
The 36 million who watched President Donald Trump’s address to Congress also watched as Congressional Black Caucus member Rep. Al Green shook his cane and shouted at the president. When he refused to desist, Speaker Mike Johnson ordered him removed from the chamber. Two days later, in a bipartisan vote, the House censured Green. The…Star Parker -
- Opinion
Leftists Abandon Logic for … Who Knows?
Democrats are holding fast to an ideology that claims men can be women simply by saying it is so. But the results are in, and not only do the majority of voters disagree, but the consequences of that ideology has permanently damaged the bodies and lives of a number of American women. Volleyball player Payton…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
Beware Blue State Governors Who ‘Pivot’ to the Center but Govern from the Left
The cultural “vibe shift” to the Right is real, but the Left continues to have a firm grip on the Democrat Party. As many Democrat wannabe influencers throw tantrums to appease their activist base, a few blue state governors have tried to position themselves as competent managers who’ve suddenly moderated on the Left’s most toxic positions. This…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
DOGE Cuts to USAID Needed Since Foreign Aid Often Hurts More Than It Helps
The new Trump administration is taking a cautious approach to foreign aid, seeking to ensure wise stewardship of every U.S. taxpayer dollar. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday on X that following a six-week review process, the federal government is cancelling 83% of U.S. Agency for International Development programs. “The 5,200 contracts that are…Carrie Sheffield -
- Opinion
Restoring Trust in Public Health: Transparency Urgently Needed in Reporting Adverse Vaccine Effects
This is the final piece in an eight-article series on “Restoring Trust in Public Health: Lessons from COVID-19.” Four years of the Biden-Harris administration has left Americans rightly skeptical of public health institutions. This series highlights key findings from several congressional oversight reports, including the final report of the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus…Robert Moffit -
- News
Concrete Climate Action? Rainforest Paved for Global Elite Global Warming Gathering
In preparation for an international climate summit this fall, Brazilian state officials are clearing tens of thousands of acres of the Amazon rainforest to complete a new four-lane highway, the BBC reported. The COP30 summit will be held Nov. 10-21 in the Brazilian city of Belém, and is expected to draw about 50,000 attendees, including…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
The Arrogance of the Garland Justice Department Apparently Had No Bounds
Another federal district court judge has questioned the propriety of a settlement hastily proposed by the Biden administration’s Justice Department in a case it had filed against the Louisville Police Department. The government had accused the department of a pattern of using excessive force, targeting black people, and stopping people without cause, yet it refuses…Hans von Spakovsky -
- Opinion
America First Manufacturing Means Producing Plastic Here In America
Our small towns and rural communities are the bedrock of America’s greatness. Biden administration policies undermined the vitality of the American heartland, pushing jobs overseas and weakening our rural economies. President Donald Trump can restore American strength by revitalizing our home-grown manufacturing sector, which will reinvigorate economic life throughout the heartland. It is time to put…Aiden Buzzetti -
- Opinion
The Headlines Have Caught Up to Mike Rowe. Now What?
JOHNSTOWN, Pa.—Alex Bambino, 21, is the son of two educators. He’s busy working, welding a piece of material that will be used on a heavily armored military vehicle when finished. Despite two college-educated parents, who teach at the local Cambrian County schools, he wanted nothing to do with college following high school. “I like working…Salena Zito -
- Opinion
It’s Not Called the Kennedy Center for the Liberal Performers
Lost in the kerfuffle over the Democrats’ contemptible behavior during President Donald Trump’s address to Congress was a further example of the Left’s disconnect and disregard for the average American. Producers of the musical “Hamilton” canceled plans to bring the show to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington next year. Why? To…Al Perrotta -
- Opinion
Love Is Blind … and Intolerant Too, Apparently
Fellas, if a woman grills you on George Floyd, would you still marry her? While the rest of the country experiences a vibe shift toward diversity of thought, two women on “Love Is Blind: Minneapolis” are stuck in the past, letting their scruples get in the way of marriage. (Spoilers ahead for “Love Is Blind:…Elise McCue -
- News
GOP Lawmakers Aim to Codify Trump’s Executive Orders
GOP members of Congress on the Republican Study Committee promised Tuesday to fight to turn President Donald Trump’s executive orders into law. Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, chairman of the RSC, was joined at a news conference by a dozen other Republican lawmakers, each of them touting their legislation. Pfluger began the press conference by praising…George Caldwell