Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
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After Censorship Scandal, Are CISA Staffers Off the Hook After 130 Were Fired?
The firing of federal bureaucrats from an agency a congressional panel accused of engaging in a broad censorship effort may be too light a punishment, says the former No. 2 at the Department of Homeland Security. The Trump administration slashed the workforces of several agencies last week, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, known…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Liberal Bias Tarnishing What Once Was Journalistic Gold Standard of ‘60 Minutes’
There was a time, not all that long ago, that CBS’ “60 Minutes” was widely regarded as the gold standard of broadcast journalism. Regrettably, not so much anymore. With the luxury of being able to do long-form, in-depth reporting, rather than the typical mainstream media hit-and-run headline-and-sound bite journalism, “60 Minutes” could and did present…Peter Parisi -
- Opinion
Precious Little Remains of Americans’ Fourth Amendment Protections, Studies Find
Americans who believe the Fourth Amendment protects them from warrantless government searches may be surprised to learn that this protection only applies to about 4% of privately owned land in the United States. A 1924 ruling by the Supreme Court in Hester v. United States established what is known as the “Open Fields Doctrine,” which…Kevin Stocklin -
- Opinion
The Cost of Weak Leadership in Britain
Liberty, aspiration, and prosperity are the values that the U.S. and the U.K. once sought in tandem—the principles that defined our special relationship. But now, that relationship lies in tatters. And why? We were prompted to ask ourselves this recently when The Heritage Foundation hosted the Right Honourable Suella Braverman King’s Counsel and member of…Anna Gustafson -
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Trump’s National Security Adviser: ‘This Is the Presidency of Peace’
U.S. national security adviser Michael Waltz outlined the Trump administration’s foreign policy priorities Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference. “This is the presidency of peace,” Waltz told the enthusiastic crowd as he sat onstage with CPAC host Mercedes Schlapp. “[President Donald Trump] is going to end the war in Europe. He is going to…Jacob Adams -
- Opinion
Elon Musk Lifts Lid on Bureaucratic ‘Sinkhole’ in Federal Government
When government bureaucrats talk about efficiency, the average person’s eyes generally glaze over, but not on Feb. 11 when from the Oval Office Elon Musk reported on the new Department of Government Efficiency’s early findings of waste, fraud, and abuse. Americans and reporters across the world sat on the edge of their seats as Musk…Stephanie Lundquist-Arora -
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‘RELENTLESS LAWSUITS’: Ted Cruz’s Warning About Soros-Funded Activists and Left-Wing Judges
OXON HILL, Md.—As President Donald Trump reforms the executive branch, rooting out gender ideology, “Marxist equity,” and waste from the federal government, Democrats and leftist groups have filed lawsuits to block him, and some judges have abetted these efforts. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has predicted that this lawfare will not stop. “The entire four years…Tyler O’Neil -
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9 out of 10 Best States for Families Are Conservative: Study
When it comes to family flourishing, not every state is created equal. Nine of the top 10 states with the healthiest families are conservative, according to a new study released this week. The 2025 Family Structure Index ranks all 50 states based on three criteria: the percentage of married adults between the ages of 25 to 54,…Ben Johnson -
- Opinion
Former USAID Official Speaks Out Against Decades-Long Agency Corruption
The U.S. Agency of International Development has become President Donald Trump’s and the Department of Government Efficiency’s poster child for waste, fraud, and abuse of American taxpayer dollars. And there is arguably no one in Washington, D.C., who knows more about how USAID works—or doesn’t—than Max Primorac, who formerly served as USAID’s chief operating officer…Bradley Devlin -
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‘A Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity,’ Speaker Mike Johnson Says of Trump’s Agenda
Speaking Thursday at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson discussed the midterm elections and the Make America Great Again agenda, promising to secure the border, to prevent the Trump tax cuts from expiring, to “take a blowtorch to the regulatory state,” and to boost energy production in the country. “Now, we…Jacob Adams -
- Opinion
Don’t Shed a Tear Over AP Getting the White House Boot
The Associated Press is getting kicked out of the White House, but this is hardly a random act of vindictiveness from President Donald Trump. The Trump administration recently banned AP from the Oval Office and from traveling with Trump on Air Force One after the news agency announced that it would refrain from changing the…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
The Making of a Viral Villain: How a Misunderstanding Led to Death Threats
Warning: This article contains graphic language. Like most Americans, I’ve consumed my fair share of viral stories on the internet over the years—some funny, some heartwarming, some totally insane. I never once thought that I ever would be at the center of one myself. What I’ve learned in the weeks since has shown me with…Michelle Bishop -
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FOLLOW THE MONEY: James Comer’s Plan to Fight the Left’s Infrastructure
NATIONAL HARBOR, MARYLAND—Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Oversight Committee, laid out a plan to combat the Left’s infrastructure in Washington as the Department of Government Efficiency exposed how taxpayer funding went to support left-wing activists and causes. “Talk about what the Oversight Committee is doing … to really root out this corruption…Tyler O’Neil -
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Jokes and Jabs: CPAC Attendees Applaud Vance’s Informal Style
Attendees at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday cheered Vice President JD Vance’s onstage interview. One of Vance’s discussion topics in the interview was his casual form of communication, notably his jabs against opponents and his jokes on X. Bodhi Miller, a native of Southern Maryland who attended CPAC, told The Daily Signal…George Caldwell -
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Conservative Women 3 Times Happier Than Liberal Peers for These Reasons
Young conservative women are three times as likely to report having a happy life than liberal women—and the key factors driving the happiness gap are faith and family, a new study has found. Attending church together is twice as important to marital happiness than regular date nights, the same researchers conclude. In all, 37% of…Ben Johnson -
- Opinion
Infamous Elon vs. the Good Billionaires
On the PBS show “Washington Week with The Atlantic” on Feb. 7, host Jeffrey Goldberg began: “Elon Musk, the unelected, unconfirmed, unofficial, but extremely powerful prime minister of the United States, is carrying out his plan to purge thousands of employees from the federal government.” A few minutes later, National Public Radio reporter Asma Khalid…Tim Graham -
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The NCAA Policy ‘Protecting’ Women’s Sports Is a Head Fake. Don’t Fall for It.
President Donald Trump has issued a flurry of executive orders, but few have received as much media attention as his directive protecting women’s sports. And few subsequent developments were as gratifying as the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s about-face on women’s athletics, which reversed the NCAA’s previously trans-inclusive policy and relegated women’s collegiate athletics to biological…Sarah Parshall Perry -
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Loeffler Confirmed as Small Business Administration Chief
Kelly Loeffler was confirmed on Wednesday by the Senate on a near-party-line vote of 52-to-46 to head the Small Business Administration. Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada was the only Democrat to vote in favor of the nominee, while the two nominal independents who caucus with Democrats opposed Loeffler. All the Republican senators present voted for…Jacob Adams -
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‘Utter Fabrication’: What One Former FAA Chief Says About Media’s Claim About Elon Musk and Air Safety
A former Federal Aviation Administration chief said Wednesday that it’s a “complete and utter fabrication” that entrepreneur Elon Musk forced out the head of the flight safety agency on President Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day. To the contrary, the incoming Trump administration “implored” former FAA head Mike Whitaker to stay until a new administrator was in…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Trump’s Counterrevolution in Washington
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 want to talk about the Trump counterrevolution, not the revolution. There’s been a lot of…Victor Davis Hanson