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
Daniel Ortega Expels Nuns, Seizes Seminaries as Religious Persecution Intensifies in Nicaragua
Nicaragua’s government has expelled approximately 30 Poor Clare nuns from their convents in Managua and Chinandega, marking the latest crackdown from Daniel Ortega’s regime. The nuns were only allowed to take some of their belongings before they were forced to leave, according to a local report by Mosaico CSI. The government’s crackdown comes after Ortega’s… -
opinion
Here’s How We Find Out Who Killed JFK
“The most transparent president in history is back,” a Jan. 20 post on X from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt read. Never was that more clear than on Jan. 23, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order stating that the “continued redaction and withholding of information from records pertaining to the assassination of… -
opinion
Death Threats Come With the Job of a Public Figure
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. In this first two weeks of the Trump new tenure, there’s just been a flurry of news and disinformation. We’ve heard about all of these… -
opinion
Here’s Where California Democrats Are Pointing the Finger of Blame for Wildfires
You knew this was coming. California’s Democrat legislators presented a bill Monday to allow insurers and homeowners impacted by the Los Angeles fires to sue oil companies for their losses. Senate Bill 222 aims to blame the fires on climate change caused by fossil fuels and make the oil companies bankroll the state’s underfunded insurance… -
news
Gabbard Vows ‘to End the Weaponization, Politicization of Intelligence Community’
Tulsi Gabbard faced hard questions on Thursday during her Senate committee confirmation hearing to be director of national intelligence. In his opening remarks, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., chairman of the Intelligence Committee, issued a strong statement of support for Gabbard, who formerly served as a Democrat congresswoman representing Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District. He highlighted how,… -
news
2 US Service Academies End Minor in Diversity and Inclusion
THE CENTER SQUARE—West Point Military Academy and the Air Force Academy have both ended their “Diversity and Inclusion Studies” minors. As late as Jan. 8, West Point, based in New York, offered its diversity, equity, and inclusion minor, while as of Jan. 9 the Air Force Academy, based in Colorado, still offered its DEI minor,… -
news
8 Takeaways From Kash Patel’s FBI Confirmation Hearing
Kash Patel faced sharp questioning from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday as President Donald Trump’s nominee to be FBI director. “The only thing that will matter if I’m confirmed as director of the FBI is a de-weaponized, depoliticized system of law enforcement, completely devoted to rigorous obedience of the Constitution and single… -
news
6 Big Moments From RFK Jr.’s 2nd Day of Confirmation Hearings
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced his second day of questioning from senators Thursday as he seeks confirmation as President Donald Trump’s secretary of health and human services. Kennedy testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions just one day after completing a lengthy hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. He explained—and defended—his… -
opinion
America Has Lost Faith in the FBI. Kash Patel Is the Right Pick to Fix That.
I have noticed a shocking trend in my conversations with families in my state and across the nation. For the past year, at almost every event I attended and when running into folks at restaurants, outside my offices and around the state, I asked a simple question, “Do you trust that the FBI and the… -
news
Want ‘Due Cause’ for the Firing of Inspectors General? How About This?
Democrats in Congress like Reps. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Maxine Waters, D-Calif., are criticizing President Donald Trump’s firing of 17 inspectors general, including in the departments of State, Transportation, Labor, Interior, Energy, and Commerce, claiming that doing so “without due cause is antithetical to good government.” There is a very strong argument to be made… -
opinion
Making America Great Again Requires More Babies
There’s little need to become an interplanetary country if we can’t populate the country we already have. President Donald Trump’s inaugural address didn’t just include an amazing list of things he wants to do. It cast an aspirational vision for Americans to rally around. “The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation,”… -
opinion
It Makes Sense That the Left Fears Kash Patel
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. I want to talk today about the current nomination process, specifically Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s designate to be director of FBI. It’s causing perhaps… -
news
5 Big Issues Aired at RFK Jr.’s Hearing to Head HHS
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced a barrage of hostile questions Wednesday from Senate Democrats at his confirmation hearing to be the next secretary of health and human services. In his opening statement, Kennedy told the Senate Finance Committee that he had gotten on his knees and prayed to God to help him end America’s chronic… -
opinion
The Harder the Change, the Tougher the Vote
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. We’re in a weekslong process of confirming nominees of the Donald Trump administration for these 13 Cabinet-level positions. And I think it may go on… -
opinion
CNN Anchor Can’t Handle the Truth of Trump’s New Polling High
CNN data expert Harry Enten delivers poll results on air to his colleagues, whether they want to hear it or not. On the first Friday of President Donald Trump’s second term, he brought bad news to CNN morning anchor Kate Bolduan that a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found Trump had a net approval rating of plus-6…. -
news
EXCLUSIVE: Largest Teachers Union Held Webinar on Protecting ‘Undocumented’ Children from ICE
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—The National Education Association held a webinar on Jan. 17 instructing teachers on how to protect “undocumented” students from immigration authorities. The presentation for members of America’s largest teachers union was part of a webinar series titled “Preparing for a Second Trump Administration” and was reviewed by Parents Defending Education and… -
opinion
Make the National Assessment of Educational Progress Great Again
Florida has led the nation in education since 2019, instituting revolutionary educational reforms such as first-in-the-nation progress monitoring assessments, universal school choice, supporting parental rights in education, and refocusing Florida’s education model on the basics of math, science, reading, and history. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida also led the nation in bringing students back to… -
news
Trump’s Fight Against Online Censorship Goes Global
Flanked by some of the Big Tech executives whose companies had suppressed the views of his supporters throughout his predecessor’s term, President Donald Trump on Jan. 20 declared the days of such speech policing over. Hours later, the president put action behind his words, signing an executive order prohibiting the federal government from engaging in, facilitating, or… -
news
Kristi Noem Delivers First Address to DHS Staff
The newly appointed Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem delivered remarks to her staff for the first time Tuesday afternoon. “We will exercise all legal authorities that we have to protect this country because it is the only last light of freedom left,” Noem told a packed room of her new colleagues. “I… -
news
What White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Had to Say to Legacy Media and New Media in First Press Briefing
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt opened the James Brady Briefing Room to new media and came down hard on illegal immigration, while also tackling questions about government spending and tariffs in her first White House press briefing of the new Trump administration Tuesday. She also broke news, announcing that the large number of drones…