Political News
Reports on political developments, legislation, and leadership. The Daily Signal provides news and conservative analysis of American politics.
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The Accreditation Racket: How to Return Standards to College Accreditation
The following is a modified excerpt from “Higher Education in America: It’s Worse than You Think” (Encounter Books, 2026). On the campaign trail, then-candidate Donald Trump called college accreditation a “secret weapon” that he planned to use in his efforts to reform universities. Since then, the mainstream media, including USA Today and Bloomberg, along with… -
news
What I Saw on Pete Hegseth’s Trip to Singapore
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said American relations in the Indo-Pacific are stronger than ever after he crossed the ocean to meet with his counterparts in Singapore. Hegseth spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue conference, an Asia security summit, in Singapore, and held bilateral meetings with Indo-Pacific leaders on issues facing the region. The Daily Signal… -
opinion
The ‘Wrinkle’ in LA Democrats’ Plans
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. This Tuesday, June 2, there are many national, state, and local races throughout the country. Here in California, we’re looking at… -
news
DOJ Abides by Weaponization Fund Ruling, Likely Easing Senate Gridlock
The Department of Justice has chosen to abide by a federal judge’s block on an “Anti-Weaponization Fund” created as part of a settlement agreement in President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, in a move that could clear the way for passing a major border security funding bill. The $1.77 billion fund was… -
news
ACLU Funnels Millions Into Abortion Ballot Initiative in ‘Reckless Disregard’ for the Law, Watchdog Says
The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation has poured $2.5 million into a pro-abortion and pro-transgender ballot initiative campaign in Missouri after receiving millions from foreign sources. A watchdog group alleges the donations are in direct violation of the state’s law. Americans for Public Trust filed a complaint with the office of Missouri Attorney General Catherine… -
New Jersey Democrats Stoke Anti‑ICE Chaos, Then Claim Credit for Restoring Order
Chaotic protests turned riots at a New Jersey Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility have finally been quashed, and Democrat leaders who stoked the crowd want to give themselves big pats on the back for a job well done. Of course, they were the reason the situation spiraled out of control. On Sunday night, police… -
analysis
Cooke: Transparency Should Not Be Sacrificed in Charlie Kirk Court Proceedings
Mehek Cooke, the Daily Signal’s senior national security and legal analyst, argued that transparency must remain a central priority in the Charlie Kirk assassination case, following a ruling by a Utah judge that an upcoming hearing in the case must remain open to the public. Judge Tony Graf ruled Monday that the upcoming preliminary hearing… -
news
Democrats Are Ditching Karen Bass—and Rallying Behind Spencer Pratt
Democrats are abandoning Mayor Karen Bass as the June 2 primary approaches. A new poll shows Spencer Pratt has taken a narrow lead in the Los Angeles mayoral race, receiving 30.1% support among likely voters. The poll, conducted by McLaughlin & Associates in conjunction with the California Post, has Bass in second, at 29.5%, followed… -
opinion
Virginia Democrats Play Hide-and-Seek With Local Tax Hike
How do you pass a bill into law that either you cannot pass or that the governor vetoed? Easy. Turn it into a part of the budget that must be passed (at some point). In 2025 alone, several examples of this chicanery took place. Then-Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin was blamed for several “skinny budget” periods… -
news
Platner’s Sex Scandal Rocks Maine Senate Campaign
Democrat Graham Platner’s Maine Senate campaign has hit a major obstacle with a sexting scandal, threatening Democrats’ efforts to regain control of the chamber. On Saturday, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal reported that Platner’s wife had previously flagged as a potential liability to campaign staff that she had learned her husband… -
news
Michigan Poll: Trump’s Job Approval Dangerously Low, but Senate Race Is Close
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—A new poll shows stunningly low job approval numbers for President Donald Trump in the critical swing state of Michigan but suggests Republican Mike Rogers has a shot at winning the state’s Senate race in November. “This poll reflects a lot of national angst directed at Republicans, to be sure,” Steve… -
opinion
For Spanberger, It’s ‘Do as I Say, Not as I Do’
It’s only been a few months into Abigail Spanberger’s administration, and already I’m growing weary of this. Here we are again in a scenario too similar to issues that dogged Gov. Glenn Youngkin during the previous four years. On several occasions, as is his right and responsibility as governor, Youngkin appointed people to empty seats… -
news
Hegseth: US and China Agreed to Keep Talking About AI Guardrails
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says the United States and China agreed in Beijing to keep discussing if the two countries should team to set guardrails on AI. ”You wanna be able to set guardrails,” Hegseth told the Daily Signal Saturday evening. “Given the innovation capabilities of the United States of America, we also wanna… -
Why Would Trump Roll Back Protections From Cancer-Causing Forever Chemicals?
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin rolled back protections against “forever chemicals” in order to make the safeguards even stronger, he says. PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” are linked to cancer, infertility, and more. They can be found in many consumer products and can persist in water and soil for decades. Zeldin announced a rule… -
opinion
Is the Government Still Funding the Immigration Industrial Complex? Trump Wants Answers
Is the federal government still funneling taxpayer dollars to some of the leftist activist groups that called the shots during President Joe Biden’s administration? The Trump White House is asking federal agencies to investigate past and potentially continuing funding for a host of nonprofits, many of which are associated with aggressive promotion of leftist causes…. -
news
US Gov Wants to Curb Foreign AI Reliance
As adversaries such as China expand their advanced military capabilities, U.S. leaders are increasingly calling for America to strengthen its own domestically produced defense arsenal. “It’s foolish to rely on a country that hates us for national security, which is why I’ve repeatedly called for a complete decoupling of Chinese-made chips and semiconductors from the… -
opinion
It’s on Us to Choose How to Use Our Freedom
Coincident with the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence is the 250th anniversary of the publication of “The Wealth of Nations.” The full title of Scotsman Adam Smith’s book, published in 1776, is “An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.” One might… -
news
Hegseth Vows to Resist China ‘Hegemony’ Amid ‘Frightful alarm’ in Southeast Asia
SINGAPORE—Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the United States wants to maintain the “status quo that has enabled extraordinary growth and opportunity” in Asia. “What we seek, and what the president has constantly articulated, is a genuinely stable equilibrium that works for Americans as well as our allies,” Hegseth said. “A favorable but durable balance… -
news
City of Los Angeles Paid Alleged 18th Street Gang Member $58K as a ‘Peace Ambassador’
A convicted murderer and alleged gang member was being paid by Los Angeles taxpayers to patrol neighborhoods as a “peace ambassador” until federal authorities arrested him Friday morning. Now, city leaders are facing questions about how he got the job in the first place. Michael Angel Alvarez, 41, aka “Diablo,” was arrested on Friday during… -
news
NOT SO FAST, MICKEY: FCC Puts Disney in the Hot Seat Over DEI
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr is pushing back after a TV broadcaster owned by the Walt Disney Company accused the commission of violating the First Amendment. WABC-TV, a New York affiliate of the American Broadcasting Corp., objected to the FCC ordering the station to apply for early license renewal amid an investigation into so-called…