America and China are racing for technological supremacy, and the margin is razor thin. Today, tech supremacy is increasingly synonymous with artificial intelligence (AI) leadership. And China has an aggressive five-part plan to overcome what advantages America still has in AI. For decades, America’s military edge was unquestioned. That era is over. China is closing the gap fast, and the nations that move decisively now will lock in advantages that compound over time. Those who hesitate will be left behind permanently.  The good news: American innovation—particularly AI—is already delivering results for America’s national security, preventing supply-chain shortfalls, detecting cyberattacks in real time, and optimizing military logistics. Not as experiments, but as operational reality. The question is no longer whether these technologies work. It’s whether America will build the infrastructure and maintain the policies to stay ahead of an adversary running hard to catch us.  Accelerating New Weapons Design and Procurement  As the United States navigates existing and evolving threats, producing advanced munitions at adequate scale will be a prerequisite for success. Traditionally, the path from concept to fielded capability stretched across years, or even decades, as weapon designs moved through prototyping, testing, and federal procurement bureaucracy. However, AI-assisted design, manufacturing, and supply chain management have compressed these timelines at a speed we have never seen before. For example, California-based company Divergent Technologies utilizes AI-enabled engineering software and robotic assembly to 3D print components and machinery in the automotive and aerospace industries.   Last year Divergent and CoAspire announced that AI-driven manufacturing had taken the Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile (RAACM) from concept to flight-tested hardware in 16 weeks. What once took years can now be done in months – a revolutionary development. A nation that can surge weapons production in weeks rather than years holds a decisive advantage in any conflict, and that advantage will increasingly belong to whoever builds the AI infrastructure to support it.  Autonomous Technologies Bypass Enemy Countermeasures Autonomous drone technology further proves how AI has crossed from theory to operational reality, and nowhere is that more evident than in Ukraine. By reducing human presence in high-risk combat environments, autonomous vehicles protect servicemember lives while maintaining battlefield effectiveness. Take for example Shield AI’s V-BAT drone, which last year executed more than 35 missions and enhanced U.S. drones’ ability to skirt Russian jammers that were previously grounding many U.S. systems. Traditional drones rely on GPS for navigation and radio links to human operators—both targets of Russian electronic warfare. Jamming these signals effectively renders a drone blind or uncontrollable. The V-BAT drones’ resilience to jammers helped turn a once aspirational idea into a tangible advantage on the front lines, handing American and allied efforts a competitive edge.  Defending Critical Infrastructure in Real-Time America’s critical infrastructure is under constant cyberattacks from sophisticated state-backed adversaries. In 2024, multiple U.S. government agencies warned that Chinese hackers had embedded malicious code inside U.S. communications, energy, transportation, and water systems, prepped to launch disruptive attacks during a future conflict.  Threats at this scale exceed what human analysts can monitor alone. Our adversaries are increasingly using AI to accelerate attacks and almost instantaneously adapt to changing defenses, underscoring the need for the U.S. to match this evolving threat with an equally adept defense. AI meets this need by continuously scanning network traffic, detecting anomalies, and neutralizing threats before they become breaches.  In December 2025, Darktrace Federal was awarded a State Department contract to deploy AI-powered network detection and response capabilities across the Bureau of Diplomatic Security’s global IT infrastructure, protecting U.S. diplomatic personnel, facilities, and sensitive information in more than 170 countries, including conflict zones.  The real-time response capabilities of AI have proven critical in protecting sensitive information and infrastructure, especially for agencies under persistent pressure from Chinese and Russian AI-enabled adversaries. The U.S. needs to enable, not undermine, American AI innovation if we want to remain ahead in national security.  Domestic Infrastructure Enables our Security None of this works without infrastructure. The weapons systems, autonomous platforms, and cyber defenses described above all run on massive compute power. They all depend on the data centers and energy systems that power modern AI.  That means the local decisions being made today about AI infrastructure are also decisions about national security. Every community that says yes to this infrastructure is helping to strengthen our nation’s security. And every conflicting state mandate, every permitting delay, is ultimately a choice to cede that future—and America’s technological edge—to competitors like China who will not hesitate.  The question facing U.S. leaders is no longer whether AI will shape national security. The tools are already deployed, and the results are already measurable. Weapons systems fielded in weeks rather than years. Autonomous drones operating where human pilots cannot. Critical networks defended in real time against state-backed attacks.  These use cases make one reality clear: the nations that harness AI fastest will not only gain a tactical edge, but will set the terms that others follow. The infrastructure that determines American leadership is being built right now, community by community, across hundreds of towns and cities. Washington’s only real choice is whether to accelerate that buildout, or hand China the advantage by slowing it down.  This article was originally published by RealClearDefense and made available via RealClearWire. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post AI Isn’t the Future of Our National Security. It’s the Present. appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has yet to endorse a candidate in the Republican primary to succeed him—a silence that some GOP leaders say reflects his longstanding respect for Rep. Byron Donalds. During a podcast appearance with Katie Miller last week, Donalds, R-Fla., revealed that DeSantis once considered him for a top leadership role in the state party. “When Governor DeSantis was elected back in 2018, we had a conversation and he asked if I’d be interested in becoming state party chairman of Florida,” Donalds said. Republican leaders in Florida told The Daily Signal that DeSantis’ past support for Donalds may explain why the outgoing governor has declined to take sides in a race that includes three of his closest allies. Donalds is running for governor against DeSantis’ current lieutenant governor, Jay Collins, and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner. “If the governor thinks highly enough of Byron to ask him to lead the state party once he becomes governor, it’s obvious that it could foreshadow him not wanting to make an endorsement that would hurt Byron,” one Republican elected official in Florida told The Daily Signal. Another Florida county Republican chairman echoed that sentiment, saying DeSantis appears reluctant to disrupt alliances inside the party. “Look, it’s clear that he does not want to step on any toes,” the chairman said. “If DeSantis likes Byron and thinks the Trump-endorsed candidate will be the next governor, he might not want to make an endorsement that will not sit well with his current lieutenant governor.” Others pointed to Donalds’ political rise since 2018 as evidence of why DeSantis once viewed him as leadership material. That moment, Sweetwater Commissioner Ian Valecillo and Miami Young Republicans President Miguel Granda told The Daily Signal, shows Donalds was already being recognized at the state level. “What’s notable is how much he’s grown since then,” Valecillo said. “He’s gone from a local race setback to becoming one of the most influential conservative voices in the country.” Valecillo noted that Donalds ultimately could not take on the state party role because he did not win the Collier County Republican Party chairmanship at the time, but said the congressman proved he did not need a formal title to lead. “He’s built his own credibility with voters, and today he’s in a far stronger position to shape the future of Florida’s Republican Party than he was back then,” Valecillo said. Granda argued that Donalds represents a continuation of the DeSantis agenda. “He isn’t just a successor—he’s a continuation of everything that has made Florida the blueprint for the rest of America,” he said. “For eight years, Ron DeSantis has shown the rest of the country what bold, principled conservative leadership looks like, and Florida has thrived because of it,” Granda added. “This November, Florida has the opportunity to keep that momentum going by electing Congressman Byron Donalds as the next governor of the Sunshine State.” The post DeSantis’ Respect for Byron Donalds Could Be Why He Hasn’t Endorsed a Successor, GOP Leaders Say appeared first on The Daily Signal.

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Reuters) – U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday he believes gas prices have peaked but predicted that they may stay above $3 per gallon until next year. Gas prices have risen during the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran and Iranian attacks on nearby countries, creating political headwinds for President Donald Trump ahead of the November midterm elections, where his Republican Party will defend slim majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives. Gas below $3 a gallon “could happen later this year, that might not happen until next year. But prices have likely peaked, and they’ll start going down,” Wright told CNN’s “State of the Union” program. “Certainly with the resolution of this conflict, you’ll see prices go down.” Trump administration officials have offered differing views on how gas prices may shift. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last week predicted gas prices would fall to the $3 per gallon range this summer, while Wright on Sunday laid out a lengthier likely timeline to reach that price. Trump himself has said that gas prices may remain elevated until November.  All of them have predicted gas prices will eventually get cheaper once the Iran war ends. “Under $3 a gallon is pretty tremendous in inflation-adjusted terms,” Wright said. “We’ll get back there for sure.” The average price for a gallon of regular gas on Sunday was $4.05, according to an estimate by AAA, compared to $3.16 a year ago. The war’s impact on oil delivery also has airlines warning of a potential jet fuel shortage. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Sunday said jet fuel will become more plentiful as the Iran conflict recedes. “So yes, a small disruption, hopefully for a short period of time, but in the long run it becomes cheaper for Americans to travel because of decreased jet fuel prices,” Duffy said. The U.S. and Iran on Thursday agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, but Trump on Sunday accused Iran of violating it with attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz this weekend. U.S. officials will arrive in Pakistan for further negotiations on Monday, Trump wrote in a social media post.   “We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran,” he posted, revisiting a threat he had made prior to the ceasefire.  (Reporting by Leah Douglas in Washington; additional reporting by Tim McLaughlin in Boston; Editing by Sergio Non and Bill Berkrot) The post Energy Secretary: Gas Prices Could Stay Above $3 Per Gallon Until Next Year appeared first on The Daily Signal.

WASHINGTON STAND—Newly released polling data has confirmed what many pastors and churchgoers have long suspected: Young men are bucking the cultural trend of declining religiosity and returning to the church in droves. A Gallup survey released Thursday revealed a remarkable surge in young men saying that religion is “very important” to them, with data from 2024-2025 showing 42%, a 14-point increase from 2022-2023. The poll found that the phenomenon happening among young men aged 18-29 is not happening among their female peers, only 29% of whom said that religion is “very important” to them (a figure that has stayed roughly the same since 2020). The upward trend in religiosity is also largely not occurring among other age groups, with the exception of men aged 30-49 (who saw a five-point increase over the same timespan) and men aged 50-64 (who saw a three-point increase). Notably, the numbers mark a clear reversal from the beginning of the millennium, when young women led young men in saying that religion was “very important” to them (52% vs. 43%). As reported by The New York Times, college students like Mason Gubser likely epitomize the changing attitudes of many young men in their approach to faith. Gubser told the Times that he had become dissatisfied with a life centered on constant phone scrolling. “All my entertainment is right here in front of me, but there’s no fulfillment from that,” he said. “I wanted something new and something traditional and something that felt holy.” Gubser, now 21, eventually found the Catholic center on the Texas A&M University campus, where he became Catholic two years ago and is now engaged to be married. “What I was really looking for, and still am, was purpose,” he remarked. “The church definitely provides that.” The surge in religion among young men is likely driving upward trends in different segments of Christianity, particularly Catholicism. Data acquired from 140 of the country’s 175 dioceses “saw a 38 percent increase in Easter converts across U.S. dioceses relative to last year.” In addition, Orthodox churches are also seeing increases in both attendance and membership, which reportedly is being driven by young men. Another sign of a potentially budding revival are sales of Bibles, which saw a 22% spike in sales in 2024 and are currently seeing an explosion in the sales of high-end versions. David Closson, who serves as director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at Family Research Council, sees the new Gallup data as highly significant. “The new Gallup data is striking, particularly because it reverses a long-standing trend,” he told The Washington Stand. “For decades, young women have been more religious than young men, but that gap has now flipped. One factor appears to be political realignment. The report itself notes that much of the increase is concentrated among young Republican men, suggesting that broader ideological shifts are influencing religious engagement.” “At the same time,” Closson continued, “we should not ignore deeper cultural dynamics. For years, young men have been told that traditional expressions of masculinity are problematic or even harmful. In that context, it is not surprising that some are gravitating toward faith communities that offer a clearer sense of identity, purpose, and moral framework. For many young men, church provides structure, accountability, and a vision of ordered freedom, all of which can be especially compelling in a culture that often feels unmoored.” Clossen further noted that cultural factors are likely key to understanding the differences between the religious movement of young men and their female counterparts. “The divergence between young men and young women also raises important questions. While young men are showing renewed interest in the importance of religion, young women’s numbers have remained flat and, in some respects, are at historic lows,” he explained. “That suggests we are not simply seeing a general religious revival, but a more targeted shift that may reflect differences in how young men and women are responding to cultural pressures and expectations.” As for the church, Closson posited that the current moment “presents a significant opportunity. The data suggest that many young men are open to deeper conversations about meaning, truth, and faith. Churches should be ready to meet that moment with serious teaching, intentional discipleship, and a robust vision of biblical manhood that emphasizes responsibility, service, and spiritual leadership. At the same time, the church must not lose sight of the need to engage young women thoughtfully and faithfully, ensuring that the message of the gospel speaks clearly and compellingly to both men and women in a rapidly changing cultural landscape.” Joseph Backholm, who serves as senior fellow for Biblical Worldview and Strategic Engagement at FRC, observed that the new Gallup data points toward an inevitable cultural yearning for the eternal. “I think young men are discovering that materialism doesn’t have the answers to the questions they’re asking,” he told TWS. “A life without rules or meaning creates chaos, inside of us and around us. Secularism has an obvious appeal because it offers the opportunity to do whatever you want, but it doesn’t work because everyone does what they want. What was supposed to make everyone happier actually makes everyone more miserable, and secularism can’t explain why. So, it shouldn’t be surprising that young people are turning to church in an effort to understand the world as it actually is.” “Young men also might be drawn to religion as a form of rebellion,” Backholm elaborated. “The Left has been waging a war on men for a while now, so it’s possible that young men are being drawn to religion as a way of rebelling against everything on the Left. If that’s true, that might be part of the reason young men are more religious than young women. Secularists like women better than men. As a result, women like secularism more.” Still, “It’s also true that the Holy Spirit is at work in the world and Jesus is drawing us to Himself,” he reflected. “We live in a war between truth and lies, but Jesus promised us that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. While we see evidence of the war all around us, we shouldn’t be surprised when we see the truth advancing in measurable ways. Over time, that’s the only possible outcome.” “Lies are eventually exposed as such,” Backholm concluded. “It often takes longer than we prefer, but lies do not endure because they cannot endure. The world was never going to just descend into universal secularism. We need to be confident that the truth is true, and right now, it seems young men are discovering this in a new way.” Originally published by The Washington Stand. The post Young Men Becoming Increasingly Religious, Polling Confirms appeared first on The Daily Signal.

DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon told “Sunday Morning Futures” host Maria Bartiromo that federal officials discovered tens of thousands of dead people and non-citizens on voting rolls. The Trump administration has sued multiple states for failing to turn over voter rolls to the Department of Justice, which is seeking to ensure compliance with the National Voter Registration Act, the Help America Vote Act, and other federal laws aimed at protecting the right to vote. Dhillon told Bartiromo that, even in states trying to comply with the laws, issues concerning voting eligibility were still being identified. “States are not in compliance, even those ones who want to. So, for the ones that we’ve run so far—60 million records that we’ve run—we found at least 350,000 dead people currently on the voter rolls in those jurisdictions, and we’ve referred approximately 25,000 people with no citizenship records to [the Department of] Homeland Security to look at, you know, dig into that further and see the extent to which people voted,” Dhillon told Bartiromo. “I’m in touch with voting rights activists who are showing me information about people who have voted who are not American citizens. So the Left told us this never happens and it’s a myth, it definitely happened.” “Just recently, someone was indicted in Minnesota, of all places, for voting without being a citizen, and so I’ve sent a document request to them on that,” Dhillon continued. “Minnesota has a weird vouching law that allows citizens to vouch for each other’s citizenship. That’s crazy and inconsistent with the Help America Vote Act and we’re not going to rest until we complete this project.” Dhillon also noted that, despite the Civil Rights Act of 1960 giving the attorney general access to voting rolls to ensure compliance with the law, multiple states have refused to hand them over. “I’m suing 29 states and the District of Columbia for their refusal to give us the voter rolls to which the attorney general or the acting attorney general is entitled under the Civil Rights Act of 1960,” Dhillon told Bartiromo, later adding that, in several cases, federal judges ruled against the Trump administration. “We’re expediting the appeals in these cases,” Dhillon said. “There’ll be an appeal in the Ninth Circuit [Court of Appeals] and the Sixth Circuit soon.” President Trump issued an executive order in March 2025 requiring the federal government’s Election Assistance Commission to update its voter registration form to require proof of citizenship. Originally published by The Daily Caller News Foundation. The post DOJ’s Harmeet Dhillon Details Just How Much a ‘Mess’ Voter Rolls Are appeared first on The Daily Signal.