An exchange on ABC News’ “This Week” Sunday laid bare the sharp political divide over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics. Following a second fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis in just over two weeks, ABC News host Jonathan Karl asked panelists to offer their reactions amid escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the state’s Democrat leaders. The Daily Signal’s Rob Bluey sparred with Democrat strategist Donna Brazile over who was ultimately responsible. “President Trump was elected with the promise that he would ramp up immigration enforcement in this country,” Bluey said on the ABC News roundtable. “Elections have consequences. I think that’s what the administration keeps coming back to.” Brazile fired back, challenging the training and identification protocols of federal agents deployed under the administration’s expanded enforcement operations. “These agents are barely trained. They are supposedly getting trained for 47 days because they wanted to have 47 after the president. That’s crazy,” Brazile said. “Number two, they are not identified. They walk around like they are hooded thugs.” Fatal Shooting Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse with no previous criminal record, was shot by federal agents Saturday while filming an immigration enforcement operation. Like the Jan. 7 death of Renee Good in Minneapolis, the latest shooting has sparked intense scrutiny of the frame-by-frame video of Pretti’s actions. At the time of the incident, Pretti was armed with a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol for which he had a concealed carry permit. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Pretti of an “act of domestic terrorism” and Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino said he had an intent “to inflict maximum damage on individuals.” Refusing to Cooperate Bluey noted that President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have blamed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for refusing to cooperate with federal authorities Their resistance to federal authority is tantamount to historical figures like Jefferson Davis or George Wallace, Bluey said. Walz has openly embraced neo-Confederate rhetoric to justify his decisions. Brazile called for collaboration, but insisted that ICE must leave Minneapolis. “The cities are saying like they did under Obama, under Bush, work with the city and state officials,” she said, adding that “the Minneapolis police department said, we want to work.” Bluey countered that Minnesota is a sanctuary state, purposefully impeding the enforcement of federal immigration laws. What Comes Next The clash reflects broader national tensions as the administration pursues aggressive immigration enforcement in sanctuary jurisdictions while facing resistance from state and local officials. Senate Democrats, including by Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, have threatened to block a Department of Homeland Security funding bill over recent incidents, potentially leading to another partial government shutdown. ABC News legal analyst Sarah Isgur, editor of SCOTUSblog, noted the Pretti shooting could present an unusual legal scenario where Minnesota authorities might have grounds to prosecute federal agents—typically shielded from state prosecution—if the conduct was so egregious it fell outside official duties. Meanwhile, the National Rifle Association issued a rare rebuke of a Trump-appointed assistant U.S. attorney who suggested citizens approaching law enforcement with guns were putting their lives at risk. “Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens,” the NRA statement read. The post Donna Brazile Calls ICE Agents ‘Hooded Thugs’ in ABC News Debate With Daily Signal’s Rob Bluey appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Recently, Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Ronald Reagan, passed away at age 80. His passing was duly eulogized by the Reagan Foundation and the Young America’s Foundation at the Reagan Ranch. Both noted that Michael, whom I had the privilege to know, devoted his life to writing and speaking about the American principles that so defined his father. No death is ever timely. But there seems something fitting that President Reagan’s legacy would be closed out with the passing of his oldest son in the year of the 250th birthday of our nation. At this time of such confusion and division, there couldn’t be a better moment to remind all of us what America is about, as understood by Reagan. And there is no better source from which to quote Reagan than what I believe was his greatest speech, and perhaps one of the greatest in America’s history. It is his speech delivered March 8, 1983, to the National Association of Evangelicals, known as the “evil empire” speech, because it was here he called the Soviet Union an “evil empire.” A couple takes from that important speech: “I want you to know that this administration is motivated by a political philosophy that sees the greatness of America in you, her people, and in your families, churches, neighborhoods, communities—the institutions that foster and nourish values like concern for others and respect for the rule of law under God.” “But we must never forget that no government schemes are going to perfect man. We know that living in this world means dealing with … the doctrine of sin.” “There is sin and evil in the world, and we are enjoined by Scripture and the Lord Jesus to oppose it with all our might.” “While America’s military strength is important, let me add here that I have always maintained that the struggle going on for the world will never be decided by bombs or rockets, by armies or military might. The real crisis we face today is a spiritual one; at root, it is a test of moral will and faith.” Of course, along with the words were deeds. Reagan proceeded to give the country back to the people through tax cuts, deregulation, and restoration of the integrity of our currency. He also increased defense spending from 6.5% of gross domestic product when he assumed office to 7.9% by 1986. We know that the Soviet Union, the “evil empire,” imploded and collapsed. But we also know that what replaced it, Russia under Vladimir Putin, is not much better. Evil can never last, but without a clear sense of the good to replace it, it will just reinvent and perpetuate itself. This is an obvious lesson for today’s world. Reagan demonstrated that the most powerful weapon is truth and principles. From these the right policies follow. Truth, when clearly spoken and articulated, spreads on its own power. Natan Sharansky sat in prison in 1983 for the sin of requesting to emigrate from the Soviet Union to Israel. Sharansky wrote: “In 1983 I was confined to an 8-by-10 foot prison cell on the border of Siberia. My Soviet jailers gave me the privilege of reading the latest copy of Pravda. Splashed across the front page was a condemnation of President Ronald Reagan for having the temerity to call the Soviet Union an ‘evil empire.’ By tapping on walls and talking through toilets, word of Reagan’s ‘provocation’ quickly spread throughout the prison. We dissidents were ecstatic. Finally, the leader of the free world had spoken the truth—truth that burned inside the heart of each and every one of us.” Reagan was reelected in 1984, winning 49 of 50 states. Can it be a surprise that the one state he did not win was Minnesota? Will we ever see such unity again? Rest in peace, Michael Reagan. COPYRIGHT 2026 CREATORS.COM We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal.  The post Thank You, Michael Reagan appeared first on The Daily Signal.

In the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, which ended on New Year’s Eve, the federal government spent $1,827,134,000,000—and, according to the Treasury Department, ran a deficit of $602,376,000,000. The federal debt closed the calendar year at $38,514,009,184,232.72. That equaled approximately $285,733 for each of the 134,790,000 households there were in the United States in 2025, according to the Census Bureau. What did Congress do when it came back from its Christmas break? It passed a spending bill full of earmarks. On Jan. 8, the Republican-controlled House took up a 407-page spending bill. It funded multiple federal departments and agencies, including the departments of Commerce, Justice, Energy, and the Interior, and also the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, and the Indian Health Service. In total, according to the Congressional Budget Office, the bill authorized $215,073,000,000 in spending. Large bipartisan coalitions in both houses supported this spending. In the House, it passed 397-28—with 206 Democratic supporters and 191 Republicans. On Jan. 15, it passed 82-15 in the Senate—with 46 Republican supporters and 36 Democrats. After it passed, numerous Democratic senators put out statements to applaud the earmarks it included for their state. “I’m also proud to once again work with countless Wisconsin communities in every corner of the state to deliver direct federal support for projects that address their specific needs,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. What earmarks did taxpayers from Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and Nebraska help fund for communities in Baldwin’s Wisconsin? Among the benefits to Wisconsin, according to Baldwin, were “$406,000 for replacing a water main, two sewer lines, and several fire hydrants and manholes” in Brandon, Wisconsin. Another was “$1,630,000 for replacing the broken watermain and replacing lead service lines” in Nekoosa, Wisconsin. Another was “$1,100,000 for upgrading the raw water service, as well as fixing the well and watermain” in Vesper, Wisconsin. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., put out a similar statement. It declared that Delaware’s congressional “delegation,” including Rochester, Democrat Sen. Chris Coons, and Democrat Rep. Sarah McBride, had “secured over $40 million in funding for more than 30 projects across the First State.” “As Delaware’s sole appropriator, I’m proud to have worked with so many communities and organizations from Wilmington to Seaford to get them the resources they need to continue serving the First State,” said Coons. So what will taxpayers in Arizona, Utah, Montana, and Indiana be paying to fund in Coons’ Delaware? Among other things, $5 million will go to “clean hydrogen-related investments, supporting the University of Delaware’s Center for Clean Hydrogen.” Another $3 million will “support the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), a public-private partnership on the University of Delaware’s campus focused on advancing biopharmaceutical production with private and public measures across the country.” Another $500,000 “will be used for historic preservation efforts of the Grand Opera House,” and another $450,000 “will be used for historic preservation efforts of the Smyrna Opera House.” Democrat Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly of Arizona also put out a statement celebrating the earmarks they were able to put in this massive spending bill. “I’m proud to have fought to secure more than $32 million for Arizona projects,” said Gallego. “This funding shows exactly how Congressional spending should work, directing federal dollars toward projects that solve real problems in our state, like supporting the City of Chandler’s water supply wells.” “I’m proud to deliver this funding and will keep fighting to make sure Arizona communities get ahead,” said Kelly. Among other things, the earmarks for Arizona will spend $4,200,000 to “provide new police response vehicles for the Tucson Police Department,” and $810,000 to “upgrade handheld radios for the Sahuarita Police Department.” This bill also empowers the federal government to buy up more land in the West. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., published a press release stating that: “The bill includes funding for a $17 million land purchase and a $5 million land purchase, both of privately-owned parcels near Leavenworth in the Upper Wenatchee River watershed, for a total of over 11,000 acres to be managed by the U.S. Forest Service.” From Jan. 20, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2025, when Republicans controlled the House, the Senate, and the White House, the federal debt rose from $36,206,593,315,575.15 to $38,514,009,184,232.72—an increase of $2,307,415,868,657.57. And Democrats are continuing to insert self-serving earmarks into spending bills approved by a Republican-majority Congress. COPYRIGHT 2026 CREATORS.COM We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal.  The post Democrats Celebrate Their Earmarks appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Many people believe that faith and reason are incompatible. Faith is for those who blindly trust what their religion tells them or what they feel is true. Reason is what we have proof for; it’s for the logical ones, and faith is for the childish and weak. This is an over-characterization, but there is truth to the generalization. The truth here lies in the fact that this mindset is prevalent, but not that it is valid. Every year, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) on Jan. 28. Over the course of his lifetime, Aquinas wrote over 8 million words. He was a Dominican priest who spent hours each day in prayer and study. His life was devoted to God and to writing about the truth. Aquinas was groundbreaking in many ways because he was able to show the validity of church doctrine through the use of reason. Pope St. John Paul II wrote in his masterful encyclical, “Fides et Ratio (Faith and Reason),” that faith and reason are “like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.” The pope, who was trained in the theology and philosophy of Aquinas, noted that the human person needs both faith and reason in order to be truly human and to come to the fullness of the truth. Reason is seen in the writings of Aquinas in a multitude of ways. First, his core belief is that the intellect is made for the truth and the will is made for the good. Even without mentioning God, we can come to see that this is the case. When I come to know something as true, my intellect rests in the fact that it now knows. When my choices align with goodness, my conscience is at ease, and when I act selfishly, my conscience nags at me to ask for forgiveness. This is all rooted in the proper understanding of truth. Truth is the conformity between the mind and reality. When a thought or proposition that I claim is in alignment with what actually is true, then my claim itself is also true. Therefore, if a religious claim was to defy logic or be the contradictory stance found in known scientific fact, then the religious belief would have to be wrong. Otherwise, the principle of noncontradiction would be invalid. This principle holds that two opposing claims cannot both be true at the same time. This is why the atheist and the believer cannot be correct. God is either real or not real. Rooted in the thought of Aristotle, Aquinas explained that the existence of God can be demonstrated through simply investigating the world around us, as explained in Aquinas’ famous “Five Ways.” As explained, Acquinas’ findings align with what modern science has concluded about the universe. All material things have cause. The universe is a material thing. Therefore, the universe must have a cause outside of itself otherwise nothing would exist. In other words, infinite regress is not possible to explain the cause of the universe. The first three ways of Aquinas (motion, causality, contingency) hinge on this understanding. The fourth way is called the gradation of perfection. Without knowing and there being a perfect being, there can be no way to grade something as more or less perfect than another thing. God is not just the best or most-good or most-perfect being. God is being itself. His nature is existence. Finally, the fifth way is called unintelligent beings acting towards an intelligent end. Simply put: How does grass know how to grow? It cannot think. Grass cannot choose. However, when sunlight, warmth and water are present, it simply grows—every time. The fifth way argues that the fact that nonrational beings act in rational and predictable ways proves that there was an Intelligence that ordered it that way. Christianity is unique because it is rooted both in history events and in a relentless reliance on reason. The Christian claim is that Jesus is God, made flesh. The God who is perfection. The God who is goodness and love itself became one of us so that we can know Him and be with Him forever. The life and writings of Aquinas place an exclamation point on this, pushing all of us today to deeply investigate the claims of our faith, so that we can know that it is true and why it is both reasonable and faith-filled. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post The Man Who Showed That Faith and Reason Align appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Tens of thousands rallied in Washington, D.C. at the 53rd annual March for Life on Friday. This year’s theme: Life is a Gift. While some suggest that unborn life is a cause for parents and grandparents, thousands of young Americans joined the March for Life in a public display that defied the caricature of the pro-life movement. Some shared their stories with The Daily Signal. How Do Pro-Lifers Really Feel About the Trump Administration? @EliseMcCue It's been one year since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. We asked attendees of the annual March for Life rally in Washington, D.C., how they would grade the Trump administration’s… pic.twitter.com/ZGO7kI8RXu— The Daily Signal (@DailySignal) January 23, 2026 James, 22 and a student at the University of Central Florida, traveled from Orlando, Florida to join the March for Life. “I was actually adopted, so the pro-life movement is very important to me,” James told The Daily Signal.   “It shows that there’s other options besides abortion for unwanted babies, and I am proof that you don’t have to abort your children,” James shared.   Clara, age 19, told The Daily Signal, “it was so cool to see everyone from around the country come and join and be a part of this movement.”  “There’s so many people around us just supporting that movement, making it stronger, and knowing that you can potentially save a life,” Clara continued.   “We march for one thing and one thing only, and that is obviously life,” said Clara proudly.   Shanyce Thomas, age 25, traveled from Baltimore for her first March for Life. “I’m marching because I am a victim of the abortion pill,” Thomas told The Daily Signal. On Thursday she joined Live Action on Capitol Hill for the “Abortion Pill Exposed” press conference to share her story with members of Congress.  “The abortion pill nearly cost me my life. I was in medically induced coma for a month.” -ShanyceWe hosted a groundbreaking press conference this morning in DC:?? Exposing the dangers of the abortion pill.?? Releasing a new undercover investigationAnd demanding the FDA… pic.twitter.com/5hUtCNnoe7— Live Action (@LiveAction) January 22, 2026 Thomas suffered life-threatening injuries after being pressured by her boyfriend to take the abortion pill.   “Doctors had no choice but to perform a partial hysterectomy. In one moment, my ability to carry children in my future was taken from me, not by choice but by necessity to save my life,” Thomas shared at the press conference.   The march is “something bigger” Thomas continued. “I see what it can do, and I see how people are trying to stop [abortion] just by all of us being here and marching in front of The Supreme Court,” she said, describing what the march meant to her.  The sheer size of the March for Life is staggering Nearly 100,000 Christian patriots marching in Washington DC pic.twitter.com/a2BS69lwxE— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) January 23, 2026 Jennie Bradley Lichter, the new president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, shared her vision of the event with The Daily Signal in October.    “Our goal,” Lichter shared, “is to invite everyone to the irrepressible joy of the March for Life; to be swept up into a movement that transcends politics and celebrates the joy, beauty, and goodness of life itself.”    The march is a faith filled event for many. Javier, 22, traveled from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the John Jay Fellowship to join the march. He told us he is pro-life because he is Catholic.   Javier shared that being pro-life “means affirming life, affirming the gift of life, and rejecting the culture of death.” “We’re here building for the Kingdom,” Javier said. Madeline, 23, attended her eighth March for Life on Friday. She started coming to the march when she was just 14 years old. “I want to make sure that people don’t forget that the young people care about this issue too,” Madeline told The Daily Signal. “I will not let this issue be lied about, that it’s old people that want to just control women’s control women’s bodies, and that the young in our society really do yearn for truth,” she continued.   Katie, also 23, is another long-time marcher. “This is my sixth March,” she told The Daily Signal. “My first march was in 2020, when I was a senior in high school, it was actually the march that Donald Trump came to and spoke at for the first time,” Katie said.   Before 2020, Katie says she was a “a hopeless pro-lifer.” But that year she said she was inspired to see thousands of pro-lifers standing out in the cold. “I was very inspired by their selflessness and their courage, and that inspired me to want to come back every year,” Katie said. “And here I am,” she added.   The post Yearning for Truth: Why Young Americans March for Life appeared first on The Daily Signal.