REUTERS—President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States will give a license to Ukraine for Patriot missiles as he said both Russia and Ukraine want to see the war settled. “We’re going to give a license to you to make Patriots. That’s pretty cool. This way, you can’t complain that we’re not giving ’em enough,” Trump said at a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. “It’s a defensive weapon, which I like better than an offensive weapon,” Trump said. Zelenskyy has repeatedly pleaded for the U.S.-made interceptors—the only weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal that can shoot down ballistic projectiles, whose high velocity and steep flight path make them difficult to stop. He was expected to raise the issue with Trump during their meeting. Trump said pressure could be applied to companies to produce Patriot missiles. “We have great power over the companies, those companies that make the Patriot,” he said. “We haven’t informed the company of that yet, but that’ll work out all right. I’m sure they will be thrilled,” he said.  Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the interceptor missiles that go in the Patriot system. Russia fired ballistic missiles at Kyiv again overnight, officials said on Wednesday, a third attack on the Ukrainian capital in less than a week exploiting Ukraine’s critical shortage of U.S.-made air-defence interceptors. While Ukraine’s air defenses intercepted 139 of the 169 drones during the overnight strikes on the country, they were again unable to down any of the five ballistic missiles used by Russia, air force data showed. Trump said both sides in the war would like to see it end, but Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy have both been “difficult.” “We’ve settled a lot of wars, and this one is the one that I thought maybe would be the easiest, but Putin is a difficult character, and this guy’s a difficult character,” Trump said, referring to Zelenskyy, who was sitting next to him. Zelenskyy said he wanted to discuss “some very important details” with Trump. “I’m sure you will do everything to stop this war,” he told Trump. Moscow has stepped up its air war on Ukraine in recent months as its ground advances have largely stalled and Ukrainian attacks on its military logistics and oil industry triggered widespread fuel shortages. Originally published by Reuters

My grandmother came to the mainland from Puerto Rico not knowing a word of English. My grandfather, born in Hell’s Kitchen, worked four to six jobs at a time just to keep the lights on—groceries sometimes bought on credit—before spending his career as a detective sergeant with the NYPD. On my father’s side, my grandparents were African Americans who left the segregated South during the Great Migration for opportunity in the North. My grandfather served in World War II and later worked the docks and side jobs to provide for his family. My grandmother was a stay-at-home mom who suffered a stroke early in life. Neither side of my family had savings accounts to speak of. They had grit, faith, and each other. My parents were both born into government housing. They worked their way out of it, making sure I never had to know what that felt like. I did not inherit money. I inherited a work ethic and a belief that the next generation should have it better than the last. Now I am the father of (almost) two girls. For the first time in my family’s history—spanning four generations and two cultures—my children will start life with something none of their ancestors ever had: a financial head start, backed by their own country, before they’ve taken a single step. That is what Trump Accounts represent, and why this policy deserves more attention than it is getting. Signed into law as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Trump Accounts officially launched this past Fourth of July weekend, on the nation’s 250th birthday, no less. Every American child born between 2025 and 2028 is eligible for a $1,000 seed deposit from the federal government, invested in low-cost index funds. Parents, grandparents, and employers can add up to $5,000 a year on top of that. The money grows, tax-deferred, until the child turns 18, at which point it can go toward a first home, a business, education, or a nest egg that compounds for the rest of their life. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called it the most important government benefit for young people since the GI Bill. I do not think that is hyperbole. Here is why this matters to millions of families like mine. For generations, the loudest voices in our politics have told working families, and especially communities of color, that the system is permanently rigged against them and the only answer is more government dependency, not more ownership. I grew up hearing versions of that message. My grandparents lived through real, documented discrimination. But shutting people out of opportunity and building them a bridge into it are two very different things, and this administration chose to build the bridge. Think about what $1,000 invested at birth and left to compound for 18 years can become. Now add a modest yearly contribution from a working parent, or an employer match, which companies like JPMorgan Chase and Intel already offer. Add in charitable pledges like the $6.25 billion commitment from Michael and Susan Dell—aimed at helping children born in lower-income ZIP codes—and you have a program built to reach the families historically locked out of investing, not just the ones with a broker on speed dial. That is the difference between a child who turns 18 with debt and a child who turns 18 with a down payment. I think about my grandmother, standing in a new country without the language or a safety net. I think about my grandfather working sunup to sundown. I think about my parents, born in public housing, refusing to let that be the end of their story. Every one of them was building toward a moment they would never see: a great-grandchild starting life already invested in the American economy instead of starting already behind in it. To the people who insist the deck is permanently stacked and always will be, I would ask what they have built lately to change that. Tearing down the system has never once put a dollar in a working family’s account. But Trump Accounts do, before a child can even walk. We just celebrated 250 years as a nation. That milestone means something different for families like mine, because it is not just a birthday for the country; it is a marker of how far we have actually come. My family went from segregation and government housing to a father who can open an investment account for his daughters on day one. This shows that our country is still working, imperfectly but genuinely, toward its founding promise. Trump Accounts will not fix every inequity in this country—no single policy could. But they represent a bet on ownership over dependency, on the next generation over the last excuse, and on families like mine getting the shot our grandparents crossed oceans and color lines to give us. My daughters will not remember a country without this option. And I intend to make sure they never take it for granted. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of the Daily Signal.

Nigel Farage has never been one to let the Westminster crowd call the shots. On Tuesday, the Reform UK leader announced he’s resigning as MP for Clacton-on-Sea, but it’s not that simple, because he’s running for the same seat again. Farage’s resignation triggers a by-election, which he  intends to win. Thus, he is turning what could have been a defensive retreat into a direct challenge to voters. It’s vintage Farage—putting the decision back in the hands of the people he says the elites have ignored for too long. He laid it out in a straightforward video, no press grilling allowed. “Let me be absolutely clear,” Farage said. “I have done nothing wrong. I have not broken the law in any way at all.” He didn’t dodge the large personal gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, calling it unconditional and handled with proper advice. But he made clear the bigger gripe is the establishment piling on over declarations and reported ties to ally George Cottrell on staffing and property. Stepping down voluntarily pauses those parliamentary standards investigations for now. If he wins re-election, they pick up again. “I’ve decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions,” he told supporters. “This will be a people versus the establishment by-election.” He linked it to the momentum that helped push Keir Starmer out, and he didn’t hold back on his anger at what he calls constant vilification. President Donald Trump backed him up, pointing to familiar establishment tactics. Clacton feels a world away from the London bubble. It’s a tough coastal seat that has seen the real costs of open borders, stretched services, and problems like grooming gangs that were swept under the rug for years. Farage took it handily in 2024 by talking straight about those failures. Local buzz suggests he will be tough to beat again, giving Reform a fresh boost. If things go the other way, rivals are waiting in the wings—but history shows betting against him is risky. Interestingly, both the Tories and Labour look like they might sit this one out. That could turn the race into an even clearer test of Reform’s strength without the usual big-party machinery. Over here in the States, conservatives will see echoes of our own fights. Farage’s easy rapport with President Trump and figures like Steve Bannon isn’t accidental. His focus on sovereignty, tighter borders, and pushing back on policies that hit working families hardest lines up with America First concerns. His resistance to net-zero mandates and defense of national identity feel pretty familiar too. Farage has stepped back before, only to come roaring back when it counted. This time it’s personal as much as political. Winning would prove voters still get the final word, not the regulators or the headlines. His campaign will hammer the usual Reform points: real border control, sorting out public services, and putting British workers at the head of the queue. Sure, the usual critics will call it a stunt or dodge. Politics has plenty of that. But writing Farage off misses why he clicks with people who tune out the polished types. He talks like the folks he’s representing. In Britain, and across much of the West where faith in institutions is wearing thin, that still matters. Clacton might just add another chapter to that story. We’ll see how it plays out soon enough. The date will be set, the campaign will kick off, and the arguments will fly. For now, Farage has kept it simple: let the people decide. After too many broken promises on Brexit realities, migration pressures, and day-to-day living standards, a lot of voters seem ready to have that say. Conservatives here would be wise to keep watching. The dynamics hit close to home. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of the Daily Signal.

A new poll shows Rick Jackson leading the Georgia governor’s race, Sen. Jon Ossoff ahead in the race for U.S. Senate, and steady numbers for President Donald Trump despite uncertainty over the economy and an unpopular war with Iran. The poll of 1,175 likely voters, conducted June 27-30 by market research and polling firm Wick, shows Jackson, the Republican candidate, narrowly leading Democrat former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. The poll’s margin of error is 2.9%. Jackson, a successful businessman who heads a healthcare staffing company, narrowly leads Bottoms 43.2%-42.7%, according to the poll. Fourteen percent of voters are undecided. On overall opinion, respondents were evenly split on Jackson’s favorability, with 38% for and against. About 24% have yet to form an opinion of the Republican candidate. Approximately 44% of voters have a favorable opinion of Bottoms, while 40% said they do not. Only 15% had no opinion on Atlanta’s former mayor. On the question of managing the state’s economy, Jackson leads Bottoms 41%-38%. However, 38% of respondents view Jackson as serving the interests of the wealthy and powerful, while just 28% see Bottoms in the same light. About 18% see no difference between the candidates when it comes to favoring elites. On the issue of keeping Georgia communities safe, Jackson has a slight edge over Bottoms, at 39.8%-37.8%, In a recent post on X, Jackson took a jab at Bottoms on safety issues. “When violence surged, families were afraid, businesses worried, and police needed support, Keisha Lance Bottoms turned her back on all of them,” the social media post stated. Senate Race In the race for Senate, Ossoff, a Democrat, leads Republican Rep. Mike Collins 46.7%-42.9%, nearly a 4% margin. Of the respondents polled, 10.4% said they were undecided. On overall opinion, voters held a favorable view of Ossoff, 49%-43%. About 8% of voters had no opinion. Collins also holds a favorable view among respondents, with 40%-37% in favor. About 23% said they had no opinion. When asked which candidate is a strong leader, Ossoff took the lead at 44%-36%. He also led on lowering costs for Georgia families, 46%-35%, and putting the state’s interests ahead of party at 42%-34%. When asked who would fight for them, voters favored Ossoff, 46%-36%. The Daily Signal reached out to Ossoff’s campaign for comment about the race. “While Collins and Trump fuel the worsening cost-of-living crisis, Senator Ossoff has helped bring thousands of good-paying jobs to Georgia, capped the cost of insulin and out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors, and delivered unprecedented investments in the state’s infrastructure,” the spokesperson for Ossoff said. Collins likewise took aim at Ossoff, posting on X, “Ossoff voted for one of the largest spending bills in American history, helping drive up the cost of gas, groceries, and housing for Georgia families. Then he voted against the Working Families Tax Cuts, which delivered a tax cut of more than $3,000 for the average Georgian this year.” Trump’s Approval The polling also took a look at how Georgians are feeling about Trump: 45% approve of the president’s job performance, while 53% disapprove. Among those who disapprove, 43% said they do so “strongly.” Wick also asked voters how they feel about the economy, the Iranian conflict, and Muslim immigration—issues most associated with the president’s approval rating. On the war with Iran, 33% said they are worried Iran could develop or deploy nuclear weapons. However, 59% said they are concerned about the war’s impact on prices and the cost of living for American families. Fifty-eight percent said the economy is getting worse, 22% said it’s getting better, and 20% said it’s staying about the same. With regard to feelings about Muslim immigration, Georgia voters are pretty evenly split: 45% said there are too many Muslim immigrants, while 44% said it’s just about the right amount. Only 12% said there are too few Muslim immigrants. Peach State voters will head to the polls on Nov. 3 to cast their votes.

REUTERS—President Donald Trump said an interim agreement to end the war with Iran was “over” and that the United States was likely to launch new strikes on Wednesday night following Iranian attacks on U.S. bases in the Gulf. In a flare-up of hostilities that pushed up oil prices, Iran said on Wednesday it had targeted U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait after U.S. forces struck Iranian targets in response to attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks further undermined a shaky ceasefire agreement and dented hopes of turning the memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 into a permanent peace deal to end the war, which began with U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28. “If we make a deal with Iran I’m not sure that will stick,” Trump said, “because I found them to be very dishonourable people.” But Trump did not explicitly say Washington would return to full-fledged war and it was not immediately clear whether or not the negotiations on reaching a permanent deal would continue. OIL PRICES RISE, STOCKS FALL Asked before a NATO summit in Turkey whether the memorandum of understanding was over, Trump said: “It’s a very interesting question. To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them.” “They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people,” he told reporters in Ankara. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them,” he said, before adding: “Now, I’ll let our wonderful negotiators keep talking if they want, but I don’t see it. I don’t like these people, you know that.” A source familiar with the Ankara talks said Trump did not repeat his comments about the interim deal being over when NATO leaders met at the summit, but he later warned of new strikes before a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. “I’ll give a little warning: We’re going to hit them hard tonight,” Trump told reporters. The latest attacks have heightened safety and security concerns around the Strait of Hormuz, with shipping data showing at least four oil and gas tankers had turned back rather than try to transit the waterway, a vital supply route. Trump has at times stepped back from threats he has made against Iran, but oil prices jumped and global bond markets tumbled. Brent crude futures leapt more than 5%, the most in a day since late May, to $78.48 a barrel [O/R]. While that was far below the peaks above $120 seen during the height of the fighting, it was enough to inject some fresh inflation risk into the bond market, particularly since months of conflict have drawn down global oil inventories. Wall Street’s main indexes fell. IRAN AND U.S. TRADE BLAME Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they had targeted U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait and that they had shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone attempting to interfere in the operation. Bahrain’s army later said it had thwarted Iranian attacks. The U.S. had earlier unleashed new military strikes and revoked a licence allowing Iran to sell oil in response to attacks on three tankers in the strait. The U.S. Central Command said more than 60 small boats used by the IRGC were among the targets hit in an operation it said was intended to impose a heavy cost on Iran for strikes on shipping in violation of the ceasefire. Trump said the U.S. had “knocked out 28 boats last night” and would probably hit more later. He confirmed the U.S. had attacked Iran’s main oil hub of Kharg Island in its latest strikes and, repeating a warning that U.S. forces could take over the island, said: “They may hit it again tonight.” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters before the NATO summit that the new attacks by the U.S. on Iran were “absolutely necessary”. ⁠EU foreign policy chief ⁠Kaja Kallas later said on X the exchanges of fire “complicate ​already ‌fraught talks to end the war. Iran’s attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait are unacceptable.” IRAN SEEKS TO LEVERAGE CONTROL OF STRAIT Iran’s top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, called the U.S. strikes a “blatant act of aggression,” threatened a “crushing response,” and warned that Tehran would not allow U.S. interference in the management of the strait. A top Iranian negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, accused the U.S. of breaching the ceasefire agreement. “The era of bullying and extortion is over,” Qalibaf said in a post on X. “We don’t fold.” Iranian media earlier reported explosions in Iran’s main oil hub of Kharg Island, on Qeshm Island and in the southern port cities of Sirik and Bandar Abbas. CENTCOM made no mention of Kharg Island, from which Iran exports 90% of its crude oil.  A U.S. official told Reuters that strikes targeted Iranian air defence systems, coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles and drone launch sites.  No civilian deaths were reported in Iran. Control of the Strait of Hormuz, which runs between Iran and Oman, has given Tehran immense leverage as it negotiates with Washington. Under the interim U.S.-Iran agreement, the U.S. Treasury issued a June 22 general licence to allow the sale of crude oil and petrochemical and petroleum products of Iranian origin through August 21. In revoking that licence on Tuesday, it gave Iran until July 17 to wind down any transactions.  Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the move as a breach of the framework agreement to end the war. The ministry said Iran would take any measure it deemed necessary to safeguard its interests and national security. Originally published by Reuters.