Pentecost ought to remind us of our identity and renew our trust that God is always with us. After Jesus ascended into heaven, the Apostles all gathered together in a building’s upper room, worried and confused about how to move forward. Then the Holy Spirit came rushing forth upon them (Acts 2:2). They were immediately emboldened to rush out of the upper room and proclaim Jesus’ identity to anyone who would hear. This is what the God’s Spirit does: It ignites us. The Holy Spirit was felt and seen among the Apostles, and He reminded them of who Jesus called them to be. The Apostles were convicted; they knew that they were not alone. God’s presence in them showed them how to act and what to do. The same is true for Christians today. Pentecost confronts us with a question: are we stuck in our own “upper room”? Do we silo our faith from our lives, rather than allowing God’s Spirit to move through us in all of our interactions? In my prayer during this Easter season, I have been reflecting on the general tone of my conversation with God. If I am completely honest, much of it is self-centered. I ask Him for help. I implore His love to be with my wife and kids. I pray for sick family members, and I am open with God about what is bothering me. My prayer is often too centered on myself, rather than being an expression of the fact that God is with me. This had to be a factor in the Apostles’ gathering in the upper room. They were worried about what to do and how to move forward. In the midst of their turning inward, the Spirit came to convince them of their identity: They were made to be with God and to tell others about Him. The role of the Christian in today’s world is the same. In 2003, Pope Saint John Paul II put it well: “The Church of Christ is always, so to speak, in a situation of Pentecost: she is always gathered in the Upper Room in prayer, and at the same time, driven by the powerful wind of the Spirit, she is always on the streets preaching.” This is the dual foundation of the Christian life: to be in communion with God and to be willing to share that union with others. Believers in Christ exist in order to know Him, love Him, and serve Him. Therefore, the celebration of Pentecost implores us to consider how we do so. We should ask ourselves two questions. First, are we people of daily prayer? Do we make intentional and personal time for God each and every day? If the answer is no, then we can implement practices and structures that can help bolster our prayer life. Set aside an extra 10 minutes when you wake up and before you go to bed. Start small, perhaps by making a promise to God, in prayer, that you will give Him this time. Tell a friend or family member about it so you are kept accountable and have someone to speak with about your prayer life. Second, we must ask ourselves if we courageously speak about the faith openly to people. This does not mean that we become street preachers, nor does it mean that we heckle people with our faith. It simply means that we become more aware of how we can bring up the faith or our practice of prayer to people in casual and organic ways. This can happen at work when someone asks about our weekend. We can explain our experiences with family and friends but also mention our attendance at church and how it helps guide us. This can also take place among our immediate family by calling for more opportunities to pray before meals or together as a family before bed. These two little practices can go a long way to mold us into men and women like the Apostles, who ran out of the upper room on that first Pentecost. It only takes some commitment and a daily encounter with Christ in prayer to light a fire in our souls to live with a Pentecost spirit. This spirit will help shape our families and communities for a brighter future and a holier world. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of the Daily Signal.

People who have been hoodwinked by transgender ideology and the medical establishment telling them to physically damage their own bodies in pursuit of a false identity may have a strong new remedy. The Department of Justice and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced last week a seismic shift in medicine. For the first time, a major hospital will open a clinic dedicated to providing health care for people victimized by harmful medical experiments to make them appear like members of the opposite sex. The Struggles of Detransitioners While activists claim that teens who suffer from gender dysphoria—the painful and persistent condition of identifying with the gender opposite one’s sex—need experimental medical interventions to prevent suicide, the Department of Health and Human Services concluded there is little evidence for positive impacts from such “treatments” for minors. Although the full side effects of transgender “medicine” remain unclear, studies have demonstrated concrete harms. One study found that males who identify as transgender and take estrogen in order to appear female face higher risks of infertility, diabetes, testicular and breast cancer, and early death. A Food and Drug Administration study found that suicidal thoughts actually increase among kids who take so-called puberty blockers. A jury awarded a detransitioner $2 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit in February, and psychiatrists reportedly agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle another detransitioner’s medical malpractice claim this week. Yet the medical establishment has vigorously championed grotesque interventions, euphemistically branded “gender-affirming care.” Transgender ideology has spread—particularly among teenage girls—as a social contagion, promoted by schools, YouTube algorithms, and TikTok influencers. Thousands of children and teens across the country have taken experimental hormone “treatments,” and by 2023, surgeons had operated on more than 5,000 minors. Many of these unfortunate people have since realized the truth. No matter how many hormone shots they take, no matter how many surgeries they undergo, they cannot change their biological sex. The DNA in their cells will still be coded male or female, and their bodies will reflect this, in one way or another. Women like Chloe Cole, who underwent chemical and surgical alterations to appear male, have rejected that false identity and returned to accepting their biological sex. But these detransitioners struggle to find doctors who can fully address their struggles. “After over 5 years of searching I’ve finally found a doctor who wants to help me,” Cole shared on X Wednesday. She told me that this doctor is an internal medicine specialist who is “not working on autopilot like most docs are.” That makes it hard to find a doctor willing or able to address her struggles. After over 5 years of searching I’ve finally found a doctor who wants to help meBetween this and the detrans clinic opening, it feels like there’s a lot of hope on the horizon. Never give up. To detransitioners: keep advocating for yourself, because help is on the way.— Chloe Cole (@ChloeCole) May 20, 2026 The health care system manages treatment through the International Classification of Diseases diagnosis codes, but detransitioners remain mostly invisible in this system. Doctors and public policy groups have advocated for detransition codes. A New Hope for Detransitioners That’s why it matters so much that Texas Children’s Hospital has agreed to open a special clinic dedicated to detransition care, as part of a settlement with the Justice Department. Under the terms of the agreement, the hospital will pay $10 million to resolve allegations that it submitted false billings to public and private payors to secure insurance coverage for pediatric sex-rejecting procedures, and it will terminate the doctors who arguably violated their Hippocratic Oath by subjecting patients to these harmful procedures. As the Justice Department announced, the hospital “has committed to establishing the first-of-its-kind clinic dedicated to restorative care for detransitioners.” The clinic will provide free detransition care for its first five years. Paxton opened an investigation into Texas Children’s in 2022, after determining that sex-rejecting medical procedures may constitute child abuse under Lone Star State law. In June 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill banning these procedures statewide. Texas Children’s framed its decision to settle the case as an attempt to avoid wasting money. “We are settling to protect our resources from endless and costly litigation,” the hospital said in a statement reported by NBC News. “This settlement will allow us to redirect those precious resources to focus on the life-saving care.” “The detransition clinic will formalize the supportive, multidisciplinary services we already deliver to all patients who need our care,” the hospital added. Formalizing detransition services would represent a tremendous step forward for the medical industry. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the hospital’s agreement “protects vulnerable children, holds providers accountable, and ensures those harmed receive the care they need.” The medical profession needs to understand the struggles of detransitioners and how to help them, and a new clinic dedicated to this noble mission will change the game. The new clinic should bring together endocrinologists (hormone specialists), plastic surgeons, psychiatrists, and obstetricians and gynecologists. Providing care for people in detransition truly is a groundbreaking medical field, and it’s inspiring to see a hospital that once harmed children now pioneer a new way to reverse those harms.

Two were wounded after shots were fired outside the White House near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, including the potential suspect, CBS news reported. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed Saturday evening that the bureau is investigating after reporters heard shots fired near the White House. “FBI is on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds – we will update the public as we’re able,” Patel posted on X. About 15 to 30 gunshots were fired, according to CBS. FBI is on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds – we will update the public as we’re able— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) May 23, 2026 “The U.S. Secret Service is gathering information and will have more on this incident shortly,” the Secret Service told The Daily Signal in a statement Saturday. Police and security forces swarmed the area around the White House after reports of shots fired, AFP journalists reported. President Donald Trump was at the White House at the time. Selina Wang, senior White House correspondent for ABC News, was on the scene. I was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shots. It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now. pic.twitter.com/iqdQwh4soq— Selina Wang (@selinawangtv) May 23, 2026 Trump recently posted an update on the negotiations seeking peace with Iran. “Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.” This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

Squabbles between Capitol Hill and the White House over war powers are nothing new, but recent Democrat-backed efforts to restrict President Donald Trump’s military authority have been gaining traction, as Congress challenges Trump’s actions in the Middle East, Latin America, and Europe. Now, Democrats in the Senate are preparing a vote on whether or not the administration can use force against Cuba. Since the Department of Justice unveiled charges against 94-year-old former Cuban president Raúl Castro, multiple Cabinet-level officials have been ramping up pressure on the island nation. “This isn’t a show indictment,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Wednesday of Castro, who is facing murder charges for the fatal downing of two planes carrying American citizens in 1996. “There was a warrant issued for his arrest, so we expect that he will show up here [in America] by his own will or by another way.” The prosecution of Castro is reminiscent of the prosecution of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on drug trafficking charges, which the administration used as justification for the arrest of the head of state in a military operation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also indicated the administration is dead serious about Cuba. Asked about the possibility of striking Cuba to induce regime change, Rubio told reporters Thursday the United States prefers a “negotiated diplomatic settlement” in Cuba, but that “the president always has the option to do whatever it takes to support and protect the national security of the United States.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio (@SecRubio): "The future of Cuba belongs to the people of Cuba is terms of how they're governed, what the system looks like and so forth, but the national security threat, that's 100% something we're going to focus on because that's about America." pic.twitter.com/olxFJ9Eay3— CSPAN (@cspan) May 21, 2026 In the same conversation, Rubio argued Cuba is “a national security threat to the United States” due to Russian and Chinese weapons and “intelligence presence” in the country. On Thursday, Democrat Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Adam Schiff of California, and Ruben Gallego of Arizona introduced a resolution that would block hostilities against Cuba.  War Powers Resolution Momentum While the Cuba war powers legislation is unlikely to gather a veto-proof level of support, recent war powers resolutions have been gaining traction in Congress. Expedited procedures in the House and Senate allow the minority to bypass leadership and force votes on war powers resolutions. On Tuesday, the Senate advanced a resolution to deprive the president of his power to use force against Iran. The resolution advanced by a 50-47 vote, with four Republican senators voting in favor: Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine. In the House, where an Iran war powers resolution failed in a tie last month, leadership sent the chamber into recess a day early on Thursday, canceling a planned war powers vote. If the House’s concurrent resolution disapproving of the Iran war had come to the floor and succeeded, it would likely not be binding on the president due to a Supreme Court precedent blocking unilateral legislative vetoes on presidential action. However, it would be a public defeat for the Republican administration’s military agenda in Congress. Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, argued leadership punted on the vote because it would have succeeded. “We had the votes to pass it today. Every Democrat was on board, [and] we had the sufficient number of Republicans on board,” Meeks told reporters. House Foreign Affairs Top Democrat Gregory Meeks after GOP leaders pulled the scheduled floor vote on his Iran war powers resolution: “We had a vote because of this president’s war of choice that was going to pass. We had the votes without question & they knew it, and as a result… pic.twitter.com/naF9Mrrs1I— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) May 22, 2026 The administration is also facing some Capitol Hill pushback on its troop movements in Europe, as Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., have both publicly criticized troop withdrawals from Germany. Rogers told Punchbowl News in a recent interview that he is seeking legislative “guardrails” to prevent European troop withdrawals going forward. The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act—an annual defense policy bill—included provisions intended to block the executive branch from withdrawing forces from Europe without congressional approval.

Legislation that would bar illegal immigrants and non-English speakers from obtaining commercial driver’s licenses is advancing in the U.S. House after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy renewed his push for the measure this week. “Dalilah’s Law would have revoked this illegal trucker’s license,” Duffy wrote on X, responding to reports that an illegal immigrant truck driver was arrested in connection with a hit-and-run that injured two people near Sacramento, California. “Congress must pass Dalilah’s Law NOW.” Testifying earlier this week before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Duffy said he is committed to restoring “integrity and safety” to the trucking industry while improving job prospects for American drivers. “It was the policy of the last administration to allow for unqualified foreign drivers to get behind the wheel of a truck,” he said, criticizing the administration of former President Joe Biden. “Those days are over.” “We’ve also knocked more than 20,000 drivers out of service for failing to meet basic requirements like reading our road signs or being able to communicate with law enforcement,” Duffy added. “These changes aren’t just keeping you and your family safe on the road—they have the added benefits of boosting wages of hardworking American truckers.” The bill, introduced by Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Ind., has been referred to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and could soon advance to a committee vote before heading to the House floor. Houchin’s legislation is named after Dalilah Coleman, who was 5 years old when she was severely injured in a crash involving an illegal immigrant truck driver who allegedly ran a stop sign. President Donald Trump highlighted Coleman and her family during his January State of the Union address as he urged Congress to act on the proposal. “Many, if not most, illegal aliens do not speak English and cannot read even the most basic road signs as to direction, speed, danger, or location,” Trump said. “That’s why tonight I’m calling on Congress to pass what we will call the Dalilah Law, barring any state from granting commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.” In the Senate, the companion measure is being led by Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., a close ally of the president. If enacted, the legislation would prohibit issuing CDLs to individuals who are not U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or holders of certain work visas. It would also require states to permanently disqualify individuals who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents from operating commercial vehicles. “If you can’t speak English or read a road sign, you have no business driving a truck in the United States of America. This is common sense, this is basic public safety, and this is why I’m leading The Dalilah Law,” Banks said in a statement to the Daily Signal. Democrats have opposed the bill, arguing that it “demonizes” illegal immigrants. Banks, speaking on the Daily Signal’s “Tony Kinnett Cast,” said differing state policies have contributed to safety concerns. “When you have Gov. Gavin Newsom in California, or blue states like California or New York, [where] they hand out truck driving licenses to illegals like candy, of course you’re going to see them behind the wheel of a semi and tragically killing people,” Banks said. Banks added that Coleman continues to recover but faces lasting effects from the crash. “She will never be the same—she’s recovered physically, but she will never be the same,” he said.