The International Olympic Committee announced Thursday that it would restrict women’s sports to biological females, as determined by a genetic test. The policy will go into effect for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games onwards. The IOC adopted as the standard a test for the gene associated with the sex-determining region Y protein, also known as SRY. The SRY gene is responsible for the initiation of male sex determination. “Eligibility for the female category is to be determined in the first instance by SRY gene screening to detect the absence or presence of the SRY gene,” the IOC press release notes. “Based on scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the presence of the SRY gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced male sex development.” “Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods,” the statement adds. Transgender activists have insisted that men who identify as women should be allowed to compete in women’s sports. Critics have long argued, however, that women’s sports must be kept separate to allow women to compete on a level playing field, and that men enjoy biological advantages that undermine fairness in women’s sports. “This is the right decision—and a meaningful step forward,” Payton McNabb, a former high school women’s volleyball athlete who suffered a brain bleed after competing against a male at age 17, said in a statement on the IOC decision. “For too long, there has been inconsistency and a lack of clarity around protecting the women’s category,” McNabb added. “We’re thankful to see the IOC take a clear, firm stance that prioritizes fairness, safety, and integrity for female athletes moving forward.” In January, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two women’s sports cases—West Virginia v. P.B.J. and Little v. Hecox—where the American Civil Liberties Union, representing male athletes who claim to identify as women, is challenging the constitutionality of laws protecting women’s sports. Matt Sharp, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, told The Daily Signal even lawyers on the transgender side know they are losing the issue. “They’re starting to make the case, ‘Well, we’re really only talking about boys that … have been on puberty blockers or hormones or something, so that there is no sports advantage,’” Sharp explained. The post BREAKING: International Olympic Committee Adopts New Policy on Transgender Identity and Women’s Sports appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Events in the Middle East have reverberated across the world including the Indo Pacific where people live with the continuous threat of armed conflict with China. In Dr. Mike Cruz’s commentary “The Deluge, the Paper Cup and Washington’s Lack of Urgency on Guam,” published in War On the Rocks, the author highlights the need for hardening civilian infrastructure in addition to military assets on Guam in order to minimize infrastructure disruption. Cruz, a surgeon, the former adjutant general of the Guam National Guard and former lieutenant governor of Guam knows how strategic the island is should there be armed conflict with China over Taiwan. Guam, home to roughly 165,000 US citizens, is the U.S. military’s forward operation base in the Pacific, further west and more remote than the Hawaiian Islands. In 21 war game scenarios of a U.S. and China conventional weapons conflict each scenario ended with Guam decimated by missiles and HEMP attacks. That puts the people living on Guam and its Pacific neighbors highly vulnerable and at risk of becoming collateral damage while protecting the Continental U.S. Our U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands are not prepared for mass casualty events resulting from armed conflict. Urgently addressing their medical surge capacity and capability is needed on Guam, Saipan, Tinian, Palau, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and American Samoa. Long range conventional ballistic missiles like China’s Guam Buster can inflict significant structural damage but can also result in immediate deaths, and injuries such as burns, penetrating shrapnel wounds as well as crush injuries and limb fractures. In large numbers these types of injuries can easily overwhelm local medical systems both in the Pacific and in the continental U.S. where over 200 level 1 trauma centers exist. There is only one level 1 trauma center in the Pacific, the Queens Medical Center in Honolulu. While Tripler Army Medical Center and Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego can receive critically injured military personnel, they are not trauma centers and would require medical evacuations across 3,800 to 6,200 miles. Unprepared health systems leave the care of civilians as well as military warfighters with life threatening injuries at risk of compromising “the golden hour” within which timely trauma care optimizes survival. Strengthening local civilian health systems can improve outcomes as it allows for immediate resuscitation and stabilization of the injured prior to evacuation to a higher level of care. Faced with the increasing possibility of armed conflict, civilian health systems on Guam, Saipan, Tinian, Palau, and Yap, making up the second island chain, must be prioritized in order to expand their beds, care and coordination. They must also have the ability to add intensive care unit beds, expand operating theaters, and improve clinical skills and services in order to treat mass casualties. Section 735 of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act called for the establishment of an IndoPacific medical readiness program at strategic foreign medical facilities within the region. At present this does not include the Pacific territories of freely associated states. On Hawaii the Department of War and National Disaster Management System currently oversee a pilot hospital consortium that coordinates civilian and military surge capability. This type of program should be extended into the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands.    A committed trauma and critical care training partnership can pair the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma with local health jurisdictions throughout the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands. The ACS COT Mission Zero program along with the DOW Joint Trauma System currently coordinate keeping military surgeons’ trauma ready by embedding them in high volume mainland civilian trauma centers. The goal in the Pacific would be to elevate trauma and critical care services and surge capacity through a Mission Zero type partnership that provides local training of doctors, nurses, technicians and key non-medical personnel at hospitals and clinics beginning with the Second Island Chain where currently there are 450 hospital beds available. This type of training partnership would also identify health infrastructure that needs rapid upgrading such as blood banking, laboratory services, and adequate amounts of strategically placed medical supply chains. With military, public, and private hospitals Guam is well situated to take the lead on overseeing trauma and critical care training within the region. By extending training out to the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, as well as American Samoa, an additional 738 evacuation and transfer beds can be supported through training and upgrades. These rear echelon facilities can work in concert with Queens, Tripler, Balboa, and other U.S. mainland based medical centers that provide follow up treatment of the severely injured.  Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, civilian surgeons and nurses immediately mobilized to assist military medical teams in treating thousands of injured personnel. Civilians on Oahu also organized to provide a medical transportation system. By 1945 the Army had 29 hospitals with 15,000 beds in Hawaii. These are lessons that point to the need for preparedness that includes civilian health systems.  As Cruz stated in his article the time to do this is today, not tomorrow. The deluge he speaks of requires a commitment from the Department of War, Health and Human Services, Department of Interior, local health jurisdictions, medical professional organizations, and private military partners like International SOS and the American College of Surgeons Committee. It can be done if it is prioritized and begins before the first missile is deployed. We simply need to replace the paper cup with a reservoir. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post Building Medical Preparedness for Armed Conflict in the Indo Pacific appeared first on The Daily Signal.

As higher energy prices ripple through the U.S. economy, the Trump administration is betting—and American voters are hoping—that domestic power investment can blunt the impact.  To that end, amid the current global energy market turmoil, the Trump administration has moved to stabilize electricity prices at home with a massive loan package aimed at boosting reliable power generation in the Southeast.  On Feb. 25, 2026, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced that his department had closed the largest-ever investment toward lowering energy bills. The Energy Department is giving $26.5 billion in loans.   President Donald Trump’s executive order, “Unleashing American Energy,” paved the way for this historic loan package. The loan will support two wholly owned subsidiaries of Southern Company.   Funded under Trump’s Working Families Tax Cut, the investment attempts to lower American energy costs, create new jobs, and increase grid reliability in Georgia and Alabama.     The goal of energy dominance, according to the Trump admiration, is to produce more reliable power at home. This massive loan will align with that mission.   As Southern Company lowers interest expenses, about $300 million less per year, the company should help reduce customer electricity bills faster.   The Department of Energy’s $26.5 billion loan package fits squarely into the dominant energy storyline of March: a U.S. government scrambling to insulate Americans from global energy chaos.  Throughout this month, energy markets have been flipped upside down by the war with Iran, which has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and sent oil prices above $100 per barrel. That volatility translated quickly into higher gasoline prices and renewed inflation concerns at home.   Against that backdrop, the administration’s move to finance large-scale electricity infrastructure in Georgia and Alabama can be framed as a domestic counterweight to international instability.  Rather than attempting to control global oil markets, the administration is emphasizing electricity security, power that is produced domestically, delivered through hardened infrastructure, and less exposed to foreign conflict or chokepoints.   The loan package’s focus on natural gas, nuclear power, hydropower modernization, battery storage, and transmission upgrades reflects an effort to lock in energy reliability regardless of what happens overseas.  The post As Global Energy Prices Surge, Trump Administration Bets on Domestic Power  appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Trump administration scored a victory on Wednesday as an appeals court ruled that it can detain illegal immigrants without bond. A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 in favor of the Department of Homeland Security’s detention policy, in the case of illegal immigrant Joaquin Herrera Avila. All three judges on the 8th Circuit panel were Republican appointees, one appointed by President George W. Bush and two by President Donald Trump. Avila, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was apprehended in Minneapolis in August 2025. The Department of Homeland Security detained Avila without bond and brought removal proceedings against him. When Avila sued for habeas corpus, U.S. District Judge John Tunheim, a Bill Clinton appointee, sided with him. On Wednesday, however, the panel majority rejected the plaintiff’s argument that being in the United States was the same as being legally authorized to enter the country, or “admitted.” It reversed the district court’s ruling that the administration could not detain Avila without bond under the relevant statute. “Being ‘admitted’ does not merely mean being present in the United States; under immigration law, it signifies having made a lawful entry into the country,” stated the opinion by Judge Bobby Shepherd, the Bush appointee, joined by Trump-appointed Judge L. Steven Grasz. Attorney General Pam Bondi, among the officials named as a defendant in the case, praised the decision in a post on X as a “MASSIVE COURT VICTORY against activist judges and for President Trump’s law and order agenda!” MASSIVE COURT VICTORY against activist judges and for President Trump’s law and order agenda!The Eighth Circuit has held that illegal aliens can be detained without bond — following a similar ruling from the Fifth Circuit last month.The law is very clear, but Democrats and…— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) March 25, 2026 She cited two other circuit court rulings that illegal immigrants can be detained without bond. “The law is very clear, but Democrats and activist judges haven’t wanted to enforce it,” Bondi posted. “Imagine how many illegal alien crimes could have been averted if the left had simply followed the law?” Judge Ralph Erickson, a Trump appointee, dissented, writing, “The court does not rely on recent Congressional action or a change in the regulations governing detention but rather engages in a novel interpretation of ‘alien seeking admission’ that eluded the courts and five previous presidential administrations.” The 8th Circuit Court covers Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. 8th CircDownload The post ‘MASSIVE VICTORY’: Appeals Court Backs Trump Detention Policy appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The White House reaffirmed Wednesday that passing the SAVE America Act remains a top priority of President Donald Trump. While the bill passed the House over a month ago, the Senate battle over voter ID remains relevant for members in the chamber from Ohio, especially vulnerable Democrat incumbents facing reelection. Ohio Sen. Jon Husted is now offering an amendment that will help make clear where his Democrat colleagues stand. The Husted Amendment On Thursday, the Senate will vote on a leadership-backed amendment from Husted for a clean photo ID requirement. Cloture for the amendment was filed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who on Wednesday spoke from the Senate floor about his support for the amendment, framing it as an opportunity for Democrats to show their support for the provision. More than 80% of Americans support photo ID to vote. The Senate will vote tomorrow on my amendment that would implement this simple requirement. We’ll see where our Democrat colleagues stand. https://t.co/iKyPuqWAE5— Senator Jon Husted (@SenJonHusted) March 25, 2026 In promoting his amendment, Husted shared over X how several states represented by Democrat senators already require voter ID. 11 states represented by Democrat senators already require some form of ID to vote. My amendment builds on the voter ID work in those states—a straightforward, clean bill requiring photo ID at the polls. More than 80% of Americans support showing photo ID when voting. I hope… pic.twitter.com/lKAquG7Ocs— Senator Jon Husted (@SenJonHusted) March 25, 2026 Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has spoken out against the amendment. As Tony Kinnett highlighted on Tuesday’s episode of “The Tony Kinnett Cast,” the Democrat he refers to as “Chuckles Schumer” was apoplectic in ranting his concerns from the Senate floor, which included claims of “a giant cover up.” Schumer whined about how “98, 99% of [the SAVE America Act] is about suppressing voters, about taking them off the voter rolls, unbeknownst to them…” As Kinnett pointed out, an examination of voter rolls from several states that gave their information to the Department of Justice, which includes Ohio, over 300,000 people were found to have been dead and yet still on the rolls. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon also warned that illegal immigrants have been on the voter rolls. Time will tell if Schumer’s concerns are shared by the rest of his party, given that Democrats have signaled support for the photo ID provision. Landsman’s Claims Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, has lashed out against election integrity laws, including in his own state, and, more recently, about a provision in the SAVE America Act about registering to vote. A clip from Local 12 in Cincinnati shows Landsman claiming it’s “absurd” that people would have to prove they’re a citizen as part of registering to vote. “It would stop tens of millions of Americans from voting, truly. You would have to prove you’re a citizen before you can register to vote, which is absurd, and then most of the IDs that people have wouldn’t work so, again, tens of millions of Americans would be prevented from voting,” Landsman said. The congressman’s comments received the attention of the RNC. “Greg Landsman may think it’s ‘absurd’ that only American citizens should vote in American elections, but Ohioans overwhelmingly support commonsense safeguards to protect our elections. While Landsman fights to keep illegal aliens on voter rolls, Republicans are working tirelessly to pass the SAVE America Act to secure our elections and make it harder to cheat,” RNC spokesman Hunter Lovell shared exclusively with The Daily Signal. From the Senate floor, Husted has promoted voter ID provisions in the context of how “there has been no evidence of voter suppression” and touted his state’s high voter turnout in recent years with election integrity measures in place. The Daily Signal also reached out to Landsman’s office about his comments. Since Ohio required photo ID law at the polls, there has been no evidence of voter suppression.In fact, the 2024 election produced the 2nd highest turnout that we've had in the past 4 presidential elections.We should make this the nationwide standard. pic.twitter.com/5Y8Oo7noEq— Senator Jon Husted (@SenJonHusted) March 23, 2026 What the Polling Says According to last month’s polling from Heritage Action, provisions in this bill are popular with voters in key states, including Ohio. As the poll found, 69% of all voters, including 66% of Democrats, believe non-citizens should not vote in U.S. elections. Further, 71% of all voters, including 55% of Democrats, support requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. The White House earlier this month, in declaring, “The SAVE America Act Is the Most Popular Election Reform in Decades,” highlighted how “Proving citizenship to vote is a no-brainer.” According to last month’s poll from Harvard CAPS/Harris that the White House referenced, 81% of voters support requiring a valid ID to vote. Further, 75% of voters support requiring proof of citizenship, which includes 61% of Democrats. When asked specifically about the SAVE America Act, 71% of voters say they support the bill. The White House also referenced The Heritage Foundation, including analysis from 2007 that found “voter identification requirements, such as requiring non-photo and photo identification, have virtually no suppressive effect on reported voter turnout.” Further, the Heritage Action poll found that 69% of Ohio voters, including 55% of Democrats, support removing non-citizens from voter rolls. The Heritage Action poll also matters to Husted in particular ahead of his special election in November. Asked if voters would be more likely to support their senators if they voted for the SAVE America Act, 55% said they were more likely to support their senator, including 37% who said it made them “much more likely.” Husted was appointed in January of last year by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to replace now Vice President JD Vance. Former Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who lost to now Sen. Bernie Moreno in 2024, is seeking a comeback. The post SAVE America Act Thrusts Ohio Lawmakers Into the News appeared first on The Daily Signal.