'If they're not, it's going to be a bad day for Iran'

'Foster anarchist and liberative practices'

'Events were few in number'

'Do you care about the child who was raped?'

Beijing is actively attempting to undermine the U.S.–Japan alliance

Advocating for an election reform measure that passed the House this week, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said elections are a basic infrastructure responsibility for her department.  “It’s a fact that non citizens have been voting in our elections,” Noem said Firday during a press conference in Phoenix. “They’ve been registered, and they have voted from state to state.” She called on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which cleared the House this week. Short for Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, the proposal requires proof of citizenship to register to vote and mandates nationwide voter ID.  Democrats and opponents of the SAVE America Act say voter ID and proof of citizenship requirements would impose an unnecessary burden on voters.  Noem referenced an example of an illegal alien from who was registered to vote in Maryland and was employed as a school superintendent in Iowa. She cited another illegal alien who not only voted, but was also elected mayor of a Kansas town.  Noem was flanked by placards showing 84% support for voter ID, and support for the SAVE America Act.  Noem rebutted what she called “conspiracy theories” from opponents of the bill that it would lead to vast disenfranchisement of women, minorities, and U.S. military service members. “Each of the arguments that have been out laid out to criticize this bill are baseless speculation from the radical left, because they want illegal aliens to vote in our elections,” Noem said. “They want to disenfranchise American citizens by telling them that their votes don’t matter. There’s only one reason that anyone would oppose this bill and that’s because they would want to cheat. They want illegal people and aliens in this country to be able to vote for them, and to rob the United States citizens of their vote.” Arizona also requires proof of citizenship to vote in state elections, but cannot do so in federal elections because of national rules laid out under the 1993 National Voter Registration Act, better known as the “Motor Voter” law.  “As it stands, current guidelines for the National Voter Registration Act effectively stops states from going forward and checking citizenship during registration,” Noem said. “The SAVE America Act will fix this. It would make sure that we close those loopholes and that we ensure, in American elections, only Americans vote.” Arizona has been a hub for illegal immigration, and concerns about election integrity because it has been a battleground state. The state voted twice for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2024, and once for Joe Biden in 2020.  Noem said some Arizona residents have voter registration addresses at mobile homes, and boats on lakes in different states.  “Your state has been an absolute disaster on elections. Your leaders have failed you dramatically, by not having systems that work by disenfranchising Americans who wanted to vote, they had to stand in lines for hours because machines failed, or software failed,” Noem said.  The post ‘Want to Cheat’: Noem Rips ‘Conspiracy Theories’ Against SAVE America Act appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Across generations, the American Dream has been sustained by one simple idea: Hard work and smart decisions can lead to a better life. That belief shaped my own family’s story, and it’s what drives my work today. My parents came legally to America from Nigeria, believing this country would give them and their future children a chance to accomplish more than they ever could dream. They were right. My father, who became a college professor, saved every penny he could and used it to change the lives of me and my sisters. When he passed away, he left us a modest sum of money that helped me and my wife and purchase our first house together and form the foundation of our adult lives. That act of foresight changed everything for me. It showed me that real, lasting wealth is not only about income, but about intentional planning. Now, with three young children of my own, I think often about how to give them the same chance to thrive. For millions of parents across America, Trump Accounts are a powerful new tool. These tax-advantaged savings accounts, from the Working Families Tax Cuts initiative, help working and middle-class families save, invest, and build generational wealth for kids. Let’s clear up some confusion: Kids under 18 with a Social Security number qualify for family contributions up to $5,000/year, growing tax-free until 18. The $1,000 government boost is only for babies born between 2025 and 2028 via IRS Form 4547. Older kids still get core benefits. We’re signing up our son (born last year, eligible for both) and our two daughters, who also qualify. Under recent Treasury and IRS guidance, eligible Americans can open a Trump Account if they earn income under certain thresholds and file tax returns consistent with working-family deductions. Contributions to these accounts can be invested in a broad-based index of American equities, giving everyday Americans a way to participate in the long-term success of the U.S. economy. What makes these accounts especially meaningful is that the interest earned or investment gains grow tax-free if withdrawals follow the program’s qualified-use rules. Families can contribute up to specified yearly limits, and employers are encouraged to match or supplement those contributions as part of an employee benefit package. In short, it’s a simple, effective way to turn hard-earned wages into lasting wealth–something traditionally available only to those with specialized financial tools or expensive advisors. State financial officers have an important role to play in ensuring families know about this opportunity. Leaders like Mississippi Treasurer David McRae have already stepped forward to help spread the word. As a father of three, McRae understands that financial literacy isn’t just about dollars and cents. It’s about self-determination. He recently called Trump Accounts “a chance for parents to invest in their children’s future with purpose and pride.” I couldn’t agree more. The State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF), which I lead, is proud to join that effort by encouraging our treasurers, auditors, and other financial officers to partner with employers, community leaders, and schools to promote these accounts as financial literacy tools. We are also leading by example, as we plan to make Trump Accounts an SFOF employee benefit complete with matching contributions. But the greatest impact will come when families themselves take the first step. Opening a Trump Account doesn’t require great wealth or financial expertise. It only requires an intentional effort. Parents can set aside what they can each month and watch that investment grow alongside their children. It’s a simple act of preparation that says, “I believe in your future,” while teaching personal finance in the most practical way possible. For my wife and me, it means setting up accounts for each of our three children and contributing regularly, just as my father once invested in my future. We want our children to enter adulthood with the confidence that comes from financial stability, not the anxiety of debt or the uncertainty of starting from zero. Like so many American parents, we’re building not just a financial account, but a legacy. Very few presidents have been able to influence wealth building for everyday Americans in such a direct, material way. Policies come and go, but tools that empower families to save and invest can outlast any administration. Trump Accounts have the potential to be one of President Trump’s most enduring legacies because they give American families a real shot to change the financial future of their children. The promise of this country has always been that each generation can reach higher than the last. With Trump Accounts, that promise has a tangible form, one savings plan at a time. The opportunity is here. It’s time to make the most of it. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post From My Father’s Gift to My Children’s Future appeared first on The Daily Signal.

President Donald Trump told soldiers at Ft. Bragg he is updating their equipment and facilities to ensure the American military is “the best trained, the best equipped, the most disciplined, and the most elite fighting force the world has ever seen.” Trump spoke in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, alongside first lady Melania Trump, to honor U.S. special forces for their roles in the recent capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. “What we did recently in Venezuela, nobody ever saw anything like that happened,” Trump said. The president announced a variety of efforts to improve the efficacy of the military. He said he would order construction of an initial fleet of 10 new battleships to strengthen naval capability. The ships will be “100 times more powerful than the ships that we got to see in the 1940s,” according to Trump. Trump said he is asking for $1 billion to improve on-base housing and related facilities at Fort Bragg and in the surrounding area. “We’re also going to spend billions of dollars on improving here and around the area and make it great because the people in this area have been so incredible,” Trump said. Trump announced the purchase of 30 new Abrams tanks, 48 new Black Hawk Chinook and King Stallion helicopters, and 86 armored multi-purpose fighting vehicles. “It’s all of the things that you’ve been wanting to get, all brand new and only,” he said. “We’re going to be reviving our strength. We’re going to be doing many other things that nobody thought was even possible. We’re actually using that strength to defend the core, vital interest of the United States.” Trump echoed that the administration is investing $1 trillion in the armed forces, with an increase to $1.5 trillion planned for next year. The Trump administration is also implementing an across-the-board pay raise for all service members in honor of the United States’ 250th anniversary. Trump said he rebuilt the military to be the “strongest military on the face of the earth.” “We rebuilt. We really did. We rebuilt it in my first time. We had a great first term. We had the best economy in history. But this is blowing it away,” he said. “We had a great economy the first time, we did everything, but we really created a tremendous military.” Trump touted increased military recruitment numbers since his election. “They couldn’t get people to join, and as soon as we won the election, an election took place on Nov. 5,” he said. “Now we have waiting lists for every branch of the military, waiting lists for people to get in. In other words, your jobs are wanted by everybody.” The post How President Trump Plans to Bolster Military Operations appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Arrogance of Migrants Is Something to Behold

In a move one-upping Thursday’s World News Tonight, the virulent anti-Trump-haters at ABC made the decision Friday to go full Leroy Jenkins by having Good Morning America double down with not one but two segments melting down (pun intended) over President Trump’s decision to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) endangerment finding on climate change and fossil fuels. “Major rollback. The President announcing sweeping environmental deregulation, erasing the scientific conclusion that greenhouse gas pollution from cars, power plants, and factories, endanger human health. Mary Bruce is at the White House, and Ginger Zee with a climate change reality check,” fill-in co-host Rebecca Jarvis warned in a tease. Like with World News Tonight, chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce was on-scene to fret Trump was “wiping out the federal government’s most powerful tool to regulate greenhouse gasses and fight climate change” and “erasing the scientific conclusion” that it “endangers human health[.]” ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ went full Leeeeerooooy Jenkins on Friday with not one but two segments telling you President Trump’s decision on the EPA’s endangerment finding will kill you pic.twitter.com/RF705U7LNI — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 13, 2026 Bruce touted Obama’s statement claiming the move was based on corporate greed: Former President Obama firing back, saying “we’ll be less safe, less healthy, and less able to fight climate change — all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money.” The 2009 decision had given the U.S. government authority to regulate emissions from cars, power plants, and oil refineries, labeling greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide and methane as a danger to public health and the environment. She also spoke to former EPA official Matthew Davis, explaining he told her, in Bruce’s summation, “thousands will die every year.” Davis — whom she made sure people knew was a “scientist” — told her “this is definitely not a decision based on science” and the removal of an Obama regulation will lead to “more pollution,” “more heart attacks, more stroke, more asthma attacks, more people’s lives will be cut short.” Only in the last sentence did she even acknowledge the Trump administration’s argument before quickly rebutting it: Now the White House is touting this as the largest deregulation in U.S. history, claiming it will save over $1 trillion but some major health organizations and several states, including California, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, are already vowing to sue to block this reversal[.] GMA then went a step further with senior meteorologist and climate activist Ginger Zee, cued up by Trump-hating political correspondent Rachel Scott to “give us a reality check” because she knows “the science.” Zee didn’t outright tell viewers they were going to die, but she was close in saying Trump was rejected what “science [has told] us...for more than a century” and declared “[t]he National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine...found with overwhelming scientific evidence that human-caused greenhouse gas emissions harm public health and welfare.” She then asserted “[c]limate change intensifies risk to humans from exposure to extreme heat, ground level ozone, airborne particulate matter, extreme weather events, and airborne allergens, which then affect incidents of cardiovascular, respiratory, and other diseases.” Of course, she painted a grim picture as though little is being done: And just to put a little pin in understanding how warm we are. In 2024, global CO2 emissions hit an all-time high, and we saw the most significant annual increase since modern measurements began in 1957. The last 11 years have been the 11 warmest on record. Those records go back to the 1800s. She closed by showing her Greta Thunberg-levels of advocacy by arguing “the other administrations” — as in the Obama and Biden regimes — “didn’t do as much as they could — that’s what most climate scientists would say — to reduce those greenhouse gas emissions.” As he’s increasingly done to mirror colleague and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos, co-host Michael Strahan interjected with his own personal snipes at the Trump administration: “But science shows that these threats are really real to the environment.” On issue after issue and climate at the top of the list, the media not only refuse to consider views besides their own, but they purposefully ignore them under the guise of said issue being existential. To see the relevant ABC transcript from February 13, click here.