Podcasts about The Daily Signal

Just like Captain Kirk ventured into uncharted space, America is now stepping into political and economic territory no one thought possible. We've been told these ideas were impossible. But now, by doing what the Right has promised for decades, America is breaking every “rule” the expert class clings to.   Victor Davis Hanson breaks down what this means for the Trump administration conservative movement on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”   “ On the budget, on the economy, on the universities, on the border—and I could apply this as well to the radical changes in military recruitment, in DEI—no one has ever said, ‘We're going to actually do what conservatives and Republicans have promised for a half-century.' And when you do that, and you actually carry through your promises, you're in unknown territory. “  

Just like Captain Kirk ventured into uncharted space, America is now stepping into political and economic territory no one thought possible. We've been told these ideas were impossible. But now, by doing what the Right has promised for decades, America is breaking every “rule” the expert class clings to.   Victor Davis Hanson breaks down what this means for the Trump administration conservative movement on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”   “ On the budget, on the economy, on the universities, on the border—and I could apply this as well to the radical changes in military recruitment, in DEI—no one has ever said, ‘We're going to actually do what conservatives and Republicans have promised for a half-century.' And when you do that, and you actually carry through your promises, you're in unknown territory. “  

On today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words,” Hanson breaks down the absurdity of the outrage and exposes the real history of eugenics—hint: it doesn't come from the Right. “ We have all sorts of models that pose for jean commercials. American Eagle have had black women, people, Hispanics, everybody. And do you remember the ad by Levi's for Beyonce? Levi's has her portrayed with a cowboy hat, a yellow wig, and in a country-western setting with Levi jeans. … Nobody objected, nobody said, ‘Beyonce is objectifying whiteness because, as an African American, she's got a blond wig on.'”  “ A final warning or a piece of advice from Aristotle: We act to beauty by proportion and mathematics. As I said, Beyonce is beautiful, not because she's black or not because she's not white, or Sydney Sweeney is beautiful, not because of her skin color, but because she has, as Aristotle would say, perfect symmetry. And that's a universal idea.”

Culture matters. We see it in the response to the new American Eagle ads featuring actress Sydney Sweeney and the Dunkin' Donuts commercial starring Gavin Casalegno. And we see it in the way Americans think and talk about abortion and having children.    On this week's edition of “Problematic Women,” March for Life President Jennie Bradley Lichter joins the show to discuss where American sentiment on abortion stands, and how the pro-life movement is effectively working to save the unborn even as chemical abortions have become the most popular form of abortion in the U.S.    Lichter also discusses her work during the first Trump administration and answers the question: can women have it all?    Plus, former Vice President Kamala Harris is coming out with a book on her 107 day presidential campaign. Should be a fun read! We react to the news. All this and more on this week's edition of “Problematic Women.”  Keep Up With The Daily Signal   Sign up for our email newsletters:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.dailysignal.com/email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠     Subscribe to our other shows:    The Tony Kinnett Cast: ⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2284199939⁠ The Signal Sitdown: ⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2026390376⁠   Problematic Women:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL7765680741⁠   Victor Davis Hanson: ⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL9809784327⁠     Follow The Daily Signal:    X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=DailySignal⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Truth Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1⁠    Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subscribe to The Signal Sitdown wherever you get your podcasts: ⁠⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2026390376⁠⁠   It's Andrew Breitbart's world, we're all just living in it. Tragically, Breitbart himself is not. He died suddenly on March 1, 2012 at just 43 years of age. In his life, ⁠Breitbart⁠ was always a pioneer, pushing media and politics to the edges of the map only to open a completely new frontier. There's something fitting to him exploring the frontier of eternity just a little before the rest of us in his earthly death. Breitbart spent most of his career at the confluence of Hollywood, media, and politics. He was one of the first men on the right to clearly see the complete picture. “Celebrity is everything in this country,” Breitbart once said. “Media is everything. It's everything.” After listening to a radio interview with Breitbart, Larry O'Connor, then a show manager for Broadway productions, contacted Breitbart and wanted to write for his blog Big Hollywood. O'Connor found Breitbart, but Breitbart also found ⁠O'Connor⁠. Now a radio host with Washington, D.C.'s WMAL, probably the most influential political radio station in the country, and author of a new book titled “Shameless Liars,” O'Connor joined ⁠"The Signal Sitdown"⁠ to discuss how Andrew Breitbart saw the rise of Trump, and the efforts to take him down like the Russiagate hoax, coming. Keep Up With The Daily Signal Sign up for our email newsletters:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.dailysignal.com/email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠     Subscribe to our other shows:  The Tony Kinnett Cast: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7AFk8xjiOOBEynVg3JiN6g⁠  The Signal Sitdown: ⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2026390376⁠   Problematic Women:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL7765680741⁠   Victor Davis Hanson: ⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL9809784327⁠   Follow The Daily Signal:  X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=DailySignal⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Truth Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1⁠    Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So why are media outlets still talking down the economy? And why is Chairman of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell refusing to cut interest rates, despite earlier recession warnings that never materialized? Victor Davis Hanson breaks it all down on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “Remember that The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, and our main media organs all told us in May when Donald Trump was talking about art of the deal tariffs, … we were going to have high inflation, stagflation, bad job growth, static GDP, and a trade war along with a Wall Street collapse, basically a recession. Well, wall Street stock prices are at historical highs. Every one of those predictions was wrong. “If [Powell] is worried about a trade war, and tariffs and soft job growth, which was predictive but didn't happen, why don't you lower interest rates? And the fact is that if you look at the interest rates that he did cut right before the 2024 election and his all over the map, attitude toward interest rates today, there is no logic because if he's worried that the economy inflation might— it's gone up one 10th of an point and it's steaming and then he's going to what? Keep interest rates that high?”

John joins Brad to talk about his latest piece in the Daily Signal on how cars have changed over the years because of different regulations, what the future of automobiles will look like & getting back to an era of beauty in cars.

To start the final hour, John joins Brad to talk about his latest piece in the Daily Signal on how cars have changed over the years because of different regulations, what the future of automobiles will look like & getting back to an era of beauty in cars, dives into another court case trying to take away your rights, Nick Fondacaro joins to talk about....the View & our Audio Cut of the Day

Gregg Keller & Jane Dueker joins Bray Young for today's Reardon-less Roundtable to talk about the swirl of controversy surrounding Sam Page, lack of direction going forward in the Democratic party and cutting funding to government communication arms like PBS. Sue breaks down the biggest news of the day, today's special anniversaries, the best story around the movies right now and what exactly chitlins are, Brad is joined by Christian Toto to talk about a renewed generation of comedy and Frank Cusumano closes out the hour with a breakdown of the Cardinals trade deadline dealings. To start the final hour, John joins Brad to talk about his latest piece in the Daily Signal on how cars have changed over the years because of different regulations, what the future of automobiles will look like & getting back to an era of beauty in cars, dives into another court case trying to take away your rights, Nick Fondacaro joins to talk about....the View & our Audio Cut of the Day

But this has been all but ignored by the corporate media. Why? Victor Davis Hanson says the fight does not align with their narrative of America as a place of “salad bowl tribal identification” instead of being a melting pot. He breaks down the disturbing implications of the fight and reaction on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “ It was on Fox News and New York Post, etc., but not in the legacy media. It was almost as if they were saying, ‘This is a taboo subject.' But if you go back, what they did cover, the media, they covered the Duke lacrosse incident. That was completely a hoax. There was no black stripper who was attacked by fraternity brothers. It was made up. The Covington kids. That was made up. … This wasn't made up. This was real.  “ Once a society goes down this pathway of racial essentialism or tribalism, and you send the message that you as an individual are not responsible for your own behavior, but you're part of a victimized collective, and then you have repertory or justification rights to commit a crime and without the expectation of punishment, the result is civilizational declining chaos. And so, we need to remedy this and to show people that if they wanna stomp on some helpless victim on the ground, they're gonna pay a high price.”

Victor Davis Hanson breaks down role former intelligence heads John Brennan, James Clapper, and James Comey—Obama's "three blind mice”—played in this on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words. “There's new evidence that Barack Obama asked intelligence, investigatory heads—like John Brennan, like James Clapper and James Comey—to "find me evidence that you haven't found yet so that we can continue the Russian collusion hoax after it was ineffective in the campaign, Hillary lost the election. Now we want to sabotage." This is the subtext of the transition and his presidency. " They were so desperate to validate it. They said to Christopher Steele, ‘Just give us some proof. We can use this. We'll give you a million dollars.' He couldn't even come up with a mil—he couldn't even come up with the substantive arguments to corroborate his own dossier, so he didn't get the million dollars.”

The Dean's List with Host Dean Bowen – In an exclusive interview with The Daily Signal, McMahon and House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Mich., announced their plans to essentially core the DOE. They “discussed developing smaller bills that move certain Education Department programs under other government agencies,” in effect, closing the DOE...

The disturbing implications? For years, America was led by a cognitively impaired president, while his scandal-plagued son acted as a key adviser behind the scenes. On this week's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words,” Hanson asks the question: Who was really running the White House during Biden's term? “ He just said about the laptop—in which he is seen using drugs, he's in pornographic poses, but most importantly, he references his father as “the big guy” and "the 10% guy," and he laments that he is the bagman for the family. It's very incriminating. But he doesn't—as he has before—he has never denied that it was his.  “What I'm getting at is this: It's very dangerous to think that for four years we had a president who was mentally challenged, cognitively disabled, suffering dementia. And the close circle around them—whether they were former Obama operatives or Biden senatorial family, or his own real family—that these people were running the country. And the last year or two, if you look at photographs, videos of Biden giving a speech, Biden traveling, there's one constant. It's Hunter Biden. Hunter Biden was his eyes and his ears. And he was a close—and maybe the closest—adviser to his father.”

Despite repeated media claims that “17 intelligence agencies” confirmed the collusion, these documents show that no such consensus ever existed. Victor Davis Hanson breaks down how this deliberate misinformation campaign damaged Trump's 2016 campaign, his transition, and his presidency, while undermining U.S. credibility on the world stage on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “ There's news about the Tulsi Gabbard release of documents, alleging that Barack Obama and our top intelligence head had conspired to create a false narrative that Donald Trump was, essentially, a Russian asset. “ But the problem is that, as I'm speaking, there's going to be new information. And these other subordinate intelligence directors that work variously for Clapper or Brennan are going to come forward in saying, ‘We found nothing. Clapper knew it. Brennan knew it.' And what will Clapper and Brennan say? That ‘we knew it, but we lied,' or, ‘We knew it and they told us to—Obama told us to lie,' or, ‘He lied. We lied.' It's not going to be pretty.”

Nothing could have prepared our so-called “experts” for the growing success of the Trump administration. They insist they alone could only predict the outcome of numerous policies. And yet, time after time, they continue to get it all wrong. Look no further than President Donald Trump's tariff policy. Trump's tariffs did not send the U.S. into a recession, as some of the so-called “experts” believed would happen. Instead, they've generated over $100 billion in revenue so far this year, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.  An outcome some experts thought would be impossible. These miscalculations not only apply to the economy, but also on issues such as immigration, military recruitment, and foreign investment, argues Victor Davis Hanson on today's edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words:”

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard revealed documents this week that could upend the entire narrative of the so-called “Russian Collusion” scandal: New intelligence originally sourced from Dutch agencies shows U.S. officials knew there was no evidence of collusion between Donald Trump and Russia as early as 2016. Why did Obama-era intelligence leaders like John Brennan, James Clapper, and possibly James Comey continue pushing the hoax? And did President Barack Obama himself ignore briefings that contradicted the false narrative? Victor Davis Hanson breaks it all down on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “ Now, what's Tulsi Gabbard upset about? That was known to John Brennan. That was known to James Clapper. That was probably known to the FBI. But they have notes, they have information that when they prepared this digest daily, weekly digest of intelligence updates to lame-duck Barack Obama in 2016 and into 2017, he ignored it. He did not want to hear that. He wanted more information pertaining to Donald Trump and the Russians colluding. It was almost like, you find me the crime and I'll give you the criminal. “ Is it serious? If it's credible, then you have a conspiracy of the top people in the United States intelligence and investigative communities conspiring with a sitting president of the United States to destroy the administration of his opponent, successor, Donald J. Trump.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center, trading on a reputation it earned suing the remnants of the organized Ku Klux Klan in the 1980s, claims to be an honest watchdog of extremism on the political right. But our guest Tyler O'Neill, a senior editor at the Daily Signal, has written a book on how the organization […]

The Southern Poverty Law Center, trading on a reputation it earned suing the remnants of the organized Ku Klux Klan in the 1980s, claims to be an honest watchdog of extremism on the political right. But our guest Tyler O'Neill, a senior editor at the Daily Signal, has written a book on how the organization went from an indigent legal-defense organization (a poverty law center, as it were) to the well-funded public bullying arm of the organized left, and my colleague Robert Stilson has taken a look at just how big the SPLC has gotten compared to other, less politically activist charities. They join me today to discuss the SPLC and its role in present-day politics and the charitable sector.SPLC InfluenceWatch ProfileSPLC's “charitable” wealthSPLC Smears Another Christian NonprofitThe Woketopus: The Dark Money Cabal Manipulating the Federal GovernmentMaking Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law CenterEXCLUSIVE: Anti-Christian Group Advised DOJ Prosecutors on ‘Hate Crimes,' Docs ShowWhat Went Wrong with the Southern Poverty Law Center?

While critics accuse the Trump administration of withholding damning information, Victor Davis Hanson argues the truth of the controversy is much more complicated—and a lot less interesting—than you'd think.  Why didn't Democrats ever release the names? And how much truth is there to the recent Wall Street Journal article that reported Trump wrote a letter Epstein filled with strange language and suggestive imagery? Victor Davis Hanson answers these questions on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “ I think Donald Trump is going to release all the information that the government has. There'll probably be 150 or 200 names. And we'll let the internet mob or individuals or Freedom of Information requests or lower court judges, they will adjudicate it and we will find out the particular statuses. The vast majority of people will be very innocent, that they didn't do anything wrong. But there will be some people that will have a cast, a shadow of doubt. And we'll have to find out. “ I think The Wall Street Journal will have to make a correction, unless they want to take Donald Trump to court and Donald Trump wants to see—he's filed suit against them. And there'll be a lot of discovery and who knows what will happen. But for right now, I think he's salvaged this problem and aborted a controversy by just saying, ‘Get this stuff out there and let the people decide.'”

Mike Ferguson in the Morning -Mike gives a loving homage to his friend and old-man baseball teammate Dave "Dusty" Lauer, and demonstrates how sports can be used to bring people together... or in the WNBA's case, divide. -Tony Kinnett of Daily Signal and The Tony Kinnett Podcast joins in to help us make sense of the clown-show that has become American politics, and the cultural impact it's having. -Nobody hates the Libertarian party like libertarians... Mike explains why. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elite universities know they're in the wrong. For years, they've been:  Charging upwards of 60% for “overhead” costs for federal research grants. Blatantly violating the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 Civil Rights ruling barring race-based admissions and hiring practices.  Allowing rampant antisemitism on campus. Reliant on international students from illiberal regimes. Facing both mounting pressure from the Trump administration to change their ways, and vocal opposition from their Marxist students and faculty to remain the same, university presidents are starting to fold: So, how do these presidents do it? They're afraid of their students. They're afraid of their Marxist faculty. So what they're doing is, essentially, they're talking to the Trump administration. And they're going to go right back and they're going to say, ‘You know, I did not want to do this. I really did not want to cut a deal. I want to keep going with DEI. I think we have a right to. But I can't. Donald Trump's a tough customer. If I don't cut a deal with him, we're gonna go broke. We'll get no federal funds. We'll get no federal grants. We'll get an even bigger tax on our endowment. So I've got to cut a deal. He made me do it.'

Victor Davis Hanson: Sedition and Insurrection, China's Plot to Steal the 2020 Election was BURIED by the FBI and Grok 4   Victor Davis Hanson: Sedition, Insurrection and the Demoncrats. Mr Reagan- China's Plot to Steal the 2020 Election was BURIED by the FBI Mr Reagan- Grok 4 Might Just Be REVOLUTIONARY   Victor Davis Hanson: Sedition, Insurrection and the Demoncrats. VDH: Trump Broke the Left and Exposed Their Dirty Playbook The Left isn't just losing in politics. They're losing their minds. What is the root cause of this months-long descent into mania and violence? I think we all know the answer, and he goes by Trump. The President isn't just pushing policy; he's striking at the heart of the institutions that prop up the progressive agenda. Victor Davis Hanson unpacks the real sources of the Democrats' rage on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “  Why are they so angry? Why isn't this the old party of Bill Clinton? Or even the party of Barack Obama? One: They have no institutional power. They do not have the House. They do not have the Senate. They do not have the White House. They do not have the Supreme Court. They do not have the issues. There are 30/70, 20/80 issues. And they're on the wrong side. “ Put it all together and they're mad, mad, mad. And they should be because Donald Trump threatens not just to take their power away, but the sources of their power.” Watch this video at- https://youtu.be/-1HnzNt8Ans?si=UJflZZZjzgsr_yd_ The Daily Signal 851K subscribers 169,774 views Jul 15, 2025 #DailySignal

Glass House Farms openly employed over 300 illegal aliens, including minors and individuals charged with violent crimes. Despite the clear violations of immigration and labor laws, left-wing protesters—tipped off in advance—rushed in to block ICE agents. Among them: a CSU professor who threw a tear gas canister at law enforcement. Victor Davis Hanson breaks down this incident that exposes a disturbing truth about California's political class on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: I His Own Words.” “ This raid typified or exemplified or was emblematic of all the strange things that are going on with illegal immigration. First of all, this was a very liberal owner. He was a campaign donor to Gavin Newsom. Gave him over $10,000. He's given to the DNC. And yet, ICE went out there because they had news that not only were there over 350 people there who were illegally openly working in violation of immigration law, but there were minors. “ And yet, the Left can thinks that this is going to be a legitimate protest movement with popularity or favorability among the California or, indeed, the United States public. I don't think that's going to happen.”

The Rod and Greg Show Daily Rundown – Wednesday, July 16, 20254:20 pm: Jarrett Stepman, Columnist with the Daily Signal, joins the show for a conversation about his piece about the failure, and short-term future, of the federal Department of Education.4:38 pm: Scott Pinsker, a contributor to PJ Media, joins the program to discuss his piece on what he says are President Trump's three options for dealing with the Jeffrey Epstein mess.6:05 pm: Brittany Madni, Executive Vice President of the Economic Policy Innovation Center, joins Rod and Greg for a conversation about her piece for the Daily Caller in which she writes the Senate passing the rescissions package is the bare minimum of the cuts that could be made.6:38 pm: Washington Examiner Reporter David Zimmerman joins Rod and Greg for a conversation about his report on how red states are passing legislative reform to develop infrastructure that ties with President Trump's goals of energy dominance.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom seems to be more interested in podcasting, siding with protesters, and pointing fingers at the Trump administration than actually fixing the problems in his state. Newsom's record long record of failure is evident in the was California is spiraling out of control: a crumbling infrastructure, surging poverty, and broken immigration enforcement. Victor Davis Hanson has a message for Gavin Newsom on why his priorities are not only out of touch—but dangerous—on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “He's now inserted himself into the ICE deportations crisis in California and siding with the protesters that are trying to obstruct ICE. And he has a very incoherent position. … I guess the supposition is that Gavin thought it was quite moral for 12 million people to break the law, but it's quite amoral for somebody to try to rectify the situation and enforce the law. “ You look at a state that is in complete free fall, it is a catastrophe, and rather than addressing transportation, energy, poverty, housing, gasoline, what are you doing? You're campaigning for president. And you're in Twitter wars with the president of the United States. And you're defending the catastrophic governance in Los Angeles. And you're trying to impede the enforcement of a law that if it was enforced, you would be the biggest beneficiary.”

Victor Davis Hanson unpacks the real sources of the Democrats' rage on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “  Why are they so angry? Why isn't this the old party of Bill Clinton? Or even the party of Barack Obama? One: They have no institutional power. They do not have the House. They do not have the Senate. They do not have the White House. They do not have the Supreme Court. They do not have the issues. There are 30/70, 20/80 issues. And they're on the wrong side. “ Put it all together and they're mad, mad, mad. And they should be because Donald Trump threatens not just to take their power away, but the sources of their power.”

Trump has revitalized military recruitment and turned the armed forced from “fat” to “fit,” reshaped America's foreign alliances, and delivered bold results that no one expected—and many actively warned against. Victor Davis Hanson breaks down why, in the face of naysayers and “experts” claiming it couldn't be done, this even more of a momentous feat on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “ The economy did not crash or crater. Wall Street is at all-time high. Stock prices, job growth unexpectedly—that's a word have to use because the Left always says it's going to get very angry. The angry Left. And they're very angry and they say, ‘It's not going to work.' And then they have to say, ‘Well, it worked.'” “ The idea that all of their Ph.D.s, all the letters after their names, all of their ZIP codes, all of their prestige meant nothing. That here we have a billionaire builder from New York, with a Queens accent, who's transactional. And he was able to create a revolutionary change in culture, in social life, in economics, on foreign policy, on border security. And we can see the fruits of that in just three weeks, contrary to what everybody told us. It's startling. It's embarrassing for them.” 00:00 Trump's Recent Achievements 00:14 Military and Recruitment Successes 01:42 Economic Triumphs Under Trump 02:18 Cultural and Social Shifts 03:11 Defying the Experts 04:28 Trump's Unprecedented Success 05:58 Conclusion

Victor Davis Hanson: John Brennan Has Himself to Blame for FBI Investigation The FBI announced they are launching a criminal investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan for “potential wrongdoing related to the Trump-Russia probe," according to Fox News Digital.  John Brennan, one of the main architects behind the 2016 Russian Collusion Hoax, and a contributor to the 2020 Hunter Biden “Laptop From Hell” Cover-up, has a storied history of being at the heart of the most significant scandals in American history of the last 50 years. And now it's rightfully starting to catch up with him, argues Victor Davis Hanson on today's edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words:” 00:00 Introduction: Investigating Comey and Brennan 01:25 John Brennan's Controversial Career 02:46 The Hunter Biden Laptop Scandal 03:40 Trump vs. Biden: The Debate and Aftermath 04:34 Brennan's Accusations Against Trump 05:03 Impact on U.S.-Russia Relations 07:07 Conclusion: Brennan's Legacy and Accountability 07:33 Closing Remarks and Call to Action 

-Rob critiques the left's narrative, including claims by figures like Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar, labeling them as "crazy cat ladies" pushing divisive rhetoric. -Tony Kinnett from The Daily Signal joins via the Newsmax Hotline, discussing the Democrat Party's tactics, the Epstein case, and the misuse of agencies like the CIA, with Carson emphasizing the need for accountability. Today's podcast is sponsored by : BIRCH GOLD - Protect and grow your retirement savings with gold. Text ROB to 98 98 98 for your FREE information kit!CB DISTILLERY : Get healthy sleep with 25% off your first order at http://CBDistillery.com and use promo code CARSON To call in and speak with Rob Carson live on the show, dial 1-800-922-6680 between the hours of 12 Noon and 3:00 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday…E-mail Rob Carson at : RobCarsonShow@gmail.com Musical parodies provided by Jim Gossett (www.patreon.com/JimGossettComedy) Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at http://Newsmax.com/Listen Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at http://NewsmaxPlus.com Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : http://nws.mx/shop Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media:  -Facebook: http://nws.mx/FB  -X/Twitter: http://nws.mx/twitter -Instagram: http://nws.mx/IG -YouTube: https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV -Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV -TRUTH Social: https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX -GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/newsmax -Threads: http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX  -Telegram: http://t.me/newsmax  -BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com -Parler: http://app.parler.com/newsmax Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With no record of holding a real job outside activism, music, and campaigning, Mamdani has built his political identity on class warfare, racial rhetoric, and far-Left ideology. Victor Davis Hanson breaks down the latest on Mamdani in today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “ Barack Obama, when he was president, ordered a predator hit team on and killed [Anwar] al-Awlaki in a targeted assassination….Now we learned in 2015, years after that Obama hit on this ISIS figure, Mamdani was defending him and saying, basically, he turned radical because FBI surveilled him.  “He has some other disturbing things, as well. He posted a video on his social media of Indian Americans dressed as if they were Hasidic Jews. And they were making fun of the Hanukkah celebration. And they had a menorah there. And they were chanting, as if they were rap music. It was very derogatory toward Jews. Yet, why would he put that on his social media account?” (0:00) Introduction to Zohran Mamdani (0:57) Controversial Statements and Actions (2:24) Defending Extremists (3:47) Cultural Insensitivity and Identity Issues (5:56) Conclusion

Story #1: President and Executive Editor at ‘The Daily Signal,' Rob Bluey, joins Kennedy to break down the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of the Trump Administration to dismantle permanent Washington bureaucracy, James and Sean Gunn make the new Superman movie political, and can a third party ever breakthrough in America? Story #2:  Republican Candidate for Governor of California, Steve Hilton, and Kennedy delve into the massive mismanagement of the state of California six months after the devastating fires with rebuilding still yet to start in L.A. As citizens grow tired over the decades of incompetency, will they look to new voices to change the direction of the state? Story #3: Can Gen Z be saved? Kennedy and The Crew discuss the differences between this and past generations following a viral Reddit post lamenting the lack of house parties in modern America. Subscribe to 'Will Cain Country' on YouTube here: Watch Will Cain Country! Follow Will on X: @WillCain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Victor Davis Hanson breaks down what's driving this madness on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “ We've got even more disturbing reports that Democratic Congress people said, ‘Well, what are we supposed to do? We meet with our constituents and they're telling us that one of us should be shot. I don't mean shot by punishment. They're urging us to use violence and be willing to be shot by others to promote a radical agenda.'” “ This is insurrection. Why is it happening? …They lost the Congress, they lost the White House, they lost, of course, in most cases, the Supreme Court. So, they don't have any power. So, they're frustrated.” (0:00) The Era of Sedition and Insurrection (0:24) Disturbing Comments and Actions (1:47) The Hard Left Turn of Democrats (3:00) Violence and Radical Agendas (5:59) Trump's Counterrevolution (7:39) Conclusion and Caution

As the 249th anniversary of the nation has passed and we begin a yearlong series of community celebrations of Virginia's role in the founding of the United States of America, it needs seemingly constant refresher that in order to secure our rights we need to be a nation of laws that establish the appropriate punishments if someone transgresses your rights. Those laws require law enforcement officers and in Virginia, the apex of that list is the Attorney General. The Daily Signal spent some time with Jason Miyares on a number of topics including; “How does the son of an immigrant feel about deporting the migrants that were let into the Country and the Commonwealth over the past four years?” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I have one piece of advice for President Donald Trump.  Whether it's dealing with the fallout from executive orders, mass deportations, or bombing foreign countries without explicit congressional approval, President Trump just simply needs to remind his critics that nothing he's doing is “ahistorical or unprecedented,” advises Victor Davis Hanson on today's edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words:” “So, they're saying he is deporting, deporting, deporting people. Well, Barack Obama deported more people in his tenure than any other prior president—2.5 million. And he focused on criminal aliens. He said so. Just like Donald Trump did. And as far as cages and detention centers, Obama created them. So Trump just said, ‘I'm just following the precedent of Obama.'"

Scot Bertram is joined by Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell, reporter for The Daily Signal and co-host of The Daily Signal Podcast, to discuss the National Weather Service's response to recent claims of understaffing during the devastating floods in Texas. Mitchell breaks down the facts behind the controversy, the agency's defense, and what it reveals about the state of America's emergency response systems.

But from the Bull Moose Party to Ross Perot, third-party efforts rarely succeed and often hand power to the Left. Will this be another spoiler moment that hurts Republicans in 2026 and 2028? Victor Davis Hanson breaks it down on today's episode of "Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words." “  It's kind of an effort to hurt Donald Trump, both in the Congress and his successor in four years. But here's the question that I have for Elon Musk, and that is, does he really believe that he can pull this off? Apparently, he does. “ I don't think in the next midterm election there's going to be American Party senators or representatives. However, they do, in some cases, affect elections. And for the most part, it's unpredictable. Nobody knows what the situation will be in 2028. But Elon Musk must know that it won't be a constructive role.” 00:00 The Rupture: Elon Musk vs. Donald Trump 01:40 Revisiting the Rupture: Musk and Trump 02:11 The America Party: A Potential Spoiler? 03:23 Lessons from History: Third-Party Impacts 04:13 Elon Musk's Track Record of Success 09:12 The Unpredictable Future of Third Parties 09:36 A Plea for Unity

VDH: This July 4th, We Remember the Fallen   A year and two months after the first shots of the American Revolution were fired at the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the 13 American colonies declared independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776.   Whether ridding the continent of British influence following the revolution, or coming to their aid during both World Wars, over 1 million soldiers have perished fighting to “protect the ideas of the American Revolution and the United States itself.”   “And on this July 4th, we need to give them a due. And remember what they did, who they were, and why they did it,” argues Victor Davis Hanson on this July 4 edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words:”   

New York City Democrat Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani tells his supporters he wants to “turn the page in New York City” with a fresh new agenda. However, there's nothing new about what Mamdani is proposing. In fact, his socialist policies are quite old. “City-owned grocery stores?” It's called a co-op and California had plenty in the 1970s until people began to notice that their produce was no better than Safeways. “Freezing the rent?” Owners of rent-stabilized properties in the Bronx lose an average of $120 per month on each apartment, resulting in 200,000 severely rundown apartment units, according to Mark Willis, a senior policy fellow at NYU's Furman Center on Real Estate.  “Fast, fare free buses” won't work while people are jumping the turnstiles and using the subway for free, argues Victor Davis Hanson on today's edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”   

Donald Trump had one of the best Junes of any modern president. U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded the lowest number of illegal aliens crossing the southern border, ever. His tariff policies did not collapse the economy. In fact, the stock market is nearing record highs. Iran's nuclear program was severely weakened without 30,000 people having to die in another endless war.  However, for every victory, there is another impending challenge President Trump will have to grapple with argues Victor Davis Hanson on today's edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words:” “Bottom line: Donald Trump's going to have to decide, when countries come to him and say, "We'll run a deficit with you, we will have symmetrical tariffs," or, "We'll have no tariffs," is he going to take that or not? If Iran violates the ceasefire—and to what degree that would be true I don't know, but if we see trucks going into these enrichment sites or we find evidence of a new one, he's going to have to act and deal with a fallout. And then, of course, on the border, it's not going to be a problem of new illegal aliens. It's not going to be a problem of the 12 million that Joe Biden let in. But there will be some people that he'll have to decide, and I think it would be wise for them to have to pay a fine, get a green card, continue working, stay off social services, stay crime-free, and become a valuable green card holder.” 

Since his second inauguration, the “experts” have been relentless in their mission to minimize the Trump administration's efforts with the economy, immigration, Iran, and beyond.   Meanwhile, the stock market has soared. There were ZERO illegal border crossings in May, according to CBP. Iran's nuclear infrastructure was left severely damaged without the threat of war on the horizon. All this, thanks to the decisive and, at times controversial, actions taken by the Trump administration.   Despite these verifiable results, Victor Davis Hanson argues that much of the elite resistance to Trump stems not from data, but from disdain. And that bias has blinded them to basic common sense. He breaks it down on this episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”   “Donald Trump is pretty commonsensical. If you take a million people away that were working in the shadows at cheaper wages and hurting American job opportunities and you make countries that had asymmetrical tariffs and were responsible for a $1.1 trillion trade deficit and you can stop that and they still want entry into the American market, then you can have an economic renaissance.   “You should try to shed your Trump Derangement Syndrome because it's really affecting your powers of judgment and analysis. And you're going to lose readers. You are so wedded to the idea that Donald Trump is going to destroy the United States because of your personal animus, you cannot see that most people have commonsense solutions.”  

With the U.S.' northern neighbor at bay, for now, Americans should turn their attention to the south, where Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum continues to criticize proposed remittance taxes while defending illegal immigration and even weighing in on U.S. civil unrest. Why the hostility?   On today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words,” Hanson asks the question: Why are our supposed “partners” adding fuel to the fire in a time of instability?   “  This is the killer. They're going to enforce the law all the way back to 2022. … There's $9 trillion of market capitalization in Silicon Valley. But the idea that they're going to be gouged for $2 or $3 billion right in the middle of these heated discussions.   “ They are playing with fire. I have a solution. Maybe we could take Mexico and put it next to Canada and let them fight it out with each other. And keep us out of it.” (0:00) North American Trade Relations (0:27) Trade Disputes with Mexico (2:05) Canada's Digital Services Tax (3:54) Mexico's Trade Surplus and Remittances (5:25) Contentious Issues and Proposed Solutions

When the Southern Poverty Law Center put Focus on the Family on its "hate map," listing the conservative Christian nonprofit alongside chapters of the Ku Klux Klan, it made life a bit tougher, but the Christian group had already faced so many "cancel culture" attacks, it was ready for the blowback. "We are Christians, we're commanded to love people that don't think the way we think, we're commanded to endure evil patiently, which I feel that this is one of these exercises," Focus on the Family President Jim Daly told The Daily Signal.  The SPLC, which gained its reputation for suing Klan groups into bankruptcy in the 1980s but now puts mainstream conservative and Christian groups on the "hate map" with Klan chapters, branded Focus on the Family an "anti-LGBTQ+ hate group" last month. As I noted in my book, "Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center," the SPLC claims America is more hateful than it actually is, partly to raise money and partly to silence its political opponents.  Subscribe to The Tony Kinnett Cast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tony-kinnett-cast/id1714879044⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep Up With The Daily Signal Sign up for our email newsletters:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.dailysignal.com/email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠     Subscribe to our other shows:  Problematic Women:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.dailysignal.com/problematic-women⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Victor Davis Hanson: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL9809784327   Follow The Daily Signal:  X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=DailySignal Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Truth Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1    Thanks for making The Daily Signal Podcast your trusted source for the day's top news. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Preliminary reports following U.S. military operations are standard, and “almost always wrong,” according to President Donald Trump's former deputy national security advisor.   The effectiveness of U.S. strikes on Iran's three primary nuclear facilities was called into question following reporting from CNN and The New York Times that was based on a leaked initial Defense Intelligence Agency report that suggested the strikes only set Iran's nuclear program back several months.  Initial reports are “in real time,” Victoria Coates, who served in Trump's first term and is currently the vice president of the Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy at The Heritage Foundation, told The Daily Signal, adding, such reports, as was the case with the leaked Defense Intelligence Agency report, are “expressed with low confidence.”   Subscribe to The Tony Kinnett Cast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tony-kinnett-cast/id1714879044⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep Up With The Daily Signal Sign up for our email newsletters:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.dailysignal.com/email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠     Subscribe to our other shows:  Problematic Women:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.dailysignal.com/problematic-women⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Victor Davis Hanson: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL9809784327   Follow The Daily Signal:  X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=DailySignal Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Truth Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1    Thanks for making The Daily Signal Podcast your trusted source for the day's top news. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Working weekends, flights on Air Force One, and jockeying for position to ask press secretary Karoline Leavitt a question in the briefing room is all a part of life as a White House correspondent, according to Mary Margaret Olohan.     As a member of the “new media” in the White House, Olohan says the interactions between the corporate media reporters and journalists like herself are "by and large been pretty polite," but notes little differences between the two groups remain. For example, new media do not have a permanent seat in the briefing room, and Olohan jokes it is a little like the “Titanic because there is the elite first class and they sit in the seats, and then in the aisles you have the second class of the citizens who don't get seats.”    Olohan, author of “Detrans: True Stories of Escaping the Gender Ideology Cult,” spent years reporting on culture issues, including for The Daily Signal, before becoming the White House correspondent for The Daily Wire. She joins the “Problematic Women” podcast to explain the dynamic between the new and corporate media in the briefing room, and to share what will surprise most Americans about working as a White House correspondent.     Also on today's show, we discuss what Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York City's mayoral primary means for the Big Apple and the Democrat Party. Plus, we react to Brett Cooper joining Fox News as a contributor.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The same Democrats who turned a blind eye when Obama dropped 26,000 bombs in a single year are now clutching their pearls over Trump's targeted strike on Iran. Hanson breaks this down on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “  Barack Obama, in the single year, 2016, he dropped 26,000 bombs. And it wasn't just in Syria. It wasn't just in Iraq. It wasn't just in Afghanistan. He dropped them in Libya. He dropped them in Somalia. He dropped them in Yemen. 26,000 bombs. And they all had one thing in common. He didn't think he had to go to the Congress to ask permission. “ All they're doing is saying, 'If Donald Trump does something, we are going to be irate. We're going to use pornography. We're going to use smuddy language. And we're going to oppose him. And now, we're going to impeach him.' And some people in that party said, 'This is so unhinged. It's so contradictory. It's so paradoxical. It's so hypocritical.'”

-The Supreme Court rules 6-3 to curtail the use of nationwide injunctions by lower federal courts, a move Rob hails as a major win for the Constitution and the Trump agenda. -Rob and guest Tony Kinnett from The Daily Signal celebrate the end of what they describe as “judicial tyranny” by activist judges. Today's podcast is sponsored by : BIRCH GOLD - Protect and grow your retirement savings with gold. Text ROB to 98 98 98 for your FREE information kit! INCOGNI – Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code CARSON at the following link and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/CARSON CB DISTILLERY : Get healthy sleep with 25% off your first order at http://CBDistillery.com and use promo code CARSON To call in and speak with Rob Carson live on the show, dial 1-800-922-6680 between the hours of 12 Noon and 3:00 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday…E-mail Rob Carson at : RobCarsonShow@gmail.com Musical parodies provided by Jim Gossett (www.patreon.com/JimGossettComedy) Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at http://Newsmax.com/Listen Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at http://NewsmaxPlus.com Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : http://nws.mx/shop Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media:  -Facebook: http://nws.mx/FB  -X/Twitter: http://nws.mx/twitter -Instagram: http://nws.mx/IG -YouTube: https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV -Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV -TRUTH Social: https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX -GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/newsmax -Threads: http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX  -Telegram: http://t.me/newsmax  -BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com -Parler: http://app.parler.com/newsmax Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leaked defense intelligence documents obtained by CNN allege that last Saturday night's strike against Iran's nuclear infrastructure only set the country's nuclear program back a few months.  However, the CIA reported this week that it would take “years” for Iran to rebuild its nuclear capabilities.  Bottom line: It doesn't matter how long it takes Iran to rebuild its nuclear weapon's program. What matters is will the next presidential administration have the courage to take the Iranian threat serious and bomb them, again, argues Victor Davis Hanson on today's edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words:”   

Their volatile, inconsistent messaging isn't new. Victor Davis Hanson unpacks the deeper story behind the chaos of how the Democrat Party has surrendered to its most radical base on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “The Left knows that they are not polling well. They know that the party's base is controlling their narrative, and they know that that narrative supports issues from transgenderism, to an open border, to lax enforcement of criminal statutes, to something like Kabul, abroad, that has no public support. And they're angry.  “ Whatever Donald Trump has done to them—and maybe that will be his lasting legacy—he had the ability to expose what used to be Democrats, as absolutely unhinged and nihilistic. And I don't think anybody wants any part of them.”

President Obama Barack did not seek formal congressional authority to bomb Libya in 2011, nor in January 2017, when he ordered B-2 bombers to strike ISIS targets inside the country, one of his last acts as President.   President Trump has seemingly quelled the concerned of many on the MAGA Right, making certain that last Saturday's strike was a ‘designated, finite' act, and not a pre-requisite for a protracted ground invasion, argues Victor Davis Hanson on today's edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”   “They have concerns that this "America First," MAGA agenda does not want to get into optional wars in the Middle East. But this is not a 1991 preliminary to an invasion, 2003 preliminary to invasion, 2011 preliminary to Gaddafi regime change. This was a designated, finite act. And now it's over with and it's up to Iran to do what it wants. It can either negotiate and become a peaceful presence with peaceful nuclear power or it can continue its terror. But it has no terrorist appendages to hurt us, really. And we'll see.”   

On Saturday night, June 22, President Donald Trump's Operation Midnight Hammer sent a message to Tehran, and the world, that can't be ignored.    Seven Missouri-based B-2 bombers dropped 14 bunker-busting bombs on Iran's Fordow nuclear site, while U.S. Navy vessels launched a barrage of cruise missiles at other strategic nuclear infrastructure.    Victor Davis Hanson explains what just happened—and what could come next—on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”   “ [Iran] must know that people are angry. That over 50 years, nearly, they spent a trillion dollars subsidizing the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Assad dynasty. And for what? It's all up in smoke. And then they probably lost another trillion dollars, over 50 years, through sanctions and oil embargoes. For what? It's up in smoke.   “ Right now the ball is in the court of Iran. Trump has said to them, you can come back and negotiate. But, what would they negotiate over? Their one card was that we have the specter of a nuclear bomb. So, you better come to us and talk. They don't have that anymore. At least not for the foreseeable future. The only negotiable item is whether they survive or not.”   (0:00) Trump's Bold Military Move in the Middle East (0:57) Historical Context of U.S. Actions in the Middle East (2:23) Details of the Recent Military Operation (4:34) Potential Repercussions and Future Speculations (5:55) Iran's Next Move and Global Reactions (6:39) Israel and U.S. Stature Post-Operation