Townhall Review | Conservative Commentary On Today's News

Americans must worry that something akin to Munich 2.0 looms. Munich, of course, refers to the summit on the eve of World War II when European leaders appeased Hitler and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain returned from that summit, boasting infamously about, “peace in our time.” 2026 cannot become as infamous as 1938. The whole world knows what a victory over Iran looks like. President Trump should settle for nothing less than: Iran’s abandonment of enrichment forever the return of the so-called “nuclear dust” an end to ballistic missile production an end to support for the terror proxies—Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and: The people of Iran must have their basic human rights restored President Trump’s place in history depends upon his resolve right now, as does stability for the entire region. Please hear me on this: It’s not too much to say that the next many decades for the whole world depend upon the president’s resolve this week and next. We cannot have another Munich.

In her new book titled “Alito” Mollie Hemingway offers revealing insights — not just about the Supreme Court justice — but on how the left’s take-no-prisoners mindset has infected the high court. Hemingway recounts an episode before the release of the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade. With major security concerns including—you may remember—death threats, Justice Alito asked the liberal justices to expedite their dissents.  Instead, tensions boiled over. Obama appointee Justice Elena Kagan lashed out at Justice Stephen Breyer, suspecting he might cooperate with the majority. No timeline for finishing the dissents was ever provided The left often warns that institutions have declined under Trump. But this troubling account is instructive. It’s a stark reminder: The left is willing to destroy any institution it doesn’t control.

A recent poll illustrates something profound about the ideological divide in America:  81% of Liberals see the 250th anniversary of America as a time “to reflect on the country’s shortcomings.” That’s a direct quote. So: Are we to celebrate a massively important anniversary about the greatest country the world has ever known or host one big Festivus party with an airing of grievances and processing of resentments? From the liberal/left/progressives in America, now we have the answer.  For those paying attention, it’s been obvious for some time.  Liberal America has backed Marxist organizations like BLM and has allowed the Socialist party to take over broad swaths of the Democratic party. It has featured a well-known Marxist-Leninist at Democratic party rallies and elected Democrats routinely go on his podcast. It’s all the result of an education system that has churned out tens of millions of students who are propagandized against American achievement and our true history—and a party that now views this country as a blight rather than a blessing. We must take back our education system—and fast.

The practice of manufacturing collisions between the Vatican and President of the United States, has continued with Pope Leo XIV because he is new in the job. And President Donald Trump, of course, always provides copy. Take an unknown and mix in the very well-known, and a thousand columns are launched. The best commentary on this situation actually came from Vice President JD Vance more than a year ago. “It’s very hard to fit a 2,000-year-old institution into the politics of 2025,” Vice President Vance told me in March of last year. He added, “I try not to do that.” Reporters ought to be taking heed to that as they cover the pope and the president: Tell us what these principals said or posted if done specifically with the other party named. Don’t overlay prior points of view. That’s as silly as playing mind-reader. A suggestion: Whenever you hear or read a reporter asserting what a public figure “thinks” or “feels,” change your feed or at least turn on your misinformation shield.

Too many parents have faced the dilemma of how to help a child struggling with gender confusion. They’re often told anything short of affirming a new gender identity risks psychological harm—even suicide. New, comprehensive research from Finland contradicts that claim. It finds that mental illness isn’t caused by resisting transition. Rather, children who believe they were ‘born in the wrong body” are more likely to have underlying mental health issues. What’s more, those struggles don’t ease after efforts to “transition”: in fact, they intensify. Rates of mental illness rose from around 10 to 60 percent in boys seeking to become girls, and from roughly 20 to 55 percent among girls transitioning to boys. We’re not helping vulnerable children by denying reality. The transgender experiment has come at a steep cost, and it needs to end. Now.

Congressman Eric Swalwell suspended his campaign for governor of California. Then, the very next day, he abruptly resigned from Congress. This followed a cascade of accusations involving sexual assault, misconduct, and unwanted, inappropriate messages.  Clearly, the Democratic establishment wanted Swalwell out. The entire episode unfolded in a matter of days. But what’s most striking is that, by all accounts, people in political circles knew about Swalwell’s behavior for quite some time. Political insiders, journalists and left-wing influencers admitted this much on X. It was, apparently, an open secret. And yet, no powerful Democrats acted until Swalwell’s candidacy became a liability in the governor’s race. Then, suddenly, his candidacy was done. And then he was gone from the House. All in a matter of days. What a complete failure of moral, professional, and ethical responsibility — all the way around.

In recent days we’ve watched the NASA Artemis II mission that successfully sent four astronauts around the dark side of the moon. Human beings have now traveled a greater distance from the earth than ever before in history. Period. We’re talking about a distance greater by thousands of miles. As we watched the mission unfold, it was interesting to note the language coming from the astronauts—language filled with wonder that at least implies a creator. And then we saw the photographs—new, high-quality images of earth in our own time. It had been more than 50 years since the first photographs. I don’t know how a person can look these images and think, “What an interesting cosmic accident.” Of course, we know: There are many scientists absolutely determined to believe it so, consistent with a naturalistic understanding of the entire universe. But here’s the thing worth highlighting: It is very difficult to look at these images and say, “What a beautiful accident.” The entire picture points to a creator. It points to God. Remember that.

The Iranians had one reasonable chance to negotiate an end to the war. Donald Trump sent J.D. Vance, reportedly a skeptic of military action, to Islamabad to lead the American delegation. The Pakistan government urged the Iranians to take this seriously. Instead, the IRGC junta refused to negotiate at all on the main points of the conflict, especially their pursuit of nuclear weapons and claims of sovereign control of the Strait of Hormuz. Then: Trump ordered a blockade of all Iranian shipping through the Strait—a move that will cost Iran’s regime $450 million dollars a day in lost sales and eliminate their only reliable method of resupply during the war. The Iranians threatened to escalate, but Trump has his own escalation options too. As military analyst Sascha Bruchmann told a German news program, the Battle of Hormuz is a game of chicken, and “it is dangerous to play a game of chicken against Donald Trump.” That’s the lesson the world ought to be learning. It’s a lesson we need to see through to the end in Iran.

The Iranians had one reasonable chance to negotiate an end to the war. Donald Trump sent J.D. Vance, reportedly a skeptic of military action, to Islamabad to lead the American delegation. The Pakistan government urged the Iranians to take this seriously. Instead, the IRGC junta refused to negotiate at all on the main points of the conflict, especially their pursuit of nuclear weapons and claims of sovereign control of the Strait of Hormuz. Then: Trump ordered a blockade of all Iranian shipping through the Strait—a move that will cost Iran’s regime $450 million dollars a day in lost sales and eliminate their only reliable method of resupply during the war. The Iranians threatened to escalate, but Trump has his own escalation options too. As military analyst Sascha Bruchmann told a German news program, the Battle of Hormuz is a game of chicken, and “it is dangerous to play a game of chicken against Donald Trump.” That’s the lesson the world ought to be learning. It’s a lesson we need to see through to the end in Iran.

The ceasefire in Iran will be a big win for President Trump if the Strait opens and stays open—and we’ll know over the course of the two weeks whether or not that happens. If it does: The world’s oil supply will surge a bit and the remnants of the Iranian regime will have a chance to inventory the destruction that has rained down on their forces for five weeks. If the Strait doesn’t reopen—or the attacks on Israel or our Gulf allies don’t cease—another round of the third Gulf war will soon commence. President Trump issued his ultimatum. His never-evolving critics denounced his language though it got through to whomever is running the bunkers in Iran. The war is far from over, but long conflicts never resolve in a month, and this one is 47 years old. Fundamental things are afoot in the Middle East, most of them very good indeed. Freedom for the long-suffering Iranian people and stability in the Middle East has never been closer since 1979..

President Trump has done what seven presidents before him would not: he demolished the leading state sponsor of terrorism’s leadership, military, and nuclear abilities. For this, alone, the Nobel Peace Prize seems not quite enough. We shall see if the temporary cease-fire holds; perhaps it is a moment of calibration that may require further military action, as President Trump has shown his mettle in doing with Iran before. And for those who have chosen to ignore or forget Iran’s 47-year war against the United States and the West—slaughtering and maiming untold thousands of Americans and other innocents, including assassination plots against the President—if Iran fully breaks this ceasefire, they will teach the world again who they are and what they do. Meanwhile, critics blame Donald Trump for his rhetoric—of course having said nothing about the routine calls of genocide from Iran’s leadership or, for that matter, hundreds of thousands who take to the streets shouting, “From the river to the sea.” This is a moment to thank President Trump, not condemn him.

King Charles of Great Britain has sparked outrage and made one of the great unforced errors of recent UK history. After hosting an iftar at Windsor Castle last year and delivering messages for the Muslim holidays of Eid and Ramadan this year, he refused to offer an Easter message. The decision is striking. As King, Charles is the head of the Christian Church of England. And his country is deeply polarized amid rising extremism, as well as reports of the government’s years-long institutional failure to investigate and prosecute sexual abuse of young girls by Islamist gangs. The modern monarchy wields no political power. It exists only to provide a national symbol of unity, stability, and continuity. If it no longer serves that purpose, the taxpayers who subsidize it are justified in asking: What, exactly, is it for?

March the 1st marked the death of one of the most infamous murderers in American history. Abortionist Kermit Gosnell died in prison custody at the age of 85. Dr. Gosnell went to prison for committing the most heinous abortionist murder imaginable—he delivered babies who were born alive and then killed those babies. He inserted scissors into their spinal column and labeled their deaths as abortion. One trial witness said that a baby killed by Dr. Gosnell had “made noises, a whine, like my baby.” Let’s just understand how the law is operating right now. It is unlikely that those legal consequences would ever have come if Dr. Gosnell had used some other technique where his evil was not so obvious, where it was not so well-documented. The moral urgency of abortion, and even late-term abortion, is more apparent and horrific than any of us would want to see. That’s why we must press on in the fight for life. Human dignity depends upon that defense all the way from fertilization until healthy birth.

It’s a story that fills you with a very American kind of pride. In a risky and costly operation, the US rescued the missing pilot who had been shot down over Iran. The operation involved hundreds of intelligence and military personnel, Navy SEAL Team Six, Army Delta Force, CIA operatives who carried out a deception campaign, even the destruction of two damaged aircraft, all to find one man. Some questioned why America would go to such extraordinary lengths just to recover a single pilot. Of course, we wanted to deny Iran a propaganda victory and access to any intelligence the pilot possessed, but there’s more to it than that. We come from a Judeo‑Christian worldview. We believe every life is precious. We honor our fighting men and women, and we don’t leave any of them behind.

The Washington Post, and others, are upset that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is hosting monthly worship services at the Pentagon.  Unconstitutional, they say … Upending of norms … Breaking cohesion. Are they kidding us?  First, I want my soldiers—especially in a time of war—being reverent and prayerful.  Second, just how timid and weak are these Pentagon employees that they have to go off the record and run to the Washington Post to complain about this? One employee said, “If troops are trained to believe that‘God is on our side,’ what precludes us from doing anything we want to win?”  I don’t know—ask Lincoln, or Franklin Roosevelt, who led the largest public prayer in history on the cusp of D-Day.  Ask Dwight Eisenhower who issued a prayer to the soldiers in World War II.  Or, maybe, know that a great deal of just-war theory comes from famous religious leaders of yore. Journalists today just have no sense of history or context.  Even the Unknown Soldier was known only to God. I’m Seth Leibsohn.

This Sunday is Easter, Resurrection Sunday, a great celebration day for Christians marking the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. The Christian church bears a mandate to proclaim the truth that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, and that’s an indispensable truth claim of Christianity. The resurrected Lord gave the church a sacred commission to take the gospel, the message of Christ’s victory over sin and death to all the world. So: As the Christian church gathers to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Christians look back in thankfulness to that empty tomb and forward to the fulfillment of Christ’s purposes in us. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the promise of our resurrection from the dead and of Christ's total victory over sin and death. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is at the very center of the Christian gospel. The empty tomb is full of power. I hope you’ll celebrate Christ’s work on our behalf this weekend. Happy Easter. Happy Resurrection Day to all. May the joy of the resurrection be yours.

President Trump is on the cusp of a historic achievement. If the President oversees the toppling of the ruling regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran, his achievements will rank with the greatest of those of any post-World War II president. That’s just an objective fact. If you don’t understand that fact, you haven’t been paying attention for more than 40 years. Iran is as evil a regime as exists on the planet. It is run by religious fanatics with a peculiar theology, rooted in end-times eschatology and “resistance” up to and especially including martyrdom. It cannot be allowed to have weapons of mass destruction or an arsenal of conventional weapons sufficient to deter normal regimes from stopping it from obtaining WMD, especially obtaining nuclear weapons. The result needed in the war has not yet been achieved. But if President Trump delivers it, only his critics incapable of basic objectivity will deny the significance of his order to take down the regime that has bedeviled the world for almost a half century.

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the holiest week in the Christian calendar. But for Christians in Syria and Nigeria, it was a day marked by bloodshed and tragedy. In Syria, sectarian attacks in a Christian town damaged homes, shops and cars—as men on motorcycles from a nearby Sunni Muslim town terrorized the community into the early morning hours. In Nigeria, the violence was even more horrific. Muslim gunmen attacked a university community, killing at least 30 people and injuring many more. Yet coverage of this violence was scant. Instead, there was widespread media outrage when Israel briefly paused public prayer gatherings due to Iranian missile threats—before quickly reversing course. There’s a very clear double standard. And it raises serious questions about whether Western media outlets are intimidated by Islamism. They certainly have not shown courage.

Those of us of a certain age will remember America’s 200th birthday well. It was a year-long celebration with pageantry and even commercials celebrating our patriotism everywhere.  Now, months away from the date of our 250th birthday, all seems rather quiet on the Western civilizational front. Our Founders weren’t so sure we’d last anywhere near this long—and yet, here we are 250 years later.  What changed in the last 50 years?  The media and the academy, both of which have trained millions of pupils and teachers and citizens to view America as a down-market commodity.  History professors literally sneer at efforts to restore and remind about the very field they supposedly care about: teaching American history.  And a great socialist effort to undermine the exceptionalism of America, and pride in it, has taken over an entire political party. The great Czech writer Milan Kundera, put it that “The first step in liquidating a people is to erase its memory.”  And that’s been the progressive effort here.  We must know of it, we cannot let it prevail.

The United States has allies in this battle with Iran, though you’d be hard-pressed to prove it from coverage in mainstream media. Israel has fought valiantly beside us, absorbing the blows that the enemy wishes it could rain down on our country. We in America ought to at least bring their stories forward. Israel has been at war with Iran since its proxy Hamas launched the attack on October 7, 2023, and the massacre that followed. Right now: The American and Israeli militaries are methodically smashing the military that the Iranian radical regime has built up over 47 years. If it was a boxing match, the referee would stop the fight. But it’s a war, and the target list is long and it’s not done. This battle is the story of this decade, and its outcome one of those very few-and-far between hinge points of history that are obvious as they occur, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall. Our legacy outlets ought to be telling the story. The whole story.

We learned in recent days that Leo Radvinsky, the owner of the vast website known as OnlyFans, had died at age 43 of cancer. OnlyFans is one of the most significant purveyors of pornography in all of human history. Through Radvinsky’s leadership, the site exploded to 377 million users, bringing in more than $7.2 billion in revenue in a single year. It’s not really possible to comment on this adequately without reference to theological terms: What we see here is the power of sin, the power of human depravity matched with human ingenuity. The OnlyFans platform was—and it is—a deeply diabolical plan and strategy. And—obviously—at least in financial terms, it works. But we know: It doesn’t work. It is sin and depravity and lust coupled with manipulation and oppression and enslavement. This week’s headlines give us the opportunity to state the truth and to say that what I hope are clear and unequivocal terms.

Some four weeks into the war with Iran, a couple of things have become clear—and both worth highlighting. First, in undertaking this mission, President Trump fully restored the American deterrent that was forfeited by President Biden’s collapse in Afghanistan. President Trump demonstrated again the remarkable power of the American military and solidified the most important relationship with America’s most important and powerful ally — Israel. And second, with all that clarity comes one more impossible-to-deny truth: With America involved in a battle with a terrorist regime, Democrats have repeatedly chose in vote after vote to keep the Department of Homeland Security shuttered and unfunded. That is ridiculous and wildly irresponsible. The spectacle of the Democrats risking America to make talking points for MS-NOW audience should leave an enduring impression: The Republicans are the party of security at home and abroad. Democrats couldn't care less.

The essence of parenthood is the right—indeed, the duty—to raise children according to one’s deepest values. That includes teaching them religion. In Europe, that right is under attack. Since 2022, the Samson family has been fighting to regain custody of their daughters. The Swedish government took the girls, citing the family’s religious faith.  The saga began when the oldest daughter, upset about being denied makeup and a smartphone, made a false abuse claim she quickly retracted. The police found no evidence of abuse. But the state took both girls, claiming “religious extremism” because the family attended church three times a week and raised their daughters in a strict religious home. The girls want to go home but the government plans to put them up for adoption. It’s a sobering reminder: religious liberty should never be taken for granted. 

.Portland, Oregon has just made itself ground zero for polyamory. Polyamory is the word that Americans are going to have to recognize more frequently. It refers to different kinds of love, different kinds of relationships. It can refer to same sex or heterosexual relationships. It can be between three, four, five. Well, you count them people. Portland has just decided to include legal protection for polyamorous relationships and what they call polyamorous families. How's that for an oxymoron? Now, I don’t think there's going to be a mad dash to polyamorous situations in most of the country. I think what you’re seeing here is the deliberate destabilization of marriage itself. This is part of a bigger strategy of those on the left who want to subvert a biblical view of marriage as central to our own civilizational project. They want to destroy any commitment to marriage as the union of a man and a woman. They want to destabilize the family. They want to do all of this, period. What starts in Portland ... It doesn't stay in Portland.

Suspects charged an alleged ISIS inspired attack near New York City's Gracie Mansion. Deadly Old Dominion University shooting probed as an act of terrorism. Suspect in Michigan synagogue attack had lost family and Israeli strike on Lebanon. These are just a few of the many headlines and recent stories that ought to have our attention. A clash of worldviews sometimes comes down to something just this horrifying. The Islamist agenda is so transparent in these stories, we're talking about the now undeniable links to Islamic terrorist organizations clear in these attacks. And if military intelligence is accurate, we can expect there may very well be more of these coming. This is not Iran. This is not the Middle East. We're talking about New York City, Virginia, Michigan. You wonder if Americans are even paying any attention to what's going on in our own country.

Writing about our nation’s last greatest Republican president, Ronald Reagan, George Will wrote: “at a turbulent moment…Reagan became the great reassurer, the steadying captain of our clipper ship. He calmed the passengers, and the sea.”  At the rate things are going, President Trump may very well outdo Reagan. Yes, Reagan ended the “long twilight struggle” against Soviet communism.  The war Iran has waged against us for 47 years has gone on longer than that long struggle. Donald Trump has decided to end that war—decisively.  He’s already taken out the communist dictator of Venezuela, and there is every reason to believe “Cuba Libre” will be more than a chant or a drink but a reality by the end of the year. Killing off regnant communism in this hemisphere, and the head of the snake of Islamism the world-over, regardless of political considerations here at home, is the kind of thing we used to call heroic statesmanship.  These ambitions and accomplishments have no equal. Trump may well be ushering us to freedom’s finest hour.

In the past two weeks, four terrorist attacks have struck the United States — in Texas, Michigan, Virginia, and New York.  With the war in Iran, Americans have been warned to be vigilant. So it’s astonishing that Democrats still refuse to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Without funding, airport security is strained, and resources for thousands of federal law enforcement officers, including the U.S. Coast Guard, are cut. This weakens both border and maritime security. The shutdown is because Democrats want to block support for ICE. But refusing to fund Homeland Security sends a troubling message: that opposing immigration enforcement—and giving Trump a “loss”—matter more than protecting the American people. Political fights are inevitable, but they shouldn’t come at the expense of Americans’ safety. Our nation’s security demands seriousness, not partisan posturing.

The United States and Israel are winning this battle with the Islamic Republic of Iran — decisively. Our Gulf allies are standing strong. The cost has already been high. With at least U.S. and IDF forces paying the ultimate price. But of course, some hard-left partisans hate the prospect of either President Donald Trump or the United States as a whole, winning an important, indeed crucial battle.  The left in America refuses to come to grips with how evil the Iranian regime is and for how long it has been so. The collapse of moral clarity among American elites on the left is complete. Democrats are defeated, appeasers, antisemitic in some cases or simply deranged by their hatred of President Trump: You keep speaking up too. We want to hear you say all these crazy things. History will record your positions. The Republican Party should boldly proclaim that, even after 250 years, our country still knows what’s right from wrong and will defend the right.

Donald Trump has an opportunity to go for the jugular in his war with the Iranian terror regime—and the IRGC has provided a perfect pretext for it now. During the first phase of the war, both sides kept the oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. As Iran’s other deterrents have failed, they have decided to attack shipping in the Persian Gulf to pressure Trump into retreat. A sharp rise in oil prices have panicked the media and some of our allies. Trump has instead signaled that any further interference will result in either seizure or full-scale demolition of Kharg Island. Iran exports 96% of its oil through this facility, mainly to China and India. It is their only connection to hard currency, and it continues to operate. Trump reportedly is considering an occupation of Kharg Island, now that the US has decimated its defenses. This would checkmate the regime while preserving the facilities for a successor government in Tehran. It’s time to go for the jugular.

Americans recently learned that Rama Duwaji, the wife of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, “liked” some vile Instagram posts. Seventy of them.  One described the New York Times’ reporting on the sexual violence during the October 7 attacks as a “mass rape” hoax the newspaper supposedly “fabricated.” Another accused Israel of a “vile land grab.” Yet another charged Israel with genocide.  Rather than denying his wife liked the posts, the mayor simply claimed she is a “private person.” But that’s not true. Rama Duwaji lives in Gracie Mansion at taxpayer expense and accompanies the mayor to ceremonial events. She recently sat for a cover story in “The Cut” – New York Magazine’s fashion and lifestyle site. When someone in her position applauds the barbarism of October 7, she helps normalize Jew hatred in a way that should repel us all.

President Trump is realigning the global order—and the consequences are massive. I’m referring most immediately, of course, to the ongoing military action in Iran. The U.S. and Israel are involve. But the Gulf States are now involved as well—and their increasingly aligned directly with the United States. Iran is an ally of both Russia and China—part of the BRICS Coalition, started out with Brazil, Russia, India, and China, now been expanded to 10 members. It’s basically an alternative to NATO. The New York Times ran an article very revealing here’s the headline, “As Trump Out-Putins Putin, Russia’s Global Influence Erodes.” In the words of the article “Mr. Putin is also grappling with the arrival of a new world of unbridled American power under President Trump, which is checking Russia’s global influence….” Notice – China’s watching, too. Trump is realigning the global order and It’s going to be very, very interesting.

School children used to be taught about the dangers of yellow journalism, a practice where the media would falsify stories to inspire support for war, as in “you furnish the pictures, I’ll furnish the war.” Today, the practice is back, stronger than ever—but now it’s on the side against us. When Ayatollah Khamenei was confirmed dead, the New York Times labeled him “avuncular and magnanimous,” complemented with a story picturing mourning Iranians.  This would be news to the overwhelming majority of Iranians who celebrated the end of their tyrant’s life—a mass murderer of innocents across the globe.  CNN aired a story on Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon, not once mentioning the precipitating cause: Hezbollah showering rockets into Israel. Elite outlets also deliberately obfuscated just who threw IEDS into a crowd in New York City this weekend—making it look the real “bad guys” were anti-Islamist protestors when it was, in fact, American Islamists. If you get your own news from mainstream media, the simple truth is this: you’ll be misinformed and uninformed.

As the world marked International Women’s Day, an international incident reminded us what real repression looks like — and how silent many so-called “feminists” have become. As their bus left Australia for a flight back to Iran, members of Iran’s women’s soccer team flashed “SOS” hand signals pleading for help. Iranian state media had branded them traitors for refusing to sing the regime’s national anthem before a match. It’s easy to see why they were afraid to go home. Under Iran’s Islamist theocracy, women possess few rights and defiance carries brutal consequences. As the Australian government dithered, President Trump urged officials to act and offered asylum in America. For years, American feminist groups have called the president sexist. Yet when real women risked everything for freedom, he moved quickly to protect them — while the so-called feminists did nothing.

This year marks 25 years since September 11, 2001. Since then, America has grown older, and soberer. We’ve learned the hard way that even the world’s greatest military cannot remake the Middle East. After Iraq and Afghanistan, few Americans want another long conflict in a distant land. But let’s be clear: Iran isn’t some random target. For nearly fifty years, its regime has waged war against us— directly and through terrorist proxies —working constantly to destabilize the region and beyond. It has taken Americans hostage, pursued nuclear weapons, funded terror groups, aided our enemies, and even plotted to assassinate our president. Reports indicate it was preparing attacks on U.S. interests in the Middle East. Iran’s evil leaders abused America for decades with impunity. Good riddance.

It’s difficult to escape the conclusion that many Americans hate President Trump so much they’d rather see the butcher Khamenei alive, the Iranian people under his boot and mullahs with a nuclear weapon than see Trump triumph. This level of “Trump Derangement Syndrome” well, it’s toxic. Had Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio beaten Clinton and done these same things, Reagan and Bush-era politicos would have cheered. Today’s most adamant Trump haters would have been leading the ovation. When Obama ordered the mission to kill bin Laden, I don’t recall his critics refusing to credit him. They loved America more than they disliked “44.” And old guard Republicans who battled FDR throughout the ’30s quickly rallied to his side when Pearl Harbor happened. Country comes or should come before politics. Perhaps someone will break free of the anti-Trump cult and show the way out. We are waiting for that first turning from the “TDS” crowd. We may wait a long time.

As we watch the fall of Iran’s hardline Islamist regime, nothing has been more moving than the palpable, heartfelt joy of the country’s women. They’re dancing in public. Singing. Throwing off the hijabs that have been forced on them for decades by a theocratic dictatorship. America acted to protect our own citizens and interests. But it’s also glorious to witness the unfolding liberation of a people who’ve endured such systematic humiliation and repression. Self-described American feminists should look deep into their own souls. For years, they’ve invoked “The Handmaids Tale.” Yet when confronted with real women living under genuine, brutal subjugation, they’re silent, or even—like Kamala Harris—opposed to the action that is freeing them.  That’s not solidarity. It’s selective outrage. May the women of Iran women secure the freedom so long denied them.

The world order can be reshaped in just a matter of hours—or even just minutes. Just as Iranians were starting their new work week on Saturday, leaders in Israel and the United States launched an attack. By the end of the day, the second supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei was dead. For more than four decades Iran has been the main source of state-sponsored terror. It also sought to attain nuclear weapons. President Trump ordered direct bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites just last year, but the regime resisted any agreement that would prevent the development of weapons grade materials. By Saturday the gig was up. Israel was not going to stand by as Iran gained nuclear capacity, and neither was the United States. President Trump has called to the people of Iran to seize political control, but the future is by no means clear. Pray that the right leadership emerges to point the Iranian people through the right door. As President Trump said on Saturday to the Iranian people: “This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.”

Senator Mark Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers—all former military —recently released a video urging U.S. troops to disobey orders from their new commander-in-chief, President Trump, if those orders “appear unlawful.” This amounted to a direct assault on the chain of command. And then: Trump announced all executive actions, pardons, and orders signed by Joe Biden’s autopen were null and void. It lands like a counterpunch in the broader fight inside the government over who actually wields authority. It’s not just coincidence. The Seditious Six exposed the extent to which entrenched bureaucrats and their allies are willing to undermine a duly elected president. The autopen enabled unelected staffers to mimic Biden’s signature and push through actions without accountability. By wiping that autopen slate clean, Trump is signaling that the shadow-government games are over. If this strategy succeeds, it could restore the people's mandate. President Trump and Pete Hegseth are ready for this fight. Let’s hope Pam Bondi is, too.

In this episode, Hugh Hewitt talks with House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith about the urgent push to finalize a major tax reform bill that makes Trump-era cuts permanent and includes pro-growth provisions. Smith emphasizes the need for unity in the GOP to pass the bill by July 4th, calling it a "big beautiful bill" to deliver economic certainty. 👉Follow Hugh Hewitt on X 👉Follow Rep. Jason Smith on X

Townhall Review – April 26, 2025 🔹 Media Collusion and DOGE Fallout Dan Schneider of the Media Research Center joins John Solomon to unpack the DOGE revelations—over 90 federal agencies allegedly collaborating to suppress dissenting voices. 🔹 Defunding NPR and PBS Hugh Hewitt supports using the excise provision to defund government-backed media. President Trump may soon act. 🔹 At the White House Chris Stigall speaks with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on immigration and the deportation of Ábrego García, an illegal alien from El Salvador. 🔹 Trump’s 100-Day Mark As Donald Trump nears 100 days in office, he talks tax cuts and economic revival with Joe Piscopo. 🔹 Megyn Kelly on Immigration Megyn Kelly appears on Charlie Kirk's show, questioning Democratic advocacy for illegal immigrant Ábrego García. 🔹 Men in Women's bathrooms is dangerous and disgusting Megyn Kelly talks about the ongoing fight against transgender participation in women's sports, where Kelly emphasizes significant progress in public opinion and legal rulings. 🔹 A Global ‘Vibe Shift’ Niall Ferguson foresaw it. Mike Gallagher affirms it. America—and the world—are in the midst of a deep political and perhaps even spiritual transition. 🎧 Listen and subscribe: SalemPodcastNetwork.com 📲 Follow: @HughHewitt | @TownhallReview

In this episode, John Solomon talks with National Security Advisor Michael Waltz about Trump's tariff-driven trade strategy with China and the value of strong personal diplomacy. Waltz also highlights U.S.-India ties, counterterrorism successes, and efforts to resolve the Ukraine-Russia conflict. 👉Follow John Solomon on X 👉Follow Mike Waltz on X

In this episode, Charlie Kirk is joined by Megyn Kelly to discuss Bill Maher's gradual shift toward conservative views, noting his growing criticism of liberal ideologies like wokeness and his appreciation for some of Trump's policies. They also address the backlash against Maher from figures like Larry David, the political missteps of Democrats defending an MS-13 gang member, and the ongoing fight against transgender participation in women's sports, where Kelly emphasizes significant progress in public opinion and legal rulings. 👉Follow Charlie on X 👉Follow Megyn on X

Joe Piscopo speaks with President Trump about their shared admiration for Italian-American heritage, opposition to removing Columbus Day, and Trump’s meeting with Italy's Prime Minister Meloni. Trump outlines plans to revitalize inner cities, replace income taxes with tariffs, lower drug prices, and usher in a new “golden age” for America. 👉Follow Joe Piscopo on X 👉Follow President Trump on X

Townhall Review – April 19, 2025 🔹 Deportation Debate – Trump’s removal of MS-13 gang member Ábrego García sparks outrage from Democrats and legacy media. Chris Stigall and Josh Hammer examine the legal and political implications. 🔹 Green Card Holders & Deportation – Andrew McCarthy breaks down the legal rights of non-citizens amid cases like Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Hamas activist. 🔹 Media Blind Spots – Mike Gallagher calls out the media’s disconnect on national sentiment regarding criminal migrants. 🔹 Stopping a Nuclear Iran – Trump intensifies diplomatic pressure on Iran. Hear from former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren and former National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien. 🔹 China Rising – Robert C. O’Brien returns to assess the growing threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party—the greatest challenge to U.S. dominance since the Cold War. 🔹 Defunding NPR – After NPR CEO Katherine Maher’s rocky congressional testimony, Charlie Kirk talks with OMB Director Russ Vought about efforts to strip taxpayer funding from NPR and PBS. 🔹 Media and Crime Narratives – Mike Gallagher contrasts how legacy media frames violence from the left vs. the right—and what they ignore. All this and more on Townhall Review with Hugh Hewitt. 🎧 Subscribe & Listen: SalemPodcastNetwork.com 📲 Follow Us: @TownhallReview Produced by the Salem Podcast Network.

In this episode, Charlie Kirk and Maria Bartiromo discuss Trump’s evolving tariff strategy, framing it as both an economic and national security measure aimed at curbing China’s influence and reviving U.S. manufacturing. Bartiromo warns of corporate overexposure to China but remains optimistic about the U.S. economy, rejecting recession fears if tax cuts are extended and deregulation continues. 👉Follow Charlie Kirk on X 👉Follow Maria Bartiromo on X

In this episode, John Solomon discusses newly uncovered emails suggesting Joe Biden supported a Russian gas deal to Ukraine in 2014, contradicting official U.S. policy. Fred Fleitz, Vice Chair of America First Policy Institute Center for American Security, criticizes the Obama-Biden administration’s appeasement toward Russia, Iran, and China, highlighting Trump’s stronger foreign policy stance and leverage. 👉Follow John Solomon on X 👉Follow Fred Fleitz on X

Joe Piscopo discuss Tom Homan’s relentless work under Trump to secure the border, crediting executive orders and frontline agents for historic enforcement gains. Homan praises El Salvador’s President Bukele for cracking down on gangs and calls for more funding from Congress to continue their mission. 👉Follow Joe Piscopo on X 👉Follow Tom Homan on X

In this episode, Charlie Kirk praises Matt Walsh as a key voice opposing transgender ideology, highlighting his film What Is a Woman? and his courage in challenging cultural narratives. Walsh explains that the movement’s rise stems from institutional surrender, ideological confusion, and spiritual deception, rooted in gnostic beliefs and driven by both profit and misplaced compassion.  👉Follow Charlie Kirk on X 👉Follow Matt Walsh on X

Townhall Review – April 12, 2025 🔹 Trump and Tariffs – President Trump shakes markets with a 90-day pause on tariffs (excluding China). Hugh Hewitt and Alex Gray (former White House official) discuss the national security implications of trade policies. 🔹 DOGE on Government Fraud – Charlie Kirk talks with Antonio Gracias (Valor Equity) about DOGE’s findings: inefficiency, fraud, and emotional tolls on agencies like Border Patrol. 🔹 Social Security Scandal – Explosive revelations from DOGE investigations show massive increases in suspicious Social Security numbers, including voting by non-citizens. 🔹 Demographics and the Ballot Box – Victor Davis Hanson weighs in on illegal immigration and its political consequences, calling out the Left’s strategic narratives. 🔹 Douglas Murray: “On Democracies and Death Cults” – British author and journalist Douglas Murray joins Hugh Hewitt to discuss Israel, October 7, and the West’s response to ideological extremism. Check out his book: On Democracies and Death Cults. 🔹 Fanaticism on Campus – Douglas Murray and Hugh explore how anti-Israel sentiment has spread across universities and cities worldwide. 🔹 Hope in Crisis – Douglas Murray reflects on the resilience of Israeli youth and the light amid tragedy following October 7. All this and more on Townhall Review with Hugh Hewitt. 🎧 Subscribe & Listen: SalemPodcastNetwork.com 📲 Follow Us: @TownhallReview A production of the Salem Podcast Network.

In this episode, Charlie Kirk praises Matt Walsh as a key voice opposing transgender ideology, highlighting his film What Is a Woman? and his courage in challenging cultural narratives. Walsh explains that the movement’s rise stems from institutional surrender, ideological confusion, and spiritual deception, rooted in gnostic beliefs and driven by both profit and misplaced compassion.  👉Follow Charlie Kirk on X 👉Follow Matt Walsh on X