The Signal Sitdown

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna joins The Daily Signal to discuss her push to crack down on birth tourism, why she sees the issue as a national security concern, and what she says Congress can do to close existing loopholes. Luna also takes aim at congressional stock trading, explains why she believes lawmakers shouldn’t be able to profit from information unavailable to the public, and makes the case for focusing on broadly popular issues heading into the midterms. The Heritage Guide to Historic Sites: Visit https://historicsites.heritage.org/ to start your adventure today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The House of Representatives is back in Washington, D.C., this week following its monthlong August recess, but maybe not for long. Some Republicans just want to go straight home after this week and start working in their districts ahead of the midterm elections. Others want to stay in D.C. and continue to take votes that make Democrats look silly. Rep. Keith Self, a House Freedom Caucus member, joins the Signal Sitdown today with Bradley Devlin to answer that question. The Heritage Guide to Historic Sites: Visit https://historicsites.heritage.org/ to start your adventure today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, America’s cultural institutions have been used to promote a left-wing interpretation of American history, and the Smithsonian became a prime example. Mike Gonzalez, Senior Fellow with the Heritage Foundation, argues that the Trump administration is now reversing that “long march through the institutions” and demanding that America’s museums present a more accurate account of the nation’s heritage. Bradley Devlin and Gonzalez also discuss how the American people helped defeat the first wave of woke ideology—and why conservatives must stay vigilant against a rebranded “Woke 2.” The Heritage Guide to Historic Sites: Visit https://historicsites.heritage.org/ to start your adventure today.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Affordability has become a growing political problem for younger Americans, with rising everyday costs exposing a divide over how Republicans should respond to voters who feel increasingly squeezed despite improving economic fundamentals. The fight over cheap burritos reflects a much larger debate over consumer confidence, the post-COVID economy, and whether dismissing those concerns could fracture the coalition that elected Donald Trump. The rise of socialist candidates inside the Democratic Party is reshaping the midterm landscape, fueled by decentralized grassroots campaigns modeled on Zohran Mamdani’s political strategy. The stakes for Republicans, the possibility of a narrow fight for control of the House, and the emergence of a more disciplined “Woke 2.0” could define the next election cycle. A growing fascination with Richard Nixon among Gen Z and younger conservatives also reflects a broader reassessment of the modern American right, Nixon’s battles with the political establishment, and the overlooked role his coalition played in laying the groundwork for Ronald Reagan and the conservative movement that followed. The Heritage Guide to Historic Sites: Visit https://historicsites.heritage.org/ to start your adventure today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and voter ID when casting a ballot. Supporters argue the legislation would strengthen election integrity, while opponents claim it could disenfranchise eligible voters. Senate Republicans are weighing multiple paths to pass the bill, including a talking filibuster and budget reconciliation, as lawmakers debate the political risks and procedural hurdles of each approach. The legislation has also exposed divisions within the Republican conference, with some senators pushing leadership to keep Congress in session until action is taken. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republicans must use their remaining months in power to deliver on the promises that gave them control of Washington. That includes permanently securing the border, passing the SAVE America Act, reforming birthright citizenship and legal immigration, restricting government surveillance, expanding energy freedom, banning congressional stock trading, and advancing the rest of the agenda Republican voters were promised. Conservatives temporarily brought the House floor to a halt to force action on key priorities, while Senate rules continue to stand in the way of election-integrity legislation. Republicans must replace political caution with an aggressive governing strategy as Texas becomes the center of a growing struggle over political Islam and the country’s laws, culture, and founding principles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Ryan Helfenbein, executive director of Liberty University's Standing for Freedom Center and a longtime friend of Charlie Kirk, who was present in the courtroom during the preliminary hearing in the Tyler Robinson murder case. Ryan shares what it was like sitting with Charlie Kirk's family as prosecutors presented evidence, explains the emotional moments that unfolded inside the courtroom, and discusses what surprised him most about the case. Ryan recounts the atmosphere inside the courtroom as previously unseen evidence was presented, examines the prosecution's case against Tyler Robinson, explains the defense's response, and discusses the questions surrounding motive and what comes next as the case moves toward trial. He also reflects on Charlie Kirk's personal growth, his deepening Christian faith, and the legacy he believes Charlie leaves behind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An unprecedented American papacy is shifting the Vatican back toward tradition, math, and absolute truths after a chaotic twelve years under Pope Francis. This new leadership is already paving the way for strong diplomatic ties with the Trump administration, driven by a mutual respect for innovation and strict institutional order.  Daily Signal Politics Editor Bradley Devlin’s sits down with Paul Kengor, editor of The American Spectator and author of the new book “American Pontiff,” on today’s edition of “Signal Sitdown.” “Sacred Honor: The Declaration That Defines a Nation,” featuring Victor Davis Hanson, is OUT NOW! https://youtu.be/O1d3gn_H8ow   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With America's 250th birthday around the corner, Victor Davis Hanson and Bradley Devlin discuss what must be done to keep America alive for the next 250 years. WATCH NOW: Sacred Honor: The Declaration That Defines a Nation Premieres TONIGHT, July 2, at 8:30pm ET 👉 https://youtu.be/O1d3gn_H8ow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former senior Health and Human Services advisor and ICE official John Fabbricatore says the Biden administration failed to vet sponsors for unaccompanied minors, leading to over 300,000 children missing from HHS rolls, 65,000 unanswered hotline calls, thousands of trafficking allegations, and dozens of deceased children later identified. Fabbricatore describes his career in INS/ICE and says Trump-era HHS leadership prioritized locating children, reporting about 140,000 found and a faster response process for new tips. This, and more, on this week’s edition of “The Signal Sitdown" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump's Department of Justice has charged the Southern Poverty Law Center, the SPLC, with wire fraud and bank fraud. According to the DOJ, the SPLC paid millions of dollars to individuals associated with groups like the KKK, only to raise money off of supposedly pervasive hate in America. Daily Signal Senior Editor Tyler O'Neil, author of a book on the SPLC titled "Making Hate Pay," joined the Signal Sitdown this week to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Freitas recently returned from the United Kingdom and shares what he witnessed on the ground.After first visiting in 1998, he saw how dramatically Britain has changed due to mass immigration over the past 25+ years. Areas near historic landmarks like the Tower of London now resemble Bangladesh. British culture is rapidly shifting, with growing balkanization, Sharia courts, grooming gangs, and a government that has prioritized newcomers over its own citizens. The raw reality of unchecked immigration and the failure of assimilation in the UK should be a serious lesson for Americans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matthew Mehan, author of "The American Book of Fables," joins Bradley Devlin on a new episode of Signal Sitdown to discuss the "moral imagination" of the Founders and on the need during America 250 for the nation to have a "shared memory." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As debates rage across conservative media over foreign policy, coalition building, tariffs, and the future direction of the Right, the real question becomes whether the movement can stay focused on governing instead of turning inward. From social media feuds and ideological purity tests to the growing influence of podcasters and political commentatory, today we explore what happens when political identity becomes detached from practical politics. “A lot of these debates that have broken out among the podcasters involve things that are really petty.” At the same time, packed TPUSA events, energized young conservatives, and growing grassroots enthusiasm suggest the movement may be far more united in real life than it appears online. In today’s episode of “The Signal Sitdown,” Michael Knowles and Bradley Devlin dive into the tension between internet politics and actual political momentum, and whether conservatives can avoid becoming distracted by personalities and factionalism while the Left continues to organize and govern. “We will become frivolous, we will become superfluous, and the upshot of that will be that the Left will actually do the governing and we will all lose.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The chaos surrounding the Kavanaugh confirmation didn’t just shake Washington—it revealed how far the Left was willing to go to pressure the Supreme Court. Mollie Hemingway, author of “Alito: The Justice Who Reshaped the Supreme Court and Restored the Constitution,” explains how that push reshaped the conservative legal movement and helped elevate Justice Samuel Alito as a defining voice on the bench. From behind-the-scenes tensions to major dissents, this conversation uncovers why Alito’s influence is only growing. 👉For more videos like this, subscribe to The Daily Signal’s YouTube channel and enable notifications to be alerted the second a new video drops: https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the past few weeks, Rep. Greg Steube was leading the charge to bring to the House floor a vote to expel now-former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. Minutes before Steube was set to join the “Signal Sitdown” — and the same day the Ethics Committee was expected to render a recommendation to the House on whether to expel the Florida congresswoman over fraud allegations — Cherfilus-McCormick announced she was resigning her seat in Congress, effective immediately. On this episode of the “Signal Sitdown,” Steube, R-Fla., peels back the curtain on the investigation that ultimately resulted in Cherfilus-McCormick’s resignation. What he describes, based on investigations conducted by the Office of Congressional Ethics, the House Ethics Committee, and the Department of Justice, is an alleged plot to take advantage of DEI in the federal and state bureaucracy to commit fraud and attain and maintain political power. 👉For more videos like this, subscribe to The Daily Signal’s YouTube channel and enable notifications to be alerted the second a new video drops: https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress could be heading for another One Big Beautiful Bill. Congressional Republicans are facing a double-bind of a lingering shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security and the urgent need to pass the SAVE America Act, an election integrity bill that would require proof of citizenship to vote and implement nationwide voter ID, before November’s midterm elections. Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, joined “The Signal Sitdown” to discuss where the rapidly-evolving GOP strategy to end the shutdown and secure American elections is heading. This is the number one most important piece of legislation we could be working on right now, Gill told The Daily Signal of the SAVE America Act. We need election integrity because every time an illegal alien votes in our election system, it disenfranchises an American citizen by canceling out their vote. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a world where opportunity for women abounds, why are they so unhappy? Emma Waters, a policy analyst in the Center for Technology and the Human Person at The Heritage Foundation and author of a new book titled "Lead Like Jael: 7 Timeless Principles for Today's Women of Faith," has thought deeply about this question and joins “The Signal Sitdown” this week to discuss. “Women have more choices before them than ever before. And yet, despite the abundance of choices before them, they are less equipped than ever before with the life script or guidance necessary to make good decisions.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Detroit has become the poster child of American decline and for good reason: No city in what is now known as the Rust Belt experienced such soaring highs and such abysmal lows. In the 1950s, Detroit was the wealthiest city in America. By 2014, just one year after the city declared bankruptcy, Detroit was considered the poorest city in America. Detroit is starting to show signs of comeback by courting large investments from some of the companies who brought Detroit to its zenith, such as the Ford Motor Company, and balancing the city’s checkbook. But plenty of problems persist, and the whiplash has left policymakers and every day Americans asking what happened, and what is the way back for cities like Detroit. Rodney Lockwood is a member of the Board of Directors of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy with a business background in real estate. Lockwood joins “The Signal Sitdown” this week to help unpack Detroit’s collapse, the beginnings of its recovery, and share his bold plan to revitalize a forgotten part of the city. “I think Detroit is probably the most prime example,” of the Rust Belt’s collapse, Lockwood told The Daily Signal, “because other cities have not suffered as much as Detroit.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vice President JD Vance’s life has taken him from the hollowed out town of Middletown, Ohio to the halls of power. Between his challenging upbringing, his service in the Marine Corps, his stint in Silicon Valley, his Senate tenure, and now his vice presidency, it’s easy to lose sight of the two short days leading up to President Donald Trump picking Vance as his running mate. Reflect on those two days in the middle of July and you’ll see the distillation of a long career arc for such a young man. Author Frank DeVito joins “The Signal Sitdown” this week to discuss his new book on the vice president, titled “JD Vance and the Future of the Republican Party,” and the role Vance was born to play in American political life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices