Author: Rana McCallister

President Donald Trump announced this week that Uzbekistan has agreed to buy roughly $8 billion worth of Boeing aircraft, a deal his team says will boost American jobs and industry. The administration framed the pact as another tangible win for U.S. manufacturing after a recent railroad equipment agreement with Kazakhstan. For Republicans, this is the kind of results-oriented foreign policy that delivers payrolls and strengthens leverage overseas. The centerpiece of the announcement was a direct quote from the president that the campaign highlighted in messaging. “Earlier this month I spoke with the Highly Respected President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Today…

The United Nations will open the 80th session of its annual General Assembly high-level debate on Tuesday morning. The event gives world leaders a platform to raise issues that matter to them and often turns into a public airing of grievances diplomats usually keep quiet. This ritual of rhetoric matters because it shapes headlines and can sway policy, even when real consequences are slow to follow. For conservatives, the General Assembly should be a chance to demand accountability and guard national sovereignty. Too often the UN becomes a stage for grand statements with little follow-through, and taxpayers feel the bill.…

DHS Tells Gavin Newsom, California What They Can Do With Their ‘Unconstitutional’ ICE Mask Ban Gavin Newsom chose style over substance again, firing off a tweet that read, “Kristi Noem is going to have a bad day today. You’re welcome America.” That post was timed just before the memorial for Charlie Kirk, which made the timing look more like political theater than leadership. Republicans see it as provocation, and DHS saw it as a challenge. Newsom’s latest stunt is a law barring ICE agents from wearing masks while on duty in California, a move painted as a defense of transparency…

Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist running for New York City mayor, told Qatari state television that the American federal government is “bankrolling a genocide” against Palestinians, declaring U.S. support has resulted in the death of “a Palestinian child every hour for over a year.” That is a heavy charge, and it landed on an international stage thanks to the choice of broadcaster. Republicans and many reasonable independents will push back not because they ignore suffering, but because facts and context matter more than applause lines. First, language like “bankrolling a genocide” is politically charged and legally loaded. Genocide has a…

CNN’s Chalian Misreads Trump Coalition Over Disney and Jimmy Kimmel CNN Washington bureau chief David Chalian said Monday on “The Arena” that President Donald Trump’s coalition of supporters was “starting to split” over Disney’s suspension of comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show. That single sentence has already been paraded by media elites as proof that Trump’s base is fragile and unpredictable. From a conservative perspective, it’s worth taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture. First, the idea that a single cultural skirmish can fracture a political coalition misunderstands how coalitions form. Voters align around shared values, policy…

For decades cable was the default way to watch TV, a fixture in living rooms across the country. Those big bundles and sticky contracts started to feel outdated as monthly bills climbed and most channels went unwatched. Now more households are choosing flexibility over legacy habits and the shift is reshaping how we consume video. Price is the obvious driver. When basic packages balloon into triple-digit bills after fees and sports add-ons, people start asking whether they are paying for channels they never watch. That math pushes viewers toward cheaper, more targeted ways to get what they actually want. Choice…

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Elias Frank to shepherd the Archdiocese of Calcutta, a community of about 180,000 Catholics. The move comes after just two years of his leadership in a smaller diocese. The rapid elevation has drawn attention from clergy and laity alike. Bishop Frank arrives with a reputation for pastoral energy and a focus on community outreach. Insiders say he is practical, approachable, and used to rolling up his sleeves. That style may be exactly what a busy urban archdiocese needs. Calcutta presents a complex pastoral landscape with dense urban neighborhoods and a mosaic of religions and…

Steak ‘n Shake recently voiced its disapproval of Cracker Barrel’s attempt to modernize its brand image. This came after Cracker Barrel decided to drop its iconic rocking-chair gentleman logo, opting instead for a minimalistic design. The move sparked a heated response from Steak ‘n Shake, which criticized the change as a way to erase the restaurant’s personality. In a social media post, Steak ‘n Shake accused Cracker Barrel of erasing its heritage, claiming that the redesign was a “cheap effort” to gain trendy approval. The post emphasized the importance of maintaining tradition, something Steak ‘n Shake prides itself on. They…

Katie Phang, a former MSNBC host and lawyer, recently sparked controversy with her remarks about deportation and immigration. During an interview with writer Wajahat Ali on Substack’s “The Left Hook,” Phang expressed a desire to relocate those she labeled as driven by “cruelty and hatred” to a “penal colony somewhere.” Her comments have stirred debate, reflecting a broader tension in America’s ongoing conversation about immigration and national identity. Phang’s background as a “daughter of immigrants” adds another layer to her perspective. Her father immigrated to the United States from South Korea, a country known for its ethnic homogeneity. The Korea…

President Trump, on a recent Monday, restated his belief that a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is within reach. He mentioned that the ongoing conflict, although challenging, seemed initially like the easiest one to address. This remark was made during a gathering at the White House with several European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump emphasized that the resolution to the conflict lies with President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people, who need to work collaboratively with President Putin. He expressed optimism, saying, “I believe a peace agreement at the end of all of this is something that’s very…