Opinion

The president’s tough talk won’t suffice if the administration passes on an opportunity to topple the mullahs and chooses to let Hamas survive.

(Jan. 16, 2026 / JNS) When Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East in the Trump administration, told an audience at the Israel-American Council’s conference this week in Hollywood, Fla., that they should “trust” President Donald Trump to do the right thing on both Iran and Gaza, many, if not most, of those in attendance were probably ready to do so. Trump’s historic support for Israel and willingness to repeatedly confront the Islamist regime in Tehran have earned him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to what will happen in 2026.

Communism and Americanism represent fundamentally opposing ideologies, rooted in contrasting views on human nature, society, economy, and governance. While Americanism embodies the principles enshrined in the U.S. founding documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Federalist Papers, communism prioritizes collective ownership and state control. Americanism is deeply tied to capitalism, where private property rights, free markets, and entrepreneurship drive prosperity, fostering innovation, competition, and upward mobility as seen in the American Dream. Communism, in contrast, seeks to eliminate private property and class distinctions, advocating for the means of production to be owned collectively or by the state, which centralized planning often stifles individual incentive and leads to economic stagnation.

In November 2023, a 77-year-old man in Panama shot two climate change protesters who were blocking the road he was driving on. As he approached them with his gun, he reportedly said, “This ends here,” before firing. The incident in Panama did not receive widespread attention in the United States and did not deter protesters from routinely blocking roads to advance their political agenda. As more time passed without a similar fatal incident, protesters became increasingly emboldened to use their bodies and vehicles to impede both civilians and law enforcement from carrying out their daily routines.

This coming Shabbos, we will read about the rishe of a new king “who did not know Yosef.” Last week we observed the inauguration of a new mayor in New York. Are there similarities between the two?

Federal agencies were very explicit in their Dec. 25 holiday greetings to the public, celebrating “the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” in a message issued by the White House. It contrasts sharply with previous administrations that avoided specific references to the defining figure of Christianity.

Over the course of a few days, several separate news stories emerged from opposite sides of the world that all connect to one place—Somalia. Israeli recognition of Somaliland as an independent state from Somalia, explosive investigative reporting on the depths of Somali fraud in Minnesota, and Somalia ascending to a lofty position in the United Nations have put this failed African nation under the microscope.