Michael McKenna
Columns by Michael McKenna
Catholic churches under siege around the world
About a week ago, for reasons known only to them, Israeli forces attacked Holy Family, the only Roman Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip. Published July 23, 2025
Trump’s quiet revolution changed everything, now it must survive its own zealots
In the wake of the first victories of the French Revolution, Maximilien Robespierre decided that the threats to the revolution were too numerous and too serious to allow for due process. Published July 20, 2025
Republicans must prepare for a post-Trump future now
Now that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has become law, the Republican Party is faced with a few uncomfortable facts. Published July 16, 2025
The Justice Department’s Orwellian about-face on Epstein
Last week, Team Trump decided and announced, despite mountains of evidence to the contrary, that Jeffrey Epstein didn't engage in blackmail, didn't have a customer list and died by suicide. Published July 13, 2025
Why is Trump’s energy supremacy important?
In 1973, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries imposed a complete oil embargo against the United States in direct response to America's support for Israel during the Yom Kippur War. Published July 9, 2025
Trade deals, tariffs, and tall tales: Trump’s negotiating circus continues
One of the few entertaining elements of living and working in Washington is that every once in a while, someone says something so aggressively ridiculous and nonsensical that it cannot be ignored. Published July 6, 2025
They died for freedom, not federal control: The forgotten price of American independence
As we careen toward the final July 4 before the quarter-millennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence, we should think about the real cost of the Revolution paid by those who fought it. Published July 2, 2025
Mamdani is a gift to Trump and the Republican Party
Zohran Mamdani won the New York City Democratic primary for mayor, immediately becoming the favorite to win the general mayoral election -- and an object of both adulation and concern. Published June 29, 2025
Destruction won’t kill ideology: Why bombing Iran won’t stop its nuclear ambitions
A lot of people are confidently predicting that President Trump has successfully threaded the needle between corroding Iran's ability to build and launch nuclear weapons and destabilizing the regime in Tehran. Published June 25, 2025
Environmentalist goon squad Greenpeace learns a lesson
In 2016, Greenpeace deployed operatives and assorted stooges to North Dakota to organize opposition to a pipeline being constructed by Energy Transfer, based in Texas. Published June 18, 2025
Happy birthday to the U.S. Army
In the depths of a cold night almost 250 years ago, a handful of soldiers waited their turn to cross a river and head toward their enemy in hopes of surprising them on Christmas. Published June 15, 2025
Democrats: Doubling down on stupidity in California
Most Democrats, at least elected ones, seem to be fundamentally unbright when it comes to anything involving President Trump. Published June 11, 2025
Trump should have ditched Musk long ago
Watching President Trump and Elon Musk turn their relationship into one impressively aggressive and large dumpster fire and scream at each in the middle of the street was kind of entertaining. Published June 8, 2025
Red tape reckoning: Team Trump needs to overhaul America’s obsolete environmental laws
Recently, the Supreme Court came to two clear conclusions in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County about how federal agencies should implement the National Environmental Protection Act. Published June 4, 2025
Pope Leo XIV’s surprise election reveals why the Catholic Church survives leadership changes
A few weeks ago, a man named Richard Prevost was elected by his peers to become the most important man in the world. Published June 1, 2025
Senate’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ process likely to focus on saving taxpayer money
Last week, the House of Representatives passed, by the bracing margin of 215-214, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included an extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Published May 28, 2025
Reflecting on Memorial Day’s true meaning
On Monday, we celebrate Memorial Day, the civic holy day we set aside to commemorate those who died fighting our wars. Published May 25, 2025
For Trump’s tariffs to work, consumer behavior needs to change
President Trump teed off a bit last weekend in response to Walmart's announcement that it plans to increase prices on some of the goods it sells, partly because of the effect of tariffs on goods originating in China. As a reminder, these tariffs are still in place, albeit at a 30% rate rather than the 145% rate where we started. Published May 21, 2025
City monopolies: Breaking the ruinous Democratic stronghold
If the Justice Department is really serious about breaking up monopolies that have a toxic effect on Americans, they should do something about America's cities. Published May 18, 2025
Trump must stay tough on China: No ‘shared interests’ with a genocidal regime
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent observed early this week that the U.S. and China found common ground on trade in talks over the weekend and neither side wants a divorce. Published May 14, 2025
