Shortly after the United States entered World War II, General George C. Marshall recruited legendary film director Frank Capra to direct a series of films. This series, entitled Why We Fight, aimed to answer for the millions of American soldiers being sent to the front lines that all-important question: why?
This weekend, Americans around the country celebrated 250 years since the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. “250 years of freedom” was the rallying cry for a great many of these events. And while freedom should well be prioritized in the celebration of America’s birth, freedom itself was not created spontaneously by the Declaration.
When explaining his vision for the Star Wars prequels, George Lucas said his movies are “like poetry, sort of. They rhyme. Every stanza rhymes with the last one.” He meant that the prequels echoed the themes and storylines of the original trilogy.
In the 47 years since Iran was taken over by radical Islamic fundamentalists, it has been a source of terror around the world. The regime slaughters its own people, launches unprovoked terrorist attacks against Israel, disseminates anti-American and antisemitic propaganda, and murders American citizens.
At the start of the Cold War, Americans largely understood that it was at its core a struggle between two opposing worldviews: freedom and tyranny. From Kennan’s Long Telegram to NSC-68, it was clear that the United States was not just fighting for territory or economic interests, but the Western principles of human dignity, individual liberty, faith, and democracy.
Last Friday, a Russian drone crashed into an apartment building wounding several occupants in Romania, a NATO country. Two weeks ago, Russia hit Kyiv with the largest drone attacks of the war, launching over 1,400 drones into Kyiv. Both stories barely made ripples in the news cycle.
Birthdays are worth celebrating—especially America’s. This is why since January, The Vandenberg Coalition has published a series of videos commemorating the anniversaries of, and extracting lessons from, landmark documents and speeches in U.S. foreign policy history.
When we talk about “peace through strength,” the strength side of the equation usually gets the most attention. But before we can determine how to best build and exercise strength, we first must be clear about what we mean by peace, particularly when it comes to China.
This week, The Vandenberg Coalition hosted a fascinating discussion between Danielle Pletka, Marshall Billingslea, and Bradley Bowman on the U.S.- NATO relationship. While all agreed NATO has been foundational to America’s past success, the question for the panel centered on what role NATO should play in America’s present and future.
Last week, The Vandenberg Coalition presented the Trump administration with a letter signed by over two dozen national security leaders requesting that in his upcoming summit with Xi, President Trump advocate for the end of the persecution of Christians in China, and in particular, the unjust imprisonmnet of Pastor Ezra Jin.
Four score and one year ago, Senator Arthur Vandenberg stood in Congress and delivered his “Speech Heard Round the World,” a bold vision for the future of American foreign policy that emphasized U.S. sovereignty, robust alliances, and a strong national defense to advance American interests and values around the world.
Last week, I had the pleasure of participating, alongside Advisory Board member Rebeccah Heinrichs, in an Alexander Hamilton Society debate on the Iran war. While there are many strong and divergent views on the operation—including within our Coalition—it is quite rare to witness a nuanced, respectful debate.
Over the last few months, there has been much to celebrate about the display of American military capability. As I’ve written numerous times, the last year has transformed public perception of the American military, replacing images of the fall of Saigon and Kabul with those of B-2 bombers carrying out a heroic 37-hour operation, or of American commando forces singlehandedly bringing a Venezuelan dictator to justice.
“The Times They Are A’Changin” in Venezuela…or are they? Much has been promised for change in Venezuela following Operation Absolute Resolve—namely a plan of stabilization, recovery, and ultimately a transition to democracy—and the president has already declared victory.
Ten years ago, American diplomats stationed in Havana, Cuba, inexplicably began to report unusual symptoms: Pressure sensations, waves of pain, and vision and balance problems. A number of theories were offered for “Havana syndrome,” but all we knew for sure was something happened, that Americans suffered, and that we could not definitively say why.
America is divided. It is not Democrat vs. Republican, man vs. woman, or Boomer vs. Gen Z, but instead those who live in the real world and those who live online. We have seen this division manifest time and again – most recently in perspectives about Operation Epic Fury.
The Ayatollah is dead. What that translates to – in lives saved, in human rights abuses avoided, in arbitrary detentions and torture prevented – is incalculable. Since the start of the Islamic Republic, there have been over 1,000 Americans killed in Iranian attacks, with thousands more wounded.
One of the most important national security challenges of the day is how to properly calibrate our “Pivot to Asia.” China clearly remains the central pacing threat for the United States today in terms of military, economic, and critically, informational operations.
One of the most important national security challenges of the day is how to properly calibrate our “Pivot to Asia.” China clearly remains the central pacing threat for the United States today in terms of military, economic, and critically, informational operations.
January brought new hope to freedom fighters around the world as the United States extracted Nicolás Maduro to face justice for his crimes against humanity and Iranian protestors organized to directly challenge the tyrannical regime in Tehran after 46 years of repression.
2026 has started with a bang. Some good, some bad, but it has not been dull: The stunning success of Operation Absolute Resolve. Greenland. Phase 2 of the President’s Gaza Peace Plan. The Board of Peace floated as a potential alternative to the United Nations.
While all eyes were focused on the Western Hemisphere two weeks ago, many have begun to look back eastward to Iran. In what appear to be the largest protests in the history of the Islamic Republic, Iranians of all backgrounds and ages have flooded the streets, replacing the flag of the Islamic Republic with the Lion and Sun and demanding the end of the Ayatollah’s brutal reign.
It has been quite the week for those of us who have spent most of the last few years focused on Venezuela. Operation Absolute Resolve was a resounding success for American military might and justice – and a clear warning to America’s adversaries that our will and capability remain the best in the world.