Trump Takes Steps to Safeguard Minors, Thoughtful Conditions on California Relief, and Other Insights

Gender Watch: Trump Takes Steps to Safeguard Minors

“Many experts in this area find Trump’s directives quite sensible,” applauds Lisa Selin Davis at UnHerd regarding the president’s order to the Executive Branch to “refrain from funding, sponsoring, promoting, assisting, or supporting the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another.”

She points out that effectively “putting an end to these practices may necessitate the repeal of Section 1557 of the ObamaCare legislation.”

The order also emphasizes the importance of obtaining reliable data on the long-term impacts of transgender procedures and the best practices for addressing gender dysphoria.

Indeed, “there has been a pressing need for evidence-based guidelines rather than activist-driven ones.”

However, “documents released in court cases have shown” that the World Professional Association for Transgender Health “suppressed systematic evidence reviews that contradicted” the transition of adolescents.

Conservative View: Pragmatic Conditions on California Relief

“Democrats are furious” at President Trump’s proposal that federal wildfire relief for California “should be granted with specific conditions,” which include the state revising its water, timber management, and building regulations, observes Mick Mulvaney at The Hill.

However, federal assistance has included such stipulations “for decades in hurricane-stricken and other flood-prone regions,” and “the Biden administration has upheld” these requirements.

“As a taxpayer (and a property owner in Florida), I commend the Biden administration. What differentiates their actions from the proposals of some Republicans today?”

“If you seek taxpayer funding to rebuild your home, imposing some conditions seems reasonable.”

Media Analysis: Understanding Their Lack of Credibility

USA Today’s Ingrid Jacques highlights “two recent incidents” that underscore a significant bias in the media’s coverage of U.S. presidents.

In one instance, former reporters from Politico revealed “how editorial decisions were made to suppress negative reports” regarding Hunter Biden’s laptop, which held evidence of his questionable business dealings and influence peddling.

Instead, Politico published an article labeling The Post’s reporting on the matter as “disinformation.”

“Additionally, the media colluded to dismiss the theory that COVID-19 could have originated from a lab,” a suggestion Trump made early on that has now gained acceptance among American intelligence agencies.

“While the media’s response to Biden has been to take him at his word, the approach has been markedly different with Trump.”

Given the evident double standard in coverage, it’s challenging to regard journalists “seriously.”

Mideast Affairs: IDF’s Efforts to Support Abbas

Why is the IDF “conducting anti-terror operations in the West Bank even amidst the cease-fire in Gaza” questions Seth Mandel in Commentary?

“This effort aims to bolster Mahmoud Abbas’s Palestinian Authority, preventing its relegation to irrelevance and granting it a chance to govern both Palestinian territories effectively.”

Will Abbas ever be strong enough to uphold his end of a security agreement with Israel?

Yes, during the Hamas conflict, Israel demonstrated that the “costs” of “resistance at all costs” were significantly high for Palestinian militants. Yet the PA struggles with enforcing security, evident from its recent failures in Jenin, making it increasingly unlikely for it to effectively oversee Gaza as well.

From the Right: Support for Missile Defense

“One upside of President Trump’s return to the political scene is the influx of fresh ideas within the government — prominently, his call for an Iron Dome-style missile defense system to enhance national safety against missile and nuclear threats,” enthuses the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal.

Trump is advocating for initial plans within 60 days for “new missile tracking sensors, including those based in space,” as well as the “development and deployment of a range of space-based interceptors.”

This initiative could signify a “significant advancement” for U.S. defense capabilities, especially given the rapid global advancements in missile technology, which pose a greater concern than climate change.

Robust missile defense strengthens deterrence, as an opponent considering a first strike cannot be assured their assault would succeed. “Kudos to Mr. Trump” for addressing this vulnerability.

— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board