Surprise, surprise, surprise
After new U.S. retaliatory strikes on Iranian targets, Tehran responded by launching drones and missiles at Bahrain and Kuwait
This week, our team will be taking time off to celebrate America’s 250th, but never fear we’ve prepared lots of great material in advance for you, and we’ll keep you up to date on the major headlines as they come in.
Today’s newsletter has a reading time of 8 minutes.
DAILY BIBLE VERSE
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13
Surprise, surprise, surprise: Iran can’t be trusted. After new U.S. retaliatory strikes on Iranian targets, Tehran responded by launching drones and missiles at Bahrain and Kuwait—two Gulf nations that host American forces—and threatened to suspend negotiations if Washington continues military operations. The latest escalation comes just as diplomats were trying to stabilize the fragile ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Related: Nikki Haley isn’t surprised.
Axios says the Republican Party is turning on Israel: Their story highlights the opinions of non-Republicans Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nick Fuentes, etc.
American Greatness columnist Jennifer Oliver O'Connell highlights one of the most disturbing stories of the past two weeks: federal prosecutors say they disrupted an alleged plot to carry out a mass-casualty attack at the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House. According to the Justice Department, the alleged conspirators planned to use explosive-laden drones to trigger a panicked evacuation before launching sniper attacks targeting President Trump, Vice President Vance, other senior officials, and civilians caught in the chaos. Authorities credit tips from family members and a rapid multi-state investigation with stopping the alleged plot before it could be be carried out.
Good News: The Texas State Board of Education has approved a statewide required reading list that includes Bible passages for every grade level beginning in the 2030–31 school year. Supporters argue that the Bible is one of the most influential works in Western literature and American history, making it appropriate for study alongside other foundational texts. Critics counter that the curriculum gives Christianity special treatment and raises constitutional concerns about the separation of church and state.
Excuse me, why are we complaining? Sometimes the best measure of success is when a business loses customers. A local Oakland news report highlights the unintended consequence of the city's sharp decline in car break-ins: auto glass repair shops are seeing business fall by 30 to 40 percent because far fewer drivers need windows replaced after smash-and-grab thefts. While some shop owners are feeling the financial pinch, all acknowledge that safer streets are a victory for the community.
Elissa Slotkin, call your office: Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin has sparked a backlash from the Congressional Black Caucus after publicly suggesting it may be time for new leadership in the House Democratic caucus. The remarks were interpreted by some members as a direct challenge to House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, prompting an unusually sharp response from CBC members, who rallied behind Jeffries and questioned why Democrats would air internal disagreements so publicly.
Terrible news: Europe's record-breaking heat wave is becoming a sobering reminder that extreme weather can be just as deadly as more visible natural disasters. French health officials now estimate that roughly 1,000 excess deaths occurred during just a few days of the heat wave, with the vast majority of victims over the age of 65.
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman is raising concerns about New York City's proposal to freeze rents on the city's roughly one million rent-stabilized apartments. In a lengthy post on X, Ackman argues that while a rent freeze may provide short-term relief for existing tenants, it could put many small property owners underwater as operating costs continue to rise. He warns that shrinking cash flow would leave some landlords unable to maintain their buildings, discouraging future housing investment and reducing the supply of affordable apartments over time.
Happy birthday: Happy 100th birthday on Sunday to Mel Brooks, who is still funnier than anyone currently on “Saturday Night Live.” Comedy writer Mark Evanier shared a couple of stories that show not only how funny Mel is, but what a mensch he is.
Quote of the Day! From a German soccer fan on X: “If you want to hate America, watch the news. If you want to love America, drive through it.”
As the Wall Street Journal reports, thousands of European fans visiting the United States are marveling at everyday suburban America—sprawling neighborhoods, giant supermarkets, wide highways, two-car garages, and homes that are far larger than what they're accustomed to. Many described the country as surprisingly prosperous, friendly, and abundant, even while noting America's higher prices and different way of life.
The following was adapted from Mike Huckabee and Steve Feazel’s book, “The Three C’s That Made America Great.”
In 2024, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a law requiring the posting of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, with a “context” message explaining that these Commandments were a foundational part of American education for many years and are the bedrock of Western law. Many other Republicans praised the law and since then, Texas, Alabama and Arkansas have passed similar laws.
Naturally, the ACLU and other groups hostile to any expression of religion in public immediately filed lawsuits to try to block the law (as of this writing, federal judges have upheld the laws in two states but blocked the Arkansas law, so the Supreme Court will have to settle this.) The plaintiffs claim that posting the Ten Commandments in public schools violates the fictitious doctrine of “separation of church and state,” a phrase that never appears in the Constitution or Bill of Rights.
The First Amendment protects citizens from the government interfering with their religious practices or trying to impose a state religion, but it does not ban expressions of faith in public spaces. We know this because the Founders who wrote the Constitution were very clear about Judeo-Christian values informing their actions and beliefs, and they would have thought it absurd to suggest banning the Bible from schools. They even published an official Congressionally-approved Bible that was used for years in American schools.
In fact, removing all references to the impact of faith on America’s public life from school history classes would be as ridiculous as trying to remove all religious-inspired imagery from art history classes. You’d have very little left to study. If you removed all references to religion from schools, imagine the cultural and historical ignorance of the students they would produce. They would have no idea even why the Pilgrims came to America! Oh, wait…a lot of them don’t. This explains a lot.
If you think that putting the Ten Commandments in public schools is outrageous, then you and the ACLU have a lot more censoring to do. Just take a look around Washington, DC.
Did you know that an image of Moses with the Ten Commandments is carved into marble on the exterior of the Supreme Court, and the Ten Commandments are engraved over the chair of the Chief Justice and into the bronze doors of the Court? Again, that’s because, whether the ACLU lawyers personally believe in God or not, the Ten Commandments are the foundation of Western law. If students in public schools don’t learn about them, then they go through life with a gaping hole in their basic knowledge.
But hurry along, we’ve got a lot more censoring to do! On the east side of the capstone high atop the Washington Monument are engraved the Latin words “Laus Deo,” meaning “Praise be to God.” The first sunlight of each day that falls on DC shines on those words. The cornerstone of the Monument contains a copy of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Bible. You’ll also find other displays of the Christian faith inside.
Hold on, we’re just getting started on our religious censorship tour of DC. The Lincoln Memorial contains many quotes from Lincoln, filled with references to God and the Bible. The Jefferson Memorial contains four panels, three of which pay tribute to God as the source of our liberties.
Let’s drop by the Treasury and look at a dollar bill. Before you feel depressed about how little it buys these days, notice what it says: “In God We Trust.” That’s our national motto, and it appears everywhere from the money to the backdrop of the House Speaker’s chair. As long as we’re in the Capitol, take note of the two paintings with religious themes hanging there, “The Embarkation of the Pilgrims” and “The Baptism of Pocahontas.”
While we’re driving around looking for public expressions of faith to scream about, switch on the radio to any sporting event and you’ll hear our national anthem. We seldom sing the fourth verse, but it includes the lyric, “And this be our motto, in God is our trust.” That was the beginning of it becoming our national motto and appearing on the money.
On June 14, 1954, Congress passed a law adding the words “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance. There have been lawsuits to challenge that, but they’ve failed and God remains in the Pledge of Allegiance.
There have been many attempts by the left to remove all references to God from schools, to help brainwash young Americans into believing that the original intent of the Founders was to create a secular nation where Christianity was to be scrubbed from the schools, the public square and the halls of government.
That’s not only completely at odds with the words they spoke and wrote, but with the evidence all around us -- some of which is literally set in stone.
(Adapted from the book, “The Three C’s That Made America Great,” )
David Clayton Thomas RIP: By HP pop culture guru Pat Reeder
Yes, I’m supposed to be on vacation, but I said I’d report any major news, and I think this qualifies: Blood, Sweat & Tears vocalist David Clayton Thomas died last Wednesday in his hometown of Toronto at 84.
As a kid, Thomas was beaten and called “Useless” by his father. He ran away at 14, lived on the streets, stole food and ended up spending four years in jail, where he honed his singing abilities. He became the second singer for the groundbreaking jazz/rock band Blood, Sweat and Tears (Al Kooper was on the first album). The recently-departed Clive Davis saw them at a club and said he was “electrified” by Thomas’ powerful voice. His debut album with BS&T spawned such classics as “Spinning Wheel,” “And When I Die,” “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” “God Bless The Child” and “Smiling Phases.” It beat out the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” for the Album of the Year Grammy.
Later hits included “Hi-De-Ho” and my favorite, “Lucretia McEvil.” They were also possibly the first victims of leftist cancel culture. They agreed to do a tour behind the Iron Curtain for the State Department to keep Thomas from being deported. They sparked angry backlash from the dirty hippies on the anti-war left and harmed their careers.
Read the obituary at the link to learn more, and then play some BS&T loud. RIP.
Thank you for reading the Huckabee Post.
"If you want to love America, drive through it." maybe the quote of the YEAR. too bad the people who NEED to drive through it are stuck in LA or NYC traffic, listening to the "news" on their radios (or electronic devices).
America’s enemies understand symbols better than many Americans do. They know why schools, monuments, anthems, pledges, holidays, Bibles, flags, borders, police, churches, and military strength matter. That is why they attack them. The Founders did not build a secular void. They built a constitutional republic rooted in liberty, law, Providence, and moral responsibility. Strip those foundations away, and all that remains is consumption, grievance, and bureaucratic management. America 250 should not be a museum ceremony. It should be a recommitment: defend the country, teach the truth, honor sacrifice, secure the border, and praise God without apology.