Hamas’s brazen refusal to disarm and its continued brutality toward its own people is proof positive that the regime that attacked Israel on October 7 remains rotten to the core. Reports from the ground show Hamas clinging to its weapons, carrying out public executions to silence dissent, and stubbornly withholding the bodies of hostages — conduct no civilized nation can tolerate. The world watched while terrorists played both oppressor and hostage-taker, and the consequences of appeasement have been brutal for innocents on every side.
President Trump cut through the spin and called out Hamas for what it is: a murderous gang flouting any agreement that constrains its power. His Truth Social warning — that if Hamas keeps killing people in Gaza “we will have no choice but to go in and kill them” — was neither careless nor emotional; it was a clear signal that weak talk and moral relativism must end when mass murder is involved. Conservatives should be grateful for leadership that speaks plainly instead of offering platitudes while blood is spilled.
When pressed, the President clarified that American boots need not be the ones to go in, saying “somebody will go in” under U.S. auspices and that forces “very close, very nearby” could act to enforce the deal. That pragmatic posture — holding the line, wielding American influence, and letting capable regional partners execute the heavy lifting — is smart statecraft, not cowardice. We should applaud a policy that keeps our troops safe while ensuring terrorists face real consequences.
Meanwhile, a seismic political shift is quietly taking place in Lebanon, where mainstream Christian leaders and the newly elevated leadership have begun pushing back against Hezbollah’s stranglehold. Lebanon’s new president and prime minister have publicly signaled the urgent need to restore the state’s monopoly on force and to push Hezbollah toward disarmament — a development that could isolate Iran’s proxy and create a path to real stability. This is the outcome conservatives favor: accountable national governments, not armed militias calling the shots.
The convergence of these developments should settle any remaining arguments about strength versus weakness: terrorists exploit vacuums and cowards, while firm, unapologetic pressure creates openings for allies and local patriots to reclaim their countries. Washington must continue to back Israel with unwavering moral and material support, while coordinating with regional partners ready to act. Our policy should be to empower freedom-loving allies, disrupt murderous networks, and refuse to normalize terror as a political tool.
Americans who love liberty and the rule of law must demand that our leaders move from words to deeds — not reckless adventurism, but decisive, lawful measures that end the power of murderers and return life to the innocent. The lesson is clear: strength begets peace, weakness begets suffering, and the American people should stand with leaders who will not flinch in the face of barbarism. Support for Israel, pressure on Hezbollah, and relentless pursuit of justice for the families of hostages are the moral, practical, and patriotic courses of action.
