Carl Higbie used his Newsmax platform this week to thunder that the United States could “put down any world leader” President Trump wanted and argued the nation could move quickly to neutralize hostile dictators if called upon. His remarks landed like a challenge to the tired, timid foreign policy elites who have watched America’s might erode while wringing their hands, and he made clear he believes a restored presidency under Trump would not hesitate to wield power to protect American interests.
Patriots should welcome a commander in chief who understands deterrence, not a president who treats the global chessboard like a photo op. That said, bluster about “taking out” leaders plays into the media’s hands and risks being portrayed as reckless warmongering when the real point conservatives need to make is simple: strength prevents wars, and weakness invites them. We can bolster our military, sharpen our intelligence, and rebuild alliances without endorsing lawless vigilantism.
The real debate conservatives should be having is about restoring credibility and capability so that dictators think twice before threatening Americans or our allies. Too many years of budget cuts, political correctness in the ranks, and a foreign policy obsessed with virtue signaling have left us less secure, and that must change. A robust defense posture and clear red lines deter aggression, protect commerce, and keep American sons and daughters out of endless, pointless quagmires.
Meanwhile, the left and the legacy media jumped on Higbie’s rhetoric to paint conservatives as bloodthirsty, ignoring their own track record of weakness on the world stage. They love to scream about rhetoric while excusing policy failures that abandon allies and embolden adversaries from Tehran to Beijing. Hardworking Americans understand the difference between a capable, principled nation defending its interests and chaotic interventionism driven by moral exhibitionism.
Republicans in Congress and in the next White House should answer the legitimate anxieties the public feels without succumbing to sensationalism. Demand transparent legal frameworks, robust congressional oversight, and clear missions with achievable objectives — that is how democracies employ force responsibly and keep democracies intact. Conservatives should insist on victory defined by strategic outcomes, not by viral one-liners or televised bravado.
Make no mistake, the enemies of liberty are watching every sign of American weakness and will test us again if they smell it. That is why conservatives must double down on rebuilding our military, shoring up deterrence, and ensuring our leaders have the spine and the strategy to prevail when national survival is at stake. We are not isolationists; we are an exceptional nation that must be prepared to defend its people, its interests, and its friends abroad.
To my fellow Americans: don’t be fooled by the hand-wringers who equate preparedness with aggression. Stand for a foreign policy rooted in strength, sanity, and the rule of law — and hold leaders accountable to those principles. If we want peace, we must be ready for it, and if we want safety, we must not shy away from the hard decisions that keep our streets and our children safe.
