Jan 21, 2020

Yesterday, America honored Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who dedicated his life to fighting for a day when all Americans could participate equally in the opportunities of this country without segregation and discrimination. We at Heritage work tirelessly to remove every social, educational, and economic barrier to Americans, and recognize the special role played by historically black colleges and universities (HCBUs) in our nation’s history. This week, Heritage is hosting our inaugural forum on HBCUs, which will examine how we can bolster these national assets. Learn more about this event below.

Last week, the Senate opened the impeachment trial of President Trump. Heritage legal expert John Malcolm explains what the process should—and should not—look like moving forward. Meanwhile, the president took a solid first step toward normalizing trade relations with China. Heritage foreign policy expert James Carafano and trade expert Jack Spencer provide their analysis. While thousands of Iranians, Iraqis, and Syrians celebrated the United States’ elimination of terrorist mastermind Qassem Suleimani, some members of Congress criticized the administration, saying that the move unnecessarily provoked the Iranian regime. Heritage President Kay C. James took aim at these critics in a recent op-ed.

Impeachment Trial Moves Forward
Today, the impeachment trial of President Trump resumes, following Thursday’s swearing-in of senators and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who is presiding. The question now is whether the Senate will bow to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s push to bring forward new witnesses to testify. “Whether there are going to be any witnesses or not is the big question, and that remains to be seen,” Heritage legal expert John Malcolm told Fox News. The proceedings should look similar to the impeachment trial of President Clinton, according to Malcolm, who leads Heritage’s Institute for Constitutional Government and directs the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies. The Senate should listen to the presentations of evidence from the House impeachment managers—who serve as prosecutors in the trial—and the president’s defense lawyers, and ask questions of both, before voting on whether to involve new witnesses. Watch Malcolm’s full assessment on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends First” and learn more about what to expect from the trial on Heritage’s impeachment resource page.

First Phase of U.S.-China Trade Deal a Good First Step
President Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He signed Phase 1 of the U.S.-China Economic and Trade Agreement on Wednesday. “The new Phase 1 deal takes a significant step toward normalizing the U.S.-China trade relationship, as it’s easily the most comprehensive agreement our countries have signed since China’s entry into the World Trade Organization,” write Heritage vice presidents James Carafano and Jack Spencer. While not perfect, Phase 1 moves us closer toward ending the escalating trade war with China and positions us to eventually remove tariffs on Chinese goods. Find out more about how Phase 1 of the deal will benefit America.

Congress' Personal Disdain for Trump Impedes National Security
The left’s dislike of President Trump has skewed judgment of some members of Congress on national security issues concerning Iran, especially the killing of Gen. Qassem Suleimani, writes Heritage President Kay C. James in her latest Washington Times commentary. Despite the fact that Suleimani—who was responsible for the death of more than 600 Americans—was a legitimate military target under domestic and international law, critics of the president in Congress claim that his killing was an illegal assasination. “While Congress has a role in ensuring that America doesn’t become entangled in unnecessary or illegitimate conflicts, it must also recognize when legitimate actions are taken for national security reasons, and it must reject letting politics get in the way of its sacred obligation to protect the American people,” James writes. Meanwhile, the Iranian people have taken to the streets to protest their own government’s legacy of terror and to express solidarity with the United States. Read more of what Heritage’s president has to say about Congress’ duty to help ensure our national security.

Tuesday at noon, Heritage will host an event featuring remarks from the 28th prime minister of Australia, Tony Abbott. The former prime minister will discuss how the West can take a leadership role in the Indo-Pacific as the strategic balance in the region rapidly shifts. He will also talk about the values that Australia and the United States both share. Watch the event live.

Wednesday at noon, WORLD editor-in-chief Marvin Olasky will discuss his new book, “Reforming Journalism,” breaking down the history of Christian journalism and how it can be applied to today’s media world. Watch the event live.

Here are highlights from media outlets like Fox News, Fox Business, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, EWTN, and more featuring Heritage experts. This week, they touched on hot topics like Iran, impeachment, trade, China, Russia and more. Watch the video.