Tim Chapman

Catholic-convert, husband, father of four, kids lax coach, miserable Browns fan.

President @AmericanFreedom

[Tim Chapman @TimChapman]

It’s striking to observe the similarities between the Nixon era and today - conservatives initially sought to influence the Nixon Administration, but eventually had to break with him as he adopted left-conservative policies and allowed corruption to infect his Administration. The break at the time was controversial, but it led to a conservative rebirth in 1980. The nation was better for it.

Thanks @LauraTrevelyan and @noosphereapp for the discussion.

[Shoshana Weissmann, Sloth Committee Chair 🦥 @senatorshoshana]

This is a huge get. @melugin_p is so sharp on policy, so excited for her new role and excited to see what she builds!

[Advancing American Freedom @AmericanFreedom]

Advancing American Freedom is excited to announce Jessica Melugin as a senior fellow in the Plymouth Institute for Free Enterprise.

[David L. Bahnsen @DavidBahnsen]

I felt this piece had to be written, and I stand by everything it says https://t.co/XR6FJoju1O

[Advancing American Freedom @AmericanFreedom]

Meet Dakota Wood, a twenty year Marine, who will be spearheading the Institute for National Security at AAF.

“I couldn’t be prouder to join the world-class team at Advancing American Freedom nor more grateful for the opportunity they have entrusted to me to stand-up the Institute for National Security.”

AAF’s Institute for National Security will advance a conservative strategy to strengthen American leadership abroad and prosperity at home.

[Tanner Nau @tannernau15]

@AmericanFreedom is starting an Institute for National Security, @NRO has learned.

The center will focus on establishing a strategic advantage over China, reviving the defense industrial base, supporting NATO, and creating a durable peace in the Middle East, all while maintaining free markets at home and addressing the looming debt crisis.

“It has become very clear that national security and domestic policy are more intertwined than they’ve ever been,” @TimChapman tells me.
https://t.co/qDgPTFXAJH

[Scott Rasmussen @ScottWRasmussen]

🚨Among White Male Voters, the number preferring a candidate who advocated Trump-like policies fell from 49% in January 2025 to 32% in October 2026.
✅Roughly half of those White Men leaving the Trump base now prefer Traditional Republican policies while the other half prefer Traditional Democratic policies.
✅The decline in Trump support included 25% among White Men without a college degree, 6% among those with a Bachelors Degree, and 3% among postgrads.
✅Among White Male Evangelical Christians, the decline was 25 points (from 69% to 44%).
✅Among White Male Bible Believing Christians, the decline was 28 points (from 67% to 39%).
https://t.co/42zTw1jeIc

[Advancing American Freedom @AmericanFreedom]

Conservative principles should never take a backseat to political loyalty.

In @realDailyWire, AAF President @TimChapman warns of the cost of replacing core values with political cheerleading—and why the conservative comeback must start now.

[Tim Chapman @TimChapman]

Political movements rarely do well when they abandon their principles. The check always comes due. Recovering those principles and applying them to the issues Americans are passionate about is the road to recovery.

Thanks @realJennaEllis for having me on!

[Steve Forbes @SteveForbesCEO]

Trump won in 2024 promising prosperity and affordability, then imposed sweeping tariffs, disrupted trade with our biggest partners, and raised costs for American businesses.

Republicans need to lock in on policies that strengthen American businesses, encourage domestic investment, lower costs for families, and create lasting economic growth.
https://t.co/RmXpmKpYJE

[Tim Chapman @TimChapman]

With a huge Democrat majority coming to town there may be a temptation to cut legacy defining deals with the likes of Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. Conservatives should resist the siren song of big government populism at all costs. Create a clear contrast with the left and build toward a healthy GOP in the future.

[Pat Toomey (US Sen. ret.) @SenToomey]

Vice President Vance is mistaken.  The reason we Republicans lost yesterday is not just the war in Iran.  Yes, the resulting higher fuel prices contributed to the inflation that infuriated Americans who were promised lower prices by this administration.  But the war is not the only cause.  Arbitrary and capricious tariffs directly raised costs for all American consumers.  Lower income Americans can least afford them. Many voted for Democrats yesterday.

Tariffs should be a central part, but only part, of the “honest conversation” VP Vance wants Republicans to have about the future of our party.  For instance, we all seem to oppose government-owned grocery stores.  But are we ok with government ownership of semiconductors companies and rare earth miners?  We oppose rent controls.  But do we support price controls on medicines and credit cards?

The bigger question is does the Republican party now agree with the left that we need a large, powerful central government to run the economy, allocate capital and control prices? Or, do we believe that free men and women should be able to engage in commerce as they see fit and that a free enterprise system will create a higher standard of living and the greatest opportunities for the most people as it always has?
Let’s have an “honest conversation.”

[Dominic Pino @DominicJPino]

Voters in swing states approved a lot of conservative ballot measures while voting for anti-Trump candidates.

If Democrats lurch far left on policy, the voters who gave them an enormous victory on Tuesday will be strongly tempted to switch back to the GOP or stay home in future elections.

@PostOpinions
https://t.co/K1TSvbnluh

[Tim Chapman @TimChapman]

https://t.co/Nmg3LNEKwy

[Tim Chapman @TimChapman]

There is a real cost to placing personalities and loyalty tests over principled policies that work. But we can and must fix this. My latest below.

[Peter Laffin @petermlaffin]

Advancing American Freedom (@AmericanFreedom) president Tim Chapman (@TimChapman) joined me last night to discuss what the midterms mean for the future of the conservative movement:

https://t.co/4IpiYIEp5L

[Michael R. Strain @MichaelRStrain]

Exit polls show that 65 percent of voters thought the trade war hurt the economy.

[Josh Hammer @josh_hammer]

Look: Trump has mishandled the Iran conflict. He never articulated our aims. Americans deserved the hard sell. They simply never got it.

But this is still absolutely correct. The administration’s botched tariff rollout fed the frenzy of a vicious cycle of cost of living concern.

[Guy Benson @guypbenson]

There were multiple reasons. I’d argue that the messy tariffs rollout was the moment a lot of voters started to decide the administration was not prioritizing affordability, a sentiment that calcified over time for various reasons…and became politically lethal.

[Marc Short @marctshort]

Complete armageddon for GOP.

When you advance a global war on trade strategy, take stakes in private companies, no longer stand for life, and side with Putin - voters become disenfranchised.