January 2026 Extemp Topics

January 29, 2026

NFHS Extemporaneous Speaking Topics
January 2026

Domestic

Closed-Ended

  1. Will the continued release of details about Jeffrey Epstein undermine Donald Trump’s presidency?

  2. Will judicial restrictions prevent federal prosecutors from successfully recharging James Comey?

  3. Is White House aide Stephen Miller the primary influence on President Trump’s domestic agenda?

  4. Should the Trump administration reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug?

  5. Should individual states have the authority to regulate Artificial Intelligence?

  6. Will Republican members of Congress asserting their independence from the President perform better in the midterm elections?

  7. Will the Federal Reserve make further rate cuts anytime soon?

  8. Has the US military mishandled its attacks on alleged drug boats operating in the Caribbean?

  9. Should Colorado honor President Trump’s attempt to pardon Tina Peters?

  10. Will the National Trust for Historic Preservation succeed in its efforts to block the President’s plans for White House renovation?

  11. Will recent corporate tax cuts stimulate growth in the US economy?

  12. Has the United States Supreme Court increased presidential power at the expense of Congress?

  13. Is the City of Boston guilty of racial discrimination in its housing policies?

Open-Ended

  1. Who is the most likely candidate for President Trump to select as the next Federal Reserve Chair?

  2. What steps can the federal government take to increase the affordability of consumer goods

  3. What actions can the Republican Party take to reduce the political consequences of rising health care costs?

  4. How will continued cuts by states to their environmental protection budgets impact the average American?

  5. What steps can the federal government take to reduce the number of deaths in immigration detention facilities?

  6. What insights can Democratic Party strategists draw from Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York City’s mayoral election?

  7. How will Rep. Jasmin Crockett’s entry into the Texas Democratic Senate primary transform the race?

  8. What will be the political consequences of Indiana’s rejection of its congressional redistricting plan?

  9. What lessons can the United States learn from its investigation of pandemic aid fraud?

  10. What is likely responsible for the significant decrease in mass killings in the United States in 2025?

  11. What steps can the federal government take to encourage the training of K-12 teachers?

  12. What steps can be taken to limit the increasing frequency of measles outbreaks in the United States?

International

Closed-Ended

  1. Is the new Syrian government taking sufficient steps to combat ISIS within its territory?

  2. Are recent Israeli actions against Hamas a violation of the terms of their ceasefire?

  3. Does Russia have any desire to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine?

  4. Will increasing criminal violence in Chile push the nation’s politics further to the right?

  5. Is any progress being made in advancing President Trump’s plans for Gaza?

  6. Will Canada succeed in its plans to lure researchers from the United States to move north?

  7. Should Kenya take steps to discourage women from migrating to Persian Gulf states?

  8. Has the peace agreement between Congo and Rwanda failed?

  9. Will Honduras succeed in bringing former President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was pardoned by President Trump, to justice at home?

  10. Should other countries follow Australia’s lead and ban social media accounts for children under age 16?

  11. Does China have enough influence over Russia to end the war in Ukraine?

  12. Is Belarus succeeding in its efforts to improve relations with the United States?

Open-Ended

  1. What steps can the United States take to restore peace between Thailand and Cambodia?

  2. What steps can Ukraine take to further protect its energy infrastructure?

  3. What steps can Nigeria take to reduce the occurrence of kidnappings there?

  4. How will President Trump’s comments about the Somali community in the United States impact US relations with the government in Somalia?

  5. How will the US conflict with Venezuela impact energy supplies to Cuba?

  6. What motivated Mexico to impose 50% tariffs on Chinese goods?

  7. What will be the consequences for China’s economy of decreased investment in property and infrastructure?

  8. How will the ongoing trade war between Pakistan and Afghanistan impact the livelihoods of people on both sides of the border?

  9. What steps can Japan take to deescalate tensions with China?

  10. What impact is India’s close relationship with Russia having on Russia’s war in Ukraine?

  11. What steps can the government of the Philippines take to improve flood control?

  12. What measures can India take to decrease air pollution in its cities?

  13. What steps can Bulgaria take to reduce public perceptions of government corruption?