Salem News Channel

PLANO, Texas (AP) — Texans are choosing a Republican nominee for U.S. Senate. The election brings to a close a bitter and expensive primary. President Donald Trump endorsed state Attorney General Ken Paxton last week over four-term Sen. John Cornyn. It's the president's latest effort to rid the GOP of leaders he views as less devoted to him. Cornyn is backed by Senate GOP leaders, and allies have spent roughly $90 million in advertising since last year. Most of it attacked Paxton. Cornyn risks becoming the first Republican senator in Texas history to seek the party’s nod and lose. The winner of Tuesday's runoff will face Democrat James Talarico in November.

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The clear message from the callers? National security and strength against a duplicitous enemy must come before cheap gas—because freedom isn’t free.

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A federal court invalidated Alabama’s newly drawn 6R-1D congressional map for 2026, overturning the state’s effort to remove a Democrat seat that had been propped up by racial gerrymandering.

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US Strikes Iranian Targets Amid Peace Talks

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A bipartisan group of senators is urging the Defense Department to release roughly $600 million in security assistance for Ukraine and key U.S. allies in Eastern Europe. In a letter sent to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, lawmakers questioned delays involving funding that Congress approved last year. The package includes about $400 million designated for Ukraine, along with another $200 million for defense and security programs in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The push reflects growing frustration among members of Congress as lawmakers seek answers from the Trump administration about the status of military aid and broader regional security efforts.

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President Donald Trump is scheduled to undergo his annual medical exam Tuesday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The White House says the 79-year-old president will receive preventative medical and dental checkups as part of the visit. The exam will mark Trump’s fourth publicly disclosed physical since returning to office. Presidential medical exams have long been used to provide the public with some insight into a commander in chief’s health, though the White House ultimately decides what information is released. Trump has recently spoken publicly about feeling healthy while also joking about his fast-food diet and limited exercise routine.

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The U.S. military says it carried out what it described as “self-defense” strikes in southern Iran, targeting missile launch sites and boats allegedly involved in placing mines. American officials have not released additional details about the threats that prompted the operation or how the strikes could affect ongoing negotiations with Tehran. The military action comes as President Donald Trump says talks with Iran are “proceeding nicely.” Trump has also suggested that any future agreement should include additional countries joining the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered agreements aimed at normalizing relations with Israel. The strikes mark another escalation in tensions in the region as diplomatic efforts continue behind the scenes.

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Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Kyiv since the start of the war, pounding the Ukrainian capital and nearby areas Sunday with hundreds of drones and missiles. Ukrainian officials say the barrage included the use of an Oreshnik hypersonic missile fired near Kyiv, marking another escalation in Russia’s long-range strike campaign. Explosions and air raid sirens were reported across the capital as air defense systems worked to intercept incoming attacks. The bombardment comes as fighting intensifies in the nearly four-year war and as Ukraine continues urging Western allies for additional air defense support. Damage assessments and casualty figures were still being compiled following the overnight assault. The Oreshnik missile is considered one of Russia’s more advanced weapons systems and its reported use near Kyiv underscores Moscow’s continued focus on targeting critical infrastructure and population centers.

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President Donald Trump says he is in no rush to finalize a deal with Iran, signaling negotiations over the three-month conflict remain ongoing despite earlier hopes of a breakthrough. In a post on Truth Social Sunday, Trump said the U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz would remain in place until a formal agreement is completed and signed. He added that both sides need to “take their time and get it right.” Iran has not officially responded to Trump’s latest comments, though state-linked media reports say major sticking points remain — including Tehran’s demand for access to frozen Iranian funds. A military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader warned Sunday against additional U.S. action in the strategic waterway, saying Iran would make “the American people miserable and the American economy miserable” if the war continues. He also defended Tehran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, calling it Iran’s “legal right.” The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical shipping routes, normally carrying about one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies. Trump said Saturday the two sides had largely agreed on a framework that could eventually reopen the passage. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday negotiations are still “a work in progress,” but described discussions as moving toward a significant, time-limited agreement over Iran’s nuclear program and reopening the Strait. Trump administration officials say negotiators are working within a possible 60-day window to finalize terms. Markets reacted positively Monday morning, with oil prices falling more than 5% and Brent crude dropping below $100 a barrel. Asian stock markets also rallied amid optimism that tensions may ease. Despite the tentative progress, shipping traffic through the Strait remains sharply reduced. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said only 33 vessels passed through the waterway over a 24-hour period after receiving permission from Tehran — far below the roughly 140 ships typically seen before the conflict began.

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WASHINGTON, May 25 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he asked Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan to join the Abraham Accords en masse to normalize relations with Israel as he tries to negotiate an agreement to end the war with Iran. Pakistan rejected the proposal. None of the other countries has so far publicly reacted to Trump's demand and a positive response was unlikely when the public mistrust of Israel in these Muslim nations remains high over the scale of its military offensive in Gaza. Trump said he spoke on Saturday to leaders of those countries, as well as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which have already signed the accords, a set of agreements to normalize relations with Israel. "I am mandatorily requesting that all Countries immediately sign the Abraham Accords, and that, if Iran signs its Agreement with me, as President of the United States of America, it would be an Honor to have them also be part of this unparalleled World Coalition," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. He cited "all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together." A Pakistani security source said Trump’s statement reflected an attempt to use Iran ceasefire diplomacy for a wider push around the Abraham Accords, but said the two issues were “not interlinked and cannot be made so." "Pakistan is under no compulsion to adhere to any such demand,” the source said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office also did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's post. DEEPLY SENSITIVE ISSUE Trump said one or two of the countries he spoke with may have a reason for not joining, but most should be "ready, willing, and able to make this Settlement with Iran a far more Historic Event than it would, otherwise, be." For Saudi Arabia — the birthplace of Islam and custodian of its two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina - recognizing Israel would be more than just a diplomatic milestone. It is a deeply sensitive national security issue tied to resolving one of the region’s oldest and most intractable conflicts. The kingdom's longstanding position has been that it would not sign the accords unless there is an agreement on a roadmap to Palestinian statehood. Egypt, Jordan and Turkey already have diplomatic relations with Israel, even as those ties have been strained since the start of the Gaza war. Trump also said negotiations with Iran were "proceeding nicely," but gave no indication a deal was imminent. Longtime Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham has embraced the idea of linking an Iran deal to expanding the Abraham Accords as "beyond transformative for the region and world." Others see the strategy as something to make an Iran deal more palatable to skeptics. "Trump is trying to sell an Iran deal as an Abraham Accords sequel: good for Israel, good for the region, tough enough for Washington," said Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group. "But he is trading one fantasy for another — from forcing Iran to surrender to pretending a fragile deal can anchor a new Middle East order." Trump has repeatedly said he wants to expand the accords that he brokered during his first term in the White House. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed during Trump's first term in 2020, breaking a longstanding taboo to become the first Arab states to recognise Israel in a quarter century. Morocco and Sudan followed suit.

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An explosion at a dry dock in New York City’s Staten Island killed one person and injured 36 others on Friday (May 22), officials said. The blast occurred as firefighters were on the scene responding to a fire and attempting to rescue two people who were trapped. Two firefighters were hospitalized, including a fire marshal who suffered a fractured temple and a brain bleed and was intubated, officials said. The other firefighter was in serious condition but had shown improvement. “This was a complex, fast-developing emergency situation,” New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani told reporters. Officials did not provide details about the person who died, except to say the victim was a civilian. A comprehensive investigation will begin once the fire is completely extinguished, Mamdani said.

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U.S. President Donald Trump honored fallen service members during the 158th observance of Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery outside the nation's capital on Monday (May 25). Trump placed a wreath of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in a solemn ceremony, where he was accompanied by Vice-President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The three officials stood as the national anthem and taps were played to honor the service and sacrifice of fallen service members.

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The risk of a catastrophic explosion of a damaged chemical tank Southern California has been eliminated following a close overnight inspection that confirmed a crack in the tank has relieved pressure and cooled the chemical. Officials said crews conducted tank temperature checks at night to reduce risks to firefighters, avoiding daytime operations when heat from the tank made conditions around it most dangerous. The overnight mission allowed crews to verify the crack and confirm temperatures were falling, Orange County Fire Authority division chief Craig Covey said Monday morning.

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A bystander who was struck by gunfire after a man fired on a checkpoint outside the White House and was fatally shot by U.S. Secret Service officers remained in serious but stable condition Sunday. The Secret Service said the bystander, who has not been identified, suffered a gunshot wound described as not life-threatening. It was not clear how he was shot. Authorities have released few additional details about the early Saturday evening shooting. The District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department said the suspect, identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best, started shooting toward a White House security checkpoint when Secret Service officers returned fire. Best, of Dundalk, Maryland, was later pronounced dead at a hospital. No officers were injured, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement posted on social media. “Our thoughts are also with the innocent bystander who was wounded during this incident,” Curran said. “The Secret Service is hopeful he will make a full recovery.” President Donald Trump was in the White House at the time of the shooting. It was the third shooting near the president in the past month, after a man stormed the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in April armed with guns and knives, and Secret Service officers shot and wounded a man who fired at them earlier this month near the Washington Monument. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the suspect in Saturday’s shooting had a “possible obsession with our Country’s most cherished structure.” He also used the shooting to promote the ballroom he is seeking to build on the site of the White House’s former East Wing, saying the shooting “goes to show how important it is, for all future Presidents, to get, what will be, the most safe and secure space of its kind ever built in Washington, D.C.” Trump is asking Congress for $1 billion for security additions for the White House campus, including the ballroom. Best had a previous run-in with law enforcement near the White House, according to District of Columbia court records. He was arrested last July for attempting to enter White House grounds near a different checkpoint. He failed to heed officers’ commands to stop, claimed to be Jesus Christ and said he wanted to be arrested. Best was a track and field athlete at Dundalk High School, from which he graduated in 2023. A woman who identified herself as Best’s mother told The Washington Post that she learned about the shooting on social media and was in disbelief. She said her son “was never violent, regardless of what people are posting.”

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The bystander who was struck by gunfire after a man fired on a checkpoint outside the White House and was fatally shot by U.S. Secret Service officers remains in serious condition. The Secret Service on Sunday said the bystander, who has not been identified, suffered a gunshot wound described as not life-threatening. Authorities have released few additional details about the early Saturday evening shooting. The District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department said the suspect, 21-year-old Nasire Best, started shooting toward a White House security checkpoint when Secret Service officers returned fire. Best, of Dundalk, Maryland, was pronounced dead at a hospital.

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Erin reacts to Candace Owens' latest claims and asks a simple question: where's the evidence? From explosive allegations to personal attacks, this one raises serious questions about where commentary ends and something else begins.

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In a shocking twist, the media's silence on a recent mosque shooting in San Diego is raising eyebrows. The episode delves into the story behind the story, exploring why the mainstream media isn't giving it the attention it deserves. This episode discusses the recent mosque shooting in San Diego, where two young men opened fire, killing three people before taking their own lives. The speaker highlights the fact that the media isn't giving this story the same level of attention as other similar incidents, and that the reason might be more complex than initially meets the eye. The discussion touches on the shooters' manifesto, which reveals a disturbing mix of anti-Trump and anti-liberal rhetoric, as well as their apparent admiration for a notorious mass murderer. The episode also explores the mosque's history, including its ties to radical groups and the Imam's past statements that have been criticized for being anti-Israel. The speaker argues that the media's reluctance to cover this story might be due to the fact that it doesn't fit the narrative they want to push, and that the truth behind the mosque's activities and the shooters' motivations is being swept under the rug. If you're curious about the story behind the story and why the media isn't giving this incident the attention it deserves, tune in to this episode to hear the speaker's insightful analysis and discussion. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carljacksonradio X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/carljacksonshow Parler: https://parler.com/carljacksonshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecarljacksonshow http://www.TheCarlJacksonShow.com Visit our Store https://CarlJacksonStore.com

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WASHINGTON, May 23 (Reuters) - Officers shot a suspect who fired at a White House checkpoint on Saturday evening, who then died after being taken to the hospital, the Secret Service said. A person approached the checkpoint at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House, pulled a gun out of his bag and started shooting at officers, according to a Secret Service statement posted on social media. Officers returned fire and shot the suspect, the agency said. A bystander was also struck by gunfire, but it was not clear how badly the person was hurt, according to a separate Secret Service statement cited by multiple news outlets. The statement said it was not clear who fired the shot that hit the bystander. The shooting suspect was identified as an emotionally disturbed person, a law enforcement official told Reuters, adding that a "stay-away order" had been issued to him previously. No law enforcement personnel were injured, the Secret Service said. President Donald Trump was at the White House during the incident, the Secret Service said.

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May 23 (Reuters) - The U.S. Secret Service on Saturday said it was aware of reports of shots fired in Washington, D.C., at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW near the White House and was working to corroborate those reports with personnel on the ground. FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI was on scene supporting the Secret Service. WASHINGTON (AP) — Law enforcement authorities are responding to reports of shots fired near the White House. Journalists working there on Saturday evening reported hearing a series of gunshots and were told to seek shelter inside the press briefing room. U.S. Secret Service officers prevented them from leaving. There were no immediate reports of any injuries. Secret Service posted on X that it was “aware of reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW” — one block from the White House — and was “working to corroborate the information with personnel on the ground." President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Law enforcement authorities are responding to reports of shots fired near the White House. Journalists working there on Saturday evening reported hearing a series of gunshots and were told to seek shelter inside the press briefing room. U.S. Secret Service officers prevented them from leaving. There were no immediate reports of any injuries. Secret Service posted on X that it was “aware of reports of shots fired near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW” — one block from the White House — and was “working to corroborate the information with personnel on the ground." President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time.

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