With Congressman Mike Johnson, Speaker of the U.S. House Of Representatives.

Read More...

The Economy is Rising!

Read More...

USA Strikes Iran Again!

Read More...

Reports indicate explosions in Syria near the Strait of Hormunic, sparking speculation about recent military actions. Analysts discuss the potential involvement and consequences of these strikes, emphasizing the President's frustration with broken promises. The segment highlights the precision of the strikes, with one bridge and a freighter being targeted successfully. The conversation suggests that this could be the beginning of a broader response, with more targets potentially being pursued in the coming days. Stay tuned for live and on-demand coverage on Salem News Channel.

Read More...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. struck Iran on Friday to respond to a drone attack a day earlier on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, a provocation that U.S. President Donald Trump said violated the ceasefire. U.S. Central Command said the military struck missile and drone locations and coastal radar sites in Iran. The strikes came shortly after Trump told reporters, “You’ll find out,” whether the U.S. would response to the drone attack. “I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday, actually four of them,” Trump said at the White House shortly before the U.S. struck back. When asked why there would be strikes when Trump has insisted talks with Tehran are going well, Trump said of Iran: “They’re a little bit different.” He then abruptly cut off questions and reporters were ushered out of his office. The British military said on Thursday that a container ship was hit a projectile off the coast of Oman, coming hours after Iran threatened vessels to stop using the route. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said no injuries were reported. The development came during a fragile time for the U.S. and Iran as they work to negotiate a permanent end to the war. Iran has increasingly challenged the region and the U.S. over its control of the Strait of Hormuz, even with the current interim deal it reached with the U.S. last week. The attack on the cargo ship happened while a United Nations maritime agency was beginning an operation to move stranded ships out of the strait this week, using an alternative route, hugging the shores of Oman rather than sailing through the central part of the strait. The International Maritime Organization halted the evacuations after the attack and said on Friday they won’t resume until there are guarantees that the other ships won’t be attacked. About 115 ships were able to move out of the strait in recent days, leaving about 500 still in the area, said Arsenio Dominguez, the agency’s secretary-general. The opening of the alternative passage through the strait was expected to relieve pressure on the world economy and remove Iran’s main source of leverage in ongoing peace talks with the U.S. The U.S. and Iran are still negotiating terms of the deal, including issues such as getting ships through the key strait and addressing the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Under the interim deal, the two sides have 60 days to work out the details. Cargo ship attack poses a test for shipping Shipping analysts said the drone strike cast a shadow over what had been a growing stream of trapped vessels finally leaving the Gulf and an increasing flow of tankers carrying crude oil. “A week of widening commercial confidence in the Strait of Hormuz has hit its first significant test,” said marine data company Windward on X. It said that while the strait remains operationally open with 43 transits recorded after the incident, “the pace of normalization has slowed.” On Wednesday before Thursday’s drone strike, 78 vessels transited the strait, the highest since the war began, although below the prewar averages of 130 or more per day. At least two tankers reversed course while attempting to transit the strait on the U.N.-backed route near Oman after Iran insisted vessels use only the Teheran-approved routes, according to marine data and analytic firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence. More than two dozen ships were still transiting the strait's southern route after the attack, Lloyd's said Friday. Lebanon and Israel make a step toward peace Ambassadors from Israel and Lebanon announced an agreement Friday described as a step toward peace following months of conflict between Israeli troops and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Nada Hamadeh, Lebanon's ambassador to the U.S., called the framework a move toward "enabling our people to go back to their land and allowing all Lebanese to live in peace, security, and prosperity.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the plan was a “great achievement” for Israel. “The most important thing, first and foremost, is that Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon,” he said, adding that they will stay until Hezbollah is disarmed and no longer poses a threat to Israel.

Read More...

With Congressman Marlin Stutzman, representative from Indiana's 3rd congressional district.

Read More...

With Congressman Rick Crawford, representative for Arkansas's 1st congressional district.

Read More...

With John Rogers, Newsmax Pollster.

Read More...

With Congressman Mike Johnson, Speaker for United States House Of Representatives.

Read More...

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new AP-NORC poll finds that about 4 in 10 U.S. adults feel “proud” about the country's 250th anniversary, while about 3 in 10 feel “excited.” But many Americans also feel “indifferent” or “conflicted." New Gallup polling also finds that most Americans now feel the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be disappointed with how the U.S. has turned out, a substantial increase from the last time the question was asked more than 25 years ago. Republicans and older adults are more likely than other Americans to feel proud about the anniversary, while Democrats and younger adults are more likely to be conflicted.

Read More...

Josh opens the show with the latest developments on the Iran deal and explains why it now appears to be hanging by a thread following Iran's actions earlier this week. He revisits what should have been done from the beginning, why the current approach has fallen short, and why President Trump still has time to secure a real victory. Josh also examines the biggest obstacles standing in the way of a lasting agreement and whether a deal is still realistically within reach. Next, Josh turns to the courts with a major legal update, breaking down the Left's meltdown over a recent Supreme Court ruling that may go down as one of the most commonsense decisions we've seen from the Court. He explains what the ruling actually says, why critics are misrepresenting it, and what it means for the future of executive authority and the rule of law. Finally, Josh discusses the anniversary of the Obergefell v. Hodges same-sex marriage decision at the Supreme Court and why new polling provides evidence that the fight to restore the proper definition of marriage is far from a lost cause.

Read More...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio along with Israel and Lebanon’s ambassadors announced a framework agreement Friday that was described as a first step toward peace following months of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The officials did not share details on the agreement that was signed by Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, and Nada Hamadeh, ambassador of Lebanon to the United States. Hamadeh said the framework “is a first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing a permanent and final cessation of hostilities, enabling our people to go back to their land and allowing all Lebanese to live in peace, security, and prosperity.” Leiter said the final destination of the framework is peace between the two countries. “Real peace, where both countries will live in security, where Israel’s and Lebanon’s sovereignty will be respected, honored, and protected,” Leiter said. “In this performance-based trilateral framework agreement, Iran is out. Hezbollah is out. And the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in.” The latest conflict began when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel days after Israel and the U.S. launched their war on Iran on Feb. 28. Israel invaded Lebanon and has expanded its control. More than 4,000 people in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli strikes since March. At least 37 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Lebanon or northern Israel during the fighting. A lull earlier this week in fire between Israeli and Hezbollah forces began to show cracks after Israel said it targeted Hezbollah militants in several strikes across southern Lebanon. Hezbollah was not part of the talks, which resulted in several ceasefire agreements that were never implemented on the ground. Lebanese officials have said that securing a withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon is a top priority for them in the negotiations, while Israeli officials have prioritized the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah. On Wednesday, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun told a visiting British parliamentary delegation that a proposal for “pilot zones” where the Lebanese army is supposed to take exclusive control of the territory as Israeli troops will withdraw was “under discussion pending approval from the Israeli side.” He reiterated that the Israel-Lebanon negotiations in Washington are separate from what emerged from from the Iran-U.S. talks in Switzerland. An Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media said Israel’s direct negotiations with Lebanon include discussions about the redeployment of Israeli forces after southern Lebanon is cleared of Hezbollah infrastructure and Hezbollah has disarmed. Hezbollah is unlikely to agree to any plan that would include its disarmament throughout the country. The group has maintained that it is only required by previous agreements and U.N. resolutions to disarm in the area south of the Litani River, near Lebanon’s border with Israel.

Read More...

Scott Presler—the grassroots warrior leading the charge on the SAVE Act—showed up to a South Dakota GOP State Convention with a ticket in his hand, and was denied entry by Senator John Thune. Former Sgt. At Arms, Matthew Bruner, threw in his two cents telling Presler to get the hell out of there. You can bet this has to do Scott's push for the Save Act. Will Thune be held accountable? Or will the establishment keep silencing grassroots conservatives? --- M and M Extra: Two iconic talk radio hosts. One unfiltered daily conversation. No scripts. No spin. Just Mike Gallagher and Mark Davis breaking down the news the way it should be — with decades of experience and zero apologies. If you love smart unscripted talk show chemistry, you’re in the right place. Subscribe & Watch M and M Extra Live ?? youtube.com/@MandMExtra ?? Weekdays at 12 PM ET Watch The Mike Gallagher Show Live ?? salemnewschannel.com/watch-live ?? Weekdays 9 AM – 12 PM ET Listen to The Mark Davis Show ?? 660amtheanswer.com/listenlive ?? Weekdays at 7AM - 10AM CT

Read More...

Tourists visiting the Nation's Capital this weekend are in for a treat. The State Fair continues through July 10th and on Sunday there will be a special salute to our Troops. The America 250 celebration rolls on with a tribute to the U.S. military on Sunday at the State Fair on the National Mall. CEO of the Freedom 250 event Keith Krach told Salem it's going to be a spectacular show of Patriotism. "You're going to see heroes, it's going to be something I think that is going to give you goosebumps, and it's a really powerful tribute to their courage their service their sacrifice by our active duty service members, our veterans, and the families that stand beside them," said Krach.

Read More...

President Donald Trump headlined Friday's Faith and Freedom Coalition's annual "Road to Majority" event in the nation's capital. The Faith and Freedom Coalition is an evangelical group that has supported Trump through both terms. The president supports many of the group's causes, including attempting to ban transgender athletes from women's sports.

Read More...

Utah's governor has restricted fireworks as the largest wildfire in the nation continues to grow. The Cottonwood Fire in southern Utah, which started Monday, has reached nearly 111 square miles and is zero percent contained. Dry, windy conditions are fueling wildfire growth across much of the western United States. The National Weather Service issued a rare extreme weather warning for Utah, urging preparation for rapid fire growth. Red flag warnings are also in effect for parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona. Authorities are urging caution as extreme fire conditions persist.

Read More...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge declared a mistrial Friday in the arson case against the man accused of sparking the deady 2025 Palisades Fire in Los Angeles after the jury said it could not agree on a verdict. Jurors said a day prior they had come to a standstill in deliberations in the trial of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht on three federal charges: arson, malicious destruction by means of a fire and timber set aflame. “The court finds there is a manifest necessity to declare a mistrial because the jury is deadlocked,” Judge Anne Hwang said, with 10 jurors set on a not-guilty verdict and two others determined to convict. It wasn’t immediately clear if federal prosecutors would move to retry the case. “We have people on both sides that are dead set, unwavering and unwilling to change their opinion,” a note from the jury Thursday read by Judge Anne Hwang said. The jury also said there was nothing the court could do to help and that they were split on all three charges. Prosecution had requested Hwang to tell the jury to deliberate longer, but she said there was a “risk of coercion” given how definitive the jury seemed. Defense attorney Steve Haney said the vote count was a “pretty resounding indication” that his client was innocent. Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty to starting what became one of the most destructive wildfires in California history. He was charged with arson, malicious destruction by means of a fire and timber set aflame. Prosecutors say Rinderknecht started a fire on Jan. 1, 2025, that burned undetected deep in root systems before flaring back up Jan. 7. The Palisades Fire ultimately killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes as it incinerated hillside neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and the city of Malibu. Rebuilding has moved slowly in the Pacific Palisades — only 17 homes have been certified for occupancy. His trial began June 8 and featured eight days of lengthy testimony from investigators, experts and witnesses from surrounding areas. Jurors deliberated for 13 hours over the course of two days before concluding that they could not produce a unanimous verdict. Digital records revealed Rinderknecht’s state of mind Using security camera footage, prosecutors established that the fire is believed to have started at the Hidden Buddha clearing, a spot in the mountainside that can be reached by a neighborhood trail. Rinderknecht, who was driving for Uber that evening, dropped off his last passenger in the same neighborhood, shortly before midnight. Rinderknecht called 911 more than a dozen times that night, and the phone’s geolocation data showed he was at the clearing and walked down the trail as he reported the fire. Prosecutors said Rinderknecht admitted that he did not see or hear anyone else there. Prosecutors introduced several witnesses to establish his motive and state of mind on New Years Eve 2024. They brought into evidence a multitude of digital records obtained from his phone, email, Uber, OpenAI and various social media accounts. Investigators reviewed thousands of conversations between Rinderknecht and ChatGPT, which he used multiple times a week as a personal diary. “Why am I so angry all the time?” he said in one exchange. He vented his anger over wealth inequality Rinderknecht lamented wealth disparity and climate change and his inability to do anything about it. Rinderknecht also made searches about Luigi Mangione, who is charged with the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and on Reddit searched “lets kill all the billionaires.” He looked up the address of DoorDash CEO Tony Xu, including if he had children or surveillance cameras at his home. He also shared his relationship struggles, including his rejection by a woman. He contacted that same woman earlier that night to ask if she had any New Year’s Eve plans. When she turned him down, he sent her angry and vile messages from another phone. When firefighters responded to the blaze, Rinderknecht followed them and took videos of the fire as they battled it. While at the fire, he also asked ChatGPT if someone would be responsible for a fire accidentally started by a cigarette. Rinderknecht screen-recorded both the 911 calls and his ChatGPT prompt, which prosecutors presented as evidence that he was trying to mislead investigators. On January 6, a day before powerful Santa Ana winds rekindled smoldering roots into a conflagration, he recorded a selfie video where he stated he was having a mental breakdown. He talked with an agent for hours — words used against him Prosecutors also referenced a recorded interview Rinderknecht gave the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in late January, before he was a suspect. ATF agent Matthew Beals spoke with him for roughly 8 hours, at one point driving together to the site of the fire so that Rinderknecht could physically identify his movements on the hill during the window of time when the fire started. Rinderknecht’s account was in conflict with his phone’s geolocation data and the timing of his 911 calls, Beals testified. Beals also said Rinderknecht became “agitated” when he asked about the fire’s details, at one point accusing him of interrogating him as a suspect, and repeatedly voiced dismay about the state of political affairs in response to the questions. Specifically, Rinderknecht was recorded speculating that someone might hypothetically start a fire in the Palisades out of frustration about inequality, the agent said. “If people are specifically targeting this area, I’m thinking it’s probably because they’re like, “Oh, do people think they can have their own little road up here in paradise and just, you know, be here with their money while we’re basically being slaves for them?” Rinderknecht said. Arson behavioral expert Kevin Kelm testified that all of Rinderknecht’s behavior was consistent with that of a “revenge, or societal revenge motivated” arsonist. His defense sought to blame fireworks Rinderknecht’s defense focused on showing jurors that fireworks could not be ruled out, and in fact were the most likely cause of the fire. One firefighter testified they heard fireworks in the area shortly before and after midnight New Year’s Eve. Haney called to the stand two Pacific Palisades residents and a security guard for the neighborhood. All three said they either saw flashes of light or heard fireworks, and two of them saw a group of teenagers running down the trail afterward. Two expert witnesses cast doubt on the federal investigation. Among other things, the scene of the Jan. 1 fire was unsecured for 13 days and could have been compromised in that time, the defense said. The experts also testified that fireworks were the most likely cause. Former LA fire investigator Ed Nordskog said he responded to dozens of fires each Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve, most started by fireworks. He accused government investigators of being influenced by confirmation bias as they pursued Rinderknecht. “They’re choosing to look at information in a very sinister way when they should be a little more open about it,” he said. When looking through Rinderknecht’s digital footprint, investigators never found any searches about arson, the best way to start a fire, or purchases of any fire-starting materials, Haney pointed out. While they found his DNA on a barbecue lighter in his car, they couldn’t prove a lighter sparked the blaze — only that it began with an “open flame,” he said. Calling 911 more than a dozen times and staying at the scene while firefighters fought the blaze also demonstrated his innocence, Haney said. “No arsonist sets a fire and calls 911 for them to put it out ... and then waits around to be arrested,” Haney said.

Read More...

The Utah judge in the murder case over Charlie Kirk’s killing held prosecutors in contempt of court on Friday over comments they made to media organizations about defendant Tyler Robinson’s guilt. Judge Tony Graf says the comments violated his restrictions on what the two sides can say about the case outside of court. But Graf denied a defense request to take the death penalty off the table as a sanction for the violation. He said the problem could instead be resolved through the screening and questioning process for potential jurors, which is intended to weed out people who could be biased about the case. Robinson has not yet entered a plea. The 23-year-old from southwestern Utah is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 assassination of Kirk, an ally of President Donald Trump who was shot in the neck while addressing a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University. Defense attorneys had accused Deputy Utah County Attorney Christopher Ballard of trying to influence potential jurors by going on a “media tour” to talk about ballistics evidence in the case. Ballard also said prosecutors had enough evidence to show Robinson murdered Kirk. The judge said the comments were not made out of any malicious desire to taint the jury pool. But he added that the comments about Robinson's guilt were "unreasonable" given the court's restrictions on speaking about the case. Legal experts had said blocking the death penalty would have been an extreme remedy.

Read More...

President Donald Trump is blaming Iran for a drone strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a “foolish violation” of the ceasefire. He claimed Friday in a post on social media that the U.S. shot down three other drones. The British military reported Thursday that a vessel was hit by a projectile off Oman. This comes during a fragile time, as the U.S. and Iran are negotiating an interim peace deal. Meanwhile, former Trump adviser-turned-critic John Bolton has pleaded guilty to illegally retaining classified information. He agreed to pay a $2.25 million fine.

Read More...

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — Former national security adviser John Bolton is pleading guilty to illegally retaining classified information. Bolton pleaded guilty to a single count of illegally retaining classified information. His plea deal with federal prosecutors could help him avoid prison time. Bolton, a critic of President Donald Trump, faced 18 counts related to classified information, including sharing notes with relatives while writing a memoir. The investigation began before Trump’s second term. Bolton served in Trump’s first administration before being ousted in 2019. His book, “The Room Where it Happened,” was controversial for its portrayal of Trump.

Read More...

With Congressman Mike Johnson, Speaker of the U.S. House Of Representatives.

Read More...

The Economy is Rising!

Read More...

USA Strikes Iran Again!

Read More...

Reports indicate explosions in Syria near the Strait of Hormunic, sparking speculation about recent military actions. Analysts discuss the potential involvement and consequences of these strikes, emphasizing the President's frustration with broken promises. The segment highlights the precision of the strikes, with one bridge and a freighter being targeted successfully. The conversation suggests that this could be the beginning of a broader response, with more targets potentially being pursued in the coming days. Stay tuned for live and on-demand coverage on Salem News Channel.

Read More...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. struck Iran on Friday to respond to a drone attack a day earlier on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, a provocation that U.S. President Donald Trump said violated the ceasefire. U.S. Central Command said the military struck missile and drone locations and coastal radar sites in Iran. The strikes came shortly after Trump told reporters, “You’ll find out,” whether the U.S. would response to the drone attack. “I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday, actually four of them,” Trump said at the White House shortly before the U.S. struck back. When asked why there would be strikes when Trump has insisted talks with Tehran are going well, Trump said of Iran: “They’re a little bit different.” He then abruptly cut off questions and reporters were ushered out of his office. The British military said on Thursday that a container ship was hit a projectile off the coast of Oman, coming hours after Iran threatened vessels to stop using the route. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said no injuries were reported. The development came during a fragile time for the U.S. and Iran as they work to negotiate a permanent end to the war. Iran has increasingly challenged the region and the U.S. over its control of the Strait of Hormuz, even with the current interim deal it reached with the U.S. last week. The attack on the cargo ship happened while a United Nations maritime agency was beginning an operation to move stranded ships out of the strait this week, using an alternative route, hugging the shores of Oman rather than sailing through the central part of the strait. The International Maritime Organization halted the evacuations after the attack and said on Friday they won’t resume until there are guarantees that the other ships won’t be attacked. About 115 ships were able to move out of the strait in recent days, leaving about 500 still in the area, said Arsenio Dominguez, the agency’s secretary-general. The opening of the alternative passage through the strait was expected to relieve pressure on the world economy and remove Iran’s main source of leverage in ongoing peace talks with the U.S. The U.S. and Iran are still negotiating terms of the deal, including issues such as getting ships through the key strait and addressing the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Under the interim deal, the two sides have 60 days to work out the details. Cargo ship attack poses a test for shipping Shipping analysts said the drone strike cast a shadow over what had been a growing stream of trapped vessels finally leaving the Gulf and an increasing flow of tankers carrying crude oil. “A week of widening commercial confidence in the Strait of Hormuz has hit its first significant test,” said marine data company Windward on X. It said that while the strait remains operationally open with 43 transits recorded after the incident, “the pace of normalization has slowed.” On Wednesday before Thursday’s drone strike, 78 vessels transited the strait, the highest since the war began, although below the prewar averages of 130 or more per day. At least two tankers reversed course while attempting to transit the strait on the U.N.-backed route near Oman after Iran insisted vessels use only the Teheran-approved routes, according to marine data and analytic firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence. More than two dozen ships were still transiting the strait's southern route after the attack, Lloyd's said Friday. Lebanon and Israel make a step toward peace Ambassadors from Israel and Lebanon announced an agreement Friday described as a step toward peace following months of conflict between Israeli troops and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Nada Hamadeh, Lebanon's ambassador to the U.S., called the framework a move toward "enabling our people to go back to their land and allowing all Lebanese to live in peace, security, and prosperity.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the plan was a “great achievement” for Israel. “The most important thing, first and foremost, is that Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon,” he said, adding that they will stay until Hezbollah is disarmed and no longer poses a threat to Israel.

Read More...

With Congressman Marlin Stutzman, representative from Indiana's 3rd congressional district.

Read More...

With Congressman Rick Crawford, representative for Arkansas's 1st congressional district.

Read More...

With John Rogers, Newsmax Pollster.

Read More...

With Congressman Mike Johnson, Speaker for United States House Of Representatives.

Read More...

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new AP-NORC poll finds that about 4 in 10 U.S. adults feel “proud” about the country's 250th anniversary, while about 3 in 10 feel “excited.” But many Americans also feel “indifferent” or “conflicted." New Gallup polling also finds that most Americans now feel the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be disappointed with how the U.S. has turned out, a substantial increase from the last time the question was asked more than 25 years ago. Republicans and older adults are more likely than other Americans to feel proud about the anniversary, while Democrats and younger adults are more likely to be conflicted.

Read More...

Josh opens the show with the latest developments on the Iran deal and explains why it now appears to be hanging by a thread following Iran's actions earlier this week. He revisits what should have been done from the beginning, why the current approach has fallen short, and why President Trump still has time to secure a real victory. Josh also examines the biggest obstacles standing in the way of a lasting agreement and whether a deal is still realistically within reach. Next, Josh turns to the courts with a major legal update, breaking down the Left's meltdown over a recent Supreme Court ruling that may go down as one of the most commonsense decisions we've seen from the Court. He explains what the ruling actually says, why critics are misrepresenting it, and what it means for the future of executive authority and the rule of law. Finally, Josh discusses the anniversary of the Obergefell v. Hodges same-sex marriage decision at the Supreme Court and why new polling provides evidence that the fight to restore the proper definition of marriage is far from a lost cause.

Read More...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio along with Israel and Lebanon’s ambassadors announced a framework agreement Friday that was described as a first step toward peace following months of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The officials did not share details on the agreement that was signed by Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, and Nada Hamadeh, ambassador of Lebanon to the United States. Hamadeh said the framework “is a first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing a permanent and final cessation of hostilities, enabling our people to go back to their land and allowing all Lebanese to live in peace, security, and prosperity.” Leiter said the final destination of the framework is peace between the two countries. “Real peace, where both countries will live in security, where Israel’s and Lebanon’s sovereignty will be respected, honored, and protected,” Leiter said. “In this performance-based trilateral framework agreement, Iran is out. Hezbollah is out. And the road to peace between Israel and Lebanon is in.” The latest conflict began when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel days after Israel and the U.S. launched their war on Iran on Feb. 28. Israel invaded Lebanon and has expanded its control. More than 4,000 people in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli strikes since March. At least 37 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Lebanon or northern Israel during the fighting. A lull earlier this week in fire between Israeli and Hezbollah forces began to show cracks after Israel said it targeted Hezbollah militants in several strikes across southern Lebanon. Hezbollah was not part of the talks, which resulted in several ceasefire agreements that were never implemented on the ground. Lebanese officials have said that securing a withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon is a top priority for them in the negotiations, while Israeli officials have prioritized the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah. On Wednesday, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun told a visiting British parliamentary delegation that a proposal for “pilot zones” where the Lebanese army is supposed to take exclusive control of the territory as Israeli troops will withdraw was “under discussion pending approval from the Israeli side.” He reiterated that the Israel-Lebanon negotiations in Washington are separate from what emerged from from the Iran-U.S. talks in Switzerland. An Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media said Israel’s direct negotiations with Lebanon include discussions about the redeployment of Israeli forces after southern Lebanon is cleared of Hezbollah infrastructure and Hezbollah has disarmed. Hezbollah is unlikely to agree to any plan that would include its disarmament throughout the country. The group has maintained that it is only required by previous agreements and U.N. resolutions to disarm in the area south of the Litani River, near Lebanon’s border with Israel.

Read More...

Scott Presler—the grassroots warrior leading the charge on the SAVE Act—showed up to a South Dakota GOP State Convention with a ticket in his hand, and was denied entry by Senator John Thune. Former Sgt. At Arms, Matthew Bruner, threw in his two cents telling Presler to get the hell out of there. You can bet this has to do Scott's push for the Save Act. Will Thune be held accountable? Or will the establishment keep silencing grassroots conservatives? --- M and M Extra: Two iconic talk radio hosts. One unfiltered daily conversation. No scripts. No spin. Just Mike Gallagher and Mark Davis breaking down the news the way it should be — with decades of experience and zero apologies. If you love smart unscripted talk show chemistry, you’re in the right place. Subscribe & Watch M and M Extra Live ?? youtube.com/@MandMExtra ?? Weekdays at 12 PM ET Watch The Mike Gallagher Show Live ?? salemnewschannel.com/watch-live ?? Weekdays 9 AM – 12 PM ET Listen to The Mark Davis Show ?? 660amtheanswer.com/listenlive ?? Weekdays at 7AM - 10AM CT

Read More...

Tourists visiting the Nation's Capital this weekend are in for a treat. The State Fair continues through July 10th and on Sunday there will be a special salute to our Troops. The America 250 celebration rolls on with a tribute to the U.S. military on Sunday at the State Fair on the National Mall. CEO of the Freedom 250 event Keith Krach told Salem it's going to be a spectacular show of Patriotism. "You're going to see heroes, it's going to be something I think that is going to give you goosebumps, and it's a really powerful tribute to their courage their service their sacrifice by our active duty service members, our veterans, and the families that stand beside them," said Krach.

Read More...

President Donald Trump headlined Friday's Faith and Freedom Coalition's annual "Road to Majority" event in the nation's capital. The Faith and Freedom Coalition is an evangelical group that has supported Trump through both terms. The president supports many of the group's causes, including attempting to ban transgender athletes from women's sports.

Read More...

Utah's governor has restricted fireworks as the largest wildfire in the nation continues to grow. The Cottonwood Fire in southern Utah, which started Monday, has reached nearly 111 square miles and is zero percent contained. Dry, windy conditions are fueling wildfire growth across much of the western United States. The National Weather Service issued a rare extreme weather warning for Utah, urging preparation for rapid fire growth. Red flag warnings are also in effect for parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona. Authorities are urging caution as extreme fire conditions persist.

Read More...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge declared a mistrial Friday in the arson case against the man accused of sparking the deady 2025 Palisades Fire in Los Angeles after the jury said it could not agree on a verdict. Jurors said a day prior they had come to a standstill in deliberations in the trial of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht on three federal charges: arson, malicious destruction by means of a fire and timber set aflame. “The court finds there is a manifest necessity to declare a mistrial because the jury is deadlocked,” Judge Anne Hwang said, with 10 jurors set on a not-guilty verdict and two others determined to convict. It wasn’t immediately clear if federal prosecutors would move to retry the case. “We have people on both sides that are dead set, unwavering and unwilling to change their opinion,” a note from the jury Thursday read by Judge Anne Hwang said. The jury also said there was nothing the court could do to help and that they were split on all three charges. Prosecution had requested Hwang to tell the jury to deliberate longer, but she said there was a “risk of coercion” given how definitive the jury seemed. Defense attorney Steve Haney said the vote count was a “pretty resounding indication” that his client was innocent. Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty to starting what became one of the most destructive wildfires in California history. He was charged with arson, malicious destruction by means of a fire and timber set aflame. Prosecutors say Rinderknecht started a fire on Jan. 1, 2025, that burned undetected deep in root systems before flaring back up Jan. 7. The Palisades Fire ultimately killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes as it incinerated hillside neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and the city of Malibu. Rebuilding has moved slowly in the Pacific Palisades — only 17 homes have been certified for occupancy. His trial began June 8 and featured eight days of lengthy testimony from investigators, experts and witnesses from surrounding areas. Jurors deliberated for 13 hours over the course of two days before concluding that they could not produce a unanimous verdict. Digital records revealed Rinderknecht’s state of mind Using security camera footage, prosecutors established that the fire is believed to have started at the Hidden Buddha clearing, a spot in the mountainside that can be reached by a neighborhood trail. Rinderknecht, who was driving for Uber that evening, dropped off his last passenger in the same neighborhood, shortly before midnight. Rinderknecht called 911 more than a dozen times that night, and the phone’s geolocation data showed he was at the clearing and walked down the trail as he reported the fire. Prosecutors said Rinderknecht admitted that he did not see or hear anyone else there. Prosecutors introduced several witnesses to establish his motive and state of mind on New Years Eve 2024. They brought into evidence a multitude of digital records obtained from his phone, email, Uber, OpenAI and various social media accounts. Investigators reviewed thousands of conversations between Rinderknecht and ChatGPT, which he used multiple times a week as a personal diary. “Why am I so angry all the time?” he said in one exchange. He vented his anger over wealth inequality Rinderknecht lamented wealth disparity and climate change and his inability to do anything about it. Rinderknecht also made searches about Luigi Mangione, who is charged with the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and on Reddit searched “lets kill all the billionaires.” He looked up the address of DoorDash CEO Tony Xu, including if he had children or surveillance cameras at his home. He also shared his relationship struggles, including his rejection by a woman. He contacted that same woman earlier that night to ask if she had any New Year’s Eve plans. When she turned him down, he sent her angry and vile messages from another phone. When firefighters responded to the blaze, Rinderknecht followed them and took videos of the fire as they battled it. While at the fire, he also asked ChatGPT if someone would be responsible for a fire accidentally started by a cigarette. Rinderknecht screen-recorded both the 911 calls and his ChatGPT prompt, which prosecutors presented as evidence that he was trying to mislead investigators. On January 6, a day before powerful Santa Ana winds rekindled smoldering roots into a conflagration, he recorded a selfie video where he stated he was having a mental breakdown. He talked with an agent for hours — words used against him Prosecutors also referenced a recorded interview Rinderknecht gave the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in late January, before he was a suspect. ATF agent Matthew Beals spoke with him for roughly 8 hours, at one point driving together to the site of the fire so that Rinderknecht could physically identify his movements on the hill during the window of time when the fire started. Rinderknecht’s account was in conflict with his phone’s geolocation data and the timing of his 911 calls, Beals testified. Beals also said Rinderknecht became “agitated” when he asked about the fire’s details, at one point accusing him of interrogating him as a suspect, and repeatedly voiced dismay about the state of political affairs in response to the questions. Specifically, Rinderknecht was recorded speculating that someone might hypothetically start a fire in the Palisades out of frustration about inequality, the agent said. “If people are specifically targeting this area, I’m thinking it’s probably because they’re like, “Oh, do people think they can have their own little road up here in paradise and just, you know, be here with their money while we’re basically being slaves for them?” Rinderknecht said. Arson behavioral expert Kevin Kelm testified that all of Rinderknecht’s behavior was consistent with that of a “revenge, or societal revenge motivated” arsonist. His defense sought to blame fireworks Rinderknecht’s defense focused on showing jurors that fireworks could not be ruled out, and in fact were the most likely cause of the fire. One firefighter testified they heard fireworks in the area shortly before and after midnight New Year’s Eve. Haney called to the stand two Pacific Palisades residents and a security guard for the neighborhood. All three said they either saw flashes of light or heard fireworks, and two of them saw a group of teenagers running down the trail afterward. Two expert witnesses cast doubt on the federal investigation. Among other things, the scene of the Jan. 1 fire was unsecured for 13 days and could have been compromised in that time, the defense said. The experts also testified that fireworks were the most likely cause. Former LA fire investigator Ed Nordskog said he responded to dozens of fires each Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve, most started by fireworks. He accused government investigators of being influenced by confirmation bias as they pursued Rinderknecht. “They’re choosing to look at information in a very sinister way when they should be a little more open about it,” he said. When looking through Rinderknecht’s digital footprint, investigators never found any searches about arson, the best way to start a fire, or purchases of any fire-starting materials, Haney pointed out. While they found his DNA on a barbecue lighter in his car, they couldn’t prove a lighter sparked the blaze — only that it began with an “open flame,” he said. Calling 911 more than a dozen times and staying at the scene while firefighters fought the blaze also demonstrated his innocence, Haney said. “No arsonist sets a fire and calls 911 for them to put it out ... and then waits around to be arrested,” Haney said.

Read More...

The Utah judge in the murder case over Charlie Kirk’s killing held prosecutors in contempt of court on Friday over comments they made to media organizations about defendant Tyler Robinson’s guilt. Judge Tony Graf says the comments violated his restrictions on what the two sides can say about the case outside of court. But Graf denied a defense request to take the death penalty off the table as a sanction for the violation. He said the problem could instead be resolved through the screening and questioning process for potential jurors, which is intended to weed out people who could be biased about the case. Robinson has not yet entered a plea. The 23-year-old from southwestern Utah is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 assassination of Kirk, an ally of President Donald Trump who was shot in the neck while addressing a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University. Defense attorneys had accused Deputy Utah County Attorney Christopher Ballard of trying to influence potential jurors by going on a “media tour” to talk about ballistics evidence in the case. Ballard also said prosecutors had enough evidence to show Robinson murdered Kirk. The judge said the comments were not made out of any malicious desire to taint the jury pool. But he added that the comments about Robinson's guilt were "unreasonable" given the court's restrictions on speaking about the case. Legal experts had said blocking the death penalty would have been an extreme remedy.

Read More...

President Donald Trump is blaming Iran for a drone strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a “foolish violation” of the ceasefire. He claimed Friday in a post on social media that the U.S. shot down three other drones. The British military reported Thursday that a vessel was hit by a projectile off Oman. This comes during a fragile time, as the U.S. and Iran are negotiating an interim peace deal. Meanwhile, former Trump adviser-turned-critic John Bolton has pleaded guilty to illegally retaining classified information. He agreed to pay a $2.25 million fine.

Read More...

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — Former national security adviser John Bolton is pleading guilty to illegally retaining classified information. Bolton pleaded guilty to a single count of illegally retaining classified information. His plea deal with federal prosecutors could help him avoid prison time. Bolton, a critic of President Donald Trump, faced 18 counts related to classified information, including sharing notes with relatives while writing a memoir. The investigation began before Trump’s second term. Bolton served in Trump’s first administration before being ousted in 2019. His book, “The Room Where it Happened,” was controversial for its portrayal of Trump.

Read More...