Salem News Channel

President Trump says the U.S. was not involved in Israel’s bombing of a major Iranian gas field. The president claimed the U.S. “knew nothing” about the attack and he’s pledging that “no more attacks” on Iran’s energy infrastructure will be made by Israel. In a social media post, he also warned that If Iran attacked Qatar, the U.S. would retaliate and “massively blow up the entirety” of South Pars gas field. Global energy markets continue to be rocked amid growing concerns of a wider military conflict.

Read More...

IRAN UPS ATTACKS, CHAOS AT AIRPORTS & JAPAN PM AT WHITE HOUSE

Read More...

Josh opens the show by breaking down the partial government shutdown, highlighting how Democrats are blocking funding for DHS and TSA—leading to disruptions at airports across the country. He also calls out the media for failing to hold Democrats accountable, despite some openly admitting they’re willing to let Americans feel the impact. Josh is then joined by Rachel Bovard, VP of Programs at CPI, to discuss the latest developments in the Senate surrounding the SAVE America Act. They dive into what the Senate Majority Leader is doing behind the scenes and why Democrats may be unintentionally giving Republicans an opening on voter ID. Later, Josh covers reports that the FBI is investigating former NCTC Director Joe Kent over alleged leaks of classified information. To close the show, Josh shifts to March Madness, sharing why anything short of a championship run for his Duke Blue Devils would be a disappointment—and why the NCAA Tournament brings out emotions in players unlike any other sporting event.

Read More...

A U.S. Senate committee voted on Thursday to advance the nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin to become homeland security secretary, even as the committee's Republican chairman criticized Mullin and voted against him. The 8-7 vote sends President Donald Trump's homeland pick to the Republican-controlled full Senate for a vote, where Mullin will need a majority to be confirmed. The committee vote was mostly along party lines, except for Republican Chairman Rand Paul, who voted against Mullin, and Democratic Senator John Fetterman, who voted in support. Trump fired embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem this month after she was criticized by Republican lawmakers over her handling of Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown and management of the 260,000-person department. The Republican president nominated Mullin, a businessman who spent a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives before becoming a senator in 2023, to take over the role. During a confirmation hearing on Wednesday before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Paul criticized Mullin for making violent statements, including showing support for a man who attacked Paul in 2017. Fetterman, a moderate from Pennsylvania who previously said he would vote for Mullin, praised him during Wednesday's hearing for his approach to border security and immigration enforcement. Fetterman's backing proved crucial to advancing the nomination. Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, the committee's top Democrat, criticized what he called Mullin's willingness to condone political violence. Peters cited a 2023 incident where Mullin - then a freshman senator - challenged Teamsters President Sean O'Brien to a fight during a Senate hearing. "There will be no shortage of political disagreements facing the next DHS secretary," Peters said. "The department and the American people deserve a leader who is steady and proven under pressure, not just someone better than the very low bar set by his predecessor. I'll be voting no." If confirmed, Mullin, a member of the Cherokee Nation, would be the second Native American to serve as a cabinet member. His nomination could head to the full Senate as soon as next week, a Republican leadership aide said. Trump surged federal agents into U.S. cities beginning in mid-2025 to make immigration arrests, with major operations in Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis, where masked officers employing militaristic tactics led to legal challenges and public criticism. Support for Trump's immigration approach decreased as agents clashed with city residents and fatally shot two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis, Reuters/Ipsos polls show. Mullin signaled at the hearing on Wednesday that he would approach some issues differently than Noem. The Trump administration issued an internal policy last year that told federal immigration officers they could enter private homes without a judicial warrant, a policy Democrats and civil rights groups oppose. Mullin said under his leadership, officials would need a judicial warrant to enter a home or business unless they were pursuing someone into the building. He said he would revoke a Noem policy that required her to personally approve any DHS contracts over $100,000, which led to criticism that it had delayed disaster recovery grants. "That's called micromanaging," Mullin said. "I don't know if the secretary put that in or someone else did. I'm not a micromanager." Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan, said significant and lasting reforms were needed to put guardrails on Trump's immigration crackdown. "The trust is gone, and not just with Democrats," she told Mullin on Wednesday. "That's why we're here. That's why your predecessor was fired. And there needs to be fundamental reform." Democrats have blocked federal funding for the Department of Homeland Security since mid-February, saying they will not approve the money unless the Trump administration scales back immigration enforcement. While Democrats welcomed Noem's departure, they have signaled they want lasting reforms rather than new personnel running DHS. Mullin generally has been aligned with Trump's immigration enforcement stance and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller remains the driving force behind Trump's restrictive agenda. Due to the security-focused nature of the DHS mission, many employees have continued to work without paychecks while the funding has been stalled. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Thursday that if a partial government shutdown continues, small ?airports could soon shut down as 50,000 airport security officers go ?without pay. Hours after Mullin was approved by the Senate panel, Noem was set to have a farewell party at DHS headquarters with food trucks on site, according to an invitation reviewed by Reuters. Noem, who was appointed special envoy to a new Trump security initiative in the Western Hemisphere called Shield of the Americas, is planning to travel to Ecuador for the effort next week, a Trump official said, requesting anonymity to discuss the trip. DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read More...

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday the United States' objectives in the war against Iran have not changed since strikes started on February 28. The United States has carried out strikes against 7,000 targets inside Iran, and hit more than 40 Iranian mine-laying vessels and 11 submarines. "Our objectives, given directly from our America-first president, remain exactly what they were on day one," Hegseth told reporters. "These are not the media's objectives, not Iran's objectives, not new objectives. Our objectives - unchanged, on target and on plan," Hegseth added. He spent several minutes in his opening statement criticizing the press. Hegseth told reporters that the objectives remained to destroy Iran's missile launchers, as well as its defense industrial base and navy and to never allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon. Reuters reported on Wednesday that President Donald Trump's administration is considering deploying thousands of U.S. troops to reinforce its operation in the Middle East, as the U.S. military prepares for possible next steps in its campaign against Iran. Those options ?include securing safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a mission that would be accomplished primarily through air and naval forces, the sources said. But securing the strait could also mean deploying U.S. troops to Iran's shoreline, sources told Reuters. In the same briefing, General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the U.S. military remained on track to achieve its objectives and that the United States was striking deeper into Iranian territory every day. But Caine acknowledged Iran still retained some missile capabilities. "They came into this fight with a lot of weapons," Caine said. Iran's attacks on energy infrastructure in response to Israeli attacks on its gas facilities marked the biggest escalation of the nearly three-week war, causing gas prices to surge and oil prices to rise further on Thursday. Reuters has reported that one of the locations where the Trump administration discussed sending ground forces was Kharg Island, the hub for 90% of Iran's oil exports, where the U.S. carried out strikes on Friday, saying it had only hit military targets. Hegseth, in the press conference, cited the strikes against Kharg Island as an example of how the U.S. could control Iran's fate, warning Iran against targeting Arab countries. "The United States military controls the fate of that country," he said. Kharg ?sits 16 miles (26 km) from Iran's coast, about 300 miles (483 km) northwest of the Strait of Hormuz, in waters deep enough to enable the docking of tankers that are too large to approach the mainland's shallow coastal waters. In a sign that the war could continue for some time, a U.S. official told Reuters the Pentagon had asked the White House to approve a more than $200 billion request to Congress to fund the war in Iran. "Obviously, it takes money to kill bad guys," Hegseth said, without confirming the number. "So we're going back to Congress and our folks there to ensure that we're properly funded for what's been done, for what we may have to do in the future," Hegseth said. The first six days of the war cost the U.S. at least $11.3 billion. That figure, from a closed-door briefing for senators, ?did not include the entire cost of the war, but was provided to ?lawmakers as they have clamored for more information about the conflict.

Read More...

The Federal Government Needs to not Meddle with Education

Read More...

The American people, especially the MAGA movement, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with President Trump’s Operation Epic Fury—the bold military action against Iran.

Read More...

Ari Fleischer exposes the blatant hypocrisy of Democrats and Trump-hating critics who have abandoned their long-held positions on military action now that a strong, decisive President Trump is finally eliminating America’s enemies instead of appeasing them.

Read More...

Donald Trump: We Don't Need NATO

Read More...

How Pastors Led The Fight For American Independence. Courtesy of The Herzog Foundation.

Read More...

Affordability vs. The Strait Of Hormuz With Chris Wilson, CEO of Eyes Over | @ChrisWilsonQED

Read More...

Sponsoring The 'Save Act' & Sen. Mullin's Confirmation Hearing With Senator James Lankford, U.S. Senator (R-OK) | Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs | @SenatorLankford

Read More...

The Trump administration is easing sanctions on Venezuela’s state-owned oil company in an effort to stabilize global energy markets as prices rise during the ongoing war with Iran. Under a new Treasury Department license, Venezuela will be allowed to export oil to U.S. buyers and international markets, marking a significant shift in U.S. sanctions policy. The White House is also temporarily waiving certain shipping regulations to speed up fuel transport between U.S. ports, as officials work to ease supply pressures linked to the broader Middle East conflict. The move comes as the administration faces growing concerns over energy security and global price volatility driven by disruptions tied to the Iran war.

Read More...

Debate is underway in the Senate over the SAVE America Act, a major election-related bill backed by President Donald Trump, as lawmakers clash over how to move the legislation forward. The measure faces strong opposition from Democrats and has also exposed divisions within the Republican Party over strategy and support for the proposal. Sen. Mike Lee is among those pushing for more aggressive tactics to advance the bill, at one point suggesting Republicans who do not support the measure should be replaced. The dispute underscores growing tensions on Capitol Hill as both parties struggle to unify around one of the administration’s key legislative priorities.

Read More...

Israel says it has killed Iran’s intelligence minister in a targeted airstrike in Tehran, marking a major escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two countries. Defense officials identified the official as Esmaeil Khatib, saying the strike is part of an expanding campaign targeting Iran’s senior leadership and security infrastructure. Israel’s defense minister said additional “significant surprises” are expected as military operations continue inside Iran and against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. The developments come as the region experiences widening hostilities, with both sides carrying out strikes across multiple fronts and raising concerns about further escalation. Iran has not immediately confirmed the reported killing.

Read More...

Israel says it has killed Iran’s intelligence minister in a targeted airstrike in Tehran, marking a major escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two countries. Defense officials identified the official as Esmaeil Khatib, saying the strike is part of an expanding campaign targeting Iran’s senior leadership and security infrastructure. Israel’s defense minister said additional “significant surprises” are expected as military operations continue inside Iran and against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. The developments come as the region experiences widening hostilities, with both sides carrying out strikes across multiple fronts and raising concerns about further escalation. Iran has not immediately confirmed the reported killing.

Read More...

The FBI is investigating a former top U.S. counterterrorism official who resigned this week amid internal disagreements over the war with Iran, according to officials familiar with the matter. Joe Kent stepped down as director of the National Counterterrorism Center, citing policy differences related to U.S. military strikes on Iran and the broader direction of the conflict. Officials say the FBI inquiry is focused on whether Kent improperly handled or shared classified information in the period leading up to his resignation. The investigation is in its early stages, and no charges have been filed. The resignation comes at a sensitive moment, as the U.S. continues military operations tied to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, raising concerns within the intelligence community about internal security and information handling. Authorities have not commented further on the specifics of the investigation.

Read More...

The nation’s top intelligence official says Iran’s government remains intact but has been significantly degraded following months of conflict and military strikes. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told lawmakers that Iran’s overall military and strategic capabilities have been “severely degraded,” though the country continues to function as a state and retains the ability to rebuild over time. Gabbard also said U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure “obliterated” the country’s nuclear enrichment program, according to her prepared testimony during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats. Her remarks come amid ongoing debate in Washington over the long-term impact of the strikes and the current trajectory of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Intelligence assessments presented to Congress indicate that while Iran’s program suffered major setbacks, analysts are divided on how quickly the country could recover. Lawmakers pressed intelligence officials during the hearing on whether Iran still poses a near-term nuclear threat, as well as the broader risk of escalation in the region. Officials emphasized that while Iran’s capabilities have been reduced, its government structure remains intact and operational. The hearing underscores continuing tensions between the White House and some members of Congress over the scale of damage inflicted on Iran’s nuclear program and the broader implications for U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Read More...

President Donald Trump is warning of major escalation in the Middle East, saying the United States would “massively blow up” Iran’s South Pars gas field if Tehran carries out further attacks on Qatar. The comments came after Iran launched missile strikes targeting energy infrastructure in Qatar in retaliation for earlier regional attacks, further intensifying an already volatile conflict involving Israel, Iran, and Gulf states. South Pars, located in the Persian Gulf, is the world’s largest natural gas field and is jointly shared by Iran and Qatar, where it is known as the North Field. The site is a critical source of global energy supply, making it one of the most strategically significant infrastructure assets in the world. Trump’s warning marks one of the most forceful statements yet in the ongoing crisis, which has seen repeated strikes on oil and gas facilities across the region and growing fears of a broader regional war. The escalation has already disrupted global energy markets and raised concerns among international leaders about the risk of wider economic instability if attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure continue. Officials have not confirmed any new U.S. military action, but the rhetoric underscores the rapidly deteriorating security situation in the region.

Read More...

The Trump administration is considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. troops to the Middle East as tensions with Iran continue to intensify, according to multiple reports. Officials are weighing options that could include reinforcing American forces already in the region and positioning troops to help secure key maritime and energy infrastructure, including shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz. The discussions also reportedly include potential deployments near strategic sites such as Iran’s oil export facilities. While no final decision has been made, the move would mark a significant escalation in the U.S. military presence in the region amid an increasingly volatile conflict that has already included air and missile strikes across multiple countries. The Pentagon has already increased its regional footprint in recent weeks, with additional naval and Marine units deployed to bolster defenses and protect shipping lanes as regional instability threatens global energy supplies. The possible troop expansion comes as the U.S. and its allies continue military operations against Iranian targets, while Iranian forces and allied militias have responded with strikes across the Gulf region. The conflict has raised concerns about wider regional escalation, disruptions to global oil markets, and the risk of a broader ground commitment by U.S. forces. Officials emphasize that discussions remain ongoing and no deployment orders have been issued.

Read More...