Salem News Channel

A helicopter pilot wounded in the raid that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro received the Medal of Honor during President Donald Trump's State of the Union address Tuesday evening. Trump said Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover, who appeared using a walker, was the pilot of the lead CH-47 Chinook helicopter that descended on the “heavily protected military fortress” where Maduro was staying. The raid, while successful, left seven U.S. service members with gunshot wounds and shrapnel-related injuries. “While preparing to land, enemy machine guns fired from every angle, and Eric was hit very badly in the leg and hip, one bullet after another,” Trump said, adding that Slover “absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces.” Months of covert planning led to the brazen operation that plunged the South American country’s capital into darkness as troops infiltrated Maduro’s home and whisked him to the United States to face drug trafficking charges. Trump's description of Slover's actions that night offer a new, detailed glimpse into the military action that has been largely shrouded in secrecy since it was carried out in the early hours of Jan. 3. As Slover prepared to land his helicopter, he was confronted with “two machine gunners who escaped the wrath of the previous planes,” according to Trump. “Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy and let his gunners eliminate the threat," Trump said, “saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory.” The president said “the success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinged on Eric’s ability to take searing pain.” Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of Joint Special Operations Command, presented Slover with the Medal of Honor in the gallery overlooking the House chamber. Slover, 45, was in his dress uniform and used a walker to steady himself. Trump said the soldier was still recovering from his wounds. Lt. Col. Allie Scott, a spokeswoman for Army Special Operations Command, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Slover enlisted in the U.S. Army in August of 2005 and, after completing basic training, attended Warrant Officer Candidate School and flight school, where he became a Chinook pilot. In his career of more than 20 years, Slover was given multiple, prestigious awards for his service. They include two Distinguished Flying Crosses — including one with a V Device for valor — two Bronze Stars, two Meritorious Service Medals, and two Air Medals, among other awards and decorations, according to records provided by Scott. Slover's records also say he has been awarded a Purple Heart. Trump said 10 other service members who took part in the operation will be receiving medals at a private ceremony soon to be held at the White House. The military typically shies away from publicly identifying service members who serve in special operations units, often going so far as to blur faces of troops undergoing training for admission into the elite units. In addition to Slover, Trump also presented the Medal of Honor to retired Capt. E. Royce Williams, a Navy pilot who shot down multiple Soviet jets during the Korean War, upgrading his existing award of a Navy Cross. Trump called the 100-year-old former fighter pilot “one of the last living legends.”

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Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers will resign from teaching at Harvard University amid a campus review of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the university announced Wednesday. Summers, who has been on leave since November and whose name appeared hundreds of times in newly released Epstein files, will leave at the end of the school year, according to a statement from Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton. In a statement, Summers said it was a difficult decision and expressed gratitude to students and colleagues he has worked with over 50 years.

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The FBI has served at the Los Angeles Unified School District’s headquarters and the home of its superintendent. The nature of the federal investigation involving the nation’s second-largest school district and Superintendent Alberto Carvalho's home was not immediately clear. Affidavits laying out details for the basis for Wednesday's searches were under seal. The Los Angeles district said in a statement that it “is cooperating with the investigation and we do not have further information at this time.” A third location near Miami was also searched. Carvalho previously led public schools in that area.

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Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger delivered the Democrats' response to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday with pointed attacks on his economic record and aggressive deportations of immigrants. Spanberger, who was sworn in last month as Virginia's first woman governor, focused largely on the high prices that consumers have to pay after Trump promised voters in 2024 that he would make life more affordable for Americans. It was a preview of the Democrats' central campaign issue that they plan to use in their effort to capture control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in November's midterm elections. The president spent the first part of his speech praising the economic turnaround that he said he had accomplished, contending that his aggressive use of tariffs on foreign goods was a centerpiece of an economic comeback. Spanberger, a moderate who has flipped Republican-held seats to Democratic control in the U.S. House and Virginia governorship, painted a bleaker picture. Farmers, she said, are suffering under the weight of tariffs that triggered retaliation from foreign countries that had been strong markets for American soybeans and other commodities. She also said the levies had raised the prices of fertilizers and other inputs needed for U.S. crops. "Farmers have suffered, some losing entire markets," she said. Speaking in Williamsburg, Virginia, at the House of Burgesses that predates the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and its 250th anniversary, which Trump repeatedly referred to, Spanberger accused the president of using his office to enrich himself instead of looking out for the voters who will go to the polls later this year. With public opinion polls showing that a majority of Americans do not support the Trump administration's immigrant deportation tactics, Spanberger said it has been dispatching poorly trained federal agents into U.S. cities, including Minneapolis, where they have detained American citizens and have done so without judicial warrants. "They have ripped nursing mothers away from their babies," she said. "They have sent children, a little boy in a blue bunny hat, to far-off detention centers and they have killed American citizens in our streets."

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Senator Bernie Moreno Reacts to President Trump's State of the Union Address

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Surveillance video captured the dramatic moment a sinkhole opened up on a busy intersection in south-central Omaha, Nebraska, swallowing up two vehicles. The incident happened Tuesday afternoon in a trendy section of the Midwest city, when a sport utility vehicle and a pickup truck waiting at a traffic light dropped into a hole several feet deep when the pavement under them suddenly gave way. Neither driver was injured, police said. The driver of the truck was able to get out of the sinkhole on his own, then joined other bystanders who helped the SUV driver out of the hole, police said. “We are grateful to them for jumping into action and quickly providing help,” Omaha police spokeswoman Officer Sarah Martier said in a statement. The area serves both the University of Nebraska at Omaha and draws residents to a thriving entertainment district teaming with restaurants, retail shops and a movie theater. Omaha Public Works indicates on its website that the sinkhole was the result of a water main break. Metropolitan Utilities District, which operates the city's water system, did not immediately return phone and email messages Wednesday seeking comment.

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Firefighters in Massachusetts were investigating an explosion Wednesday that left a house engulfed in flames and at least two people injured, authorities said. Emergency workers responded to the fire at the three-family home about 9:50 a.m., fire officials said. Two injured residents, a 25-year-old mother with severe burns and a 2-year-old child with serious injuries, were transported to hospitals, officials said. “The situation is now under control, but this was a very serious incident,” fire Chief Steven Lavigne said. “The weather conditions present unique challenges, but we plan for these situations.” The home was a total loss and eight residents were displaced, fire officials said. Two adjacent homes were also seriously burned, they said. The city opened a warming center for displaced residents Wednesday. Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell told reporters on a street lined with piles of snow and emergency vehicles that she didn't immediately know whether those injured were inside the house when it exploded. Homes on the street are close together and O'Connell said she thought residents next door had to leave their homes. Nearby residents, including some who live several blocks away, reported hearing a loud noise at the time of explosion. William James Shivers Jr., who lives nearby, said he responded to the house to help people get out. “Neighbors helping neighbors, as it should be,” Shivers said. “Taunton police and fire are amazing and I’m blessed to be a part of this community.” Jake Wark, a spokesperson for the state Department of Fire Services, said he understood that multiple people were injured. The agency was urging people to avoid the area and to allow emergency personnel access to the scene. State police fire investigators and the state fire marshal’s office were both responding to support Taunton fire authorities to determine the origin and cause of the explosion, Wark said. Taunton and much of the northeastern U.S. was digging out from a major snowstorm earlier in the week. The storm left more than 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow in Taunton, which is a city of about 60,000 people about 38 miles (61 kilometers) south of Boston.

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President Trump's Speech was a Complete Masterclass

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Senator Katie Britt Reacts to President Trump's State of the Union Address

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In a powerful State of the Union address, President Trump laid out a vision for America First, The contrast couldn't be clearer. As Trump said, "You should be ashamed." This snapshot reveals what Democrats truly believe—putting illegals and elites first.

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In a historic State of the Union address on February 24, 2026—the longest ever at nearly 108 minutes—President Donald Trump delivered a populist masterpiece that showcased America's resurgence under his leadership, starkly contrasting with Democrats' petty disruptions and refusal to celebrate national victories.

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Chris Reviews The State Of The Union

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Congressman Pat Fallon Recaps Trump's State Of The Union Speech With Rep. Pat Fallon, US Congressman who Represents Texas' 4th congressional district.

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Trump Shames Dems At SOTU Speech

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A federal appeals court in Washington, D-C has rejected a request to temporarily block the I-R-S from sharing limited taxpayer data with immigration authorities. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that immigrant rights groups are unlikely to succeed in their claim that the agreement violates privacy law. The deal — signed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to submit names for verification against I-R-S records.

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A federal magistrate judge has barred authorities from conducting an unsupervised search of electronic devices seized from Hannah Natanson, a reporter for The Washington Post. U-S Magistrate Judge William Porter ruled he will personally review the devices rather than allowing a Justice Department “filter team” to handle the search. The devices were seized as part of an investigation into alleged leaks of classified information from a Pentagon contractor. The judge said his decision balances press freedom with national security concerns.

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The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the University of California, Los Angeles, alleging the school failed to protect Jewish employees from antisemitic harassment during pro-Palestinian protests in 2023 and 2024. The lawsuit claims UCLA did not discipline protesters, including dozens arrested during a campus encampment last year. The university says it has taken significant steps to strengthen security, enforce policies, and combat antisemitism but has not directly addressed the federal suit.

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Cities across the Northeast are digging out after a massive snowstorm dumped several feet of snow from Maryland to Maine. By Tuesday night, New York City crews had spread 143 million pounds of salt, while teams in Rhode Island worked to keep emergency routes open. Forecasters say another storm is expected Wednesday, complicating cleanup efforts and creating challenges for people with disabilities navigating impassable streets.

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Iran is pushing back against President Donald Trump ahead of high-stakes nuclear negotiations in Geneva. Tehran dismissed the president’s recent remarks as false and warned the U-S to engage in diplomacy rather than escalate tensions. Meanwhile, the United States has deployed a significant buildup of aircraft and warships to the Middle East as part of the president’s strategy to secure a stronger deal. The talks come amid growing domestic unrest and economic pressure within Iran.

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is appealing a federal judge’s order that blocked him from disciplining Democratic Senator Mark Kelly. A U-S district judge ruled that Hegseth violated Kelly’s First Amendment rights after the senator appeared in a video urging troops to resist unlawful orders. The Justice Department says it will ask the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review the decision. The video featured Kelly and other Democratic lawmakers calling on service members to uphold the Constitution.

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