(Updated on: May 24, 2026 / 6:16 AM EDT)
The shooting occurred outside the White House at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Somewhere between approximately 15 to 30 gunshots were fired, law enforcement sources told CBS News.
Multiple CBS News reporters who were on the White House North Lawn said they heard what sounded like gunfire at around 6 p.m. ET before U.S. Secret Service ushered them inside.
(12:45 AM · May 24, 2026)
Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal. I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other. President DONALD J. TRUMP
President Donald Trump says he will extend a ceasefire with Iran until Iran submits a proposal to end the conflict permanently.
“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He said he had directed the American military to “continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able.”
He said the truce, which had been due to expire in the coming hours, would “therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.”
Tensions between United States and Iran reached a critical flashpoint as US President Donald Trump confirmed a last-minute extension of the fragile ceasefire, pushing it two more days until Wednesday evening, and is now pushing Iran to seal a deal or face serious consequences.
The truce, set to expire on April 21 at 8pm ET, has now been temporarily prolonged in a desperate bid to keep diplomacy alive. Trump struck hard warning tone, making it clear that this extension is likely the final one.
One recent proposal from the Iranian side would involve a 10-year pause on enrichment, followed by another decade where Iran would agree to only enrich to levels well below weapons grade, according to a person familiar with the discussions. Meanwhile, Trump has told reporters that he wants no enrichment indefinitely and is against even the 20-year pause.
The Trump administration is also considering unfreezing $20 billion in Iranian assets as part of ongoing negotiations with Tehran, CNN previously reported. The step would come in exchange for Iran turning over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
How flexible each side is on their terms will ultimately dictate whether a deal can be reached.
Candace Owens, conservative commentator
Carmine Sabia, conservative pundit
Megan Basham, The Daily Wire
Brilyn Hollyhand, MAGA influencer
Marjorie Taylor Greene, former GOP Representative
Milo Yiannopoulos, right-wing influencer
Riley Gaines, anti-trans activist
The post was quietly deleted following an outpouring of anger on Monday morning from Catholics, the largest single religious denomination across the country. Hours later, Trump asserted during a press conference that, while he did share the image, he believed he was depicted as a Red Cross doctor, not Jesus.
President Trump deleted a social media post depicting him as Jesus Christ after receiving widespread backlash over the AI-generated image. CBS News‘ Weijia Jiang has more.
President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image depictimg himself late Sunday as a Jesus-like character healing a sick man, but the image included one not-so-subtle change from the original posted months ago by a MAGA fan – swapping out a U.S. soldier for a horned creature with wings.
The president’s religious depiction of himself in the viral image alone was enough to draw furious criticism from even his most die-hard supporters, who accused him of “blasphemy” and urged him to remove it.
In August 1964, as Cold War tension continued to fuel Washington’s obsession with the aim of stopping communist expansion in Southeast Asia, a brief naval encounter off the coast of North Vietnam rapidly triggered full-scale U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
Within days, President Lyndon B. Johnson received very broad congressional support to wage war, and officials justified this decision with reports of two unprovoked attacks on American destroyers that were operating in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Years later, as declassified evidence exposed errors and deliberate gaps in the reports, it became increasingly clear to many historians that the incident had not occurred exactly as described and that American leaders had, in significant ways, manipulated facts to justify the decision to send more forces to war.
(May 25, 2024)
The Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964 marked a pivotal turning point in the United States‘ involvement in Vietnam. What began as a limited, covert conflict rapidly escalated into a massive, decade-long war that would claim the lives of over 58,000 Americans and millions of Vietnamese. At the heart of this transformation was a murky naval skirmish off the coast of North Vietnam that was shrouded in confusion, miscommunication, and outright deception.
The events of August 1964 in the Gulf of Tonkin have long been a source of controversy and debate among historians, policymakers, and the American public. The incident raises profound questions about the use and abuse of intelligence, the manipulation of public opinion, the accountability of political leaders, and the proper role of Congress in checking presidential war powers.
The black S.U.V. carrying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the White House just before 11 a.m. on Feb. 11. The Israeli leader, who had been pressing for months for the United States to agree to a major assault on Iran, was whisked inside with little ceremony, out of view of reporters, primed for one of the most high-stakes moments in his long career.
U.S. and Israeli officials gathered first in the Cabinet Room, adjacent to the Oval Office. Then Mr. Netanyahu headed downstairs for the main event: a highly classified presentation on Iran for President Trump and his team in the White House Situation Room, which was rarely used for in-person meetings with foreign leaders.
I invite you to look beyond the machinery of misinformation—an integral part of this aggression—and instead speak with those who have visited Iran. Observe the many accomplished Iranian immigrants—educated in Iran—who now teach and conduct research at the world’s most prestigious universities, or contribute to the most advanced technology firms in the West. Do these realities align with the distortions you are being told about Iran and its people?
Today, the world stands at crossroads. Continuing along the path of confrontation is more costly and futile than ever before. The choice between confrontation and engagement is both real and consequential; its outcome will shape the future for generations to come. Throughout its millennia of proud history, Iran has outlasted many aggressors. All that remains of them are tarnished names in history, while Iran endures—resilient, dignified, and proud.
The president sought to draw a sharp line between governments and their citizens, stating that the Iranian people harbor no ill will towards Americans. “The Iranian people harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America, Europe, or neighboring countries” he wrote, describing this distinction as “a deeply rooted principle in Iranian culture and collective consciousness—not a temporary political stance.”
Building on this theme, Pezeshkian noted that the perception of Iran as a danger is an invention. He said such a view is “the product of political and economic whims of the powerful—the need to manufacture an enemy in order to justify pressure, maintain military dominance, sustain the arms industry, and control strategic markets.”
“In such an environment, if a threat does not exist, it is invented,” he added.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said ordinary Americans are not considered enemies despite longstanding tensions.
In a letter, he said Iranians “harbor no enmity” toward people in the US, Europe or neighbouring countries.
He added that Iran distinguishes between governments and the people they represent, describing it as a deeply rooted principle rather than a temporary political position.
In a statement after Thursday‘s House vote, the White House said: „Congress has reaffirmed the Commander-in-Chief‘s Constitutional authority to protect the American people from the Iranian regime‘s murderous ambitions and imminent threats.“
But Spain’s foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, rejected this statement just a few minutes later. ”I categorically deny it. The Spanish government’s position on the war in the Middle East, the bombings in Iran, and the use of our bases has not changed one iota,” he said in a radio interview on Cadena SER.
Spain’s position had been summarized by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez that morning in an official statement: “No to war.” Albares said that he has “no idea” what Leavitt was referring to.
(March 3, 2026)
Trump, speaking in the Oval Office alongside Merz, told reporters that Germany had been „helping out“ by allowing US forces to access certain bases, and drew a sharp contrast to the actions of two other European countries: Britain and Spain.
Merz said Germany and the United States shared a desire to get rid of Iran‘s current regime and said he would discuss with Trump what happened once the military operation ended.
„We are on the same page in terms of getting this terrible regime in Iran away, and we will talk about the day after,“ Merz said, adding he would also speak with Trump about Russia‘s war in Ukraine and the US-European Union trade agreement.
(March 3, 2026)
Trump, speaking in the Oval Office alongside Merz, told reporters that Germany had been „helping out“ by allowing U.S. forces to access certain bases, and drew a sharp contrast to the actions of two other European countries: Britain and Spain.
Völkerrecht? War da was? Stärke des Rechts? Zweifel am Erfolg eines Militärschlags als probates Mittel zum Regimewechsel? Leerstellen allesamt. Im Oval Office saß der deutsche Kanzler überwiegend schweigend und lächelte. Ein stummer Gast eines wie stets gedanklich mäandernden US-Präsidenten, der ansonsten genau weiß, dass er das Recht des Stärkeren definiert.
(March 3, 2026)
The 79-year-old said his father was born in Germany as he fielded questions from reporters on his unauthorized war with Iran.
“My father was born,” Trump said while gesturing towards Merz. “He knows all about my father. My father was born there.”
“So, you know, there are places that you sort of automatically very, very feel warmly about,” Trump added.
In fact, the president’s father, Frederick Trump Jr., was born in the Bronx in New York City in 1905. It was his father’s parents — Trump’s grandparents — who were born in what was then the German Empire, specifically in the Kingdom of Bavaria.
(March 3, 2026)
U.S. President Donald Trump was asked Tuesday if Israel forced his hand on launching strikes on Iran. Trump said no and added, ‚I might have forced their hand.‘ The president, who appeared alongside the German chancellor, took aim at Iranian leadership and defended U.S. conduct as conflict escalates in the Middle East.
President Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are holding a bilateral meeting at the White House on Tuesday, just days after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
Merz is the first world leader to meet face-to-face with Trump since the attacks. While the meeting was planned in advance, the widening conflict in the Middle East is likely to be a key topic.
Netanyahu is scheduled to take off from Tel Aviv at noon and land in Washington around 1 a.m. Wednesday, Israel time. The meeting with Trump is set for Wednesday morning at the White House and will be held without media presence, a departure from the leaders’ past encounters, which typically included joint press events and photo ops.
The decision for a private working meeting reportedly came from the White House, contrasting with previous summits, such as their previous meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Just before noon, the White House blamed a staffer for the video posted to Trump’s Truth Social account and said the post had been removed. The statement came after serious backlash, including from GOP Sen. Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, who called the post racist and said Trump should remove it.
The White House initially dismissed criticism that the video was racist, and said it is from a meme depicting Trump and the Obamas as characters from the Lion King. Trump does not appear in the video, which he posted just before midnight on Feb. 5 with no accompanying text.
But by noon ET on Feb. 6 ‒ after the post had been up about 12 hours ‒ it no long appeared on Truth Social. A White House official told USA TODAY on Feb. 6 a White House staffer had erroneously made the post and that it was taken down.