King Charles warns against US isolation; Comey indicted over social media post

King Charles addresses Congress calling the U.S.-U.K. alliance unbreakable, what he's signaling and who he's speaking to

Plus, indicted again, former FBI Director James Comey faces new charges. The social media post at the center of it and what he is saying now

And Artemis 3 moves closer. NASA gets ready for tests in orbit. What has to work before the next moonshot

The stories that matter, clear and credible, from across the country to around the world

These are your unbiased updates from Straight Arrow. Good morning, I'm Craig DeGrelly. As some U.S. alliances face strain amid the war with Iran

Britain is reasserting its ties with Washington. In a rare address to Congress

King Charles marked 250 years since America's independence, calling the relationship a, quote

story of reconciliation, renewal and remarkable partnership. But he also struck a cautionary note, urging the United States to stay engaged abroad

including continued support for NATO and Ukraine. From the bitter divisions of 250 years ago, we forged a friendship that has grown into one of

the most consequential alliances in human history. I pray with all my heart that our

alliance will continue to defend our shared values with our partners in Europe and the

Commonwealth and across the world. America's words carry weight and meaning, as they have

since independence. The actions of this great nation matter even more. The king did not mention Iran directly, but referred to, quote, times of conflict from Europe to the Middle East, calling them a test for the international community

At a state dinner, President Trump said the king shares his position on Iran

We have militarily defeated that particular opponent, and we're never going to let that opponent ever, Charles agrees with me even more than I do

we're never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon. They know that and they've known it right now very powerfully

But Charles does not speak for the British government and did not publicly back that claim

The moment comes as Trump has stepped up criticism of Prime Minister Keir Starmer over Britain's role in the Iran conflict

Today, the King and Queen Camilla visit the 9-11 Memorial in New York

where they will take part in a wreath laying and meet with families of victims

Former FBI Director James Comey is speaking out after a new indictment charges him over a social media post that federal prosecutors say threatened President Trump The case centers on this image right here Seashells arranged to spell 8647

Prosecutors say that combination could be read as a threat to get rid of the 47th president, Donald Trump

A grand jury in North Carolina has now indicted him. Comey responded in a video on Tuesday saying he's still innocent and not afraid

Well, they're back. This time about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina beach a year ago

And this won't be the end of it. But nothing has changed with me. I'm still innocent. I'm still not afraid

And I still believe in the independent federal judiciary. So let's go

Comey is charged with making a threat against the president and sending that threat across state lines

charges that could carry up to 10 years in prison. He later deleted the post, saying he did not realize the numbers could be interpreted as violent

and that he opposes violence of any kind. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says threats like this are routinely prosecuted

and that the grand jury made the decision to move forward. You are not allowed to threaten the president of the United States of America

That's not my decision. That's Congress's decision in a statute that they passed

that we charge multiple times a year. And so whether there is a defense, as you just described, maybe, maybe there is

But the government will have evidence. I am not going to talk about the evidence that we have. That's unfair to him

It's unfair to the prosecutors. But it's enough to say that the grand jury returned an indictment

This is the second time the Trump administration has brought charges against Comey

after an earlier case last year was dismissed by a federal judge

Legal experts say the case may come down to intent and whether prosecutors can prove the post was meant as a threat

For now, it moves ahead with an arrest warrant issued and the next steps expect to be worked out between Comey's lawyers and federal prosecutors

We're getting new details about how that shooting unfolded at the White House Correspondents' Dinner and just how close the gunman got

Surveillance video shows the suspect, 31-year-old Cole Allen, sprinting past security, running full speed right there through a checkpoint inside the hotel

CBS News reports he fired a shotgun, possibly hitting a cell phone inside a Secret Service agent's bulletproof vest

Allen then fell, and agents moved in quickly, pinning him down and taking away his weapons

In all, six shots were fired, one by the suspect, five by a Secret Service agent

The agent was hit in the vest, but not seriously injured. CBS News also reports Allen was able to get close after booking a room in the hotel

then using an unguarded stairwell to reach the event One floor below the president first lady and hundreds of guests were told to take cover as agents moved them out Allen now faces federal charges including attempting to assassinate

the president. Same topic, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles is expected to meet this week

with leaders from the Secret Service and Homeland Security. The focus? Keeping President Trump and

top officials safe after Saturday's shooting. Earlier, I spoke with Philip Farina of Risky

Business Security and Safety Advisors, who reviewed video of the suspect rushing past security toward

the ballroom. I asked what the Secret Service did right, where things may have broken down

and the risk of having the president and other key leaders all in one place

You know, when we think about security, especially at these very high levels

There's a concept called protection in depth. And what that basically means is that there are multiple layers that are happening both from what we can see as the public, but also really what's going on behind the scenes that we don't see

And so there's multiple layers that an individual has to be able to get through in order to try and accomplish what they're trying to do

So, you know, when you when you look at what actually happened, some some of what we've been shown, right, this protection death was actually taking place

And there were more levels, I'm quite sure, of what we haven't seen, you know, off camera that would have provided additional levels of protection for the president and the attendees

On Saturday night, President Trump was there. Vice President J.D. Vance was there. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was there. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was there. The First Lady was there. Is it wise to have so many high-level officials in one central location

We don't see as many of those types of events. So again, when you're at the government level and you're in the Secret Service, you're the head of the Secret Service and you're the head of the Protection Division handling these, you're going to be coordinating these events out quite extensively and creating a plan that makes sense, that again provides layers of security

really along the way and throughout, you know, this type of an event. So I believe that certainly

there were these layers in place. And does it make sense to continue, especially in, you know

an environment now where it's heightened with the different types of threats that are out there

to bring everybody together Those events are going to still continue to happen And again And our government really just has to make sure that the planning and the process and the responses are in place to make that a

successful event. Part of my interview with security expert Philip Farina from Miami

Now to NASA, and there's no slowdown. Just weeks after Artemis II wrapped up

the next mission is already taking shape. The core stage of NASA's massive SLS rocket

has arrived at the Kennedy Space Center. The 212-foot backbone of the rocket traveled about

900 miles by barge from New Orleans. Haulers moved it into the Vehicle Assembly Building Tuesday

That's where crews will finish putting it all together. This rocket is set to power Artemis 3

targeted for late 2027. But this mission won't go to the moon just yet. Instead

astronauts will travel to low Earth orbit, where they're expected to dock with a lunar lander

That lander will come from either SpaceX or Blue Origin. If that works, it clears the way for Artemis 4 in 2028

and the first return to the moon's surface since 1972. Finally this morning, as the U.S. approaches its 250th birthday

President Trump is being featured on a new commemorative item. The State Department says it will release a limited number of American passports

featuring the president's likeness. Trump would be the first living president to appear on a U.S. travel document

Officials say between 25 and 30,000 will be issued, available only at the Washington, D.C. passport office around the 4th of July

And if you apply there during that window, you'll get the design. There's no option to choose a different version

Right now, the only presidents featured on U.S. passports are those on Mount Rushmore

Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Before we head out, here's what we're tracking today

This morning at the Capitol, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chair General Dan Cain testify on the Pentagon's budget

At 1, King Charles and Queen Camilla visit the 9-11 memorial. The next hour, President Trump participates in a greeting with the astronauts from Artemis II

And the Federal Reserve wraps up its two-day meeting this afternoon with an interest rate decision expected

followed by a press conference from Chair Jerome Powell at 2.30. We don't give you noise

We don't take sides. NewsGuard gives us a perfect score for reliability

All sides gives us a center rating for balance certification. We give you facts first and the news straight

Have you signed up for Unbiased Updates, our newsletter? Please do. It's a great way to start your day a little bit smarter

Go to san.com slash newsletters. Those are your Unbiased Updates for this Wednesday

We'll see you back here tomorrow. For all of us here at Straight Arrow, I'm Craig DeGrelli

Have a great day