Trump news, today’s schedule. reflecting pool, primaries, iran
Another Trump-backed candidate won Georgia’s primary runoff election. The reflecting pool turns green again. President Trump discusses Iran deal at G7 summit.
An Oklahoma pastor running for Congress has dropped out of the race just one day after advancing to a runoff amid a text message scandal.
Jackson Rahmeyer, who was running as a Republican in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, advanced to the Republican primary on Tuesday, June 16th, but withdrew on Wednesday, June 17th amid the scandal.
“After prayerful consideration over the past 24 hours, my wife, Kendra, and my team have made the difficult decision to cancel my Congressional campaign,” Rahmeyer said on his now-deleted X account. “I don’t want to stand in the way of my family, my church, and the great people of Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, who deserve a strong conservative voice in Washington.”
Rahmeyer, who started a group called Pastors for Trump, was endorsed by President Donald Trump in May and saw the president reiterate his support for the then-candidate on Monday, June 16, ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
“I am honored to endorse MAGA warrior Jackson Rahmeyer, who is running to represent the great people of Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District and who has been with me since the beginning of our ‘Make America Great Again!’ movement,” President Trump said.
President Trump withdraws support
But hours before Rahmeyer withdrew from the race, Trump withdrew his support and instead endorsed Mark Tedford, the top vote-getter in Tuesday’s Republican primary.
“I deeply appreciate Jackson Rahmeyer’s hard work under difficult circumstances. He has always been with me and I will always be with him,” Trump said on Truth Social. “However, in the current race for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, I will be supporting Mark Tedford of America First Patriot.”
What is Rahmeyer alleged to have done?
Rahmeyer has found himself embroiled in controversy after the Daily Mail published a text thread purportedly between Rahmeyer and Miss Oklahoma USA 2007 Kaitlin Key.
The Daily Mail reported that Mr. Key was a fundraiser for Mr. Rahmeyer’s parliamentary campaign. She told the news outlet that they met in 2022 during the minister’s ultimately unsuccessful challenge to incumbent Sen. James Lankford.
The Daily Mail reports that Preacher and Key exchanged a series of text messages in the spring of 2026, which his wife eventually read.
In a text message, Rahmeyer called Key “so cute.” She replied: “The question is, why are you emailing me when you’re attending a fancy party at Mar-a-Lago?” Rahmeyer replied, “I like emailing you (lol).”
After the piece was published, Rahmeyer issued a statement saying that he had “crossed a line through text messages.”
“I myself have crossed the line through text messages. I have also ended all communication. The British tabloids have tried to paint me in a way that is not true,” he said in a post to X.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
