$1B Medicaid Payments Paused; 6600 Noncitizens Found on NJ Voter Rolls | NTD Evening News (July 21)

[00:00:01]Welcome to NTD Evening News. Our top story tonight, President Trump speaking after the deaths of three young US soldiers. Declares the Iranian regime will have to pay, warning of imminent strikes on Pickax Mountain. And the president issuing a blunt ultimatum to Yemen's Houthis. Try to blockade the Red Sea and America will handle it decisively. Mario at the White House.

[00:00:25]Coming up, War Secretary Pete Hgsth warns that America could face critical military shortfalls without billions in new funding. He also reveals the latest cost of the Iran War. New Jersey finds some 6600 non-citizens on its voter roles. Some have already voted illegally. The governor addressing the concerning findings.

[00:00:48]And the Treasury Department says a new safeguard has stopped nearly $100 million in potential improper payments to dece deceased recipients.

[00:00:58]And a billion dollars in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota have been suspended over suspected fraud. Jason Blair has the latest from the Trump administration on the move.

[00:01:09]And according to a new survey, more Californians oppose the state's zero emission mandate. The plan is to reduce the number of gas-powered cars in the state. David Lamb has more.

[00:01:28]This is NTV Evening News live from our global headquarters in New York City.

[00:01:34]Here's Carrie Dun.

[00:01:38]>> Good evening. Thank you for joining us tonight. President Trump vowing every American soldier killed by Iran will be avenged many times over. That's as he threatens to step up strikes on Iran after three US troops were killed in the past few days. And White House correspondent Mari Otsu reports.

[00:01:57]>> Honestly, they haven't seen anything yet. We've been nice. We've been nice.

[00:02:02]>> President Trump vowing to step up strikes against Iran after the deaths of three US service members over the weekend. The president declaring the regime will have to pay many times over every time they kill an American soldier. The Department of War identifying these soldiers as Sergeant Michael Swindon, 30 of Fatville, North Carolina, Lieutenant Tyler Fen, 25 of Eva Beach, Havi, and Private Isabella Gonzalez, just 19, of Carolton, Texas.

[00:02:27]President Trump saying Iran wants desperately to meet, but the US isn't interested until the regime's ready to meet in a meaningful way. But if they're going to shoot a commercial shipping, then we're going to hit them, as the president said, 10 times harder, which every night we're degrading them further and further.

[00:02:41]>> The president also vowing to bomb Iran's pickaxe mountain very soon. That's the heavily fortified underground complex near Iran's damaged uranium enrichment facility, where US officials have said Iran may have moved their nuclear centrifuges.

[00:02:53]>> Yeah, it doesn't mean anything unless they have the material. They don't have We follow the material. We'll be hitting that area pretty soon uh and and very heavily. And the president saying the US will take care of things in the Red Sea if Yemen's Houthis impose a blockade on energy exports coming from Saudi Arabia.

[00:03:08]That's after the Houthis armed forces announced a maritime embargo against the Saudis.

[00:03:12]>> They've had no problem with us for a long period of time, including during this conflict. Uh I think that if there is something like that, we'll just have to take care of business.

[00:03:23]>> This comes as President Trump welcomes Lebanese President Joseph to the White House to discuss ways to implement the trilateral framework. That's the USbacked deal between Lebanon and Israel that was recently signed in June. The agreement aims to expand the Lebanese army's control in the south, reduce Hezbollah's military presence, and pave the way for a phased Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

[00:03:43]>> I think, Mr. President, this will be your legacy. It's about time for Lebanon and for the whole region uh to be stable and secure. And I know your vision is peace. Your vision is stability.

[00:03:55]President Trump saying he will attend the dignified transfer of these fallen US troops at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to pay his respects. Reporting from the White House, Mario, NTD News.

[00:04:06]>> And the US, Lebanon, and Israel have begun a pilot program to help Lebanon secure more of its territory from the Hezbollah terrorist group. But the situation remains tense as Israel says it fired warning shots after Lebanese troops crossed into an area that wasn't agreed upon. And Jason Perry has more.

[00:04:25]The Lebanese army on Tuesday seen operating in southern Lebanon. This comes as Israel said the safe zone pilot program started this week. According to the US Department of State, the pilot program says that US forces are working with Lebanese and Israeli forces to assist the Lebanese army to gain more control of southern Lebanon, a part of the country known to be a stronghold for the Iranbacked Hezbollah terrorist group, which has vowed to destroy the state of Israel. Israeli forces recently established their own security zone while battling the Iranbacked group and through coordination with Israel and the United States Central Command. The Lebanese army is taking control of certain areas. A displaced Lebanese resident said he was waiting for Lebanese troops to tell him he was allowed to return home.

[00:05:19]So far, as we've been told, the engineering regiment hasn't finished yet because there are explosive devices and unexloded ammunition. It seems that things won't be resolved neither today nor tomorrow. And the situation remains tense as Lebanon tries to gain control of more of its territory. On Tuesday, Israeli forces said they fired warning shots in the air after Lebanese troops crossed approximately 160 yards into a security zone that Israel said was not part of the pilot area. Israel warned Lebanon that its troops could be in danger if they deviated from the agreed upon areas without prior coordination.

[00:05:59]the joint operations going on as Lebanon's President Joseph Aun met with President Trump at the White House where they discussed the security situation in Lebanon. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously saying what he thinks will happen after that meeting. And I think President Aun will be able to return to Lebanon and say to the people of Lebanon that he is the one that's getting positive results for the people, all Lebanese, including Christians, Sunni, and Shia and and and Bedwin and Drews, all the people of a very diverse country, not Hezbollah, not Iran. He is a legitimate government. He is who we're going to work with. And that government is the government that should be in charge of that country. Rubio says the way to defeat Hezbollah is by defeating them and replacing them with a government that is strong enough to be the sole source of arms in the country.

[00:06:47]Jason Perry, NTD News.

[00:06:50]And in the Senate today, War Secretary Pete Hgsth and Joint Chief's Chairman General Dan Kaine defended President Trump's 67 billion supplemental funding request. The administration warns that without the money, the military could be forced to reduce training and delay replenishing its weapons stockpiles.

[00:07:08]ND's Chris Bob reports. We know the best way to create peace is to prepare for war, to deter it. And that's exactly what the Department of War is doing, building a force so capable that it would be absurd for anyone to challenge it.

[00:07:21]>> War Secretary Pete Hegsath urging senators Tuesday to approve more than 67 billion in supplemental funding for the Department of War. The request includes $21 billion for military readiness and $46 billion for advanced capabilities.

[00:07:35]The money would support troop pay, training, fuel, forward deployed forces and equipment used in recent operations.

[00:07:41]>> Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls that threaten our ability to also simply pay our service members, rapidly replenish equipment and munitions, and sustain vital operations without disruption. Joint Chief's Chairman General Dan Kaine warns that America's adversaries are sharing intelligence, weapons, and technology as the speed of warfare continues to increase. The United States military is America's greatest insurance policy, and I acknowledge all of us find it difficult at times to pay for insurance before we need it. But we must have insurance before the storm comes.

[00:08:18]Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins says lawmakers may disagree over the Iran War, but the Department of War still faces bills and urgent military requirements.

[00:08:28]>> Congress has a responsibility to ensure that they have the tools, the training, and the support that they need to accomplish their missions.

[00:08:39]>> Louisiana Senator John Kennedy pressed the administration on what ending the operation would mean. This is serious as four heart attacks and a stroke.

[00:08:50]Now, what happens if we come home and end the blockade to the world?

[00:08:58]>> But the likely outcome is they would try to impose their will on the on the waterways in ways that uh that the world would not like.

[00:09:04]>> Call it a toll, call it a fee, call it an exchange, call it control. They would do something that they would try to hold it at issue. This is a regime hellbent on nuclear ambitions. The hearing also produced a new estimate of the war's cost. Illinois Senator Dick Durban asked Hexath how much the conflict has cost through its fifth month. The >> estimate we have as of today is 37.5 billion.

[00:09:26]>> Hex says the estimate includes some anticipated military pay and operation cost through September 30th. He also warns that military training could be reduced if Congress does not approve additional funding. House and Senate appropriations must now turn the request into legislation. Chris Bob, NTD News.

[00:09:45]>> Stopping improper payments before they leave government accounts. The Treasury Department says it has launched a new safeguard to prevent federal payments from going to deceased individuals. The move part of the President Trump's effort to combat waste, fraud, and abuse. Treasury says the new verification system has screened more than 885 million federal payments worth nearly $3 trillion. The process identified more than 4,900 payments totaling nearly $100 million that were linked to deceased recipients. Those payments were returned to federal agencies for review before any money was sent. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson says the new system strengthens protections for taxpayer dollars and it ensures that government payments reach their intended recipients.

[00:10:33]>> This is part of what President Trump calls his common sense agenda. It's it's common sense. And he issued President Trump issued an executive order uh for us to be able to go to the do not pay to have it interact with the Treasury payment systems. And as a result uh so far we've saved about a hund00 million uh payments that didn't go to uh deceased people and that would would have gone out. We think that there's up to 350 million that we can stop before the end of this year. And that goes along with the vice president's task force on eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in the government. The GAO estimates that it might be this number might be up to 500 billion dollars, which is about 1.66% of GDP.

[00:11:28]The Treasury Department says the program was expanded after President Trump signed the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act that was signed earlier this year. And in a related story, more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and to Minnesota have been frozen due to suspected fraud.

[00:11:46]The Department of Health and Human Services is demanding valid documentation for those funds. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says this is part of a new aggressive strategy to stop fraud before it happens. And correspondent Jason Blair reports.

[00:12:04]>> This administration will do whatever it takes to keep your taxpayers dollars out of the hands of criminals and fraudsters.

[00:12:12]>> The Department of Health and Human Services is requesting valid documentation for over $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota over suspected fraud. The payments have been paused while the verification process plays out.

[00:12:26]>> And if we suspect fraud, you will not receive taxpayer dollars until you prove that those payments are legitimate.

[00:12:33]>> The totals are approximately $867 million in California and 199 million in Minnesota.

[00:12:40]>> It's very, very difficult for anyone in any part of the political spectrum to think it makes sense to throw money away, especially since we think there are foreign multinational organizations involved. The HHS says their strategy is now focused on fraud prevention.

[00:12:53]>> Our job is not just to catch the bad guys. Our job is to stop the fraud before it happens.

[00:12:59]>> HHS Inspector General T- March Bell cited a Government Accountability Office estimate saying that roughly 20% of taxpayers work an entire year just to pay money that ends up stolen by fraud.

[00:13:11]One in five of you in this room will work all year or was working all year to pay taxes that were stolen.

[00:13:19]>> Andrew Ferguson, the vice chairman of the White House task force to eliminate fraud, shared the Trump administration's two wrong strategy.

[00:13:26]>> We have to switch from the process of letting money flood out the door from the federal government into the world and then chasing it and hope we can get some of it back. The second prong that we talk about is making sure that people who commit fraud go to jail.

[00:13:41]>> Dr. Oz says Minnesota has provided some documentation related to the fraud and it's now being evaluated. Reporting in Washington DC, Jason Blair, NTD News.

[00:13:52]>> The state of New Jersey has found some 6,600 non-citizens on its voter roles.

[00:13:58]Governor Mikey Cheryl says under 400 of them voted illegally.

[00:14:03]>> In June of 2023, nearly three years before I became governor, a serious software error in New Jersey's motor vehicle system led to the improper voter registration of what we believe to be roughly 6600 people in our state. When New Jerseyians applied for a driver's license or identification at the MVC, they were asked if they wanted to register to vote. In the case of this error, some individuals indicated that they weren't citizens and weren't eligible to vote, but the software registered them anyway.

[00:14:43]Governor Cheryl says the software error was corrected in June of 2024, but it's unclear which elections may have been impacted. It's also unclear if the Murphy administration knew about the error. She calls the whole situation unacceptable and says her administration has launched a comprehensive investigation. New Jersey is currently working to remove anyone who is illegally registered from the voter roles. The state is also ditching the software vendor in question.

[00:15:13]and transitioning to another vendor. The governor promises that she will treat election integrity seriously, ensure accountability, and prevent something like this from happening again.

[00:15:24]And today, voters in Arizona are headed to the polls to elect their preferred nominee for governor and for key congressional races. President Trump has endorsed Congressman Andy Biggs in the Republican primary for governor. Biggs faces a crowded field that includes congressman David Schwikert, Scott Neely, a concrete pumping contractor, making his second run for governor, and business owner Ken Miselli. Whoever emerges will face Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs in November. To run for governor, Schwikert is leaving an open seat in the competitive first district.

[00:15:57]Also worth watching is the fourth district where the race will indicate whether the socialist surge has hit Arizona. The Democratic primary pits progressive Kai Nukerk against the incumbent congressman. That's Greg Stanton. House Republicans again today sounding the alarm on the trend. And scarcity is not some accidental side effect of the system. Scarcity is actually the result. The Soviet Union promised equality then delivered breadlines. It promised security, then built a society of surveillance and fear. It promised liberation, then trapped millions of people behind an iron curtain. That's where that road to communism leads. Yet, the radical left is selling the same lie in America today. Uh it's incumbent upon all of us to get the truth out there about the threats that we are facing as a country with these radical people that want to bring this horrific ideology here.

[00:17:04]US and Mexican trade negotiators are starting three days of talks aimed at revising the North American trade agreement. This just one day after the US imposed a 50% tariff on most goods from Canada. And international correspondent Arian Pazdar has the story.

[00:17:21]US representatives are meeting with Mexican counterparts this week, kicking off negotiations surrounding their US, Mexico, Canada agreement. This marks the first formal discussions on changes to the agreement since the US declined its extension earlier this month. Washington says the US will leave the agreement within 10 years unless the three countries can agree on improvements, mostly to lower the unfair trade deficit. The start of the talks with Mexico come just one day after the US imposed a 50% tariff on most goods from Canada. Trade Representative Jameson Greer on Tuesday, telling CNBC the new tariffs come in response to Canada retaliating against President Trump's so-called liberation day. That's when the president imposed reciprocal tariffs in April of last year, shortly after taking office. of all the countries who retaliated against the United States.

[00:18:15]One was the People's Republic of China and the other was Canada. Some of the things they did is they banned the sale of US liquor and other booze on Canadian shelves. This graph shows the example Greer made. On the left, you will see that the US exported almost $500 million worth of wine in 2024. A year later, it was at only around $100 million. And we see similar decreases with distilled spirits and beers. Greer says unfair trade practices have also affected the auto industry, dairy, and more.

[00:18:48]>> And so we have a tailored action that covers a subset of Canadian goods. Uh we aren't banning the goods like the Canadians have banned American alcohol.

[00:18:57]We're not putting a cap on them or limiting them like they've done to cars and dairy, but we have a tariff.

[00:19:03]President Trump on Tuesday responding to a question on whether the tariffs come in response to the recent Canadian wildfires which are polluting the air in New York, Detroit, and other cities causing some businesses to temporarily close. The president previously said that Canada could prevent the fires by taking proper care of its forests.

[00:19:23]>> No, no, no. That's separate. We're looking at that separately.

[00:19:27]>> And what is there anything? It's only a response to the way they've treated our farmers and our people. You know, Canada's been very, very tough on us over the years, for many years, and no other president's done anything about it.

[00:19:40]>> Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney saying he's now open to discuss the current situation.

[00:19:45]>> Uh, I spoke with President Trump uh earlier this morning. Uh, we agree to intensify negotiations in the coming weeks. Carney says he wants to find a solution that works for the US and for Canada. Arian Pastar, NTD News.

[00:20:01]>> A policy conference on Capitol Hill is shining a light on the Chinese Communist Party's tactics to undermine the US and Taiwan. Speakers point to the CCP's forced organ harvesting, cyber attacks, as well as social media influence campaigns. Entities Jack Bradley has more from the Chinese Freedom and US Taiwan Security Forum.

[00:20:21]The adversary that I think we must be most prepared for that we need to be most defending against and their future plans is China.

[00:20:32]>> From forced organ harvesting to AIdriven cyber attacks, speakers on Capitol Hill say that the Chinese Communist Party's tactics extend beyond traditional warfare. They argue Beijing is using everything from human rights abuses to online influence campaigns to silence critics, pressure democracies, and expand its global reach.

[00:20:52]>> Taiwan matters because it shows what China should be.

[00:20:56]>> In communist China, the greatest good is the survival and supremacy of the Chinese Communist Party. So, you know, anything goes. That's why you get atrocity. That's why you get a killto-order industry. One of the most shocking atrocities is China's state sanctioned forced organ harvesting. The main target is Fallong Gong, also known as Fallon Dafa, a spiritual practice based on truth, compassion, and tolerance and heavily persecuted in China.

[00:21:21]>> I had a hard time believing it at first.

[00:21:24]I could not believe that physicians uh were participating in these type of crimes and only after looking at the data um you know, have I become fully convinced.

[00:21:33]>> The event recognized the global quit the CCP movement as well. Since 2004, 464 million people have quit the Chinese Communist Party.

[00:21:42]>> My family watched as police transferred her into criminal detention.

[00:21:47]>> Alyssa Joe's mother was arrested by Chinese police back in April with a dozen other fallen gong practitioners.

[00:21:53]>> Today, my family is not allowed to see her. Even her lawyer has been denied access.

[00:21:59]>> The event focused also on artificial intelligence, making cyber warfare easier and faster. What one individual could do today with AI would have taken a team just a few months ago, much less a few years ago.

[00:22:12]>> But panelists said that the challenge doesn't stop with hacking. They also say that Beijing is using social media and influence campaigns to quietly shape public opinion in democratic countries.

[00:22:24]>> They paid to key opinion leaders maybe in IG, on Facebook or in YouTube. They try to erode the people's trust in United States.

[00:22:37]>> The speakers say that countering Beijing's influence campaigns requires a long-term strategy combining technology, public awareness, and stronger democratic messaging going forward. Jack Bradley, NTD News, Washington.

[00:22:51]Coming up, according to a new survey, more Californians oppose the state's zero emission mandate. The plan is to reduce the number of gas powered cars in the state. David Lamb has more.

[00:23:02]And the makers of some of the world's bestselling weight loss drugs are headed to court. The lawsuit focuses on how ads from Eli Liy compare the company's weight loss drug to those from Nova Nordisk. Christina Corona reports.

[00:23:17]And how should museums be teaching American history? Why Report says the Smithsonian Institution is rewriting the American story and rejecting patriotism.

[00:23:33]on stone renowned for liberty.

[00:23:37]A call will ring out to end a persecution in China and a march for those attacked for their beliefs. Watch our live special coverage of human rights champions and many others calling for an end to the persecution of fallen dafa. Thursday, 11:30 a.m. Eastern, only on NTD.

[00:24:08]Welcome back to NTD Evening News. I'm Carrie Dunst. The Food and Drug Administration saying it's continuing to investigate Taylor Farms amid the ongoing cycllosporas outbreak linked to Taco Bell. The FDA saying it continues to believe that shredded lettuce supplied by the company is responsible.

[00:24:25]On July 18th, health regulators said that a sample of Taylor Farms shredded lettuce from central Mexico tested positive for cycllospora. The FDA later determined that result to be a false positive. Mexico's health minister has said there is no evidence yet to suggest lettuce sourced from Mexico caused the outbreak. According to the CDC, more than 1,600 people infected with cyclloorasis have reported eating at Taco Bells in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

[00:24:57]Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services said it has detected over 6,000 cases in the state as of July 20th.

[00:25:06]And on the phasing out of gas powered cars, a new survey found that the majority of Californians are opposing the zero emission mandate. In less than 10 years, new cars are required to have no emissions to be sold in the state.

[00:25:20]And David Lamb has reports.

[00:25:23]Two out of three California adults are opposing the state's plan to ban new gas powered cars. Governor Gavin Newsome has been pushing to go all electric. He signed an executive order requiring all new cars and passenger trucks sold in California to be zero emission vehicles by 2035, pointing to air pollution. We spoke to several people in Silicon Valley to hear their thoughts.

[00:25:46]>> I think people should have a choice.

[00:25:48]Some people don't have time to like charge an electric car or find a place to do that easily.

[00:25:56]>> So, I don't know. I think we should be going that direction, but it's hard for a lot of people.

[00:26:01]>> If the charging grid is improved, then and it and if it's worthwhile, then yeah, I think it's better environmentally to phase out gas powered cars. It's uh an ambitious goal and I think it's a great goal to work towards.

[00:26:16]I just get concerned about people who may not be able to afford uh zero emission vehicles, >> right?

[00:26:21]>> So hopefully having a solution for that.

[00:26:23]>> Based on a poll by Public Policy Institute of California, only about half of Californians were against the ban back in 2021, but the numbers have changed since then.

[00:26:34]>> I find it surprising now considering the gas prices. maybe because to mandate something it uh maybe infringes on people's choice.

[00:26:42]>> Today, most Republicans around 90% and independents 70% are opposed while Democrats are split.

[00:26:49]>> I think it's something we have to think about if we're looking towards um being more conscious about our being u more conscious about the climate. And yeah, I would go electric if I could >> um if there was like a better uh charging kind of network in the country, but >> I don't see that.

[00:27:06]>> The survey also found that although more than half of Californians want immediate action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, they have somewhat mixed views about electric vehicles. David Lamb, NTD News, California.

[00:27:24]And a fight between two of the biggest names in weight loss drugs is now heading to federal court in New Jersey.

[00:27:30]Nova Nordisk is suing rival Eli Liy.

[00:27:33]It's claiming it's advertising misleads consumers about how the drugs compare.

[00:27:37]NTD's Christina Corona has more.

[00:27:40]Novo Nordisk, the Danish company behind weight loss drugs WGOI and Ompic is taking Eli Liy to court over its advertising for Zetbound and Mjaro. At the center of the case is Lily's advertising. John Cuckleman, the general counsel for Novo, told Bloomberg Tuesday, >> "What Lily is doing with its advertising campaign is taking the highest dose of its medicine and comparing it to a lower dose of the Novo medicine. And then it is deceiving the people who see these campaigns into believing that the Lily drug is greatly superior to the Novo drug." Novo claims Lily is making its drugs look more effective by comparing the highest doses of Zetbound and Mandaro to older lower doses of Wiggoi and Ompic. Even though newer, higher doses of Novo's drugs are now available.

[00:28:31]One of Lily's television ads say people taking Zepbound lost an average of about 50 lbs compared to 33 lbs with Wiggoi.

[00:28:38]Novo says that's misleading because the study didn't include WGO's newest 7.2 2 mgram dose, which the FDA approved earlier this year. However, the company says that higher dose showed nearly the same weight loss results. Novo says it sent Lily a cease and desist letter earlier this year, but instead of pulling the ads, Lily added what Novo calls an inadequate disclaimer. Now, Novo is asking a judge to order Lily to stop running the ads, issue corrective advertising, and pay damages. Lily says it stands by its advertising, calling it truthful, transparent, and backed by clinical trial data. Christina Corona, NTD News.

[00:29:18]>> Up ahead, RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz announcing the federal government is pausing more than a billion dollars in Medicaid payments to two states. We're going to break that down with Jeffrey Tucker, founder of the Brownstone Institute.

[00:29:33]And President Trump taking aim at US reliance on China. The Pentagon rolling out tougher rules for def defense supply chains. We'll tell you what's in the new executive order.

[00:29:52]Welcome back to NTD Evening News. I'm Carrie Dunst. The federal government is pausing more than 867 million in Medicaid payments to California and another 200 million to Minnesota. That's according to Health Secretary Robert F.

[00:30:05]Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services leader Dr. Memed Oz.

[00:30:10]Joining us now to discuss is Jeffrey Tucker. He's founder and president of the Brownstone Institute. He's also the author of multiple books including Life After Lockdown. Jeffrey, it's great to see you and thank you for joining this evening. I want to get your initial reactions to this stoppage of payments.

[00:30:27]>> It's about time. This is far too little, far too late. But at least we've got this much. Uh at the very minimum, uh taxpayers expect that their their their money will not go be going to a fraud and an abuse and thrown away. And we have are overwhelmed with the amount of evidence that so much abuse has been happening. Uh we've been over, you know, flooded with stories from these two states in particular. So, I just have to congratulate um Dr. Oz and and and RFK for at least taking this kind of this kind of action that we need much more of this. Um sometimes I think that we can get a little cynical because we watch all these things on social media. We see terrible things happening. Um but we don't know what to do about it. And sometimes we ask the question, you know, how long is this going to go on? Are there ever going to be any prosecutions?

[00:31:24]Are we just going to keep the system going? I'm just supposed to sit here on my sofa and be outraged all the time.

[00:31:29]So, yeah, there's something very satisfying about seeing finally the decisive action. Cut it off, end it, show us using the money efficiently, then we'll talk.

[00:31:40]>> Now, Jeffrey, what are some of the tactics used by the fraudsters that has RFK and Dr. Oz suspicious of the legitimacy of these claims?

[00:31:49]>> Well, the system is very easy to game and people are very clever. Uh we saw this during the COVID period that you know once the stimulus checks and the uh the the loans went out to business people found that the systems very leaky. You can just lie on your forms and and since AI and and these data systems are running everything people have figured out very easily how to game the systems and and they're doing it now and uh citizens and illegal immigrants especially. So, um it's it's really quite a shock. And then you have the the other problem is that um that with the political differences in this country, some blue states think that they're entitled to just run these kinds of fraudulent systems, let them run wild, not police them. They feel like uh they're getting away with something. And they resent the fact the Trump administration is coming in asking for accountability. And if they're not going to clean up their act, I don't know what else you can do. It seems to me, you know, in the end, these systems are going to be run are run by money. If you cut off the money, that's the only way we're going to get some accountability here. So, I I think this is a wonderful step. I hope it's just the beginning. I would like to see this this kind of severe um sanctions. We're not talking about criminal punishments. We're just talking about give us some evidence that this money is being used as it's intended and then we'll restart it. But we can't just keep throwing good money after bad forever. Uh and and and expect anything to change because things are not going to change until the federal government stands up for taxpayers and says to these states, you've got to clean up the roles or else this program can't continue. At the very least, that's what we can expect. So my my I'm as happy as I am about this, I think it's thrilling that it's something. It's too little. It's too late. We We need to 10x, 100x, a thousandx this kind of approach to government. I And I I know that RFK and Oz and and even Trump themselves, they're they're afraid of taking these kind of what they what the mass media describes as extreme actions, but but but they're not extreme actions.

[00:34:05]The taxpayers appreciate uh this kind of thing, and I think it shows a certain boldness. I hope that this is the beginning of of a lot more of this kind of activity that we're going to see over the next year and two.

[00:34:20]>> Yeah. Just basic elements of general accounting that you'd see in the private sector applying it to to the government and the way it operates. And you mentioned maybe uh the tip of the iceberg or it's just getting started.

[00:34:32]It's a billion dollars for two states.

[00:34:34]How big do you think the problem is?

[00:34:37]>> Well, you know, that's the big issue.

[00:34:39]Um, and initially you remember that when Doge, Elon Musk's Doge got going, he thought that he could save as much as $2 trillion in waste, fraud, and abuse. And then as they got into it, they found that there were a lot of barriers to cutting things that they did not expect.

[00:34:57]Um, they they ran the whole construct of the Washington machine is designed to keep keep the thing going, right? So they they didn't anticipate how difficult it would be to to cut the budget. Um I think Elon himself said that that saving $2 trillion, which he's convinced that there were $2 trillion in waste, fraud, and abuse in government spending that we could nearly just almost balance the budget by getting rid of of of the fat and the excess and the fraud. Uh but he said that um it it proves he thinks it would be much easier to get to Mars and and become an interplanetary species than it is to cut the government budgets uh for all this waste, fraud and abuse. So he kind of washed his hands of it. But um if we could redouble our efforts, I I feel sure two two trillion I I think probably in a just world that would be easy. And as you say, um, you know, every private company has to have outside auditors. They're not even allowed to. If you're a public company, you can't even audit your own books. You have to have third party auditors who themselves are audited. So, you have multiple checks. And if there are problems, your stock price collapses, stockholders get mad, uh, customers get mad. There's there's accountability. But in government, we have these systems that nobody really understands. Nobody really has a stake in controlling them. Um, part of the whole idea of the American system is that we elect politicians to represent our interests and our interests, we have a strong interest in making sure that our money is being spent well and then they exercise control over the bureaucracies and then insist on account accountability. So that that's the way the system is supposed to work. But for many many decades, even going back a lot longer than that, the system has not worked. So I think the Trump administration is trying at last to bring some real accountability and doing something other than just talking about it or issuing reports, which is all I've ever seen in my political lifetime. I see lots of reports, lots of public outrage, but but what happens then? So, I think that this today is a very big day in terms of accountability and and uh the the march towards a more honest government systems because we got an announcement today. You know what?

[00:37:24]You're being cut off. This is what you have to do. Um, any parent who's who's right, you know, raised a a proflegate, >> right, >> son who's misusing the credit card in college knows what you have to ultimately do and it's the hardest thing you have to do, which is cut him off.

[00:37:40]And that's what's that's what we saw happen today. And maybe this will inspire some change.

[00:37:45]>> Well, perhaps a shot across the bow by RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz. We'll have to wait and see. Jeffrey Tucker, thanks for joining us this evening.

[00:37:52]>> My pleasure. Thank you.

[00:37:55]in a hearing on Capitol Hill today examining whether the Smithsonian Institution presents American history through a biased lens. Here's NTD's Fiona G. The many examples of polit politization of the museum are well documented in the comprehensive report, the White House Domestic Policy Council recently issued on July 4th, the nation's 250th anniversary.

[00:38:19]The report makes clear that the museum's woke exhibits and materials reflect a broader vision held by the museum leadership.

[00:38:25]>> That was chairman Tim Burchett speaking at Tuesday's hearing of the House Government Efficiency Subcommittee. The hearing focusing on the curatorial policies of the Smithsonian institutions. One witness saying the museum's leadership aims to teach the public about quote American wickedness.

[00:38:43]They see the world in terms of power dynamics, who has dominance, and how to rested from them by dismantling the American narrative. This is deeply Marxist and Grahamian. The hearing draws from a report released by the White House Domestic Policy Council and it's entitled Saving America's Story: How Ideological Capture at the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of American History erases Our Heritage. According to the report, significant artifacts such as George Washington's uniform and Thomas Jefferson's desk were not displayed with due prominence despite this year being America's 250th anniversary. The report says that instead the Smithsonian Museum puts the spotlight on gender identity and drag queens while rejecting patriotism and a mindset that puts America first.

[00:39:32]>> You have pictures of bondage. You have some overtly sexual things up there.

[00:39:39]>> Ma'am, do you think that's appropriate?

[00:39:41]Do you think that is appropriate for a child to see?

[00:39:44]>> Anthia Hartig, director of the Smithsonian's American History Museum, responding to the White House report, saying that the museum inspires patriotism without instructing it. The report though saying that the Smithsonian is doing the exact opposite and has quote traded settled truths and basic history for political activism and division. Reporting from Washington DC, Fiona G, NTD News.

[00:40:11]>> President Trump is taking another step to reduce US reliance on China for defense production. On Monday, he signed an executive order making it much harder for military contractors to use Chinese suppliers for the critical materials that are used in weapon systems. NTD's Tiffany Meyer has that story. The order tightens rules for contractors seeking waiverss to buy materials from China and other restricted foreign suppliers.

[00:40:37]Instead, the administration wants companies to source those materials domestically or from allied nations.

[00:40:42]Contractors will now have to prove they made exhaustive efforts to find alternatives. The Pentagon says defense contractors will be required to provide detailed information about their supply chains from raw materials to finished weapon systems and outline a plan to phase out prohibited suppliers. The goal is to identify foreign risks and reduce dependence on Chinese suppliers ahead of any potential future conflict. The order also calls for reviews of suppliers for Ford ownership, financial vulnerabilities, and manufacturing risks. Companies that fail to comply or mislead the government could face penalties or even lose defense contracts.

[00:41:24]And what do Americans think about the possibility of making daylight savings time permanent? And Sam Wong was out on the National Mall in DC to hear from the people.

[00:41:33]>> What are your thoughts on the possibility of making daylight savings permanent? I'm totally all for it. Let's make it happen. Not having to worry about, you know, shifting back an hour, going forward an hour, you know, then your sleep schedule, work and all that.

[00:41:44]You know, I just feel like it makes everything uniform and smooth, you know.

[00:41:47]>> I think it's a great idea because I don't like the time change. It messes with me.

[00:41:51]>> You farmers, stop being selfish.

[00:41:54]>> You farmers are just going to have to work later into the night.

[00:41:56]>> It's for the animal. They said >> for the animals.

[00:41:59]>> Fundamentally, I don't I'm not in favor of it. But if the Congress passes it so that it comes into the hands of the states to decide for themselves, then I'll be okay with that. There is a very real aspect of when you don't get enough sunlight, if you're up early enough or late enough that it does wear on you.

[00:42:14]>> I mean, there's two states, I believe, uh Arizona don't have daylight savings time, then you know, we coordinate with other countries and stuff and it's like they're like, are you daylight savings time? Are you not daylight savings time?

[00:42:24]It's so confusing. So, it's better to just keep it standard and that's the worldwide standard. The state of Indiana, for example, does it county by county. So I ran cross country in college and undergrad and we used to have races in Indiana, for example, and we'd sometimes either be an hour early or an hour late for the race. So it's very confusing. So I think just unifying it would be very good >> with the way uh states are, it just it doesn't make sense with again with the Arizona like changing time zones, but I think also if you go to Alaska, daylight savings doesn't make sense because there isn't really daylight to save. And in Hawaii, there's not a point of saving daylight. And in New Mexico, you don't even need to save daylight. It's the same as Arizona. You're just going to get cooked either way.

[00:43:05]>> Do you have a preference between permanent standard time versus daylight saving time, which is now >> daylight savings?

[00:43:11]>> I hate when it gets dark at 5:00, don't you? It sucks in the winter. It's depressing, too. It's a real thing.

[00:43:16]Seasonal depression. Like, who wants it to be dark at 5:00?

[00:43:19]>> Uh, I would rather have standard time. I think it would make it simpler for planning purposes. And also, I mean, we're not an agrarian economy anymore.

[00:43:27]You know, we need to adapt to the fact that this is the 21st century and not the 19th.

[00:43:32]>> But you were fine with keeping daylight savings permanent also, right?

[00:43:34]>> Oh, absolutely. I I like it staying lighter out later at during the day into you get more things done. It's not getting dark at 4:30, 5:00 anymore.

[00:43:43]>> You get off of work at 5 or 6:00. You don't want to be driving home in the dark, right? You still want to have some light. Drive home. You can still enjoy a little bit of the evening. So, longer days is better >> for me. one time. I don't care which way it is. One time. Stop changing it. You know, there's actually health reasons as well. People have heart attacks uh when they change the times in the springtime and stuff. So, one time, please, Congress, please, President Trump, sign that thing into law.

[00:44:07]>> Coming up, Spain celebrates winning the FIFA World Cup. Varane Torres, who scored the winning goal off the bench, sporting a hat that reads, "Make Spain great again.

[00:44:25]Welcome back to NTD evening news. I'm Carrie Dunst. Now for sports news as the World Cup final is in the books. An estimated 2 million fans packed the streets of Madrid to celebrate their victory.

[00:44:38]And Ferrron Torres drew attention during the parade, posting a video online wearing a red hat that reads, "Make Spain great again." Celebration came after Spain defeated defending champs Argentina 1 to zero with Torres scoring the winning goal in extra time coming off the bench. President Trump attended the final and joined FIFA President Giani Infantino for the trophy presentation.

[00:45:02]And as the game ended after that final whistle blew, a brawl between the Spanish and Argentine players erupted.

[00:45:08]FIFA has confirmed that it opened a disciplinary investigation and they're going to determine whether further action is warranted. Next, a suspect ended up above the law, but only momentarily when a vehicle they were fleeing in ended up on top of a pursuing police car. Here's what happened.

[00:45:27]Watch an Atlanta area police pursuit go from this to this.

[00:45:34]A joint law enforcement effort to apprehend a suspect wanted on drug charges kicked off a brief chase that didn't go far. Sandy Springs police say once the suspect vehicle took off, it struck a concrete barrier, lifting its rear end up and landing on the pursuing patrol car. The suspect then tried to flee on foot, but again didn't get far.

[00:45:53]The department said he was apprehended without further incident. Remember, no one is above the law, even if you happen to end up above the law. From above is where a surreal situation stemmed in Texas where KTRK reports a small plane attempting to land on a nearby airirstrip clearly missed its mark.

[00:46:11]Instead coming to land on top of a nearby house. The pilot was reportedly treated for minor injuries. No one was reported hurt inside the home which amazingly enough is located on Kittyhawk Street. You know Kittyhawk the right brothers. Read a book kids. Finally, the view from the air up there can be quite fair if you've got the artistic chops to back it up. Take a look at some of the winners from the 2026 International Aerial Photographer of the Year competition. More than 1500 entries from around the world were whittleled down to winners for best photographer and photograph as well as categories like above water, mountains, and snow. It just goes to show you don't necessarily have to go far to capture breathtaking bird's eyee views. You just have to go up. More winners and finalist submissions can be viewed in the ebook at internationalphotographer.com.

[00:47:02]>> And that's all for this evening's news, but keep it here on NTD. We've got Capital Report up next and then Tiffany Meyer tonight at 8:00 PM. Thanks for tuning in. I'm Carrie Dunst. Good night.