Smithsonian Director Grilled, AOC Leaves 2028 Door Open, NJ Reveals Illegal Voters: AM Update 7/22

[00:00:01][music] >> Hey, good morning everyone. I'm Mark Halperin, host of Next Up with Mark Halperin, filling in today for the great Megyn Kelly. It's Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026, and this is your AM update.

[00:00:13]>> We strive to represent all Americans.

[00:00:15][music] >> You strive to represent what >> We are pedophiles.

[00:00:20]>> The director of the Smithsonian's American History Museum grilled on Capitol Hill over accusations she's turned the institution into a showcase for left-wing [music] activism.

[00:00:30]Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez leaving the door open to a presidential run in 2028. [music] And the Pentagon identifying three American soldiers killed in the renewed fighting with Iran.

[00:00:42]>> A serious software error in New Jersey's motor vehicle system >> [music] >> led to the improper voter registration >> and more than 6,000 non-citizens improperly added to New Jersey's voter rolls with [music] hundreds going on to cast ballots. All that and more coming up here on your AM update.

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[00:02:14]>> [music] >> The director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History facing a congressional grilling Tuesday over accusations that she has turned the taxpayer-funded institution into a vehicle for left-wing activism.

[00:02:26]Republican lawmakers questioning Anthea Hartig during a House Oversight Delivering on Government Efficiency or DODGE subcommittee hearing focused on the Smithsonian's presentation of American history.

[00:02:39]The hearing coming just weeks after the White House published a 162-page report accusing the museum of failing to present the nation's heritage in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of the country. The Independence Day report arguing the museum gives insufficient attention to the Founding Fathers and the nation's founding while placing an outsize focus on slavery, immigration, woke gender ideology. The Smithsonian receiving more than half of its roughly $1 billion annual budget from federal sources, including money directly appropriated by Congress. President Trump previously signing an executive order directing Vice President J.D. Vance and [clears throat] federal budget officials to prevent taxpayer money from supporting exhibits or programs that degrade shared American values, divide the public by race, or promote ideologies at odds with federal policy.

[00:03:30]Republican Congressman Tim Burchett of Tennessee, who chairs the DODGE subcommittee, in his opening statement accusing Hartig of helping move the museum away from its original mission and toward a fixation on race, sexuality, inequality, and oppression.

[00:03:47]>> Dr. Hartig proudly takes credit for changing the museum's mission statement, which no longer uses the term American history or refers to the infinite richness of that history. The museum is now guided by an interpretive plan that ensures all topics focus on the core issues of our time.

[00:04:05]And do we want to guess what they are?

[00:04:07]Race and identity, gender and sexuality, environmental change, immigration and migrations, and economic inequality top the list. Also, a center for restorative justice at the museum created under Dr. Hartig's watch hosted a decolonization working group to investigate historical harms that result in ongoing systematic oppression. To remove any doubt about her intentions, Dr. Hartig in her own words states that she views history as a prime tool of social justice.

[00:04:40]>> Republican Congressman Brandon Gill of Texas highlighting some of the more absurd material promoted by the Smithsonian.

[00:04:47]>> Would you say that the goal of history is to be objective?

[00:04:51]>> Thank you, sir, for the question. You know, I think that there are many goals of history and certainly as you collect as we do, examine evidence, create scholarship >> one of the goals of history?

[00:05:03]>> We strive to be objective and non-partisan and not based on any idea >> one of the goals. Doesn't that seem a little bit concerning? It certainly does to me because as part of this white supremacy document that your organization has promoted objectivity is a core and defining aspect of white supremacy culture. Um, is it important to be polite?

[00:05:28]>> Excuse me, sir?

[00:05:29]>> Is it important to be polite?

[00:05:31]>> Yes, sir.

[00:05:32]>> It's also interesting because the same mass action toolkit that your organization has been promoting references politeness as a defining characteristic of white supremacy culture.

[00:05:45]>> Hartig pushing back on accusations that the museum denigrates the country.

[00:05:49]>> We honor the declaration, the revolution, the constitution, our national symbols, and we tell the truth about the times that the country fell short of its own founding ideals.

[00:06:01]Telling our story fully is a form of respect for the American people and a commitment to constantly being in pursuit of a more perfect union.

[00:06:12]>> Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett of Texas responding with her usual theatrics dismissing the entire proceeding as an effort to whitewash American history.

[00:06:22]>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, welcome to the Republicans white pride rally disguised as a congressional hearing.

[00:06:29]It might be uncomfortable for some people on this committee to hear about the true history of America, and I hate that for for them, but facts are facts.

[00:06:38]And it's a fact that there is a violent, exclusionary, discriminatory, sexist, and racist part of American history where our indigenous populations were forcibly displaced from their land, where thousands of black people were unjustly [snorts] lynched, where black people were denied the right to vote and they still trying to do it today, where women needed their husband's permission to open a bank account, where people with disabilities were routinely excluded from schools, workplaces, and public life, where four little black girls were murdered by the KKK at the 16th Street Baptist Church, and a lot of this wasn't that long ago.

[00:07:15]>> New York Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez offering her strongest indication yet that she may be eyeing the White House in 2028. Asked by Politico about her presidential prospects, AOC responding, quote, "I mean, I can't say that I've ruled it out." The comment coming during a weekend swing through Michigan where Ocasio-Cortez joined Vermont independent Senator Bernie Sanders to campaign for far-left Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.

[00:07:42]AOC emerging as one of El-Sayed's most prominent national supporters after endorsing him earlier this month in Michigan's closely watched Democrat Senate primary, the appearance marking the latest stop in a national campaign schedule carrying Ocasio-Cortez well beyond her New York district. She spent much of last year appearing alongside Senator Sanders at his so-called fighting oligarchy rallies before increasingly taking to the trail on behalf of candidates that she's personally selected. AOC withholding her support from former Maine Senate candidate Kram Platner despite the early enthusiasm surrounding his campaign. The congresswoman telling Politico that staying out of a primary should not necessarily be viewed as a rejection adding quote, "But I think that me choosing to enter a race has a high bar because I put a lot of energy into every candidate that I endorse."

[00:08:35]Her choices on the campaign trail are not the only signs fueling speculation about 2028. Axios observing a noticeable change in Ocasio-Cortez's political language in recent months, the democratic socialist increasingly pairing her calls for sweeping economic change with a more inspirational appeal.

[00:08:54]Here for instance, a recent campaign appearance.

[00:08:57]>> Ask your skeptical neighbor to believe.

[00:09:01]It's the only thing that we have.

[00:09:04]Our hope is the only thing that change that creates change.

[00:09:09]And that's why so many try to talk us out of it.

[00:09:13]That's why so many people try to deride it as naive.

[00:09:17]As out of touch.

[00:09:19]And cynicism gets sold to us as sophistication. I assure you it is not.

[00:09:24]What is very sophisticated is understanding full well the forces that are working against us and deciding to fight anyway.

[00:09:35]>> If that sounds familiar, go ahead and compare that with then Illinois Senator Barack Obama introducing himself to the country at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

[00:09:45]>> Do we participate in a politics of cynicism, or do we participate in a politics of hope?

[00:09:53]I'm not talking about blind optimism here. But, I'm talking about something more substantial.

[00:09:59]It's the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs.

[00:10:03]The hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores. The hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta. The hope of a mill worker's son who dares to defy the odds.

[00:10:16]The hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too.

[00:10:23]Hope.

[00:10:25]Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope.

[00:10:34]Axios reporting the resemblance may not be entirely coincidental. A person familiar with Ocasio-Cortez's relationship with the Barack Obama says the former president has taken notice of her communication skills and that the two have had several positive private interactions. On prediction market Kalshi, Ocasio-Cortez recently drawing roughly a 15% chance of securing the Democrats presidential nomination, putting her tied with Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia and behind California Governor Gavin Newsom at about 20%.

[00:11:06]Traditional polling also placing Ocasio-Cortez within the top tier of possible candidates. The Real Clear Politics national polling average showing former Vice President Kamala Harris leading the prospective field at 28.1%.

[00:11:19]Governor Newsom following at 16.5 with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 11.1 and then AOC at 8.5%.

[00:11:28][music] Coming up, the Pentagon identifying three American [music] soldiers killed in the conflict with Iran and New Jersey Governor Mike Sherrill confirming thousands of non-citizens were improperly registered to vote in her state and hundreds actually cast [music] ballots.

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[00:13:11]>> The Pentagon identifying three American soldiers killed [music] in the renewed fighting with Iran over the weekend. 25-year-old First Lieutenant Tyler James Freean and 19-year-old Private Isabella Gonzalez serving at Muwaffaq Salti Airbase in Jordan when it came under attack from Iranian missiles. Both were in air defense artillery units. Lieutenant Freien lived in Hawaii and was assigned to the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The Army posthumously promoting him to captain and awarding him the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and Combat Action Badge. Private Gonzales was from Carrollton, Texas. She graduated from high school just last year, joining the Army immediately afterwards. Private Gonzales was assigned to the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command in Germany. At just 19 years old, she's the youngest American service member killed since the war began. The same Iranian barrage leaving a third American soldier missing. Remains recovered from the base are believed to belong to that service member, reports the Times, though officials have not yet announced a positive identification. The Pentagon yesterday also identifying 30-year-old Sergeant Michael Emmanuel Swinton of Fayetteville, North Carolina. Sergeant Swinton was killed in Iraq during a controlled detonation of a downed Iranian attack drone. A US official telling the New York Times that Sergeant Swinton was not carrying out the detonation himself, but was struck by debris from the blast. His death remains under investigation. Sergeant Swinton served with the 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Bragg. The Army posthumously promoting Sergeant Swinton to staff sergeant and awarding him the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and also the Combat Action Badge. The White House announcing on Monday that President Trump will attend the dignified transfer of the fallen service members at Dover Air Force Base. The ceremony has been postponed with officials still working to finalize the date and time. The identification announcements coming after CBS reports nearly 100 service members have been injured in Iranian strikes across the region this month. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirming that almost 100 troops suffered some degree of injury with 96% already returning to duty. The injuries resulting from multiple Iranian attacks on American bases and assets across the Middle East.

[00:15:28]President Trump posting to Truth Social on Monday, quote, "Every time Iran kills an American soldier, they will pay for that killing many [music] times over."

[00:15:38]More than 6,000 non-citizens improperly added to New Jersey's voter rolls because of a software failure at the state Motor Vehicle Commission. Democrat Governor Mikey Sherrill revealing the problem in an abruptly scheduled news conference on Tuesday.

[00:15:53]>> In June of 2023, nearly 3 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 6,600 people in our state.

[00:16:12]When New Jerseyans applied for a driver's license or identification at the MVC, they were asked if they wanted to register to vote.

[00:16:22]In the case of this error, some individuals indicated that they weren't citizens and weren't eligible to vote.

[00:16:31]But the software registered them anyway.

[00:16:34]The error in the software was corrected a year later in June of 2024. That is more than 2 years ago.

[00:16:42]>> Governor Sherrill outlining what the state has uncovered so far.

[00:16:45]>> Currently, the Division of Elections is working to ensure anyone who was illegally registered is removed from the voter rolls.

[00:16:55]Initial analysis shows that fewer than 400 newly registered individuals voted in an election due to this software error.

[00:17:05]They were registered as Democrats, Republicans, and the majority unaffiliated, and were scattered across the state. But let me be clear.

[00:17:15]This entire situation is unacceptable.

[00:17:18]It's unacceptable that the vendor released software with such a glaring error. It's unacceptable that the MVC took a year to get this issue fixed, and it's unacceptable that no one in the previous administration brought this to light, demanded accountability, or took action when it happened years ago.

[00:17:38]>> The governor adding that the state has not found evidence that the ballots connected to the error changed the outcome of any individual election. Ms. Sherrill directing her chief counsel to investigate how the error occurred and why it was not disclosed earlier. The Motor Vehicle Commission also beginning the process of replacing the company that supplied the software, expecting to launch a new system next year. The findings coming less than a week after President Trump used a primetime national address to detail his administration's investigations into illegal voting. Governor Sherrill taking a shot at the Trump administration, apparently seeking to separate the state's software failure from the broader claims about non-citizen voting.

[00:18:19]>> As the Trump administration tries to weaponize elections for political gain, I am ensuring that we protect our elections.

[00:18:28]Let me be clear. Donald Trump has zero credibility on the issue of election integrity.

[00:18:34]For the past 10 years, he's cried wolf and peddled bizarre conspiracy theories about fraud with no evidence. I saw the consequences of Trump's lies on January 6th.

[00:18:45]The difference between my administration and this White House is stark. We don't deflect, deny, or exploit problems for our own gain. We find them and we fix them, because that's what a good, accountable government should do.

[00:19:00]>> The Trump administration alleging last week that more than 35,000 non-citizens may be registered to vote in New Jersey, a far larger number than those identified through the state's software review. Our reporter pressing Governor Sherrill on the remaining registrations and whether her administration is investigating the federal government's claim.

[00:19:18]>> These two things seem to be unrelated. So, last Wednesday was when I first heard about this. I immediately launched an investigation and this is what we've uncovered so far and the investigation continues. We received a letter after Trump's speech that there were this 35,000 from DHS potentially. So, we have asked them for any evidence of this, what where they got that number, who this is.

[00:19:48]We've received nothing back yet.

[00:19:50]>> [music] >> And that'll do it for your AM update.

[00:19:53]I'm Mark Halperin, host of Next Up. Find out more about Next Up at nextuphalperin.com. [music] Catch the Megan Kelly Show today live on SiriusXM's The Megan Kelly Channel 111 at noon East, [music] on youtube/megankelly and of course on all podcast platforms.