Salem News Channel

WASHINGTON, July 21 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is pausing $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota over "suspected fraud and noncompliance," U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Tuesday. "If those states want that money they need to provide documentation that these payments are legitimate," Kennedy said at a news conference alongside U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. CMS is deferring approximately $867.5 million in federal Medicaid payments to California and $199 million to Minnesota, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The pause is the latest in a series of payment suspensions mostly in Democratic-run states as Vice President JD Vance, Kennedy and Oz lead a campaign the White House has called an "unrelenting" war on fraud. Kennedy said the administration suspects much of the questionable California spending involves in-home services. The Minnesota deferrals target 14 high-risk areas the state's own legislative auditor identified as vulnerable to fraud. "If it smells like fraud, we're not paying for it anymore," Oz said. He and Kennedy cited data anomalies and outlier billing patterns but offered no proof of fraud. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz rejected the move as political retribution against Minnesota, saying the administration was punishing children, seniors and people with disabilities rather than fraudsters. He said it "is cutting more money in healthcare than they've prosecuted for fraud." California Governor Gavin Newsom called the move a recycled political stunt and said in a post on X that California was being targeted for political reasons. He said the state opposes fraud and would "collaborate with CMS in good faith efforts to combat fraud," arguing its in-home program saves money by keeping seniors and disabled people out of costlier nursing homes. The deferrals are pauses, not permanent cuts, and do not affect benefits or eligibility. States recover the funds by showing claims meet federal requirements; Minnesota has already returned documents that CMS is reviewing, Oz said. Kennedy said he was also expanding exclusion authority to CMS and the HHS inspector general, letting them remove "bad actors" from federal healthcare programs and potentially ban them permanently.

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Talarico Has No Plan to Secure the Black Vote

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RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) — The U.S. military has identified a soldier killed while disarming an Iranian drone in Iraq as Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton from North Carolina. The military said Tuesday that Swinton will receive a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Action Badge, and be promoted to staff sergeant. Swinton’s wife, Mia Gonzalez-Swinton, posted on social media: “I will never recover from this.” His mother said he leaves behind a 6-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter. Two U.S. Army soldiers were also killed in Jordan last week by an Iranian attack. They were the first U.S. troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war.

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NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s suggestion that he could order the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu is called “utterly ridiculous” by CNN legal commentator Elie Honig, who stresses the mayor has zero law enforcement authority and cannot direct the DA or NYPD.

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As tensions with Iran continue to escalate, the discussion centers on the need for strong leadership rooted in wisdom, faith, and resolve.

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A federal appeals court has rejected former President Joe Biden's request to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts from interviews he gave to his memoir ghostwriter before taking office. In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the public interest in the materials outweighs Biden's privacy concerns, though the court delayed the release until Aug. 3 to give him time to pursue another appeal. The interviews with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer were obtained during Special Counsel Robert Hur's investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents. Although Hur declined to bring criminal charges, the recordings became the subject of public records requests and litigation. Biden argued the conversations were private and conducted in his home while working on his memoir. The appeals court said redactions would help protect any remaining privacy interests while allowing the public access to the material.

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Michele Tafoya's Senate Race In Minnesota

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Richard Nixon: The New Conservative Icon

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The Justice Department has opened a new investigation into Harvard University over scholarship programs funded by Chinese donors. Federal officials are examining whether certain financial aid programs unlawfully exclude American students based on national origin. The department says the review focuses on whether restrictions tied to foreign donations violate federal civil rights laws. Harvard says it is reviewing the government's inquiry and maintains that it complies with all federal reporting requirements. The university also says it does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity or national origin when awarding financial aid.

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South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham has officially launched her campaign to win a full term in the U.S. Senate seat previously held by her late brother, Lindsey Graham. Graham announced her candidacy during an interview with Sean Hannity and has already secured an endorsement from President Donald Trump. The Republican primary is scheduled for Aug. 11, with several candidates competing for the GOP nomination. The winner will advance to the general election to determine who will serve the remainder of the Senate term.

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President Donald Trump has imposed new 50% tariffs on most Canadian imports, escalating a trade dispute between the United States and one of its largest trading partners. The White House says the tariffs are in response to what President Trump calls unfair Canadian trade practices involving automobiles, alcohol and dairy products, as well as Canada's retaliation against earlier U.S. tariffs. Economists warn the higher import taxes could increase prices for consumers and businesses while adding new strain to the long-standing economic relationship between the United States and Canada.

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With Dr. Kevin Roberts, President of The Heritage Foundation.

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The United States carried out a tenth consecutive night of airstrikes on targets inside Iran as the conflict over the Strait of Hormuz continues to intensify. The latest escalation comes after Iran attacked a commercial tanker transiting the strategic waterway, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, carrying roughly one-fifth of all globally traded oil and natural gas. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict are continuing. Iran's interior minister traveled to Pakistan for talks as regional leaders work to prevent the fighting from expanding further.

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President Donald Trump is meeting with Lebanon's president at the White House as the two leaders work to advance a lasting agreement aimed at reducing tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border. The meeting comes as Israel and Lebanon continue rare U.S.-mediated negotiations focused on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon and efforts to disarm Hezbollah. The talks follow a framework agreement reached last month, but key issues remain unresolved. Israeli forces continue to maintain positions in parts of southern Lebanon while negotiators work toward a broader security arrangement. The Trump administration has said it hopes continued diplomacy will help stabilize the region and prevent renewed fighting along the border.

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The Future of the Democrat Party

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Did Trump Stumble into a Forever War?

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Democrat Socialists Admit They Want to Destroy America

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The U.S. military has identified two soldiers killed in action last week as part of the war with Iran. The Defense Department said Monday in a statement that 25-year-old 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and 19-year-old Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, of Carrollton, Texas, were killed in Jordan, where they were supporting a U.S. mission against the Islamic State group. It’s unclear how they were killed. On Saturday, the U.S. Central Command said two service members were killed in Jordan while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.

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July 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested when he visits the U.S., after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was still considering the move. "Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America," Trump wrote in a social media post that did not refer to the mayor's comments. The Hague-based International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 for alleged war crimes during the Gaza war. Israel rejects the court's jurisdiction and denies committing war crimes. Trump did not mention Mamdani in his Truth Social post, but credited Israel with helping in the Iran war. The New York City mayor said in an interview broadcast on Saturday that the city's legal department is actively considering what the law might allow. "I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague. He's a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court," Mamdani told a New York Times video podcast called "The Interview." ISRAEL SAYS ICC ARREST WARRANT IS 'BOGUS' Netanyahu traditionally travels to New York every September for the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly. Israel responded to Mamdani's comments on Sunday in an X post that called the ICC a kangaroo court and the arrest warrant against Netanyahu bogus. "Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East," it said. The ICC was established in 2002 and has international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The United States and Israel are not members of the court. Mamdani, who took office in January, said during his mayoral campaign that he would have police arrest Netanyahu if he set foot in New York City. Last November, shortly after Mamdani's election victory, the mayor-elect and Trump held an unexpectedly friendly meeting in the White House even though they had previously traded insults.

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We Need to Beat Iran into Submission

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