NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 23)

Welcome to NTD Evening News. Our top story tonight, President Trump announcing that Iran has fully agreed to nuclear inspections while refuting Iranian claims to the contrary. And as the president touts falling oil prices after the Strait of Hormuz reopens, he's also warning the U.S. could slam it shut again in a heartbeat. Authorities charge over 450 people in a nationwide health care fraud crackdown. The schemes involve more than $6.5 billion in false claims and, in some cases, put patients' lives at risk. A federal appeals court clearing the way for fast-track deportations. Critics had argued that immigrants aren't given a chance to prove they qualify for a full hearing. Jason Perry has the details. New York's primary elections are becoming a battleground for the direction of the Democratic Party. Socialist-leaning candidates are looking to expand their influence as voters weigh competing visions for the state's political future. And competing gas station operators are accused of sharing data with A.I. software, boosting prices and eliminating competition. David Lamb has more. And a California sheriff's office says a drone helped disarm a suspect during a tense standoff. The incident highlights the growing role drones are playing in law enforcement operations. Cristina Corona reports. This is NTD Evening News, live from our global headquarters in New York City. Here's Kerry Dunst. Good evening. Thank you for joining us tonight. President Trump declaring that Iran has fully agreed to the highest-level nuclear inspections extending indefinitely into the future. That's as he's dismissing Iranian denials and sharply criticizing the mainstream media for echoing Tehran's narrative. We now go live to NTD's White House correspondent, Mari Otsu. She's at the North Lawn of the White House. Mari, good evening. Hey, Kerry. Good evening to you. That's right. President Trump is refuting those Iranian claims that they say they won't allow inspections of their nuclear program. To the contrary, President Trump is saying that they've 100% fully, completely, quote, agreed into the future to have inspections at the highest level. And if they did not agree to these negotiations, in fact, President Trump says that the current peace talks that are ongoing during the 60-day period would immediately cease. Take a look. Iranians are saying a scheduled visit for the IAEA inspector. Is that part of your agreement? They're wrong. They know they're wrong. They told us inside, and we have it down, 100% inspections. And if they were right, I'd cancel the meetings right now. The president declaring, despite their protestations and false statements to the contrary, coupled with the drumbeat of the fake news, which is doing everything possible to make the U.S. victory as small and insignificant as possible, Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level nuclear inspections long into the future, infinity. This will ensure nuclear honesty. This comes as the U.S. Treasury Monday authorized Iranian oil sales, temporarily waiving sanctions against the Iranian regime. President Trump also saying the U.S. could unfreeze some Iranian funds if they deliver on their commitments, and those could be used to aid what he calls a humanitarian crisis in Iran while also helping American farmers. Quote, the money and or sanctions that the U.S. Treasury is releasing goes into escrow controlled by the USA and will be used for the purchase of food and medical supplies exclusively from the United States, including corn, wheat and soybeans from our great American farmers. Because we have Iran in a position that nobody's ever had, and money that will be taken out of Iran is going to go to our farmers to give corn, soybeans, wheat to Iran because they have a hunger problem. They have a food problem. They have a medicine problem. They got a lot of problems and they have an inflation. Their inflation now just at 300 percent. So they have a lot of problems. Meanwhile, as President Trump says talks are going well, he's touting opening the Strait of Hormuz while warning that all ships will remain in place should it be necessary to reinstitute the naval blockade. On Monday, the Strait saw its busiest day of traffic since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury, with the passage of 35 commercial vessels. Yesterday, 19 million barrels of oil flowed out of the Strait of Hormuz. It's called an oil gusher. Stock market hit a new high today again, and oil for the first time in months hit, think of it, $70 a barrel. So we got a 70. That equates to a very low price that oil is going to come charging down. And with oil comes everything else. President Trump, though, continues to threaten further military action from the U.S. if Iran does not, quote, behave, saying today if Iran is not reasonable or smart, the U.S. will have to go back in and, quote, finish the job. And Kerry, he is making these remarks here in Pennsylvania today, where he was at a Mack truck facility touting his economic agenda and highlighting the over 32,000 jobs that were created in Pennsylvania under his administration. Back to you. Glad you made it back from Switzerland. Thank you, Mari. Next, two U.S. aircraft carriers remain in the Middle East after the signing of the Iran memorandum. The U.S. Central Command says they will keep up a present and vigilant posture. The two ships are the USS George H.W. Bush and the USS Abraham Lincoln. CENTCOM today posting a photo of the George H.W. Bush sailing in the Arabian Sea. Over the past weekend, the military command also posted a photo of two U.S. Air Force A-10 attack airplanes in the region. CENTCOM says they were flying over the Middle East during a routine patrol and that U.S. forces continue to be present in the skies, on land and at sea throughout the region. And federal authorities announcing the largest health care fraud crackdown in U.S. history, charging hundreds of defendants with stealing billions from taxpayer-funded programs and in some cases, putting patients' lives at risk. NDD's Washington correspondent Jack Bradley has the details. Since June 8th, we've charged 455 defendants. The Trump administration announcing the largest coordinated health care fraud takedown in U.S. history. Federal officials say 455 defendants are facing charges tied to more than $6.5 billion in alleged fraud involving Medicare, Medicaid and other government health programs. If you seek to harm or cheat Americans, we will find you, seize any assets and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Officials say the cases range from unnecessary medical procedures and fake billing schemes to kickbacks and opioid-related fraud. Investigators allege one wound care fraud scheme generated more than $2 billion in false claims. Prosecutors say suspects used the proceeds to buy luxury homes, exotic cars, jewelry and even helped build a resort hotel in the Philippines. These schemes did not target government programs, they targeted the American taxpayer. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says that fraud has drained billions from federal health programs and argues that the government is shifting from a pay-and-chase model to one that stops suspicious claims before money goes out the door. When invoices come into my agency, we can tell that some of them are fraudulent or probably fraudulent. But authorities say the damage goes beyond dollars. They don't care about you. They're willing to steal your money when you're down and out and struggling and vulnerable. They will definitely take your health and take your life if that's required. One case involves a cardiovascular testing company accused of approving patient exams in seconds without proper review. Federal officials say one teenage basketball player was cleared to play despite signs of a serious heart condition and later died after suffering cardiac arrest on the court. Their company billed over $90 million while a child was buried by their family. The FBI says the crackdown also reached overseas. Authorities recently arrested several suspects abroad and extradited them back to the U.S. to face charges. Fraud is no longer being tolerated, it is not being put up with, and we will chase them down just like we chase down terrorists, narco-traffickers, gangbangers, and those that wish to do harm to our community. Authorities say they seized more than $182 million in cash and assets during the operation. The Justice Department says the investigation involved several federal agencies, dozens of U.S. attorneys' offices, and state partners across the country, with more arrests and enforcement actions expected in the months ahead. Jack Bradley, NTD News, Washington. And the DOJ isn't playing around when it comes to election integrity. Tonight, a sit-down with Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon and NTD's Steve Lance. Here's a preview. Now, some startling facts and figures are in the ones that voluntarily gave us their voter rolls. In other words, wanted to comply, we already found hundreds of thousands of dead people on the voter rolls. And if you combine that with automatic mail-in voting, which many jurisdictions have, you have hundreds of thousands of ballots hanging out there that don't belong to any human who's alive. You also have close to 30,000, at my last count, it must be higher now, of people who, there's no citizenship record. Catch the full interview tonight on Capitol Report with Steve Lance at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Get the inside story from election integrity to reparations to schools hiding gender transitions and you won't want to miss it. A federal appeals court clears the way for immigration officials to move forward with fast-track deportations. Critics had argued that some illegal immigrants aren't given a chance to prove they qualify for a full hearing. NTD's Jason Perry has the details. A federal appeals court on Tuesday ruling that the Trump administration can fast-track deportations across the country. The Department of Homeland Security's January 2025 order that authorized sped-up removal for many illegal immigrants was at stake during the court's proceedings. And on Tuesday, a majority of a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit agreed that the DHS order falls within the authority granted to immigration officials by Congress, meaning the agency can once again speed up deportations for illegal aliens who enter the country without valid documentation or through fraud, had not been paroled, or had not proven that they were present in the United States for at least two years before a determination that they must be deported. The appeals court overturning a previous ruling from 2025 in which a federal judge ruled that the expansion of expedited removal violated the constitutional rights of illegal immigrants, saying it would cause some immigrants to be mistakenly deported. One issue in the case was that illegal immigrants who were present in the U.S. for over two years might not realize that they could avoid a fast-track deportation and receive a full hearing before an immigration judge. An organization called Make the Road New York pointed this out, arguing that DHS wrongly left out certain forms that immigrants could use to document two years of continuous presence. However, an appeals court judge siding with the majority said there's no law that requires officials to explain the two-year rule to immigrants or provide them with legal advice. Jason Perry, NTD News. The Supreme Court issued five opinions today, including two closely watched decisions involving immigration enforcement and religious liberty claims by a former inmate. NTD's Arlene Richards reports. In a 6-3 decision on Tuesday, the Supreme Court siding with the Trump administration in the case of Blanche v. Lau. The majority ruling that Border Patrol agents properly classified Muk Choy Lau as seeking admission despite his lawful permanent resident status. Lau, a Chinese citizen, became a lawful permanent resident, or green card holder, in 2007. Green card holders are generally regarded as having been admitted to the U.S. and usually don't have to reapply for admission upon their return from temporary overseas travel. In May 2012, Lau was charged with trademark counterfeiting. A month later, he left the United States to temporarily visit his home country, China. But when he later attempted to re-enter the United States, border agents reclassified him as seeking admission and only allowed him to re-enter on a temporary status. In 2013, after Lau pleaded guilty to the counterfeiting charge, the government initiated removal proceedings against him. Justice Clarence Thomas, writing the majority opinion, states that an exception to the law permits border agents to reclassify green card holders when there is a pending charge. Justice Katanji Brown-Jackson argues in her dissenting opinion that the exception relied on by Thomas requires committing an offense that involves bad moral character. Therefore, she says, the government has to formally determine whether or not the offense exists before stripping a lawful permanent resident of his already admitted status. Thomas and the majority decided that border agents did not have to establish that the crime involved moral character before reclassifying Lau, ruling it was enough that he had been charged with a crime. In another highly watched case, a former Louisiana prison inmate was blocked from suing prison officials who cut off his dreadlock. Damon Lander is a Rastafarian who stated that his religious beliefs require him to leave his hair uncut. He claimed that Louisiana corrections officers, despite being aware of his religious beliefs, forcibly shaved his head. The officers argued that Lander couldn't sue them because they had not voluntarily consented to be sued in their capacity as employees, and that only their employer, the Department of Corrections, which receives federal funding, had agreed to such lawsuits. A majority of Supreme Court justices agreed. Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing the majority opinion, says the law does not allow for these individuals to be sued in their personal capacities unless they voluntarily and knowingly consented to such lawsuits. Justice Katanji Brown-Jackson, writing the dissenting opinion, argues that the law requires state and local prisons that accept federal funding to accommodate prisoners' religious beliefs, and it gives a prisoner the right to sue any prison employee who violates the law. The majority ruled that Congress's power to allocate funds didn't include the power to regulate law. Arlene Richards, NTD News. And New York voters headed the polls today in a series of high-stakes Democratic primaries that could help shape the party's future, from socialist-aligned challengers to battles over Israel, outside money, and the party's leftward shift. The Empire State is taking center stage. NTD's Chris Bobb reports. While primaries are taking place in Utah, a Republican runoff in South Carolina, and contests in Maryland, much of the political attention is focused on New York, where Democrats are battling over the party's direction ahead of the midterm elections. The races are estimated to have cost $50 million. One of the most closely watched races is New York's 7th Congressional District, where Assembly member Claire Valdez is challenging Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso for the seat being vacated by longtime Democratic Congresswoman Nadia Velazquez. Valdez has become a prominent figure on the party's left flank, and recently appeared at a nightclub event alongside New York City Mayor Zora Mamdani. How's Brogatori doing tonight? What are you doing here? Claire's running for Congress. Zoran's Mar-a-Lago. My name's Claire Valdez, I'm running for Congress in New York 7. Okay, what do you stand for? Abolishing ICE, fighting to end the genocide in Gaza, building the labor movement in the United States, taxing the rich. Valdez has also drawn attention for comments during an interview with the New York editorial board earlier this year, telling reporters she would like to see the private sector shrink and the public sector grow, adding, quote, the list of things that we could pay for is endless. In that same interview, Valdez voiced support for expanding public housing, and said she would like to see state ownership of utilities. Meanwhile, in Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is challenging Congressman Dan Goldman in New York's 10th District. Lander has made opposition to pro-Israel lobbying groups a major issue in the campaign, and has criticized outside spending tied to organizations supportive of Israel. Another closely watched race is unfolding in Manhattan's 12th District, where eight Democrats are competing to replace retiring Congressman Jerry Nadler. Among them is Jack Schlossberg, grandson of President John F. Kennedy. Another $5 million in Super PAC money being flooded into this race by Michael Bloomberg for Michael Asher as the two try to team up and buy the New York 12th primary. I've decided to go all in. I'm going to put my own money into my campaign, a substantial amount of money into my campaign. In New York's 13th Congressional District, Mamdani-backed challenger Daryliza Avia Chevalier, a DSA activist, is taking on five-term incumbent Congressman Adriano Espiot. Republicans are closely watching the race to replace Congresswoman Elise Stefanik in New York's 21st District, one of the cleanest tests of President Trump's influence in the Empire State. Businessman Anthony Constantino is running with Trump's endorsement, while Assemblyman Robert Smullin has the backing of many local Republican officials and party leaders. Others gave up on New York. I stayed and built my business here to protect my community and my friends from the horror of economic decline. You know, that's an easy one. I think I'm more positioned to do that than anyone. We've got to be top of mind for people, even though we exist, where, you know, President Trump talks about the forgotten people. We're sort of the forgotten district. The contest is being watched as an early measure of whether Trump's endorsement can overcome the traditional support network behind Smullin in a Republican district that stretches across much of northern New York. And attention is already shifting back to Washington. Senator Rick Scott telling colleagues in a letter that President Trump is scheduled to attend Senate Republicans' weekly lunch on Wednesday, where lawmakers are expected to discuss election security and the GOP's legislative priorities heading into November. The New York results are expected Tuesday night, with several races being closely watched by both parties as they look for clues about voter sentiment heading into the midterms. Chris Bobb, NTD News. Lawmakers look for solutions on current affordability challenges facing the average American. And both parties celebrate a bipartisan housing act, recently passing the Senate by a rare, vast majority vote. NTD correspondent Jason Blair has more. How do we make this economy work for families who are already working hard? Unfortunately, too many in Washington still believe the answer to every problem is more government. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott argues that market-driven solutions and less regulation are keys to getting costs down for the everyday American. When Washington makes it harder for a bank to lend, a business to invest, a builder to build, and an entrepreneur to grow, those costs do not disappear. They show up in higher prices, fewer choices, and fewer opportunities for American families. Committee ranking member Senator Elizabeth Warren says the Iran conflict has raised energy costs. The impact of the war continues to jack up costs for every single sector of our economy. Families have spent $43 billion more on gasoline alone. Despite the sharp partisan divide, Republicans and Democrats did come together on one major affordability measure. This is the biggest housing bill in more than 30 years. We cut red tape. We are unlocking housing supply and preserving local control. On Monday, the Senate passed the 21st Century Roads to Housing Act by an overwhelming 85-4 vote, one of the biggest housing packages in decades. It aims to cut red tape, boost supply, and help bring down home costs. The House is expected to send it to President Trump's desk soon. However, with many families still strained by high housing, grocery, and everyday costs, witnesses proposed blockchain payments to slash fees, more housing supply through deregulation, and broader access to credit as practical ways to improve affordability. Reporting on Capitol Hill, Jason Blair, Entity News. The Trump administration is aiming to build 10 large nuclear reactors. The Department of Energy will be providing a $17.5 billion loan. The loan will go to five eligible projects sponsored by utilities and energy companies nationwide. The administration plans to have the commercial nuclear reactors under construction by 2030 and operational by the mid-2030s. The plan is part of President Trump's goal of quadrupling domestic nuclear capacity by the mid-century amid surging energy demand. Once completed, each reactor is expected to generate 1.1 gigawatts of power. The combined output of 10 reactors should be enough to power nearly 10 million American households. Westinghouse is the only company with licensed large-scale advanced commercial reactors operating in the country today. It will partner with up to five eligible utility and energy companies under the new project. And coming up, competing gas station operators accused of sharing data with AI software, boosting prices, and eliminating competition. David Lamb has more. And a California sheriff's office says a drone helped disarm a suspect during a tense standoff. The incident highlights the growing role drones are playing in law enforcement operations. Christina Corona reports. The 8th NTD International Piano Competition has distinguished piano, celebrating that number first through the fifth, timeless tradition of the piano. There's cultures that have been lost. But this culture hasn't been. The artist is showing us our sense of who we are, where we came from. You look at his hat. His hat is knitted probably by a man because a man traditionally knitted the hats. That hat tells you the story of who this person is, what his place in the culture is, the animals around him. Everything's all contained in the messages in the hat. And the tool that he's carrying over his shoulder. This is a centuries-old tool that has been able to rework the mountains. Those traditions are invaluable, and if we don't honor those traditions, then we're rootless. The artist is showing us the value of maintaining our culture and respecting our culture. Life's daily battles are not meant to be fought alone. We're not powerless, so long as we don't lose sight of what's important. Don't be afraid to seize that moment to talk to your friends. Cloud, you okay? Because checking in on a friend can create a safe space. The first step on our new journey. Are you coming? Reach out to a friend about their mental health. Seize the awkward. It's totally worth it. Welcome back to NCTV Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. A federal judge has sentenced eight defendants to decades in prison for a shooting outside a Texas immigration detention center that wounded a police officer. The Justice Department accused the group of having ties to Antifa, with prosecutors calling the shooting an act of terrorism. One of the defendants, Benjamin Song, was convicted of attempted murder after opening fire during a July 4th demonstration outside the Prairieland Detention Center near Dallas. He was sentenced to the maximum of 100 years in prison. District Judge Reed O'Connor said the incident wasn't a protest but, quote, an assault on democracy. O'Connor added, quote, the need to deter this type of conduct is high. The seven other defendants receiving sentences ranging from 30 to 70 years. Antifa, short for anti-fascist, is a far-left extremist group. The defendants deny any affiliation with the organization. In a sheriff's office in Northern California, it says a drone helped bring a dangerous standoff to a peaceful end. The technology was used to take a knife from a suspect without deputies having to physically confront him. NTT's Christina Corona has more. A California sheriff's office is highlighting what it calls a first-of-its-kind use of drone technology. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office says deputies used a drone to remove a knife from a suspect's hand before moving in safely. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office shared a video on social media. After the suspect failed to respond to officers, deputies sent a drone inside the residence. The drone located the man in a cluttered garage corner. Authorities say he appeared unresponsive with one hand hidden beneath his body and the other hand holding a knife. To not risk a potentially deadly confrontation, a drone pilot attached a magnet to the drone and carefully maneuvered it toward the suspect. The magnet pulled the knife from the man's hand, allowing deputies to move in and make contact safely. And it's not just law enforcement using the technology. Federal agencies say they've seized more than 300 drones near FIFA World Cup venues since the tournament began. In Florida alone, the FBI says it has issued 49 citations and seized 54 drones for unauthorized flights, while agencies across multiple host states have taken hundreds more drones out of the air. In Texas, state troopers recently tracked down the operator of a drone that entered restricted airspace near a World Cup event in Houston. The suspect could face federal charges. On match days, drones are prohibited within three nautical miles of stadiums and up to 3,000 feet above ground level unless specifically authorized. Officials say violators can face fines of up to $100,000, criminal charges and confiscation of their drone. Christina Corona, NTD News. Today's show host, co-host Savannah Guthrie, is calling for anyone with information about her missing mother to come forward. Guthrie made her latest plea on this morning's broadcast after another note reportedly left by kidnappers claimed that her mother has died. Can't pretend I'm not here. And so since I am, I wanted to just take the opportunity to ask people to really to beg people to come forward. Somebody knows something. This is a new story today that is on your radar. But this is the life that my sister lives, that I live, that my brother lives, that our extended families live, that our children live every day. And we are in agony. We cannot be at peace. Guthrie spoke after NBC News reported the second note. NBC's report added that the note didn't include a ransom demand. Authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped on February 1st after relatives dropped her at her home the night before outside Tucson, Arizona. The FBI later released surveillance videos showing a masked man on the porch that night. Anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie's disappearance can call 1-800-CALL-FBI. 1-800-CALL-FBI. And a new lawsuit accuses 7-Eleven, Walmart, Circle K, and others of fixing prices at the gas pump. While gas stations have historically competed by lowering prices, California drivers say the companies are using an AI tool to increase prices. NTD's David Lam reports. Major gas station operators were sued in a class action lawsuit this week. California drivers accused them of using artificial intelligence to boost prices at the pump. The defendants include BP, Circle K, Marathon Petroleum, 7-Eleven, Walmart, Albertsons, and others. According to the complaint, the companies violated California's main antitrust law, the Cartwright Act, by using an AI-based tool that uses data from competing gas stations in an illegal algorithmic price-fixing scheme. Looks like moving to Texas seems like a nice option right now. It's important that all the prices should be standardized. Otherwise, if people can manipulate the prices up and down, that's not good for the public. Gas prices in the state have previously reached as high as $7 per gallon in some areas this year. The lawsuit in the Sacramento, California federal court says the operation violates a California law that took effect on January 1st and was intended to tackle algorithmic price-fixing. Drivers say gas prices have increased as much as 30 cents a gallon in locations where a large number of stations use the AI tool made by a company called Calibrate. The lawsuit alleges that Calibrate eliminates competition among gas station operators that provide data to Calibrate's software tool. The companies named as defendants in the lawsuit did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Now, the defendants operate more than 1,700 gas stations in California, according to the lawsuit. David Lam, NTD News, California. Coming up, hundreds of people are charged in the second largest health care fraud operation ever. We speak with economist Tom Savage for his analysis. You see certain things get reincarnated in your children. My daughter is very much inspired by my wife's artistic pursuits. So my daughter started making necklaces. She makes what we call affirmation fashion. I tell her every day that you're black is beautiful. You're black is beautiful. And if there's anything better than being beautiful, it's being smart. If there's anything better than being smart, it's being kind. And reaffirming that every day is our method of making sure her chin never drops. My dad wasn't around. And I remember riding a bike and falling off and cutting myself. And me never just wanting to get back on it. People ask, how your children learn how to ride a bike? And you did. I didn't teach them. I just created an environment where they taught themselves. And all I had to do was be there. You've done the hard part. You quit smoking. Now do the easy part and get scanned for lung cancer. If you smoked, you may still be at risk. But early detection could save your life. Talk to your doctor at SavedByTheScan.org. When I arrived in the U.S. at 19, I struggled to find job opportunities without a high school diploma. My name is Ariel. And my entire life changed when I took a chance and I got my high school diploma at age 22. Everything I have, my education, my career, my marriage, I owe to the Adult Literacy Center and my teachers. They were with me every step of the way. Helping with my English and math. Making sure I pushed through all the challenges. We made this year good for you. Your achievement has set an example for so many students. Most importantly, your daughter. Education was the key that allowed all my opportunities. When you graduate, they graduate. Visit FinishYourDiploma.org to find free and supportive adult education centers near you. Welcome back to NTD Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. The Justice Department announces charges against some 450 defendants for various health care fraud schemes. Totally more than $6.5 billion. Joining us now for analysis is Tom Savage, economist with the American Institute for Economic Research. Thanks for joining us this evening, Tom. Some of these defendants have allegedly stolen tens of millions. The $6.5 billion total divided by the 450 defendants equals an average of about $14 million per alleged fraudster. It's a staggering amount. I want to get your reaction. Absolutely, Cary. Basically the same what you were saying. It is really shocking to see, but when you're looking at that number, $6.5 billion with a B, we're not just talking about a couple of bad actors here and there. We are talking about systemic structural vulnerability. When you consider that, do you see commonalities amongst the type of fraud that they were perpetrating? You do see a lot of certain areas that are especially vulnerable, particularly long-term care access, different kinds of long-term care services for various disabilities. As well as intergovernmental transfers as well. Remember, Medicaid is a program that is funded jointly by federal and state tax dollars. The federal government will reimburse the state for a certain amount of spending. That's where a lot of stuff flies under the radar. Those intergovernmental transfers, when they're going through numerous intermediaries, that's what's really ripe for fraud there. Many of these fraudsters claiming to be managed care organizations or get their certifications through the state really have allowed these people to take advantage of the program. Ultimately, this goes back even to the pandemic, where many of the eligibility checks and the safety checks that were in place for Medicaid were suspended in order for the states to receive the bonus payments or the enhanced Medicaid subsidies from the federal government. It took years to turn that off, and the states are still doing the hard work. They're still finding massive amounts of fraud. In the press conference, the DOJ stressed a whole-of-government approach that's helping to track down these alleged fraudsters. It's reported that there were 45 states and attorneys general involved in these charges. How important is the state cooperation in these operations? You just mentioned how there is that interoperability between the states and the federal government. In terms of this particular DOJ announcement today and the success that they've had, what role does the state play in getting these results? That's a great point, Kerry. The state plays an absolutely essential part in ensuring program integrity. The states are the ones that are dealing with the patients, that are dealing with the care organizations. Of course, while it's important for the Department of Justice and the state's attorneys general to go after the fraud cases, it is now on the policymakers, both the folks in Congress and the folks in the state legislatures. They have to go through and make sure that those eligibility checks, those security checks are absolutely enforced, and there's no slack in any sort of eligibility checks. Make sure it happens frequently, and make sure there's tons of transparency because the less transparency there is, the easier it is to get away with fraud. Now, with 45 states, we're talking about almost all of the states participating in this particular success. It shows that there's significant amount of cooperation happening from a bipartisan perspective. How do you evaluate that? Well, I'm glad to see that there is bipartisan cooperation because you think about it. Every dollar that goes to fraud is taken away from a hardworking taxpayer, and it's also a dollar taken away from somebody who is genuinely in need and who is eligible for Medicaid. You think about that. You think about how strained many of these state programs are, and the more money that goes to fraud, the more money is getting taken away from the most vulnerable Americans. So even if there are folks who support, you know, there are folks across, whether it's on the left or the right side of the aisle, that support keeping Medicaid spending up, they should at least value program integrity because program integrity really is essential to making sure the most vulnerable people are not falling through the cracks. Now, Dr. Oz, who's the administrator for Medicaid and Medicare, he said that they are no longer just flagging suspicious activity, but they're actually handing files to law enforcement that pretty much represent a fully baked case. So how is this different from what was happening before and what essentially was happening before when something looked suspicious? Well, that's, you know, of course, it depends on the administration. You know, some administrations were more willing to go after this kind of fraud, but, you know, you see this problem going back, again, as I mentioned, to the pandemic. Part of receiving the CARES Act funding, those enhanced subsidies for Medicaid, states were actually required to waive any sort of eligibility checks. So that's the check that when you look at somebody who's enrolled in Medicaid, the state has to ask, okay, is this person actually qualified to receive the program? That was totally waived during the pandemic, and a bit of that was also waived under the American Rescue Plan as well under the Biden administration. And under the previous administration, you saw some pretty lax approaches to tackling this problem. It's, you know, good to see that Dr. Raz and this administration is really taking this genuine threat seriously. Now, of course, healthcare spending is among the largest expenditures in the country, but it is only one area of government spending. So do you have any way to ballpark across all various industries what the scale of money that's going to fraud from the federal budget might be? Oh, goodness, that's a great question, Kerry, because, of course, the government measures, has a couple of different measures. Of course, there's fraud, and then there is the broader measure that they talk about called improper payments, and sometimes that is a payment, maybe it's an overpayment or an underpayment, and that's either, you know, that's made out of a genuine mistake, maybe human error or, you know, something wrong in the accounting somewhere. But, you know, the government is actually, because these programs are so widely dispersed, and it is so difficult even to just understand how many people are actually enrolled in a particular program versus how many people are enrolled in multiple programs at once, you know, the federal government has difficulty tracking this themselves. So it really is difficult to put a dollar amount on it. The fact that it is so complex and convoluted tells you that we need serious systemic reforms. Well, the scale is staggering, but good news is that it appears like something is being done about it. Tom Savage, thanks for breaking it down for us. Thank you, Kerry. And the United States and Iran appear to be in disagreement over whether Tehran has agreed to allow UN inspectors access to its nuclear sites. The dispute comes as American and Iranian officials continue to negotiate a lasting deal to end the war. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had this to say. We know what they agreed to. I don't know why they have to say the things they say. Whatever their internal or domestic politics is, I guess they'll navigate it. But we know what they agreed to do, and now they'll either do it or they won't. And if they do, the process moves forward, and if they don't, the president will have some decisions to make. And Rubio spoke while on a trip to the United Arab Emirates, where he'll continue to Kuwait and Bahrain later this week. While in Bahrain, Rubio will meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council, or the GCC. That's a group of six Sunni monarchies, which also includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman. GCC leaders have broadly supported efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war, but many are concerned about specific terms of the memorandum. One point of specific concern is that Iran could use the $300 billion reconstruction fund to rebuild its military. Another is the potential for Iran to use the funds for its ballistic missile program. And the State Department is hitting Cuba with new sanctions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying they target Cuba's military-controlled conglomerate. Rubio posted on X saying the conglomerate hoards the island's limited resources. The secretary of state said the communist government uses them for, quote, repression, anti-American subversion, and spying, instead of schools, power plants, and basic necessities for the Cuban people. The sanctions target the Cuban conglomerate's subsidiaries, including a logistics and warehouse company and two Cuban financial institutions. The State Department also sanctioned a Cuban mining company and Cuba's largest raw steel producer. And coming up, at least 40 people are reported dead in France as a brutal heat wave is hitting Europe. How the French government is responding are in Pasdar Reports. They're just young people, hungry, homeless, and vulnerable. Covenant House is helping young adults facing homelessness. We're providing safe shelter to thousands, but the need is overwhelming. Please call or go online now. With your gift of $19 a month, we'll send you this blanket as a reminder of the comfort your gift provides a young person tonight. You'll provide safe shelter, hot meals, and medical care. Call the number on your screen or go online to safeplacetosleep.org. Bladder Control Aisle. You won't shop here again. Your private business is your own. 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And for the first time ever on TV, MyPillow mattresses and MyPillow mattress toppers, as low as $99.98. And you save 50% on our Luxe Pure 6-piece towel sets, regular $69.98, now only $39.98. And our best-selling standard, MyPillows, regular $49.98, on sale for $17.98. Wait on it, mega sale, only $14.98. So go to MyPillow.com or call the number on your screen. Use this promo code to take advantage of our second annual mega sale. But wait, there's more. To make the mega sale even more special, when you order right now, your order's going to ship absolutely free. Welcome back to NTD Evening News, I'm Cary Dunst. At least 40 are reported dead in France, as a brutal heat wave is hitting Europe. Residents across various nations are finding different ways to escape the blistering heat. NTD's international correspondent Ariane Pasdar has more on that. Some residents in Paris are escaping a brutal heat wave by spending the nights in parks. But some people tragically lost their lives trying to cool down. The Prime Minister of France says at least 40 people have drowned in the past five days. Across Europe, people have been jumping into canals and rivers to cool off. Officials are warning against swimming in unauthorized or dangerous areas. And France is now raising the crisis level. The Prime Minister says this decision will help strengthen medical regulation capabilities, mobilize the personnel needed to keep the hospital running and more. In neighboring Spain, Barcelona residents are flocking to the beach. The city is offering assisted swimming for people with reduced mobility to cool down in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. And in London, residents and tourists are seeking shade, hiding under umbrellas and more. It's a bit oppressive, I must say. Well, it is hot, but we try to stay in the shade. So I'm trying to have a lot of fluid as I walk around, a lot of water. Temperatures in Europe are expected to keep hitting over 100 degrees Fahrenheit this week. Those temperatures are normal in the U.S., but the heat index in Europe often makes them feel hotter than they actually are. That's due to the humidity, the urban landscape and the fact that there's almost no wind during heat waves. European apartments also mostly don't have air conditioning. Instead of hitting the beach, some visitors are now traveling to Nordic countries to escape soaring temperatures. One of them is a tourist who's living in Texas. Camping, being outdoors, actually being able to hang out and sit on a bench and not feel like you're sweating completely and drenched. The reason for the heat wave is the so-called omega block. That's when the high-pressure area of warm air gets stuck. Under normal conditions, the jet stream carries weather systems steadily from west to east. But during an omega block, that flow becomes disrupted. The result is that hot, still air gets lodged over the same area. Omega blocks typically last between three and ten days, but they can persist for weeks. And President Trump today announcing the arrest of several people over vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial. In a Truth Social post, the president says there's numerous slashes in the reflecting pool, including a 250-foot gash. How are everyday Americans reacting to the acts of vandalism? The Sam Wong was right by the reflecting pool to hear from the people. What's your reaction after hearing that the reflecting pool is being renovated, but then soon after is being vandalized? It's just a shame, really. I mean, so this is for the people, really. So if you have a problem with Trump, this isn't affecting him personally. It's affecting the people. Lock them up. They spend all this money making it nice. They shouldn't be destroying it. Why would we try to destroy a part of history? Why would we make it ugly again? It's her future. They're lucky I'm not here. If they're doing it and I'm here, they don't want me to be here. That's all I'm going to say. No one should be doing anything stupid here. This is a very sacred place, probably the most sacred place in terms of historical monuments in the entire country. No one should be doing anything stupid. Come on now. Well, it's shocking, you know, because we're America. We should all get along and love each other. I don't understand any of that, but I heard him say yesterday, it's going to be okay. They're going to fix it. And it's beautiful. Still look at it. It's beautiful. So they're not going to stop us. Instead of destroying facilities, pools and streets and buildings, we should all work on making everything better and build America, not destroy America. Because again, we still got the greatest country in the world going and let's keep it going. You can disagree with politicians, but this is history and you don't mess with that. To me, when they vandalize something like this, it's ours. And I take that personally. There were protesters out here carrying pro-algae signs. What do you think about it? Get a job. I don't know. Maybe they got a job. I don't know. I don't understand it. Again, become part of the solution, not part of the problem. I don't understand why anybody would go against the beauty of our country. People should really, it's simple, it's love one another, help each other, get along. It's kind of ridiculous. If you're trying to promote that and encourage it to happen, I don't really like that. There's been past administrations that have been trying to get rid of the algae. It's not part of it. Nobody wants to see that in there. Anything that Trump does, they don't like. There's always someone against him about everything he does anyway. I don't understand it, really. We're killing algae in a landmark, is what they're protesting. They're making themselves look dumb the more they try to make him look bad. And in World Cup action, Cristiano Ronaldo is back. The Portugal captain scored twice in a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan today. He now becomes the first player ever to score in six different men's World Cups. The two goals also made him Portugal's all-time leading scorer at the World Cup with 10 goals. Portugal now has four points in Group K and will close out the group stage against Colombia on Saturday at 7.30pm ET in Miami. And President Trump will have a role in one of the biggest moments of the World Cup. FIFA President Gianni Infantino says Trump will join him in presenting the World Cup trophy to the tournament champions after the July 19th final in New Jersey. While FIFA presidents have often handled the presentation in recent tournaments, heads of state have occasionally taken part in the ceremony throughout World Cup history, including Queen Elizabeth II after England's 1966 title and Spain's King Juan Carlos in 1982. The announcement also comes less than a year after Trump joined Chelsea's club World Cup trophy celebration in New Jersey. And America's 250th anniversary is nearly here, a historic marker in our nation's remarkable history. AT&T will bring you special coverage of the Freedom 250 Salute to America celebration taking place in the nation's capital this 4th of July. It will be packed with tributes to the country, the people and the trailblazers who all helped define our national identity, bringing America's legacy to life on stage. Plus a firework show that Freedom 250 says will be the biggest in history. Our coverage starts at 7pm ET. See you then. That is all for today's evening news, but for around-the-clock original coverage, you can visit us at NTD.com or better yet, use our NTD app. Thanks for tuning in. I'm Cary Dunst. Good night.