Capitol Report Full Broadcast (July 14)

Good evening. Tonight on Capitol Report, fire in the sky and steel on the water. The U.S. hitting Iran with fresh strikes and a renewed naval blockade. Why the President Trump is swapping a Hormuz cargo fee for Gulf investment in the U.S. The Gulf states are going to invest a tremendous amount of money into the United States and that was very satisfactory to me. The late Senator Lindsey Graham's sister is sworn in to fulfill his term. What the month ahead holds for her. Supreme Court justices testifying to lawmakers for the first time in seven years. What's brought them to the Capitol? Growing security threats. To expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had to wear one. This is Capitol Report, live from our global headquarters in our nation's capital. Here's Steve Lance. I'm Iris Tao and for Steve Lance tonight. The U.S. military launching a fourth consecutive night of strikes against Iran while bringing back the naval blockade. And President Trump flipping the script, trading a Hormuz cargo fee for massive Gulf investments in America. We now go live to NTD's White House correspondent Mari Otsu on the North Lawn of the White House. Good evening, Mari. Hey Iris, good evening to you. That's right, Central Command this evening launching yet another round of attacks against Iran. The fourth night in a row now after Iran repeatedly violated that ceasefire agreement by striking at commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. And President Trump just moments ago in an interview saying that those strikes will continue until he says it's enough. And he's also warning the Iranian regime that if they don't come to the negotiating table, he will strike power plants and bridges next week. And Iris, this is also coming as today the U.S. reimposed that naval blockade on Iranian ports this afternoon. President Trump ordering the instatement of that blockade yesterday, also announcing that 20 percent Hormuz cargo fee. But today he's swapping out the idea of that fee after he says Gulf allies called him and asked for something different. Take a look. I was called by different people, different countries, kings and emirs. And they said we'd love to do it a different way. The Gulf states are going to invest a tremendous amount of money into the United States. And that was very satisfactory to me. I think it's actually much better. The president declaring those investments will be massive, but at the same time extraordinarily good for them and their future. This coming as he hosts the Iraqi prime minister at the White House, touting what he calls their tremendous chemistry as the leaders discuss securing the Middle East and promoting the two nations' economic agendas. Prime Minister al-Zaidi saying all U.S. military forces will be out of Iraq by the end of September. President Trump attributing the withdrawal to a safer Iraq post-Operation Epic Fury. And the president vowing the U.S. will be striking many new deals with Iraq and taking a lot of oil out of the country. The oil companies are all going in now and they're doing partnerships with Iraq and they're getting along very well. The relationship is a whole big relationship where we don't need the military. Iran was a big burden on Iraq, but they're not going to have that problem anymore. This comes as the White House is celebrating a new report showing inflation cooling more than expected in June, with the consumer price index hitting 3.5 percent annually, falling a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent for the month and seeing the largest monthly drop since April 2020. It's really about the best CPI report we've seen in six years. Not only did energy prices go down a lot, which is something that people expected, but there are so many signs of the success of President Trump's policies. And while many reports say the president's primetime address will focus specifically on foreign interference in the 2020 election, particularly by China, President Trump confirms the speech will address elections but he wants to save the big news for Thursday night at nine. It's really, really big news and our country has to shape up. But that's what we're going to be talking about Thursday is it doesn't get bigger because without free and fair elections, you don't have a country. The vice president for policy. And IRS President Trump is also urging the Senate to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general. Blanche's confirmation hearing is tomorrow at 9 a.m. President Trump says that Blanche has done a phenomenal job as acting attorney general and that under his leadership at the Department of Justice thus far, the U.S. has seen the biggest one-year drop in murders in recorded history. Back to you. Thanks for the update, Mari. Will the additional investments from the Gulf states compensate the U.S. for safeguarding Joining us now to discuss is Blaise Michtal, the vice president for policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Thank you so much for joining us tonight. So, President Trump today describing his investment pledge as a way of reimbursing the U.S. for his protection of the key waterway. Here's President Trump talking about that today in the Oval Office. But we were doing it as a reimbursement. The Gulf states are going to invest a tremendous amount of money into the United States and that was very satisfactory to me. I think it's actually much better. So, first of all, Blaise, the president is saying that it's much better than receiving the 20 percent reimbursement on cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. What do you make of his new plan? So, we're going to go back to Blaise in just a few moments. Meanwhile, while we are on the topic of Iran, of course, a lot going on domestically as well as the president continues to mourn the late Senator Lindsey Graham. He has called for his younger sister to fulfill his remaining term and now that younger sister of his has been sworn in. Now, we know that, of course, now that she's promising to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of her brother. You will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which you are about to enter, so help you God. Congratulations. God bless you. Darlene Graham will serve out the remainder of her brother's term after his sudden death over the weekend. She will remain in the Senate until January 2027. A special primary election will take place August 11th to nominate a Republican to replace Graham in the upcoming November general election. Darlene Graham has never held elected office but has a long history of public service in South Carolina. Two Supreme Court justices making a rare appearance on Capitol Hill today sounding the alarm on rising threats to the federal judiciary. NTT correspondent Jason Blair has the takeaways. Federal judges across the country throughout the judiciary including the Supreme Court continue to do their jobs without fear or favor but the threat level is really high. Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan testified in both House and Senate budget hearings detailing the growing security challenges they and other federal judges now face. The Supreme Court police expect 38 percent annual increase in threats this year which follows a 25 percent increase last year. Justice Barrett shared how these threats have reached her own family. My security detail sent me home with a bulletproof vest and I carried it into my house and my 12 year old son was standing in the doorway of my bedroom and he wanted to know what it was but I didn't expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had to wear one. She also described a frightening swatting incident at her home just six weeks ago. One of my teenage sons opened the door to go out with friends and saw in our street it was full of police cars who had responded to a false report of gunshots and raised voices in my home. Lawmakers on both sides acknowledged the crisis. Chief Justice Roberts himself wrote that he was troubled by the U.S. Marshals Service data showing that hostile threats and communications toward judges had more than tripled over the preceding decade. With a deeply divided country and increasingly violent rhetoric being directed at judges, Congress must provide sufficient funding to ensure the safety of all judicial personnel. The court is requesting roughly 225 million dollars for next year with the majority of the new funding going towards security. Reporting in Washington D.C. Jason Blair, NTD News. President Trump is turning up the pressure on Senate Republicans demanding they confirm his former personal lawyer Topp Blanche as Attorney General ASAP. With confirmation hearings set for tomorrow and Republicans holding a razor-thin edge on the Judiciary Committee, the stakes couldn't be higher. Will Trump's strong public push get Blanche across the finish line? Or will skeptical GOP senators push back? Veteran political strategist Kyle Kempel joins Tiffany Meyer tonight to break it down at 8 p.m. Eastern. The U.S. Central Command has resumed its naval blockade against Iranian ports after launching a round of strikes against the regime. Iran has also reported more strikes on Gulf countries as tensions in the region remain high. NTD's Jason Perry has the latest. A fire was seen burning at an Iranian port on Tuesday after U.S. forces announced more strikes against the Iranian regime. This coming a day after the U.S. launched sea ports. And as of 4 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday, the U.S. military has resumed a naval blockade on maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports to free up shipping in the Hormuz Strait. CENTCOM says shipping traffic to or from other countries in the Middle East will not be affected, CENTCOM adding that it will lend support to vessels not violating the U.S. naval blockade. However, on Tuesday, a chemical tanker was struck off the coast of Oman, with animation showing the ship changing course after being hit by what crew members said was an explosion of an unidentified external device. The renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran started after Iran attacked three ships in the Hormuz Strait last week. The U.S. responded by launching multiple rounds of strikes against Iran and resuming the naval blockade against Iranian ports. At the same time, Iran's state media says the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired missiles toward U.S. bases in the region. The Kuwaiti army says an Iranian projectile hit one of Kuwait's naval vessels and injured four Kuwaiti military personnel. And smoke was seen rising in Bahrain, as the Gulf country said its air defense systems had intercepted and destroyed Iranian aerial attacks over Bahrain. Emergency crews were seen responding to the area. And with the recent increase in hostilities, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issuing this warning to Iran. I will say this to the leaders of Iran. Do not count on it being quiet if you attack us. Do not count on a rerun because it will not be a rerun. And that was already powerful enough. This will be a different event, much more powerful. Jason Perry, NTD News. And now we're joined again by Blaise Michtal, a VP for Policy, Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Thank you again for coming back with us. So President Trump describing this investment pledge that he announced today as a way of reimbursing the U.S. for its protection of the Hormuz Strait. And President Trump talking about that move today in the Oval Office. Let's take a look. But we were doing it as a reimbursement. The Gulf states are going to invest a tremendous amount of money into the United States. And that was very satisfactory to me. I think it's actually much better. So Blaise, we know that the president previously said he would like to charge a 20% fees on cargo passing through the key waterway. But now he's saying this plan is much better. What do you make of it? Yeah, good evening, Iris. I do think that this time around, President Trump has the better idea. Look, after all, one of the reasons that we are back to exchanging blows with Iran is because President Trump is unhappy with them for not implementing the MOU that he signed back in June and allowing ships to pass through the Strait without having to pay a toll. In fact, the freedom of navigation through global waterways is a core U.S. national security interest. Our economy depends on it. We have a global navy precisely for the purpose of making sure that no country can control the seas or the global choke points and enforce their will. And so if we believe Iran can't have ships paying a toll, the U.S. shouldn't have ships paying a toll either. That would have global implications, not just for the Strait of Hormuz, but for other waterways, particularly in and around China, that we wouldn't want other countries to replicate. That being said, President Trump has always believed that the U.S. is shouldering the burden for global security and paying a price that other countries don't have to pay because of it. And so I think he's going to be happy to see that there's going to be some some form of compensation to the U.S. for providing the service of securing the Strait. Meanwhile, in addition to that, we know the Trump administration has also been really making it a priority to degrade Iran's ability to interfere, like you said, with the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Now, of course, we're seeing that, for example, global shipping, DP World, is planning to build a new port and near that, a UAE. Let's take a look at what that is about. We have partnerships. Chris was just saying we have tremendous oil partnerships all of a sudden being formed over the last short period of time. And I guess you're going to be announcing them this week or next week. So let's talk about that moment in the Oval Office today. Of course, a lot coming out from Iran, but also that meeting with the leader of Iraq. What do you think of that? Yeah, it is certainly striking that despite what President Trump has been saying about the U.S. now being the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz, despite the U.S. locating Iran, we haven't actually been able to ensure that ships can pass through the Strait safely without being subject to Iranian missiles or drones. And it shows the difficulty of actually enforcing the global freedom of navigation that is so important to us. And so even if we were able to do that in the coming days or weeks, I think it makes complete sense that regional countries are starting to look for alternatives to make sure that their energy exports can get to market without having to go through the Strait, without possibly being subject to Iranian attack or tolling. And I think this Emirati investment to build more pipeline capacity, build new ports to get their exports out around the Strait makes a lot of sense. I think we're going to see other countries doing the same. We know that the Iraqis are talking about new pipelines that maybe are going to go west towards the Mediterranean instead of the east. I think the Saudi Arabia is going to be looking to do the same. I think this is definitely going to be the future, both of the Middle East and probably other parts of the world where countries are going to see the risk of depending too much on choke points. Do you like you mentioned that the current situation, of course, will have a long-term impact on the region, but do you think these oil partnerships right now can really last? And can they actually bypass Iranian efforts to target global shipping going forward? Well, look, they can, but it's going to take a lot of time and a lot of money. It takes time to build infrastructure. And not only that, but the infrastructure itself is also going to be vulnerable. We've seen Iranian attacks over the past four or five months hitting energy production facilities, hitting pipelines, hitting ports. And so it's not enough to build infrastructure to go around the Gulf. You have to find ways to harden it. You have to put pipelines underground. You have to make sure that you have air defenses for your critical infrastructure. All of that costs a lot of money and takes a lot of time. So there's no quick solution to this problem. And even when that infrastructure is built, it's not 100 percent certain that there isn't going to be some attack that can set it back. But that being said, I think it is an important investment for the U.S. to help make its partners make. Well, definitely crucial for not only the region, but also for gas prices here in the U.S., as well as that influences global oil prices. Blaise Michtel, thank you so much for your insights tonight. Appreciate your time. And you're now looking at a live shot of the White House. The Secretary of State is preparing to hold a summit on far-left terrorism. What this means for combating extremism after the break. This is how I keep my joints happy. Omega XL is a powerful natural supplement backed by 40 years of clinical research. Take control of your pain like Cynthia Bailey. My knees in particular started giving me pain issues all the way back to my modeling days from just running through airports, photo shoots. 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So we need more food in the house, more snacks in the house, more than normally when they're in school. I sometimes I just wonder like, man, are we going to make it through this week? Families across America and right where you live are facing a summer hunger crisis stretching every dollar in meal, but costs keep climbing. Call or go online now to helpfeedingamerica.org and give $19 a month, just 63 cents a day to put healthy meals within reach for local families. And your first gift can double an impact. Having access to a good meal during the summer gives me more energy. Feeding America is the only nationwide network with over 250 local food banks, food pantries and meal programs delivering food where kids already gather. But we can't be there without neighbors like you. It's like a weight off my shoulders. Without them, my kids wouldn't be fat. Your gift today will provide more than food. 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Joining me now to discuss this latest development is Rick De La Torre, founder of Tower Strategy and retired CIA senior operations officer. Thank you so much for joining us tonight, Rick. So officials from more than 60 countries are meeting tomorrow for a summit on far-left terrorism. Could this be the start of real international cooperation, you think, against this type of extremism? I certainly hope so. And it's because political violence has really changed. But much of the international counter-terrorism framework has not changed with it over the years. So these networks, they no longer require a formal high quarters or a recognizable chain of command or membership cards. What they do is they communicate across borders. They raise money electronically. They circulate targeting information, share operational techniques, and rely heavily on encrypted platforms to turn propaganda into action. And we've seen attacks directed against law enforcement and detention facilities and government property, critical infrastructure, political figures. So that goes well beyond lawful protests or political disagreement. I think what Secretary Rubio is trying to establish is a common threat picture among many governments. That is the first requirement for international cooperation. Countries must be able to identify these networks, follow the financing, share the intelligence, and distinguish organized violence from protected speech, and then actually go ahead and prosecute actual criminal conduct. The administration's argument is pretty straightforward. Political terrorism does not become less dangerous because its ideology is fashionable in certain universities or newsrooms or European capitals. Violence is violence. The standard must be conduct, look at these organizations, the financing of these organizations, and their intent. And speaking of the global aspect of this, we know that Berlin, for example, got hit with a major blackout earlier this year after far-left wing extremists targeted their power grid. What do those cases tell us in your opinion? And what cases do you think the Secretary of State might point to to make his case? Well, it just shows the world we live in today. There's such a reliance on technology and such a reliance on critical infrastructure. And those are sadly also a lot of areas where there are specific weaknesses, whether it's in the supply chains of these critical industries or infrastructure. And what that means is it doesn't take a nation-state to bring down an electrical grid or to collapse a manufacturing facility or something in our, let's say, in our food industry. All it takes is a very determined enemy with knowledge, know-how, and not as much resources as they used to have to require in the past. And they can carry out operations that are far-reaching and have real consequences like what you've seen in Germany. When it comes to these operations, like you pointed out, they might not be as constructed or massive. But what do you think would be the best strategy to really enhance scrutiny and make sure that the government can see them and find them and target them before they carry out operations like that? Well, look, I think in this particular case with Secretary Rubio, what they would need is—well, how about this? They don't need 60 governments to produce identical threat assessments. What he needs is them to begin sharing information about financing, travel, communications, recruitment, and attacks on public institutions. The United States learned after 9-11 that transnational networks exploit the seams between governments. One country sees the fundraising piece, while another sees the travel, and another sees the propaganda, and a fourth may see the actual attack. And unless you're able to piece together all those different streams of information, then you can't see the entire network. So there is a much broader strategic issue here, too. China, Russia, and Iran routinely exploit division and political anger and civil disorder inside democratic countries. So now, that does not mean that Beijing or Moscow control every violent group, but it does mean that hostile states amplify those grievances, they spread disinformation, and they launder narratives to weaken the confidence in Western institutions. So those are the areas that I think we need to focus on in an effort to try to bring this stuff under control. And speaking of threats posed by regimes like the CCP, Chinese Communist Party, senators on the Foreign Relations Committee today hearing testimony from the State Department on the U.S.'s priorities in the Western Hemisphere. And they asked about Panama's move to cut off China's influence over the Panama Canal. Take a look at their response. China then attempted to intimidate them by doing inspections and detaining of their Panama flag vessels and their ports and so on. And Panama needed a little bit of a backup and got it from countries in the region, the countries that joined the Shield of the Americas. So in addition to intelligence sharing that you pointed to just now, what other ways do you think the U.S. can step up cooperation within the Western Hemisphere with other allies to counter the CCP's threats? Well, look, I think for too long, Washington treated Latin America as a secondary diplomatic portfolio. Meanwhile, China cartels built around transnational, you know, narco trafficking. They started to acquire very strategic influence. Iran established networks, Russia expanded security and information operations, and uncontrolled migration then started to place enormous pressure on the United States. So I think the Trump administration strategy rejects the idea that these are all separate problems. Drugs, migration, hostile foreign influence, critical infrastructure, the energy ports, they're all linked together. So the administration is therefore returning to the center of the national security planning. And what that means is that there's really no place for the adversarial CCP to be continuing support of either political institutions or efforts that undermine U.S. security. And that's, I think, what you're going to see, such as Shield of the Americas and the current efforts regarding our national security posture in Latin America. And like you mentioned, the CCP truly explores every possible avenue to try to get the upper hand on the U.S. Here's another example from the hearing today. Watch. The Chinese try to move in, deal with, for example, in some places they'll go directly to a university and say, oh, we'll donate a telescope to you so you can do high level research and so on. And it turns out the telescope is really designed to spy on American satellites and other things like that. Do you think there needs to be higher awareness? Yes, go ahead. No, no, I was just recalling Michael Kozak's comments. He is spot on. China is central to all of this. Beijing has spent years building influence through not just universities like he was commenting on, but on ports, telecommunications systems, power infrastructure, mining, critical minerals, energy projects, surveillance technology. The list just goes on and on. So these investments are frequently presented as just ordinary commerce. And some are. But the Chinese Communist Party does not maintain a clean separation between commercial activity and national strategy. Chinese companies can be compelled to support state intelligence requirements. Infrastructure creates access for the CCP. Debt creates leverage for the CCP. And technology creates data for the CCP. So now you have this dependence on the CCP. And that then turns into political influence and control. So a port can be a commercial asset today and a logistical advantage tomorrow. Telecommunications networks can provide inexpensive service while also creating espionage and cybersecurity risk. So control over critical minerals can become coercive leverage during a confrontation over Taiwan or another major crisis. So the administration is telling the regional governments to examine not only the immediate price of Chinese investment, but also the strategic cost that comes along with that. Cheap capital can become very expensive when it compromises sovereignty. Well, definitely a long way to go to reduce our dependence on China, but definitely necessary. Rick Della Torre, thank you so much for sharing your insights with us tonight. We appreciate it. A $150 million counterfeit postage scam. Why a court in California ordered a Chinese individual to pay $158 million for the losses caused by the scheme. Find out more tonight on China In Focus with Tiffany Meyer at 9.30 p.m. Eastern time. And you're now looking at a live shot of the U.S. Capitol where U.S. Supreme Court justices are asking for more security funding. Coming up, our panelists will discuss the threats facing members of the judiciary and the need for more robust security. Here you go. Thank you. Thank you. Every day, thousands of kids start vaping. And I can't let this happen to my kid. Of course, it's awkward to talk to kids about the dangers of vaping. Hey, bestie, house sketch is vaping. It's hard to get their attention. Ready? Go. Yes, look at that. Yeah, turn yours over. So if you want to talk to kids about the dangers of vaping, you have to get it trending. Right, backpack kid? Let's do it. First, invite your kid to do the vape talk. Let's try this. All right. Why is he here? I got to get it trending. No. Come on. Honey, can we talk? Yeah, what's up? I see a lot of your friends vaping. Visit TalkAboutVaping.org for tips on when and how to have the vape talk. 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 and learn more at SavedByTheScan.org. Welcome back. I'm Irish Tao. Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett before lawmakers today asking for more security funding. They paint a picture with financial figures and personal testimony at a time when threats against judges across the nation are on the rise. Joining us now to discuss is Democratic strategist Alex Berrios and Republican strategist John Jordan. Thank you both for joining us tonight. So today's hearing saw a combination of numbers and anecdotes in making the case for providing Supreme Court justices more security funding. Here's a clip of Justices Kagan and Barrett on why they need to be more cautious. The Supreme Court police expect a smaller but still very substantial 38% annual increase in threats this year which follows a 25% increase last year. But I didn't expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof was and why I had to wear one. So first Alex, the court is asking for a 7% increase in salary saying that the rest of the budget increase is almost entirely for security expenses. What does that reveal about the threats potentially facing the members of the judiciary nowadays? So John, let's go to you first while we are fixing the audio. So Justice Kagan today saying that they are expecting a 38% annual increase in threats this year in a combination of course with what we just talked about that they say most of the budget is going to security rather than their budget, rather than their salary. What's your take of that? Well, I think this is absolutely justified. The threats against not only the Supreme Court but the federal judiciary have gone up, you know, hugely in the last few years and it's come almost entirely from the left. Recently we had the Antifa threatened a district court in Texas after he sentenced some Antifa members to lengthy prison sentences. We had Chuck Schumer and Democrats raise the temperature and rhetoric against Supreme Court justice including Senator Schumer saying, you know, they will reap the whirlwind, they won't know what's hit them. Delegitimizing the court in particular, delegitimizing judges that don't go along with them. There is a complete lack of decorum or respect towards the judiciary by the violent left. Not all Democrats are guilty of this. In fact, most are not. But this is coming from that socialist violent left that we're seeing becoming emergent in American politics. And so yeah, the Supreme Court does need to be protected now almost to a very significant degree they need to be protected because sooner or later some crazy person is going to take a shot at one and that's going to that's going to threaten one of the three pillars of American governance. And so yeah, a 38 percent increase of a relatively small budget I think is a small price to pay. So Alex, while we have you back here, what's your take on the need for security funding for the justices? What do you think is behind the rise of threats against them? Well, I think with Americans facing a cost-of-living emergency at this time, it's very easy and tempting for the Democratic Party and Democrats to point fingers as to why the justices are feeling increased hostility and threats in this polarized climate. But that's the wrong track to take. We need to stand firm that our justices, our political servants, our institutions should not be targeted. We can disagree on opinions, we can disagree on rulings, but it should be non-negotiable that our public servants are free to do their job without fear for their safety. And speaking of threats, we know that this week marks exactly two years since the assassination attempt against President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, of course, combined with details from today's hearing. Alex, what do you think that says about the current climate that we are facing as a country? Well, I have to say it's alarming, especially to me personally. I spent about 20 years of my life in the boxing ring, and we could always tell the difference between an opponent and an enemy. And it seems like our politics have really blurred that line, and that's a scary place for us to be. And meanwhile, John, on the same topic here, of course, we can get more funding to boost security, but what can address the fundamental causes for the threats and violence we're seeing? Well, I think that right-thinking Democrats, which I think is the majority of Democrats in this country, I want to believe that. And Republicans seem to bring down, knock off the personal attacks, calling people Nazis, for example, and comparing people to mass murderers. Bring down the hyperbole. Treat people, as Alex points out, treat people as opponents, not enemies. But this has become the language of the new left, not Democrats, but the new left, to attack people personally. They didn't shoot at President Trump because they called him a Nazi. They called him a Nazi so they could kill him. The Nazis murdered millions of people. There's no American politician, past or present, that is guilty of anything like that. So let's stop with this extreme language and comparing our opponents to some of the worst monsters. Meanwhile, speaking of common ground and a way to find common ground here, there's one topic that seemingly we have both President Trump's administration and the previous administration in agreement here, which is the stance towards international criminal court. So Secretary of State Rocco Rubio has pledged now to dismantle the ICC, calling it a threat to our country's sovereignty. Now, of course, the Trump administration is not the first to call that out. Here's former President Biden talking about the court. We've made our position clear on the ICC. We don't recognize the jurisdiction by ICC the way it's being exercised. And it's that simple. We fought a revolution against a foreign power transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses. Independence is our birthright. We will never let foreign bureaucrats take that away from us. So first of all, Alex, American institutions, especially on the legal side, guarantee the presumption of innocence and trial by a jury of your peers. So is a foreign court, in your opinion, like the ICC, even compatible with our justice system? Well, I think that it's important that we recognize this is a complicated issue that has existed across administrations, and it is bipartisan in its concern, and that America's role in this conversation is as a leader. We should be focused on making sure the world knows that we believe in accountability. We believe in international law, but we stand firm on protecting American citizens. And we do not bend when it comes to protecting American citizens. This is an opportunity for Democrats to position themselves as bridge builders and encourage the administration to open a dialogue with our allies and to strengthen ties to those countries that are not yet our allies. John, do you see this too as a pathway for bipartisanship? And as we know, the U.S. has historically resisted binding itself to foreign treaties that threatens its sovereignty, for example, the Treaty of Versailles being an example. Are we seeing that same instinct playing out here? Well, let's separate treaties from this. First of all, I don't know what Alex means when he says this is complicated. It really is quite simple. The International Criminal Court, the United States, is not and has not been a signatory to it. Neither are a lot of other big countries, both friend and foe alike. This is a creation of a small number of countries. Their chief prosecutor, for example, was forced out because of some sort of sexual assault allegations. The United States is not a member of this. This would require the deprivation of rights guaranteed under the Constitution, under an organization to which the United States is not a signatory, transporting them across seas to stand trial in a court where they're not afforded the American constitutional protections. Moreover, this is a ceding of our national sovereignty inasmuch as American policymakers could be potentially at the whim of the iron hand of the ICC, such as it is, for making policy decisions that are in America's best interest. And this basically is giving a bunch of little countries or countries that may or may not have the same rights or protections that we do some sort of veto power over American foreign policy when we haven't even agreed to this and we're not even a member. Give me a break. This is a bipartisan issue for a reason, and it's bipartisan opposition to this. Case closed. Well, a lot to look for, of course, as the secretary vows to dismantle the ICC. Now, of course, with bipartisan backing now. Alex Barrios and John Jordan, thank you so much for joining us tonight. Appreciate your insights. You are now looking at a live shot of the U.S. Capitol. Congress presses top medical schools over DEI race-based emissions and what future doctors should be learning. The sharp exchanges on Capitol Hill. Is deep sea fish oil really healthy? Due to pollution in the oceans, most fish contain heavy metal elements and radioactive substances. That's why it's so important to choose a pure source of Omega-3. Puritan Green Vegetable Omega-3 is made from purslane and perilla seeds, which are rich in nutrients and minerals. It effectively improves brain power and is beneficial to the heart's health. Puritan Green Vegetable Omega-3. Eat two a day and you'll feel brand new. Hi, I'm Susan Lucci. You may know me from my many years on television. I never thought about heart disease until I had my own heart event. I felt this slight pressure on my chest, just slight. I thought, oh, it's nothing. 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Welcome back. I'm Iris Tao. Diversity, equity, and inclusion in America's medical schools. Lawmakers on the House Education Committee today saying DEI has replaced science with politics in the classroom. NDD's Washington correspondent Jack Bradley reports. They seek to make medical students not into competent doctors but into far-left activists. Congressional Republicans at a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing questioned the deans and chancellor at medical schools at UCLA, UC San Francisco, and the University of Illinois as well as the president of the National Medical Association. Now they were called in to discuss whether med schools are putting agendas before patients. The vast majority of pregnancies are in women and I have absolutely no problem with using the word pregnant women. I use it myself. Has a non-biological woman ever had a baby? A transgender person can. That's not a biological woman. Has a non-biological woman ever had a baby? I would reiterate. No, it's ridiculous. Just two months ago the Justice Department alleged that at UCLA black and Hispanic applicants were given preferential admission over those who are white or Asian. Why would one group of people have dramatically lower MCAT scores and GPAs than another group of people yet they're all admitted if you have a race-blind admissions policy? How could that happen? Because there are a number of other factors that are involved. In 2023 the Supreme Court held that colleges and universities could not admit based on race but could consider how race affects the student's life. Now the DOJ says this has allowed schools to use race as a factor for admissions. That's while Democrats on the committee say that med schools should have DEI alongside their academic courses. Promoting diversity, equity and inclusion is how we combat bigotry, hatred and illegal discrimination. As for DEI courses in med schools, several of the university leaders said that many of the courses have already been replaced. For example UCLA Medical School and the University of San Francisco School of Medicine require students to take classes indoctrinating them in settler colonialist anti-oppression nonsense. We determined that some of its content was not appropriate for a medical school curriculum. We eliminated the course and replaced it with a new one that emphasizes evidence-based medicine. Now that's as the Trump administration continues rolling back federally funded DEI initiatives across higher education. For NTD News Washington, I'm Jack Bradley. The Trump administration is deploying a strike team to New York state to fight unemployment insurance fraud. The labor department says New York is one of the nation's worst states when it comes to unemployment fraud. The department says New York state recorded 507 million dollars in fraudulent unemployment insurance payments and 750 million dollars in improper payments in 2025 alone. They say this means that a state loses nearly two million dollars every day to fraud and improper payments. The labor department and its office of inspector general are leading the strike team. They will conduct targeted reviews and pursue civil and criminal investigations. A new way to flush out fraud is yielding big results. NTD's Arlene Richards has the update from the justice department and homeland security. Our goal is to protect taxpayer dollars. The justice department and homeland security have found a way to combat fraud and it's leading to new milestones. In the last 98 days the department of justice has announced over 900 major fraud enforcement actions across the country including cases targeting billions of taxpayer dollars supporting Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP benefits, unemployment benefits, education benefits, and more. The lead attorney of the national fraud enforcement division Colin McDonald saying the days of fraud schemes threatening our national and economic security are over and giving credit to what he called seamless operational partnerships among various departments including federal agencies conducting investigations. He said the latest case in Chicago where the press conference took place propelled them past their one billion dollar milestone in criminal and civil recoveries. Defendants Raj and Veena Kohli allegedly smuggled huge amounts of gold jewelry into the United States and systematically lied to customs officials about the origin of the jewelry. These alleged lies allowed these defendants to evade more than 38 million in duties. McDonald talked about several trade and consumer fraud cases including one in San Francisco where two businessmen and a Chinese national who owns a tile company were charged for their alleged involvement in an elaborate trans shipping and shell company scheme to evade more than 109 million dollars in custom duties and international money laundering. But he said perhaps the most important focus is on an eradicating forced labor which traps nearly 30 million people globally and generates an estimated 236 billion dollars in illicit profits each year. Other federal officials taking lead roles in the partnership against fraud emphasize their commitment. Under my watch I can assure you that the Chicago U.S. Attorney's Office is resolutely committed to holding party parties accountable for their fraudulent schemes. The mission of the Department of Homeland Security and the Trade Fraud Task Force is simple to protect the security public safety and economic prosperity of the American people. These agencies working together are called the Trade Fraud Task Force. It was established by the DOJ and DHS to investigate and prosecute those who defraud the government at the border. Arlene Richards, NTD News. Film photography is making an unexpected comeback. Gen Z is leading a new wave of interest in analog cameras, film rolls, and printed photos. As part of something bigger, vinyl records are booming. VHS tapes and video rental shops are finding new fans. Young adults are embracing analog experiences in the digital world, experts saying it isn't just nostalgia. Many in Gen Z never lived through these technologies the first time around. Instead, they're looking for experiences that feel slower, more personal, and more social. Film cameras, record stores, and video shops are becoming places to gather and connect. In an age of endless scrolling, this generation is rediscovering the value of something real you can hold in your hands. And that's all we have for you tonight on The Capital Report. Stay connected to the stories that matter. Visit us at ntd.com slash live or download our NTD app. From the nation's capital, I'm Iris Tao. Have a nice evening and we'll see you back here tomorrow.