3PM ET 05/13/2026 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update – 3PM ET 05/13/2026

Host: FOX News Podcasts
Date: May 13, 2026
Duration: ~4 minutes
Main Theme: Rapid-fire roundup of top national news: government action on Medicaid fraud, healthcare fraud crackdowns, Iran policy, economic data, COVID cover-up allegations, National Police Week honors, and a quick financial market update.

---

1. Government Crackdown on Medicaid Fraud

[00:03–00:40]

• Key Action:
  Vice President J.D. Vance issued a strong warning to states: get tougher on Medicaid fraud or risk losing federal funds.

• Notable Quotes:

  • "This does not have to be a red state or a blue state issue. This is just basic good government." – J.D. Vance [00:10]
  • "We can only help these state program if those state programs are willing to help themselves. So these letters are the first step, the first effort to try to force these states to get serious about prosecuting fraud." – J.D. Vance [00:30]

• Key Developments:

  • Over $1 billion in Medicaid reimbursements to California are being deferred.
  • Letters sent to all states warning of potential billions withheld from state fraud control units.

---

2. Nationwide Hospice Fraud Investigation

[00:40–01:01]

• Key Announcement:
  Dr. Mehmet Oz, Medicaid and Medicare Administrator, announced:

  • Suspension of 800 potentially fraudulent hospices in Los Angeles.
  • A nationwide moratorium on all new hospices as fraud probes expand.

• Context:
  The moratorium is framed as an urgent measure while fraud investigations continue.

---

3. U.S. Policy on Iran & China Relations

[01:01–01:29]

• Discussion:
  Vice President Vance defended President Trump’s Iran strategy:

  • Commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons through diplomatic means.
  • The U.S. maintains flexibility: "the president has a lot of options." – J.D. Vance [01:01]

• China Summit:

  • President Trump is in Beijing for a summit with President Xi.
  • China’s role as Iran’s top oil buyer connects directly to U.S. diplomatic efforts and surging oil prices.

• Economic Impact:

  • Higher oil and gas prices since the Iran conflict began contribute to inflation.

---

4. Economic Update: Wholesale Price Surge and New Fed Chair

[01:29–01:42]

• Producer Price Index (PPI):

  • Prices at the wholesale level rose sharply in April:
    • Up 1.4% for the month
    • Up 1% for core PPI (excluding food and energy)
    • Year-over-year wholesale prices: up 6%
  • "Prices paid at the wholesale level before they reach consumers jumped in April." – Jenny Cosola [01:29]

• Federal Reserve Leadership:

  • Kevin Warsh confirmed as new Fed Chair by Senate vote (54-45).

---

5. CIA Whistleblower Alleges COVID Cover-Up

[02:07–02:48]

• Testimony:
  CIA officer James Erdman III told Senate Homeland Security:

  • CIA initially believed COVID likely originated from a lab.
  • Dr. Anthony Fauci allegedly influenced which experts the intelligence community consulted, leading to a neutral CIA stance.

• Notable Quotes:

  • "Dr. Fauci's role in the COVID up was intentional." – Jenny Cosola paraphrasing [02:19]
  • "...after which the CIA took a neutral position about Covid's origins." – James Erdman III [02:22]

• Additional Detail:

  • After President Trump's second term began, CIA released a "low confidence" assessment that COVID likely leaked from a lab.
  • The CIA dismissed the Senate testimony as "political theater" and noted Erdman did not request whistleblower protections.

---

6. National Police Week: Honoring ICE Officers

[03:03–03:35]

• Tribute:
  New Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen pledged unwavering support for ICE officers:

  • Celebrated their dedication and sacrifice.
  • Dismissed agency criticism and promised "to bring pride back to officers’ steps." – Mark Wayne Mullen [03:17]

• Memorable Moment:

  • "Every day you get up and you take somebody off the streets that shouldn't be there. You're making a difference." – Unnamed ICE Officer [03:10]
  • Roll call to honor the fallen and a moment of silence highlighted the ceremony.

---

7. Markets Update

[03:42–End]

• Wall Street Snapshot:
  • Dow: down 31 points
  • S&P: back to record territory
  • NASDAQ: up 323 points

---

Memorable Quotes, Attributed

• "This does not have to be a red state or a blue state issue. This is just basic good government." – J.D. Vance [00:10]
• "The president has a lot of options." – J.D. Vance [01:01]
• "Every day you get up and you take somebody off the streets that shouldn't be there. You're making a difference." – Unnamed ICE Officer [03:10]

---

Takeaway

The episode provided a sprint through the day's major stories: aggressive federal action on healthcare fraud, high-stakes diplomacy regarding Iran and China, fresh economic inflation numbers, new Fed leadership, political fireworks over COVID’s origins, and an emotional salute to ICE agents. The delivery maintained Fox’s trademark urgency and emphasis on the intersection of government action, public safety, and national pride.

Transcript

[Lisa Brady]

Get serious about fraud. Lisa Brady, FOX News. That message moments ago to states from Vice President J.D. vance.

[J.D. Vance]

This does not have to be a red state or a blue state issue. This is just basic good government.

[Lisa Brady]

Just announcing the federal government is deferring more than a billion dollars in Medicaid reimbursements to California and sending letters to every state threatening to withhold billions from fraud control units that are supposed to target fraud.

[J.D. Vance]

We can only help these state program if those state programs are willing to help themselves. So these letters are the first step, the first effort to try to force these states to get serious about prosecuting fraud.

[Lisa Brady]

Medicaid and Medicare administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz just announcing that 800 hospices believed to be fraudulent are now suspended in the Los Angeles area and there's a new nationwide moratorium on all new hospices as fraud investigations continue. The vice president also just taking questions and defending the president's strategy on Iran.

[J.D. Vance]

I agree with the president that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon. We're obviously engaged in a very aggressive and very engaged diplomatic process to try to ensure that that doesn't happen. And the president has a lot of options.

[Lisa Brady]

This is President Trump prepares to hold a summit with China's President Xi arriving in Beijing earlier today. China has been the biggest buyer of Iran's oil, but President Trump has said he doesn't need Xi to intervene with Iran. The surge in oil and gas prices since the conflict began fueling hotter inflation.

[Jenny Cosola]

Prices paid at the wholesale level before they reach consumers jumped in April. The producer PRIC index rose 1.4% for the month, up 1% for core PPI excluding food and energy.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Jenny Cosola Year over year, wholesale prices up 6%. New leadership on the way at the Fed. The U.S. senate just confirming Trump nominee Kevin Warsh as the central bank's new chair on a vote of 54 to 45. America is listening to Fox News. A CIA whistleblower says there was a Covid cover up. Testifying on Capitol Hill.

[James Erdman III]

CIA officer James Erdman III told the Senate Homeland Security Committee he has been working on the director of National Intelligence Initiatives Group over the last year and found the CIA initially believed Covid likely emanated from a lab.

[Jenny Cosola]

Dr. Fauci's role in the COVID up was intentional.

[James Erdman III]

He said Fauci, as head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, told the intelligence community or the IC who to consult with about origin theory, after which the CIA took a neutral position about Covid's origins.

[Jenny Cosola]

It was significantly influenced by Anthony Fauci's injecting himself into the ic.

[James Erdman III]

After President Trump took office for a second term, the CIA released its conclusion with low confidence that Covid likely leaked from a lab.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Jessica Rosenthal. The CIA calls today's hearing political theater and says Erdman has not sought whistleblower protections. The new head of Homeland Security pays tribute to more than 20,000 ICE officers in the US in honor of National Police Week.

[Mark Wayne Mullen]

DHS Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen vowing to defend officers and stressing the job is a calling.

[Unnamed ICE Officer]

Every day you get up and you take somebody off the streets that shouldn't be there. You're making a difference.

[Mark Wayne Mullen]

Saying he wants to bring pride back to officers steps and adding he doesn't pay attention to criticism about the agency

[Unnamed ICE Officer]

no matter what the media wants to say. I know you're doing your job every day and I want you to know I am proud to be part of it.

[Mark Wayne Mullen]

The event featuring a roll call to honor fallen officers and a moment of silence. Kristin, Good one FOX News.

[Lisa Brady]

An hour to the close. On Wall Street, a mixed session continues. The Dow's down 31 points, but the S and P and the Nasdaq getting back into record territory right now. The NASDAQ's up 323. I'm Lisa Brady. This is Fo.