Evening Wire: Biden Transcripts To Be Released & RFK Jr. Pulls Medicaid Funding | 7.21.26

Summary

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Morning Wire — "Evening Wire: Biden Transcripts To Be Released & RFK Jr. Pulls Medicaid Funding"

Published: July 21, 2026
Hosts: John Bickley & Georgia Howe

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Episode Overview

This episode covers major political and cultural headlines from July 21, 2026. Key topics include the identification of an ICE facility attacker in Manhattan, RFK Jr.'s controversial move to withhold Medicaid funding from California and Minnesota, the rejection of former President Biden's appeal to keep his interview transcripts sealed, a corporate exodus from New Jersey, high-profile political announcements, and lively commentary on culture and personalities. The hosts maintain a brisk, factual, slightly skeptical tone characteristic of Morning Wire's reporting style.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Attack on Manhattan ICE Facility

• Suspect Identified:
  • Andrew Arabaca, 43, military veteran, arrested after setting fire outside 26 Federal Plaza (ICE field office) and attempting to storm the building armed with multiple weapons.
  • Jenny Terr: Arabaca is described as "an anti-American, anti-government extremist" who shouted derogatory remarks at ICE as he was subdued.
  • (00:36)

2. Red Sea Tensions and U.S. Military Losses

• U.S. Soldier Killed by Iranian Drone:
  • Sgt. Michael Swinton, 30, killed disposing of an Iranian drone in Iraq, survived by a wife and two children.
  • Swinton's wife shared:

    "I will never recover from this." (01:22)

  • President Trump meets with Lebanese President Joseph Allen, pledging to quell Lebanon-Israel hostilities.
  • In the Red Sea, tankers reversed course after Houthi threats. Trump issued a direct warning:

    "We take care of things. If something like that happens, we take care of it." (02:06 — Trump)

3. RFK Jr. Pulls Medicaid Funding Over Fraud Concerns

• Funding Suspended for California and Minnesota:
  • Health Secretary RFK Jr.:

    "We are not sending Medicaid dollars out the door until we have confidence that they're being spent lawfully and appropriately." (02:15 — RFK Jr.)

  • Justified by $6.5B in recent Medicare fraud indictments, funds totaling over $1B frozen until states demonstrate compliance.
  • California’s Governor Newsom denounced the move as “purely political.”
  • (02:15–02:57)

4. Missouri Prosecutor Removed Amid Scandal

• Camille Johnston Ousted:
  • Accused of not charging an illegal immigrant in a sexual assault case due to an inappropriate relationship, plus additional conflicts of interest, retaliation, and cover-ups.
  • (02:57–03:34)

5. Corporate Exodus: Mars Wrigley Leaves New Jersey

• Mars Wrigley Moves HQ to Chicago:
  • Layoffs expected of up to 300 positions.
  • Part of a broader trend of companies fleeing New Jersey due to "regulations and tax burdens."
  • Nearly 10,000 jobs lost to corporate departures in one year.
  • (03:34–04:09)

6. Pop Culture Chaos: Disney Lorcana Launch Frenzy

• Trading Card Release Sparks Pandemonium:
  • Launch of new Lorcana sets led to "pure bedlam" at Disney parks globally, with barricades breached and one London store forced to cancel the event after violence and police intervention.
  • (05:28–06:10)

7. South Carolina Senate Race – Enter Darlene Graham Nordone

• Filling Lindsey Graham’s Seat:
  • Nordone, Graham’s sister, announces run and receives immediate public endorsement from Trump.
  • She cites "an inner peace" after prayer and decades of public service.
  • (06:10–06:50)

8. Biden Ghostwriter Transcripts to Be Unsealed

• Appeals Court Rejects Biden's Sealing Request:
  • Judge rules public interest outweighs privacy.
  • Tapes were part of the Robert Herr investigation that found Biden a "well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory."
  • Release paused until August 3rd pending further action.
  • Past transcripts showed Biden struggling with critical dates, including the year of Beau Biden's death, reigniting debate about his fitness for office.
  • (06:50–07:45)

9. Don Lemon Stirs Controversy Comparing MAGA to Nazis

• Potential 2028 Contender Makes Provocative Remarks:
  • Says on podcast circuit:

    "The closest thing to the modern version of the Nazi Party without the Holocaust and all that stuff." (07:45–08:21 — Don Lemon)

  • Asserts firing from CNN was due to being a "gay Black guy."

10. Culture Clash: Jonathan Cain vs. Bruce Springsteen

• Classic Rock Feud Rekindled:
  • Journey’s Jonathan Cain scolds Springsteen:

    "Bruce Springsteen should shut up. Honestly, shut up. Bruce, you know him and Robert De Niro. I mean, who cares, guys, you know, really, Bruce, I mean, what the heck?" (08:35 — Jonathan Cain)

  • Cain says he avoids politics on stage; fans come for the music, not lectures.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Medicaid Funds:

  “We are not sending Medicaid dollars out the door until we have confidence that they're being spent lawfully and appropriately.”
  — RFK Jr. (02:15)

• On Red Sea Blockade:

  “We take care of things. If something like that happens, we take care of it.”
  — President Trump (02:06)

• On Biden’s Transcripts:

  “The public interest of the transcripts outweighs concerns over his privacy.”
  — Appeals Court (07:01)

• On Presidential Run:

  "People keep asking me to do it. None of those alleged people could be reached for comment."
  — Don Lemon (07:45)

• On Rock Star Politics:

  "Bruce Springsteen should shut up. Honestly, shut up. ... I used to like him and now he's just annoying. ... You were born in the USA, weren't you, dude? So act like it."
  — Jonathan Cain (08:35)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• ICE Facility Attack & Suspect Named: (00:24–01:12)
• US Red Sea Policy & Military Loss: (01:12–02:15)
• RFK Jr. Pulls Medicaid Funding: (02:15–02:57)
• Missouri Prosecutor Scandal: (02:57–03:34)
• Mars Wrigley Corporate Move: (03:34–04:09)
• Disney Lorcana Card Release Chaos: (05:28–06:10)
• Darlene Graham Nordone's Senate Run: (06:10–06:50)
• Biden Transcripts Unsealing: (06:50–07:45)
• Don Lemon/MAGA Controversy: (07:45–08:21)
• Jonathan Cain Details Feud with Springsteen: (08:35–09:01)

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This episode provides a fast-moving, conservative-leaning roundup of the day's political and cultural news, with sharp quotes and a focus on controversies shaping current public debate.

Transcript

[A]

The man who attacked an ICE facility in Manhattan has been identified. RFK Jr. Is pulling Medicare funding from key blue states and former President Biden's attempt to seal audio and transcripts recorded by his ghostwriter has been rejected. I'm Daily Wire executive editor John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Tuesday, July 21st. This is Evening Wire.

[B]

The suspect accused of a Monday attack on a Manhattan ICE facility has been identified as 43 year old military veteran Andrew Arabaca. Daily Wire immigration reporter Jenny Terr has more.

[C]

Arabaca was arrested outside 26 Federal Plaza with a sign that read, quote, ICE off our streets. The building houses the New York City field office for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Authorities said the veteran poured what is believed to be gasoline on the ground and set it on fire with fireworks. Arabaka also allegedly pushed a cart that contained two axes and a hammer, a machete and multiple knives. The FBI said he yelled derogatory terms to ICE while he was being arrested and described him as an anti American, anti government extremist.

[A]

The Pentagon has identified the third US Soldier killed in the weekend attack by Iran as a second blockade is formed in the Red Sea. Daily Wire foreign affairs reporter Cassia Akiva has the latest.

[D]

The Pentagon on Tuesday identified a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq as Sgt. Michael Swinton, a 30 year old Army Air Defense soldier from North Carolina. Swinton was killed Saturday while disposing of an unexploded ordinance from a downed Iranian attack drone, leaving behind a wife and two young children. His wife wrote, quote, I will never recover from this. Meanwhile, President Trump met with Lebanese President Joseph Allen at the White House today where both pledged to work towards permanently ending hostilities between Lebanon and Israel. In the Red Sea, two tankers carrying Saudi crude oil turned around after Yemen's Iran backed Houthi terrorist group threatened to target ships calling at Saudi ports. Trump delivered a blunt warning to the Houthis if they tried to implement a blockade.

[E]

We take care of things. If something like that happens, we take care of it. You know, we've done that with the Houthis before and we haven't heard from

[F]

them in a while.

[B]

Health Secretary RFK Jr. Is pulling Medicare funding to California and Minnesota over fraud concerns. Kennedy said this morning that, quote, we are not sending Medicaid dollars out the door until we have confidence that they're being spent lawfully and appropriately. Last month, the Justice Department announced that hundreds of individuals were to be charged in Medicare fraud schemes totaling more than $6.5 billion until the two states can prove that the funds will be allocated legitimately. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services will withhold around $200 million from Minnesota and roughly $850 million from California. California Governor Gavin Newsom responded to the news, claiming that the decision was purely political and had nothing to do with fraud.

[A]

A Missouri county prosecutor has been ousted after the state attorney general accused her of a series of inappropriate relationships. The latest allegation against former prosecutor Camille Johnston involves a relationship she allegedly carried on with an illegal immigrant accused of sexual assault. Johnston's office was responsible for the investigation into the Mexican national, and court documents say she ultimately did not charge him because of their relationship. Johnston is also accused of carrying out two more inappropriate relationships that created conflicts of interest for her work. She also allegedly took steps to cover them up and exact retribution on employees

[B]

who found out Candy giant Mars Wrigley is moving out of New Jersey. The iconic maker of such brands as M&Ms, Twix and Skittles will be moving to a new $100 million complex in Chicago. Upwards of 300 New Jersey based positions will be eliminated as a result. The decision follows a trend of corporations moving away from coastal states for a variety of reason, including more regulations and tax burdens. According to the state's business and Industry Association, New Jersey has lost nearly 10,000 jobs to corporate departures in the last year alone.

[A]

Something that never gets old to me, and I think I can say safely for Georgia, too, is when friends send us photos of them drinking their morning coffee from their morning Wire mugs or tagging us on Instagram with their merch. If you've ever picked up a mug or T shirt or one of our other products from the Daily Wire store, you've actually experienced Shopify without even thinking about it. When you're ready to check out, Shopify makes the process so seamless. Even better. Returning customers can check out with just a tap because their information is already saved. And that's not just great for shoppers, it's great for businesses, too. Shopify handles the technology behind the scenes so brands can spend more time creating products people actually want instead of worrying about the website. So whether you're dreaming about launching your own business or just curious where so many brands get started, Shopify is definitely worth checking out. With Shopify, nothing stands between your idea and a real business. So go make it one. Start your free trial at shopify.com wire that's shopify.com wire shopify.com wire to start your free trial. Pandemonium erupted Friday as hordes of Disney fans turned theme parks and retail stores into battlegrounds, all to snatch up new releases for a hit trading card game. Daily Wire associate producer Garrett Van Team has the story.

[G]

The madness was sparked by the highly anticipated release of two brand new card sets for Disney, Lorcana, the mega hit deck building game. Thousands of frantic collectors and ruthless scalpers unleashed pure bedlam at Walt Disney World in Florida, Disneyland in California and Disneyland Paris. Video from Disneyland Paris showed shoppers leaping over security barricades to bypass the queue. In England, the official Disney store on London's famous Oxford street was forced to scrap the product launch entirely after violent mobs attempted to storm the front doors, triggering a heavy police response. The store later apologized to fans who endured the lines in chaos, only to leave empty handed.

[B]

Darlene Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, has officially entered the race to fill her brother's U.S. senate seat in South Carolina. During an interview with Sean Hannity, Nordone said she felt, quote, an inner peace about the decision after praying and consulting with her family, adding that nearly three decades of public service prepared her for the job. Her announcement comes just days after President Trump publicly endorsed her candidacy, urging her to, quote, run, Darlene, run. Graham's sudden death earlier this month upended the race, but several Republicans have since stepped aside, including Congresswoman Nancy Mace, clearing a path for Nordone ahead of the Aug. 11 Republican primary. The seat is widely expected to remain in Republican hands in November.

[A]

A federal appeals court has rejected former President Biden's attempt to keep audio records and transcripts of his interviews with his longtime ghostwriter sealed. Daily Wire associate producer Wyatt Harms has

[H]

more the appeals court ruled that the public interest of the transcripts outweighs concerns over his privacy. The recordings were obtained during Special Counsel Robert Herr's classified documents investigation, which ended without charges but described Biden as a, quote, well meaning elderly man with a poor memory. The court paused the release until August 3rd to give Biden time to seek further legal action. A dissenting judge argued that the interviews conducted in Biden's home during a criminal investigation that did not result in an indictment deserved greater privacy protections. The Transcripts released in 2024 showed Biden struggling to recall key dates, including the year his son Beau died, fueling renewed scrutiny of his mental fitness during his re election campaign.

[B]

Potential 2028 presidential candidate Don Lemon compared MAGA to the Nazi Party. Lemon has been running the podcast circuit, presumably to gauge public interest in his candidacy. In an appearance on the Can't Be Censored podcast, Lemon took stabs at President Trump calling the MAGA movement, quote, the closest thing to the modern version of the Nazi party without the Holocaust and all that stuff. Lemon continued to assert that he was fired from CNN because they, quote, wanted to get rid of the gay black guy. When asked about his potential presidential run, Lemon said, quote, people keep asking me to do it. None of those alleged people could be reached for comment.

[A]

And an old feud between rock stars is flaring up again as longtime Journey band member Jonathan Cain called out far left activist Bruce Springsteen, basically telling him to stop talking politics and perform. Take a listen.

[I]

And guys like Bruce Springsteen should shut up. Honestly, shut up. Bruce, you know him and Robert De Niro. I mean, who cares, guys, you know, really, Bruce, I mean, what the heck? I used to like him and now he's just annoying. He's an annoying, bitter old man. I mean, stop it. Really. You were born in the usa, weren't you, dude? So act like it. But even that song, if you look at the lyrics, I mean, it's a kind of a dissault.

[J]

It is, yeah.

[A]

Kane himself is a proud conservative and Christian and added that his fans, whether they agree or not, don't care. He doesn't, quote, preach about it on stage for 10 minutes. The don't Stop Believing co writer is there to perform.

[B]

Those are your Drive Home updates this evening. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com, and in case you missed it, earlier today we covered some major stories, including the escalation of US Strikes on Iran, the UK Officially minting a new prime minister, and how the Odyssey conquered the box office. Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with another full edition of Morning Wire.