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auchincloss, Jake Rep



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AN 4 26

Although Fox News and Fox Business are decidedly right-wing on the whole, Fox News has one liberal panelist who often butts heads with her colleagues: Jessica Tarlov. And President Donald Trump angrily railed against her during a Monday night, April 6 rant on his Truth Social platform.

Trump posted, "For Fox executives only, take Jessica Tarlov off the air. She is, from her voice, to her lies, and everything else about her, one of the worst 'personalities' on television, a real loser! People cannot stand watching her. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT."

But Trump went after one of Fox News' conservative hosts, Shannon Bream, as well.

"Tell Shannon Bream of FoxNews that it's not the Save Act, it’s the Save America Act, a big difference!," Trump posted. "Also, when she insists on having lightweight Democrat Congressmen, such as Jake Auchincloss, on her not very hard hitting show, she should correct them when they spew out Democrat propaganda and lies. She never does! I always close deals, unlike the Dems, and did great with China in every way, also, unlike the Dems!"

The Daily Beast's Cameron Adams notes that it is "unclear what triggered Trump" about Tarlov and inspired him to "offer unsolicited advice to the bosses at his favorite network about his least-favorite presenter."

"Tarlov is the latest in a growing line of female journalists to be targeted by Trump," Adams observes. "On April 1, he lost his cool with NewsNation's Libbey Dean, who had asked him whether Iran would have to make a deal for him to end the U.S. military intervention. 'You're a fresh person, you know?' Trump snapped. 'We've had a lot of problems with you, haven’t we?' In March, on board Air Force One, Trump opened fire on a female reporter from ABC. 'I think it's maybe the most corrupt news organization on the planet,' he said. 'I don’t want any more from ABC.'

The Daily Beast reporter adds, "In February, the president laid into CNN's Kaitlan Collins, 33, when she asked him what he would like to say to the survivors of convicted child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein."

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Key Musk DOGE adviser meets with leaders of Medicare agency

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services oversees coverage for 160 million.

ByWill Steakin and Anne Flaherty

February 14, 2025,

IFrame Content

'It's incredibly dangerous': Rep. Robert Garcia reacts to DOGE spending cutsRep. Robert Garcia joined ABC News Live to react to the efforts of DOGE and Elon Musk to take on fraud and abuse within federal spending by the U.S. government.

A key member of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has met with leadership at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the federal agency that oversees the nation’s Medicare and Medicaid insurance programs, according to internal records reviewed by ABC News.

The meeting on Thursday, which was titled "Planning Touch Base," included a top DOGE lieutenant, Rachel Riley, along with recently Trump-appointed top brass at CMS, including Acting Administrator and Chief of Staff Stephanie Carlton, John Brooks, Deputy Administrator and Chief Policy and Regulatory Officer at CMS, and Kim Brandt, the agency's new deputy administrator and chief operating officer, and other long-term staff at the agency, according to the records.

### MORE: Judge who oversaw Trump's Jan. 6 case will hear arguments over Musk's authority to run DOGE

Sources said Riley, who is listed internally as a senior adviser at HHS and the State Department, works closely with Brad Smith, a healthcare entrepreneur and early senior DOGE member who for years has been a leading voice pushing for privatizing parts of Medicare and Medicaid.

Smith had worked in the first Trump administration to try to innovate the insurance programs, an effort that was mostly eclipsed by the pandemic.

Elon Musk leaves Blair House after a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Blair House, in Washington, Feb. 13, 2025.

Will Oliver/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

### MORE: Judge will consider continuing to block Musk, DOGE from accessing Treasury payment systems

It is not immediately clear what was discussed at the meeting. Sources added that DOGE members have been on-site at the agency’s offices since last week and have been attending meetings with senior staff, asking for access to CMS's for payment systems.

### MORE: Judge will consider continuing to block Musk, DOGE from accessing Treasury payment systems

CMS oversees health care coverage for more than 160 million through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Medicaid and Medicare have long been considered a target by conservatives because of allegations of waste, fraud and abuse. A 2024 investigation by the Government Accountability Office found payment errors linked to the two programs reached over $100 billion worth in 2023. So far oversight efforts have been done internally by an HHS inspector general. AOC SAYS UNITED HEALTHCARE 80b/YR RFK 2X PAYMENT RATE

Democrats, though, worry that any “slash and burn” tactics by DOGE could inadvertently prevent people from accessing health care.

Trump has said he doesn’t want to restrict access, but rather root out fraud.

According to records reviewed by ABC News, the meeting also included Peter Nelson, recently appointed head of the CMS office overseeing Obamacare marketplaces, and Rebekah Armstrong, now leading CMS’ Office of Legislation.

Musk last week posted on X that his team would be targeting fraud at the agency.

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[### Congressman Auchincloss probes corruption of healthcare ...

Congressman Jake Auchincloss (.gov)

https://auchincloss.house.gov › media › press-releases](https://auchincloss.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-auchincloss-probes-corruption-of-healthcare-executives-in-the-trump-administration)

Jun 17, 2025 — Smith's ability to win favor with CMS by protecting personnel from RIFs . Auchincloss has called on the boards of TrueMed and Main Street Health ...

[### User Clip: Rep. Auchincloss asks RFK about conflicts of ...

C-SPAN

https://www.c-span.org › clip › house-committee › user...](https://www.c-span.org/clip/house-committee/user-clip-rep-auchincloss-asks-rfk-about-conflicts-of-interest-in-hhs-with-brad-smith-and-calley-means/5166383)

Jun 24, 2025 — Rep. Auchincloss asks if RFK would ask Calley Means to sign financial disclosure forms and he also asks about Brad Smith CEO of Main Street and CMS ...

[### RFK Jr. Sputters After Getting Grilled On Proximity To ...

Yahoo

https://www.yahoo.com › news › rfk-jr-sputters-getting...](https://www.yahoo.com/news/rfk-jr-sputters-getting-grilled-202317907.html)

Jun 24, 2025 — One appointee, a former HHS DOGE staffer named Brad Smith, now runs a for-profit medical company. The other, Calley Means, is still in the ...

[### Mass. lawmaker probes possible conflicts of interest for top ...

Congressman Jake Auchincloss (.gov)

https://auchincloss.house.gov › media › in-the-news](https://auchincloss.house.gov/media/in-the-news/mass-lawmaker-probes-possible-conflicts-of-interest-for-top-rfk-advisers)

Jun 16, 2025 — Representative Jake Auchincloss is seeking information from the companies of two top advisers to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy to investigate potential ...

[### What to know about the man who led DOGE's cost cuts at HHS

statnews.com

https://www.statnews.com › 2025/06/02 › brad-smith-d...](https://www.statnews.com/2025/06/02/brad-smith-doge-hhs-profile-stephanie-carlton-cms-interview-elevance-medical-cost-trend-health-care-inc-newsletter/)

Jun 2, 2025 — A leading figure within DOGE who just left and has gotten little attention built his entire career in health care: Brad Smith.