Latest: Trump accuses Democrats of 'destroying our country' as Vance suspends Medicaid payments to Minnesota
The latest coverage centers on President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address — where he criticized Democrats and pledged a campaign against fraud — and Vice President JD Vance’s immediate action to pause federal Medicaid reimbursements to Minnesota. Both moves reshaped the political terrain discussed during Presidents’ Day reflections and intersected with separate developments in sports and the economy.
Trump’s State of the Union criticism and hardline rhetoric
President Donald Trump criticized Democrats attending the State of the Union and used sharp language encapsulated by the headline line that he is “destroying our country. ” He addressed Congress in the State of the Union that night, framing a broader push that included a declared “war on fraud. ” The remarks also carried campaign-style expectations, with Trump pledging in his speech, “He’ll get it done. And if we’re able to find enough of that fraud, we will actually have a balanced budget overnight. ”
Vance announces pause on Minnesota Medicaid reimbursements
Vice President JD Vance, assigned to lead the declared “war on fraud, ” joined Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz to announce a pause on federal Medicaid reimbursements to Minnesota. Oz said the administration had notified Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, that the state would be kept from receiving a $259 million Medicaid reimbursement this month based on an audit covering the last three months of 2025. Oz said the money will be held until Minnesota proposes a comprehensive corrective action plan, and warned that if Minnesota fails to clean up systems the state could rack up a billion dollars of deferred payments this year.
Officials’ justifications and the legal authority claim
At an afternoon news conference, Vance said, “We have decided to temporarily halt certain amounts of Medicaid funding that are going to the state of Minnesota in order to ensure that the state of Minnesota takes its obligation seriously to be good stewards of the American people’s tax money. ” Vance further said he was “quite confident” the administration had the legal authority to withhold funds appropriated by Congress and argued, “We’re the ones who spend this money. Congress appropriates it. We’re the ones who actually make sure this goes to the people it ought to go to. And inherent in that is making sure that it only goes to the people that Congress says that it should go to. We shouldn’t be sending money to fraudsters. ” He added: “I’d reiterate, we don’t want to do this. We don’t want to be in a situation where the stat” — unclear in the provided context.
Walz’s response and political fallout
Oz said Gov. Walz has 60 days to respond. Spokespeople for Walz — who was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2024 and is a frequent target of White House criticism — did not immediately respond to requests for comment. After Vance’s and Oz’s remarks, Walz responded on X, writing, "This has nothing to do with fraud. The agents Trump allegedly sent to investigate fraud are shooting protesters and arresting children. His DOJ is gutting the U. S. Attorney’s Office and crippling their ability to prosecute fraud. And every week Trump pardons another fraudster. " Walz added, "These cuts will be devastating for veterans, families with young kids, folks with disabilities, and working people across our state. "
Administration reassurances and local impact concerns
Oz urged calm for providers and beneficiaries, saying, “If providers and beneficiaries are worried about getting their money and services, please call your governor. These are services the governor has already paid for. We are just not reimbursing the state. ” He added that there is a rainy-day fund in Minnesota and the administration was “very confident that people will not be hurt in Minnesota. ”
Sports notes, polls and economic snippets in the same coverage
Amid Presidents’ Day commentary, a survey of respondents found Trump is doing a worse job than Joe Biden and Barack Obama. In sports, Quinn Hughes said the men’s team was “really happy” that the women’s team also won gold in the 2026 Winter Games, while the women’s hockey team declined an invite because of a previous engagement. A Boston Bruins standout goalie said he and his teammates have “so much respect” for the gold medal-winning U. S. women’s team. On podcasts, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman were joined by Yuri Karasawa to preview international teams for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and Nate Tice and Matt Harmon, in Indianapolis this week at the combine, took a look at star Buckeyes. In college and pro prospects coverage, Rueben Bain Jr. could go as high as second overall in the NFL Draft, and Arvell Reese was described as a versatile and productive player for Ohio State. Separately, oil prices are down, gas prices are down, and the U. S. oil industry is under pressure, details that appeared alongside the political and sports reporting in the latest round of coverage.
