>>> WELCOME TO AMANPOUR AND COMPANY.

HERE IS WHAT'S COMING UP.

>> 3 TO 4% MORE BABIES ARE DYING.

>> MILLIONS LOSE A VITAL LIFELINE.

ISABEL YOUNG'S SPECIAL REPORT FROM AFGHANISTAN ON THE DEADLY COST OF USAID CUTS.

DESPITE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, WANTS THE EPSTEIN FILES RELEASED.

>> IS TRUMP LOSING CONTROL?

I ASK WILL SUMMER HOW THE JEFFREY EPSTEIN CASE IS DISRUPTING THE M.A.G.A.

FOLLOWING.

>>> THE WAR OVER HEALTHCARE.

HOW HE'S FIGHTING FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES ON THE FRONTLINE.

>> AMANPOUR AND COMPANY IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT.

JIM ATWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS.

THE SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM, THE FAMILY FOUNDATION LEELA AND NIKKI STRAUSS.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, CHARLES ROSENBLUM, KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM, EVERYONE.

I'M BIANNA GOLODRYGA, SITTING IN FOR CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT'S IN THE NAME OF CUTTING FRAUD AND ABUSE.

AMONG THOSE WORST IT IS AFGHANISTAN, WHICH RECEIVED OVER 40% OF ITS HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT FROM THE UNITED STATES.

DONATIONS WERE CONSIDERED A DUTY AFTER A WITHDRAWAL FROM CABUL.

TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE THE UK, FRANCE, AND GERMANY FOLLOWED SUIT, GUTTING THEIR OWN FOREIGN AID BUDGETS.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CLAIMS THAT NO LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST AS A RESULT OF USAID CUTS BUT ONE STUDY PREDICTS THAT IF THE CUTS CONTINUE THROUGH 2030, 14 MILLION PEOPLE COULD DIE AS A RESULT.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE MEDICAL JOURNAL, THE LANCET.

IN AFGHANISTAN, IT'S NOT HARD TO FIND EVIDENCE OF HOW THIS HAS ALREADY MATERIALIZED, AS ISABEL YOUNG'S OFFER HERSELF.

AND A WARNING.

PART OF THIS --PARTS OF THIS REPORT ARE DISTRESSING TO WATCH.

>> WE ARE IN AFGHANISTAN, WHERE THE TALIBAN HAS CONSOLIDATED THEIR POWER, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE HERE TO STAY.

BUT SINCE THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES WITHDREW AND THE TALIBAN TOOK OVER, AFGHANISTAN'S ECONOMY HAS COLLAPSED.

IMPACTED EVERYONE, EVEN THOSE DREAMING OF THEIR BIG DAY.

EVERYONE HERE IS MAKING THE BEST OF THEIR SITUATION BUT WEDDINGS LIKE THESE ARE USUALLY RESERVED FOR JUST ONE COUPLE.

TODAY, IT IS DOZENS.

>> SO MANY PEOPLE SHOWING UP TODAY TO CELEBRATE 80 NUMBER -- COUPLES TYING THE KNOT.

ALTHOUGH THERE IS A LOT OF JOY IN THE RIM, THE REASON THAT THEY'RE HAVING THESE GROUP WEDDINGS IS BECAUSE THE ECONOMY IN AFGHANISTAN IS DOING REALLY REALLY BADLY.

THIS IS ALL A BIT OF A COST- CUTTING EXERCISE.

>> Reporter: CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

>> Reporter: HOW ARE YOU FEELING TODAY?

>> I HELPED CREATE THIS DAY.

IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE, THIS DAY.

>> MANY PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN POVERTY.

>> TRADITIONALLY, WEDDINGS ARE VERY BIG AND EXPENSIVE.

>> ECONOMIC HARDSHIP IS WHAT MAKES WEDDINGS LIKE THIS NECESSARY.

EFFECTIVE THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEPARATE BOTH FROM THE OPPRESSIVE TALIBAN REGIME AS WELL AS DECISIONS MADE IN AMERICA.

THE SCENES OF AMERICA'S CHAOTIC DEPARTURE UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN IN 2021 ARE DIFFICULT TO FORGET.

EVEN SINCE THEN, THE U.S. HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR ALMOST HALF AFGHANISTAN'S HUMANITARIAN AID.

NOW, THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

>> WE GIVE AFGHANISTAN ABOUT TWO OR $2.5 BILLION PER YEAR.

DO YOU KNOW THAT?

48.

WE NEED AID OURSELVES.

SPEC EARLIER THIS YEAR, ELON MUSK TOOK A CHAINSAW TO U.S. GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND ADMINISTRATION CUT ALMOST ALL U.S. AID GOING TO AFGHANISTAN.

OVER $1.7 BILLION IN AID CONTRACTS, SUDDENLY TERMINATED.

>> HAS ANYONE DIED BECAUSE OF WHAT ELON MUSK DID?

YES OR NO?

>> NO ONE HAS DIED BECAUSE OF USAID.

>> OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE THE USA, GERMANY, AND FRANCE, HAVE ALSO GONE BACK.

WHAT HAPPENS TO A NATION WHEN AID DOLLARS ARE SUDDENLY GONE?

WE ARE HERE TO FIND OUT.

MOST AFGHANS LIVE IN RURAL AREAS.

20 YEARS OF WORK WITH ITS ALLIES WAS MOST FIERCE AND WHERE COULD --48 WAS MOST CRITICAL.

>> THE CLINIC WE ARE HEADING TOWARDS WAS FUNDED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.

NOW, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION STATION HAS PULLED THE FUNDING.

A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS AREA ARE LEFT WITH NOT EVEN BASIC HEALTHCARE FACILITIES.

>> THE ONE ESTIMATES AN AFGHAN WOMAN DIES EVERY TWO HOURS FROM PREGNANCY OR CHILDBIRTH.

THIS CLINIC HAS NOW CLOSED.

EXPECT THIS IS WHERE WOMEN WERE GIVING BIRTH?

>> YES.

THIS IS THE ONLY CLINIC IN THIS AREA, AND NOW IT IS GONE.

>> AFGHANISTAN HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST CHILD MORTALITY RATES IN THE WORLD.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE WOMEN NOW THAT THE DELIVERY ROOM IS GONE?

>> IT MEANS THESE COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE ACCESS.

IT MEANS WOMEN ARE GOING TO BE GIVING BIRTH AT HOME, MEANING MORE MEANT --AND MORE CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE GIVING BIRTH AT HOME.

>> SEVEN PEOPLE HAVE DIED SINCE THIS CLINIC CLOSED.

JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, A WOMAN DIED IN CHILDBIRTH BECAUSE THERE WAS NOWHERE FOR HER TO GIVE BIRTH.

>> THE WOMAN'S NEIGHBOR AND FAMILIES TAUGHT US THAT IF THE CLINIC HAD STILL BEEN OPEN AND PATCHY THE SUPPORT OF A MIDWIFE, SHE WOULD HAVE SURVIVED.

ACROSS AFGHANISTAN, OVER 400 CLINICS HAVE CLOSED BECAUSE OF U.S. AID CUTS.

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WERE RELYING ON HIS TENNIS RACKET.

NOW, THEIR ONLY OPTION IS TO TRAVEL HOURS OR DAYS TO A HOSPITAL LIKE THIS, WHERE THERE IS AN INFLUX OF NEW PATIENTS.

THE U.S. WAS FUNDING DOCTORS, NURSES, AND THE CENTRAL DRUGS HERE.

NOW, THAT IS ALSO GONE.

>> HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> WE HAVE THREE BABIES HERE.

>> IS THIS NORMAL?

>> NOT NORMAL.

OUR MORTALITY --3 TO 4% MORE BABIES ARE DYING.

>> YES.

>> WOW.

>> MALNUTRITION HAS SORT HERE.

9.5 MILLION PEOPLE ARE SEVERELY FOOD INSECURE.

SEVERAL NGOs PREVIOUSLY FUNDED BY THE U.S. ARE TURNING AWAY MANY PEOPLE IN DESPERATE NEED OF FOOD.

HAS SEVERE MALNUTRITION AND MENINGITIS.

THE FAMILY WERE POOR AND WERE ONLY RECENTLY ABLE TO BRING HIM THE LONG DISTANCE TO THIS HOSPITAL.

>> HOW OLD IS HE?

>> Reporter: WHAT IS HIS SITUATION?

WHAT HAS THE DOCTOR SAID?

>> IN THE MIDDLE OF SPEAKING, WE LOOKED OVER AND REALIZED THE CHILD HAD STOPPED BREATHING.

>> Reporter: IS HE BREATHING?

IS HE BREATHING?

SORRY.

MOVE.

MOVE.

MOVE.

>> Reporter: HE DIED?

MY GOD.

MOHAMMED'S MOTHER RETURNS TO THE ROOM AND HERE'S THE DEVASTATING NEWS.

>> Reporter: THIS IS JUST ONE FAMILY OF SO MANY THOUSANDS FAMILIES.

IT IS UTTERLY HURT WRENCHINGLY DEVASTATING.

>> IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFINITIVELY BLAME ONE FACTOR FOR MOHAMMED'S DEATH.

HE WAS SUFFERING FROM A RANGE OF SERIOUS ILLNESSES, BUT AID CUTS HAVE FELT A DEVASTATING BLOW HERE.

CANCELING AID TO AFGHANISTAN HAS LONG BEEN A GOAL FOR CONGRESSMAN TIM BURCHETT.

BUT THE U.S.

GOVERNMENTS WATCHDOG SAYS IT'S MORE LIKE 11 MILLION.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF MONEY GOES TO THOSE IT'S INTENDED FOR.

>> ARE YOU INTENTIONALLY MISLEADING THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WHEN IT COMES TO INFLATING THE STICKERS HE CAN GET WHAT YOU WANT?

>> NO MA'AM.

I'M NOT.

AS A MATTER FACT, $11 MILLION IS A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY TO THE AVERAGE JAMAICAN.

IT IS A PENNY THEY WILL HATE US FOR IT.

>> THERE ARE GOING TO BE MILLIONS OF AFGHANS AFFECTED BY THIS.

>> I WOULD SAY, YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT ON YOUR OWN.

>> HUNDREDS OF CLINICS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE SLOWED DOWN.

I LITERALLY WATCHED A BABY DIE FROM MALNUTRITION.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THESE FAMILIES WHO ARE LIVING THROUGH DESPERATE CIRCUMSTANCES, DEVASTATED BY THE RESULTS OF YOUR ACTIONS?

>> I THINK IT'S PERFECT, BUT IT'S NOT DUE TO MY ACTIONS.

MA'AM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE MONEY.

WE WERE BORROWING THAT MONEY.

>> IT IS DUE TO YOUR ACTIONS.

>> NO MA'AM.

NO MA'AM.

WE HAVE AMERICANS IN THE SAME POSITION.

WE HAVE AMERICANS HAVING TROUBLE WITH CHILDBIRTH.

WE HAVE AMERICANS GOING HUNGRY.

AND YOU WANT US TO BORROW MONEY AND SEND IT OVERSEAS.

RESPONSIBILITY, GIVEN THAT THE U.S.

FOUGHT A 20 YEAR WAR THERE?

>> NO MA'AM.

MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MY OWN COUNTRY AND THE DISTRICT I REPRESENT.

>> WITH THE U.S.

TURNING AWAY, THE FATE OF AFGHANS IS NOW LEFT IN THE HANDS OF THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT, THE TALIBAN, WHO SAY THEY ARE CAPABLE OF RUNNING THE COUNTRY WITHOUT FOREIGN AID.

THEY DENIED OUR REQUESTS FOR INTERVIEW.

RULING WITH AN IRON FIST, THE GROUP HAVE INCREASED THEIR SURVEILLANCE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE TO SPEAK CRITICALLY.

WHENEVER SOMEONE TRIED WITH US, THEY WERE ABRUPTLY CUT OFF.

>> WE ARE TALKING.

WHY ARE PEOPLE TRYING TO STOP US TALKING?

SHE IS ALLOWED.

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

>> PLEASE JUST LET HIM -- PLEASE.

YOU ARE TELLING HIM WHAT TO SAY.

>> THE TALIBAN OBVIOUSLY HAVE A VERY TIGHT GRIP ON THE SITUATION HERE.

A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS, PARTICULARLY FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS AND EVEN OPERATING AS A JOURNALIST HERE IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.

RIGHT NOW, WE KNOW THAT HALPIN HAS BEEN TRACKING OUR EVERY MOVEMENT.

THERE'S EVEN A DIRECTIVE ISSUED WHICH MEANS YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE ANY PHOTOS OR VIDEOS OF LIVING BEINGS.

AND SO, OPERATING FREELY HERE IS REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT.

>> WITH OUR EVERY MOVE BEING WATCHED, WE SPOKE SECRETLY ON SECURE LINES TO MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WOMEN ESPECIALLY TOLD US THEIR LIVES ARE NOW AT RISK, BOTH FROM U.S. FUNDING CUTS AS WELL AS STRICT CALIBAN LOSS.

MEANING THEY CANNOT TRAVEL ALONE, EVEN WHEN THEY HAVE THIS IS THE VOICE OF ONE WOMAN.

FOR 20 YEARS, AFGHAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE PROMISED PROGRESS BUT THEY NOW LIVE UNDER A TALIBAN REGIME THAT STANDS ACCUSED OF CARRYING AT GENDER APARTHEID.

IT'S A GREAT SITE LEAVING THE HOUSE AND GOING TO SCHOOL HAVE BEEN STRIPPED AWAY FROM AFGHAN WOMEN AND GIRLS.

THEIR OPTIONS ARE INCREASINGLY LIMITED.

>> WHAT ARE YOU STUDYING?

>> HERE, THEY'RE STILL NOT ALLOWING GIRLS OVER THE AGE OF 12 TO ATTEND SCHOOL.

UNTIL RECENTLY, USAID HAD BEEN FUNDING A SERIES OF SECRET SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR GIRLS TO ATTEND.

THAT FUNDING IS DRIED UP.

THE ONLY OPTION IS TO ATTEND THESE RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS WERE PREDOMINANTLY THE FOCUS IS ON A VERY STRICT INTERPRETATION OF ISLAM RULES AND PRINCIPLES.

>> Reporter: HI.

HOW ARE YOU?

YOU ARE CRAMMING FOR EXAMS RIGHT NOW?

>> YEAH.

SURE.

HOW OLD ARE YOU GUYS?

>> I'M 17.

>> I'M 14.

>> I'M 16.

>> Reporter: AND YOU ARE ALL IN THE SAME CLASS?

>> YEAH.

>> WHAT YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

>> I HAVE A LOT OF DREAMS.

EITHER I WANT TO BE A SURGEON OR TRANSLATOR.

>> IF YOU WANT TO BE A SURGEON, WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?

>> THERE ARE NO OPTIONS HERE.

>> I WANTED TO BE A DOCTOR IN THE FUTURE, BUT WHEN THE TALIBAN CAME TO AFGHANISTAN, ALL OF THE DOORS WERE CLOSED.

>> I LOVE MY COUNTRY.

I WANT TO STAY HERE FOREVER BUT I DO ALSO WANT TO STUDY.

>> DO YOU THINK THE U.S. HAS ABANDONED AFGHAN GIRLS AND >> KIND OF.

>> KIND OF.

>> WE WANT TO SPEAK WITH THE PRINCIPAL OF THE MADRASA.

>> SO MANY OF THESE GIRLS HAVE SOME HELPS.

SO MANY BIG DREAMS.

HOW CAN THEY HOPE TO ACHIEVE THEM ONCE A MUCH OF IT IS ABOUT RELIGIOUS STUDIES?

>> Reporter: BECAUSE THE TALIBAN HAVE GIVEN YOU THE CURRICULUM, WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING THIS WILL THINK IS THAT THESE GIRLS, BRIGHT AS THEY ARE, ARE BEING BRAINWASHED INTO THE CALIBAN'S IDEOLOGY AND THAT THE TALIBAN'S WEAPON ICING EDUCATION.

--WEAPON ICING --WEAPONIZING EDUCATION.

>> PERHAPS MORE THAN ANYONE, THIS GENERATION OF AFGHAN GIRLS ARE LIVING UNDER A TALIBAN REGIME THAT SEEKS TO ERASE THEM FROM ALL FORMS OF PUBLIC LIFE.

LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, ABANDONED BY THOSE WHO ONCE CAME TO THEIR AID.

>> AND EIGHT NOTE THAT THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT DID NOT RESPOND TO A REQUEST FOR COMMENT.

FOR MORE ON HER POWERFUL REPORTING'S AND FINDINGS, ISOBEL YEUNG IS NOW JOINING ME FROM LONDON AND AGAIN, ECHOING THAT SENTIMENT, ISOBEL, SUCH A THOUGHTFUL, IMPORTANT, DEPRESSING, HEARTBREAKING AND EYE-OPENING PIECE OF JOURNALISM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HOW DELICATELY YOU WHERE TO BEGIN?

I GUESS THE DEATH OF MOHAMMED, AND DC THAT LITTLE BOY IN THE HOSPITAL?

IT OBVIOUSLY MOVED YOU TO TEARS.

IT'S HARD NOT TO BE EMOTIONALLY GUIDED WHEN YOU'RE STANDING THERE AND WITNESSING THE DEATH OF A CHILD FROM MENINGITIS AND MALNUTRITION.

YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS NO WAY TO LINK HIS DEATH WITH THE CUTTING OF USAID, BUT FROM WHAT THE DOCTOR HAD SEEN AND HAS SEEN, THE UPTICK IN MORTALITY NEEDS, THE CHILDREN COMING IN SIMILAR CONDITIONS, WHAT DID YOU LEARN?

>> YEAH, HI, BIANNA.

LIKE YOU SAID, HEARTBREAKING.

IT DIFFICULT NOT TO BE IMPACTED BY WHAT WE ARE SEEING.

I RECENTLY BECAME A MOTHER MYSELF AND WATCHING THIS WOMAN COME IN AND REALIZE THAT HER CHILD WAS DEAD, CRUMPLED TO THE FLOOR AND REALIZED --THIS IS EVERY PARENT'S WORST NIGHTMARE, REALLY, BUT WHAT ONE DOCTOR TOLD US THERE WAS HE LITERALLY POINTED OUT FOR OTHER CHILDREN, WHO IS ALSO LIKELY TO DIE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS BECAUSE THEIR FAMILY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET THE FOOD THEY NEEDED.

THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET THE TREATMENT THEY NEEDED.

THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET THE RESOURCES THEY NEEDED.

THESE DOCTORS ARE COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED BY THE SITUATION.

MILLIONS OF AFGHANS ARE LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED.

WE SPOKE TO MANY FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH PRIMITIVE CONCERNS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO FEED THEIR CHILDREN.

HOW ARE THEY GOING TO TREAT THEIR CHILDREN IF THEY GET SICK WHEN THEY TAKE THEM TO THESE CLINICS, AND THERE ARE NOT THAT RESOURCES THERE ANYMORE NOW THAT THIS AID HAS BEEN PULLED.

THIS IS ONE ASPECT OF IT.

EMERGENCY FOOD HAS BEEN CUT.

WOMEN'S WORK PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN CUT.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT HAS THIS IS A COMPLETE WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION OF THE AID FROM THE U.S. THAT WAS GOING TO AFGHANISTAN.

>> AND AS WE NOTED, THE MAJORITY OF THIS FUNDING WAS COMING FROM THE UNITED STATES, BUT COMPOUNDING TO THAT IS THAT OTHER NATIONS NOW HAVE ALSO CUT BACK IN THEIR POOR AID --AID, FOCUSING ON THEIR DOMESTIC CHARGES.

THE UK, SAYING THAT THEY WILL CUT AID INTERNATIONALLY AND WILL INCREASE THEIR DEFENSE SPENDING.

THAT CUMULATIVELY IS HAVING A MASSIVE IMPACT ON AFGHANISTAN.

TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM THOSE CUTS.

>> YEAH.

IT IS THIS WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION.

WE HAVE SEEN SO MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND ACTING SO MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF LIFE THERE.

BASIC HEALTHCARE PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO ACCESS.

YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THE CONTEXT OF AFGHANISTAN IS THE TALIBAN ARE REALLY UNDER THIS AUTHORITARIAN REGIME AND MANY IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAVE CALLED IT GENDER APARTHEID.

GIRLS OVER 12 ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND SCHOOL.

WOMEN ARE NOT ABLE TO LEAVE HOME WITHOUT A MALE GUARDIAN.

THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO TRAVEL.

THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO RAISE THEIR VOICES IN PUBLIC.

THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH THAT IS IMPACTED HERE.

WHAT WE ARE HEARING AGAIN AND AGAIN FROM SPEAKING TO PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS THAT WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE AND THEY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY IMPACTED BY THESE CUTS.

ONE OF THE LAST LOOPHOLES I THINK WAS LEFT FOR SOME GIRLS WAS THESE, YOU KNOW, ONLINE EDUCATION PROGRAMS, OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIPS, SCHOOLS THAT WERE UP TILL NOW BEING FUNDED BY THE U.S., AND NOW, THAT LAST GLIMMER OF HOPE HAS NOW BEEN PULLED FROM UNDERNEATH THEM AND A LOT OF GIRLS WE SPOKE TO WERE REALLY STRUGGLING TO SEE WHAT THEIR FUTURE PROSPECTS WORK IN AFGHANISTAN.

>> AND TO SEE THOSE GIRLS IN MADRASA INSTEAD OF MEDICAL SCHOOLS, I WAS REALLY MOVED BY ONE OF THOSE GIRLS.

ALL OF THEM SPEAK PERFECT SAYING, I WANTED TO BE A DOCTOR.

THE GENERATIONAL IMPACT OF THIS IN LIFE UNDER TALIBAN RULE AND THE GENDER APARTHEID IS MASSIVE AND THE LONGER-TERM IMPLICATIONS ARE YET TO BE DETERMINED, BUT NONE OF IT GOOD, OBVIOUSLY, FOR AFGHANISTAN OR THE WORLD.

HERE, YOU HAVE A GENERATION BEFORE THEM THAT WAS MUCH MORE OPEN.

MUCH MORE ADVANCED AND HAD MUCH MORE FREEDOMS AND THE GENERATION THAT FOLLOWED.

WHAT'S THAT OUT TO YOU THE MOST?

JUST HEARING THEM SAY THAT THEY FELT ABANDONED IS REALLY WHAT TOUCHED ME.

>> YEAH.

THIS IS --IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE IN AFGHANISTAN, BUT PARTICULARLY IN CABUL, THERE WAS THIS GENERATION OF AFGHAN GIRLS AND AFGHAN WOMEN THAT WERE PROMISED FREEDOM.

PROMISED FUTURE EDUCATION AND WORK, ET CETERA.

A LOT OF THE SCROLL --DOORS HAVE BEEN CLOSED AND A LOT OF THOSE GIRLS SAID TO US THAT THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEIR FUTURES WERE IN AFGHANISTAN AND I THINK THAT SENTIMENT WAS ECHOED OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

LEAVE THE COUNTRY TO SEEK FURTHER EDUCATION, TO SEEK WORK, WAS TRYING TO DO THAT BECAUSE THE OPTIONS ARE SO LIMITED WITHIN AFGHANISTAN ITSELF.

>> AND TO KNOW HOW BRAVE THEY WERE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK SO OPENLY TO YOU.

YOU ALSO DOCUMENTED HOW THOSE REMINDERS WERE INTERFERING WITH YOUR REPORTING AND THE FACT THAT THEY KNEW THAT THE HEAD OF THE SCHOOL WAS THERE WITH THEM AND THEY STILL CHOSE TO SPEAK THEIR TRUTH.

REALLY, REALLY POWERFUL AND IMPORTANT REPORTING, ISOBEL YEUNG.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING IT TO US.

>> THANKS, BIANNA.

>> NEXT, TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WERE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON IS SENDING MEMBERS HOME EARLY UNTIL SEPTEMBER, DENYING THEIR CHANCE TO TAKE A SYMBOLIC VOTE RELATED TO RELEASING FILES AROUND JEFFREY EPSTEIN.

THEY CLAIMED THE EXISTENCE OF A SECRET CLIENT LIST.

NOW GOT HIS FOLLOWERS HAVE A NEW TARGET FOR QUESTIONING.

TRUMP HIMSELF.

AS SUSPICION BUILDS OVER HIS BROKEN FROM US TO RELEASE DETAILS ABOUT EPSTEIN.

>> IT IS --, ON ITS FACE.

AND IT IS A DISASTER.

FOR SO MUCH GOOD, AND AND FOR THEM TO DO SOME LIKE THIS.

DESPITE HIS ADMISSION HAS LOST A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF GOODWILL WITH VOTERS BECAUSE PEOPLE CARE VISCERALLY ABOUT THE EPSTEIN FILES.

SPECTATOR WAS THERE WAS NO INFORMATION ON EPSTEIN BAR WASN'T.

WE TOLD --WERE TOLD THAT MORE INFORMATION WAS COMING.

NONE OF IT CAME OUT.

>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WERE PROMISED ONE THING, AND WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THAT PROMISE.

>> WILL SUMMER HAS STUDIED THE INTERSECTION OF CONSPIRACIES AT MEGA FOR YEARS.

WELL, IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THIS IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE FIRST SCANDALS OF THE SECOND TERM THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP AS WE SAW THE HOUSE SPEAKER WHO, WEEKS AGO, OR DAYS AGO, ACTUALLY, SAYING THESE FILES SHOULD BE RELEASED.

SAYING THAT CONGRESS IS GOING TO BE A TURNING EARLY FOR AN AUGUST RECESS TO AVOID THIS DISCHARGE PETITION THAT REPUBLICANS ARE ALSO PUSHING FORWARD.

TALK ABOUT THE THREAT THIS POSES TO THE ADMINISTRATION, TO THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF.

I MEAN, JUST MOMENTS AGO, HE STARTED BLAMING AND INFLECTING BACK TO THE 2016 ELECTION INTERFERENCE, BLAMING PRESIDENT OBAMA OF TREASON, TRYING TO REALLY PIVOT THIS AND TURN IT INTO A DEMOCRATIC CRISIS AND CONFLICT.

IS IT WORKING?

>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT IS IN A REAL QUAGMIRE HERE.

WE ARE ENTERING THE THIRD WEEK OF THIS SCANDAL.

IT ALL BEGAN WITH THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT MEMO CLOSING THE CASE AND THE PRESIDENT SAID, WELL, WE HAVE TO MOVE ON.

I DON'T WANT TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.

HE INSULTED HIS OWN SUPPORTERS WHEN THEY ASKED CAUTIONS ABOUT IT.

NOW, THE ADMISSION IS PENDING AND THEY WANT TO MEET WITH EPSTEIN ASSOCIATE GHISLAINE SUPPOSED TO REVEAL SOME THE.

IT IS A REAL MESS FOR THE PRESIDENT, HE KEEPS THREE OF DISTRACTIONS, SAYING THAT OBAMA SHOULD BE PROSECUTED FOR TREASON.

ALL THESE SMOKESCREENS BUT TO BE FRANK, EVEN HIS OWN SUPPORTERS ARE SEEING THROUGH IT.

>> NOT ONLY THAT, BUT ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO DEFLECT FROM THE SCANDAL IS BY RELEASING THE MLK FILES AND THE ASSASSINATION DOCUMENTS AROUND IT.

6000 SEGMENTS.

250,000 PAGES.

THE FAMILY SAYS THEY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH NOTICE AT ALL, AND DEMONSTRATION IS SAYING, THIS IS ALL A MOVE TOWARDS TRANSPARENCY.

THIS IS SOMETHING THEY PROMISED TO DO.

THEY ALSO PROMISED TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.'S DAUGHTER, BERNICE KING, RESPONDED, ON NEXT, SAYING, NOW, DO THE EPSTEIN FILES.

WHY IS THIS THE ONE THAT IS STICKING?

>> THE ADMINISTRATION IS IN A QUANDARY HERE.

EVERYTHING THEY DO, THE RESPONSE IS, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE TULSI GABBARD RELEASED THE MLK ASSASSINATION FILES.

NEARLY 60 YEARS OLD YESTERDAY.

AS YOU SAID, THE RESPONSE REALLY WAS, OKAY.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE FAR MORE PRESSING EPSTEIN CASE?

IT IS A TOUGH ONE.

I THINK THE EPSTEIN CASE IS PARTICULARLY RESONANT WITH TRUMP SUPPORTERS.

FOR YEARS, THEY WERE LED TO BELIEVE WITHOUT A LOT OF EVIDENCE THAT A LOT OF HIGH PROFILE DEMOCRATS WERE ON THIS MYTHICAL CLIENT LIST.

ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOW IN THE ADMINISTRATION, THEY SAID, WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS CLIENT LIST.

THE GOVERNMENT IS HOLDING IT.

SO, M.A.G.A.

PUT A LOT OF HOPE ONTO THIS CLIENT LIST AND NOW, SUDDENLY, PARTICULARLY THE WALL STREET JOURNAL IS REVEALING MORE ABOUT THE TIES TO EPSTEIN, THE ADMIN STATION SAYING, OH MY GOSH.

WE HAVE TO MOVE ON.

HOUSE EARLY, IT IS UNPRECEDENTED TO PREVENT THIS EPSTEIN FOOT.

IT IS REMARKABLE AND REPUBLICANS CAN'T REALLY AT THE MOMENT TO FIGURE A WAY OUT.

>> YOU MENTIONED JD VANCE AND MIKE JOHNSON DEFYING THE PRESIDENT BY SAYING THAT THESE FILES SHOULD BE RELEASED NOW DOING A 180, SAYING, WE ARE GOING TO GO TO AUGUST RECESS EARLY.

J.D.

VANCE ALSO, JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, SAID THE SAME.

HERE IS JD VANCE, THE VICE PRESIDENT RIGHT NOW WHO IS ALSO CALLING FOR THESE FILES TO BE RELEASED AND MADE PUBLIC.

>> SERIOUSLY.

WE NEED TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN MUST.

THAT IS AN IMPORTANT THING.

>> THAT WAS RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION LAST NOVEMBER.

OCTOBER 22nd WAS THE DATE.

THAT INTERVIEW, ON A PODCAST NOW.

HE IS COMING BACK AROUND AND CRITICIZING THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, I GUESS THIS IS ANOTHER WAY TO DEFLECT, TO BLAME THE MEDIA FOR ALL OF THIS, BUT CAN YOU GIVE US THE BACK STORY?

AS SOMEONE WHO HAS COVERED THESE CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND WHY SO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ADMINISTRATION --THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF HAS PEDDLED IN THESE CONSPIRACY THEORIES FOR YEARS.

WHY EPSTEIN AND THIS SCANDAL HAS MORE LEGS TO IT THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS?

>> SO JEFFREY EPSTEIN DID HAVE TIES TO PROMINENT DEMOCRATS INCLUDING BILL CLINTON.

AS RESULT, THE REPUBLICANS ZEROED IN ON IT AND THOUGHT, PARTICULARLY AFTER EPSTEIN'S MYSTERIOUS DEATH IN 2019, THEY THOUGHT, OKAY.

THIS IS SOMETHING HAPPENING THAT WE CAN REALLY LATCH ONTO AND GET MAYBE EVEN APOLITICAL PEOPLE INTERESTED IN BECAUSE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS ALLEGED INTERNATIONAL CHILD TRAFFICKING SEX NETWORK BUT REALLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS WHAT BOOMERANGED BACK ON THE ADMINISTRATION.

DEMOCRATIC SENATOR DURBIN SAID THAT HE AIRED FBI AGENTS REVIEWING THE FILES FOR RELEASE ARE TOLD THE FLAG TIMES THAT TRUMP WAS MENTIONED.

IT'S UNCLEAR IF THAT IS TRUE.

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS THIS REAL RUSH FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO RELEASE THE FILES.

PAM BONDI GAVE THE BINDER THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A DEBACLE OF PREVIOUSLY PUBLIC INFORMATION.

AND THEN THE ADMINISTRATION OVER.

ADVANCE REASONABLE TO WONDER, DID THEY FIND SOMETHING THEY DIDN'T LIKE?

WHAT CHANGED?

>> CAN YOU TELL THE VIEWERS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP?

AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME, BUT TRUMPS CLOSE TIES TO JEFFREY EPSTEIN, GOING BACK DECADES.

THERE WAS A FALLING OUT.

JUMP HAS NOT BEEN ACCUSED OF ANY WRONGDOING, BUT THE RELATIONSHIP ITSELF SEEMS TO BE REALLY MAKING THE PRESIDENT NERVOUS OR WANTING TO DEFLECT AND CHANGE THE TOPIC.

YEAH.

TRUMP AND EPSTEIN KNEW EACH OTHER FOR OVER A DECADE.

THEY RAN IN THESE WEALTHY NEW YORK CIRCLES.

I THINK ALONG WITH THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ARTICLE WHERE THEY COVERED A FRIENDLY LETTER OR PERHAPS MORE --PERHAPS A ALLEGEDLY WROTE TO EPSTEIN -- WE KNOW THAT TRUMP GAVE THIS QUOTE IN 2002 INNATE NEW YORK MAGAZINE PROFILE OF EPSTEIN -- EPSTEIN REALLY LIKES WOMEN.

SOME OF THEM VERY YOUNG.

IN A WAY THAT SEEMED TO IMPLY --EVEN THE LATER PEDOPHILE CHARGES AGAINST EPSTEIN, THAT TRUMP NEW SOMETHING OF HIS PREDILECTIONS.

>> A BODY LETTER IS HOW THE WALL STREET JOURNAL IS DESCRIBING IT.

AND THE FACT THAT THE PRESIDENT IS NOW TRYING TO NOT ONLY GO AFTER DEMOCRATS AND PUT THE BLAME SQUARELY WITH DEMOCRATS, SAYING THEY ARE THE ONES ASSOCIATED WITH EPSTEIN BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE IS COMING OUT HERE AND REALLY BASHING HIS OWN BASE, CALLING THEM STUPID, THOSE THAT CONTINUE TO PEDDLE IN THESE CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND THOSE PUSHING FOR THE FILES TO BE MADE PUBLIC.

HOW MUCH DOES HE RISK BY GOING AFTER HIS OWN BASE SO DIRECTLY?

>> I THINK OF THE PRESIDENT HERE --IT IS A MOMENT WE HAVE RARELY EVER SEEN HIM IN WHERE HE IS AT ODDS WITH HIS OWN BASE.

I MEAN, HE CALLED THEM STUPID.

HE CALLED THEM WEAKLINGS.

HE SAID HE DOESN'T WANT ANYONE TO SUPPORT.

IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN THE EPSTEIN CASE OR IF THERE IS A COVER-UP.

IT IS A MOMENT WHERE, I THINK FOR THOSE WHO HAVE OBSERVED THE PRESIDENT FOR A WHILE AND SEE THAT TRUMP HAS A LOT OF ABILITY TO MAINTAIN THIS TIE WITH HIS BASE, IN THE FACE OF SO MANY OTHER SCANDALS, IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON THAT IS THROWING HIM OFF, AND I THINK THERE HAS BEEN BACKLASH FROM HIS SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE BEEN SAYING, YOU TOLD US FOR YEARS, THIS WAS GOING TO BE A BIG THING AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU ARE INSULTING US FOR ASKING CUSHIONS?

>> BUT STILL, WE SHOULD NOTE IT IS A MINORITY OF HIS SUPPORTERS THAT ARE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST HIM.

HE STILL CARRIES ENORMOUS WEIGHT AND SUPPORT AMONG REPUBLICANS AND THE M.A.G.A.

BASE AS A SUPPORT BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE SITUATIONS WHERE THOSE WHO PEDDLE IN CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND WERE RAILING AGAINST THE ESTABLISHMENT FIND THEMSELVES BEING THE ESTABLISHMENT AND AND NOW ARE IN THE POSITION OF NURSING, THERE'S NOTHING TO SEE HERE, WHICH SEEMS TO BE ONE ARGUMENT, AND THE OTHER NARRATIVE IS, MAYBE THERE IS IS THERE ANYTHING HE CAN DO AT THIS POINT TO MAKE THIS GO AWAY?

TO MAKE THIS BASE THAT IS SO DEMANDING OF MORE INFORMATION AT EASE WITH, OKAY.

WE HAVE SEEN WHAT WE NEED TO SEE.

TIME TO MOVE ON.

>> I THINK IT IS CHALLENGING.

CLEARLY, THE ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO UNSEAL SOME OF THE TESTIMONY IN THE EPSTEIN CASE.

THE JUDGE BEFORE WE STARTED TALKING HERE BASICALLY SAID, HE'S NOT GOING TO MAKE THAT EASY FOR THEM TO DO.

HE IS DEMANDING MORE ANSWERS.

THAT IS ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF THE TOTAL EVIDENCE THAT THE ADMIN STATION SEEMS TO HAVE NO INTEREST IN RELEASING.

IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THEY'RE TRYING TO DO WHAT IS CALLED A LIMITED HANGOUT TO RELEASE SOME INFORMATION BUT NOT ALL OF IT AND HOPE THAT PEOPLE MOVE ON, BUT, THE HOUSE REPUBLICANS -- SOME OF THEM WANTED THIS TO COME OUT.

IF MIKE JANSSEN --JOHNSON HAS TO CLOSE THE HOUSE EARLY.

>> HOW DOES THIS DIFFER FROM THE ACCESS HOLLYWOOD TAPES WHICH SOME DUDE AT THE TIME AS A CAREER ENTER AND THAT OBVIOUSLY WASN'T THE CASE.

CAN THIS BE VIEWED ANY DIFFERENT?

>> I THINK IT IS MUCH MORE COUPLE GET IT FOR TRUMP.

CERTAINLY, I THINK WE ALL EXPECTED IT WOULD BE A CAREER ENDER FOR TRUMP, THE EXCESS HOLLYWOOD TAPE.

BUT THIS IS UNIQUE.

IT IS ABOUT THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN IN THE EPSTEIN CASE.

I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF LEGAL QUESTIONS AND COMPLICATED ISSUES REGARDING FILES.

AND YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD COME OUT?

I DON'T THINK PEOPLE EXPECTED THAT THIS REPORTED LETTER -- NUDE WOMAN THAT TRUMP SENT TO EPSTEIN -- WHO THOUGHT THAT WOULD COME OUT?

THERE ARE A LOT OF POTENTIAL SHOES THAT COULD DROP.

IT IS DIFFICULT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO GET AHEAD OF IT.

BUT THE PRESIDENT IS SUING THE WALL STREET JOURNAL AND NOT ALLOWING THE REPORTER TO TRAVEL WITH HIM.

A TRIP TO SCOTLAND THAT THE PRESIDENT IS TAKING.

IN THESE FINAL FEW SECONDS, IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU WILL BE WATCHING CLOSELY NOW OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS THAT WILL DETERMINE THE STAYING POWER OF >> THE DEPUTY GENERAL SAID THAT JUST LANE HAS A LOT OF INCENTIVE TO COOPERATE WITH THE ADMIN EFFICIENT AND POTENTIALLY SAY WHATEVER THEY WANT HER TO SAY.

GHISLAINE MAXWELL DOES WHATEVER SHE SAYS, SHE HAS BEEN SUBPOENAED TO SPEAK TO CONGRESS, AS WELL.

I THINK ALL EYES ARE ON HER RIGHT NOW.

>> WE WILL BE WATCHING CLOSELY AS THIS CONTINUES TO UNFOLD AND SURPRISED BY THE DAY.

THOUGH SUMMER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORTING.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

STRIKE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE AT RISK OF LOSING HEALTHCARE COVERAGE BECAUSE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DOMESTIC POLICY LAW.

A SIMILAR POLICY WAS IMPLEMENTED IN ARKANSAS SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND HAVING SEEN HOW DAMAGING IT CAN BE ON LOW INCOME AND DISABLED RESIDENTS, LAWYER AND FOUNDER OF NONPROFIT TECTONIC JUSTICE, HE LET THE CASE INTO THE 19 TO OVERTURN THE RULES.

ABOUT THIS.

>> THANKS FOR SPEAKING TO US.

WHAT IS THE RELEVANCE OF MEDICAID WORK REQUIREMENTS IN ARKANSAS AND HOW DOES THAT TRANSLATE INTO WHAT WILL LIKELY HAPPEN IN THE REST OF THE UNITED STATES?

>> BACK IN 2018, ARKANSAS WAS THE FIRST STATE TO EVER IMPLEMENT WORK WORK REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDICAID.

WE SAW LAWSUITS OF 18,000 PEOPLE LOSING COVERAGE IN ONLY FIVE MONTHS OF THE WORK REQUIREMENTS WITH MANY MORE THREATENING IF THEY CONTINUED.

WE WERE ABLE TO PUT A STOP THROUGH THE COURT PROCESS IN LAWSUITS.

NOW, WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE RECONCILIATION BILL IS THE REPUBLICATION --REPUBLICANS HAVE MANDATED THAT EVERY STATE IMPLEMENT THESE TRI-COUNTY AND CUTS WHICH ARE GOING TO BOOT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE OFF OF MEDICAID AND MAKE THEM LESS HEALTHY AND CAUSE CHAOS TO THEIR HEALTH SYSTEMS AND SOCIAL SERVICES SYSTEMS AND JUST END UP IN WIDESPREAD DISASTER AND CHAOS.

>> OKAY.

SO, LET'S ASSUME --THE STEEL MAN DEFENSE FOR US AGAIN FOR THE OTHER SIDE.

THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO PROPOSE THIS IN ARKANSAS AND ARE DOING THIS FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

THEY ARE THINKING THEIR BEST CASE THINKING, LISTEN, WE WANT TO CUT DOWN FRAUD AND WASTE.

THEY SAY, LOOK.

WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE BACK TO WORK AND WE DON'T THINK THAT IT IS ONEROUS TO SAY THAT IF YOU ARE ABLE-BODIED THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING TO OUR ECONOMY TO BE ABLE TO GET SOME OF THESE BENEFITS.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT THINKING OR HOW IT WAS IMPLEMENTED IN ARKANSAS?

>> FIRST OF ALL, 92% OF MEDICAID BENEFICIARIES ALREADY WORK AND HAVE CAREGIVER RESPONSIBILITIES AND GO TO SCHOOL OR HAVE DISABILITIES.

THERE'S ACTUALLY NO PROBLEM HERE.

THE REAL FRAUD IS THAT YOU WOULD DESIGN A SYSTEM TO CUT PEOPLE OFF BENEFITS IN MASS SKILLS.

OF PEOPLE.

AND FORCE THEM TO BE LESS HEALTHY SO THEY ARE LESS ABLE TO WORK AND LESS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY AND LESS ABLE TO DO THE THINGS WE ALL WANT OUT OF A DECENT LIFE.

THERE WERE STUDIES DONE IN ARKANSAS THAT SHOWED THAT THE WORK REQUIREMENTS --THESE PENALTIES DID NOTHING TO ACTUALLY INCREASE EMPLOYMENT.

IN FACT, THEY WERE CORRELATED WITH A DECREASE IN EMPLOYMENT.

PEOPLE NEED TO BE HEALTHY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO WORK.

THINK ABOUT LOW-WAGE WORKERS PRODUCING A GAS STATION ATTENDANCE.

CERTIFIED NURSING ATTENDANTS WHO WORK IN NURSING FACILITIES OR PEOPLE'S HOMES.

RESTAURANT SERVERS OR DISHWASHERS OR LINE COOKS.

LANDSCAPERS.

DAY LABORERS.

ALL OF THESE JOBS REQUIRE IMMENSE PHYSICAL EXERTION.

YOU HAVE TO BE ON YOUR FEET ALL DAY.

YOU HAVE TO LIFT THINGS AND LIFT PEOPLE.

IF YOU ARE NOT HEALTHY --IF YOU HAVE AN ANKLE OR WRIST PROBLEM, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK, AND SO, THESE PENALTIES HAVE IT ALL BACKWARDS.

IF YOU HAVE MEDICAID, YOU CAN GO GET THE TREATMENT YOU NEED TO BE HEALTHY SO THAT YOU CAN WORK AND OTHERWISE PARTICIPATE FULLY IN COMMUNITY AND THE LIFE THAT WE ALL WANT FOR OURSELVES.

>> I JUST WANT TO DOCUMENT THIS.

I'VE CREATED WEBSITES WHERE SOMEONE CAN GO IN AND SUBMIT THEIR PROOF OF WORK.

WHAT IS SO DIFFICULT?

WHY IS THE PEOPLE WORK ONEROUS?

HAVE THERE BEEN STUDIES THAT LOOK AT THE LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY AND WHAT THAT DOES IN TERMS OF KICKING PEOPLE OFF WHO DESERVED THE CARE?

>> YET BASICALLY YOU'RE BURIED UNDER AVALANCHES OF PAPERWORK.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED IN ARKANSAS.

THESE ARE DISINGENUOUS PEOPLE OFFERING DISINGENUOUS POINTS.

THE WAY THAT PEOPLE LOSE COVERAGE IS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T PROCESS TO ESTABLISH THAT YOU ARE ALREADY DOING WHAT THE PROGRAM SAYS YOU SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR, WHICH IS WORK OR VOLUNTEER OR TAKE CARE OF OTHER PEOPLE AND WHATNOT, AND FOR EXAMPLE, IN ARKANSAS, I WAS A LEGAL AID ATTORNEY, SO I HELPED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE --MY TEAM AND I HELPED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE DIRECTLY TRYING TO MAINTAIN THEIR ELIGIBILITY AND THOUSANDS MORE TO COMMUNICATION EFFORTS.

FIRST, WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW IF YOU ARE ON THE TYPE OF MEDICAID SUBJECT TO THE WORK REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE IN MANY STATES, MEDICAID IS NOT CALLED MEDICAID.

IT IS CALLED SOMETHING ELSE.

IN ARKANSAS, IT WAS ARKANSAS CHOICES OR ARKANSAS HOME OR ARKANSAS WORKS OR VARIOUS OTHER NAMES.

YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THIS APPLIES TO YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE.

IF IT DOES APPLY TO YOU, YOU MIGHT GET 10 PAGE LETTERS THAT SOMEBODY LIKE MYSELF WHO IS A LAWYER AND WHO HAS PRACTICED LAW.

THE HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

IF YOU TRY TO CALL TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE LETTER IS ACTUALLY SAYING, YOU WAIT FOR HOURS.

THEY MAY NOT PROVIDE YOU RELEVANT INFORMATION, THAT YOU NEED TO COMPLY.

MAYBE YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH AND COMPLETED THE WEBSITE, AND THOUGHT YOU DID WHAT YOU HAD TO DO TO KEEP COVERAGE.

THAT WAS ONLY GOOD FOR ONE MONTH AND YOU HAVE TO DO IT EVERY MONTH OR YOU GOT AN EXEMPTION THAT SAID YOU ARE GOOD FOR TWO MONTHS, BUT NOW, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER IN THE THIRD MONTH TO GO BACK AND SIGN- ON.

IF YOU DIDN'T LOG IN IN THE LAST 30 DAYS, YOU ARE LOCKED OUT OF YOUR ACCOUNT AUTOMATICALLY AND YOU HAVE TO CALL SOMEBODY TO GO AHEAD AND GET PERMISSION TO BASICALLY RESET ON THEIR SIDE SO THAT YOU CAN ENTER THE WEBSITE AGAIN.

IN ARKANSAS'S CASE, THE WEBSITE CLOSED EVERY DAY AT 9:00 P.M.

SO YOU JUST HAVE THESE FLOODS RED TAPE THAT YOU HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH AND REPUBLICANS VERY WELL NOW --ANY PROPONENT OF WORK --OF THESE PENALTIES NO --THAT FOLKS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO JUMP THROUGH ALL THE HOOPS AND THAT THEY WILL GET TRIPPED UP AND THAT THEY WILL LOSE COVERAGE.

THAT IS WHAT JUSTIFIES THE COST SAVINGS IS THAT YOU ARE KICKING PEOPLE OFF COVERAGE.

>> WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, OH, THERE'S 18,000 PEOPLE IN ARKANSAS.

IT BECOMES AN OBJECTION.

HE WROTE ABOUT IN --AN INDIVIDUAL NAMED ADRIAN.

>> HE WAS IN HIS LATE 30s AND RIGHT AROUND 40.

HE HAD JUST GOT HIS BEST EFFORT PAYING JOB, WORKING AT EIGHT POULTRY PLANT IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND IT PAID BETTER THAN A LOT OF THE LOW-WAGE MINIMUM WAGE JOBS HE HAD BEFORE AND HE WAS WORKING OKAY.

HE REPORTED HIS WORK REQUIREMENT COMPLIANCE, AS WAS REQUIRED, AND SUDDENLY, HE GOES, AND HE GOES TO THE PHARMACY AND IS TOLD THAT HE HAS TO PAY FOR HIS MEDICINES FOR HIS CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISORDER OR COPD.

ADRIAN ASKED WHY?

I HAVE MEDICAID.

YOU'VE BEEN CUT OFF.

SO ADRIAN WALKED OUT WITH HIS COPD MEDICATIONS.

SURE ENOUGH, HIS COPD WHICH HE STRUGGLED WITH FOR YEARS KICKED IN AND HE ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL MULTIPLE TIMES IN A SHORT TIMEFRAME.

THE EMPLOYER TRY TO ACCOMMODATE HIM FOR WHAT THEY COULD BUT EVENTUALLY HE MISSED SO MUCH TIME THAT THE EMPLOYER HAD TO LET HIM GO.

HE DIDN'T GET HIS INSURANCE BACK UNTIL WE AT LEGAL AID OF ARKANSAS STEPPED IN AND GOT IT BACK BUT BY THAT TIME IT WAS TOO LATE.

HIS JOB WAS LOST AND HIS HEALTH WORSENED.

HE WOULD STRUGGLE AMONG VARIOUS MINIMUM WAGE JOBS.

NEVER EVER RETURNING TO THE LEVEL OF INCOME THAT HE HAD OF THE JOB AT THE POULTRY PLANT AND SADLY CUP ADRIAN PASSED AWAY LAST NOVEMBER.

THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE REAL- LIFE CONSEQUENCES OF THESE PENALTIES IS MR. McGONAGLE -- ADRIAN WAS WORKING.

HE WAS DOING EVERYTHING HE SHOULD'VE HE STILL LOST COVERAGE.

HE LOST HIS HEALTH.

HE LOST HIS JOB, AND HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO RECOVER OR HAVE ANY HOPE AT A MORE ECONOMICALLY PROSPEROUS LIFE BECAUSE OF THAT COVERAGE LOSS.

>> WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS KIND OF BLANKET BROUGHT BRUSH TO KIND OF PAIN TO THESE PEOPLE OUT TO BE MOOCHERS THAT ARE SEEPING OFF THE SYSTEM?

>> IT IS REALLY SAD TO ME BECAUSE I'VE WORKED WITH LOW INCOME PEOPLE MY WHOLE LIFE.

PEOPLE DO THE BEST THEY CAN WITH WHAT THEY'VE GOT.

THESE MYTHS AND STEREOTYPES THAT DEMONIZE POOR PEOPLE DON'T ACCOUNT FOR THE REALITY THAT ALMOST EVERYBODY IS WORKING, TAKING CARE OF FAMILY MEMBERS, GOING TO SCHOOL, HAS A DISABILITY, AND IS REALLY DOING THE BEST THEY CAN WITH WHAT THEY'VE GOT TO EKE OUT A MEAGER EXISTENCE.

I CAN TELL YOU, THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET IN THE UNITED STATES IS MEAGER.

PEOPLE DON'T GET CASH BENEFITS.

PEOPLE MIGHT GET A LITTLE BIT YOU TRY FEEDING A FAMILY ON SIX OR SEVEN DOLLARS PER DAY.

PEOPLE GET MEDICAID COVERAGE BUT IT IS ONLY USEFUL TO GET MEDICAL TREATMENT YOU NEED THAT ALLOWS YOU TO CONTINUE WORKING.

SO, IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT COPPER --PRECARIOUS EXISTENCE TO BE A LOW-INCOME PERSON IN AMERICA.

>> TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COST BENEFITS HERE.

IS THE BENEFIT OF KICKING THESE PEOPLE OFF MEDICAID -- IS IT WORTH THE COST OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE?

>> IN ARKANSAS THE TOTAL WAS 24, 26 MILLION SPENT.

IN GEORGIA, I WAS HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS.

ESTIMATES FOR HOW IT WAS GOING TO BE DEPLOYED IN KENTUCKY, I WAS IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS.

SO YES.

IT'S GOING TO COST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR STATES TO PAY THE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS.

THAT, TO ME, IS AN EPIC FAILURE OF MORALITY AND AN ABJECT FAILURE OF MORALITY.

TO YOUR POINT ABOUT COST- BENEFIT TO THIS.

YOU ARE MAKING PEOPLE POORER, LESS EMPLOYABLE.

YOU ARE MAKING IT SO EMPLOYERS IN YOUR STATE HAVE A LESS RELIABLE, LESS HEALTHY WORKFORCE.

YOU ARE MAKING IT SO THE HOSPITALS IN YOUR STATE ARE MORE LIKELY TO CLOSE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE IN RURAL AREAS AND ABSORB MORE UNCOMPENSATED CARE.

TEXTING YOUR OWN STATE WORKERS WHO ARE OFTENTIMES DEVOTED PUBLIC SERVICE WORKING IN HEART CONDITIONS.

THERE ISN'T ANY MATERIAL BENEFIT TO THESE PROGRAMS OTHER THAN CUTTING PEOPLE OFF.

IN THIS CASE, TO SAVE MONEY TO JUSTIFY TAX CUTS FOR THE RICHEST AMERICANS AND BUDDIES OF, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE PROPOSING THE LAWS.

>> I KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES FILED SUIT AGAINST ARKANSAS AND WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY STOP IT THERE.

I GUESS, WHAT IS THE LESSON LEARNED FROM THAT FOR, ONE, YOUR CLIENTS, BUT ALSO, IS THIS POSSIBLE, THEN, AND 49 OTHER STATES, TO DO THE SAME THING?

THIS IS A DIFFERENT PROCESS THAN WHAT WAS INSTITUTED IN ARKANSAS VERSUS WHAT IS COMING THROUGH RECONCILIATION.

RIGHT?

>> WITH THE RECONCILIATION BILL, IT WILL MANDATE THAT OTHER STATES OFFER PROVISIONS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN ARKANSAS.

WHAT YOU GOT IS A RECIPE FOR GAS.

THIS UNITED STATES USING 50 DIFFERENT SYSTEMS AND 50 DIFFERENT SETS OF RULES BECAUSE THE WAY THE BILL IS WRITTEN, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS MANDATED FEDERALLY, BUT STATES, LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL ENTER BUT THOSE THINGS AND STATES WILL HAVE SOME DISCRETION WITHIN THAT.

YEAH $.50 --SETS OF RULES.

AND IT IS GOING TO BE MASS CHAOS AND WHAT ARKANSAS DID IS A RUN-OF-THE-MILL VERSION OF WHAT MOST RED STATES WILL DO OR THE BEST OF WHAT MOST RED STATES CAN BE EXPECTED TO DO.

YOU ARE GOING TO GET THESE MASS 18,164 PEOPLE LOST COVERAGE IN ONLY FIVE MONTHS.

RIGHT?

ARKANSAS IS A STATE OF 3 MILLION.

AND SO, MAYBE THERE IS SOME CONTEXT THERE.

WHEN YOU EXPAND THIS TO STATES LIKE TEXAS, FLORIDA, OR BIGGER STATES.

KENTUCKY, CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK, INSIST THAT WOMEN MINIMIZE COVERAGE LOSSES, THERE IS NO WAY DOES THERE IS NO WAY TO PREVENT ELIGIBLE PEOPLE FROM LOSING COVERAGE.

JUST LIKE ADRIAN AND JUST LIKE MANY OF OUR OTHER FINES.

WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SEE HIS COVERAGE LOSSES ON MASSIVE SCALES.

MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE DOSED THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATED AS CLOSE TO SEVEN OR 8 MILLION AS A RESULT OF THESE POLICIES.

OTHER ESTIMATES THAT TAKE ARKANSAS AS THE BASELINE, SUGGEST MANY, MANY MORE.

THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE.

ARKANSAS IS A FAIR EXAMPLE OF WHAT'S TO COME.

IT IS AN OMEN, AND ANY STATE THAT IS IMPLEMENTING THESE REQUIREMENTS IS GOING TO HAVE TO STRUGGLE THROUGH AND END UP CUTTING PEOPLE OFF COVERAGE THAT SHOULD STILL HAVE IT.

>> SO WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THIS?

I MEAN, HOW FAST ARE WE LIKELY TO SEE PEOPLE LOSE MEDICAID COVERAGE?

>> THE COVERAGE LOSSES WON'T HIT UNTIL AFTER THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS AND I THINK THAT WAS INTENTIONAL BY THE DRAFTERS OF THE BILL BUT WHAT YOU WILL START SEEING IMMEDIATELY IS STATES HAVING TO MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR COUNTRIES WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONTRACTORS AND TO THEIR TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS SO THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED FOR THESE KIND OF PENALTIES WILL BE IN PLACE BY THE TIME THEY GO LIVE A YEAR AND A HALF FROM NOW, SO THAT'S SOME OF THE IMMEDIATE CHANGES WE ARE GOING TO BE SEEING, AND STATES, I IMAGINE, ARE GOING TO SPEND, YOU KNOW, TENS OF MILLIONS, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING TO GO TO PRIVATE CONTRACTORS TO BUILD SYSTEMS THAT ARE GOING TO BREAK AND END UP CUTTING PEOPLE OFF THE COVERAGE IN A RELATIVELY SHORT TO BE A TIME.

>> SOMEONE WATCHING THIS -- THEY'RE GOING TO QUOTE THE WHITE HOUSE WEBSITE.

AS THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID NUMEROUS TIMES, THERE WILL BE NO CUTS TO MEDICAID.

IT REMOVES ILLEGAL ALIENS AND ENFORCES REQUIREMENTS AND PROTECTS MEDICAID FOR THE TRULY VULNERABLE.

ARE THESE CUTS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THESE ARE CUTS.

THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU GET THE KIND OF SAVINGS REQUIRED BY THE RECONCILIATION PROCESS IS IF YOU CUT PEOPLE FROM MEDICAID, AND ALL ESTIMATES ARE THAT THE RECONCILIATION BILL IS GOING TO CUT UP TO 17 MILLION PEOPLE OUT OF HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH MEDICAID AND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT SUBSIDY PROGRAM.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE BE UNINSURED.

MORE AND MORE PEOPLE GETTING TREATMENT FROM EMERGENCY ROOMS, WHICH IS MORE COSTLY.

MEDICAL DEBT, AND ALL THE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES TO SOCIETY, WHETHER IT IS HOSPITALS OR SOCIAL SERVICES OR STATE WORKERS OR MEDICAID PROVIDERS OR OTHER PEOPLE THAT JUST AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO SURVIVE IN THIS KIND OF NEW PARADIGM.

SO THESE ARE CUTS AND THEY ARE CUTS ALL AROUND.

>> I WANT ASK ABOUT ANOTHER HAT THAT YOU WEAR AS FOUNDER OF TECTONIC JUSTICE.

IT IS A NEW UNDERTAKING TO TRY TO FIGHT THE IMPACTS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON LOW- INCOME COMMUNITIES.

AND JUST FOR THE AUDIENCE, WHAT HAD HE FOUND SO FAR IN HOW A.I.

IS PART OF THE DECISION-MAKING THAT COULD IMPACT WHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY QUALIFIES FOR, WHETHER IT IS MEDICAID OR SNAP BENEFITS OR SOCIAL SECURITY.

>> FIRST OF ALL, A.I.

IS COMING FOR ALL OF US.

IT IS BEING USED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, LANDLORDS, EMPLOYERS.

OTHER PEOPLE WITH POWER, TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE COURT LIFE AREAS.

OF ALL OF US, BUT PARTICULARLY --PEOPLE.

WE WORK.

HOW MUCH RENT WE PAY.

WHAT BENEFITS WE GET.

THE NATURE OF WHETHER MEDICAL TREATMENTS ARE APPROVED OR NOT.

ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE BEING DECIDED RIGHT NOW BY POWERFUL PEOPLE USING A.I.

AND ALL 92 MILLION LOW-INCOME PEOPLE AND HE WAS.

THAT IS PEOPLE WITHIN EYESHOT OF THE POVERTY LINE.

HAS SOME ASPECT OF THEIR LIFE DECIDED BY A.I.

ALMOST ALWAYS, THIS IS IT BEING HARMFUL.

PEOPLE LOSE ACCESS TO BENEFITS.

THEIR HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES BECOME RESTRICTED.

RENTS GO UP.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES GO DOWN, AND WHEN YOU ARE HURT BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, BASED DECISION- MAKING, YOU REALLY HAVE NOWHERE TO TURN TO HELP YOU ASSERT YOUR RIGHTS, AND SO, TECTONIC JUSTICE --TECHTONIC JUSTICE IS AN EFFORT FROM EXPENSES I HAD AS A LEGAL ATTORNEY IN ARKANSAS TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A REAL THREAT TO ALL OF US BUT PARTICULARLY TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE SO THAT WE START DEVISING STRATEGIES AND INVESTING RESOURCES INTO FIGHTING BACK AGAINST THESE FORMS OF INJUSTICE THAT ARE REALLY TRICKY, THAT YOU DON'T KNOW THAT A.I.

IS BEING USED.

IF YOU DO KNOW A.I.

IS BEING USED GOT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS OR WHY IT WORKS THAT WAY OR HOW TO FIGHT BACK, AND SO, TECHTONIC JUSTICE IS MEANT TO HELP US FIGHT AGAINST THIS IMPENDING THREAT TO, YOU KNOW, JUSTICE EVERYWHERE.

>> KEVIN DE LIBAN, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, HARI.

>> AND FINALLY, A UNIQUE STRESS THERAPY THAT IS ALL THE RAGE.

>> THREE, TWO, ONE.

SCREAM CLUB CHICAGO IS BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER EACH WEEK TO LET IT ALL OUT INTO LAKE MICHIGAN.

BEFORE YELLING AT THE TOP OF THEIR LUNGS, PARTICIPANTS JOIN DOWN WHAT THEY WANT TO RELEASE ON BIODEGRADABLE PAPER AND THEN THROW IT INTO THE PEACEFUL WAVES.

A RITUAL, STRANGERS WALKING TO THE SUNSET, FEELING A LITTLE BIT LIGHTER.

COMMITTED.

YOU WANT TO JOIN THEM.

IT SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT CATHARTIC.

>>> TUNE INTO TOMORROW'S SHOW WHERE WE COVER A LANDMARK CLIMATE CASE BROUGHT TO COURT BY THEN I WANT TO.

THE QUESTION IS, SHOULD NATIONS BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR POLLUTION AND THE IMPACT ON THE NATURAL WORLD?

ON THAT TOMORROW WITH THE AND CLIMATE MINISTER.

THAT'S IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT IS COMING UP ON THE SHOW, SENT THEM FOR THE NEWSLETTER AT PBS.ORG/AMANPOUR.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON AMANPOUR AND COMPANY ON PBS.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

>> AMANPOUR AND COMPANY IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT.

POYTA PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, CHARLES ROSENBLUM, KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, JEFFREY KATZ AND BETH ROGERS, AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> YOU ARE WATCHING