How did a YouTuber stop federal funding to Minnesota?

Americast

BBC

News, Government, Politics

4.2 • 2.8K Ratings

🗓️ 2 January 2026

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Trump administration has frozen child care payments for the state of Minnesota after the conservative YouTuber, Nick Shirley, alleged that several centres run by Somali immigrants were taking public money without providing care. The video has received significant attention from figures like JD Vance and Elon Musk since being uploaded, prompting the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to declare the agency would target "blatant fraud that seems to be rampant in Minnesota".

Despite the administration’s response to the story, some mainstream media outlets have not found evidence of fraud, while some conservatives feel the story has not had enough attention in the wider media. What’s the truth behind Nick Shirley’s claims and what does it mean for Minnesota and its Somali community?

And, Zohran Mamdani has been sworn in as New York mayor. He delivered a speech outside City Hall promising to show the world that America’s political Left can govern. What are the obstacles he’ll face in that journey as mayor, and how much will it hinge upon his relationship with Donald Trump?

HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent

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Transcript

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0:00.0	We've known for some time that there is huge fraud in the state of Minnesota.
0:09.5	People have been convicted, they've gone to jail, and that that fraud is centered much of it on the Somali community in the state of Minnesota.
0:19.7	There is a new set of allegations from a right-wing
0:23.7	vlogger that Donald Trump and his administration have now cottoned onto and are hugely publicising.
0:31.7	It is a big headache for the governor of Minnesota and a big headache for those who say the Somali community is being
0:39.6	unfairly targeted. Welcome to Ameriast.
0:45.1	AmeriCast from BBC News. When Donald Trump calls, they say yes, sir, right away, sir. Happy to lick your
0:52.5	boot, sir. We are the sickest country in the world.
0:56.0	Oh, dear. Are you worried that billionaires are going to go hungry?
0:59.6	Of course, the president supports peaceful protest. What a stupid question.
1:02.6	Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein?
1:09.6	Hello, it's Justin in the worldwide headquarters of AmeriCast in London, England.
1:16.0	And it's Anthony across the pond in Washington, D.C.
1:19.5	Happy New Year, Anthony, and to everyone listening as well.
1:22.5	Happy New Year, Justin.
1:23.7	We are going to talk later on about Zoran Mamdani, which is obviously of vital importance to the United States, not just in New York, because he's taken over now as mayor and everyone is watching to see whether he succeeds or fails, to put it in very blunt terms, but also what his relationship is with Donald Trump and what kind of an example he sets for left parties and left individuals around the world.
1:46.0	So hugely important, and we will get to that.
1:48.1	We're going to start, though, with fraud in the state of Minnesota.
1:53.2	And this is a particular story.
1:54.9	It's been bubbling around for a bit.
1:57.1	It's hugely important and interesting to people in Minnesota, of course, because the amounts
2:04.0	being talked about are pretty large, but it's also important for the United States, because
	...

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