FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are rolling out a new oversight task force, starting with an investigation into alleged social services fraud in Ohio. 

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., tapped Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, a member of the oversight panel, to lead the Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses, Fox News Digital has learned.

The duo sent a letter to Ohio Department of Medicaid Director Scott Partika on Tuesday to request documents related to a bombshell report in the Daily Wire, probing widespread fraud in the state’s Medicaid waiver program for home health and community-based services.

The outlet reported on 288 home health companies in Columbus, Ohio, that shared the same addresses, dozens of which were housed in office buildings that appeared to be vacant or in poor condition. The entities billed the federal government more than $250 million in Medicaid spending between 2018 and 2024, though the outlet’s reporting cast doubt on whether the companies billed Medicaid correctly or provided the services.

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«Americans deserve truth, transparency and justice,» Gill said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. «They are sick of being defrauded by government institutions and programs that should have been putting them first, not robbing their tax dollars.»

«Under his leadership, we will continue to expose radical ideologies being pushed on Americans and fight to safeguard our freedom that we’ve enjoyed as a nation for 250 years,» Comer said in a statement, adding that Gill, a freshman lawmaker, had become a pivotal player on the Oversight Committee.

Gill’s task force will have a broad purview, including investigating institutions that uphold diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, individuals who misuse immigration and social welfare programs, and efforts by foreign actors and dark money groups to censor Americans’ speech.

The panel’s creation comes as House Oversight Republicans are currently investigating social services fraud in Minnesota and California.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., tapped Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, to lead a new oversight panel focused on social services fraud, among other priorities. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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«The current Medicaid system either does not have sufficient internal controls to prevent and detect fraud or is not conducting proper oversight of these HCBS [Home and Community-Based Services] providers,» Comer and Gill wrote in the letter. «As a result, Americans across the country are paying for this fraud while vulnerable patients are being exploited.»

Comer has authorized the task force for six months, and Gill is expected to hold hearings at a later date. 

Ohio Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy has pledged to scrutinize the state’s Medicaid spending if elected governor in November.

«We’re going to have to take a deep, hard look at the way the $40-plus billion in state Medicaid dollars are being spent,» Ramaswamy told «Saturday in America» host Kayleigh McEnany.

Vivek Ramaswamy, seen speaking at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025 in Phoenix on Dec. 19, 2025, is running for Ohio governor. (Jon Cherry/AP)

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«I think the right answer is any instance of waste, fraud, abuse … deserve[s] to be prosecuted, and we intend to investigate them aggressively, as well as to prosecute aggressively, to send a deterrent signal that our government is not a piggy bank. The taxpayer is not a piggy bank to be bilked.» 

The Ohio Department of Medicaid told the Daily Wire it has sufficient safeguards in place to combat fraud and had been investigating home health companies that may be abusing the system prior to the outlet’s reporting.

Pakistan rejected reports Tuesday that it allowed Iranian aircraft to use its airfields amid tensions with the United States—claims suggesting the move could have shielded the planes from potential airstrikes—even as Islamabad positioned itself as a high-profile mediator between the two sides.

According to the report May 11, Tehran was also said to have possibly sent a civilian aircraft to Afghanistan during the conflict. 

Pakistan said Tuesday the CBS report was «misleading and sensationalized. Such speculative narratives appear aimed at undermining ongoing efforts for regional stability and peace,» the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

«Following the ceasefire and during the initial round of the Islamabad Talks, a number of aircraft from Iran and the United States arrived in Pakistan to facilitate the movement of diplomatic personnel, security teams, and administrative staff associated with the talks process,» the ministry said before clarifying that «some aircraft and support personnel remained temporarily in Pakistan in anticipation of subsequent rounds of engagement.»

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The alleged Iranian asset movements had also suggested there was an effort by Iran to conceal some of its remaining aerial assets as Pakistan worked behind the scenes to broker a ceasefire between Iran and the United States.

President Donald Trump also confirmed Tuesday he was satisfied with the mediation work carried out by Pakistan, telling reporters ahead of his trip to China that they were «great.»

«I think the Pakistanis have been great. The field marshal and the prime minister of Pakistan have been absolutely great,» Trump clarified.

In April, Pakistan had emerged as a key mediator in efforts to de-escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis and the regional conflict.

Islamabad hosted senior delegations for talks on April 11–12 after helping secure a temporary two-week ceasefire.

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Vice President JD Vance shakes hands with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Islamabad on April 12, 2026, after talks on Iran. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Chief of Defence Forces Chief of Army Staff Field Marshall Asim Munir, and U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker look on as Vance prepares to board Air Force Two. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Pakistan’s position was unique, given its geographic proximity to Iran and its longstanding strategic partnership with the United States. 

Mediation efforts were led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

Officials told CBS that, days after Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran in early April, Tehran sent multiple aircraft to Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan.

Nur Khan Airbase, located near Rawalpindi, is said to be a key installation of the Pakistan Air Force and serves as a major logistical and operational hub. 

Among the aircraft reportedly moved there was an Iranian Air Force RC-130, a reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, the outlet said.

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Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were greeted by Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir upon their arrival at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on April 11, 2026. (Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs/AP)

Despite initial progress between the U.S. and Iran, talks in Islamabad on April 11 ultimately collapsed. 

However, Pakistani leadership said it felt optimistic. «We are very optimistic that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement,» Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.

Trump also praised Pakistan’s mediating role again, stating on May 7, «Pakistan has been fantastic. And its leaders have been fantastic—the marshal and the prime minister.»

As part of the next response, Trump also launched «Project Freedom» to guide vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and to help free up shipping.

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Trump’s initiative to help thousands of stranded crew lasted 48 hours, with the president later acknowledging that it was halted «at the request of Pakistan and other countries,» including Saudi Arabia, to avoid jeopardizing ongoing negotiations with Iran.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. said Monday that if Pakistan did shelter Iranian aircraft during mediation then it would force a complete reassessment of Pakistan’s role.

«If this reporting is accurate, it would require a complete reevaluation of the role Pakistan is playing as mediator between Iran, the United States and other parties. Given some of the prior statements by Pakistani defense officials towards Israel, I would not be shocked if this were true,» Graham said in a post shared on X.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Government of Pakistan, The White House and U.S. Central Command for comment.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth dismissed concerns about strained weapons stockpiles outright, saying recent reporting has exaggerated the issue.

«The munitions issue has been foolishly, and unhelpfully overstated,» Hegseth said during a hearing with the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense Tuesday. «We have all the munitions needed to execute what we need to execute.»

Hegseth reiterated that stance during a recent congressional hearing, pushing back directly on claims that U.S. inventories have been significantly drawn down.

«I take issue with the characterization that munitions are depleted in a public forum. That’s not true,» he told lawmakers.

«Even in the conduct of the conflict, working with the chairman and Admiral Cooper, ensuring that any munitions we’re using, we know what we’re trading off of to preserve capabilities. So we have maximum optionality across the globe,» he said, referring to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper. 

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The comments come as questions about U.S. weapons inventories have intensified following the Iran conflict and new analyses pointing to heavy usage of key munitions.

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said after a recent classified briefing that it is «shocking how deep we have gone into these magazines,» pointing to heavy use of systems including Tomahawk cruise missiles, Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and Patriot air defense interceptors.

Hegseth responded by accusing Kelly of improperly discussing sensitive information, suggesting the former Navy pilot may have violated his oath.

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«‘Captain’ Mark Kelly strikes again,» Hegseth wrote on X. «Now he’s blabbing on TV (falsely & dumbly) about a CLASSIFIED Pentagon briefing he received. Did he violate his oath… again? @DeptofWar legal counsel will review.»

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine offered a more measured assessment, telling lawmakers that U.S. forces currently have «sufficient munitions for what we’re tasked to do right now.»  (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Kelly pushed back, saying the information was not classified and noting Hegseth had made similar remarks publicly in recent testimony. He added that the cost of the conflict had yet to be fully explained to the American people.

Caine offered a more measured assessment, telling lawmakers that U.S. forces currently have «sufficient munitions for what we’re tasked to do right now,» while acknowledging that commanders will «always want more.»

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But concerns about munitions stockpiles are not limited to the U.S.

Across the Middle East, U.S. partners also have relied heavily on high-end air defense systems to counter Iranian missile and drone attacks, raising similar concerns about how long those inventories can be sustained if fighting resumes.

First responders inspect a residential building hit in an earlier U.S.-Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, March 27, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP Photo)

While countries like Israel and Saudi Arabia entered the conflict with deeper and more layered interceptor stockpiles, built over years of investment in missile defense systems, other Gulf allies, which operate smaller inventories and depend more heavily on U.S. resupply, could face greater pressure if the ceasefire breaks down and missile exchanges resume.

Despite the heavy usage, analysts say the U.S. retains enough munitions to sustain current operations.

A recent analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies found that while stockpiles have been drawn down, they remain sufficient for the ongoing conflict.

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The greater concern, the report noted, is whether the U.S. is prepared for a future conflict with a peer adversary like China, which likely would require sustained use of the same high-end missiles now being depleted, including long-range strike weapons and advanced air defense interceptors.

Rebuilding those inventories could take years. Even before recent conflicts, it typically took about two years from contract award to initial delivery for many missile systems, with full production stretching longer. 

Analysts now say those timelines have extended further, with new orders potentially taking four to five years to fully deliver as demand outpaces capacity.

That lag reflects deeper constraints in the defense industrial base. Missile production depends on specialized components such as propulsion systems and guidance technology, often sourced from a limited number of suppliers, making it difficult to rapidly scale output.

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Defense contractors are moving to close that gap. 

RTX has said it is increasing missile deliveries and investing billions to expand manufacturing capacity, while Lockheed Martin is working to significantly boost production of systems like the Patriot interceptor. The Pentagon is also pursuing multi-year procurement deals to give companies more predictable demand and incentivize expansion.

Even with those efforts, analysts warn the gap between battlefield use and industrial capacity cannot be closed quickly.