Morning Wire: Congress Votes On Epstein Files & Nicki Minaj’s UN Address | 11.18.25

Episode Overview

This episode of "Evening Wire" from The Daily Wire, hosted by John Bickley and Georgia Howe, focuses on significant developments in politics and culture, including Congress's landmark vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, major updates on U.S.-Saudi relations, a high-profile speech by Nicki Minaj at the United Nations, and trending topics in immigration, public safety, and shifting social values.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Congress Votes to Release Epstein Files

• House Passed Bill: The House overwhelmingly passed a bill (427-1) mandating the DOJ release Epstein-related files. Only Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) voted against it. The Senate had already passed it unanimously; the President is expected to sign it.
  [00:48-01:05]

• Potential for Major Revelations: Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) described the contents as “shocking,” hinting at significant fallout.

  • Quote:
    “There needs to be a reckoning in this country when those files come out. It's going to shock the conscience of this country.”
    — Rep. Ro Khanna [01:25]

• Fallout for Elites: Larry Summers, former Treasury Secretary, announced stepping back from public roles after messages between him and Epstein surfaced, revealing a close relationship as late as 2019. He expressed shame but will continue teaching at Harvard.
  [01:36-02:10]

2. Trump Welcomes Saudi Crown Prince

• Historic Visit: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited the White House for the first time in seven years, signaling deepening U.S.-Saudi ties after friction during the Biden administration.
  [02:10-02:20]

• Economic and Diplomatic Stakes: The Crown Prince committed to nearly $1 trillion in planned U.S. investments over the next year. Marked by military honors and public pageantry, the visit underscores a shift in Middle East policy under President Trump.

  • Quote:
    “The visit…tightens ties between the US and Saudi Arabia, is momentous since this country had been largely shunned by President Joe Biden’s administration.”
    — Mary Margaret Olihan, Daily Wire correspondent [02:20]

3. Updates on Trump Assassination Attempt Investigation

• Calls for Transparency: White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt addressed frustration over unresolved questions in the Trump shooting investigation.

  • Quotes: “Those questions are definitely deserving of answers, and I understand why the public wants those answers and I believe the president does, too.”
    — Caroline Levitt [03:18]

    “It's a good question and it's one I'd like to see the answer to, and I think all Americans would.”
    — Caroline Levitt [03:29]

4. American Medical Education Group’s Political Influence

• AAMC Activism: Leaked footage shows the Association of American Medical Colleges prioritizing advocacy for transgender care, defending puberty blockers for minors, and fighting federal/state restrictions.

  • Quote:
    “We have a lot of work to do in this area and it's definitely, definitely a high priority for us.”
    — AAMC senior leader [03:52]

• Criticism: Critics argue AAMC has shifted too far into activism, rebranding DEI programs amid increased scrutiny.
  [04:02-04:22]

5. Immigration & Security Concerns

• Terror Watch List Licensing Incident:
  A trucking license was issued to Akar Bazarov, an Uzbek national on the terror watch list, due to failures in border vetting amid processing pressures in 2023. ICE has since detained him.
  [04:22-05:02]

• Human Trafficking Raid in Texas:
  Texas authorities arrested at least 140 illegal immigrants connected to sex trafficking and cartel activity, many from Central and South America.
  [05:02-05:32]

6. Judicial Decisions & Public Safety in California

• Zero-Bail Policy Concerns:
  A judge released a second murder suspect without bail, worrying Santa Clara DA Jeff Rosen.
  • Quote:
    “People's lives ride on those odds.”
    — Jeff Rosen [06:02] [06:02-06:33]

7. New York State Prison Closures

• Understaffing Crisis:
  Severe correctional staff shortages have forced the closure of facilities like Bear Hill Correctional Facility and the deployment of the National Guard. State officials fear overcrowding and resource strain could worsen.
  [06:44-07:25]

8. Global Tech Outage

• Major Websites Affected:
  Platforms like X, Spotify, and ChatGPT experienced downtime due to a Cloudflare configuration error. No evidence of malicious hacking; issue resolved within hours.
  [07:25-08:08]

9. Mass Kidnapping in Nigeria

• 25 Schoolgirls Abducted:
  Armed bandits kidnapped students in northwest Nigeria; part of ongoing, widespread attacks on schools for ransom.
  • Quote:
    “Hundreds of children remain missing from similar crimes over the past decades.”
    — Virginia Kruta [08:16] [08:08-08:49]

10. Nicki Minaj’s United Nations Address on Christian Persecution

• High-Profile Advocacy:
  Nicki Minaj, alongside UN Ambassador Mike Walls, called for unity against Christian persecution in Nigeria, highlighting U.S. efforts led by President Trump.
  [08:49-09:46]

  • Quote:
    “Protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides or dividing people. It is about uniting humanity.…to fight for security and liberty for all those who pray.”
    — Nicki Minaj [09:06-09:46]

• Statistics: 7,000 Christians killed in Nigeria in 2025 alone, as reported by the International Society of Civil Liberties and Rule of Law.

11. Social Trends: Declining Marriage Interest Among Young Women

• Pew Data: Only 61% of senior girls express interest in marriage vs. 74% of boys; a steep drop from 83% in 1993 for girls.
  • Quote:
    “The declining interest in marriage for high school girls is really bad news for those concerned about happiness, loneliness and shortening lifespans.”
    — JP DeGance, Communio founder [10:03] [09:46-10:51]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Rep. Ro Khanna [01:25]:
  “When those files come out, it’s going to shock the conscience of this country.”

• Mary Margaret Olihan [02:20]:
  “The visit…tightens ties between the US and Saudi Arabia, is momentous since this country had been largely shunned by President Joe Biden’s administration.”

• Caroline Levitt [03:18]:
  “Those questions are definitely deserving of answers, and I believe the president does, too.”

• AAMC Leader [03:52]:
  “We have a lot of work to do in this area and it's definitely, definitely a high priority for us.”

• Nicki Minaj [09:06]:
  “Protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides or dividing people. It is about uniting humanity. I am inspired by [those] who…chose not to look the other way.”

• JP DeGance [10:03]:
  “The declining interest in marriage for high school girls is really bad news for those concerned about happiness, loneliness and shortening lifespans.”

Segment Timestamps

• Epstein files vote & fallout — [00:48–02:10]
• Saudi Crown Prince’s White House visit — [02:10–02:57]
• Trump assassination investigation — [02:57–03:35]
• AAMC activism leak — [03:35–04:22]
• Immigration & trafficking stories — [04:22–05:32]
• California no-bail controversy — [06:02–06:33]
• NY prison closures — [06:33–07:25]
• Global tech outage — [07:25–08:08]
• Nigerian schoolgirl kidnapping — [08:08–08:49]
• Nicki Minaj’s UN speech — [08:49–09:46]
• Marriage interest among teens — [09:46–10:51]

Episode Tone & Style

The episode maintains a brisk, fact-driven tone with elements of commentary, delivering national and international news through a conservative lens, while highlighting contrasts between actions taken by current and prior administrations, and framing cultural stories with a sense of urgency and concern. Notably, it mixes hard news with cultural analysis and high-profile voices.

This summary provides a comprehensive look at the episode’s major discussions—valuable for any listener who missed the original broadcast.