Morning Wire Podcast Summary Episode: Laken Riley Act Signed & Cartel Train Heists | Afternoon Update | 1.29.25
Release Date: January 29, 2025
Hosts: John Bickley and Georgia Howe
Presented by: The Daily Wire

1. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s HHS Nomination Under Fire

The episode opens with a deep dive into the contentious confirmation hearing of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the role of Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Cabot Phillips, Daily Wire's senior editor, reports on the intense scrutiny Kennedy is facing from the Senate Finance Committee.

• Family Opposition: Even within Kennedy’s circle, there is significant dissent. John Bickley highlights that family members, including his cousin Caroline Kennedy, have criticized him as "dangerous and unqualified" (00:35).

• Political Battles: Democrats on the committee are particularly critical of Kennedy’s past statements on vaccines and his stance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conversely, while most Republicans support his nomination, concerns arise over his pro-abortion views affecting his potential leadership at HHS.

• Notable Exchange: During the hearing, Kennedy engaged in a notable exchange with Senator Tina Smith:

  • Tina Smith (00:35): "Do you think physicians, when they make..."

  • Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (01:17): "Of course they do."

  • Tina Smith (01:26): "I was saying the science needed to be done."

This interaction underscores the tension between Kennedy’s perspectives and the prevailing scientific consensus.

2. Nicole Shanahan’s Campaign Against Opposing Senators

Georgia Howe reports on the bold move by billionaire Nicole Shanahan, RFK Jr.’s former running mate, who is actively discouraging senators from voting against Kennedy’s nomination.

• Political Funding Pledge: Shanahan has pledged to personally finance primary challenges against both Democrat and Republican senators, including prominent figures like Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, and Bernie Sanders (01:29).

• Shanahan’s Statement (02:00):
  “While Bobby may be willing to play nice, I won't. Big Pharma and Big Ag have exploited us for far too long. It ends now. You're either on the side of transparency and accountability or you are standing in the way. The choice is yours. Please choose wisely.”

3. President Trump Signs the Lake and Riley Act

Cabot Phillips introduces the significant legislative move by President Trump, who has signed the Lake and Riley Act into law—the first since his return to the Oval Office.

• Legislative Details: Named after a nursing student tragically killed by an illegal immigrant in Georgia, the act allows for the detention of illegal aliens accused of theft-related crimes and those resulting in death or serious bodily injury (02:16).

• Bipartisan Support: Despite some Democratic opposition, the bill saw support from members across the political spectrum.

• President Trump's Remarks (03:01):
  “Today's signings bring us one step closer to eradicating the scourge of migrant crime in our communities once and for all. And it was just a purely, it's just an unforced error that we even have to be doing this now. We need Congress to provide full funding for the complete and total restoration of our sovereign borders, as well as financial support to remove record numbers of illegal aliens.”

4. Executive Order for Guantanamo Bay Migrant Facility

Following the Lake and Riley Act, President Trump announced plans to establish a massive migrant detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

• Facility Details: The executive order proposes a 30,000-bed facility to house detainees, aiming to prevent their return (03:25).

• Trump’s Statement (03:41):
  “Some of them are so bad, we don't even trust the countries to hold them because we don't want them coming back. So we're going to send them out to Guantanamo. This will double our capacity immediately. Right? And it's a tough place to get out of.”

5. Federal Workforce Downsizing Initiative

In an effort to streamline the federal bureaucracy, the Trump administration has extended an offer to millions of federal employees to resign voluntarily with financial incentives.

• Offer Details: Excluding military personnel, postal workers, and national security employees, the initiative offers up to eight months of pay for resignations by February 6 (04:08).

• White House’s Objective: The administration aims to enhance workforce efficiency and reduce the size of federal agencies.

• Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s Critique (04:35):
  “Six percent of the federal workforce in the city actually shows up to work. That's unacceptable. We're all here at work, at the office. There are law enforcement officers and teachers and nurses across the country who showed up to the office today. People in this city need to do the same.”

6. White House Reverses Freeze on Federal Grants and Loans

Amid ongoing financial maneuvers, the White House has rescinded an order that previously froze trillions in federal grants and loans—a decision following a federal judge’s block, though the administration maintains its stance against funding "WOKE" programs (04:50).

7. Sinaloa Cartel’s Train Heist Busted

Cabot Phillips covers the dramatic arrest of nearly a dozen members of the Sinaloa cartel involved in a sophisticated train heist.

• Heist Details: The cartel members, operating near Phoenix, disabled a moving train’s brakes to offload over $200,000 worth of Nike merchandise into waiting vehicles (05:04).

• Law Enforcement Perspective: Tim Pierce, Daily Wire reporter, notes an uptick in such thefts, with stolen goods frequently resold online or through retailers in California. This crackdown coincides with the Trump administration's efforts to designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations (05:15).

8. OpenAI Accuses Deepseek of AI Technology Theft

The episode delves into the escalating tensions in the tech industry, focusing on OpenAI’s allegations against Chinese startup Deepseek.

• Allegations: OpenAI claims that Deepseek illegally utilized a technique called distillation to train its AI, thereby breaching OpenAI’s terms of service (05:40).

• Intellectual Property Concerns: The incident spotlights ongoing American worries about intellectual property theft from China, especially in critical sectors like AI, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing.

• Discussion with Zach Kass: Georgia Howe engages with futurist Zach Kass, while Tina Smith provides insights on the implications for US AI supremacy.

  • Tina Smith’s Analysis (06:17):
    “If you were rooting for or betting on US AI supremacy, this is certainly a moment that would encourage you to think that perhaps the US does not have the AI supremacy that we thought it might and that controlling chips is not going to be the attack vector in an arms race, so to speak, that we thought it would be. The response obviously from the US is going to be to build much more efficient models. I mean, immediately you are starting to see companies reposition their understanding of what a low cost model should be.”

9. Severe Weather Forecast for the Southern Plains and Texas

Concluding the episode, the hosts provide an update on the impending severe weather system expected to impact the Southern Plains and Texas.

• Weather Predictions: Anticipated severe weather includes flash flooding, potential tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail across Texas tonight, with intensifying storms moving south tomorrow (06:58).

• Flash Flooding Concerns: Areas from Dallas to Kentucky may experience up to five inches of rain, with flood watches in effect for Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri. The system is projected to reach the Northeast later in the week, bringing rain and possible ice and snow to higher elevations (06:58).

Upcoming Events

Georgia Howe wraps up by informing listeners about the upcoming Daily Wire town hall scheduled for 5:30 PM Central, promising further discussions on the day's highlighted issues.

Note: For more detailed information on these stories, listeners are encouraged to visit dailywire.com.