Russia Strikes Again & Cartel Crackdowns | 5.27.25

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary: "Russia Strikes Again & Cartel Crackdowns" | May 27, 2025

Hosted by John Bickley and Georgia Howe, Morning Wire dives deep into the most pressing issues of the day, providing insightful analysis and exclusive interviews. In the May 27, 2025 episode titled "Russia Strikes Again & Cartel Crackdowns," the hosts explore escalating geopolitical tensions, significant policy shifts, and a notable resurgence in Hollywood's box office performance.

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1. Escalating Tensions: Russia's Aerial Assault on Ukraine

The episode opens with a critical look at the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Moscow's recent series of air assaults marks the largest aerial bombardment in the three-year war, deploying hundreds of attack drones and dozens of missiles. These strikes have tragically resulted in at least 12 fatalities and numerous injuries among civilians.

John Bickley expresses his strong disapproval of Putin's actions:

"I don't know what the hell happened to Putin. I've known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he's sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don't like it at all. We're in the middle of talking and he's shooting rockets into Kiev and other cities."
(03:10)

Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender provides context on the intelligence reports indicating Moscow's troop movements near the front lines, suggesting preparations for a potential summer offensive. He highlights President Trump's firm stance against Putin:

"I've always said that he wants all of Ukraine, not just a piece of it. And maybe that's proving to be right. But if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia."
(03:25)

The hosts discuss the shift in President Trump's approach, noting a departure from previous cordial interactions with Putin towards a more confrontational stance. This strategic pivot is also influencing America's diplomatic relations, including tensions with Ukrainian President Zelensky.

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2. Trade Tensions: EU Tariffs and Potential Deal

Transitioning to economic matters, the podcast delves into President Trump's tariff policies targeting the European Union. Initially imposing a 20% tariff during Liberation Day, Trump later reduced it to 10% for 90 days to facilitate long-term negotiations. However, escalating frustrations led to the threat of a 50% tariff set to take effect on June 1st.

Michael Faulkender explains the dynamics of these negotiations:

"President Trump slapped 20% tariffs on the European Union during his Liberation Day. He later slashed them down to 10% for 90 days to allow time for a long term deal to be reached. But on Friday, he accused the Europeans of being, quote, 'difficult to deal with,' saying, quote, 'discussions are going nowhere.'"
(04:29)

The European Union's swift response, spearheaded by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, signaled a readiness to advance talks more decisively. This development prompted President Trump to pause his tariff hike until July 9th, opening the door for a potential agreement.

Georgia Howe remarks on the situation:

"No doubt businesses and the markets are going to be watching that closely."
(05:13)

The discussion underscores the delicate balance between assertive trade policies and the pursuit of mutually beneficial economic agreements.

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3. Comprehensive Crackdown on Drug Cartels

A significant portion of the episode focuses on President Trump's comprehensive strategy to dismantle drug cartels, highlighting the pivotal role of the Treasury Department. Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender provides an exclusive insight into recent actions taken against cartel operations.

Key points include:

• Designation of Terrorist Organizations: Under Trump's directive, several narcotics groups have been designated as terrorist organizations, granting Treasury additional authorities to disrupt their financial networks.

• Actions Against Del Noreste and Brinks Global: The Treasury has targeted high-ranking members of the Del Noreste cartel and imposed a $37 million fine on Brinks Global for facilitating money transfers without proper customer identification, violating the Bank Secrecy Act.

Faulkender emphasizes the importance of financial intervention:

"If you engage in these businesses, you have an affirmative obligation to identify the counterparties and an unawareness of who they are is not sufficient under the law."
(00:37)

Regarding the Sinaloa Cartel, Faulkender discusses efforts to monitor and disrupt their money flows:

"We continue to identify the various smuggling rings that are coming in... freezing accounts and taking away the money that is funding these activities that are poisoning our kids."
(09:29)

The collaboration with the Mexican government, spurred by imposed tariffs and heightened sanctions, has led to more effective tracking and seizure of illicit funds, significantly hindering cartel operations.

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4. Hollywood's Box Office Resurgence

Shifting to cultural news, Morning Wire reports on a blockbuster weekend that has revitalized Hollywood's box office. Megan Basham, the Daily Wire culture reporter, alongside Tom Cruise, discusses the remarkable success of Disney's live-action remake of "Lilo & Stitch" and Paramount's "Mission Impossible 8."

Tom Cruise highlights the achievements:

"Lilo and Stitch grossed a staggering 183 million domestically... Mission Impossible, the final reckoning, is unquestionably a triumph for him. We've all seen for a while that Cruise's plan seems to be to be a one man chamber of commerce from the film industry. And he's really succeeding in a lot of ways."
(11:01 - 12:15)

Key takeaways include:

• Lilo & Stitch: Achieved an all-time Disney record with $183 million domestically and $342 million globally, driven by nostalgia and strong social media buzz.

• Mission Impossible 8: Set a franchise best with $77 million domestically and $190 million worldwide, indicating Tom Cruise's enduring box office draw.

Georgia Howe reflects on the positive trends:

"So a hugely optimistic moment for Hollywood."
(11:57)

The episode concludes by noting the projected growth of the domestic box office to $9.5 billion in 2025, a significant increase from the previous year's $8.7 billion. This resurgence is seen as a vital boost for an industry recovering from the pandemic's impact, emphasizing the importance of high-profile releases in attracting audiences back to theaters.

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Conclusion

In this episode of Morning Wire, John Bickley and Georgia Howe provide a comprehensive overview of critical global and domestic issues, from escalating geopolitical conflicts and economic negotiations to robust government action against drug cartels and a promising revival in Hollywood's entertainment sector. The inclusion of direct quotes and expert interviews enriches the discussion, offering listeners valuable insights into the evolving landscape of politics, security, and culture.

Stay tuned to Morning Wire for more in-depth coverage and analysis of the news that matters.

Transcript

[Georgia Howe]

President Trump rails against Putin after Russia launches an aerial attack on Ukraine.

[John Bickley]

I'm not happy with what Putin's doing. He's killing a lot of people.

[Cabot Phillips]

The boiling tensions come as Europe backs down after Trump threatens more tariffs.

[Georgia Howe]

I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire executive editor John Bickley. It's Tuesday, May 27th, and this is Morning Wire.

[Cabot Phillips]

Trump enlists the Treasury Department in his sweeping crackdown on drug cartels. We sit down with the deputy secretary.

[John Bickley]

If you engage in these businesses, you have an affirmative obligation to identify the counterparties and an unawareness of who they are is not sufficient under the law.

[Georgia Howe]

And a blockbuster weekend at the box office boosted by Tom Cruise. Can Hollywood keep up this pace all summer long?

[John Bickley]

I need you to trust me one last time.

[Cabot Phillips]

Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to.

[John Bickley]

Know.

[Megan Basham]

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[Cabot Phillips]

President Trump took aim at Vladimir Putin this weekend after Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians. Meanwhile, the White House is closing in on a major trade deal with the eu.

[Georgia Howe]

Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips is here with the latest. So, Cabot, a variety of news happening over in Europe. We have Trump versus Putin as well as some movement on the tariffs. First, let's start with Russia. What's going on with the conflict?

[Michael Faulkender]

Yeah. Over the weekend, Moscow launched a series of air assaults on Ukrainian cities. Deploying hundreds of attack drones and dozens of missiles. Those strikes killed at least 12 people and injured dozens more, many civilians, in what Ukraine called the largest aerial bombardment of the entire three year war. In recent months, there had been hopes that a peace deal was soon within reach. But Putin appears to be making clear that he is pushing ahead despite increased threats of sanctions from the West. To that point, US Intelligence reportedly shows Moscow is amassing troops near the front line in preparation for a summer offensive. So things could soon get even worse in Ukraine. In response to those attacks this weekend, President Trump offered arguably his strongest condemnation of Putin to date. Here he is outside Air Force One on Saturday.

[John Bickley]

I don't know what the hell happened to Putin. I've known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he's sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don't like it at all. We're in the middle of talking and he's shooting rockets into Kiev and other cities.

[Michael Faulkender]

And later, on social media, the President appeared to make a veiled threat against Putin, writing, quote, I've always said that he wants all of Ukraine, not just a piece of it. And maybe that's proving to be right. But if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia.

[Georgia Howe]

So the President potentially changing his strategy with Putin.

[Michael Faulkender]

It certainly appears that way. With Russia now launching heavier attacks than ever against Ukraine, Trump's cordial tone with Putin is out the window. And it's worth noting this new anti Putin rhetoric has not exactly led to friendlier relations between Trump and Zelensky. For example, over the weekend, he said that, quote, Zelensky is doing his country no favors by talking. The way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems. So while Trump could launch retaliatory sanctions against Moscow, there is a real chance here that he steps back and stays out of all this. Regardless, he's under a lot of pressure to bring an end to this conflict, given his campaign promise. End the war shortly.

[Georgia Howe]

So some big decisions looming. Yeah. Now, changing gears a little bit. There was some movement over the weekend with regards to tariffs on the EU. What happened there?

[Michael Faulkender]

So, quick refresher. President Trump slapped 20% tariffs on the European Union during his Liberation Day. He later slashed them down to 10% for 90 days to allow time for a long term deal to be reached. But on Friday, he accused the Europeans of being, quote, difficult to deal with, saying, quote, discussions are going nowhere. So he in turn threatened a 50% tariff on the EU that would kick in June 1st. That seemingly got their attention as European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the White House over the weekend to say, quote, europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively. And as a result of that new willingness to strike an apparent deal, Trump agreed to pause his tariff hike on the EU until July 9th. So an agreement could be reached.

[Georgia Howe]

No doubt businesses and the markets are going to be watching that closely. Cabot, thanks for doing a roundup.

[Michael Faulkender]

Absolutely.

[Megan Basham]

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[Georgia Howe]

President Trump promised a whole of government approach to combating drug cartels. So while dhs, ICE and Border Patrol do their part, so do other departments, including the Treasury.

[Cabot Phillips]

Joining us now for an exclusive about how the Treasury Department works to combat cartels is Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkinder. Deputy Secretary, first of all, thank you so much for joining us.

[John Bickley]

Great to be with you.

[Cabot Phillips]

Your department took action last week to target the high ranking members of the cartel Del Noreste. Can you give us the details on that action?

[John Bickley]

Sure. So let me start with saying that one of the most important things the President did upon coming into office was to declare a number of the narco group's terrorist organizations. And what that does is it unleashes additional authorities at treasury for us to better target some of the financial activities that these cartels are engaging in. You know it's one thing to have our partners at DHS work on stopping the flow of people and drugs, but we can also use our financial tools to go after the money. Because if the money is not flowing back south, then there's less of an incentive to bring the drugs and the guns and some of the illicit activity up to the north. And so we continue to identify the various smuggling rings that are coming in. And since the President took office, we've engaged in five different actions, going after nine different entities for a total of 16 individuals. And what that allows us to do is work with our partners to freeze some of their accounts and take away the money that is funding these activities that are poisoning our kids.

[Cabot Phillips]

Now, there was also this unexpected move against Brinks Global that you guys took. Our audience might know them as the armed trucks that transport cash. You penalize that company for millions of dollars. How and why?

[John Bickley]

Right. So what we did is we said that if you're going to be moving money, then you have an obligation to fulfill certain requirements that you identify that you know who your customer is. And so there is a statute called the Bank Secrecy act that requires that if you're going to facilitate transfers of monetary sums, that you need to know who the party is that is receiving this money, that is engaging in this transaction. And so what we did is our, our financial crimes enforcement network, which is called FinCEN, they launched an investigation into how this money was flowing south of the border and found that Brinks had facilitated some of these money transfers without knowing who the parties were that were participating in this transaction. And so we engaged in an enforcement action against them. And we, as you just said, fined them $37 million for not following the requirements that we have for engaging in these money transfers.

[Cabot Phillips]

Now, I wanted to ask you about the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most notorious and violent drug trafficking organ in the entire world. They also operate here in the U.S. of course, you've designated six individuals and seven entities involved in alleged money laundering for that particular cartel. How are you disrupting their operations?

[John Bickley]

So the most important thing that we can do from the treasury side is stop or make a lot more expensive the flow of money. The President made very clear upon coming into office that we were going to take a different approach to the fentanyl poisoning of our kids. And so it's not just that we have heightened our activities here at treasury to apply sanctions to these groups, but the President imposed tariffs on the Mexican government and on products that are coming in from Mexico to elicit participation and cooperation from the Mexican government. And so we are seeing the Mexican government willing to work with us to go after these financial networks that are enriching the cartels as they're engaging in this activity in ways that they previously hadn't. And so it is monitoring the money flows, tracking it down, either putting a complete stop to it and seizing that money, or at the very least, making it a lot more expensive for them to move that money around and try to deter them from engaging in these kinds of actions.

[Cabot Phillips]

It sounds like some clear progress being made in slowing the flow of money and certainly massive progress at the border. Deputy Secretary Falkender, thank you so much for joining us.

[John Bickley]

Great to be with you.

[Cabot Phillips]

The box office for the holiday weekend blew away expectations with Disney's live action, Lilo and Stitch and Paramount's Impossible 8 both setting records to kick off the summer blockbuster season.

[Georgia Howe]

Daily Wire culture reporter Megan Basham is here now with the latest numbers and what they mean for the film industry. So, Megan, what was the story at the box office?

[Tom Cruise]

You know, the story at the box office is that this was just a monster weekend. We saw Lilo and Stitch and also Mission Impossible 8, I think, or Mission Impossible 8, the final reckoning coming in with just huge numbers for what's being called the biggest Memorial Day box office in history. So I just want to run through a few of these numbers with you, Georgia. According to studio estimates, Lilo and Stitch grossed a staggering 183 million domestically. Now that's an all time Disney record for this timeframe. And then if we look at its global haul, we're looking at 342 million. And then meanwhile, we've got Mission Impossible, which brought in a franchise best 77 million domestically and 190 million worldwide. Taken together, Hollywood is hoping that this is going to be a game changer for an industry that has really been looking to get back that pre pandemic momentum. And I know that's something you and I have been talking about, Georgia, for the last couple of years, right?

[Georgia Howe]

So a hugely optimistic moment for Hollywood. Now let's start with the live action remake of Lilo and Stitch. That success really surprised me. Why did it do so well?

[Tom Cruise]

Well, you know, I think in part that this was a lot of nostalgia for millennials and other people who kind of grew up with that version. They stuck very close to the script there.

[John Bickley]

Where is he?

[Michael Faulkender]

He escaped.

[Tom Cruise]

And then you have social media buzz, especially coming from younger women and parents. It's been off the charts. It's got an A CinemaScore. So that's signaling strong word of mouth. And then you look at posts on X that are really capturing this excitement. You're seeing people show up to the theaters in costume in Stitch merch as plushies and turning these screenings into events. And that's really the kind of cultural resonance Disney looks for in its very IP driven strategy.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, speaking of, what about Mission Impossible? Is this proof that Tom Cruise can still pull those big numbers?

[Tom Cruise]

Yeah, absolutely. And I would say he's very much one of the few stars today who still can. While it didn't reach the heights of Lilo and Stitch, Mission Impossible, the final reckoning, is unquestionably a triumph for him. So we've all seen for a while that Cruise's plan seems to be to be a one man chamber of commerce from the film industry. And he's really succeeding in a lot of ways. Mi's opening take beat the previous franchise record set by Mission impossible fallout in 2018 by $14 million. And that's not adjusted for inflation. And then globally it's already at 204 million despite not yet opening in China.

[Georgia Howe]

So taken together, can we see this as evidence that Hollywood is making a comeback?

[Tom Cruise]

Yeah, I would say no doubt. I mean, it's obviously been a shot in the arm for an industry that's been struggling. The 2025 domestic box office is projected to hit 9.5 billion. That's up from 8.7 billion last year. And theater owners are being pretty vocal about needing to get these consistent releases of big franchise films, big blockbusters, in order to see these audiences return to theaters.

[Georgia Howe]

Well, I really hope so. Summer blockbusters are a great tradition, but we have to support the theaters if we want them to keep going. Megan, thanks for reporting.

[Tom Cruise]

Of course, my pleasure.

[Cabot Phillips]

Before you go, we're on YouTube now. Watch and subscribe to the video version on our morning Wire channel. Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back tomorrow morning with more news. You need to know.

[Megan Basham]

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