Morning Wire Podcast Summary
Episode: Trump Buries Epstein & Farm Labor Finds Future | 07.09.25
Release Date: July 9, 2025
Host: Georgia Howe
Guest: Cabot Phillips (Filling in for Jon)

1. President Trump's Cabinet Meeting Overview

Tariffs and Trade Policies

In the June Cabinet meeting, President Trump focused extensively on the United States' trade policies, particularly tariffs. President Trump addressed the media for nearly two hours, a duration surpassing all of President Biden's Cabinet meetings over his four-year term.

• Tariff Extensions and Negotiations

  President Trump recounted the initial strategy announced in April, where a 90-day pause on tariffs was implemented to negotiate new trade deals. However, with limited progress—only the UK and Vietnam finalizing agreements—the deadline was extended to August 1st. Trump emphasized the administration's commitment to farmers, stating, "I won the farmers by 92% and I'm not going to be abandoning my farmers" (02:18).

• Revenue from Tariffs

  Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant provided insights into the financial impact of the tariffs, with President Trump highlighting, "We will take in about $100 billion in tariff income thus far this year... we could expect that could be well over 300 billion by the end of the year" (03:44).

Support for Ukraine

President Trump's stance on Ukraine shifted in response to increased aggression from Moscow. Initially adopting a conciliatory approach, Trump now announced a reversal, committing to resume weapons shipments to Ukraine.

• Defensive Measures

  "We want to put defensive weapons because Putin is not, he's not treating human beings right. He's killing too many people. So we're sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine, and I've approved that," Trump declared (04:06).

• Evolving Relationship with Putin

  The President acknowledged the deterioration of his previously positive remarks about Putin: "A lot of people are dying and it should end... he's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless" (04:53).

Jeffrey Epstein Remarks

The topic of Jeffrey Epstein resurfaced during the meeting, drawing significant attention due to his controversial history.

• Dismissive Response

  When questioned about Epstein, Trump responded strongly: "Are people still talking about this guy, this creep? That is unbelievable... I can't believe you're asking a question, Epstein at a time like this" (05:36). This reaction sparked criticism, especially from his base who expected greater transparency on the matter.

2. Texas Floods and Recovery Efforts

Current Situation and Response

The episode delves into the aftermath of the devastating floods in Texas, which resulted in over 100 fatalities and numerous missing persons. Recovery operations remain ongoing, with challenging weather conditions hampering search efforts.

• Governor's Statement

  Governor Greg Abbott provided updates, emphasizing the severity of the situation: "Just in the Kerr county area alone, there are 161 people who are known to be missing... We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for" (08:24).

Criticism on Preparedness

Questions have arisen regarding the lack of early warnings and adequate preparation for such disasters.

• Emergency Alert System Failures

  Press has scrutinized the delay in emergency alerts. Trump addressed these concerns, stating, "Sir, it's not that easy when you just push a button... there's a lot more to that and we've told you several times" (09:14).

• National Weather Service Staffing

  Despite criticisms about understaffing, Trump defended the National Weather Service's preparedness: "These warnings went out hours before the flood became a true emergency level... they had three additional people working that night anticipating that it was going to be a very dangerous weather situation" (10:02).

Future Preventative Measures

Discussions highlighted the potential implementation of siren systems to enhance early warnings in vulnerable counties.

• Siren Systems Proposal

  Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick emphasized the importance of sirens: "Had we had sirens along this area up and down, it's possible that that would have saved some of these lives... We need to have these in place by the next summer" (11:13).

3. Trump Administration's Shift on Farm Labor Immigration

Current Immigration Policies

The administration maintains its directive for ICE to continue worksite raids on farms, targeting illegal immigrants. However, recent signals indicate a nuanced approach to deportations, especially concerning long-term farm workers.

• Policy Adjustments

  President Trump announced a strategy to involve farmers in managing illegal immigrant workers: "We're going to put it's called farmer responsibility or owner responsibility, where they're going to be largely responsible for these people... So I have a great feeling for the farmer and for others in the same position" (12:38).

• Strategic Deportations

  Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins clarified that while mass amnesty is off the table, deportations will be handled strategically to prevent disruptions in the food supply: "No amnesty under any circumstances. Mass deportations continue, but in a strategic and intentional way" (14:04).

Impacts on Agriculture

The crackdown has already affected farm operations, particularly in California, where raids have led to significant reductions in available labor.

• Labor Shortages

  Reports indicate a sharp decline in farm workers post-raids, with some supervisors noting a drop from 300 to 80 workers, and further down to 17 in certain instances.

• Future Workforce Strategies

  The administration is pushing towards automation and establishing a purely American workforce to mitigate such issues in the future.

Conclusion

This episode of Morning Wire provided a comprehensive overview of President Trump's recent cabinet meeting, covering critical topics such as tariffs, support for Ukraine, and controversial remarks on Jeffrey Epstein. Additionally, it addressed the ongoing recovery efforts in Texas following catastrophic floods and examined the administration's evolving stance on farm labor immigration. Through detailed reporting and notable quotes, listeners gained insights into the current political landscape and the administration's strategies to navigate complex challenges.

Notable Quotes:

• President Trump on Tariffs: "I won the farmers by 92% and I'm not going to be abandoning my farmers." (02:50)
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant: "We will take in about $100 billion in tariff income thus far this year... well over 300 billion by the end of the year." (03:44)
• President Trump on Ukraine: "We want to put defensive weapons because Putin is not, he's not treating human beings right." (04:06)
• President Trump on Epstein: "Are people still talking about this guy, this creep? That is unbelievable." (05:36)
• Governor Greg Abbott: "We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for." (08:24)
• Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick: "We need to have these [sirens] in place by the next summer." (11:13)
• President Trump on Farm Immigration: "We're going to put it's called farmer responsibility or owner responsibility, where they're going to be largely responsible for these people." (12:38)

This summary provides a detailed and structured overview of the key discussions and insights from the Morning Wire podcast episode, ensuring that listeners receive a comprehensive understanding of the topics covered.