Trump Buries Epstein & Farm Labor Finds Future | 7.9.25

Summary

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)

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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.

Transcript

[Georgia Howe]

President Trump holds the sixth Cabinet meeting of his second term, taking questions on tariffs, Ukraine and Jeffrey Epstein.

[President Trump]

Are people still talking about this guy, this creep? That is unbelievable.

[Georgia Howe]

I'm Georgia Howe. Jon is off today, but we have Cabot Phillips filling in. It's Wednesday, July 9th, and this is Morning Wire.

[Cabot Phillips]

Six days after the deadly Texas floods, the community wants answers. What failed and who is to blame.

[President Trump]

Didn'T have any alerts until the water.

[Cabot Phillips]

Was already like inside the house.

[Georgia Howe]

And the Trump administration denies any plans for amnesty, but hints at flexibility for illegal immigrant farm and hospitality workers.

[President Trump]

I won the farmers by 92% and I'm not going to be abandoning my farmers. We were strong on the borders, but we're also strong for the farmers.

[Cabot Phillips]

Thanks for waking up with MORNING wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.

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[Georgia Howe]

President Trump offered new details on tariffs, support for Ukraine and Jeffrey Epstein during a wide ranging cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Daily Wire Senior editor Cabot Phillips has more. So Cabot, the president touched on a lot of topics yesterday. Get us up to speed.

[Cabot Phillips]

Well, Cabinet meetings traditionally take place behind closed doors. But on Tuesday, President Trump spent nearly the first two hours of his meeting taking questions from the press for context. That is longer than every single Biden Cabinet meeting combined across all four years of his presidency. The president started by addressing the flooding in Texas, which we'll get to next, and then from there devoted much of his time to discussing his new plan for tariffs.

[Georgia Howe]

Right. So there was a lot of back and forth on tariffs. Where did things land?

[Cabot Phillips]

So first, a quick refresher. Back in April, President Trump announced a 90 day pause on his Liberation Day tariffs, saying he would use that time to knock out deals, but that any country who did not come to the table or would be hit with massive tariffs on July 9. But despite early signs of optimism from our trading partners, the reality is we just have not seen the 90 deals in 90 days that the White House initially promised. To date, the only countries with formal finalized trade deals are the UK And Vietnam. The White House insists that they're approaching the finish line with the eu, India and Cambodia, among others. But they clearly need more time. So on Monday, the President signed an executive order extending the tariff deadline to August 1st. And in an effort to speed up negotiations in the meantime, he sent letters to a dozen plus countries with more on the way, saying that without a deal, they would face enormous tariffs on August 1st, and if they raise rates in response, the US would go even higher. On Tuesday, we heard from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant, who gave details on how much revenue the existing tariffs have already brought in.

[President Trump]

We will take in about $100 billion in tariff income thus far this year, and that's with the tariff, the major tariff not having started until the second quarter. So we could expect that could be well over 300 billion by the end of the year.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, President Trump also offered some new details on his stance with Ukraine. What did he say?

[Cabot Phillips]

So throughout the last six months, the President has started to cut off the amount of support that the US has sent to Ukraine. But with Moscow stepping up their attacks on population centers in Ukraine, and then Putin repeatedly backing out of peace talks, President is making an about face of sorts, announcing that the US Will now resume weapons shipments to Ukraine.

[President Trump]

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.

[Cabot Phillips]

Now, after taking office, Trump initially took more of a good cop approach with Putin, offering him kind words and saying that he was confident the Russian strongman was ready to end the war. But that sentiment is clearly out the window now. Have a listen to what else he said at the Cabinet meeting yesterday.

[President Trump]

A lot of people are dying and it should end. And I don't know, we get, we get, we get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin for. You want to know the truth? He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, pivoting a little bit, he also made some comments that turned a lot of heads regarding Jeffrey Epstein.

[Cabot Phillips]

Yes.

[Georgia Howe]

What did he say there?

[Cabot Phillips]

This answer went very viral. So for context, as we talked about yesterday, the Trump administration Essential closed their case on Epstein this week, saying he was not murdered, did not have a client list, and did not blackmail powerful individuals. And given how much this story has dominated the headlines, it wasn't a surprise he was asked about it, but it was a surprise how he responded. Have a listen.

[President Trump]

Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy's been talked about for years. You're asking. We have Texas, we have this, we have all of the things. And are people still talking about this guy, this creep? That is unbelievable. Do you want to waste the time and do you feel like answering? I don't mind answering. I mean, I can't believe you're asking a question, Epstein at a time like this.

[Cabot Phillips]

Now, that response, it's worth noting, angered a lot of people, including many people in his base, who highlighted comments from Trump himself on the campaign trail, where he vowed to provide total transparency on the evidence regarding Epstein. The White House appears to be hoping this issue will go away. There's no doubt a lot of folks find the official explanation hard to believe and want to see more for themselves.

[Georgia Howe]

Yeah, people are not going to let this just go. I don't think.

[Cabot Phillips]

Seems that way.

[Georgia Howe]

Cabot, thanks for reporting.

[Cabot Phillips]

Absolutely.

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[Cabot Phillips]

While rescue and recovery operations continue in Texas, some are already asking why communities were so unprepared for this disaster. Tragedy that's killed over 100 people with many still missing, has left officials to face tough questions.

[Georgia Howe]

Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce is here to talk about the fallout from the Texas floods. So Tim, let's start with the recovery efforts. Where do things stand now?

[Tim Pierce]

Yeah, despite all the blame that is sure to be passed around, it's important to remember that the tragedy is still fresh and still going on. For many people are still missing and searches are taking place all over Central Texas. Weather has definitely made that more difficult. Rains and flash flood warnings have hindered progress and officials have had to not only look out for the missing, but also protect the emergency responders and volunteers that have joined the search crews near rivers. Texas Governor Greg Abbott gave an update on the situation on the ground yesterday. Here's what he said.

[President Trump]

Just in the Kerr county area alone, there are 161 people who are known to be missing.

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[President Trump]

We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for. Know this. Also, there very likely could be more added to that list.

[Georgia Howe]

Now there have been a lot of questions asked about what more could have been done to save lives. Where is the blame being pointed right now?

[Cabot Phillips]

Right.

[Tim Pierce]

Press conferences have started to become a little bit testy. You've got local and national news reporters pushing officials to answer pretty pointed questions. In some cases that's caused blow ups like this one from the Kerrville County Sheriff's press conference.

[Cabot Phillips]

Sir, I think that the community here is asking these questions. What happened?

[President Trump]

When did it happen?

[Cabot Phillips]

Was the emergency manager awake at the time? Did they push the button to issue an emergency alert?

[President Trump]

Sir, it's not that easy when you just push a button.

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[President Trump]

There's a lot more to that and we've told you several times. Did it happen? I can't tell you at this time.

[Tim Pierce]

Kerrville City manager had a few more answers for reporters on Tuesday. He talked about the thought process behind the emergency response and why the location and the type of disaster the made this response so difficult.

[Cabot Phillips]

There's been the other question.

[President Trump]

I'll just give this one out. Evacuations well, why don't we evacuate?

[Amanda Prestige Giacomo]

Well, evacuation is a delicate balance because if you evacuate too late, you then.

[President Trump]

Risk putting buses, you know, or cars.

[Amanda Prestige Giacomo]

Or vehicles or campers on roads into.

[President Trump]

Low water areas trying to get them.

[Amanda Prestige Giacomo]

Out, which then can make it even more challenging because these flash flood floods happen very quickly.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, what about the criticism that the National Weather Service was understaffed?

[Tim Pierce]

Texas Senator Ted Cruz took some questions on that.

[President Trump]

I think there have been some eager to, to point at the National Weather Service and say cuts there led to, to a lack of warning. I think that's contradicted by the facts. And if you look at the facts in particular, number one, that these warnings went out hours before the flood became a true emergency level. But number two, the National Weather Service here, New Braunfels is where they were headquartered. They had additional manpower. In fact, they had three additional people working that night anticipating that it was going to be a very dangerous weather situation.

[Tim Pierce]

Important to note that even the NWC union, which has been very critical of cuts to the agency, says it does not believe the cuts made the weather service less prepared to handle this disaster.

[Georgia Howe]

So we have heard that some counties have been very successful with early warning systems. Is that something that these counties are now looking into?

[Tim Pierce]

Kerr county actually looked into getting a siren system a few years ago for situations exactly like this, but the idea never went anywhere because it was deemed too costly. Now, the state government may step up to pay for the system if the local government can't. Here's Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick on Fox News on Monday.

[President Trump]

Had we had sirens along this area up and down, it's possible that that would have saved some of these lives. And so if the city can't afford it, then the state will step up and we need to have these in place by the next summer.

[Georgia Howe]

Well, hopefully this tragedy will inspire some of these local officials to get a system in place. Tim, thanks for reporting.

[Tim Pierce]

Thanks for having me.

[Georgia Howe]

The Trump administration is again signaling a shift on how it's addressing illegal immigration in the farm industry.

[Cabot Phillips]

Here with the details is Amanda Prestige Giacomo. Hey, Amanda. So there's been a bit of back and forth on this topic. Where does the Trump administration stand right now with regard to immigration raids on farms?

[Amanda Prestige Giacomo]

Yeah. So currently ICE does have the go ahead from DHS to continue worksite raids on farms to sweep for illegal immigrants. That directive was issued in mid June, soon after the administration said that there would actually be a pause on those raids as well as raids at hotels and restaurants. Now, while that directive to continue these raids does still stand we are getting signals from the administration and Trump himself that there will be some nuance here when it comes to deportations related to farm labor. In particular, here's President Trump alongside Florida Governor Ron DeSantis talking to the press earlier this month about protecting farmers and empowering them with some of these decisions related to illegal immigrant workers.

[President Trump]

And hotel workers and various other people. And we're working on it right now. And Ron's going to be involved and you're going to involved already. So we have a case where a lot of cases where ICE will go into a farm and these are guys working there for 10, 15 years, no problem. The farmers know them. We're going to put it's called farmer responsibility or owner responsibility, where they're going to be largely responsible for these people. And they know these people, they've worked on the farms for 15 years and all of a sudden. So I have a great. Rhondas Christie does. We have a great feeling for the farmer and for others in the same position. And we're going to give them responsibility for people and we're going to have a system of signing them up so they don't have to go, they can be here legally.

[Amanda Prestige Giacomo]

And here's Trump echoing that message just days ago at a rally. And interestingly, he does reference potential backlash from what he calls his radical right supporters.

[President Trump]

We're going to put you in charge. We're going to make you responsible. And I think that that's going to make a lot of people happy now, serious radical right people who I also happen to like a lot. They may not be quite as happy, but they'll understand, won't they?

[Amanda Prestige Giacomo]

Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olihan was able to ask Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins just yesterday about illegal immigrant farm hands. Rollins made clear that there would be no mass amnesty, though she did say the administration will be handling these deportations strategically to avoid any food supply issues.

[Georgia Howe]

To your question about mass deportations, the president and I have spoken about that once or twice and he has always been of the mindset that at the end of the day, the promise to America to ensure that we have a 100% American workforce stands. But we must be strategic in how we are implementing the mass deportation so as not to compromise our food supply. So no amnesty under any circumstances. Mass deportations continue, but in a strategic and intentional way as we move our workforce toward more automation and toward a 100, 100% American workforce.

[Amanda Prestige Giacomo]

Now, back in mid June, Rollins expressed her full commitment to the America first agenda. But she did say that deportations were going to be prioritized in a way to avoid, quote, severe disruptions to our food supply. Now for some context on that, some reports, mostly out of California, said that illegal immigrant farm laborers stopped showing up to work out of fear of deportation and crops had gone unharvested. One report cited numerous farm supervisors who said that the number of workers dropped dramatically since raid started in California. So instead of 300 workers, one supervisor said there were only 80 people who showed up. Another saw a drop from 80 workers to 17. All told, it's estimated that about 40 to 50% of crop farm workers are here illegally or without proper work authorization.

[Cabot Phillips]

Well, a lot of people will be keeping a close eye on how the Trump administration handles this issue. Amanda, thanks so much for reporting.

[Amanda Prestige Giacomo]

You're welcome.

[Georgia Howe]

Thanks for waking up with us. And if you're watching on YouTube, please like and subscribe. We'll be back later this evening with more news. You need to know.

[Cabot Phillips]

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