Trump-Putin Phone Call & DOGE Hearing | 2.13.25

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary: Trump-Putin Phone Call & DOGE Hearing (Episode 2.13.25)

In the February 13, 2025 episode of Morning Wire, hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe delve into pivotal political events shaping the current landscape. The episode covers a significant phone call between former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed at ending the prolonged war in Ukraine, the inaugural hearing of the House Subcommittee on Delivering Government Efficiency (DOGE), the triumphant return of Mark Fogel, an American wrongfully detained in Russia, and key confirmations within Trump's Cabinet. Below is a detailed summary of the episode's key discussions, complete with notable quotes and timestamps.

---

Trump-Putin Phone Call: A Step Towards Ending the Ukraine War

Georgia Howe kicks off the episode by announcing a groundbreaking development:

"Trump and Putin agree to begin negotiations to end the nearly three-year war in Ukraine."
[00:03]

John Bickley emphasizes the urgency of the situation:

"We want to end that war. That war is a disaster."
[00:09]

Tim Rice, Daily Wire Deputy Managing Editor, elaborates on the details of the phone call:

"Trump shared that he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since returning to the White House. According to Trump, their call was lengthy and highly productive... Trump said Putin agreed with him that the war with Ukraine needed to end and that the US and Russia will immediately begin negotiations to end the war."
[02:21]

White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt reassures the public:

"They were very positive, and the administration is wholeheartedly committed to a peace deal to end once and for all the Russia, Ukraine, war."
[03:06]

John Bickley discusses the conditions set by Trump for U.S. aid:

"We're getting security on our money. We're going to have it secured by raw earth, and they have oil and gas and they have a lot of other things, and we're asking for security in our money. Ukraine has agreed to it now."
[03:53]

Tim Rice highlights Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's response:

"He said that his conversation with Trump was meaningful and that they discussed opportunities to achieve peace and ways that Ukraine and the United States could work together in mutually beneficial ways."
[04:08]

The episode underscores the potential shift towards negotiation over total military victory, noting Zelenskyy's openness to a land swap deal to facilitate peace.

---

DOGE Hearing: Battling Government Waste Amidst Partisan Tensions

The focus shifts to the DOGE Committee's first hearing in Washington:

Cabot Phillips introduces the segment:

"Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips is here with the highlights from the fiery hearing."
[05:03]

Marjorie Taylor Greene, Chair of the DOGE Committee, makes a strong opening statement:

"I believe enslaving our nation in debt is one of the biggest betrayals against the American its own elected government. The American people's anger over this betrayal is what gave birth to the concept of doge, the Department of Government Efficiency."
[05:44]

The hearing aimed to uncover government fraud and inefficiency, with testimonies such as:

Heywood Talkov, CEO of LexisNexis, on potential savings:

"You can save $1 trillion a year."
[06:17]

However, the hearing quickly became a battleground over Elon Musk, drawing sharp criticism from Democrats:

Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett expresses distrust:

"I'm upset about the guy that runs Twitter who for sure is doing nefarious things because I don't understand if you are trying to conduct audits and figure out where the waste, fraud and abuse is. I don't know why you would go to some tech guy."
[06:54]

Rep. Robert Garcia escalates the tension with graphic presentations:

"In the last Congress, Chairwoman Greene literally showed a pic in our oversight Congressional hearing, so I thought I'd bring one as well. Now this, of course we know is President Elon Musk. He's also the world's richest man."
[07:10]

In response, Republicans defend Musk's role and point to other unelected officials accused by Democrats:

"Where were they whenever Fauci was forcing vaccine and mask mandates... Alejandro Mayorkas was facilitating the invasion of our country by illegal aliens?"
[07:39]
[07:10]

Kevin summarizes the situation:

"All right, so clearly going scorched earth here."
[09:13]

Tim Rice concurs, noting the aggressive approach:

"Yeah."
[09:15]

The episode highlights the intensified political maneuvering within the DOGE Committee, reflecting broader partisan divides.

---

Welcome Home Mark Fogel: A Humanitarian Victory

The episode takes an emotional turn with the return of Mark Fogel, a wrongfully detained American teacher in Russia:

Cabot Phillips introduces the story:

"Mark Fogle exited the plane with an American flag draped around his shoulders and literally kissed the ground after setting foot on US soil."
[09:58]

Cassie Akiva, Daily Wire reporter, provides background:

"Mark is a 63-year-old teacher who was living in Moscow teaching diplomats' children at the Anglo American School when he was arrested for possession of marijuana... sentenced to 14 years in the Rubinsk Penal Colony."
[10:33]

John Bickley shares Fogel's heartfelt gratitude:

"I want you to know that I am not a hero in this at all. President Trump is a hero... I love one person who could be president has. And that's a lot further than you've gotten in three years right now."
[13:02]

The story underscores the Trump administration's commitment to repatriating wrongfully detained Americans, drawing parallels to the Brittney Griner case.

---

Confirmation of Trump’s Cabinet Picks

The podcast also covers significant confirmations within Trump's Cabinet:

Kevin announces Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation:

"Trump's pick for Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, was officially confirmed by the Senate in a 5,248 vote."
[09:21]

With Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. anticipated to follow suit later in the day, the episode highlights the GOP's unified support for Trump's appointments:

"He's expected to win confirmation as well."
[09:50]

This segment emphasizes the consolidation of Trump's influence within the federal government.

---

Additional Developments: Legal Actions on Immigration Enforcement

In a brief update, Attorney General Pam Bondi announces a lawsuit against New York State officials for obstructing federal immigration enforcement:

"She's suing New York State and several of its key officials for thwarting federal immigration enforcement."
[14:15]

This move signifies ongoing tensions between federal and state authorities over immigration policies.

---

Conclusion

The Morning Wire episode provides a comprehensive overview of significant political events, from high-stakes international negotiations to intense domestic governmental reforms. John Bickley and Georgia Howe deliver insightful analysis, enriched with notable quotes and precise timestamps, ensuring that listeners are well-informed about the latest developments in politics, culture, education, and more. Whether discussing the potential end of the Ukraine war, the contentious DOGE hearing, the heartfelt return of an American detainee, or crucial Cabinet confirmations, this episode encapsulates the dynamic and often tumultuous nature of current affairs.

---

Transcript

[Georgia Howe]

Trump and Putin agree to begin negotiations to end the nearly three year war in Ukraine.

[John Bickley]

We want to end that war. That war is a disaster.

[Cabot Phillips]

Could this be a turning point in the conflict? And how is Ukraine's president reacting?

[Georgia Howe]

I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire editor in chief John Bickley. It's Thursday, February 13th, and this is Morning Wire. The two parties duel over Doge in its first hearing on the Hill with Republicans decrying waste and Democrats railing against Musk. We will fight the war on waste.

[Marjorie Taylor Greene]

Shoulder to shoulder with President Trump, Elon.

[Georgia Howe]

Musk and the Doge team.

[Marjorie Taylor Greene]

If an unelected, unvetted individual, private citizen is hacking our government systems, breaking the law, we are going to fight you in the courts.

[Cabot Phillips]

And the years long nightmare of a Pennsylvan, Pennsylvania teacher, wrongfully held prisoner in Russia finally comes to an end with a White House welcome home.

[John Bickley]

Knowing I had the support of my fellow Pennsylvanians, my family, my friends, it brought me to my knees and it brought me to tears.

[Georgia Howe]

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

[Brandon]

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[Cabot Phillips]

Just hours after welcoming freed Russian prisoner Mark Fogel to the White House, President Donald Trump made some major announcements about Ukraine and Russia.

[Georgia Howe]

Here to unpack what Trump said and what it means for the war is Daily Wire deputy Managing editor Tim Rice. So, Tim, a lot of news coming out about Russia just the past few days. First, tell us about Trump's announcement yesterday afternoon.

[Tim Rice]

Yeah, Georgia, Trump shared that he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since returning to the White House. According to Trump, their call was lengthy and highly productive. And in a truth social post, Trump said that he and Putin discussed Ukraine, the Middle east, energy and artificial intelligence, as well as the history of American Russian relations. Trump said Putin agreed with him that the war with Ukraine needed to end and that the US And Russia will immediately begin negotiations to end the war. Hours later, it was announced that the two planned to meet at a later date, possibly in Saudi Arabia. And Trump made clear that he would begin negotiations by speaking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. That conversation actually happened shortly after Trump's initial statement. As White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt noted during Wednesday's briefing, they were very good calls.

[Marjorie Taylor Greene]

They were very positive, and the administration is wholeheartedly committed to a peace deal to end once and for all the Russia, Ukraine, war.

[Tim Rice]

Levitt also rebuffed the idea that Trump and Putin were negotiating as allies, saying that, quote, this nation views Putin and Russia as a great competitor in the region, at times an adversary. Still, the thaw in relations between the US And Russia has sparked concerns that Kyiv and Zelenskyy will be frozen out of future peace negotiations. That said, Trump promised to work closely with both Putin and Zelenskyy to bring a swift end to the war. And he said his approach to this issue, like any other issue, would be governed by the twin poles of common sense and America first. Trump spoke to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday afternoon and addressed his negotiation efforts, including requiring Ukraine to secure the US Aid loans.

[John Bickley]

We're getting security on our money. We're going to have it secured by raw earth, and they have oil and gas and they have a lot of other things, and we're asking for security in our money. Ukraine has agreed to it now.

[Georgia Howe]

Has Zelensky responded to this?

[Tim Rice]

He has, and he actually seemed to take it pretty well. He said that his conversation with Trump was meaningful and that they discussed opportunities to achieve peace and ways that Ukraine and the United States could work together in mutually beneficial ways. And separately from all this, it seems like Zelenskyy is coming around to the notion that the war with Russia will end in negotiation, not total victory. Earlier this week, he proposed the land swap deal between Ukraine and Russia as a first step to ending the war. It's unclear exactly what that will look like because Russia occupies about 20% of Ukraine, while Ukraine occupies around 500 square kilometers of Russia. But still, it's a sign that Zelenskyy is willing to come to the negotiating table, something he may soon have to do thanks to Trump.

[Georgia Howe]

While this is potentially a huge development, Tim, thanks for reporting.

[Tim Rice]

Anytime.

[Georgia Howe]

On Wednesday, the House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, or doge, held its first hearing in Washington.

[Cabot Phillips]

Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips is here with the highlights from the fiery hearing. Hey, Cabot. So, some remarkable moments yesterday on the Hill. Get us up to speed.

[Kevin]

Yeah. Shortly after President Trump's victory, House Republicans announced the formation of a new committee that would partner with the Department of Government Efficiency to, quote, identify and investigate the waste, corruption and useless parts of our federal government. Think of the committee as the congressional arm of Musk's Doge Department, which isn't technically a government agency. On Wednesday, the Doge Committee held their inaugural hearing, which Chair Marjorie Taylor Greene said marked the launch of their war on waste. In her opening statement, Greene made the case for doge, highlighting America's $36 trillion debt crisis.

[Marjorie Taylor Greene]

I believe enslaving our nation in debt is one of the biggest betrayals against the American its own elected government. The American people's anger over this betrayal is what gave birth to the concept of doge, the Department of Government Efficiency.

[Kevin]

Throughout the afternoon, Republicans called witnesses to give details on the scope of government fraud and abuse. For example, here's Heywood Talkov, the CEO of LexisNexis, talking about how much money could be saved by implementing new identity verification technology.

[John Bickley]

You can save $1 trillion a year.

[Kevin]

By simply putting in front end identity verification, eliminating self certification, and monitoring the back end of the programs that are providing the benefits. Now. The hearing was originally intended to focus on ways for both parties to work together and cut government waste. But it quickly devolved into a debate over Elon Musk. Democrat after Democrat used their time to slam Musk, saying he was an unelected bureaucrat who was just using his newfound power to enrich himself and other billionaires. For example, here's Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.

[Marjorie Taylor Greene]

I'm upset about the guy that runs Twitter who for sure is doing nefarious things because I don't understand if you are trying to conduct audits and figure out where the waste, fraud and abuse is. I don't know why you would go to some tech guy.

[Kevin]

And then there was Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia, who said he would display a D pic. I'll let you fill in what D stands for. He then held up a large poster board of Elon Musk's face. Yes, you heard that right.

[Brandon]

In the last Congress, Chairwoman Greene literally showed a pic in our oversight Congressional hearing, so I thought I'd bring one as well. Now this, of course we know is President Elon Musk. He's also the world's richest man.

[Kevin]

So for context there, Garcia is referring to the Hunter Biden investigation when Marjorie Taylor Greene displayed graphic photos of the President's son engaging in drug use and other illegal activity with prostitutes. For their part, Republicans pushed back on criticism of Musk, saying Democrats had no problem with, quote, unelected bureaucrats having power when that power was being used for other purposes. Where were they whenever their God, Anthony.

[Tim Rice]

Fauci, was forcing vaccine and mask mandates.

[Kevin]

On the American people for four years? Where were they whenever unelected Alejandro Mayorkas was facilitating the invasion of our country by illegal aliens?

[Cabot Phillips]

So this hearing comes as President Trump has given Doge new powers. Tell us about that.

[Kevin]

Yeah. When Doge was first announced, there were some who thought it would be more of a symbolic gesture. But it's abundantly clear now that President Trump is serious about empowering Musk to treat the federal government like a business and root out waste. To that point. The two met in the Oval Office this week, where Trump signed a new executive order that will force federal agencies to comply with Doge's efforts to cut their existing workforces and limit the number of future hires. Specifically, the order says that federal agencies may only hire one new employee for every four who are going out the door. In addition, the order will install a new Doge team lead within each federal agency. That person will be given oversight over hiring and firing decisions. According to the text, agency heads are ordered to, quote, promptly undertake preparations to. To initiate large scale reductions in force consistent with applicable law.

[Cabot Phillips]

All right, so clearly going scorched earth here.

[Tim Rice]

Yeah.

[Cabot Phillips]

Now, before you go, one more story from Washington. The confirmation of Trump's Cabinet. What's the latest there?

[Kevin]

Well, on Wednesday, Trump's pick for Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, was officially confirmed by the Senate in a 5,248 vote. The lone dissenter among Republicans was former Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. This, again is a huge win for Trump, as Gabard was initially viewed as the nominee with the lowest odds of confirmation. And it just further underscores how united this GOP is around the President. Up next will be Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Who will be voted on today. He's expected to win confirmation as well.

[Cabot Phillips]

Yeah, another big one. And the prospects are looking good for him. Kevin, thanks for reporting.

[Kevin]

Anytime.

[Georgia Howe]

Since President Trump took office 23 days ago, his administration has been fighting to bring home wrongfully detained Americans. Late Tuesday night, Trump welcomed Mark Fogle to the White House. Fogle is an American teacher who had been wrongly detained in a Russian prison for over three years.

[Cabot Phillips]

Daily Wire reporter Cassie Akiva is here now with this story. Hey, Cassie. So you've been closely tracking this for months now and have been in touch with the Fogle family, particularly Mark's mother, Malfein, before we get to his release. This has really taken a toll on the Fogle family. What has this been like for them?

[Marjorie Taylor Greene]

Sure. So this has been a three and a half year nightmare for the family that started in August of 2021. For those of you who have not been tracking this, mark is a 63 year old teacher who was living in Moscow teaching diplomats children at the Anglo American School when he was arrested for possession of marijuana. He had 17 grams of marijuana on him which had been prescribed by an American doctor for chronic pain. He was convicted in 2022 and sentenced to 14 years in the Rubinsk Penal Colony. His family has been desperate to get him out.

[Cabot Phillips]

All right, so very similar to the Brittney Griner situation.

[Marjorie Taylor Greene]

Yeah, extremely similar. But Fogle did not receive the same attention even though he was actually arrested about six months before her. Instead, the family was repeatedly met with stonewalling from the previous administration. As we reported at the time, when Mark was passed over in Biden's prisoner exchange last August, he sunk into a depression. Here's heartbreaking audio we obtained of his phone call with Vicki Eisman, a spokesperson for Free Mark Fogel.

[John Bickley]

It's hard, but you need to have faith in us. And I think we knew this administration is just not going to be there for you. I don't know why, but regardless of the fact there will be a new administration. Hold on, please hold on. You won't even mention my name, Vicki? Well, one person, they can't even say my name. I love one person who could be president has. And that's a lot further than you've gotten in three years right now.

[Cabot Phillips]

Trump famously reached out to the family last year. What can you tell us about their meeting?

[Marjorie Taylor Greene]

Yes, he did. Trump met with Mark's mother, Malfean, at his Butler, Pennsylvania rally where moments later he was shot by a would be assassin. His mom was actually set to take to the stage before the shooting.

[John Bickley]

He wanted to know all about Mark. You know, he asked me a couple times how long he had been there and why and I gave him all the details and he said, if I get in, I will get him out. And he pointed his thumb up towards the sky. He seemed very sincere and I told him he had to remember Mark's name.

[Marjorie Taylor Greene]

Trump quickly worked to keep his promise to bring Mark home. Fogle exited the plane with an American flag draped around his shoulders and literally kissed the ground after setting foot on US soil. This all culminated with him being welcomed home at the White House Tuesday night by President Trump himself.

[John Bickley]

I want you to know that I am not a hero in this at all. President Trump is a hero. These men that came from the diplomatic service are heroes. The senators and representatives that pass legislation in my honor to get me home are the heroes. He's got a great mother. And when I saw the mother at a rally, she said, would you, if you win, will you get my son out? And I promise, she's 95 years old, and we'll get him out. And we got him out pretty quickly.

[Cabot Phillips]

Just an incredible emotional moment. You can feel his overwhelming relief. And wonderful to hear his mother being shouted out for her endurance in all this. What a week for the Fogle family. I can't imagine. Cassie, thank you so much for tracking this story and reporting for us.

[Marjorie Taylor Greene]

Thank you.

[Cabot Phillips]

Another story we're tracking this week. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Wednesday that she's suing New York State and several of its key officials for thwarting federal immigration enforcement. Included on her list are Governor Kathy Hochul, state AG Letitia James, and DMV chief Mark Schroeder.

[Georgia Howe]

Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back later this afternoon with more news you need to know.