Morning Wire | Trump Scores Legal Win & Texas Abortion Pill Pushback | 8.22.25

Hosts: John Bickley & Georgia Howe
Date: August 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Morning Wire covers three major news developments: a major legal victory for former President Donald Trump in New York, increasing state-level pushback against abortion pill distribution, and the escalation of deportations and immigration enforcement in the U.S. The hosts are joined by Daily Wire reporters and expert guests to break down these stories, analyze implications, and provide insights into the shifting political and legal landscape.

1. Trump’s Legal Victory in New York

Segment Start: 02:33

Key Points

• Background: Trump faced a $465 million civil fraud penalty in a case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleging he inflated net worth for better loan and insurance terms.
• Appellate Ruling: A New York appeals court threw out the penalty, calling it excessive and unconstitutional.
• Ongoing Legal Process: While the fine is vacated, the court process is not over; further appeals are likely.
• Political and Business Repercussions: The court rejected the idea that Trump's business should be destroyed for the alleged actions.
• Attorney General Response: Letitia James is expected to continue legal efforts, claiming at least a partial judicial vindication.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Excessive Penalty:
  “It means that the hundreds of millions of dollars that he was supposed to pay to Letitia James, he no longer has to pay. That is vacated completely... but the amount is wiped off.”
  — Ilya Shapiro, 03:35

• Judicial Rebuke of Political Motives:
  “Letitia James’ ultimate goal was not market hygiene, but political hygiene, ending with a derailment of President Trump’s political career and the destruction of his real estate business.”
  — Cabot Phillips quoting Judge David Friedman, 04:35

• Trump’s Response:
  Trump called it a “total victory in the fake New York State Attorney General Letitia James case” and a “political witch hunt in a business sense the likes of which no one has ever seen before.” (03:58)

• Next Steps:
  “This ruling allows Trump the option of taking the initial fraud ruling to New York’s highest court on appeal, where they could seek to have the entire case thrown out.”
  — Cabot Phillips, 05:27

• Strategic Outlook:
  “I imagine the Trump team wants to run out the clock... at a certain point... the business interests involved have been sold and resold and sliced and diced...”
  — Ilya Shapiro, 05:44

Timestamps

• Trump’s Legal Win Announced: 02:33
• Detailed Legal Explanation: 02:54–06:38

2. Texas & Abortion Pill Pushback

Segment Start: 07:17

Key Points

• Texas Targeting Providers:
  Texas AG Ken Paxton is issuing cease-and-desist letters to organizations shipping abortion pills into Texas, threatening lawsuits to enforce state law even against out-of-state actors.
• Legislation in the Works:
  Texas considering a bill allowing individuals to sue manufacturers and distributors in other states, potentially testing the limits of ‘shield laws’ meant to protect providers elsewhere.
• Broader Legal Uncertainty:
  Legal experts suggest national implications and anticipate Supreme Court involvement.
• Tennessee’s Angle:
  Sen. Marsha Blackburn urging DOJ to investigate whether manufacturers misled the FDA about the risks of abortion pills, citing new studies showing significantly higher risks.
• Retailer Actions:
  Costco ends sale of mifepristone in all its pharmacies, while pro-life groups push CVS and Walgreens to do the same. Walgreens will not sell in litigation-prone states.
• Democrat Response:
  States like California and New York vow to shield providers and urge FDA to ease restrictions rather than tighten them.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Legal Reach Concerns:
  “That is a national implication. And there are plenty of legal questions about whether or not a state can do that.”
  — Jessica Levinson, 08:36

• Retailer Reaction – Costco’s Move:
  “Costco is where you go to buy in bulk, not to buy pills or death in a bottle. And so this is a major victory for pro life Americans... because Costco has chosen not to sell these deadly pills and to actually do what they do best, which is actually help families.”
  — Lila Rose, 10:51 (Live Action)

• Pro-Life Pressures:
  “Pro life groups are trying to bring the same kind of pressure to bear on other stores like CVS and Walgreens. But so far, both retailers say they are going to continue carrying the pill... Walgreens will not do so in states that are threatening lawsuits.”
  — Megan Basham, 11:24

Timestamps

• Abortion Pills in Texas and Tennessee: 07:17–09:45
• Retailer & Political Responses: 09:45–11:45

3. Deportations Surge & Immigration Enforcement

Segment Start: 11:54

Key Points

• Deportation Numbers:
  Daily deportations now near 1,500, with ICE arrests dipping below 1,000/day (from 1,200/day in June). Detention populating at nearly 60,000.
• New Detention Centers:
  New centers opened across the U.S., including private and state-cooperative facilities like Alligator Alcatraz (Florida) and Cornhusker Clink (Nebraska).
• International Cooperation:
  More countries, including Uganda, agreeing to accept deported non-violent illegal aliens.
• Urban Enforcement Impact:
  In D.C., after Trump ‘takes over’ city law enforcement, nearly half of recent arrests are of illegal aliens. Other cities, like Boston and L.A., are strongly resisting federal enforcement, with local officials backing sanctuary policies.
• Public and Political Pushback:
  Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and others denounce the federal crackdown as being out of touch with their communities, while ICE officials hold firm.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Difference from Obama Era:
  “The Obama era deportations really consisted of aliens arrested at the border and turned back. In Trump’s case, the border has been effectively closed… so the current numbers really reflect people arrested in the interior and sent out of the country.”
  — Tim Pierce, 12:13

• Boston Mayor’s Response:
  "To all the federal officials attacking communities that embody diversity, creativity and moral clarity... You are wrong on the law and you are wrong on safety. Most of all, you are wrong on cities.”
  — Megan Basham quoting Mayor Michelle Wu, 14:24

• ICE Official’s Rebuttal:
  “The men and women of ICE are not backing down. Unlike Mayor Wu, I was born and raised in Massachusetts. I grew up in Boston and I know what a safe Boston looks like and this isn’t it.”
  — Patricia Hyde, Boston ICE director, 14:55

Timestamps

• Deportations Update: 11:54–13:38
• Urban Enforcement & Political Pushback: 13:38–15:11

Memorable Quotes & Soundbites

• “Very strong words there indeed from this New York judge in support of Trump.” (Cabot Phillips, 04:35)
• “Costco is where you go to buy in bulk, not to buy pills or death in a bottle.” (Lila Rose, 10:51)
• “If you’re here illegally, you’ve already shown a predisposition to not respect the laws of the country.” (Lila Rose, 01:22)
• “You are wrong on cities. The cities that live in your minds are totally foreign to the residents living in our cities.” (Mayor Michelle Wu, 14:24)

Conclusion

This episode delivers fact-focused commentary on three top news issues: Trump’s legal turnaround in New York, the intensifying state-level battle over abortion pills, and the rapidly shifting landscape of immigration enforcement and deportations. The hosts and guests provide clear explanations of legal, political, and social implications, with memorable quotes highlighting the sharp divides and high stakes in each area. Listeners gain a comprehensive, up-to-date understanding of high-impact national stories shaping politics, law, and culture today.