Trump Shuffles Pentagon & Cartel Terror Designation | 2.24.25

Summary

Morning Wire: Trump Shuffles Pentagon & Cartel Terror Designation | Episode Released on February 24, 2025

Host/Author: The Daily Wire
Hosts: John Bickley (Editor-in-Chief) and Georgia Howe
Description: Morning Wire delivers daily coverage of the latest developments in politics, culture, education, sports, and more, presented by Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley and co-host Georgia Howe.

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Overview

In this episode of Morning Wire, hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe delve into significant developments within the Trump administration, including a major reshuffle of the Pentagon's leadership, the designation of several international cartels as terrorist organizations, and a high-stakes legal battle between the state of Maine and President Trump over gender policies in sports. The episode provides in-depth analysis, expert commentary, and notable quotes from key figures involved in these stories.

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Trump Reshuffles Pentagon Leadership

Major Pentagon Shake-Up

At [00:03], John Bickley introduces the major news of President Trump's decision to reshuffle the Pentagon by removing several top defense officials. Georgia Howe promptly questions the reasons behind these removals and inquires about potential successors.

By [01:34], Cabot Phillips, Daily Wire's Senior Editor, provides a detailed breakdown of the changes. President Trump has removed three key figures from the Pentagon:

1. Admiral Lisa Franchetti - Chief of Naval Operations, the Navy's top officer.
2. General Jim Slife - Vice Chief of Staff, number two at the Air Force.
3. General CQ Brown - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Phillips explains that Trump seeks to eliminate government bureaucrats he perceives as obstacles to his mission, emphasizing that institutional change requires leadership fully aligned with his vision. The replacement of General Brown by Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Kane, who previously served as the associate director for Military Affairs at the CIA, is highlighted as a significant move, despite Kane not holding the traditional qualifications for the position. Trump justified this appointment by stating, "Kaine was integral in the destruction of ISIS during his first term and will, quote, restore peace through strength, put America first, and rebuild our military" ([02:28], [03:28]).

Rationale Behind the Replacements

Phillips discusses the underlying reasons for targeting General Brown, noting Republican criticisms of Brown's focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Trump’s administration accuses Brown of prioritizing DEI to the detriment of military efficiency, citing Brown’s support for racial quotas and public backing of movements like Black Lives Matter ([03:33]).

Pete Hegseth, a notable Republican commentator, defends Trump's actions, stating at [04:51]: “Nothing about this is unprecedented. The president deserves to pick his key national security and military advisory team.” Hegseth compares Trump’s actions to those of past presidents who have made similar changes, arguing that such moves are a reflection of the President seeking the right personnel to execute his national security strategy.

Phillips concludes that despite criticisms, Trump is following a historical precedent of presidential reshuffles aimed at aligning military leadership with administrative goals ([05:28]-[05:34]).

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Cartels Designated as Terrorist Organizations

Official Designation and Its Implications

At [06:18], the discussion shifts to the Trump administration's significant policy move of designating eight international cartels as terrorist organizations. Georgia Howe introduces Tim Pierce, a Daily Wire reporter, to explain the practical ramifications of this designation.

Pierce elaborates that organizations such as Venezuela's Tren de Aragua and Mexico's Jalisco Cartel will now be treated similarly to established terrorist groups like Al Qaeda. This change grants the U.S. government expanded authority to impose sanctions, pursue criminal charges, and target individuals or entities providing material support to these cartels ([06:37]). Border Czar Tom Homan reinforces this stance by asserting at [07:14]: “The president is going to designate the criminal cartels of Mexico as a terrorist organization. He's going to wipe you off the face of the earth.”

Increased Surveillance and Military Preparedness

Pierce further informs listeners about the administration's ramped-up surveillance efforts, including increased drone flights over Mexico, with capabilities potentially upgraded to carry lethal payloads ([07:39]). This heightened surveillance underscores the administration's commitment to aggressively combating cartel activities both domestically and internationally.

Historical Hesitancy and Current Momentum

Georgia Howe probes why previous administrations hesitated to adopt similar measures. Pierce attributes the reluctance to Mexican opposition, led by Presidents Claudia Sheinbaum and Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who feared the designation could undermine Mexico's sovereignty and escalate military involvement in tackling cartels ([08:06]). However, with the designation now in place, Pierce anticipates that Mexico and other Latin American nations might adopt more stringent measures against cartels, possibly leading to severe internal conflicts akin to a civil war ([08:54]).

Presidential Determination and Future Actions

In response to potential questions about the extent of military involvement, Tim Pierce indicates that while President Trump hasn't ruled out using military force against cartels, his immediate focus appears to be on dismantling cartel operations within the United States ([08:59]). President Trump's speech at CPAC reinforces this strategy, emphasizing the removal and expulsion of cartel members from U.S. soil ([09:06]-[09:27]).

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Maine vs. Trump: The Battle Over Women's Sports

Executive Order and Maine's Defiance

Georgia Howe introduces the escalating conflict between the state of Maine and the Trump administration regarding an executive order banning males from participating in women's sports. At [09:53], Howe details how Governor Janet Mills of Maine has refused to comply with President Trump's February 5th executive order, leading to a direct confrontation.

Confrontation at the White House

The situation reaches a critical point when Governor Mills confronts President Trump at a working session on Friday. Trump's aggressive stance is captured at [11:08], where he demands compliance with his order, threatening to withhold federal funding and declaring, “Enjoy your life after, governor, because I don't think you'll be in elected politics.”

Altercations and Allegations

Following the confrontation, Mary Margaret Olihan, Daily Wire White House Correspondent, reports an alleged meltdown by Jeremy Kennedy, Maine's Chief of Staff. According to Olihan, during a discussion with White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Alex Meyer, Kennedy reportedly reacted violently, though the Maine governor's office does not confirm the use of profanity ([11:43]-[13:03]). Republican state legislators advocate for investigating Kennedy’s behavior, highlighting concerns over his professional conduct.

Legal and Financial Implications

Olihan explains that Governor Mills has vowed to seek legal action to protect Maine's federal funding, which amounts to approximately $175 million for the Maine Department of Education alone. Mills argues that Maine's Human Rights Act, which prohibits gender identity discrimination, justifies the inclusion of boys in girls' sports ([13:07]-[13:58]).

John Bickley concludes this segment by emphasizing the high stakes involved and the likelihood that President Trump will remain steadfast in his position, given his strong support base ([13:58]-[14:05]).

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USAID Workforce Reduction

In addition to the primary topics, Georgia Howe briefly mentions that the Trump administration is letting go of another 2,000 USAID employees and placing most personnel worldwide on administrative leave. This move reflects the administration's ongoing scrutiny and criticism of USAID's programs, which they deem wasteful and overly leftist ([14:09]-[14:46]).

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Conclusion

This episode of Morning Wire provides comprehensive coverage of pivotal actions taken by the Trump administration, including significant personnel changes within the Pentagon, the strategic designation of cartels as terrorist organizations, and the contentious legal battle with Maine over gender policies in sports. Through expert analysis and direct quotes from involved parties, the episode offers listeners a thorough understanding of these critical issues shaping current political and social landscapes.

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Notable Quotes:

• Donald Trump [00:42]: "Every state has a responsibility to comply with Title IX, and we'll be enforcing aggressively and we're going to be protecting our citizens."

• Tom Homan [00:30]: "You have killed more Americans than every terrorist organization in the world combined."

• Pete Hegseth [04:51]: "Nothing about this is unprecedented. The president deserves to pick his key national security and military advisory team."

• Donald Trump [09:06]: "Their members and their leaders in the United States will be hunted down. I'm talking about MS.13. They're hunting them down."

• Donald Trump [11:11]: "Well, you better do it because you're not going to get any federal funding at all if you don't. ... I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one."

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Stay informed with Morning Wire for the latest news and in-depth analyses on the issues that matter.

Transcript

[John Bickley]

President Trump reshapes the Pentagon as he shows several top defense officials the door.

[Georgia Howe]

Why are the officials being removed? And who's in line to take over?

[John Bickley]

I'm Daily Wire editor in chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Monday, February 24th, and this is Morning Wire. The Trump administration labels several cartels terrorist organizations as the border czar vows to wipe them off the face of the earth.

[Tom Homan]

You have killed more Americans than every terrorist organization in the world combined.

[Georgia Howe]

And the state of Maine is refusing to keep men out of women's sports, teeing up a major legal battle with Trump.

[Donald Trump]

Every state has a responsibility to comply with Title ix, and we'll be enforcing aggressively and we're going to be protecting our citizens.

[John Bickley]

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

[Brandon]

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[Georgia Howe]

This weekend, President Trump again shook up Washington after firing a number of top Pentagon officials, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

[John Bickley]

Daily Wire's senior editor Cabot Phillips is here to break it all down. A Cabot. So the president has already removed the heads of numerous government agencies. Now he's made his way to the Pentagon. Obviously, a lot of scrutiny over this. What can you tell us?

[Cabot Phillips]

Yeah. Trump believes that his first term was held back by government bureaucrats who weren't fully bought into his mission or were openly hostile to his worldview. He clearly feels institutional change can only take place if the people running those institutions are all in. As part of that effort, the president this weekend removed three key figures at the Pentagon. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti. She was the Navy's top officer. Vice Chief of Staff General Jim Slife. He was number two at the Air Force. And the big one, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General CQ Brown.

[John Bickley]

All right, so several members of the top rest, most notably Brown.

[Cabot Phillips]

Exactly. So for context, the chairman serves as a top adviser to the President and SecDef. They serve as sort of a middleman, relaying information and concerns from the heads of each service branch. In a statement announcing the firing, Trump was surprisingly cordial, thanking General Brown for his 40 years of service, saying, quote, he is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family. He'll be replaced by Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Kane, who served most recently as the associate director for Military affairs at the CIA. Now, under law, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs technically must have served as either the vice chairman, a service chief, or a combatant commander, positions Kaine has not held. But Trump can waive that requirement if he, quote, determines such action is necessary in the national interest, and clearly he feels it is. Trump said Kaine was integral in the destruction of ISIS during his first term and will, quote, restore peace through strength, put America first, and rebuild our military.

[John Bickley]

So what was the president's rationale for replacing Brown in particular?

[Cabot Phillips]

Well, he's long drawn the ire of Republicans who say he's been overly focused on DEI initiatives during his time as chairman. In the past, for example, he touted the fact that he, quote, purposely built his office with diversity as a core priority. He supported racial quotas for Air Force hiring, and he was a vocal supporter of Black lives matter throughout 2020. Here he is, for example, in a video posted following the death of George Floyd.

[Brandon]

Most of my mentors could not relate to my experience as an African American. I'm thinking about the pressure I felt to perform error free, especially for supervisors I perceived had expected less from me. As an African American, I think about having to represent by working twice as hard to prove their expectations and perceptions of African Americans were invalid.

[Cabot Phillips]

Pete Hegseth had strong words for Brown last year, saying, quote, he has made the race card one of his biggest calling cards now. For their part, Democrats across Washington said the move was supposedly fueled by racism. Congressman Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said of Trump, quote, for his administration, if you are black, qualifications don't matter. They only see people of color as DEI hires. Others on the left said Trump's Pentagon sweep reeked of authoritarianism. But Defense Secretary Hegseth was quick to point out the historical precedent for moves like this. Here he is on Fox Sunday.

[Pete Hegseth]

Nothing about this is unprecedented. The president deserves to pick his key national security and military advisory team. There are lots of presidents who've made changes, from FDR to Eisenhower to H.W. bush to Barack Obama, who fired or dismissed hundreds of militaries during his term. There were six three and four star generals that were moved into different positions or retired on Friday night of 163 and four star generals. This is a reflection of the President wanting the right people around him to execute the national security approach we want to take.

[John Bickley]

All right, so despite all the hand wringing, Trump is really just doing what other presidents have done at this stage, right?

[Cabot Phillips]

That is their argument.

[John Bickley]

Well, the new administration taking shape more every week. Kevin, thanks so much for reporting.

[Cabot Phillips]

Anytime.

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[John Bickley]

The State Department officially designated eight international cartels as terrorist organizations last week, a move long sought by Donald Trump.

[Georgia Howe]

Here to break down what the new designation means is Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce. So, Tim, practically speaking, what does it mean for the US to approach these cartels as terrorist organizations?

[Tim Pierce]

It's a big deal. One way to think about it is that these cartels groups such as Venezuela's Tren de Aragua and Mexico's Jalisco cartel, will now be treated similarly to Al Qaeda. Practically, that means more latitude to use tools such as sanctions and criminal charges. The biggest change, though, is that the US can now crack down on people and organizations deemed to have given material support to the cartels, such as cash, a phone or an apartment. That could be gangs that work with the cartels in the US or it could be businesses that have deals with the cartels outside of the country. Here's border czar Tom Homan talking about it at CPAC last week.

[Tom Homan]

The other thing I said on State of the RNC that President Trump is going to designate the criminal cartels of Mexico as a terrorist organization. He's going to wipe you off the face of the earth. So word out to anybody that assists them, anybody that sells their drugs on the street, anybody that assists these cartels in any way, you are helping a terrorist organization and the weight of the world coming down on you.

[Tim Pierce]

The Trump administration has also ramped up its surveillance of Mexican drug cartels. According to the Los Angeles Times, the CIA has increased drone surveillance flights over Mexico. US Officials said that those drones could easily be upgraded to carry lethal payloads.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, Trump first raised doing this during his first term and even before that, the Obama administration considered doing the same thing, but they backed off. Why have these administrations been hesitant up to now?

[Tim Pierce]

Em Mexico has always opposed the designation. President Claudia Sheinbaum and before her President Lopez Obrador were against it because they thought the designation could be destructive to Mexico's sovereignty. There's a fear that the designation increases the likelihood that the US could use military force against the cartels, many of which operate in Mexico. Now that it's done, though, it may force Mexico and other Latin American countries to take their cartel problems more seriously. You could see more countries act like El Salvador under Nayib Bukele, and that could have some pretty drastic consequences. For instance, a crackdown on the cartels in Mexico could look a lot like a civil war. Like President Trump's executive order said, the cartels function as quasi governmental entities and control nearly all aspects of society in parts of Mexico.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, how far is President Trump expected to go? Would he use the military?

[Tim Pierce]

He hasn't ruled it out. Over the weekend, though, he seemed more focused on handling the cartels that were operating in the US first. Here's Trump at cpac.

[Donald Trump]

Their members and their leaders in the United States will be hunted down. I'm talking about MS.13. They're hunting them down. We, we removed tens of thousands. Mississippi 13, trendy Aragua, rooted out, arrested and expelled from our soil like the savage monsters that they are.

[Tim Pierce]

As he noted in his speech, he has sent more National Guard troops down to the border in part to help defend it against the cartels. It's worth pointing out that the cartels are incredibly well equipped. Reports say that cartels in Mexico have military grade rocket launchers and grenades and have even used submarines to smuggle drugs.

[Georgia Howe]

Well, a very dangerous adversary for sure. Tim, thanks for joining.

[Tim Pierce]

Thanks for having me on.

[Georgia Howe]

The state of Maine has gone to war with the White House over President Trump's executive order banning males from women's sports and spaces. With Governor Janet Mills threatening to take legal action to allow boys in girls sports.

[John Bickley]

Joining us now to discuss is Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olihan, who's been closely following these developments and reporting online for us. Hey, Mary Margaret. So this showdown has quickly escalated. Catch us up to speed if you would.

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

Good morning, John, and hello from D.C. so, as we've reported on Morning Wire. Donald Trump signed an executive order Feb. 5 banning men from women's sports and promising to revoke all funding from educational programs that deprive girls of fair athletic opportunities. Now, Maine's Department of Education quickly said it would not comply with this. And mere days after Trump signed this executive order, as our Amanda Prestigiacomo reported, a high school boy who said he identifies as a girl took first place in the girls pole vaulting at Maine's Class B state championship. And just one year earlier, this boy had competed as a male. The real drama began when Maine's governor Janet Mills went to the White House on Friday for the governor's working session. Trump challenged the governor to her face for refusing to defend the integrity of women's sports. Here's the audio of that moment.

[Donald Trump]

Are you not going to comply with it?

[Tom Homan]

I'm complying with state and federal laws.

[Donald Trump]

Well, we are the federal law. Well, you better do it. You better do it because you're not going to get any federal funding at all if you don't. And by the way, your population, even though it's somewhat liberal, although I did very well there, your population doesn't want men playing in women's sports. So you better come, you better comply because otherwise you're not getting any, any federal funding. Every state. Good. I'll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after, governor, because I don't think you'll be in elected politics.

[John Bickley]

All right. So things getting pretty spicy there?

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

Yes, indeed. And the next day, a White House official told me that Jeremy Kennedy, the governor of Maine's chief of staff, melted down. A White House director of intergovernmental affairs named Alex Meyer. My source says when Meyer told Kennedy that Maine needs to follow the law, Kennedy cursed at him, allegedly saying, f you, you a hole, and stormed out of the room. Now, the governor's office is denying to me that Kennedy cursed, but they did not deny that there is an altercation and they also did not deny that he stormed out of the room. Kennedy, who's worked in the past for Planned Parenthood and the Human Rights Campaign, hasn't responded to my request for comment. And I should note that MaineHouse Republicans have called for an investigation into his behavior after we reported on his alleged meltdown, citing a, quote, troubling pattern of intimidation and unprofessional conduct by Kennedy. I spoke with state Rep. Laurel Libby, and she explained to me that the state is completely controlled by Democrat lawmakers and that the Governor's office is reportedly furious at our reporting. It's unacceptable for Mills to use our tax dollars in support of these extreme policies, especially when our federal funding for Maine students is at risk. There's a simple solution. Reverse course. Remove boys from girls sports in Maine.

[Georgia Howe]

And there will be no further risk.

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

To our state's federal funding.

[John Bickley]

Okay, so lots of tension here. What's next in this fight?

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

Well, Governor Mills released a statement on Friday night declaring that if Trump pulls the funds, her administration in the state's AG will take all appropriate and necessary legal action to restore that funding and the academic opportunity it provides. And I think it's worth pointing out that no school has ever actually lost federal funding due to a Title IX violation. They usually end up complying. Maine is set to receive about $175 million this year for the Maine Department of Education alone, and that's no small sum of money. The state also does have a Human Rights act that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity. And so Mills and her allies say that she's upholding state law by allowing boys in girls sports. As we've documented, this is an issue that Trump really leaned into during his campaign, and he knows that the majority of Americans are on his side, so I don't see him backing down for a second.

[Georgia Howe]

Sure.

[John Bickley]

It appears the ball is really in the governor of Maine's court. Interested to see what she does next. Mary Margaret, thanks so much for reporting.

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

Thanks for having me.

[Georgia Howe]

Another story we're tracking this week. Trump is letting go another 2,000 USAID employees and putting all but a few of the thousands of personnel worldwide on leave. In a notice to employees sent over the weekend, the administration said that as of midnight, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission critical functions, core leadership and or special designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave. Globally, the department has come under intense scrutiny, as Doge has highlighted what it says is USAID's largely wasteful and leftist programs.

[John Bickley]

Thanks for waking up with us. And if you liked what you heard this morning, share this episode with a friend.