Morning Wire Summary: Trump’s Border Wall Brief & Congress’ Funding Plan | December 20, 2024

Presented by The Daily Wire’s Morning Wire, hosted by John Bickley and Georgia Howe.

1. President Trump Challenges Biden Administration's Border Wall Material Sales

Georgia Howe opens the episode by highlighting President-elect Donald Trump's recent legal action against the Biden administration: an amicus brief filed in a Texas court aiming to stop the sale of border wall materials.

Tim Rice elaborates on the issue, stating:

"Trump accuses the outgoing administration of undermining his plan to complete the southern border wall. The brief, which cites the Daily Wire's exclusive report on the Biden administration hauling off border wall pieces, claims the materials are being auctioned for pennies on the dollar, potentially in violation of federal law." (00:37)

Trump's attorney contends that these auctions hinder the incoming administration's border security objectives and demands an investigation. Conversely, the Biden administration maintains that the sales are permissible under a 2023 defense bill. Trump, however, deems these actions unconstitutional.

2. GOP's New Plan to Avert Government Shutdown

With a government shutdown imminent, Georgia Howe discusses the latest House GOP strategy to prevent it. The Republican leaders have introduced a third proposal that includes:

• A separate vote on a three-month spending plan
• $100 billion allocated for disaster relief
• $10 billion earmarked for farm aid

However, this plan notably excludes any action on raising the debt ceiling. Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned ongoing discussions with the Republican conference. Previous attempts faltered as nearly 40 Republicans sided with Democrats against the spending bills.

President-elect Trump has urged swift action, emphasizing that any resulting shutdown should occur under the Biden administration rather than his own leadership.

3. Future of TikTok in the United States

Amanda Presa Giacomo introduces the contentious topic of TikTok's potential ban in the U.S., with Tim Pierce providing detailed insights:

"The Supreme Court will hear arguments on January 10 over TikTok's bid to block a federal ban that could take effect on January 19th unless the platform is sold to an American company." (01:52)

TikTok, which boasts 170 million U.S. users, argues that the ban infringes upon First Amendment rights. A lower court recently denied TikTok's plea for a sales pause, citing national security threats related to potential Chinese government data access. The decision looms just days before Trump's inauguration. Interestingly, Trump, initially a vocal critic of TikTok, has since praised the platform for its role in engaging younger voters.

4. FAA's Enforcement Against Unauthorized Drone Activity in New Jersey

Addressing national security concerns, Amanda Presa Giacomo reports on the Federal Aviation Agency's intensified measures over New Jersey's airspace due to a surge in drone sightings.

William Dunn from the Strategic Resilience Group explains:

"The FAA's temporary restrictions exclude operations supporting defense, security and emergency missions. While 5,000 tips have been reported since November, the FBI says fewer than 100 required further investigation with no evidence of large scale drone activity." (02:41)

Dr. Patrick Soon Cheong voices his concerns:

"I believe they're being used by government agencies or other agencies to support a specific mission that the government is not telling us about. The greater concern are the small drones that can be carried in a backpack, carried in a knapsack over the southern border by a nefarious actor that plans to do harm to the United States." (03:12)

Flight restrictions over New Jersey will remain until January 17th, as authorities continue to monitor and assess the situation.

5. Astronauts Stranded on the International Space Station

Amanda Presa Giacomo covers the distressing news of astronaut Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore being stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June. A recently shared holiday photo of the 59-year-old Williams shows her appearing gaunt, raising online concerns.

Due to recurring issues with their Boeing spacecraft, their mission, initially planned for eight days, has been postponed. NASA now anticipates their return in late March.

6. State of Emergency in California and First U.S. H5N1 Bird Flu Case

Georgia Howe informs listeners that California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency following outbreaks in nearly 650 dairies since August. Additionally, the first severe U.S. case of H5N1 bird flu has been identified in a Louisiana patient, who was exposed to a backyard flock. The CDC reported this case, marking the first linked to backyard birds in the country. Despite 61 cases reported nationwide this year, the CDC assures there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission and that public risk remains minimal.

7. Peyton McNabb’s Story of Injury and Advocacy for Female Athletes

A former high school volleyball star, Peyton McNabb, shares her harrowing experience in a new documentary titled "Killshot." After suffering a severe injury from a spike to the head by a trans-identifying male player in 2022, McNabb has endured a traumatic brain injury, partial paralysis, and other long-term effects.

Peyton McNabb reflects on her struggles:

"I couldn't really understand or comprehend my work as well at school so I had to get extra help and accommodations to help with testing and tutoring and stuff and that's never been the case for me and of course the headaches and I was having to have someone with me at all times. I couldn't drive for a few months. It was really bad at first, but thankfully I've grown a lot since then, I still have to get help now that I'm in college." (05:11)

McNabb hopes her story will drive changes to better protect female athletes and address related issues within the Los Angeles area.

8. Dr. Patrick Soon Cheong's Reforms at The Times

In a notable shift, Dr. Patrick Soon Cheong, associated with The Times, discusses significant changes within the publication. Georgia Howe highlights that Dr. Cheong has been instrumental in steering the paper away from political endorsements, emphasizing a commitment to serving as a comprehensive voice for all readers.

During an interview with Morning Wire, Dr. Cheong stated:

"When I first started this, obviously Norm Polstein was the executive editor with me and really seasoned, and we had that same mission. Unfortunately, Covid happened and I had to take my eye off the paper to focus on what I was doing on cancer. And Covid and I hired a new editor as Norm retired. And the new editor, unfortunately, I think, pushed the paper into something I didn't believe was the right direction. So once I had time, which I did last year and beginning of this year, I began to realize we really need change." (06:10)

He emphasized efforts to distinguish between news and opinion, aiming for greater transparency and inclusivity within the publication.

Georgia Howe invites listeners to tune in the next day for a full interview with Dr. Cheong, where they will delve deeper into his perspectives on the incoming administration and his ongoing cancer research.

Closing Remarks

Amanda Presa Giacomo concludes the episode by directing listeners to visit dailywire.com for more detailed coverage and encourages tuning in to future episodes of Morning Wire for comprehensive updates on the day's most significant stories.

This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the Morning Wire’s December 20, 2024 episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who haven't tuned in.