Trump’s Economy Roars & ICE Seeks Recruits | 7.31.25

Summary

Morning Wire Episode Summary: "Trump’s Economy Roars & ICE Seeks Recruits | 7.31.25"

Release Date: July 31, 2025

In this episode of Morning Wire, hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe delve into the latest developments shaping the United States' economic landscape, Federal Reserve policies, environmental regulations, and immigration enforcement. The discussion is enriched with insights from key figures, including President Donald Trump, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials.

---

1. Robust Economic Growth Exceeds Expectations

The episode opens with encouraging news about the U.S. economy's performance in the second quarter. According to recent data, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) surged by an annual rate of 3%—a figure significantly surpassing economists’ expectations of 2.3%.

Georgia Howe introduces the topic:
“The US Economy comes roaring back in the second quarter, but the Fed is holding steady on interest rates.” [00:34]

Donald Trump emphasizes the strength of the economy and the absence of inflation:
“We have a lot of money coming in and we have no inflation and we should, and we're very strong and we should be lowering the rate.” [00:40]

Cabot Phillips, Daily Wire Senior Editor, provides a detailed analysis:
“It's really one of the best GDP announcements or releases that you can imagine because there's blockbuster growth way above expectation, and there's also a real, real almost collapse in inflation.” [03:25]

Additional positive indicators include a 1.5% increase in consumer spending and a rebound in consumer confidence since April, suggesting resilience among American consumers despite earlier fears surrounding Trump's trade policies.

---

2. Federal Reserve Maintains Interest Rates Amid Political Pressure

Despite the strong economic indicators, the Federal Reserve has opted to keep interest rates unchanged at 4.25% to 4.5%, marking the fifth consecutive meeting without a rate cut.

Jerome Powell, Federal Reserve Chair, explains the decision:
“Despite heightened uncertainty, the economy is still in a solid position. The unemployment rate remains low and the labor market is at or near maximum employment... The risks of higher unemployment and higher inflation appear to have risen.” [04:23]

Notably, there was dissent within the Fed's leadership, with Fed Governor Christopher Waller and Vice Chair Michelle Bowman voting in favor of rate cuts—the first such instance of multiple governors opposing Powell since 1993.

Trump expresses his frustration publicly:
“Second quarter GDP just out 3%. Way better than expected. Too late. That's the nickname he gave Powell. Must now lower the rate. No inflation. Let people buy and refinance their homes.” [05:23]
“What you do is you lower them and let's see if there's inflation. Right now, there's no inflation. We're keeping the rates high and it's hurting people from buying houses. So we don't want that.” [06:07]

The Fed's decision has tangible effects on the housing market. Recent data indicates a nearly 8% decline in pending home sales for June, falling short of the projected 0.2% increase. Current home sales have plummeted to their lowest pace in nine months, affecting potential homebuyers who are awaiting more favorable mortgage rates.

---

3. Trump Administration Targets EPA’s Endangerment Finding

Shifting focus to environmental policy, the Trump administration has taken significant steps to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) foundational endangerment finding—a 2009 determination that legitimizes the regulation of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane under the Clean Air Act.

Cabot Phillips elaborates on the significance:
“The endangerment finding is a 2009 determination from the EPA that basically says the Clean Air act can be extended to justify regulation of not just noxious pollutants but also common natural gases like carbon dioxide and methane...” [08:15]

Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator, underscores the deregulation effort:
“Repealing it will be the largest deregulatory action in the history of America.” [09:00]

A Department of Energy report highlights the distinct differences between traditional pollutants and greenhouse gases, noting that CO₂ is odorless and non-toxic at ambient levels, contrasting with the Clean Air Act's original intent to address pollutants that pose direct health risks.

Trump further clarifies his energy strategy, notably his stance against wind energy:
“In all fairness, Germany tried it and wind doesn't work. It's you need subsidy for wind and energy should not need subsidy with energy. You make money, you don't lose money.” [11:17]
“The United States would not build a single additional wind turbine while he's in office, so no room for wind energy in his energy dominance agenda.” [11:27]

This approach signals a clear preference for fossil fuels and nuclear energy over renewable sources, aligning with the administration's broader goals of energy dominance and economic strength.

---

4. Massive Recruitment Drive for ICE Following Big Beautiful Bill

The episode also covers the DHS's aggressive campaign to recruit new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, bolstered by the recently passed Big Beautiful Bill. This legislation allocates over $165 billion to the Department of Homeland Security, with approximately $75 billion earmarked specifically for ICE.

Spencer Lindquist, Daily Wire Investigative Reporter, details the recruitment push:
“The Department of Homeland Security unveiled a new website this week and encourages Americans to, quote, choose your mission and apply for one of three roles...” [12:06]

Key highlights include:

• $30 billion dedicated to hiring, training, and retaining ICE agents.
• Sign-on bonuses reaching up to $50,000 for new recruits.
• Enhanced detention facilities to accommodate the increased capacity for processing illegal aliens.

The campaign features endorsements from prominent figures such as President Trump, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, emphasizing the administration's commitment to strengthening border security.

DHS Assistant Secretary Trish McLaughlin reinforces the urgency:
“Terrorists, pedophiles, MS-13, gang members, murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, human traffickers. We need you to get them out.” [12:34]

Early responses to the recruitment efforts have been overwhelming, with reports of thousands of applicants expressing interest, surpassing the agency's capacity to process them promptly.

---

Conclusion

This episode of Morning Wire presents a comprehensive overview of the current political and economic climate in the United States. From the robust economic growth surpassing expectations and the Federal Reserve's cautious approach to interest rates, to significant shifts in environmental policy and a decisive move to strengthen immigration enforcement, the discussions provide listeners with a detailed understanding of the pivotal issues at play. Notable quotes and expert analyses enrich the narrative, offering valuable insights for those seeking to stay informed on the pressing matters shaping the nation.

Transcript

[Advertiser]

Is your home's title still in your name? With one forged document, scammers can steal your home title and equity. But now you can protect yourself. Home Title Locks at Million Dollar Triple lock protection provides 24.7title monitoring, urgent alerts to changes and if fraud happens, they'll spend up to $1 million to fix it and restore your title. Use promo code daily [e-mail] for a free title history report plus a free 14 day trial of their million dollar triple lock protection. Head over to hometitlelock.com now with promo code Daily Wire to ensure your title.

[Unknown Speaker]

Is still.

[Georgia Howe]

The US Economy comes roaring back in the second quarter, but the Fed is holding steady on interest rates.

[Donald Trump]

We have a lot of money coming in and we have no inflation and we should, and we're very strong and we should be lowering the rate.

[Georgia Howe]

I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Executive editor John Bickley. It's Thursday, July 31st, and this is Morning Wire.

[Tim Pierce]

Trump's EPA radically revises the rules regulating greenhouse gas emissions and energy producers are cheering.

[Lee Zeldin]

There are people who then, in the name of climate change, are willing to.

[Georgia Howe]

Banker of the country and flush with cash from the big beautiful bill, ICE launches a massive recruitment campaign.

[Unknown Speaker]

Thousands of agents who already wanted to come back from the Borb show and from ICE without without a signing bonus.

[Tim Pierce]

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

[Advertiser]

With everything going on in the world lately, it's no wonder people are focused on protecting their financial future. One option you may not have considered recently is life insurance, which gets significantly more expensive as you age. That's why it's time to look into Selectquote. Selectquote has been helping people like you and me for over 40 years, finding the right coverage at the best price from top rated companies. Here's how it works. Their agents do all the heavy lifting. They'll compare plans that fit your health, lifestyle and budget, all completely free. You can even get coverage that same day up to $2 million with no medical exam required. Got pre existing conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure? No problem. Selectquote works with companies that cover people with health conditions. Just head to selectquote.com and an agent will call you with options tailored specifically to you. They shop, you save. Life insurance is never cheaper than it is today. Get the right life insurance for you for less and Save more than 50% at selectquote.com Morning Save more than 50% on term life insurance at selectquote.com/morning today to get started. That's selectquote.com/morning.

[Tim Pierce]

As the world prepares for President Trump's tariff deadline, new data shows the US Economy grew at a faster than expected pace last quarter.

[Georgia Howe]

Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips has more. So Cabot, some very encouraging news on the economy. What did we learn?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, so throughout this quarter, we've seen inflation continue to defy expectations, coming in well below what economists have projected. And now Trump is getting another piece of good news on the economic front. On Wednesday, the Commerce Department announced that the US GDP grew annually by 3% last quarter. That was well above the 2.3% economists had predicted and a significant turnaround from Q1, when the GDP actually shrank by half a percent over fears of Trump's new tariffs. The latest report seems to indicate, though, that American businesses have not taken nearly the hit that economists and experts have predicted when Trump launched his trade reset. Here's National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett reacting to the good news yesterday.

[Cabot Phillips]

It's really one of the best GDP announcements or releases that you can imagine because there's blockbuster growth way above expectation, and there's also a real, real almost collapse in inflation.

[Unknown Speaker]

And it's worth noting, it's not just the GDP growth that has the White House excited. Consumer spending also went up nearly a percent and a half, while consumer confidence also increased last month after falling significantly back in April. That seems to be yet more proof that consumers themselves are not nearly as worried about these tariffs as they were back in the spring.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, all of this comes amid the Fed meeting to discuss cutting rates. Do we know what they're planning to do?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah. After meeting all day Tuesday and into Wednesday, the Fed, as expected, chose not to cut interest rates, holding their benchmark number in the 4.25 to 4.5 range. This now marks the fifth straight meeting where they have held interest rates steady despite very public pleas from President Trump. Here's Chair Jerome Powell announcing his decision and what went into it.

[Jerome Powell]

Despite heightened uncertainty, the economy is still in a solid position. The unemployment rate remains low and the labor market is at or near maximum employment. Inflation has come down a great deal, but has been running somewhat above our 2% longer run objective. In support of our goals today, the Federal Open Market Committee decided to leave our policy interest rate unchanged. The risks of higher unemployment and higher inflation appear to have risen. And we believe that the current stance of monetary policy leaves us well positioned to respond in a timely way to potential economic developments.

[Unknown Speaker]

And one interesting nugget here. Again, it's not just Trump, who is disagreeing with Powell's strategy. In a rare example of dissent within Fed leadership, we saw Fed Governor Christopher Waller and Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman each cast votes in favor of cuts. So going against Powell, that is the first time since 1993 where multiple Fed governors dissented with the Fed chair on a vote like this.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, you touched on Trump's frustration that they were holding these rates steady. What's his reaction been?

[Unknown Speaker]

Well, historically, the Fed lowers interest rates when inflation is low. But despite month after month where inflation has come in below expectations at under 3%, they've refused to cut them. Powell is urging patience, saying that he wants to see more proof that Trump's tariffs will not drive inflation higher. But President Trump is convinced that his decision ultimately comes down to politics and that he's trying to hurt the economy. Writing on Truth Social, Trump wrote, quote, Second quarter GDP just out 3%. Way better than expected. Too late. That's the nickname he gave Powell. Must now lower the rate. No inflation. Let people buy and refinance their homes. And here he is elaborating on the topic from the White House yesterday.

[Donald Trump]

What you do is you lower them and let's see if there's inflation. Right now, there's no inflation. We're keeping the rates high and it's hurting people from buying houses. So we don't want that.

[Unknown Speaker]

And as you heard there, the president also mentioned the housing market, which, as we've talked about on the show, has been sluggish all year in large part due to those interest rates remaining high at that point. New data yesterday showed that pending home sales fell by nearly 8% in June. The projection was that they would actually go up by 0.2% overall. Home sales are now at their lowest pace in nine months, which is especially concerning given that the spring and summer months are typically the hottest time of the year for the housing market. The White House certainly hoping that rates will come down and that home buyers waiting on the sidelines will jump into the market.

[Georgia Howe]

Well, I know a lot of people who are waiting for those rates to come down to buy a home. Cabot, thanks for reporting.

[Unknown Speaker]

Absolutely.

[Advertiser]

If you run a small business, you know there's nothing small about it. Even the smallest decisions can feel massive. That's where Shopify comes in. Shopify is the ecommerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world. From household names to brands that are just getting started. You can tackle all the important tasks all in one place, from inventory to payments to analytics and more. Even marketing becomes a breeze thanks to their built in tools for running social media and email campaigns, helping you find new customers and keep them coming back. Plus, Shopify's global selling tools have you covered internationally in over 150 countries and their award winning Point of Sale connects your online and offline sales all in the same place. With an impressive 99.99 uptime and the highest converting checkout experience on the planet, you'll never miss another sale. That's the Shopify advantage. Get all the big stuff for your small business right with Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period and start selling today at shopify.com MorningWire head over to shopify.com MorningWire again. That's shopify.com MorningWire.

[Georgia Howe]

The Trump administration has taken aim at the EPA's endangerment finding, what Scientific American has called the legal backbone of US Climate policy.

[Tim Pierce]

Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce is here to talk about the latest on the Trump administration's environmental agenda. Hey Tim. So the EPA proposed to repeal the endangerment finding this week. First, what is an endangerment finding?

[Cabot Phillips]

Yeah, the endangerment finding is a 2009 determination from the EPA that basically says the Clean Air act can be extended to justify regulation of not just noxious pollutants but also common natural gases like carbon dioxide and methane. It dates Back to a 2007 Supreme Court decision that mandated the EPA control gases that are found to endanger human health. So in light of that ruling, the Obama administration found that greenhouse gases contribute to climate change and climate change endangers human health. So therefore the EPA has a mandate to regulate them. Now, many critics said at the time that that was a big stretch of the Clean Air act, but the Supreme Court had given the agency the green light to do it. As for why it matters now, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin spoke about that on the ruthless podcast earlier this week.

[Lee Zeldin]

So they created this endangerment finding and then they're able to put all these regulations on vehicles. Repealing it will be the largest deregulatory action in the history of America.

[Cabot Phillips]

The scope of the regulatory authority under the endangerment finding is massive. Greenhouse gases such as carbon diox and methane are found pretty much everywhere in nature, and there's a key distinction between them and the toxic pollutants the Clean Air act was designed to address. A Department of Energy report released this week makes that clear. It says pollutants are regulated because they cause, quote, local problems depending on concentrations that include nuisances such as odor, invisibility, damage to plants and at high enough exposure levels. Toxicological effects in humans, by contrast, CO2 is odorless, does not affect visibility, and has no toxicological effects at ambient levels. In other words, it doesn't make you sick.

[Tim Pierce]

As you said, major distinctions there and really sweeping powers given to the EPA through this interpretation of the law. Now, the question here is how permanent are these changes? Can this be undone by another administration?

[Cabot Phillips]

Probably not, thanks to a few Supreme Court decisions. Zeldin addressed that in an appearance on Fox News on Wednesday.

[Lee Zeldin]

There's going to be a lot of hyperbole, scare tactics, extreme rhetoric that will come from climate zealots. Here's the thing. The Supreme Court ruled in Loper Bright and overturned the Chevron doctrine in West Virginia versus epa, Michigan versus EPA and other cases. That an agency like EPA can't just decide on our own that we are going to get creative with law and where there's a, a vacuum and missing language, we're just going to make it up ourselves. We're not going to ignore the major policy doctrines. We're not going to go along with applying extreme economic pain on Americans who can least afford it.

[Cabot Phillips]

Point being, the legal landscape has changed a lot since the endangerment finding was put into Place in 2009, and there's good reason to think that it may be found unconstitutional today.

[Tim Pierce]

And it just highlights once again how important Trump's nominees for the Supreme Court have been, really changing the court altogether. Now, Trump outlined a new approach to energy while he was in Scotland this week. Unpack that for us.

[Cabot Phillips]

Yeah. The president devised a simple test and the test happens to rule out wind energy. Here he is.

[Donald Trump]

In all fairness, Germany tried it and wind doesn't work. It's you need subsidy for wind and energy should not need subsidy with energy. You make money, you don't lose money.

[Cabot Phillips]

He also said that the United States would not build a single additional wind turbine while he's in office, so no room for wind energy in his energy dominance agenda.

[Tim Pierce]

It appears Trump is not a fan of wind energy, to say the least. A lot more focused on fossil fuels and nuclear. Tim, thanks so much.

[Cabot Phillips]

For good to be on.

[Tim Pierce]

The Department of Homeland Security is launching a big campaign to recruit new ICE agents as well as new attorneys to process immigration cases.

[Georgia Howe]

The push is coming right after the passage of the big beautiful bill which secured billions in new funding for ice. Here to discuss is Daily Wire investigative reporter Spencer Lindquist. So, Spencer, tell us about this push to hire more ICE agents.

[Spencer Lindquist]

Sure thing. So the Department of Homeland Security unveiled a new website this week and encourages Americans to, quote, choose your mission and apply for one of three roles, deportation officer, criminal investigator, or general attorney. The site slams the Biden administration's record on immigration and reaffirms President Trump's support for members of law enforcement. The site reads, quote, your country is calling upon you to serve. Due to the prior administration's disastrous immigration policies, the men and women of ICE now face unprecedented challenges. And it goes on to say the Trump administration is fully committed to supporting the dedicated law enforcement professionals who secure our borders, shield our communities, and protect our national security. The administration also released promotional materials, including pictures of President Trump, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, and an ICE agent with the words defend the homeland and join ICE. Trish McLaughlin, the Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary, also issued a call for Americans to join ICE in a post on X, which read, Terrorists, pedophiles, Ms. 13, gang members, murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, human traffickers. We need you to get them out. And so far, there is at least one early indication that the recruiting push could end up paying off. Border czar Tom Homan said in an appearance on Newsmax that he had to shut down his LinkedIn account because so many people were reaching out about how to become an ICE agent.

[Unknown Speaker]

We had thousands of people contacted me, their recruiting officers swamped.

[Tim Pierce]

They got more people than they can handle.

[Georgia Howe]

Now this big recruiting push is coming right after the Big Beautiful Bill was passed. What was it in that legislation that set the stage for all of this?

[Spencer Lindquist]

So arguably one of the most notable portions of the Big Beautiful Bill was the massive increase in funding that it secures for ice. More than $165 billion is allocated to the Department of Homeland Security over the next several years, and much of that is specifically earmarked for ICE. About 75 billion will go to ICE on top of its existing annual budget of roughly $10 billion per year. And of that sum, 30 billion will be allocated for the hiring and training of new ICE agents, as well as the retention of those who take the job. The bill also funds drastically increased detention space for illegal aliens. And proponents of the legislation said that it was critical in ICE's attempt to deport its target of 1 million illegal aliens per year. And it also paved the way for lucrative sign on bonuses for new agents. Certain agents can receive a maximum of $50,000 in sign on bonuses.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, you also spoke to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem yesterday. What did she say?

[Spencer Lindquist]

That's right. We published a report detailing many of the operations across the country that ICE and its partners, like Homeland Security Investigations, have been running to counter human trafficking, smuggling operations, and sexual abuse. Noem told me that the brave men and women of DHS are the best in the world at going after traffickers and that they are always able to track down those who are trafficking individuals, find the ringleaders, and rip that evil off by its head. Her report also detailed a number of different operations, including one bust of a human smuggling ring that brought people into the US Through Canada, and another that resulted in the arrest and conviction of a human smuggler who's transporting 101 people, including 12 children, inside a locked trailer.

[Georgia Howe]

Well, we'll see if this recruitment push pays off. Spencer, thanks for reporting.

[Spencer Lindquist]

Thank you for having me.

[Advertiser]

Wake up with Morning Wire in more Ways than one. The new Morning Wire coffee mug is now [e-mail] shop. Check out the whole Morning Wire collection, the merch you need to get and the news you need to know. Head over to DailyWire.com shop today.

[Tim Pierce]

Thanks for waking up with us. And if you're watching on YouTube, don't forget to like and subscribe. We'll be back this evening with more news you need to know.

[Advertiser]

Did you know that over 85% of grass fed beef sold in US grocery stores is imported? That's why I buy all my meat from goodranchers.com instead. Good Ranchers products are 100% born, raised and harvested right here in the USA from local family farms. Plus there's no antibiotics ever, no added hormones and no seed oils. Just one simple ingredient. That's meat. Best of all, Good Ranchers deliver straight to your door for added convenience. So lock in a secure supply of American meat today. Subscribe [e-mail] and get free meat for life and 40 off with code daily wire. That's $40 off and free meat for life with code Daily Wire Good Ranchers American Meat delivered. You know what I love about our partnership with Helix? Sleep? They understand that better sleep means better days. I've been sleeping on mine for months now and the difference is incredible. No more tossing and turning. Just pure restorative sleep. Take advantage of their incredible Labor Day early access sale. Right now you can get 20% off site wide at Helix. Just visit helixsleep.com dailywire that's helixleep.com dailywire for 20% off site wide. Make sure you enter our show name after checkout so they know we sent you. Start sleeping better tonight.