Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary: "Trump’s First Month & Social Security Whistleblower | 2.21.25"

Release Date: February 21, 2025

Hosts:

• John Bickley – Editor-in-Chief, The Daily Wire
• Georgia Howe – Co-host

Contributors:

• Cabot Phillips – Senior Editor, The Daily Wire
• Mike Waltz – National Security Adviser, White House
• Ash Shorthey – Senior Editor, The Daily Wire
• Luke Rosiak – Government Efficiency Reporter, The Daily Wire

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1. President Trump's First 30 Days in Office

Overview: President Donald Trump's inaugural month has been characterized by an unprecedented pace of executive actions aiming to reshape federal policies across various sectors. Hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe highlight the breadth of Trump's initiatives, emphasizing deregulation, border security, and the rollback of what they describe as divisive government practices.

Key Actions:

• Executive Orders: Trump has signed numerous executive orders to eliminate burdensome regulations, seal the border, remove Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies from federal institutions, and promote an "America First" approach in trade and foreign policies.

  Georgia Howe [00:09]: "These executive orders have ended burdensome regulations, sealed the border, eliminated divisive DEI from our federal government, stopped the weaponization of government, cut waste, fraud and abuse, reinstituted America first trade and foreign policies, and ultimately restored common sense."

• Cabinet Confirmations: The administration has confirmed 19 cabinet members in just over a month, marking the fastest pace since a previous Trump term.

  Mike Waltz [02:04]: "In his first 30 days, Trump reversed Biden era immigration policy, reset foreign relationships with adversaries and allies, and signed more executive orders than any president in the last century signed in their first hundred days."

Public and Political Reaction:

• Polling Data: Rasmussen polling indicates a significant increase in public approval of Trump's actions, with 47% of Americans feeling that "America is on the right track," a 19% rise since September and the highest in 20 years.

  Mike Waltz [03:39]: "Americans seem optimistic about Trump's early moves. Rasmussen polling found that 47% of the country feels America is on the right track."

Focus on Immigration:

• Border Security: Under Trump’s administration, detentions of illegal immigrants have plummeted by 93% in the first ten days and by 85% overall along the southwest border.

  Mike Waltz [04:12]: "According to the latest numbers, the number of illegal immigrants detained at ports of entry declined by 93% during Trump's first 10 days in office..."

• Funding Cuts: Trump has signed measures to restrict federal funding for benefits to illegal immigrants, aiming to ensure that taxpayer resources protect American citizens.

  Mike Waltz [04:46]: "This week, Trump signed a measure that will restrict any federal dollars from going towards benefits for those living in the country illegally."

2. Social Security Whistleblower Incident

Overview: A significant development within the Social Security Administration (SSA) centers around whistleblower Leland Dudek, whose actions have led to his rapid promotion amid broader efforts to combat fraud, waste, and abuse within the agency.

Incident Details:

• Whistleblower Actions: Dudek, a mid-level manager at SSA, was initially placed on leave for cooperating with investigations led by Dogecoin-linked entity Doge. He exposed internal issues by sharing accessible documents and reallocating resources to strengthen the anti-fraud team.

  Luke Rosiak [07:57]: "They want to fire me for cooperating with Doge... I moved contractor money around to add data science resources to my anti fraud team."

• Reversal of Fortunes: Contrary to his initial suspension, Dudek was promoted to Acting Commissioner of SSA following the dismissal of the previous head, Michelle King.

  John Bickley [08:37]: "And Doge's Elon Musk actually shared your story on X. He said, 'There are good people in the government who want to eliminate fraud and waste...'"

Implications for SSA:

• Leadership Changes: With Michelle King removed, Dudek steps in as the temporary leader until Trump's nominee is confirmed by the Senate.

  Luke Rosiak [09:14]: "Now, King reportedly tried to block Doge from accessing the agency's data. Now Dudak will leap up the ranks to be acting commissioner until the Senate confirms Trump's nominee."

• Data Management Issues: Musk highlighted critical flaws in SSA’s data systems, revealing that millions of records show individuals over 100 years old who are not marked as deceased, exposing vulnerabilities in outdated COBOL-based systems.

  Luke Rosiak [10:00]: "Some claimed Musk just didn't understand the way that dates are stored in the COBOL programming language... It highlighted that some of the most important financial systems in the US government are running on a 1960s programming language."

Doge's Impact:

• Financial Cuts: Doge.gov reports a significant reduction of $55 billion, with ongoing monitoring expected to track further fiscal changes.

  John Bickley [10:37]: "Doge.gov online ticker says it's cut $55 billion so far."

3. Social Security Administration's Fight Against Fraud

Overview: The SSA, under renewed leadership, is intensifying efforts to root out fraud and inefficiencies, positioning itself as a model for government accountability.

Key Points:

• Eliminating Fraud: Dudek’s appointment underscores a strategic pivot towards stringent anti-fraud measures within SSA, aligning with the administration's broader goals of government reform.

  Luke Rosiak [07:38]: "They are out there, people who want to do the right thing and work for the federal government and they're actually the ones who know where the bodies are buried right now."

4. California Home Insurance Crisis vs. Florida's Recovery

Overview: The podcast delves into the contrasting insurance landscapes of California and Florida, attributing the disparities to differing state policies and regulatory approaches.

California's Crisis:

• Insurance Struggles: California, grappling with widespread wildfires, faces a looming home insurance crisis. Insurers like State Farm have been denied requested rate increases, leading to significant financial losses.

  Ash Shorthey [11:11]: "State Farm, the largest fire insurer in California, recently asked state regulators for a 22% rate increase, but was denied by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara..."

• Market Implications: Persistent denial of rate hikes has resulted in insurers facing multibillion-dollar losses, risking insolvency and reducing options for homeowners.

  Ash Shorthey [12:07]: "Without State Farm, many in California will then be forced to buy insurance through California's insurer of last resort, which is close to becoming insolvent."

Florida's Success:

• Regulatory Reforms: Governor Ron DeSantis implemented litigation reforms that stabilized Florida’s insurance market post-hurricanes, encouraging insurer participation and reducing premiums.

  Ash Shorthey [13:26]: "Much better and continuing to improve. Back in 2022 and 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis implemented numerous litigation reforms that kept Florida from its own insurance disaster."

• Market Growth: The removal of lawsuit abuses has attracted new insurers and prompted existing ones to lower rates, contrasting sharply with California's stagnation.

  Ash Shorthey [13:26]: "Now that the lawsuit abuse is down, 11 new insurers have entered the market and some carriers are asking for rate decreases."

Impact on Residents:

• Rebuilding Challenges in California: Ongoing fires and regulatory hurdles leave many Californians uncertain about their ability to rebuild, exacerbating the personal toll of natural disasters.

  Ash Shorthey [14:18]: "Many residents know they won't be able to rebuild. Some say it's because they probably won't receive enough from insurance to rebuild..."

5. Conclusion and Looking Forward

The episode wraps up with an emphasis on the transformative actions taken by President Trump in his first month, highlighting both the immediate impacts on federal policies and the broader implications for government efficiency and accountability. The contrasting situations in California and Florida serve as case studies for the effectiveness of state-level regulatory reforms in addressing complex issues like natural disasters and insurance markets.

Final Remarks:

• John Bickley: Encourages listeners to share the episode, underscoring the importance of staying informed through Morning Wire for reliable news coverage.

  John Bickley [14:45]: "If you enjoyed what you heard this morning, share this episode with a friend."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Georgia Howe [00:09]: "These executive orders have ended burdensome regulations, sealed the border, eliminated divisive DEI from our federal government, stopped the weaponization of government, cut waste, fraud and abuse, reinstituted America first trade and foreign policies, and ultimately restored common sense."

• Mike Waltz [02:04]: "In his first 30 days, Trump reversed Biden era immigration policy, reset foreign relationships with adversaries and allies, and signed more executive orders than any president in the last century signed in their first hundred days."

• Mike Waltz [03:39]: "Americans seem optimistic about Trump's early moves. Rasmussen polling found that 47% of the country feels America is on the right track."

• Mike Waltz [04:12]: "According to the latest numbers, the number of illegal immigrants detained at ports of entry declined by 93% during Trump's first 10 days in office..."

• Luke Rosiak [07:57]: "They want to fire me for cooperating with Doge... I moved contractor money around to add data science resources to my anti fraud team."

• Luke Rosiak [10:00]: "Some claimed Musk just didn't understand the way that dates are stored in the COBOL programming language... It highlighted that some of the most important financial systems in the US government are running on a 1960s programming language."

• Ash Shorthey [11:11]: "State Farm, the largest fire insurer in California, recently asked state regulators for a 22% rate increase, but was denied by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara..."

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the "Morning Wire" episode, providing listeners with a clear understanding of President Trump's initial policy moves, significant internal developments within the Social Security Administration, and the divergent insurance market responses in California and Florida.

Transcript

[John Bickley]

President Trump's first 30 days in office are marked by the most sweeping actions of any president in modern history.

[Georgia Howe]

These executive orders have ended burdensome regulations, sealed the border, eliminated divisive DEI from our federal government, stopped the weaponization of government, cut waste, fraud and abuse, reinstituted America first trade and foreign policies, and ultimately restored common sense.

[John Bickley]

I'm Daily Wire Editor in Chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Friday, February 21st, and this is Morning. The Doge Whiplash continues for Washington bureaucrats as the new department sets its sights on Social Security. They're finding levels of fraud and waste and abuse like I think nobody ever thought possible.

[Cabot Phillips]

And California faces a home insurance crisis after widespread fires. What could the deep blue state learn from Florida?

[John Bickley]

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

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[John Bickley]

After one month back in office, Donald Trump continues to sign executive orders, confirm cabinet members and rewrite public policy at a frenetic pace.

[Cabot Phillips]

Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips is here to recap the action and preview what's coming next. So Cabot, Donald Trump promised to hit the ground running and he's done that in this first 30 days.

[Mike Waltz]

Yeah, it's hard to overstate the pace at which he has reshaped the federal government. It's just been unmatched by any of its predecessors in modern history, and no one on either side is really disputing that. In his first 30 days, Trump reversed Biden era immigration policy, reset foreign relationships with adversaries and allies, and signed more executive orders than any president in the last century signed in their first hundred days. And he also saw his cabinet confirmed at a near record pace. Yesterday, Cap Ash Patel was confirmed as head of the FBI. That gives Trump 19 cabinet confirmations in just 31 days. That's the fastest pace since W's first term in O1. Several top Trump surrogates touted the administration's achievements at a press briefing Thursday. Here's National Security Adviser Mike Waltz praising his Ukraine negotiations. I find it frankly ridiculous. So many people in Washington that were just demanding pounding the table for a.

[John Bickley]

Ceasefire in Gaza are suddenly aghast that.

[Mike Waltz]

The president would demand one and both sides come to the table when it comes to Ukraine, a war that has been arguably far greater in scope and.

[John Bickley]

Scale and far more dangerous in terms of global escalation.

[Mike Waltz]

And here's White House adviser Stephen Miller's defense of Trump's approach to government. It got a lot of play yesterday. Have a listen. Americans vote for radical FBI reform. And FBI agents say they don't want to change. Or Americans vote for radical reform on our energy policies. But EPA bureaucrats say they don't want to change. Or Americans vote to end DEI racist DEI policies. And lawyers, the Department of Justice, say they don't want to change. What President Trump is doing is he.

[John Bickley]

Is removing federal bureaucrats who are defying democracy by failing to implement his lawful orders, which are the will of the whole American people.

[Mike Waltz]

And Americans seem optimistic about Trump's early moves. Rasmussen polling found that 47% of the country feels America is on the right track. Now, that might not sound great, but that is a 19% increase from September and the highest number for that question in the last 20 years.

[Cabot Phillips]

Now, based on polling, what issues are getting those high marks with voters?

[Mike Waltz]

Well, it's still undoubtedly immigration. According to the latest numbers, the number of illegal immigrants detained at ports of entry declined by 93% during Trump's first 10 days in office, while the number of detentions along the southwest border as a whole fell by 85%. Zooming out, just 29,000 migrants were detained at the border. That is the lowest mark for a month since May of 2020. And keep in mind, Trump was only in office for a third of January, so February's decline is likely to be even more drastic.

[Cabot Phillips]

And now the president is signing some new orders addressing the border, cutting funding for illegal immigrants, correct?

[Mike Waltz]

Yeah. This week, Trump signed a measure that will restrict any federal dollars from going towards benefits for those living in the country illegally. Under the order, all federal agencies and departments will undergo an internal investigation to ensure, quote, taxpayer resources are used to protect the interests of American citizens, not illegal aliens. Now, under federal law, illegal immigrants are technically already banned from receiving, quote, public resources to meet their needs. But the White House says in their order that previous presidents, most notably Joe Biden, blatantly violated those laws. Trump added that taxpayer benefits should only be extended to taxpayers, specifically American citizens. And the existing structure served as a, quote, magnet for illegal aliens. Here's VP Vance speaking about the order at CPAC on Thursday. Why are we taking the people's Social Security payments and giving it to illegal aliens? We know that's happening in the United States of America today. We've got to stop it. If you get control of the border, you do more to control the fiscal problem, the financial problems that we have in this country that almost anything.

[Cabot Phillips]

Well, and he's also taken on the cartels. So what's the new strategy there?

[Mike Waltz]

Right. On Thursday, Trump officially ordered the State Department to designate eight Latin American gangs and cartels as terror organizations. That list includes Trend aragua in Venezuela, Ms. 13 in El Salvador, and the infamous Caloa cartel in Mexico. According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, quote, there is sufficient factual basis to prove these criminal organizations qualify as terror groups under US Law. Remember, these groups have played an integral role in smuggling fentanyl and people across the border over the last decade. That new designation will allow the US to impose sanctions on anyone connected with the groups. That includes banks, businesses, and politicians. It'll also open the door for the US Military to target these groups directly, though it's unclear if Trump has plans to do so.

[Cabot Phillips]

Well, that would be a drastic step, but hopefully this crackdown works. Cabot, thanks for reporting.

[Mike Waltz]

Anytime.

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[Cabot Phillips]

Judges have cleared Doge's access to federal data at many federal agencies. And some federal employees could be headed for layoffs. But at the Social Security Administration, one worker saw his fortunes change in an instant. In a good way.

[John Bickley]

Luke Rosiak, the Daily Wire's government efficiency reporter, broke the story of what happened to an obscure Social Security Administration employee who's become a folk hero to conservatives and now Social Security's temporary leader. Hey Luke, so who is Leland Dudek and how did he find himself in charge at the Department of Social Security?

[Luke Rosiak]

Hey John. So for years Dudek had been a mid level manager at Social Security running its anti fraud efforts. Now at 4:30pm one day this week he was called into his manager's office and placed on leave. He wrote in a now deleted LinkedIn post, they want to fire me for cooperating with Doge. I confess I helped Doge understand ssa. I mailed myself publicly accessible documents and explained them to Doge. I confess I moved contractor money around to add data science resources to my anti fraud team. But within hours it wasn't Dudack who was fired. Instead the head of the entire agency, Michelle King, was out and Dudek got a big promotion to her job.

[John Bickley]

Quite a reversal there. And Doge's Elon Musk actually shared your story on X. I wanted to read what he wrote. He said, quote, there are good people in the government who want to eliminate fraud and waste, promote good players, exit bad players. That's the right thing to do. What's your response to that?

[Luke Rosiak]

I think that's a really important point. Doge is going to need some of these career employees if they're going to be successful. They are out there, people who want to do the right thing and work for the federal government and they're actually the ones who know where the bodies.

[John Bickley]

Are buried right now. Dudek's replacing, for now, Michelle King. What do we know about her? About King?

[Luke Rosiak]

Well, traditionally the Social Security commissioner was appointed to a six year term and retained by the next president. But Joe Biden shattered that president when he fired Trump's first term pick. Biden replaced him with Martin O'Malley, who quit late last year to run for chair of the Democratic National Committee. That left King, a career employee, as acting commissioner. Now, King reportedly tried to block Doge from accessing the agency's data. Now Dudak will leap up the ranks to be acting commissioner until the Senate confirms Trump's nominee.

[John Bickley]

Social Security has been a big focus for Doge lately, which makes sense because it's got a lot of data, handles a lot of money. We touched on this earlier this week, but there have been some developments there with Social Security. What has his team found so far?

[Luke Rosiak]

Well, Musk said this week that there are millions of people in Social Security's system that are well over 100 years old but aren't marked as dead. A lot of people on the left attacked him for that. Some claimed Musk just didn't understand the way that dates are stored in the COBOL programming language. Now, not only was that theory wrong, but it highlighted that some of the most important financial systems in the US government are running on a 1960s programming language, despite the agency giving out a billion dollar tech contract. Then they said it was no big deal because those were just Social Security numbers being used by illegal immigrants.

[John Bickley]

No. So not really making the point they'd hoped to make, I guess.

[Luke Rosiak]

Yeah.

[John Bickley]

Well, doge.gov online ticker says it's cut $55 billion so far. And I know you'll be keeping a close eye on that number as it goes up. Luke, thanks for joining us.

[Luke Rosiak]

Thank you.

[Cabot Phillips]

In a classic tale of two states, the insurance market in California is circling the drain, while reforms in Florida are reducing rates for homeowners.

[John Bickley]

Here to discuss is Daily Wire senior editor Ash Shorthey. Ash, so another stark contrast being drawn between these two states that has some broader implications. What's happening there with insurance?

[Ash Shorthey]

Well, as we know, both Florida and California have suffered natural disasters in the past year, Florida's hurricanes and California's fires. But the effects of these disasters and the state government's approach to ensuring homeowners in disaster prone areas is radically different. California, which of course is a state led by Democrats at every level for decades has kept insurance rates lower even as home values and risk increase. When insurance companies have asked to increase insurance rates due to rising risks of wildfires or other issues, state insurance regulators have denied requests. Now, you'd naturally think that keeping insurance costs down would be good for homeowners, allowing them to better afford their homes. The problem comes when insurers can't turn a profit because they're paying out more in claims than they're collecting. If an insurance company can't afford to insure, they'll leave the state or shut down, leaving homeowners without any insurance.

[John Bickley]

Right. The inevitable result of market forces at work there. And so are we seeing that kind of effect in California?

[Ash Shorthey]

It's getting to that point. State Farm, the largest fire insurer in California, recently asked state regulators for a 22% rate increase, but was denied by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, who ignored the recommendations of his experts. This comes after the company said it had to pay out $1.26 in claims for every $1 it collected in premiums over the past nine years. According to the Wall Street Journal. That's a $5 billion loss. This comes after State Farm asked for a 30% rate increase last June, long before the recent LA fires broke out. The company says it could face a credit rating downgrade if it doesn't quickly raise rates. Such a downgrade could keep people from using the company to insure their property. Without State Farm, many in California will then be forced to buy insurance through California's insurer of last resort, which is close to becoming insolvent. LARA recently announced that private insurers like State Farm and Policyholders would have to pay a $1 billion surcharge to keep that from happening.

[John Bickley]

So it sounds pretty dire. Now we have a very different situation in Florida that's provided its own kinds of lessons. Tell us about what's happening there. How's the insurance situation?

[Ash Shorthey]

Much better and continuing to improve. Back in 2022 and 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis implemented numerous litigation reforms that kept Florida from its own insurance disaster. Prior to the reforms, insurers had been raising rates by double digits annually and leaving the market due to lawsuit abuse. Now that the lawsuit abuse is down, 11 new insurers have entered the market and some carriers are asking for rate decreases. Even Florida's last ditch insurer, Citizens Property, is cutting rates. Florida also had the lowest premium increase in the country with just 1%, while other states saw increases up to 20% or higher.

[John Bickley]

Right, and we also know that Florida responded to the hurricane it faced last year very quickly, while California is still dealing with the fallout from the recent fires. Speaking of those fires, what's the latest on that front?

[Ash Shorthey]

Things are still very grim for many people. In addition to all the problems caused to California's insurance industry, many residents know they won't be able to rebuild. Some say it's because they probably won't receive enough from insurance to rebuild, while others can point to California permitting regulations to know they won't be rebuilding their homes and lives as they were before such a tragedy.

[John Bickley]

Ash, thanks so much for reporting.

[Ash Shorthey]

You're welcome.

[John Bickley]

Hey, thank you for waking up with us. If you enjoyed what you heard this morning, share this episode with a friend.