Morning Wire Podcast Summary Episode: Trump’s Record Pace & Federal Media Contracts Cancelled | 2.7.25
Release Date: February 7, 2025
Hosts: John Bickley & Georgia Howe
Co-Hosts: Cabot Phillips & Megan Basham
Guest: Tim Pierce

1. Introduction and Episode Overview

In this episode of Morning Wire, hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe, alongside co-hosts Cabot Phillips and Megan Basham, delve into President Donald Trump's aggressive efforts to reshape the U.S. government. The episode addresses Trump's unprecedented pace in signing executive orders, the controversy surrounding federal funding to major media outlets, and the administration's stringent immigration enforcement measures.

2. Trump's Record Pace of Executive Orders

Key Points:

• President Trump is executing a series of executive orders at an unprecedented rate, aiming to overhaul various aspects of the federal government.
• These orders cover a range of issues, including tackling alleged anti-Christian bias and overhauling the tax system.
• Public support for many of these orders remains high, reflecting Trump's strong backing among his constituency.

Notable Quotes:

• John Bickley [00:03]: "Trump continues his fast and furious pace of reshaping the US Government."

• Cabot Phillips [01:36]: "President Trump continues to sign executive orders at a record pace, reshaping the federal government."

• Kevin [01:58]: "Since January 20, Donald Trump has signed executive orders at a faster pace than any president in modern American history."

• Megan Basham [02:28]: "Wow."

• Kevin [02:31]: "Yes, they are. For example, Ipsos polling this week found that 64% of Americans support his plan to investigate FEMA for political bias... 79% of Americans support that plan, including even 67% of Democrats."

• Georgia Howe [03:31]: "The mission of this task force will be to immediately halt all forms of anti Christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government."

• Pam Bondi [04:53]: "The AG will also be establishing a new weaponization working group that'll investigate cases of politicized justice within the DOJ over the last four years."

3. Federal Media Contracts and Their Cancellation

Key Points:

• The Trump administration has ordered the Government Services Agency to cancel all media contracts, targeting legacy media outlets such as Politico, the Associated Press (AP), and The New York Times.
• These contracts involved substantial federal funding, with Politico receiving $8.2 million in the last fiscal year, primarily from non-USAID sources.
• Media outlets defend these payments as legitimate business transactions for premium services, not as subsidies.
• Critics argue that the high cost of these subscriptions ($10,000+ annually) represents an inappropriate use of taxpayer funds and raises concerns about potential bias in media coverage.

Notable Quotes:

• Cabot Phillips [06:48]: "President Trump is ordering the Government Services Agency to cancel all media contracts."

• Megan Basham [07:18]: "Politico has been the main focus because they received $8.2 million from the federal government in just the last fiscal year."

• Megan Basham [08:41]: "Politico's argument is that these agencies were buying subscriptions to its premium news service, Politico Pro... they have, quote, never received any government funding."

• Kevin [10:29]: "A former Politico reporter... has acknowledged that the outlet's editors tended to quash those stories that were unfavorable to Biden."

• Megan Basham [10:25]: "There’s no proof that that editorial bias was influenced by money. But again, the optics aren't great."

4. Immigration Enforcement and Actions by Attorney General Pam Bondi

Key Points:

• Newly confirmed Attorney General Pam Bondi is spearheading a crackdown on sanctuary cities, initiating lawsuits against Chicago and the state of Illinois for their protection of illegal aliens.
• The Justice Department (DOJ) is intensifying deportation efforts, with current deportation numbers reaching approximately 12,000 since Trump took office less than three weeks prior.
• Operational security issues within Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been highlighted, leading to internal measures to prevent leaks and enhance mission focus.
• Local officials contest the federal government's authority to mandate deportations, leading to ongoing legal battles.

Notable Quotes:

• Tim Pierce [11:49]: "Here's Bondi on FOX News with Sean Hannity... If you don't comply with federal law, you're going to be next."

• Pam Bondi [12:43]: "For any mayor or governor who doesn't want public safety threats removed from the communities, I find it hard to believe that. But we're going to do it with or without them."

• Tim Pierce [13:24]: "Pam Bondi: This is not a game when we show up these sites. This is a dangerous job for the men and women of ICE and Border Patrol..."

• Tim Pierce [14:03]: "Tim Pierce: So operational security has been a problem for ICE. Homan is working on it."

• Tim Pierce [14:22]: "They're at about 12,000 now since Trump entered office less than three weeks ago."

5. Conclusion

The episode underscores President Trump's vigorous approach to governance, marked by a flurry of executive orders and significant policy shifts. While his administration garners substantial support for its initiatives, it also faces criticism and legal challenges, particularly concerning media funding and immigration enforcement. Attorney General Pam Bondi's aggressive actions against sanctuary cities exemplify the administration's uncompromising stance on law enforcement and border security.

Listeners are encouraged to stay informed and engaged with the latest developments by tuning into Morning Wire for comprehensive coverage of political and cultural affairs.

This summary captures the key discussions and insights from the Morning Wire episode on February 7, 2025. For the full conversation and detailed analysis, listening to the episode is recommended.