Another American Hostage Home plus USAID Sending Millions to Hamas & Trump and Elon Detail More Outrageous Spending

Summary

Summary of Episode: "Another American Hostage Home plus USAID Sending Millions to Hamas & Trump and Elon Detail More Outrageous Spending"

Podcast Details

• Title: The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson
• Host: Ben Ferguson, hosted by Premiere Networks
• Episode Release Date: February 12, 2025
• Description: Hosted by national radio personality and political commentator Ben Ferguson, The 47 Morning Update delves into the latest news and political developments, particularly focusing on the President's administration, policies, and agenda. The show features unfiltered insights, exclusive interviews, and candid commentary, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the issues shaping America today.

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1. Hostage Release: Mark Fogel Returns Home

[01:33 - 11:06]

The episode opens with Ben Ferguson sharing uplifting news about the return of Mark Fogel, an American hostage who was held in Russia since August 2021. Ferguson and Senator Ted Cruz discuss the significance of his release, attributing it to the strong leadership of President Donald Trump.

Notable Quotes:

• Senator Ted Cruz [05:26]: "Mark Fogel was arrested in Russia at a Russian airport for the possession of drugs, which his family said was medically prescribed marijuana... He came out of the snow to come into the Oval Office to be with President Trump... it was a big victory bringing American hostages home."

• Senator Ted Cruz [10:07]: "She told me that exact words. She made quite an impression. And you also did. And I'm in awe of what you've done and your team."

Key Points:

• Mark Fogel's Release: After over three years in a Russian prison, Fogel was released and brought to the Oval Office, highlighting a successful hostage negotiation strategy under Trump's administration.
• Leadership Impact: Cruz emphasizes that the strength and decisiveness of President Trump have instilled fear in adversaries like Putin, Venezuela's Maduro, and Hamas, leading to multiple hostage releases.
• Emotional Testimony: Fogel expresses profound gratitude towards President Trump, the diplomats, and his family, underscoring the collective effort behind his liberation.

2. USAID’s Controversial Funding to Hamas

[18:01 - 29:14]

The discussion shifts to alarming revelations about USAID's financial support to terrorist organizations, particularly Hamas. Senator Cruz details how millions of dollars were funneled to groups linked to terrorism, undermining U.S. national security interests.

Notable Quotes:

• Senator Ted Cruz [22:50]: "Before and after October 7, USAID flowed unaccountable hundreds of millions of dollars towards Hamas that enabled it to launch the attack and keep battling Israel... They lied about the nature of that aid in public databases."

• Senator Ted Cruz [26:09]: "USAID documents obtained by Fox News showed... who is Anwar Al Laki? He is a notorious terrorist. So notorious that President Barack Obama ordered him killed in a U.S. airstrike in Yemen 20 years later."

Key Points:

• Secret Funding: USAID provided significant financial support to Hamas and other terrorist-linked groups, both before and after major attacks, often concealing the true nature of the recipients.
• Lack of Oversight: Internal reports revealed that USAID did not maintain comprehensive databases of sub-awardees, facilitating the diversion of funds to illicit entities.
• Historical Context: The episode references past instances where USAID funded individuals like Anwar Al Laki, who later became infamous terrorists, highlighting systemic issues within the agency.
• Government Accountability: Cruz questions the lack of repercussions for officials who knowingly diverted taxpayer money to terrorists, calling for thorough investigations.

3. Executive Actions Against Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

[30:17 - 42:03]

Ben Ferguson and Senator Cruz discuss recent executive orders signed by President Trump, in collaboration with Elon Musk, aimed at curbing federal government waste, fraud, and abuse. These measures target outrageous spending and implement significant cuts in federal staffing.

Notable Quotes:

• Senator Ted Cruz [33:10]: "President Trump signed an executive order instructing DOGE to coordinate with federal agencies and to execute massive cuts in federal government staffing numbers... he's saving 2.3 billion a day."

• Senator Ted Cruz [34:08]: "President Trump and Elon Musk did a press conference from the Oval Office... discussing outrageous examples of abuse, like people receiving Social Security benefits who are allegedly 150 years old."

Key Points:

• Executive Order: The administration has taken decisive steps to reduce federal spending and eliminate inefficiencies within government agencies.
• Collaboration with Elon Musk: Musk plays a pivotal role in identifying and exposing instances of government waste and fraud, leveraging his platform to enhance transparency.
• Specific Examples of Fraud: High-profile cases include individuals receiving Social Security benefits well beyond typical lifespans, exemplifying systemic fraud.
• Media and Judicial Pushback: The administration faces resistance from media outlets and activist judges, with Senator Cruz highlighting the challenges posed by a "radical left" unwilling to accept transparency efforts.

4. Media Reaction and Judicial Challenges

[37:18 - 42:03]

The episode critiques the mainstream media's response to the administration's anti-corruption measures, portraying outlets like CNN as hostile and uncooperative. Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson argue that the media is failing to acknowledge the administration's efforts to restore transparency and accountability.

Notable Quotes:

• Senator Ted Cruz [38:30]: "Jeffrey Toobin jumping in screaming, that's not transparency. Trump is literally doing a press conference every day... These guys are saving 2.3 billion a day. It's incredible."

• Ben Ferguson [39:20]: "The portrayal by him is... when you see Anderson Cooper lose it like this, this is when you know they're losing America and they feel it and they're witnessing it because they're part of this cover-up center."

Key Points:

• Media Criticism: The hosts criticize CNN and other mainstream media for their negative portrayal and lack of support for the administration's transparency initiatives.
• Judicial Resistance: There is mention of activist judges and potential lawsuits aimed at stalling the administration's anti-fraud efforts.
• Public Perception: The hosts suggest that media outbursts and failures to present concrete evidence undermine the administration's credibility, despite visible efforts to address corruption.

5. Final Thoughts and Call to Action

[42:03 - End]

The episode concludes with a reaffirmation of the administration's commitment to fighting corruption and restoring governmental integrity. Ben Ferguson urges listeners to engage with the content, subscribe, and share the podcast to spread awareness.

Notable Quotes:

• Senator Ted Cruz [42:03]: "President Trump is standing up and delivering real cuts, taking on waste, fraud, and abuse. The American people are winning."

• Ben Ferguson [42:48]: "Hit that subscriber auto download button. Please make sure you share this because when you guys do, it reaches people and that's how we change hearts and minds."

Key Points:

• Ongoing Efforts: Emphasis on the continuous efforts by the administration and allies like Elon Musk to eliminate governmental inefficiencies.
• Engagement: Encouragement for listeners to support the movement by subscribing and sharing the podcast, thereby amplifying the message of accountability and reform.

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Conclusion

This episode of The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson provides a comprehensive overview of recent significant developments, including the successful release of an American hostage, alarming revelations about USAID's funding practices, and robust executive actions aimed at combating federal waste and fraud. Through detailed discussions and impactful quotes from Senator Ted Cruz, the show underscores the administration's commitment to national security, governmental integrity, and transparency. Additionally, it highlights the challenges posed by media resistance and judicial pushback, framing the ongoing struggle as a pivotal moment for America's future.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Senator Ted Cruz [05:26]: "Mark Fogel was arrested in Russia at a Russian airport for the possession of drugs... it was a big victory bringing American hostages home."
• Senator Ted Cruz [22:50]: "Before and after October 7, USAID flowed unaccountable hundreds of millions of dollars towards Hamas..."
• Senator Ted Cruz [33:10]: "President Trump signed an executive order instructing DOGE to coordinate with federal agencies and to execute massive cuts..."
• Senator Ted Cruz [38:30]: "Jeffrey Toobin jumping in screaming, that's not transparency..."
• Ben Ferguson [42:48]: "Hit that subscriber auto download button. Please make sure you share this..."

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Note: This summary excludes promotional segments and advertisements interspersed within the transcript, focusing solely on the substantive content and discussions relevant to the episode's key themes.

Transcript

[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ben Ferguson]

It is so fun to start verdict with good news and welcome. It is Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you and Senator, we have got incredible news that a hostage coming out of Russia has been released. This is incredible.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yet another American hostage has come home. Mark Fogel, who has been in Russian jail since 2021, returned home to the United States this week. Thursday night, late Thursday night, he was in the Oval Office with President Trump. This is a big victory bringing American hostages home. It's a continuation of the Venezuelan hostages that were brought home the first week President Trump was back in office and the Hamas hostages, both Americans and Israelis that have been released since President Trump has been in office. You yet another hostage release. This is the consequence of a strong commander in chief who our enemies are afraid of. That's a big victory for everyone. On top of that, we also have yet more breaking news of USAID funding millions and millions of dollars that is going to terrorists that funded Hamas, that funded terrorists that did enormous damage to US national security interests and put, put money in the pockets of those who were, who were attempting to murder and succeeded in murdering Israelis and Americans. And finally today, Elon Musk and Donald Trump were in the Oval Office together. The president this week signed an executive order implementing Doge's recommendations. And they detailed yet more incredible examples of abusive waste, fraud and abuse, including, astonishingly enough, people receiving Social Security benefits who are allegedly 150 years old. Spoiler alert, they ain't 150. All of that on today's show.

[Ben Ferguson]

No doubt about it. I want to take a moment and talk to you real quick about the incredible work that's being done by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. After more than a year of war, terror and pain in Israel, there is still a great demand for basic humanitarian aid. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has supported and continues to support those in the Holy Land that are still facing the lingering horrors of war and those who are in desperate need right now. Now, your ongoing monthly gift of $45 will provide critically needed aid to communities in the north and the south that have been devastated by this ongoing war. Your generous donation each month will deliver help to those in need, including evacuees and refugees, torn areas, first responders and volunteers, wounded soldiers, elderly Holocaust survivors, families who have literally lost everything and so many more. And you can provide hope during a time of great uncertainty. So to give a gift to bless Israel and her people, you can do so by visiting supportifcj.org that's one word, support ifcj.org you can also call 888 488, IFCJ. That's 888-488-IFCJ 888-48-8-4325 or support ifcj.org center. Let's get back to this incredible story about this hostage, Mark Fogel. It was an American detained in Russia from August of 2021 until February 11th of 2025. Donald Trump becomes president and he gets him out.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, he was arrested in Russia at a Russian airport for the possession of drugs, which his family said was medically prescribed marijuana. And Fogle was a history teacher who was working at the Anglo American School in Moscow. And he was arrested and he came home. And when he came home, it's Snowing in Washington, D.C. there's a bunch of snow on the ground. And he came out of the snow to come into the Oval Office to be with President Trump and I gotta say, it was powerful. It was amazing. The scene of the two of them in the Oval Office. Here, give a listen. He's a very happy guy tonight. It's just a real honor, an honor to have you at the White House. I feel like the luckiest man on earth right now. And I want you to know that I am not a hero in this at all. And President Trump is a hero. These men that came from the diplomatic service are heroes. The senators and representatives that passed legislation in my honor to get me home are the heroes. I am in awe of what they all did. My family has been a force. I think my 95 year old mother is probably the most dynamic 95 year old on earth right now. And I am so indebted to so many people. I think I remember a Churchill quote that he said when the RAF was fighting the Luftwaffe. And he said that never have so many owed so much to so few. And I put myself fortunately and unfortunately into that category. And I said, never has one owed so much to so many that this super organism of people that came to my support and the love that I was given sustained me for three and a half years in a prison that had me in hospitals for more than 100 days. I was given more than 400 injections in that time. And knowing I had the support of my fellow Pennsylvanians, my family, my friends, it was so overwhelming that it brought me to my knees and it brought me to tears. But it was, it was my energy, it was my being that kept me going that whole time. And I will forever be indebted President Trump to Steve over there. What a dynamic man this guy is. That's true. When I met him, the energy, the can do attitude just exudes from his body. And when he smiled at me and introduced me and I got the feel for what has happened. You know, it's not just me, it's everybody and Secretary Rubio, who met my son a while back. I'm a middle class school teacher who's now in a, a dream world. We're going to show you the Lincoln Bedroom in a little while. It's a very special, special place. Appropriate for today. Very appropriate and thank you all. And I love our country and I'm so happy to be back here and I wish I could articulate it better. You've done beautifully and he's got a great mother. And when I saw the mother at a rally, she said, would you, if you win, will you get my son out?

[Ben Ferguson]

And I promise.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

She's 95 years old and I said, we'll get him out. And we. We got him out pretty quickly. She told me that that exact. That exact words. She made quite an impression. And you also did. And I'm in awe of what you've done and your team. It's great to have you back. Oh, and have a great life. Wow. That. That. That's just amazingly powerful. And. And you think about Mark Fogle's life has been transformed, and it's been transformed because Donald Trump is a strong commander in chief, and Putin is afraid of him. Venezuela is afraid of him. Hamas is afraid of him. And that pattern is significant. Look, hostage negotiations are always complicated and difficult, and that's the difference. We have, you think about in three weeks to see so many American hostages released. That's a big deal.

[Ben Ferguson]

Which brings me to the question, and it's frustrating. I'm one of those. I want to be very clear, center. I'm frustrated. This makes me angry that you look at a guy like Mark, you look at how sincere his love is for this country, how thankful he is to see the light of day again in America, to be out of hell in Russia and the way that we know they treat people in Russia. He talked in that. In that clip about how many days he spent in the hospital, how many injections he received. And the reality is many people don't make it out alive. Once you go into the prison system in Russia, and there's an anger, I think, by not just me, but I think probably many people listening, they're saying, how is it that Biden and Harris didn't get these people out? It's not just him. It's the others you just mentioned. But it's like, did they just not fight hard enough? Do they just not give a damn? Because Donald Trump just did it. And I think this is something that outrages me and many others.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

You know, I don't think it's fair to say that Biden didn't give a damn. You know, I will say during his presidency that there were some hostages who returned home. Mark Sweden, who was a Texan who was wrongfully imprisoned in China for over 10 years. I was very, very active pressing for Sudan's return. Look, when you're dealing with hostages, it is always complicated. It is always difficult. I've been involved in seeking and helping get the return of multiple hostages over the past decade. What I would say is, is, is the reason that. That Mark Fogel wasn't returned and then that these hostages were not released under Biden is, is that our enemies viewed Biden as a weak commander in chief. And, and that they were weak. They, that they were not, they were not afraid of him. Putin was not afraid of Biden. Hamas was not afraid of Biden. Venezuela, Maduro was not afraid of Biden. And. All right, let's take an example. Let's take an example this week where Hamas is delaying some of the Israeli hostages and give a listen to Trump explaining what will happen if they don't release the hostages by Saturday at noon. Give a listen. Well, I would say this, and I'm going to let that, because that's Israel's decision. But as far as I'm concerned, if all of the hostages aren't returned By Saturday at 12:00, I think it's an appropriate time. I would say cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out. I'd say they ought to be returned by 12 o'clock on Saturday. And if they're not returned, all of them, not in drips and drabs, not 2 and 1 and 3 and 4 and 2, Saturday at 12 o'clock and after that, I would say all hell is going to break out.

[Ben Ferguson]

There's something interesting he said there. He said, this is my opinion. And then he basically said that gave some room there for Israel to pivot. We now know there is no pivot needed. Netanyahu has come out saying the same exact thing. It's, it's clear that the, our strongest ally, we are getting their back and we are one again on this, on this front. That is good for both countries.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, and look, both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump are very focused on bringing the hostages home. As you know, I spent two hours with Bibi on Thursday night, and then I had dinner with Trump on Friday night. So I've seen both of them within the last few days. And I will say Bibi echoed exactly that message that came from Trump, which is if the hostages are not released by noon on Saturday, all of the hostages, the ceasefire is over and Israel will return to eliminating the Hamas terrorists. And I think that is the way you get hostages released from a position of strength. And we're seeing strength from the commander in chief.

[Ben Ferguson]

Final question on this, and that is, when you look forward, there are still other Americans I know that are around the country, around the world, being held. Is this a trend you expect to continue because of the difference in leadership?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yes. Look, a strong commander in chief when, when our enemies are afraid of the president, Americans are safer. Americans are at less risk because the bad guys, the terrorists Those who want to take hostages have less confidence they can succeed and that is a good thing.

[Ben Ferguson]

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[Senator Ted Cruz]

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[Ben Ferguson]

Preservegold.com iheart I want to move to USAID and some of the big issues that are now coming out of that and it deals also with the issue of terrorism. We got some shocking news that has come out. It's something, by the way, that I think we need to point out very clearly. You had been talking about this now for several years in in Congress and on this show and thank goodness now at least all of it seems to be being exposed because of the digging with Doge and the Trump administration back in office.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, there was a lengthy tweet that I sent this week that said the following the full story of USAID funding Hamas is vast and much of it was done in secret. Before and after October 7, USAID flowed unaccountable hundreds of millions of dollars towards Hamas that enabled it to launch the attack and keep battling Israel. Afterwards, they lied about the nature of that aid in public databases, refused to disclose what groups were getting the money, and gave tens of millions in American cash to be distributed without American supervision. They internally admitted the aid would benefit Hamas and even exempted themselves from anti terrorism laws, but in public issued denials for all four years of the Biden administration. I prevented them from confirming a Middle east administrator because they wouldn't acknowledge what they were doing because continuing their secret pro Hamas programs was more important to them. And I'll tell you, there was a major article in the Washington Free Beacon that I tweeted out as well, and it's an article my team and I provided a significant amount of the information to the Washington Free Beacon, but it's entitled @ USAID Funding for Terror Tied Groups and Internal Hostility Towards Israel Goes Back Years. One former State Department official described a lack of embarrassment among some USAID staffers about being associated with Terrorist organization and I'm going to read from the beginning of this article because it's an important article and the facts in it are very disturbing. As the Trump administration works to shutter the U.S. united States agency for International Development, USAID current and former US Officials who work closely with the embattled aid group say they watched for years as it funneled millions of dollars to anti Israel advocacy groups and entities linked to terrorism. That funding caused internal friction across multiple administrations, according to those who spoke with the Washington Free Beacon. In some cases, USAID fought to conceal how taxpayer funds were spent. And when it came to Israel, officials recalled battling USAID over funding for groups that worked to undermine the Jewish state or maintain ties to Terror organizations, quote for those who believe in a strong US Israel relationship, elements of USAID had been problematic for years, said one former State Department official who worked with USAID during the Biden administration, quote, there was even a lack of embarrassment among some USAID staffers about being associated with terrorist organizations. Some of the terror tied funding initiatives are publicly known. In November 2022, for instance, USAID awarded $100,000 to a Palestinian activist group whose leaders hailed the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a designated terror group. Just six days before Hamas's October 7 assault on Israel, USAID handed $900,000 to a terror charity, Charity in Gaza involved with the son of Hamas leader Ismail Hanay. USAID's hostilities towards the Jewish state, however, ran deeper than the agency's grant making. Under Samantha Power, former President Joe Biden's pick to run usaid, agency officials fought pro Israel policymaking at the State Department, often urging their colleagues at Foggy Bottom to pare down statements that praise the Jewish state, former officials said. In 2021, during a period of conflict with Hamas, Power herself refused to meet with Israel's ambassador unless Israel reached a ceasefire with the Iran backed terror group. The decision put Power at odds with the White House National Security Council, which signed off on the meeting. Emails obtained by the Free Beacon show.

[Ben Ferguson]

It is shocking to hear you read that and yet it's, it's so well documented. It's something that you've been sounding the alarm on for a while now because of a new administration. We're actually getting some movement on this. But, but how angry should Americans be that their tax dollars have been going to terrorist organizations through these, funneled through these charities and other groups and there were warnings meaning that the government, Biden, Harris and their team, they knew the money was ending up with these people. This wasn't a one off, this wasn't an accident. This was deliberate.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, they knew it and they actively hit it. Let me read a little more from this Free Beacon article. A January memo from Inspector General Paul Martin noted that the agency, quote, does not maintain a comprehensive internal database of sub awardees. In other words, the foreign entities that work with a primary grantee on a USAID project often go unreported, impeding the ability of the agency investigators to vet fraud allegations. According to the memoir, such allegations often include the diversion of taxpayer funded aid to terrorist organizations. In a November report, for example, Martin quote, identified deliberate interference and efforts to divert humanitarian assistance by foreign terrorist organizations, including systemic coercion of aid workers by FTOs foreign terrorist organizations and FTO influence over beneficiary selection. These diversion efforts are particularly pronounced in Hamas controlled Gaza. A February report from the Middle East Forum think tank found that the USAID had awarded millions of dollars to organizations directly in Gaza controlled by Hamas. Let me read that again. A February report from the Middle East Forum think tank found that USAID had awarded millions of federal dollars to organizations directly in Gaza controlled by Hamas. And it continues in one Biden Eric Case. USAID funded an educational and community center in Gaza controlled by a local group the called the Unlimited Friends Association. The association openly collaborated with Hamas, inviting the terror group's officials to its office and boasting of US funded projects in Hamas controlled newspapers. In 2021, its director called for Jerusalem to be cleansed, quote from the impurity of the Jews. This is who Joe Biden and the Democrats were sending millions of dollars to. And this is who they were covering it up.

[Ben Ferguson]

Not only were they covering it up, but this has a. USAID has a long history that's now well documented of them helping radicals. And one of the things you and I talked about before the show was another just totally insane aspect of this and that included paying for terrorists college funds.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, that is exactly right and it is a stunning story. So, so this is something that's been reported in Fox News and, and, and the New York Post. Here's what the New York Post said. USAID reportedly bankrolled Al Qaeda Terrorist college tuition unearthed record showed USAID American Board Jihadist Anwar al Awlaki received four full funding to attend Colorado State University in 1990. USAID documents obtained by Fox News showed. Now, now, now who is Anwar Al Laki? He, he is a notorious terrorist. So notorious that President Barack Obama ordered him killed in a U.S. airstrike in Yemen 20 years later. The documents revealed that Al Aulaqi, who was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico lied on his application and claimed that he was born in Yemen. Apparently so he would be eligible for the federal tuition funding worth more than $27,000 at the time. That was 1990. Tuition and fees for an international student at the university today would be nearly 10 times that. Using the education USAID provided him, he earned a bachelor's in Civil Engineering in 1994. All Awlaki would go on to teach Islam at mosques across the country from Denver to San Diego and Virginia, where U.S. officials believe he used his platform to radicalize and recruit terrorists. And understand all Awlaki is directly implicated in number one, at the San Diego mosque he met the 911 hijackers, Nawaf Al Hazmi and Khalid Al Mihdhara, two of the men who flew Flight 77 into the Pentagon on 9 11. And he was arrested in 2006 for his terrorist ties in Yemen. And three years later, Anwarlaki communicated with Nidal Hassan, who murdered 14 innocent souls at Fort Hood. Anwar Al Awlaki was also tied to the underwear bomber Umar Farooq Abda Matalab, who tried to blow up a Detroit bound Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas Day 2009 with bombs hidden in his shorts. This is who USAID said, you know what, we're gonna pay for you to get a college degree. What in the hell are these people doing?

[Ben Ferguson]

So the question that I gotta ask finally on this to wrap it up, and people that are listening are gonna say, number one, how did this a happen? But even more so, how are people not going to jail for knowingly giving American taxpayer dollars to terrorists? I mean, if you are working in our government, even if it's under the direction of the Biden Harris regime at the time, and you're sending out money that you know is going to terrorists around the world, is that not like breaking some law, Senator?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, look, that's a question that I think is going to have to be investigated and examined. I, you know, I will say US Anti terrorism laws prohibit sending money that goes to terrorism. And in fact, the Biden administration made a formal assessment and they concluded that sending the money to Gaza, that it was very likely that money would be used by Hamas for terrorism. Now, ordinarily, when you make that determination, under American anti terrorism law, you don't send the money. You can't send the money once you determine that it's likely it'll go to terrorism. However, the way the law is written, the President has the authority to waive that provision. And that's exactly what they did because they made a determination that their radical politics were more important than stopping terrorists from murdering American citizens and murdering Israeli citizens. And tragically, the entire world saw the consequences of that radicalism on October 7th.

[Ben Ferguson]

Do you think there will be any accountability for this or is this going to be another one of those where, hey, we were in charge, so we get to, we got to with it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Look, I certainly hope there will be accountability, but at a minimum, we're seeing accountability in President Trump and Elon Musk shutting down these programs at usaid. I think that is very good. And my hope and expectations is that Congress will come along and we will pass legislation, presumably as a part of budget reconciliation later this year to codify these cuts and eliminate the waste, fraud and abuse.

[Ben Ferguson]

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[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah, it was really powerful. So President Trump and Elon Musk did a press conference from the Oval Office on Thursday earlier this week, President Trump signed an executive order instructing DOGE to coordinate with federal agencies and to execute massive cuts in federal government staffing numbers. And the order instructs federal agencies and DOGE to significantly shrink the size of the federal government and to limit the hiring of new employees. And I gotta say, Elon Musk laid out several of the egregious examples of abuse. Listen to this first one. You know, there's crazy things like just cursory examination of Social Security, and we've got people in there that are 150 years old now. Do you know anyone? 150? I don't. Okay. They should be on the Guinness Book of World Records. They're missing out. So, you know, that's the case where, like, I think they're probably dead. It's my guess. Or they should be very famous.

[Ben Ferguson]

One of the two. I mean, I want to meet him. Elon wants to meet him. The President wants to meet him. You want to meet him, right? If you're 150 and you're still cashing that check.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Ben, Ben, I got to say, you don't look a day over 140.

[Ben Ferguson]

I mean, and this is the stuff that you just can't even make it up. Of course, they would be sending a check to somebody that we assume is just. Is committing fraud here, Right? Like, this checks never stopped. And they're like, well, just keep cashing them. They're too stupid to not send them.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Fraud. Of course it's fraud. And the Biden administration had no interest in uncovering that fraud. And take a listen to what President Trump said about the magnitude of the waste, fraud and abuse that they're finding billions and billions of dollars in waste, fraud and abuse. And I think it's very important. And that's one of the reasons I got elected. I say we're going to do that. Nobody had any idea it was that bad, that sick, and that corrupt. And it seems hard to believe that judges want to try and stop us from looking for corruption, especially when we found hundreds of millions of dollars worth much more than that in just a short period of time. We want to weed out the corruption, and it seems hard to believe that a judge could. We don't want you to do that. So maybe we have to look at the judges, because that's very serious. I think it's a very serious violation.

[Ben Ferguson]

He mentions the judges there, by the way. There's a lot of activist judges that were put in by liberals who are like, all right, we're the last defense Here. So let's try to, you know, stop him at all costs to, you know, because he's too successful at giving the American people transparency and their money back.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Look, Barack Obama and Joe Biden put a lot of radicals on the federal bench. And right now you've got Democrat attorneys general going and seeking out these radicals to file lawsuits. You've also got left wing special interest groups seeking out these radical judges. We're gonna see a lot of lawsuits. We're gonna see a lot of lawfare over the next four years. But you know, I gotta say, watching Democrats and the media meltdown, number one, they've always melted down over Trump. They have Trump derangement syndrome, but they also have Elon derangement syndrome. And they scream, well, Elon Musk was not elected to anything. Well, yeah, that's true, but Donald Trump was elected to something. He was elected to President of the United States and he was elected on a mandate. And this is actually a point that Elon made quite effectively in the Oval. Give a listen. The people voted for major government reform. There should be no doubt about that. That was on the campaign. The President spoke about that at every rally. The people voted for major government reform. And that's what people are going to get. They're going to get what they voted for. And a lot of times people that don't get what they voted for, but in this presidency, they are going to get what they voted for. And that's what democracy is all about.

[Ben Ferguson]

I got to say, I love listening to Elon. You spent a lot of time with him. I think this is a perfect example of just how genuine his heart is on this. He truly is a believer in this country and giving the American people what they voted for. And he is an agent to go find the waste, fraud and abuse. And he's, and he's, and he's incredibly focused on it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

He is, he is incredibly focused and he's right. This is democracy and yet it is causing the radical left to lose their minds. You know, I gotta say I want to play this, this, this segment from CNN because it really does show how the media, their minds are melting down. You had former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, who's on. And he's on with Anderson Cooper and Anderson Cooper loses it. And you've also got Jeffrey Toobin, another left wing CNN contributor, you know, your old buddies. These are all the folks you palled around with. Ben.

[Ben Ferguson]

I did my seven years in hell. Seven years in hell.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Do you have CNN tattooed somewhere on your body?

[Ben Ferguson]

I Do not. I do not. I'm sure.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Just checking. So, all right, give a listen to Chris Sununu and look how he causes the CNN folks to lose their minds. It was surreal. But I got to tell you, I know what you're not showing here. Musk gave seven specific examples off the top of his head of where the corruption and fraud were. I know. You don't. You didn't play the clips. He was talking about a contractor that had a three month contract. He was paid for 20 years. He was talking about welfare benefits that were being paid to someone that was technically 150 years old. He was talking about line items in the British. No justification.

[Ben Ferguson]

Like he doesn't present any actual evidence.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, he's standing there in the Oval Office. Do you expect him to come in with 10,000 pages? And I have to be clear to complain about this administration, about transparency when this president takes open questions on a daily basis, yet Joe Biden didn't show up for a press conference this six months is insane. These guys are being extremely transparent. They don't have to sit there and take the questions, but they do. It's all on the website. It's all out there. It's not transparency to say things that have no factual background.

[Ben Ferguson]

I mean to say we're cutting, you know, we found a billion dollars or a trillion dollars in waste with no specifics.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

That's just talk.

[Ben Ferguson]

That's not transparent.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It's 23 days in here, guys. 23 days. You were talking about 2.3 billion that was saved last year. These guys are saving 2.3 billion a day. It's incredible. That's what they're saying. But where's the rules?

[Ben Ferguson]

You're waiting.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

You're not going to be satisfied until he shows up with 10,000 pages. I think.

[Ben Ferguson]

He'S giving very specific things. He's giving, but he's not actually giving.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Any evidence of that. It's all going to come because what they also said was if we have to go to Congress, we'll go to Congress.

[Ben Ferguson]

Right, but show where some of the details that have come out, like the, you know, $59 million spent on luxury hotels.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It's actually nothing about the FEMA money that was abused for migrants. That was. Yeah, FEMA money for migrants. That's okay now.

[Ben Ferguson]

No, I'm not saying it so. I'm not saying it's okay.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Don't put words so. Would you stop that? Would you stop that process?

[Ben Ferguson]

Don't be a dick. The portrait. What I'm saying is the portrayal by him is, I just got to say, I, this is from my, my seven years in hell at CNN when the hosts start cursing at you. Don Lemon lost it on me one night screaming, that is bs. That is bs. But saying the full thing. When you see Anderson Cooper get rattled like this, this is when you know they're losing America and they feel it and they're witnessing it because they're part of this cover up center. And now they realize how stupid their argument is that, well, we didn't see a piece of paper with it on there. What, you think Elon Musk is sitting there making this up in the Oval Office? Like, what's wrong with you guys? And by the way, you guys never question anything that was shady with the Biden administration when you knew it was shady.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah, look, number one, you see Jeffrey Toobin jumping in screaming, that's not transparency. Trump is literally doing a press conference every day. They're putting all of this out for everyone to see. They're giving chapter and verse and specifics. And you see Anderson Cooper at the end where he just curses and melts down and insults a former governor, by the way. Yeah. I mean, wow. To be clear, that is the reason Anderson Cooper does that is he realizes he's in a completely indefensible position. He's defending the prior administration diverting funds from fema, by the way. Funds that FEMA are supposed to use to deal with a natural disaster, whether wildfires in California or a hurricane or tornadoes or other natural disaster. And the prior administration took those disaster funds and instead use them to pay for hotel rooms for illegal aliens. And Anderson Cooper realized, wait a second, I'm defending something that is so absurd that, that even the four viewers who are watching CNN are gonna know it's absurd. And that's why he melts down. And I gotta say, the fact that President Trump is standing up and delivering real cuts, that is taking on this waste, fraud and abuse. The fact that Anderson Cooper is melting down, that shows President Trump is winning, that shows Elon Musk is winning. And that shows the American people are winning.

[Ben Ferguson]

Amen to that. Don't forget, we do the show Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Hit that subscriber auto download button. Please make sure you share this because when you guys do, it reaches people and that's how we change hearts and minds. That's why we do this show. So if you'll help us grow, we would appreciate that and we will see you back here on Friday morning. Masculinity is back and Maximus is helping Americans like you. Increase their testosterone to the top percentile. MaximumTribe.com's testosterone solutions are clinically proven to at least double your testosterone so you can regain your energy, increase lean muscle mass and elevate your mood. Experience the hype today. Visit maximus tribe.com that's maximus tribe.com results may vary and outcomes aren't guaranteed.

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