Big Pharma gets a Cancellation, FBI Reopens Pipe Bombs, Cocaine & Court Leaks plus Ivy Under Fire

Summary

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode: Big Pharma gets a Cancellation, FBI Reopens Pipe Bombs, Cocaine & Court Leaks plus Ivy Under Fire
Release Date: June 5, 2025

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1. HHS Cancels Moderna’s $766 Million Vaccine Contract

Key Points: The podcast kicks off with a significant development in public health policy. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under the leadership of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), has officially canceled a $766 million contract with Moderna. This contract was initially allocated to fund the development of an mRNA-based vaccine targeting pandemic influenza viruses, including the H5N1 bird flu strain.

Details:

• Contract Breakdown:
  • Total Value: $766 million
  • Funding Phases: $176 million awarded in July 2024 and $590 million in January 2025.
• Reason for Cancellation: Despite Moderna reporting positive interim results from early-stage trials involving 300 healthy adults—highlighting a robust immune response and a favorable safety profile—HHS cited concerns over the scientific and ethical justification for continued investment in mRNA technology for this purpose.

Notable Insights:

• Angelica Peebles ([04:51]) elaborates on the implications of this decision:

  "The cancellation of this vaccine is quite a surprise... they felt like after a rigorous review, we concluded that the continued investment in Moderna's H5N1MRNA vaccine was not scientifically or ethically justifiable."

• Joe Getty ([06:33]) ties the cancellation to broader skepticism towards mRNA vaccines:

  "Concerns were raised about the safety and testing rigor of the mRNA technology... the HHS emphasized the need for safety, integrity, and public trust in medical advancements."

Analysis: Ben Ferguson discusses how this move aligns with RFK Jr.'s longstanding skepticism towards mRNA vaccines, noting previous policy changes, such as rolling back COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for specific demographics. This decision underscores a shift towards prioritizing vaccine safety and restoring public trust, albeit amid controversy and differing opinions on mRNA technology's efficacy.

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2. FBI Reopens Investigations into High-Profile Cases

Key Points: The second major story addresses the FBI’s renewed efforts to investigate several unresolved and high-profile cases that have significant public interest and potential implications for national security and political integrity.

Details:

• Cases Under Review:
  • Washington Pipe Bomb Incident: Occurred the day before the January 6 Capitol breach, involving pipe bombs near both the Democratic and Republican National Committee buildings.
  • White House Cocaine Discovery: Unveiled in July 2023, this case involves the presence of cocaine within the White House premises.
  • Supreme Court Decision Leak: The unauthorized disclosure of the 2022 Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.

Notable Insights:

• Dan Bongino, the Deputy FBI Director, provides an overview ([08:08]):

  "Shortly after swearing in, the FBI Director Cash Patel and I evaluated a number of cases of potential public corruption that understandably have garnered public interest."

• Dan Bongino further emphasizes the administration’s commitment to transparency and justice:

  "We decided early on to limit our media footprint overall... we are making progress. If you have any investigative tips on these matters that may assist us, then please contact the FBI."
  (Timestamp: [11:07])

Analysis: Ben Ferguson highlights the administration's determination to address past oversights and potential misconduct, signaling a crackdown on corruption regardless of political affiliations. The reopening of these cases indicates a proactive stance in ensuring accountability and may have far-reaching repercussions for individuals and institutions involved.

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3. Trump Administration Targets Harvard University’s Federal Funding

Key Points: The final segment delves into the Trump administration's aggressive measures against Harvard University, reflecting a broader strategy to reshape federal funding allocations in higher education based on ideological alignment and institutional policies.

Details:

• Funding Cuts:
  • Contracts Canceled: Approximately $100 million in remaining federal contracts with Harvard.
  • Grants Frozen: Over $2.6 billion in federal research grants previously allocated to the university.
• Policy Changes:
  • Resource Reallocation: Redirecting funds to institutions that better align with the administration's objectives, such as trade schools and other educational entities.
  • Emphasis on Accountability: Ensuring that higher education institutions adhere to national standards and maintain a positive campus climate.
  • Encouragement of Institutional Self-Reliance: Promoting financial independence and efficiency within elite universities.

Notable Insights:

• Donald Trump ([14:42]) comments on the administration's actions:

  "Major escalation in The Trump administration's fight against America's universities. The State Department pausing all new student visa application interviews... moving to cancel all remaining federal contracts with Harvard."

• CNN Reporter ([15:25]) provides Harvard’s perspective:

  "I don't know fully what the motivations are, but there are people who are fighting a cultural battle... sometimes they don't like what we represent."

• Joe Getty ([15:46]) juxtaposes the Harvard president's stance with the administration's:

  "The Harvard president right there going on NPR, which the president is also trying to defund, complaining about the motives of the Trump administration."

Analysis: Ben Ferguson discusses the implications of these funding cuts, suggesting that the administration aims to diminish the influence of elite institutions perceived as harboring anti-American sentiments or promoting divisive ideologies. By redirecting funds towards more vocational and technological training programs, the administration seeks to provide alternative educational pathways, potentially reshaping the higher education landscape in the United States.

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Conclusion

Ben Ferguson wraps up the episode by urging listeners to stay informed and engaged with the latest developments shaping America. The cancellation of Moderna’s vaccine contract, the FBI’s renewed investigations into pivotal cases, and the Trump administration’s targeted funding cuts to Harvard collectively underscore a period of significant political and societal shifts. These stories highlight the administration's focus on public health integrity, accountability in public institutions, and realignment of federal resources to better match its policy objectives.

Closing Remark:

"Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now and for more in-depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow."
(Timestamp: [16:07])

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Stay Informed, Stay Ahead
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Transcript

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Joe Getty]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Jack Armstrong]

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[Angelica Peebles]

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[Dan Bongino]

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[RFK Jr.]

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[Angelica Peebles]

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[RFK Jr.]

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[Joe Getty]

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[Dan Bongino]

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[Angelica Peebles]

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[Jack Armstrong]

Why should you listen to Armstrong and Getty on demand? We're not boring. A lot of news is boring and tedious and depressing and makes you angry. You don't want to live your life like that. Hey, I'm Jack Armstrong. He's Joe Getty. We're Armstrong and Getty. We try to bring you the truth and help you figure out this crazy.

[Ben Ferguson]

Modern world about something about a comedic tone.

[Jack Armstrong]

We have a winner.

[Joe Getty]

Yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

Listen to Armstrong, you Getty on Demand on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dan Bongino]

In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency. It became known as the Iran Contra Affair.

[Jack Armstrong]

The things that happened were so bizarre and insane, I can't begin to tell you.

[Dan Bongino]

Please do. To hear the whole story. Listen to Fiasco Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Donald Trump]

That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya and numerous others. But we will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm. And nothing will stop us from keeping America safe.

[RFK Jr.]

You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.

[Ben Ferguson]

Good Thursday morning. Welcome. It is the 47.

[Joe Getty]

7 morning update, and we've got three.

[Ben Ferguson]

Big stories for you that you do not want to miss this morning.

[Joe Getty]

First up, RFK Jr. S Health and Human Services has canceled Moderna's 766 million dollar vaccine contract, why they say the technology actually may not be safe for you at all.

[Ben Ferguson]

Also, the deputy FBI director Dan Bongito coming out and saying there's some big stories that we're still looking into. You remember the cocaine at the White House or the leaking of the 202022 Supreme Court decision when it came to Roe v. Wade and the Washington pipe bomb incident just the day before January 7th. Well, all of these are now being investigated again by the FBI. I'll have those details. And finally, President Trump yet again proving.

[Joe Getty]

He wasn't joking when he said he was going to be looking at where your tax dollars are going this time. He says it's time to cut off the funding to Harvard and Harvard is now free. Fighting back. We'll have that and how much money it could save you in just a second. It's the 47 Morning Update and it starts right now.

[RFK Jr.]

Story number one, there's no other way.

[Joe Getty]

To describe it but a major victory for American taxpayers. The U.S. department of Health and Human Services under Secretary RFK Jr. Has canceled a $766 million contract with Moderna that was intended to fund the development of of an MRNA based vaccine targeting pandemic influenza viruses, including the H5N1 bird flu. The funding, awarded through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, known as BARDA, comprised 176 million granted in July of 2024 and 590 million in January of 2025. The cancellation occurred despite Moderna reporting positive interim results from early stage trials involving 300 healthy adults which demonstrated they claimed a robust immune response and favorable safety profile. That's obviously coming from the company. Well, when the announcement came through, this is what it sounded like on msnbc.

[CNN Reporter]

Administration has canceled a contract with Moderna for, for the development of a bird flu vaccine for humans or Angelica. Peebles joins us now with more. And you could, you could conjecture a lot of things about this between RFK Jr and vaccines and MRNA. What, what's behind all this?

[Angelica Peebles]

Yeah. Good morning, Joe. So this is just the latest in a string of events that we've seen related to Covid vaccines over the last week. And what's happening here is that the Trump administration is canceling a more than $700 million contract with Moderna to develop a bird flu vaccine and other pre pandemic influenza viruses. And so what's really notable about this is that obviously we've seen this, you know, we've seen bird flu tearing through birds and also dairy cows and the risk to humans. And so what we saw in the Biden administration is that they really ramped up this work and they were helping to fund, they were going to fund a phase three trial to see if we could use MRNA to for a bird flu vaccine if it indeed spills over to humans. And now the cancellation of this vaccine is quite a surprise. Maybe not a surprise now because we had been hearing rumblings about this for the past few months. But, you know, we just saw this, this contract ramp up right before the last administration left. And now you have the Trump administration saying that they felt like after a rigorous review, we concluded that the continued investment in Moderna's H5N1MRNA vaccine was not scientifically or ethically justifiable. And they're saying that it's not just about efficacy, it's about safety. And so it's interesting to hear them really casting doubt on just the safety and the efficacy of MRNA vaccines as a whole.

[Joe Getty]

You go back to what the HHS officials stated in that decision and you would think the media would have spent more time on this saying, following a comprehensive review, they concluded that continued investment in Moderna's H5N1 and MRNA vaccine was not scientifically or ethically justifiable. Now, concerns were raised about the safety and testing rigor of the MRNA technology. And the HHS emphasized the need for safety, number one, integrity number two, and public trust in medical advancements. Something that at all disappeared because of the, quote, COVID vaccine. Remember when they promised you if you got it, you were going to stop the spread and you didn't have to worry about getting COVID 19? Well, that never happened and we all know we were lied to. Now, this move also aligns with Secretary Kennedy's long standing skepticism towards M RNA vaccines. Since assuming his role in February, Kennedy has implemented several policy changes reflecting those views, including rolling back COVID 19 vaccine recommendations, as we mentioned yesterday, for healthy children and pregnant women. Something that's been celebrated by quite a few Americans. Now, to be clear, no one has banned vaccines. This is going back to giving you the choice and a choice that many Americans had taken away from them during the COVID lockdowns.

[RFK Jr.]

Now, story number two, there were some.

[Ben Ferguson]

Pretty big stories in the past administration that literally got swept under the rug. And there are stories that Democrats, certainly those in power, were really hoping they'd never have to worry about again. It's part of the reason why they were propping up Joe Biden, even though they knew he wasn't even the President of the United States of America. He had a massive cognitive decline. But, hey, when you're doing what they're doing, why not keep the charades going? Well, the FBI Deputy Director, Dan Bongino has come out and said that, quote, the bureau is now looking at several of those cases involving, quote, potential public corruption. Cases the FBI could look at are the Washington pipe bomb incident, a White House cocaine discovery, you may remember that story, and also the minor leaking of the 2022 Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. Yes, the FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino sang that the bureau is looking at launching investigations into these cases of potential public corrupt. Bongino said, quote, shortly after swearing in, the FBI Director Cash Patel and I evaluated a number of cases of potential public corruption that understandably have garnered public interest. Bongino, a former Secret Service agent, and you may know him from his podcast, noted that they made the decision to either reopen or push additional resources and investigative attention to these cases. One case they're looking to target is the FBI investigation to the alleged pipe bomb left near the Democratic and Republican National Committee buildings in Washington, D.C. the day before the January 6 Capitol breach, he said. The FBI said in 2024 that a $500,000 reward is still in effect for information leading to the arrest of the pipe bomb suspect. Earlier in 2025, the former assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office told CNN that officials are seeking, quote, new leads, saying maybe alliances have changed or relationships have changed and it's time to report on the suspect, is what he said to the outlet at the time. Saying tips from the public really have been very helpful. But as I mentioned, we're still trying to identify the suspect. So we're trying to release a little more information such that maybe it will jog somebody's memory. Other cases that warrant more resources include one involving the discovery of cocaine in the White House in July of 2023, as well as the massive leak of the Supreme Court's decision that overturned Roe v. Wade in June of 2022. Saying it this way, quote, I receive requests briefings on these cases weekly and we are making progress. If you have any investigative tips on these matters that may assist us, then please contact the FBI. Also in his ex post, Bongino said he and Patel have conducted one media interview together, which was with Fox News, as you know, a few days ago, saying, quote, we decided early on to limit our media footprint overall. In order to keep the attention on the work being done. We have chosen to communicate in writing on this platform to fill some of the inevitable information vacuum saying, quote, I try to read as much of your feedback as possible, but the work day is busy and my office is a sensitive compartmented information facility with limited phone access. In response to feedback, both positive and negative, from our interview last week, we will be releasing more information which will further clarify answers to some of the questions asked in the interview. One thing is for sure, they are definitely going for more transparency. But for the liberals out there that may have been committing crimes, guess what? You may have thought you got away with it. And apparently with this administration, you may be very wrong.

[RFK Jr.]

And lastly, story number three, it's a pretty simple idea.

[Joe Getty]

If you hate the United States of America, why should we let you come to America's universities, especially if you're advocating for violence against Jewish students or even American students? Well, the Trump administration has now intensified its actions against Harvard University by directing federal agencies to cancel or redirect contracts worth approximately $100 million. Now, this move follows earlier measures, including the freezing of over 2.6 billion in federal research grants, citing concerns over the university's policies and campus climate. Now, the aspects of the policy change are actually very simple. The reallocation of resources is number one. The administration's decision aims to redirect substantial federal funds to institutions that align more closely with with its policy objectives, potentially benefiting trade schools and other educational entities. They also say there's an emphasis on accountability. By scrutinizing Harvard's use of federal funds, the administration underscores the importance of accountability and also adherence to national standards in higher education institutions and then the promotion of diverse educational opportunities. The potential redistribution of funds, the White House say, may enhance vocational and technological training programs, offering countless students alternative pathways to successful careers without the traditional university route and or going to an Ivy League school. There's also the encouragement of institutional self reliance. The funding cuts may prompt elite universities, they say, to seek greater financial independence, fostering innovation, efficiency and management resources. Now, these actions are sparking legal challenges as the universities are angry over what's happening. But at the end of the day, the White House also says this comes down to another issue, and that is are we actually encouraging students from around the world to come to the US that love America and that want to be a part of the process? Or are tax dollars going to students that actually hate America? And that brings up the State Department pausing visa interviews as Trump moves to cancel Harvard's last federal contracts. Here's more of that story as CNN.

[Ben Ferguson]

Freaked out over it news and a.

[Donald Trump]

Major escalation in The Trump administration's fight against America's universities. The State Department pausing all new student visa application interviews. And while that pause is in place, the government is developing new guidance for social media screenings of foreign students who want to study in the US this comes as the White House moves to cancel all remaining federal contracts with Harvard. Two senior administration officials tell CNN that those contracts are worth about $100 million. This on top of more than $2 billion in grants the administration froze last month. And on Monday, the president threatened to give that money to trade schools. Here's Harvard's president in an interview that was taped before news broke about those latest contract cancellations.

[CNN Reporter]

I don't know fully what the motivations are, but I do know that there are people who are fighting a cultural battle. I don't know if that is what is driving the administration. They don't like what's happened to campuses, and sometimes they don't like what we represent.

[Joe Getty]

The Harvard president right there going on npr, which the president's also trying to defund, complaining about the motives of the Trump administration.

[Ben Ferguson]

You can't make it up.

[Joe Getty]

Donald Trump doesn't care, by the way, and he's moving forward with protecting America's interests and your tax dollars.

[RFK Jr.]

Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now and for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.

[Jack Armstrong]

Why should you listen to Armstrong and Getty on demand? We're not boring. A lot of news is boring and tedious and depressing and makes you angry. You don't want to live your life like that. Hey, I'm Jack Armstrong.

[Joe Getty]

He's Joe Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

We're Armstrong and Getty. We try to bring you the truth and help you figure out this crazy modern world.

[Ben Ferguson]

How about something about a comedic tone?

[Jack Armstrong]

We have a winner. Yes, listen to Armstrong and Yeti on Demand on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dan Bongino]

In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency. It became known as the Iran Contra affair.

[Jack Armstrong]

The things that happened were so bizarre and insane, I can't begin to tell you.

[Dan Bongino]

Please do to hear the whole story. Listen to Fiasco, you Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[RFK Jr.]

This is an iHeart podcast.