The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode Title: FOUR Terror Attacks in Ten Days, and Still Dems Won't Fund DHS
Date: March 13, 2026
Host: Ben Ferguson
Guest/Co-host: Senator Ted Cruz

Episode Overview

In today’s episode, Ben Ferguson and Senator Ted Cruz focus on an alarming series of four terror attacks in the United States within just ten days, all carried out by radical Islamic terrorists. The hosts examine the political climate surrounding the ongoing refusal by Senate Democrats to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), highlighting the consequences for American public safety. The conversation also critiques media coverage of the attacks and ends on an unexpectedly uplifting note, exploring a viral AI-generated Christian apologetics essay.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Recent Wave of Terror Attacks ([03:33] – [17:44])

• Overview of Attacks:
  Senator Cruz outlines four major attacks — all in less than two weeks, each perpetrated by radical Islamic terrorists and all targeting American civilians.

  • Austin, TX: A legal immigrant, signaling radical affiliation, opened fire at a bar.
  • New York, NY: Two radicalized Muslim teenagers attempted a nail-bombing at a protest, inspired by ISIS.
  • Michigan: An attacker drove his vehicle into a synagogue where 140 children were present; only quick action by security prevented mass casualties.
  • Old Dominion: A previously convicted ISIS supporter, released early, opened fire in a classroom seeking U.S. military victims. A brave ROTC student intervened and stopped him.

• Quote Highlight:

  “We’ve now seen in less than two weeks, four separate terror attacks… the part of this that just makes your brain explode is the Democrats in the Senate keep voting over and over and over again to defund the Department of Homeland Security.”
  — Sen. Ted Cruz (04:13)

• Context of Rising Threats:
  Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and calls for attacks on Americans from radical clerics compound the sense of urgency.

2. DHS Funding Crisis ([08:28] – [11:52])

• Political Deadlock:
  Senate Democrats (except John Fetterman) recently voted to withhold DHS funding, though ICE is fully funded due to prior Republican action.

  • Result: TSA agents, Coast Guard, FEMA, and critical DHS staff are unpaid.
  • Real-world Consequences: Airport delays (Houston Hobby with 4-hour TSA lines), demoralized staff, increased likelihood of staff leaving critical positions.

• Quote Highlight:

  “Every Republican voted to fund DHS. Every single Democrat except John Fetterman once again voted no… They’re shutting down TSA… lines at airports—Houston Hobby Airport last week, there were lines four hours long.”
  — Sen. Ted Cruz (08:28)

• Democratic Attitude:
  Quoting Sen. Brian Schatz, Cruz says Democrats feel “very serene” about a DHS shutdown, emboldened by lack of media scrutiny.

3. The Open Border Debate ([11:52] – [17:44])

• Border Security Stats:
  Ben Ferguson compares FBI watchlist encounters at the southern border under Trump (never more than 6 per year) to the Biden years, which saw sharp increases (169 in 2023, hundreds more in 2024).

  • Gotaways: Estimated two million individuals not detained or identified, many from high-risk backgrounds.
  • CBP Warnings: Explicit internal alerts about Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives attempting entry.

• Quote Highlight:

  “The open border policies were a choice… The instant Donald Trump came back into office, the illegal border crossings dropped 99%. Joe Biden and the Democrats said, ‘Gosh, we gotta pass different legislation.’ No, you didn’t. You just needed to have a president who would follow the law.”
  — Sen. Ted Cruz (15:02)

4. Media Critique and Narrative Failures ([18:29] – [31:21])

• Media Silence:
  Both hosts argue that mainstream outlets, especially CNN, downplay or misrepresent terror events — prioritizing narratives that minimize terrorist intent or distract from the administration’s inaction.

  • CNN described bombers as “two Pennsylvania teenagers” rather than ISIS-inspired attackers.

• Notable Exchanges:

  “CNN tweeted out... ‘Two Pennsylvania teenagers crossed into New York City for what could have been a normal day...’ That’s ridiculous.”
  — Sen. Ted Cruz (19:23)

  “It’s Journalism 101… If you have terrorist attacks and you’ve voted to not fund the Department of Homeland Security, there should be, traditionally, hell to pay…”
  — Ben Ferguson (27:33)

• Example of Correction:
  Abby Phillips (CNN) issues a correction/retraction after misreporting the target of the NYC bombing attempt. Both Ferguson and Cruz criticize how the correction was handled and the original reporting’s bias.

  • “You’re the one that has to correct your own information... It wasn’t a guest on your show.” — Ben Ferguson (24:36)

• Larger Pattern:
  Cruz traces the reluctance to accurately label terrorism as “radical Islamic,” connecting it to earlier Obama administration policies enforcing “purges” of such language from DHS documentation ([28:19]–[31:21]).

5. Difference Between Being Muslim and Islamist ([28:19] – [31:21])

• Important Distinction:
  Senator Cruz emphasizes not conflating all Muslims with Islamists, the latter being an ideological subset who use violence to further religious/political goals.

• Notable Quote:

  “Islamism is a political ideology that says we will use violence, we will use terrorism... Islamists… have killed vast numbers of Muslims. They target Christians. They target Jews.”
  — Sen. Ted Cruz (29:55)

6. Uplifting Closing: Viral AI Christian Apologetics ([36:00] – [44:03])

• Turning Point:
  In the final segment, Cruz shares an AI-generated essay from Anthropic’s Claude, prompted about whether it would convert to Christianity if it read the Bible in full.
  • The essay impressively covers central Christian apologetic points: the Bible’s honest portrayal of human nature, narrative coherence, the resurrection’s historical basis, and the uniqueness of Christianity’s message.
  • Ferguson and Cruz agree on its profundity, with the latter sharing his pastor’s response:

    “Holy cow. Or should I say Holy Claude?.. On my next sabbatical, I may have Claude preach instead of me.”

  • AI’s Key Conclusion:

    “Every other system tells you what to do. Christianity tells you what has been done... That’s either the most outrageous claim in the history of religion or it's the truest thing ever spoken. There’s no middle ground where it’s a ‘nice philosophy among many.’”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Senator Ted Cruz on DHS Funding:

  “The entire purpose of DHS is to prevent terrorist attacks. And the Democrats keep voting… not to pay the people at DHS. This is dangerous.” (04:05)

• On Democratic ‘Serenity’:

  “Brian Schatz… said Democrats are ‘very serene’ with what is going on concerning DHS. Why? Cause the media won’t hold them to account.” (10:56)

• Ben Ferguson on Media Priorities:

  “The media when they were obsessed with the price of eggs… [went] 24/7 coverage on that… but on this issue, they’re completely gone.” (21:10)

• Abby Phillips Correction Sequence: ([23:39] – [24:36])

  • Phillips (mistakenly):

    “Two Republicans say Muslims don’t belong here after an attempted terror attack against New York’s Mayor Zoran Mamdani…”

  • Phillips (next day):

    “I incorrectly said the bombs… were directed at Mayor Mamdani. They were not... and I take full responsibility for that.”

  • Ferguson’s reaction:

    “You’re the one that has to correct your own information… It wasn’t a guest…” (24:36)

• Cruz quoting Norm MacDonald:

  “If ISIS were to detonate a nuclear device and kill 50 million Americans, imagine the backlash against peaceful Muslims.” (26:20)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:33] – Overview of the four terror attacks
• [08:28] – Senate votes on DHS funding; ICE funding explained
• [11:52] – Border statistics: terror watchlist encounters and “gotaways”
• [13:17] – CBP internal warnings and Biden administration’s border choices
• [17:44] – Direct consequences of defunding DHS and critique of Democratic response
• [19:23] – Media reactions and CNN coverage
• [23:39 & 24:08] – Abby Phillips’ initial error and retraction
• [27:33] – Media silence on holding politicians accountable
• [28:19] – Distinguishing Muslim faith from Islamist ideology
• [31:21] – Media and governmental reluctance to label attacks accurately
• [36:00] – Uplifting segment: AI essay on conversion to Christianity
• [42:58] – Key AI essay quote and host reflections
• [44:03] – Episode conclusion

Tone and Language

Throughout, the tone is intense, urgent, and highly critical of Democratic leaders and mainstream media, but closes with a reflective, almost pastoral mood during the AI apologetics reading. The discussion is direct, occasionally emotional, and features unsparing political assessment blended with moments of lighter reflection and personal anecdotes.

Summary Takeaways

• The recent surge of terror attacks is directly linked, in the hosts’ view, to lax border/security policies and political gridlock.
• Senate Democrats are heavily criticized for voting repeatedly not to fund DHS, while ICE remains fully funded.
• The media is portrayed as unwilling to report honestly or hold leaders accountable, providing cover for what the hosts perceive as reckless governance.
• The episode closes with a rare moment of hope—an articulate, thoughtful AI-generated exploration of faith, inspiring both hosts and offering a contrast to the earlier grave subject matter.

Recommended Listen For:
Anyone concerned about domestic security, DHS funding battles, political-media accountability, or interested in contemporary Christian apologetics debates — particularly from a conservative perspective.

Full episode available via The 47 Morning Update podcast feed.