Honey Pot Operation Targeted Trump in 2016, Elon's Email Heard 'Round the World & Rubio Rips the U.N.

Summary

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson: Episode Summary

Release Date: March 1, 2025
Episode Title: Honey Pot Operation Targeted Trump in 2016, Elon's Email Heard 'Round the World & Rubio Rips the U.N.

Hosted by Ben Ferguson, The 47 Morning Update delves into pressing political news and behind-the-scenes insights, offering listeners unfiltered commentary on the current administration's actions and policies.

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1. FBI Investigates Secret Honeypot Operation Targeting Trump's 2016 Campaign

Overview:
Ben Ferguson opens the episode by addressing a significant development involving the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). The agency has initiated an investigation into a covert "honeypot" operation that allegedly targeted Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

Key Points:

• Leadership Involvement: The investigation is spearheaded by FBI Director Cash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
• Operation Details: The honeypot operation involved two female undercover agents assigned to Trump's campaign. These agents were reportedly tasked with gaining trust and extracting information, a tactic often referred to as deploying "honeypot agents."
• Historical Context: The operation traces back to 2015 under former FBI Director James Comey, who is alleged to have personally directed the investigation against Trump without targeting any specific crime, characterizing it instead as a "fishing expedition."
• Whistleblower Claims: A whistleblower within the FBI disclosed that the primary goal was to uncover any leverageable information against Trump, differing from the Crossfire Hurricane investigation that focused on Russian collusion.
• Political Implications: The revelation suggests potential misuse of FBI resources to interfere in the electoral process, raising questions about the agency's impartiality and motivations.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben Ferguson [02:15]: "This is the FBI investigating a secret honeypot operation targeting Donald Trump's campaign and trying to alter the outcome of an election."
• Marco Rubio [01:05]: "You're in no position to dictate what we're going to feel. You don't have the cards right now."

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2. Elon Musk's Directive to Federal Employees Sparks Controversy

Overview:
The episode shifts focus to Elon Musk's recent controversial email sent to U.S. federal employees, demanding a summary of their work activities.

Key Points:

• Email Content: Musk, leading the Department of Government Efficiency under Donald Trump's administration, sent an email titled "What Did You Do Last Week?" requiring employees to provide five bullet points of their accomplishments.
• Deadline and Consequences: Employees were instructed to respond by midnight on Monday, with non-compliance interpreted as a forced resignation.
• Institutional Pushback: Several federal agencies, including the State Department and the FBI, advised their staff to disregard the email, citing concerns over confidentiality and protocol.
• Union Response: The largest federal workers' union condemned the directive as "cruel and disrespectful," highlighting issues of harassment and potential legal violations.
• Musk's Justification: Musk defended the email by aligning it with Trump's agenda for increased accountability and productivity within the government workforce.

Notable Quotes:

• Elon Musk [07:59]: "This aligns with Donald Trump's directive to adopt a more aggressive approach in evaluating federal employee productivity."
• Ben Ferguson [05:20]: "If you're one of these woke individuals that can't handle a basic email asking you what did you do at work last week, then maybe it's time for you to resign."

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3. Marco Rubio Slams the United Nations Over Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Overview:
Ben Ferguson discusses Marco Rubio's strong criticism of the United Nations' stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, emphasizing the U.S. position under President Trump's leadership.

Key Points:

• UN General Assembly Vote: In the first six weeks of Trump's administration, the U.S. voted against a Europe-led resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with 93 countries in favor and 18 against, including the U.S. and Russia.
• Propaganda Concerns: Rubio alleges that anti-American and anti-Trump propaganda have misconstrued the U.S. stance, suggesting a false alignment with Russia.
• Secretary of State's Statement: Elise Stefanik highlighted that the U.S. aims to return the UN to its foundational mission of preventing and ending wars, rather than prolonging conflicts. She emphasized President Trump's dedication to ending the war in Ukraine swiftly.
• Diplomatic Efforts: Efforts are underway to bring both Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table to outline conditions for ending the conflict, although success remains uncertain.

Notable Quotes:

• Marco Rubio [09:16]: "You're in no position to dictate what we're going to feel. You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War III."
• Elise Stefanik [10:59]: "President Trump is a peace president. We have a president that wants to end wars, not start new ones."

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Conclusion

In this episode of The 47 Morning Update, Ben Ferguson tackles critical issues affecting the political landscape:

1. FBI's Secret Operation: The investigation into undercover agents targeting Trump's 2016 campaign raises alarms about potential overreach and partisan motivations within federal agencies.
2. Elon Musk's Government Efficiency Push: Musk's aggressive measures to monitor federal employee productivity have ignited debates about workplace respect, legality, and morale within the government.
3. U.S. Stance at the United Nations: Marco Rubio's critique of the UN underscores the administration's commitment to resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, juxtaposed against widespread international condemnation.

These discussions provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the underlying tensions and strategic maneuvers shaping American politics today.

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For more insightful updates and in-depth analysis, subscribe to The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson on your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

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[Marco Rubio]

You're in no position to dictate what we're going to feel. You don't have the cards right now. You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War iii. We've done a lot of talking.

[Ben Ferguson]

You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Good Saturday morning to you, Ben Ferguson with you. And these are some of the stories that you may have missed that we talked about this week on the 47 Morning Update. First up, the FBI is turning on the deep state that went after Don Donald Trump with a real FBI investigation of what they were doing that may have been illegal against the president. Also, Elon Musk sent out an email to government employees saying, hey, what did you actually do at work last week? Justify having a job?

[Elon Musk]

And finally, Marco Rubio says, enough already. Ripping the United nations and many of the war hawks that are obsessed with keeping the war going between Russia and Ukraine. It's the 47 Morning Update, and it starts right now.

[Ben Ferguson]

Story number one, the Federal Bureau of Investigations has now officially told the world that they are investigating a secret honeypot operation that targeted President Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign that according to a recent report, the FBI director, Cash Patel, who was recently confirmed and sworn in, and the FBI Deputy director, Dan Bongino are reportedly looking for two female agents who took part in an off the book investigation, quote, unquote, that former FBI Director James comey launched in 2015. This according to the Washington Times, the agents who were undercover were called, quote, honeypot agents, a term that refers to an undercover operative, usually a woman with sexual or romantic interests, used to obtain information from a target target. Again, this coming from the Washington Times. Now this comes after the Times previously reported in October of 2024 that the House Judiciary Committee was looking into a whistleblower's claim that the agency targeted Trump soon after he announced his presidential campaign in June of 2016. In what was described as a fishing expedition to, quote, find something. In a protected disclosure, the whistleblower and FBI agent claimed that two undercover agents had infiltrated Trump's presidential campaign. Remember when Donald Trump said his campaign was spied on? Well, apparently they were sending an attractive females to try to get in tow or to set up the president. Again, this was during his campaign run to become president in 16 and had been instructed these women to act as, quote, honey pots while traveling with Donald J. Trump. According to the outlet, the agent, quote, personally knew that Mr. Comey ordered an FBI investigation against Mr. Trump and that Mr. Comey, quote, personally directed it, quote, unquote. According to the disclosure, the off the books investigation did not appear to target a specific crime either, but was more of what agents would describe as a fishing expedition to find something, find anything that could be used against Donald Trump. The outlet also noted that the whistleblower's disclosure claimed that the investigation was different from Crossfire Hurricane, which targeted Russian collusion. We all know that was obviously a big lie. Breitbart News also previously reported that during Trump's first term in office, he ordered more documents from Operation Crossfire Hurricane to be declassified. I determined that the materials in that binder should be declassified to the maximum extent possible is what Donald Trump said in 2021. Now, there's many that are going to say this is Donald Trump going after his, quote, political enemies. If you look at the facts, it's very clear that's not the case. In reality, this is the FBI investigating a secret honeypot operation targeting Donald Trump's campaign and trying to alter the outcome of an election. Next, story number two. Imagine being at work and receiving an email from your boss asking you to state, what did you do last week in your job over the last five things you did? And knowing that you don't have a very good answer. Well, for many government employees, that is exactly the email they received. Elon Musk leading the department of government efficiency under Donald Trump sent an email to all US Federal employees with the subject line, what did you do last week? The email, dispatched late Saturday afternoon, instructed employees to provide five bullet points summarizing their work achievements from the previous week. By midnight on Monday, Musk warned that failure to respond would be interpreted as a resignation. This directive has led to confusion and pushback within various federal agencies. Some departments, including the State Department, the FBI, have advised their employees to pause or refrain from responding to the email, citing concerns over confidentiality and proper chain of command. But the largest group of federal workers is being told that it is time for them to tell Elon Musk and those at DOGE exactly what they're doing now. Don't worry. Many in the government are fighting back. The largest federal workers union criticized the move, labeling it cruel and disrespectful. Musk defended the email, stating it aligns with Donald Trump's directive to adopt a more aggressive approach in evaluating federal employee productivity. Musk suggested that the requirement was a basic measure to ensure accountability and identify potential inefficiencies within the government workforce. The situation has sparked a broader debate about the treatment of federal employees. That is what Democrats are fighting back with, saying that this is a method of harassment instead of performance. They also are now stating there are concerns about legality, respect and the potential impact on morale and national security. At the end of the day, it's pretty clear that Elon Musk isn't going to take the bait on any of that. And the President of the United States of America is also making it clear that if you're one of these woke individuals that can't handle a basic email asking you what did you do at work last week? Then maybe it's time for you to resign and get the hell out of the government. And here is story number three.

[Elon Musk]

One of the things that's really important that we are going to be covering on this show each and every day is when there is clearly propaganda that is being used against the Trump administration. This may be one of the biggest flashpoints so far. In the first six weeks of his administration, the United Nations General assembly adopted a resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 93 countries voted in favor, 18 against, including the United States and Russia. Now this immediately turned into propaganda, anti American propaganda, anti Trump propaganda, saying that Donald Trump is now siding with Russia. It's easy to buy into that headline if you don't actually understand the story or why the American government decided to say no to condemning Russia at the United Nations. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State ripped the United nations as antagonistic and warmongers trying to keep the Ukraine, Russia war continuing on and on forever. I want you to hear what the Secretary of State said about this vote so that you understand the real story behind it.

[Marco Rubio]

Take a listen of news today, the United States voted against a Europe led resolution at the United nations to condemn Russia for the invasion of Ukraine. And then later a US Led resolution passed the Security Council. Talk to us about what happened there.

[Elise Stefanik]

Well, on the broader resolution, we think the UN Needs to get, if it's going to be useful in the 21st century, the UN needs to get back to its charter mission, which is the prevention and the ending of war and conflict. And so we felt, everyone knows, you know, you can go back and read newspaper articles over the last three years and figure out what happened in Ukraine. But now, as the President's made very clear, President Trump wants to end this war. He thinks far too many people have died and he wants to bring it to an end. So we didn't feel it was conducive, frankly, to have something out there at the UN that's antagonistic against either side. We're trying to get these guys to the table. And unfortunately, Ukraine didn't agree. They wanted to move forward on theirs. We then went to the Security Council with our compromise, which I think is a very fair language. And it basically says war is a terrible thing. I mean, I'm paraphrasing and I'm being simplistic, but it says war is a terrible thing. Way too many people have died. This war needs to end in a way that's enduring. In essence, echoing President Trump's view of, of what this conflict needs to be and reminding the United nations that the purpose of the United nations was the prevention of war and the ending of conflicts, not making it harder to end conflicts. So I thought it was good that we got it done at the Security Council. The Russians didn't veto it, which is a good sign. I'm not telling you that that is going to end this conflict. And I can't wait till Elise Stefanik is there because it would be great to have her leadership. But I certainly think our language is better language and hopefully furthers the cause of peace.

[Marco Rubio]

President Trump today, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, said that he hopes that this can be resolved in a matter of weeks, not months, weeks. What are some of the major steps that we need to take to get to that point?

[Elise Stefanik]

Well, I think the President would want it to end yesterday. Right. He thinks already Too many people have died. There's been too much destruction. By the way, I think everybody should be very happy that President Trump is a peace president. We have a president that wants to end wars, not start new ones. He wants to end human suffering, not exacerbate it or extend it. Now, that said, it's a conflict. It's a war. It's going back and forth. We got to get them both to the table, starting with the Russians. So we met with them last week, and the basic question of that meeting was, are you interested in ending this conflict or not? A lot of people don't know the answer to that. If you talk to some in Europe, they'll tell you that Putin is not interested in ending the war. They said they would be under the right conditions. We didn't discuss what those conditions were. So the next step now is to meet with them again at some point with the right group of people in the room and begin to outline what would it take for Russia to stop a war. And obviously, we've got to ask Ukraine the same question, because you can't stop a war unless both sides agree to it. So whether it takes days or weeks or what have you, we're going to begin that process. It may not work out. But why would anybody criticize President Trump for wanting to end a war that's cost billions of dollars, hundreds of thousands of lives, and tremendous and ongoing human suffering?

[Elon Musk]

You listen to what Marco Rubio said there, and now you understand exactly why they decided to not try to antagonize two countries. You're wanting to get to the table to end the war. Now, the media is not going to tell you this part of the story. They're not going to play for you what I just played from you, from Marco Rubio. And this is exactly why I say I hope you take the information that I give you every day here and you give it to others that you know. Because without all of us telling the story, the media will continue to lie and win.

[Ben Ferguson]

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 on Monday morning.

[Ryan]

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