No Man Left Behind Morale Booster, Pentagon Manual Wrecks the Left’s Talking Point & Temporary Protected Status Equals Permanent Consequences Week In Review

Summary

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode: No Man Left Behind Morale Booster, Pentagon Manual Wrecks the Left’s Talking Point & Temporary Protected Status Equals Permanent Consequences (Week in Review)

Date: April 11, 2026

---

Episode Overview

In this compelling week-in-review episode, Ben Ferguson and Senator Ted Cruz analyze pivotal moments in U.S. military and political life under President Trump. The discussion centers on three major topics:

1. The successful rescue of downed American pilots in Iran and its morale impact on the military.
2. Contentious debate over President Trump's threats toward Iranian infrastructure and the allegations of "war crimes" from his opponents, debunked using the Pentagon’s own manual.
3. The ongoing consequences of temporary protected status and the rise of violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants, with a focus on failures of past immigration policies.

With a mix of personal anecdotes, policy analysis, and political commentary, this episode explores the administration's assertive military posture, the partisan divide in national security matters, and the real-world impacts of immigration law enforcement.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "No Man Left Behind": Military Morale and the Iran Pilot Rescue

[03:18–10:56]

• Rescue Operation Review:

  • Ben shares accounts from military personnel expressing both fear and profound relief regarding the recent rescue of two downed U.S. pilots in Iran.
  • The podcast highlights President Trump’s unwavering resolve:

    “The morale booster of seeing that you have a commander in chief who says, I do not care what it costs... Go now. Get him.”
    — Ben Ferguson quoting a military contact ([04:21])

• Comparison to Past Presidents:

  • Military contacts compare Trump’s actions to perceived failures under Clinton (Somalia), Obama (Libya), and Biden (Afghanistan).
  • Ben asks rhetorically: "How fired up are you to serve Donald Trump knowing he's genuinely got your back?" ([05:08])

• Impact on Military Spirit:

  • Ted Cruz reads from a powerful post by John Conrad about why American fighters are so effective:

    “Our warriors are the fiercest on earth... because they know in their bones that when they key the mic and call for help, help is coming in hot. Take that away and you don't have the US military anymore. You have a security force.”
    — Ted Cruz quoting John Conrad ([09:18])

  • Both argue this ethos, revived under Trump, is essential to American military identity.

---

2. Trump's Hardline on Iran: Deadlines, Infrastructure Threats, and War Crimes Debate

[10:56–29:38]

• The Trump Doctrine in Action:

  • Ben outlines “two aspects” of Trump’s foreign policy:

    1. “FAFO” (colloquial for "mess around and find out")
    2. No more unconditional support for allies who don't reciprocate

  • Trump’s stern ultimatum to Iran is recited:

    “Tuesday will be power plant day and bridge day all wrapped up in one in Iran. There will be nothing like it. Open the effin strait... or you'll be living in hell.”
    — Ted Cruz quoting Trump’s Truth Social post ([11:44])

• Analysis of the Iranian Regime:

  • Discussion centers on whether Iran’s theocratic rulers care about civilian suffering or economic devastation.
    • Ted Cruz draws historical parallels with Nazi Germany regarding leadership disregard for their own citizens’ lives.
    • Ben argues destroying critical infrastructure could actually empower Iranian citizens to overthrow the regime.

• Strategic Calculus Behind Target Choices:

  • The pair note Trump avoids directly attacking Iran’s oil facilities, intending to avoid totally crippling the post-conflict economy and making civilian recovery possible through oil revenue ([24:53–25:01]).

• War Crimes Allegations Debunked:

  • Ted Cruz addresses Democratic and media claims that attacking Iranian infrastructure would be a "war crime."

    “Let me read to you from the Pentagon's Law of War Manual... Electric power stations are generally recognized to be of sufficient importance... so as usually to qualify as military objectives during armed conflicts.”
    — Ted Cruz ([26:30])

  • He stresses that both bridges and power plants are legitimate military targets per U.S. doctrine, which undercuts opposition arguments.

• International Mediation:

  • Pakistan's intervention in urging Iran toward a ceasefire is described as a “more normal” diplomatic move.
    • Ted Cruz calls Pakistan "an ally rather than a friend"—noting its complex place in U.S. foreign policy ([28:33]).

---

3. Illegal Immigration Crime and Temporary Protected Status

[32:58–41:28]

• Startling Recent Case:

  • Ted recounts the murder of a gas station clerk in Fort Myers, Florida, committed by a Haitian illegal immigrant—released under Biden, protected from deportation, and ultimately granted “temporary protected status” ([33:35]).
  • Department of Homeland Security’s statement is read in full, condemning Biden-era release policies.

• Broader Pattern:

  • Ted Cruz reviews infamous cases highlighted at the 2024 GOP Convention, attributing Trump’s 2024 victory and the Republican Congressional sweep to voter revulsion against “open borders” chaos.

• Current Enforcement Shift:

  • Since Trump’s reinstatement, illegal border crossings have dropped over 99%, but millions of prior arrivals remain—a legacy problem for enforcement.

• Midterms and Policy Contrast:

  • Ben and Ted warn Republicans need to campaign on the threat Democrats pose; if they regain power, open borders, ICE defunding, and increased crime will return.

• Terrorism Risk Spotlight:

  • Four British nationals with suspicious backgrounds—"Ali Muhammad Ali Abdullah," etc.—recently apprehended at the border in Maine ([38:05]).

• Broader Criminal Justice Failure:

  • Ted cites the case of De Carlos Brown, a repeat violent offender released 14 times by Democratic state officials, tying lax criminal justice to party ideology and electoral incentives.

  “If you keep releasing violent criminals… Democrats… think he ought to be a voter… violent criminals vote overwhelmingly Democrat. And I guess that explains why the Democrats’ priority is violent criminals and not American citizens.”
  — Ted Cruz ([41:00])

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Go get him and, and use everything, stop everything and use everything to go get one man… There is nothing I’m going to say no to.”
  — Ben Ferguson relaying military attitudes ([04:41])

• “You're serving the United States. You're not serving Donald Trump, but your Commander in Chief has your back, and that's a powerful thing.”
  — Ted Cruz ([05:43])

• “If Trump bombs it, the American taxpayers are not rebuilding it. There is no scenario in which the end game is Trump writing a check.”
  — Ted Cruz on post-conflict reconstruction ([18:09])

• “The instant President Trump launched this attack, Democrats began savaging him… I sat there and just kind of shook my head. I was saddened by that.”
  — Ted Cruz ([22:58])

• “Taking out civilian power plants is a war crime.”
  — (Paraphrased) Democrats, debunked by Cruz with Pentagon Manual ([26:30])

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Military Rescue Morale & Comparison with Past Presidents: [03:18–10:56]
• Trump’s Warning to Iran & Deadline Analysis: [10:56–14:57]
• Debate over Targeting Infrastructure & "War Crimes": [22:14–29:38]
• Illegal Immigrant Crime Case and Policy Implications: [32:58–41:28]

---

Overall Tone & Style

The episode blends hard-hitting commentary, policy breakdowns, and emotional anecdotes with a conversational style marked by camaraderie and irony. Both hosts engage in humor and banter—even ribbing each other about their non-military backgrounds ([16:47])—while maintaining a serious focus on national security and public safety.

---

Conclusion

This episode delivers a thorough, opinionated breakdown of headline national security and domestic policy issues, making a strong case for Trump’s approach and sharply criticizing Democratic opposition as partisan and reckless. If you want insightful, unapologetic conservative commentary on America's most pressing challenges, this recap—for listeners and non-listeners alike—captures all the key moments, debates, and revelations of the week.

Transcript

[Ted Cruz]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Public Ad Sponsor]

Guaranteed Human support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures [e-mail]

[Washable Sofas Sponsor]

tired of spills and stains on your sofa? Wash away your worries with Anabe Annabe is the only machine washable sofa inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly prices. That's right, sofas start at just $699. Enjoy a no risk experience with pet friendly stain resistant and changeable slip covers made with performance fabric experience cloud like comfort with high resilience foam that's hypoallergenic and never needs fluffing. The sturdy steel frame ensures longevity and the modular pieces can be rearranged anytime. Shop washablesofas.com for up to 60% off site wide backed by a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not absolutely in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping or restocking fees. Every penny back. Upgrade [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Martha Stewart]

This is Martha Stewart from the Martha Stewart Podcast. Ever wonder how to make hosting look effortless? Here's a secret when prepping for cooking and baking, get ahead of the mess with new Reynolds Kitchens countertop prep paper. Just lightly wet the counter so the paper grips. Lay it down and drips and spills stay on the paper, not on your counter. Cleanup is as simple as lifting it away to reveal clean counters. Effortless it is thanks to Reynolds Kitchen's countertop prep paper, wet it, set it, prep it, done. Available in the Reynolds wrap aisle at Walmart.

[Ted Cruz]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile.

[Ben Ferguson]

I don't know if you knew this,

[Ted Cruz]

but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not for celebrities.

[Ben Ferguson]

So do like I did and have

[Ted Cruz]

one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail] Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3

[Washable Sofas Sponsor]

month plan equivalent to 15 per month

[Ted Cruz]

required intro rate first 3 months only.

[Washable Sofas Sponsor]

Then full price plan options available, taxes and fees, extra fee, full [e-mail] welcome.

[Ben Ferguson]

It is verdict with Ted Cruz. We can review Ben Ferguson with you and hear the big stories that we talked about this week that you may have missed. First up, it was an incred, incredible morale booster for the American military and their capabilities to rescue the two downed pilots in Iran. What went into all of it? We explain it. Second up, Democrats accused Donald Trump of war crimes. If he does something they say he's not allowed to do, we'll explain that. And finally, yet again, another illegal alien led into this country in the Biden administration commits a violent murder. And will it ever stop? It's the weekend review and it starts right now. You know, several people that I talked to that are in the military over the last couple days, they were really worried about the, the airman who has gone missing because they were like, they knew what was gonna happen to him if he was caught by the irgc, by these militias. He was a dead man. And, and they were going to do it in a horrific way and probably film it and put it out there as propaganda to the world.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ben Ferguson]

And that was what they were all concerned with. They also said to me in, in text messages on Easter Sunday, I want you to understand, they said, the morale booster of seeing that you have a commander in chief who says, I do not care what it costs.

[Ted Cruz]

I do care. Go now. Get him. Go get him.

[Ben Ferguson]

Go get him and, and use everything, stop everything and use everything to go get one man and then we'll go back to what we're doing. I, but whatever it takes, there is nothing I'm going to say no to. And they said, they said to me, they said, ben, it's been a long time since men and women in uniform have felt that they have a commander in chief who truly has their back in this way. One of the things they said that was, I also thought was very Interesting. And I'm going to look it up now. So you looked up saying earlier, but, but it was a quote. And I want to quote this because it was so. It was so important what this individual said that serving his country said, you know, go look at the comparison to Bill Clinton and what he did with American troops in Somalia. He said, look at Barack Obama and what he did with Americans in Libya. Look at Joe Biden, who abandoned 13 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Trump moved mountains to rescue one American in Iran. One American. And if you're an American soldier right now, how fired up for you to serve Donald Trump knowing he's genuinely got your back?

[Ted Cruz]

Well, let me be clear. You're serving the United States. You're not serving Donald Trump, but your Commander in Chief has your back, and that's a powerful thing. And by the way, it's not just you and me saying that. It's also Barack Obama's former Secretary of Homeland Security. Listen to Jeh Johnson talking about this incredible rescue. This, this operation for the first pilot and the second pilot, remarkable exercise, demonstration of US Military courage, technology, power.

[Ben Ferguson]

I would encourage the President and the

[Ted Cruz]

Secretary of Defense, consistent with operational security, share as much of that with the American public so that the American public can appreciate what goes into this kind of operation is more complicated than the Bin Laden operation, for example. Wow.

[Ben Ferguson]

I'm not sure any of that that's coming from Jeh Johnson. That's pretty incredible.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, it is. And I want to drill down a little bit more on what this does for the fighting spirit and the morale of the entire military. And actually a different tweet, but I thought very profound as well, from a fellow named John Conrad on X. Here's what he said. This is why Americans are the deadliest fighters on Earth. I met a priest yesterday who just got accepted to chaplain school in Newport. I asked him the obvious question, Marines or Navy? Navy, he said. His face fell a little. He told me he could never be a Marine because every Marine is a rifleman. And as a priest, he can't carry a weapon. He's hoping to get assigned to a Marine unit anyway. All chaplains are Navy officers, so that's the only door in. I laughed. I felt a little bad about that. Then I explained to him what devil doc means. The Marine Corps doesn't have medics. They use Navy corpsmen. I told him, when you get out to the fleet, find a Marine sergeant with a couple of Purple Hearts and tell him devil docs aren't real Marines. Be prepared to duck. Marines are violently Particular about who gets to wear their uniform. Navy corpsmen and Navy chaplains who have eaten dirt alongside them in combat qualify, full stop. My dad was Air Force, not even Navy. I remember going to VFW halls with him as a kid. Someone would ask him what service. He'd say air Force. And the room would chuckle a little. And then they'd find out he was a medic. And the air in the room changed. Something close to reverence. Dad hated being honored. He had one line he used to deflect it. I didn't do much. Save your praise for my cousin, the PJ that always broke the ice. PJs are the air Force special operators who go into hell to pull downed pilots out. They will take casualties and are prepared to die to rescue a single pilot or crewman. The math doesn't math out. Why would any combat force take multiple casualties to rescue one Air Force jet jockey? What the padre is about to learn is that the military has a hierarchy that has nothing to do with rank and nothing to do with the service stitched on your chest. Have you deployed? Have you seen combat? In every firefight, there are men who move towards the guns and men who hang back. And when the guy at the tip of the spear is pinned down, bleeding, with rounds cracking past his head, there is exactly one word he screams into the radio. Medic.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yep, here.

[Ted Cruz]

Here's the catch. And it is the whole reason America fights the way America fights. That Marine is willing to push forward into fire because he knows the corpsman is coming. He knows the medevac birds will land in the hot lz. He knows the devil doc will drag him out by his plate carrier if it comes to that. And if the medic can't help, he has what dad called injuries incompatible with life. He knows that chaplain will crawl on his belly to administer last rites and deliver him to heaven. The F15 pilot punching out over enemy territory knows the same thing. He knows the PJs will move heaven and earth to reach him and turn whatever is shooting at him into a smoking crater of hell on earth on the way in. This is the quiet math underneath American violence. Our warriors are the fiercest on earth. Not because they're the more aggressive. Not because they're better trained or better equipped. Although they are all of those things. They are the fiercest because they know in their bones that when they key the mic and call for help, help is coming in hot. Take that away and you don't have the US military anymore. You have a security force. I thought that those two posts, I thought were very insightful and they sum up a truly extraordinary and unique aspect of the American military.

[Ben Ferguson]

And this brings us to the second part of the conversation that is important and that is a new warning, Senator, coming from President Trump. If there's anything that I've learned from President Trump in his second term, there's two aspects of his foreign policy. One is fafo, and two is if you're an ally of the United States of America and you don't stand with us, then his second foreign policy is, well, good luck to you, because we're not going to, we're not going to keep funding and doing things like NATO or UN or whatever it may be if you're taking advantage of us. He's calling that out as well. And the President has made it clear when he tells you there's a deadline for something, he means it. There's a new deadline with, with Iran and Tehran and the leadership there. And let's talk about what his new threat is by Tuesday.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, on Sunday, he sent out a truth social that reads, Tuesday will be power plant day and bridge day all wrapped up in one in Iran. There will be nothing like it. Open. Open the effin straight, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in hell. Just watch. Praise be to Allah. President Donald J. Trump. Now, I will say he did not abbreviate effing, but this is a PG rated podcast, so I did. I will say also that after he sent that True social, the Wall Street Journal article that I quoted at the beginning of this show quotes it. And for the first time I've ever seen the F bomb in the Wall Street Journal. They did it quoting the President of the United States. I'm not aware of any precedent of a president dropping the F bomb, but then again, I'm not aware of any president dropping the level of bombs that he is dropping in a concentrated focus that is having this kind of effect. And look, I think Tuesday night is a very serious deadline. The President wants the Strait of Hormuz open. And if you're an Iranian leader as bat crap crazy as those guys are, I don't think they think this is a bluff.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, I would think not. Now, they may be crazy enough just to say, go ahead and do it. And that may be how much they're holding on for dear life just to try to save control. But I agree with you. I don't think they think he's bluffing at all.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, and that's the challenge is that the mullahs, I Don't think, care at all about their people. You know, we talked before about comparing, say, the Nazi army to the Allies during World War II, that Hitler was willing to send German soldiers in to die and just have them mowed over. I think the same is true with the mullahs. They're happy to have not happy, but they're willing to have as many Iranians die as need be. They believe they're on a mission from God. This is. It is theocratic. And if thousands. Look, they murdered. The Ayatollah just murdered about 40,000 Iranians who were rising up in protest. So thousands of Iranians dying doesn't bother them at all. Tens of thousands doesn't bother them at all. It may prove to be the case that hundreds of thousands or even millions of Iranians dying doesn't bother them. And, and so the question is, look, if the US Military takes out the power plants and takes out the bridges, that kind of hard infrastructure that doesn't get rebuilt overnight, that has real and long lasting damage to the economy in Iran, it imposes enormous consequences on Iran. What I don't know is does a theocratic Mullah who's chanting death to America care about inflicting massive misery on the Iranian people and devastating the Iranian economy? I guess we'll find out by Tuesday. I don't know the answer to.

[Ben Ferguson]

You know what's interesting is I was asked this question over the weekend and it's one I want to ask you, Senator. It was. Someone said, all right, well, look, let's say we do this and we knock out their power plant. What good does that do us? Because then we're just going to have to help them rebuild it one day. My response was, what you don't understand is that may be what it is it takes for the people to really overthrow their government. It'll also have a devastating impact on their military in general. And it's another way to fast track them losing control of their country. That's the reason why I think the President's saying, all right, fine, you guys aren't budging. Well, then we're gonna go to the next step here because I'm not backing down.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah. And look, the President in his nationwide address said he was gonna bomb them back into the Stone Ages. What's one of the aspects of the Stone Ages? Not having electricity, not having power. Going back to lighting fires for light. You take out all their power plants and they have no electricity, which is amazing for an oil rich country like Iran. But you want to talk about grinding the economy to a halt, immediately grinding the military to a halt. Everything runs on electricity and so shutting down power. And by the way, you take out the bridges. That means, you know, it's one of the things that I've learned. I didn't realize when I was a kid how much of military effectiveness is logistics. One of the incredible things our military is really good at is moving people and materiel, getting it in there, getting ammunition in there, getting food in there, getting fuel in there, moving it around, all of that. Logistically, we are extraordinarily. We the military. That. Not you and me. You know, I'm a lawyer and you're even worse. You're a podcaster. So. So. So we are not extraordinary logistically. But. But the military is. Notice how I'm not a podcaster. Apparently, you do this just.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, I was gonna say you just threw me under the bus with that. I'm pretty sure the name of the show is behind me there, but we'll just keep going. There we go.

[Ted Cruz]

Go ahead. You know, pot, pot, meat, kettle. But look, you take out the bridges and the ability to move, the military to move, but anyone else to move, you basically shut down commerce in the country. That puts enormous economic pressure on the country. Look, my hope is that the end game on this is the people rise up and say, enough with these crazy mullahs. We want you out. And my objective has always been the president laid out his objective, which is to eliminate the Iranian military's ability to strike out and kill Americans or kill our allies. That's a very important objective. I think the objective should be to. To. To collapse this regime, to have Iran led by a government that is not a crazy Islamist who wants to murder Americans. I don't care who it is, as long as they're not actively murdering Americans. If they're not murdering Americans, if they're not trying to murder Americans, I'm good with it. Now, the next step, if we've leveled all the power plants, you get a new government in. The new government is going to have to rebuild the power plants. Now, I will note that there is one advantage for rebuilding, which is Iran has a crap ton of oil.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ted Cruz]

And so very quickly, financially, there's a revenue stream. So you said, like people said to you, well, gosh, we're going to have to rebuild it. I promise you, if Trump bombs it, the American taxpayers are not rebuilding it. There is no scenario in which the end game is Trump writing a check. Now, there may be a scenario, depending on what happens, where, when you have a new government. If they're friend and ally with America, you could see assistance on the construction that is paid for by Iranian oil revenues. It's possible that we help them build it back where they're paying for it, but I don't envision any universe in which America is paying for this. And I think anyone who knows Donald Trump knows that's right.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation, you can go back and listen to the full podcast from earlier this week.

[Public Ad Sponsor]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. Work it screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures kids pets life.

[Washable Sofas Sponsor]

Your sofa sees it all. But with a washable sofa, stains don't stand a chance. All of our sofa collections come with fully machine washable covers and cushions, making cleanup effortless. Liquid and stain resistant fabrics provide extra protection against everyday messes. Plus, with modular designs you can rearrange your sofa however you like. Perfect for growing families and changing spaces. Starting at just $699, it's time to upgrade to a stand stress free mess proof sofa. Visit washablesofas.com today and save. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Martha Stewart]

This is Martha Stewart from the Martha Stewart Podcast. Ever wonder how to make hosting look effortless? Here's a secret Getting ahead of the mess with new Reynolds Kitchens Countertop prep paper. Just lightly wet the counter beforehand so the paper grips and stays in place. Then lay down the Reynolds Kitchens countertop prep paper so Drips and spills stay on the paper, not all over your kitchen counter. You can roll out dough, prep a party spread, or cook alongside family. When you're done, cleanup is as simple as lifting the paper and revealing that clean counter underneath. Effortless. You can use it for cooking and baking, prep and even crafting, especially when you need extra working space. Because when the mess is already handled, you can focus on what matters, the food, the people, and the moment. It may look effortless, but now you know it's Reynolds Kitchens countertop prep paper. Take a tip from me. Wet it, set it, prep it, done. Make it easy. Make it with Reynolds Kitchens countertop prep paper, available now in the Reynolds scrap aisle in Walmart.

[Ben Ferguson]

I think when you're diagnosed with cancer, you crave a semblance of normalcy and control. And so work allowed me to be me. So I think it's really important that companies stay flexible. Cancer in a diagnosis can be all consuming, but it doesn't have to be.

[Public Ad Sponsor]

Research shows there is a significant connection between the ability to continue to work and cancer recovery.

[Ben Ferguson]

We can make work a better place

[Ted Cruz]

for healing, learn more, and sign the pledge at working with cancer pledge.com now,

[Ben Ferguson]

on to story number two. Let me ask you another question that's gotten a lot of of fodder online and I think it's an important one to answer. Democrats and the media really seem to be trying to figure out some way, even if there's success with this Iranian policy of Trump, that they can stick it to Donald Trump. And now the new thing over the last 24, 48 hours been Donald Trump is advocating for committing war crimes by blowing up bridges potentially in Iran and power plants in Iran. Let's talk about the war crimes aspect of this and deal with what Americans need to know about this new line by the left because they care more about Donald Trump being in trouble than actually taking out a murderous regime in Iran.

[Ted Cruz]

That's true. And I will say one of the sad things. It used to be the case for a long, long time that politics ended at the water's edge. In other words, that, that Republicans and Democrats battle here at home over all sorts of issues. But when it comes to military conflict abroad, when it comes to defending America, that the two sides refrain from partisan attack, I gotta say, that is not the case anymore. The instant President Trump launched this attack, Democrats began savaging him. You know, we had a classified briefing shortly after the beginning of this attack where you had the secretary of State, secretary of Defense, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the head of the CIA, kind of all the top national security apparatus in the Trump administration.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ted Cruz]

And all 100 senators attended that. And they were laying out what was happening. And look, I'm not going to say anything that was said by the briefers in the classified briefing, but I can tell you, other than John Fetterman, who has been very positive on what he said publicly about the. The conflict with Iran, every single Democrat senator in the room was highly, highly skeptical, was attacking what happened, was opposing. What happened was started on day one with we are against standing up to Iran. And I sat there and just kind of shook my head. I was saddened by that. And so one of their talking points, when President Trump said he was going to take out power plants and bridges. And why did he say power plants and bridges, by the way? Look, the biggest thing to take out for Iran is their oil production facility, Carg island, which is the key to. It's where they export virtually all their oil from.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yep.

[Ted Cruz]

Carg Island. If we really wanted to cripple Iran and put them into the Stone Age, we'd take out their. Their oil facilities. We'd bomb the hell out of Carg island. And Iran's economy would just be screwed for a decade or more.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, instantly. By the way, people need to understand that, like, if you just wanted to decimate them economically, that is how you would do it, and it would not be that hard.

[Ted Cruz]

So Trump very deliberately has not done that. The reason he said power plants and bridges is because they're critically important to the economy. You take out the power plants, the electricity turns off, the military is crippled, but also the economy is crippled. The basic all of banking, all of communication, lights, literally at night, people start lighting candles because there's no longer. The light switches don't work. And bridges are essential for transportation, both military and commercial transportation across the country. I think the reason he picked those two is their enormous lever points. And his hope is that it would cause the collapse of this regime, I believe. But also it means if there were a new government in Iran, the oil facilities would still be there. So they have the ability to generate billions in revenue pretty quickly. And that billions. If the United States military took out the power infrastructure, if you had billions in oil revenue coming in, you could rebuild. It wouldn't be immediate, but having the revenue stream makes rebuilding much more possible than if you take out the oil infrastructure. The revenue stream is much further down the road, and it's much harder to turn around. I think that's why I picked it. But I will say we're getting a lot of pompous Democrats and pompous news reporters. Although I repeat myself on TV saying taking out civilian power plants is a war crime.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, let me read to you from the Pentagon's law of war manual. So the Pentagon has a manual on the law of war. Here's what it says. Quote, electric power stations are generally recognized to be of sufficient importance to a state's capacity to meet its wartime needs of communication, transport and industry. So as usually to qualify as military objectives during armed conflicts. And by the way, the broader section which I will read from you, this is in section 5. 6.8.5 examples of military objectives, economic objects associated with military operations. And it says before what I just read, economic objects associated with military operations or with war supporting a war sustaining industries have been regarded as military objectives. That is incredibly inconvenient for all of the Trump haters in the Democrat party or in the media who want to scream war crime, war crime, war crime. Because there's no doubt the power generation is integral to the war fighting ability of Iran. And listen, I will say the fact that Pakistan stepped in, it actually goes to what we said on Monday's podcast, which is Trump's threat with any ordinary and rational leader would be incredibly effective. If you actually had a leader that gave a damn about their people, that gave a damn about their economy, that threat would be, holy cow, we can't let that happen. The risk factor is the very real possibility that the ayatollah and the mullahs just don't care that they're willing to see that kind of devastation to their country. I will say Pakistan, Pakistan is, I've long described Pakistan as a problematic ally. They are an ally. But there are challenges in Pakistan. I actually put Pakistan, it's a very

[Ben Ferguson]

diplomatic way of putting that. Yes.

[Ted Cruz]

But you know what? They're an ally rather than a friend. But there are real challenges. We work with Pakistan. There are a lot of bad people or enemies of America that are within Pakistan, but we work with the government of Pakistan. And I think the prime minister of Pakistan stepped up and said, hey, look, you guys in Iran, don't go down this road and end up crippling. Don't go back to the dark ages. And this goes back to where Pakistan may have some credibility with Iran. I don't know if Pakistan provided Iran something of an off ramp. That's a good interpretation. Or if Iran's just seizing on this to delay. That's another interpretation that is possible. But I do think Pakistan stepping forward and saying let's have a two week ceasefire is an example of a more normal country and a leader who presumably cares about his people, at least to a significant extent, stepping forward to Iran and saying, come on guys, don't. Don't keep playing chicken. This doesn't end up well.

[Ben Ferguson]

As before, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation on this topic, you can go back and download the podcast from earlier this week to hear the entire thing.

[Public Ad Sponsor]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset set portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com Disclosures

[Washable Sofas Sponsor]

Life gets messy spills, stains, pet accidents and kid chaos. But with anove, cleaning up is easy. Our sofas are fully machine washable inside and out so you never have to stress about messes again. Made with liquid and stain resistant fabrics, that means fewer stains and more peace of mind. Designed for real life, Our sofas feature changeable fabric covers allowing you to refresh your style anytime. Need flexibility? Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa effortlessly. Perfect for cozy apartments or spacious homes. Plus they're earth friendly and built to last. That's why over 200,000 happy customers have made the switch. Upgrade your space today. Sofas start at just $699. Visit washablesofas.com now and bring home a sofa made for life. That's washablesofas.com offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Martha Stewart]

This is Martha Stewart from the Martha Stewart Podcast. Ever wonder how to make hosting look effortless. Here's a secret. When prepping for cooking and baking, get ahead of the mess with new Reynolds Kitchens countertop prep paper. Just lightly wet the counter so the paper grips. Lay it down and drips and spills stay on the paper, not on your counter. Cleanup is as simple as lifting it away to reveal clean counters. Effortless it is thanks to Reynolds Kitchen's countertop prep paper. Wet it, set it, prep it, done. Available in the Reynolds Wrap aisle at Walmart.

[Ben Ferguson]

I think when you're diagnosed with cancer, you crave a semblance of normalcy and control. And so work allowed me to be me. So I think it's really important that companies stay flexible. Cancer in a diagnosis can be all consuming, but it doesn't have to be.

[Public Ad Sponsor]

Research shows there is a significant connection between the ability to continue to work and cancer recovery.

[Ben Ferguson]

We can make work a better place

[Ted Cruz]

for healing, learn more and sign the

[Ben Ferguson]

[e-mail] I want to get back to the big story number three of the week you may have missed. Senator, we want to talk about another issue that it needs to be back on the radar screen for a lot of Americans and that is the continual crimes are being committed by illegal immigrants that are in this country. The media continues to overlook this. They don't want you to know that it's happening. But it's another example of why the president needs to be fighting so hard against these sanctuary cities that are that are harboring many of these criminals that are, as he would describe them, really bad hombres.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, you may recall back in 2024 at the Republican National Convention, when I spoke and addressed the convention, my remarks were focused on this topic and the theme of it was every damn day, every day another American is raped, another American is assaulted, another American is murdered by a violent criminal illegal alien that Joe Biden and the Democrats have released. And I walk through the tragic cases of Jocelyn Nungaree, the beautiful 12 year old girl raped and murdered here in Houston. I walked through Lake and Riley, the horrific murder of the young nursing student in Georgia. I walked through Rachel Marin, the mom of five raped and murdered outside of Washington, D.C. it was happening over and over and over again. That was one of the big reasons that the voters came out in overwhelming numbers, reelected President Trump, elected a Republican House, elected a Republican Senate. And we've seen immediate results. We've seen illegal border crossings drop more than 99%. The problem is we have four years of open borders that we have to unwind. We have over 12 million illegal aliens that were allowed to flood into this country. And so just this week, the story broke that a gas station clerk, a mom in Fort Myers, Florida, was bludgeoned to death with a hammer. I mean, what a horrible way to go. Beaten to death with a hammer. And who is it that committed this crime? A Haitian illegal alien who was caught and then released at the border by the Biden administration in 2022. An immigration judge ordered him deported. Robert Joashim is his name, but. But the Biden administration shielded him from deportation by granting him temporary protected status. So in other words, what this person did, he took a hammer in the parking lot of a gas station. He walks at her with full strength, he beats her on the head with a hammer. She falls down unconscious, and then he crushes her head with the hammer while she's unconscious six more times. Here's the statement the Department of Homeland Security put out. Quote, this illegal alien barbarically hit this woman in the head multiple times with a hammer. This heinous murderer was released into the country by the Biden administration. Not only did the Biden administration release him into the country, but they gave him temporary protected status. Their reckless immigration policies cost this woman her life. This keeps happening over and over and over again. And what is amazing, Ben, in spite of that, every Democrat in the Senate, when we have a vote, the Department of Homeland Security still shut down because they have decided they hate ICE so much. They hate border enforcement so much that it is the position of the Democrat Party. They are opposed. They want to defund ice, which is the organizations that is charged with finding this vicious criminal, arresting him and deporting him. They don't want him deported. They want this Haitian murderer in your community. They don't care if you happen to be the poor woman who's bludgeoned to death. Look, you know, Chris Murphy, the very liberal Democrat from Connecticut, was on TV and you know, there's an old line that a gaffe is when a politician actually accidentally tells the truth. He described, he said, the people we care about the most, meaning we, meaning Democrats, are illegal immigrants. That is what their party is. And it's infuriating. It keeps happening over and over and over again.

[Ben Ferguson]

When you talk about it still being shut down. And this is, I think, why the midterms are going to be a really important. Obviously, this should be one of the important issues of the midterms that Republicans need to remind. If Democrats get back in charge, they've made it clear they will immediately open the borders wide up and they don't care who comes in that like it's going to happen. Get ready for it. That is their for that is their policy. And they will absolutely abolish ICE if they can do it as well.

[Ted Cruz]

And by the way, understand, the risk is not just the murderers. It's not just the child molesters and the rapists and the gang bangers. It is also a very real risk of terrorism. We have seen in the last month four acts of terrorism by radical Islamic terrorists. And here's a story that broke this week. I'm just going to read a tweet from Bill Millusian, the fantastic reporter at Fox. Here's what he said. New Border Patrol caught and arrested four British nationals entering the US Illegally in a remote part of Maine after crossing from Canada. Their names? These are four British nationals. Ali Muhammad Ali Abdullah. That's number one. Hamid Muhammad Nagi. That's number two. Ibrahim Ayub Khan. That's number three. And Muhammad Sultan Saleh. And these are illegal immigrants that were sneaking into a remote wooded part of Maine. This is dangerous. Now, you know what happened because President Trump is in office and Border Patrol is allowed to do their job. They were apprehended. They weren't just let in and they're apprehended. You know what? I guarantee you they will not be released. They won't be released into this country. If Joe Biden were president, those four people whose names I just released named, they'd be released and we might be reading about them in another week or two. That pattern has played out over and over and over again. And by the way, it's not just illegal immigrants. It is criminals across the board. It is criminals across the board, such as, for example, De Carlos Brown, who was this psychotic lunatic who murdered the beautiful Ukrainian woman in North Carolina. He was just ruled not competent to stand trial. And I don't doubt that the guy is crazy as a loon. But let's be clear. Democrats, and Roy Cooper in particular, the Democrat governor, released this psychopath murderer 14 separate times. 14 if you keep releasing violent criminals. And actually help me on this, Ben, play devil's advocate for a minute. Try to get inside the mind of a Democrat. Why would they want to release violent criminals over and over again?

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, it doesn't make sense. And yet they continue to do it because for them, I really do think it's an issue of politics. Right. They want to bring in new voters. That's the simplest way I can put it.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, it's not just new voters. Yes. For the illegals. But you look at this to Carlos Brown, he was not an illegal immigrant. He was just a psychopathic lunatic American. But you know what Democrats also think not only should he be released from jail, they think he ought to be a voter. He's perfectly fine to vote in US Elections and I guarantee you violent criminals vote overwhelmingly Democrat. And I guess that explains why the Democrats their priority is violent criminals and not American citizens.

[Ben Ferguson]

As always, thank you for listening to Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you. Don't forget to download my podcast and you can listen to my podcast every other day. You're not listening to Verdict or each day when you listen to Verdict afterwards. I'd love to have you as a listener to again the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here on Monday morning.

[Washable Sofas Sponsor]

Tired of spills and stains on your sofa? Wash away your worries with Annabe. Annabe is the only machine washable sofa inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly prices. That's right, sofas start at just $699. Enjoy a no risk experience with pet friendly stain resistant and changeable slip covers made with performance fabric. Experience cloud like comfort with high resilience foam that's hypoallergenic and never needs fluffing. The sturdy steel frame ensures longevity and the modular pieces can be rearranged anytime. Shop washablesofas.com for up to 60% off site wide, backed by a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not absolutely in love, send it back for a full refund. No return, shipping or restocking fees. Every penny back. Upgrade [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Martha Stewart]

This is Martha Stewart from the Martha Stewart Podcast. Ever wonder how to make hosting look effortless? Here's a secret when prepping for cooking and baking, get ahead of the mess with new Reynolds Kitchens Countertop prep paper. Just lightly wet the counter so the paper grips. Lay it down and drips and spills stay on the paper, not on your counter. Cleanup is as simple as lifting it away to reveal clean counters. Effortless it is thanks to Reynolds Kitchen's countertop prep paper. Wet it, set it, prep it. Done. Available in the Reynolds Wrap aisle at Walmart.

[Ted Cruz]

I need to be healthy every day to survive it and go through the

[Ben Ferguson]

next chemo round and the next chemo round.

[Ted Cruz]

So it's important that work was part of that to keep my mind busy

[Ben Ferguson]

for eight, nine hours.

[Ted Cruz]

And then I had to go back and face the reality. I had a goal and the goal is to survive.

[Public Ad Sponsor]

Research shows there is a significant connection between the ability to continue to work and cancer recovery.

[Ted Cruz]

We can make work a better place for healing, learn more and sign the

[Ben Ferguson]

[e-mail] this is an iHeart podcast.

[Ted Cruz]

Guaranteed human.