
Loading summary
Pam Bondi
At Ritual, we know what goes into the holiday season, the potluck planning, the gift giving, the spreadsheets. So this new year, take a moment for yourself with science backed support that puts you first. So whether you're focusing on supporting foundational health with a clean vegan multivitamin or supporting your gut health with symbiotic plus, do it with 30% off your first month@ritual.com podcast. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Ted Cruz
Welcome. It is verdict with Senator Ted Cruz. The Week in Review. Ben Ferguson with you. We had some big stories that you may have missed that we talked about this week. First up, poll numbers helping Donald Trump get his agenda done. Just how big are the poll numbers for the president and what does it mean about the media who's still coming after him? We'll break that down for you. Also, Doge has come out and found 4.7 trillion in untraceable spending. Was it done deliberately by the government so no one would know where your tax dollars are going? We'll break that down for you as well. And finally, Pam Bondi, the attorney general of the United States of America joins us, talking about the relationship she has with other people in the administration and just how important it is that they are friends and working together. It's the Weekend Review and it starts right now. When I was at the Bush administration, we were on the campaign. If you had a poll on something we wanted that was above 53%, that was like a home run. If you were at 55% or above, it was like a mandate. I have not seen 60% polls like these in decades. Have you, on these types of issues.
Ben Ferguson
And to see ABC reporting on it. And you're right, Jonathan Karl is very dismayed to be reporting on it. He's shaking his head, but Hakeem Jeffries looks like he's filming a hostage video. He's just terrified. Why are you asking me this? Because he doesn't want to say no, I don't agree with Trump on anything. Because when you're on the wrong side of a bunch of 60, 40 issues, that's a recipe to lose elections. But he doesn't want to say, yes, I agree with Trump on anything because his base hates Trump so much they'll lose their mind and go nuts. So all he can say is, well, it's just the beginning. I hope things will go wrong and then, then we can celebrate that things are going wrong.
Ted Cruz
It is astounding Astonishing. I should say that this is now where we are, but this turns into what I call a mandate, a super mandate. And it just means keep going, Trump, keep going. Republicans, what does this do to some of your colleagues who maybe didn't want to go along with some of these types of things when they see these poll numbers? Is this going to make it easier to get things done in Congress as well? I would hope so.
Ben Ferguson
Well, it certainly should. And by the way, I'll tell you, historically, for the last four years, every Democrat voted on the wrong side of these issues. On the question of are there two sexes, male and female, every single Democrat in the Senate voted no over and over and over again. On the question of deporting illegals, every Democrat in the Senate voted no over and over and over again on the question of more oil and gas exploration, virtually every Democrat, actually, Joe Manchin would vote yes. Occasionally, Joe Manchin isn't there anymore. So every Democrat that remains in the Senate has voted no over and over and over again on the question of declaring an emergency on the Southern border. Again, every Democrat voted no. And so the Democrat Party, listen, they're in a crisis. If you're on the wrong side of 60, 40 issues across the board, well, that's how you get the kind of election we had in November. That's how you get a president elected with more than 300 electoral votes. That's how you get a president elected. Who of the seven swing states wins all seven? That's how you get a Republican Senate and a Republican House. Because the Democrats on the issues, they're not listening to the American people. They're listening to the crazy fringe. And I don't see a whole lot of indication that they're moving. It's a fascinating question, is, are there Democrats in the party who say, gosh, we've gotten so far out of the mainstream, we're really listening to just a fringe. Let's get back to the middle. There are one or two people saying that, but I gotta say, all right, I want you to listen to James Carville. James Carville is a Democrat through and through. Listen to what James Carville had to say about his party just completely getting so extreme that they leave the American people behind. And he's really upset about it. Here are the words Carville is quoted online as saying. We don't have the audio, but we have the words. And look, I'll give a warning. Carville's language is always colorful, and it is here, but here's how he's quoted Quote, I dedicated the best years of my effing life to this party only to see it taken over by a bunch of stupid MFers. Everything's gone to S. By the way, he did not abbreviate any of those. And if you look at the tweet that is particularly circulating online, it says Carville is especially livid following the DNC leadership election, reportedly saying, quote, who are these people? This David Hogg guy and that other sissy, referring to Malcolm Kenyatta come out of the GD left field. Well, there goes the mail vote forever. Thanks guys. We're effed and we deserve it. That's James Carville's assessment of where the Democrat Party is right now, based on.
Ted Cruz
The poll numbers that we're seeing. He's not far off, by the way, from reality. I mean, if he's an honest broker. I've known James for years. You have as well. Like he's. This is the assessment. I think he's spot on with where the Democratic Party is and they still don't seem to understand where that this is how far they are away from the American people. That's a blessing in disguise for us.
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, they are not listening to reality. But look, let's look at the facts. Let's take the facts. All right. Here's a headline from the New York Post. Just a couple of days ago, quote, Illegal border crossings hit record low after Trump's swift crackdown and could be on track for levels not seen in 60 years.
Ted Cruz
Wow.
Ben Ferguson
The numbers are stunning. So far In February, about 359 illegal migrants per day have been caught across the entire southern border, down more than 90%. 9, 0 from February 2024, according to leaked Customs and Border Protection data. That puts the US on track to have the lowest monthly border crossings in at least 25 years. If the trend continues, the number of illegal migrants coming into the US could hit a level not seen since 1968, nearly 60 years ago. Here's a quote from Mark Ricorian, who runs the center for Immigration Studies. It's the lowest the U.S. has seen, quote, in almost a lifetime. Quote, if you kind of break down the numbers, divide them by 365. We hadn't had numbers this low since the 1960s. So we're talking 60 year lows if it's abstained. Obviously, the CPP data shows that just 3953 illegal migrants have been caught this month through February 11th. If that trend continues through the month, that would put the February boarding crossings at roughly 10,000, which is a number that hasn't been seen since CPB began tracking month to month data in 1999. 10,000. Under Biden, we were getting 10,000 a day. We're on track for that to be the total monthly traffic and that's just in the very first month.
Ted Cruz
It's a momentum thing now, right? I mean, you gotta feel it, I'm sure on Capitol Hill, which is we've just gotten started, the American people are behind us and we're recruiting a bigger audience that's cheering this on each and every day.
Ben Ferguson
Well, look, this election, President Trump and Republicans in the Senate and House promised the American people real results. And you look at what was promised. Number one, we promised we are going to secure the border. And remember repeatedly, Joe Biden said, first of all, he said the border security said it over and over and over again. People knew that was a lie. And then he said, well, it's impossible to fix it. Look, it's up to Congress. I want you to listen to this clip from the National Border Patrol Council vice president talking about Biden lying to the American people on this topic. Give a listen.
Chris
You know, it's interesting because down on the southern border there has also been a dramatic reduction in the number of people who are coming across the border. I want to put up call for number four here. This is a senior DHS official talk talking about that. Chris. Delivering consequences has results. Illegal crossings are down, Got aways are down. Criminal prosecutions are on the rise. Daily reports of large groups in Mexico, Guatemala turning back south and surrendering to authorities requesting to go home. And we have only just begun policy matters. President Biden told us repeatedly, Chris, that he had basically done all he could and that it was up to Congress to do more. What's happened in the last two and a half weeks would seem to suggest that Biden was just gaslighting everybody.
Stephen Miller
Yeah, you know, it's unfortunate. I think. I don't know. I don't know who he thought he was fooling. I mean, it darn sure wasn't us. We knew what was going on the whole time. And you're right, the apprehension numbers have slowed to a crawl. Last night I was actually working the river and you have the Mexican military patrolling their northern border. So that slows down a lot of traffic coming our way. So things have changed a great deal. And this president has proven that he's a man of his word and can get it done. He actually gave President Biden, then President Biden the roadmap to do it. He just failed to do it.
Ted Cruz
There it is. Failed to do it.
Ben Ferguson
Right.
Ted Cruz
That's what it boils down to.
Ben Ferguson
Well, and it was deliberate. It was a decision. And listen, Biden knew he was lying to the American people. Kamala Harris knew she was lying to the American people. Karine Jean Pierre knew she was lying to the American people. Chuck Schumer knew he was lying to the American people. Every Democrat in the Senate and the House, they knew they were lying to the American people. And it's because they elevated politics above their basic job of representing their constituents and protecting them. And listen, reasonable people can disagree, say, on the right level of legal immigration. Some people might say we should allow more legal immigration. Other people might say we should allow less. That that's a discussion reasonable and rational people can have. Let me ask you something. Seriously, Ben. Imagine for a second you're a Democrat strategist. So imagine you're a transgender witch, and you are a complete lunatic, and you have no reason. Even so, you presumably want your team to win. I mean, one would think that would be sort of the basics if you're running a campaign.
Ted Cruz
Sure.
Ben Ferguson
Explain to me how a political party gets so far away from common sense in the American people that they decide, let's release multiple child rapists that raping kids. You know, apparently our constituents want child rapists in our community. And if you think, okay, come on, Ted, that's a little extreme. The Democrats are not doing this. I want you to listen to Bill Milluchin. Bill Melujian is the best immigration reporter in the country. He's with Fox News. I want you to listen to this clip because this is exactly what the Democrat Party's been doing. Give it a listen.
Bill Melugin
Well, Dana, it's hard to believe there are any jurisdictions out there that wouldn't cooperate with ICE when it comes to illegal aliens charged with forcibly raping children. But in Massachusetts, it's just routine. Take a look at this case. ICE Boston just announcing they arrested this Guatemalan illegal alien charged in Massachusetts with three counts of aggravated child rape and three counts of forcible rape of a child. So the question is, why was he on the streets? Right. Well, ICE says their detainer request on him was ignored by the Essex County Superior Court due to sanctuary policy. The locals released him into the community on bail without any notice to ice. In a statement, the director of ICE Boston says in part, quote, jose Fernando Perez has been charged with some horrific crimes against a minor in our commonwealth. He is exactly the type of alien we are targeting with our worst first policy. He posed A significant danger to the children of Massachusetts, and we will not tolerate such a threat to our community. IceBoston also announcing the arrest of this Turkish illegal alien charged in Massachusetts with assault and battery against an intellectually disabled person and witness intimidation. But ICE says their detainer on him was also ignored by the sanctuary city of Somerville. He had also been released into the public. Elsewhere around the US ICE Seattle arrested this Salvadoran illegal alien wanted in his home country for aggravated homicide. Here in Los Angeles, ICE arrested this Guatemalan illegal alien charged with sexual assault and rape with a gun. And In Colorado, the DEA announced their top 10 arrests of illegal immigrants in recent days, including several affiliated with Trende, Aragua and and others with egregious crimes like kidnapping, child sexual assault and fentanyl trafficking. And Dana, I was talking to a law enforcement source in Massachusetts about the child rape case that I referenced, and I asked, like, there's got to be some sort of a catch here, right? Forget about cooperating with ice. How does somebody charge with so many counts of aggravated forcible child rape even get released on bail in the first place? The response I got was, quote, welcome to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, send it back to you.
Pam Bondi
Well, they're finally on their way out. Thanks, Bill.
Ted Cruz
Welcome the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. That's how much they hate Donald Trump. They don't care about these rapists running around among us.
Ben Ferguson
It really is shocking. And understand what is being reported there, which is that in Massachusetts, but also you're seeing it in Seattle. Also you're seeing it in Colorado and across the country. You have Democrats who have people who are violent child rapists who are violently, horribly raping little children. And number one, these Democrats are releasing these child rapists. Now, these child rapists are illegal immigrants. They could be deported. But their politics of we want as many illegal immigrants as possible is more important than any sort of common sense of let's stop, let's stop horrible crimes against vulnerable kids. You know, there's a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche in Beyond Good and Evil, which I think is really on point here. And it is. There is a point in the history of society when it becomes so pathologically soft and tender that among other things, it sides even with those who harm it, criminals. And it does this quite seriously and honestly, Punishing somehow seems unfair to it. And it is certain that imagining punishment and being supposed to punish hurts. It arouses fear in it. Is it not enough to render him undangerous? Why still punish? Punishing itself is terrible. With this question, herd morality, the Morality of timidity draws its ultimate consequence.
Ted Cruz
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. Now on to story number two. Senator, I want to move on to Doge. And I mean, it's just mind blowing at this point how much money is being uncovered that is involved in waste, fraud and abuse within our government. And then there's this new headline that came out of the White House and that is a bombshell that there has been $4.7 trillion that has been spent that is untraceable in the way that the payments went out from the Treasury Department. Explain that to America.
Ben Ferguson
Well, let me read from our article in Fox News. DOGE says it found nearly untraceable budget line items reported responsible for 4.7 trillion in payments. The Trump administration's Doge discovered an identification code linking U.S. treasury payments to a budget line item which accounts for nearly $4.7 trillion in payments, which was oftentimes left blank. The treasury access symbol TAS is an identification code linking a Treasury payment to a budget line item. Standard financial process, Doge wrote in post on X. In the Federal Government, the TAS field was optional for $4.7 trillion in payments and was often left blank, making traceability almost impossible. As of Saturday, this is now a required field, increasing insight into where money is actually going. So understand $4.7 trillion. Listen, a million dollars is a lot of money. A billion dollars is a crap ton more. It's actually a thousand times more. A trillion dollars is a thousand, thousand times more than a million dollars. And 4.7 trillion is even in federal government spending, a massive amount. The point here is the money that has been coming from the federal government has been massively wasted and there has been no accountability. And the entire governmental system is reacting in pain and horror and agony that Donald Trump and Elon Musk are bringing finally accountability to it.
Ted Cruz
You look at the 4.7 trillion. Is this done on purpose? For this exact reason, if you don't know where the money's going, you can't trace the money, then you can't ask questions.
Ben Ferguson
Oh, look, yes and no. I had an old boss of mine, my very first boss, who said this, this was actually quite profound. He said, never blame on malice. What can be explained with incompetence? Look, that, that explains a lot of government. There is massive waste. There is massive politicization and weaponization. If you're spending your own money, you care about it, Ben. You care about your own Money. If you're spending someone else's money, you don't care about it. And that problem in government is there's a culture of endemic waste that is enormously problematic. And you combine that with the politicization that there's a, it doesn't matter, I'm spending someone else's money, I don't care. And I'm going to spend it to promote transgender witches in some far off country. That's what we've seen and that's what Trump and Elon are exposing.
Ted Cruz
You talk about what all they're exposing outside the 4.7 trillion in payments that we can't trace. Let's talk about illegal immigrants receiving benefits. And the media, by the way, they're going to defend everything they can, even if it's indefensible. A great example of that.
Ben Ferguson
Ben, let me ask you this. Is there one Democrat, you know, who has criticized one single example of massive waste, abuse and fraud? And by the way, by one Democrat, I don't mean James Carville. We talked about that two days ago. I don't mean a consultant. I mean one elected Democrat. I can tell you in the US Senate, I don't know of a single one. Do you?
Ted Cruz
No, not a single one. And you would think at some point they could, they would come out and go, yeah, this is good for Americans, good for my district, it's good for the taxpayers I represent that we're not going to spend money on X, Y or Z. None of these egregious items that we've listed on the show. And we've done a really good job of keeping people up to date with where the money's going. None of them have been criticized by the Democrats and the media. Again, they are just hell bent on saying Donald Trump bad. Elon Musk bad. Doge bad. Here's a great example.
Ben Ferguson
Listen to this exchange with Stephen Miller because it is incredible. It is hysterical. By the way, tonight I saw Stephen, I was at a party. So Howard Lutnick was just confirmed as Commerce Secretary. He had a party at his house. I saw Stephen this evening and I told him great job on cnn. Listen to this exchange because she really is, it's nutty. And I gotta say, CNN has become a clown show. It's not even, it's not even real journalism. It's just silly. But listen to this back and forth.
Dana
You mentioned yesterday and you mentioned again here, illegal immigrants who are getting child tax credits. If are you looking for that information in the IRS data, anytime a crime.
Stephen
Is committed, of course There should be an investigation. Is it your position that if somebody who is.
Dana
Stephen, are you looking for that information in the IRS data?
Stephen
The federal government will find every illegal alien who is stealing American taxpayers, and that is what Americans. I don't even fathom that premise. On your question.
Dana
It's a simple question. And you find that information in the IRS data, share that with law enforcement.
Stephen
IRS investigators find illegal aliens stealing taxpayer money, of course they'll be referred to ice. Of course it'll be referred to Homeland Security investigations. Of course it will be. Surely your position is not that we should let illegal aliens steal taxpayer dollars. Again, you want to talk about something to be upset about?
Ben Ferguson
That's it.
Stephen
What do you think the millions of illegal aliens who have also stolen Social Security? Illegal aliens en masse have fake Social Security numbers. They have fake identities. Those are felonies. Why should there be an entire class in this country that is immunized from criminal prosecution and arrest for committing felonies? Felony theft of taxpayer information, felony theft of Social Security, felony theft of identity. These are all crimes. And yes, they will be investigated. Yes, they will be prosecuted. And yes, he will be deported. And you know what happens when those.
Dana
Deportations occur just very quickly.
Stephen
Americans will get jobs. Americans, if they got. Americans will get houses, Stephen.
Dana
If they got a child, if they got a credit, a child tax credit. And they, they will be referred, you're saying, to ICE for that. And you would expect. Deported for that. Is that, is that the position of the administration?
Stephen
If it is found that a crime has been committed, they'll be referred. If it justifies the prosecution, they'll be prosecuted. If it justifies a deportation, they will be deported. This will be based on existing IRS protocols and procedures for criminal investigation and fraud. The difference is that no one is given immunity anymore. No one is given permission to break the law anymore. Because this is not a. This is not a sovereign territory. If illegal aliens can freely steal billions with a B, billions of taxpayer dollars, and I would have to imagine that cnn, which has endlessly talked about the importance of democracy and the rule of law, would say that no class in this country should be above the law, least of all illegal aliens who have trespassed on our territory.
Dana
Stephen, I'm just asking. I wanted to get your position on some things. We're not taking a position here. We wanted to get some answers to some questions. There are so many questions, questions that.
Stephen
Need to be like, you are indifferent or unbiased on these questions. But thank you.
Dana
Stephen Miller, thank you so much for your time. Really appreciate it. And we'll be right back.
Stephen
Thank you.
Ted Cruz
It's amazing. Is it just like, oh, we don't take positions here? And I love how he grins. He grins and laughs in her face. Like, are you kidding me? Everybody watching right now knows exactly what you're doing. And you're trying to act like we're doing something wrong when in fact we're saving taxpayers dollars.
Ben Ferguson
What Miller is saying is exactly right. The federal government should enforce the law. If you have illegal aliens who are stealing from the taxpayers, they should be prosecuted. And the bizarre position CNN is taking is, well, if the IRS knows that you're illegally stealing from the taxpayers, the IRS shouldn't tell that to the rest of the federal government. You should protect the illegal aliens who are stealing from the taxpayers. That's a weird proposition. Why is the IRS separate from doj, separate from dhs, separate from ice, separate from all of the different federal agencies? And CNN is so vested in saying we want millions of illegal aliens here and we want there to be no consequences to their continuing to engage in fraud, to work illegally, to draw Social Security payments, to draw government payments fraudulently. That is CNN's position. And I got to say I'm going to credit Stephen Miller for calling out CNN for they're not engaged in news. They have a position on this. They don't want the law enforced. And I got to say, I think the American people do as before.
Ted Cruz
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. I want to get back to the big story number three of the week. You may have missed how important are those relationships that you say, hey, I trust, Excuse me, I trust you. I trust you, I trust you. I got your back. Let's go to work.
Pam Bondi
Vital and crucial. And Mike Watts and Christy, we're on the phone with each other all the time. And to change topic just a little bit, just to give you an example, Lee Zeldin, a dear friend of mine, great guy on President's Day running the EPA now epa, Lee Zeldin, great administrator of epa. I'm on the phone hours with Scott Bessen, our secretary of treasury, and Lee Zeldin. And you know, we've seen thanks to Elon Musk, my buddy's great work and it's been reported, look what they're doing at epi. I'm changing the subject a little bit, but they're giving out billions of dollars after Joe Biden lost the election Trying to push this money out the door.
Unknown Speaker
Virtually shoveling cash out the windows as.
Pam Bondi
They said, gold bars, let's throw all the gold bars off the ship. And we're stopping them. We're stopping them in real time. We're going after them. But it's because we all pick up the phone and we talk directly to each other so we're able to work together. You know, talk to Marco Rubio and look at the men like Steve Witkoff out there, Rick Grinnell, what they're doing, working with Marco and, and Mike Waltson, all the great, the people that they're saving around the world. And that's thanks to one man, Donald Trump. He put all of us in these positions.
Unknown Speaker
Well, and, and, and there's a turf war. The consistent thread of the cabinet nominees is that you're all change agents, you all came in with a mission. And it is. Listen, there has never been a first month of any presidency in the history of the United States of America, like the last 30 days.
Ted Cruz
Amen.
Unknown Speaker
And I'll tell you, I have had great joy turning to my Democrat colleagues in the Senate and just deadpanning, well, three years and 11 months to go, and they literally start twitching like they have facial tics that they cannot suppress. But Pam, one of the things that people like about this podcast that we try to do is we try to bring people behind the scenes to actually understand what's going on behind closed doors. So tell us about your first day as Attorney General. You're confirmed. And like day one, when you get sworn in, just, just walk everyone through what day one of being Attorney General of the United States is like, you go nonstop.
Pam Bondi
And I jokingly said it felt like 15 years because you're working seven days a week non stop, and we're all working with each other and everything we do, it overlaps. And especially with Department of Justice, especially too, with all this money going out the USA to all of these agencies and we're going to be helping all these agencies. But you just hit the ground running, literally, and don't look back. I don't look at what time of day it is. I don't think I've slept in 15 days. But you don't want to. And then when you find out about this human trafficking ring that was just broken up, that's why we're all doing what we're doing and you just keep going forward. And our directive from our boss is so easy, especially on my end, Make America safe. And so you just don't, Senator, you don't Even my hardest thing now is I forget to eat. You forget what time it is, and it's 6:00 at night, and I'm like, why do I have a headache? Because I haven't eaten today. But you're going nonstop. And it's not me, it's an entire team. I've got Chad Meisel, I've got Emil, I've got Todd Blanche, thank goodness, coming in. And we've got Kash Patel now, so they better look out.
Ted Cruz
How nice is it to have a boss and a guy by the name of Donald J. Trump who just lets you do your job?
Pam Bondi
Exactly.
Ted Cruz
I mean, there's a lot of presidents in the past that have really tried to keep their thumb on people. It seems like he's saying, go and go. Get it done, and call me when you need me.
Pam Bondi
He has trusted all of us in all of our various capacities and all the different roles we have, whether it's education or. Or agriculture, you know, all the cabinet labor, all of the different Cabinet secretaries, just to go out and do the best we can. And, you know, we want to make all of you proud, and we want to fulfill his directive to make our country great. That man sure didn't need that job. He's a good friend of mine. And I love, during my confirmation hearing, when they try, they get on me because they say, I'm friends with Donald Trump. Yes, I'm very. No, I'm not friends with him. I'm good friends with him, and I'm very proud to work for him.
Unknown Speaker
You know, when you look at weaponization and politicization, part of it is using it to attack your political opponents. And we've seen four years of that under Joe Biden.
Pam Bondi
Yeah.
Unknown Speaker
Another part of it is turning the other way at your political allies and refusing to enforce the law against them. And I think one of the most egregious examples we've seen over the last two years is the rising anti Semitism on college campuses.
Ted Cruz
Amen.
Unknown Speaker
The violent protesters and rioters, many of whom are not students, are not affiliated with the universities and they are threatening students. You look at Columbia University, the Orthodox rabbi there sent out an email to the Jewish students on campus and said, do not come to campus because the university cannot and will not keep you safe. And the Biden Justice Department did nothing. They investigated nobody. They didn't follow the money, they didn't indict anyone, they didn't prosecute anyone, and they did not enforce Title 6 of the Civil rights laws, which say that if.
Ben Ferguson
That.
Unknown Speaker
That if you are tolerating harassment on the basis of ethnicity or religion that you will have your federal funds cut off. How is the Department of Justice different today? And what will your approach be to anti Semitism and threats of violence directed against Jewish students on campus or any other students on campus?
Pam Bondi
We have an October 7th task force that we started and we will protect you. When I was just a citizen, before I had this job, what you said, I'm watching these. These aren't peaceful protests. We all believe in peaceful protest. Oh, I'm sorry. Unless you're a liberal and you don't want a parent to quietly pray outside an abortion clinic, or you're a parent to go to a school board or a parent at a school board, they're going to call you a domestic terrorist.
Ted Cruz
Domestic terrorist. Yeah.
Pam Bondi
But I'm screaming at my TV watching these violent protests, you know, the last since October 7th. You're watching this happen. And all of our students deserve to be safe. And first of all, these students who are here on visas, who are threatening our American students, need to be kicked out of this country.
Ben Ferguson
Amen.
Unknown Speaker
It is refreshingly simple to have an attorney General who has the approach that you're going to follow the law and enforce the law. And that, sadly, has been missing for the last four years.
Pam Bondi
It's pretty basic.
Unknown Speaker
Isn't, should not be complicated. Let me ask you, what keeps you up at night? What scares you in the first two weeks in this job?
Pam Bondi
Pretty much everything. I don't sleep at night anymore, of course. Everything we talked about, the drugs, the cartels, the Great. Maybe I'll get a little sleep tonight. Based on the arrests that were just made, the children that are being trafficked, things that have been so personal to me since I was a state prosecutor and then since I was state attorney general, now you just get to help people on a bigger level, which is pretty cool to get to do that. But most recently it's really been what Elon has been uncovering and the usaid, the, the waste at epa, the. This money, trillions of dollars they believe, just being handed out, which is most likely making a round trip well and going to terrorist organizations.
Unknown Speaker
And you are on the front line of defending the President and Elon Musk and Doge and all the effort they're doing. And every day we are seeing Democrat attorneys general and Democrat interest groups suing the president, suing Elon Musk, suing the federal government. And the Department of Justice is on the front lines. And sadly, we're seeing left wing activist judges, individual district court judges issuing nationwide injunctions. Tell us about what, what it's like defending against those lawsuits and give us your thoughts on the authority of one radical district judge to try to run the executive branch and issue a nationwide injunction.
Pam Bondi
Two words, we're winning. Yeah. So you've got, you've got one.
Ted Cruz
I like that answer.
Pam Bondi
One unelected district judge trying to tell President Trump who was elected overwhelmingly by the American people, where federal funds can go. We're winning even in liberal courts. By the way, Senator, we're winning.
Ted Cruz
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.
Podcast Summary: The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson
Episode: Poll Numbers a BIG WIN for Trump, Where did $4.7 TRILLION GO & AG Pam Bondi on 'Getting Along' in the Trump Admin Week In Review
Release Date: February 22, 2025
Host/Author: Premiere Networks
Duration: Approximately 35 minutes
In this engaging episode of The 47 Morning Update, host Ben Ferguson delves into three significant topics shaping the current political landscape: President Donald Trump's impressive poll numbers, the alarming discovery of $4.7 trillion in untraceable government spending by Doge, and an insightful interview with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. The episode offers a comprehensive analysis of these issues, highlighting their implications for the Trump administration and the broader American political scene.
Poll Success and Its Implications
The episode opens with a discussion on President Trump's remarkable poll numbers, which Ben Ferguson describes as a "super mandate" for pushing his agenda forward (02:22). These polls, averaging above 60%, are portrayed as an unprecedented endorsement, reminiscent of successful moments from the Bush administration. Ted Cruz emphasizes the historical significance, noting, “I have not seen 60% polls like these in decades” (01:44).
Media and Political Opposition
Ben Ferguson critiques the media's response to Trump's popularity, highlighting the frustration among Democratic leaders like Jonathan Karl and Hakeem Jeffries. Ferguson asserts that Democratic opposition is out of touch with the American electorate, stating, “If you're on the wrong side of a bunch of 60, 40 issues, that's a recipe to lose elections” (02:22). He further cites James Carville's scathing remarks about the Democratic Party's shift toward extremism, reinforcing the argument that Democrats are alienating the mainstream voter base (05:32).
Historical Voting Patterns
Ferguson provides a historical overview of Democratic voting trends, illustrating consistent opposition to key Republican initiatives:
This persistent opposition, according to Ferguson, underscores a disconnect between the Democratic Party and the American populace, paving the way for continued Republican dominance in both the Senate and the House.
Discovery and Implications
The episode shifts focus to a groundbreaking revelation by Doge, who identified nearly $4.7 trillion in government payments with untraceable budget line items. Ben Ferguson explains that the Treasury Access Symbol (TAS), an identification code linking payments to specific budget items, was often left blank, rendering the funds virtually untraceable (16:33). This lack of accountability highlights systemic waste and inefficiency within federal spending.
Expert Commentary
Ferguson underscores the severity of the issue by breaking down the staggering amount: “A trillion dollars is a thousand, thousand times more than a million dollars. And 4.7 trillion is even...” (18:18). He criticizes the entrenched culture of waste and politicization in government, asserting that "if you're spending someone else's money, you don't care about it" (19:32). This sentiment echoes his critique of the current administration's handling of funds and their prioritization of political agendas over fiscal responsibility.
Public Accountability and Government Reaction
The discovery has triggered significant backlash within governmental circles, with reactions ranging from horror to defensive justifications. Ferguson praises Trump and Elon Musk for spearheading efforts to bring transparency and accountability to federal spending, suggesting that their actions are forcing the government to confront its long-standing issues of waste and corruption.
Role and Responsibilities
In a compelling interview, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi discusses her pivotal role in the Trump administration, emphasizing the importance of inter-agency cooperation. Bondi shares insights into her daily responsibilities, highlighting the non-stop nature of her work and the collective effort to "Make America safe" (28:19).
Combating Crime and Enhancing Security
Bondi elaborates on the administration's initiatives to combat human trafficking and other severe crimes. She underscores the aggressive stance against illegal immigrants involved in criminal activities, stating, “These students who are here on visas ... need to be kicked out of this country” (32:05). This firm approach is presented as a direct response to ineffective Democratic policies that allegedly prioritize political agendas over public safety.
Addressing Campus Anti-Semitism
A significant portion of the interview focuses on the rising anti-Semitism and threats of violence on college campuses. Bondi criticizes the Biden administration's inaction, particularly in cutting federal funds to institutions that tolerate harassment based on ethnicity or religion. She announces the formation of an October 7th task force aimed at protecting students and enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (31:43 - 32:05).
Inter-Administration Collaboration
Bondi emphasizes the seamless collaboration within the Trump administration, praising figures like Lee Zeldin (EPA Administrator) and Scott Bessen (Secretary of Treasury). She attributes the administration's effectiveness to the trust and camaraderie fostered by President Trump, who has empowered his cabinet members to execute their duties without undue interference (29:43 - 30:37).
Defending Against Litigation and Judicial Overreach
The discussion also touches on ongoing lawsuits against President Trump, Elon Musk, and federal agencies. Bondi confidently asserts, “We're winning,” in response to challenges posed by Democrat attorneys general and activist judges (35:07). She criticizes the judiciary's interference, labeling it as a tactic to undermine the executive branch's authority.
This episode of The 47 Morning Update provides a robust analysis of President Trump's strong poll numbers and their implications for the administration's ability to enact its agenda. The revelation of $4.7 trillion in untraceable government spending by Doge underscores significant accountability issues within federal financial processes. Additionally, Attorney General Pam Bondi offers an insider's perspective on the Trump administration's collaborative efforts to enforce the law and protect American interests. Overall, the episode paints a picture of a Republican-led government leveraging its popularity and strategic initiatives to address systemic challenges and push forward its policy goals.
Notable Quotes:
Ted Cruz [00:31]: "When I was at the Bush administration... if you were at 55% or above, it was like a mandate."
Ben Ferguson [02:22]: "Historical, for the last four years, every Democrat voted on the wrong side of these issues."
Ben Ferguson [05:32]: "James Carville... 'We don't have the audio, but we have the words... to see it taken over by a bunch of stupid MFers.'"
Pam Bondi [28:19]: "Our directive from our boss is so easy, especially on my end, Make America safe."
Ben Ferguson [14:05]: "There is a point in the history of society when it becomes so pathologically soft... Punishing itself is terrible."
Pam Bondi [32:05]: "These students who are here on visas ... need to be kicked out of this country."
Pam Bondi [35:07]: "We're winning. One unelected district judge trying to tell President Trump... we're winning even in liberal courts."
Recommendation:
For listeners seeking an in-depth understanding of the Trump administration's strategies and challenges, this episode offers valuable insights and detailed discussions on critical political developments. To explore the full conversation and additional context, listeners are encouraged to download the complete podcast episode available on the iHeartRadio app or other podcast platforms.