Tariffs, Terrorism & Tons of Money from Foreign Adversaries Flooding our Universities

Summary

Podcast Summary: The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode Title: Tariffs, Terrorism & Tons of Money from Foreign Adversaries Flooding our Universities
Release Date: March 28, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson
Guest: Senator Ted Cruz
Source: Premiere Networks

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1. Introduction

In this episode of The 47 Morning Update, host Ben Ferguson engages in a deep-dive conversation with Senator Ted Cruz, covering three pivotal topics shaping America's current landscape:

1. Tariffs on Imported Cars: Analyzing President Donald Trump's recent announcement of a 25% tariff on imported vehicles.
2. Deportation of Radical Foreigners: Discussing the revocation of student visas for individuals supporting terrorist organizations like Hamas.
3. Foreign Funding in U.S. Universities: Examining the influx of money from foreign adversaries into American higher education institutions.

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2. Tariffs on Imported Cars

Ben Ferguson opens the discussion by highlighting President Trump's declaration of a 25% tariff on imported cars, labeling it as the commencement of "Liberation Day in America."

Notable Quote:

Donald Trump ([01:52]): "So this is the beginning of Liberation Day in America... We’re going to charge countries for doing business in our country and taking our jobs, taking our wealth..."

Senator Cruz elaborates on the strategic use of tariffs, emphasizing their role as leverage to protect American interests. He cites historical instances where tariffs have been employed to secure border integrity and influence foreign policies.

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3. The Use of Tariffs as Leverage

Senator Ted Cruz underscores President Trump's long-standing support for tariffs, tracing it back to the 1980s and President Reagan's administration. He asserts that tariffs serve multiple purposes:

• Economic Leverage: Encouraging foreign nations to make concessions beneficial to the U.S.
• Protecting Domestic Industries: Ensuring American businesses remain competitive by making foreign goods more expensive.

Notable Quote:

Ted Cruz ([06:02]): "Tariff is the most beautiful word in the English language... it is the most consistent policy view of his entire life."

Cruz references successful outcomes from past tariff implementations, such as:

• Mexico Border Security: Threatened with a 25% tariff, Mexico responded by deploying 6,000 soldiers to its southern border, resulting in the "Remain in Mexico" policy and the lowest illegal immigration rates in 45 years.

• Colombia Example: When Colombia initially resisted accepting illegal immigrants, the threat of tariffs led to immediate compliance, showcasing the effectiveness of tariffs as a negotiation tool.

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4. Concerns Regarding Tariffs

While Senator Cruz advocates for the strategic use of tariffs, he also expresses concerns about their long-term implications:

• Economic Impact on Consumers: Tariffs lead to higher prices for imported goods, directly affecting American consumers who bear the increased costs.

• Business Uncertainty: Manufacturers and businesses face unpredictability, making long-term planning challenging.

Notable Quote:

Ted Cruz ([07:52]): "Who pays tariffs? The American consumer pays tariffs... I would rather see a scenario where we are not imposing big tariffs, but at the same time, foreign countries are lowering their tariffs."

Cruz warns against tariffs becoming a permanent fixture of U.S. economic policy, highlighting the delicate balance between protecting domestic interests and maintaining consumer affordability.

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5. Deportation and Revocation of Visas for Radical Foreigners

The conversation shifts to national security concerns, specifically the revocation of 300 student visas for individuals associated with pro-Hamas activities.

Ben Ferguson references statements from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, emphasizing the administration's stance against individuals who undermine American values and security.

Notable Quote:

Marco Rubio ([15:51]): "If you lie to us and get a visa and then enter to the United States and with that visa, participate in that sort of activity, we're going to take away your visa."

Senator Cruz passionately supports these measures, arguing that:

• First Amendment Limitations: While American citizens have protected speech rights, these do not extend to foreigners seeking entry into the U.S.

• National Security: Preventing individuals who support terrorist organizations from entering or remaining in the country is paramount for safeguarding American society.

Notable Quote:

Ted Cruz ([18:56]): "Hamas on October 7th carried out the mass murder of 1200 civilians... If you're supporting child rapists, get the hell out of our country."

He criticizes the previous administration for inaction, asserting that Democrats would prioritize radical elements over national safety.

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6. Foreign Funding in U.S. Universities

Addressing the infiltration of foreign money into American higher education, Senator Cruz highlights a report from Americans for Public Trust revealing that $60 billion has flowed into U.S. universities, with $795 million originating from adversarial nations like China, Russia, Venezuela, and Yemen.

Key Concerns:

• Espionage and Propaganda: Foreign funds may be used to influence academic discourse, conduct espionage, or propagate favorable narratives about adversarial governments.

• Intellectual Property Theft: The influx of foreign capital can lead to the unauthorized acquisition of sensitive research and intellectual property.

Notable Quote:

Ted Cruz ([25:37]): "China had been funding these Confucius Institutes... they were used as hubs of espionage and tools of propaganda."

Cruz recounts his legislative efforts to combat this issue, such as the ban on Department of Defense funding for universities hosting Confucius Institutes, leading to the closure of over 20 such institutions.

Proposed Solutions:

1. Transparency Measures: Legislation requiring universities to disclose all foreign funding sources, especially from nations considered adversaries.

2. Penalties for Non-Compliance: Imposing punitive tax penalties on institutions that accept funds from enemy nations to deter such practices.

Notable Quote:

Ted Cruz ([28:32]): "We need transparency... punitive tax penalties if you get money from a country that is an enemy of America."

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7. Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Senator Ted Cruz presents a robust defense of President Trump's policies on tariffs, national security, and academic integrity. He advocates for strategic economic measures to protect American interests, the stringent enforcement of immigration policies to safeguard national security, and increased regulation of foreign funding in universities to prevent undue influence and espionage.

Ben Ferguson complements Cruz's insights with pertinent examples and underscores the importance of these issues in shaping America's future. Together, they articulate a vision centered on prioritizing American prosperity, security, and intellectual independence.

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Final Thoughts:
This episode of The 47 Morning Update provides a comprehensive examination of critical issues affecting the United States, from economic strategies like tariffs to national security measures and the integrity of higher education. Senator Ted Cruz offers actionable solutions and legislative perspectives aimed at reinforcing America's sovereignty and safeguarding its institutions against external threats.

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Note: This summary excludes advertisements and non-content segments to focus solely on the substantive discussions between Ben Ferguson and Senator Ted Cruz.

Transcript

[Ritual Representative]

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[Ben Ferguson]

Welcome. It is verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you. And Senator, we've got a lot to talk about tonight, including some big news that Donald Trump has announced a 25% tariff on imported cars. We're going to deal with that, but also some other things as well.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, we're going to talk about tariffs, number one, we're going to talk about tariff terrorists, number two, pro Hamas radicals being deported, having the student visas revoked. And we're going to talk, number three, about massive foreign money flooding into our universities. All of that we're going to break down on today's podcast.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, it's going to be a lot of fun. So let's start with the tariffs. And Donald Trump has come out. He has announced his 25% tariff on import cars. And the president announcing it, said he believes this is the beginning of, of Liberation Day in America. Here's the president in his own words.

[Donald Trump]

So this is the beginning of Liberation Day in America. We're going to take back just some of the money that has been taken from us by people sitting behind this desk or another desk that's not quite as nice, but they have their choice of seven, as you know. And we're going to charge countries for doing business in our country and taking our jobs, taking our wealth, taking a lot of things that they've been taking over the years. They've taken so much out of our country, friend and foe. And frankly, friend has been oftentimes much worse than foe. And this is very Modest. And what we're going to be doing is a 25% tariff on all cars that are not made in the United States. If they're made in the United States, there's absolutely no tariff. We start off with a 2 1/2% base, which is what we were at, and we go to 25%. And basically, as you know, and as you've been seeing, not reporting as accurately as it should be reported, because it's a massive story, business is coming back to the United States so that they don't have to pay tariffs. And I think also because of November 5th, the election, they're very happy.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, that's the president talking in the Oval Office about this, Senator. And look, tariffs can be very complicated. This is something that a lot of people are gonna hear and say, good, we're leveling the playing field. But they can also be very complicated. And there's a lot that we're dealing with now in this country with tariffs. So I want you to break it down for people so they understand some of these tariffs have been straight up, just strategy from the president to get leverage and to let countries know they can't keep treating us the way that they are. We've seen that with Canada, we've seen that with Mexico. These are a little bit more complicated and complex.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, listen, President Trump uses tariffs for multiple purposes. One purpose he uses them for is his leverage to incentivize foreign countries to do things that are in America's interest. The easiest example of this is the threatened tariffs against Mexico and Canada, where the president has threatened 25% tariffs against Mexico and Canada unless and until they actively and aggressively help us secure our borders. Now, I got to tell you, Ben, on that, I emphatically support President Trump. There is no greater mandate that came out of the November election than we must secure our borders. And I got to say, in the first Trump administration, the President used the threat of tariffs against Mexico, a 25% tariff. He threatened to get Mexico to make enormous concessions on border security. Mexico ended up caving, and the government of Mexo Amlo, who was the president of Mexico, assigned 6,000 Mexican soldiers to their southern border. The Mexican southern border is much smaller than our southern border because it obviously it constricts into an isthmus, and they put 6,000 soldiers on their southern border, and they adopted the remain in Mexico policy. So the remain in Mexico policy was amazingly, tremendously successful. It produced the lowest rate of illegal immigration in 45 years. So when it comes to using the threat of Tariffs or tariffs as a avenue of leverage, especially for something like securing the border. I am emphatically in support of it. By the way, we did an earlier podcast where when the nation of Colombia earlier in the Trump administration refused to accept illegal immigrants coming back, Trump immediately threatened tariffs against them and Colombia cratered within hours. They just surrendered and said, okay, we'll take them back. So I'm all for tariffs as leverage to get positive foreign policy concessions from other countries.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, let's talk about the 25% on the cars and how this kind of got started from a political standpoint, Explain to the American people why this is a strategy that could work, but also it is very complicated.

[Ted Cruz]

So, Ben, there's a second component of President Trump's tariff approach, which is he genuinely loves tariffs. We've all heard him rhapsodize at length where he said, tariff is the most beautiful word in the English language. And I gotta say, of every view President Trump has ever had, this is the most consistent policy view of his entire life. If you go back to the 1980s, when Ronald Reagan was president, Donald J. Trump was calling for, we need more tariffs on foreign goods. He believes this. I have sat with Donald Trump over and over and over again, and he goes on at great length about how tariffs are wonderful, how they're going to raise hundreds of billions of dollars. He goes on about how when William McKinley was president, the economy was great as you just played. He goes on saying, it's the golden age of America. Before we had an income tax, we got our revenue from tariffs. Now, I will say on that front, I've urged the President two things. Number one, I've urged President Trump focus on China. I believe China is the single greatest geopolitical threat to the United States for the next hundred years. So tariffs are a great tool, a powerful tool, and everything we can do to delink our economy from China is a good thing. Everything we can do to onshore to bring manufacturing back from China to the United States is a good thing. Everything we can do to Near Shore to bring manufacturing back from China to countries near America, that is a good thing. So that's number one on what I've urged. The second thing I've urged the President to do is focus on reciprocity. Now, Ben, why am I focused on reciprocity? Listen, I believe in free trade.

[Ben Ferguson]

And by the way, for people that are new, maybe they don't know what is. What is your definition of free trade? So that they understand that because there's. There's people that have bastardized free trade over the last 20 years to mean a lot of different things.

[Ted Cruz]

So, look, as an economic matter, I believe America prospers and does well. When we can export our crops, our livestock, our goods, our services into other nations, I think we are the greatest producing nation. We have the greatest economic power on the face of the planet. And when we can open up foreign markets to American exports, we do fantastic. American farmers and ranchers do great when foreign markets are opened up and there are enormous benefits. Now, what I've urged the President to do is focus on the principle of reciprocity. What do I mean by reciprocity? I mean by reciprocity that we should adopt tariffs that mirror the tariffs other countries apply to us. Why is it that I'm advocating for reciprocity? Because since I believe in free trade, I think it is better economically for America to embrace free trade. Reciprocity puts a downward ratchet on our tariffs. Because if the Trump administration imposes tariffs against foreign nations, there is an easy avenue for those foreign nations to lower the tariffs. And the way they can do so is lower their own tariffs against American goods. So I can tell you, in the last two weeks, the CEO of a major European car company was meeting with me and they're very dismayed. They're very concerned about tariffs being imposed against them. And I can tell you this European CEO is advocating Europe, we will zero out our tariffs on American cars. Right now, Europe has significant tariffs on American cars. The CEO is advocating we'll drop those to zero if America doesn't hammer us with tariffs on importing cars to the United States. That's a great outcome. I want to see foreign countries lower their tariffs on American goods. So that's a great outcome. I will say, Ben, it is clear the president likes tariffs. He describes when you sit down, I spend a lot of time with the President. When you sit down with him in person, he will go on sometime for hours, at length about how tariffs will generate hundreds of billions of dollars, how they're terrific for the American economy. I don't want to see a situation where it is a major feature of the long term economic picture of America, that we have big tariffs in place. And here's why. Who pays tariffs? The American consumer pays tariffs. If there are major tariffs on imported goods, it means if you go and buy them, you pay a much, much higher price. And so I would rather see a scenario I prefer lower taxes to higher taxes. I would rather see a scenario where we are not imposing big tariffs, but at the same time Foreign countries are lowering their tariffs so we can export more. So I am emphatically on board with Donald Trump using tariffs as leverage. I have concerns and I think it would be harmful to Texas and the country if tariffs become a persistent feature of our economic policy nationally.

[Ben Ferguson]

So this is one of those where it's also, if you're a business person, you and you're a manufacturer, you want there to be some stability in the market. What am I dealing with? What does the future look like for me? And so if you're planning, I think if I'm reading this correctly, you're saying this is probably going to be a part of his policy for quite some time. This isn't going to be a blip on the screen the way that you described it. And that may be why so many are so concerned. Right.

[Ted Cruz]

So the single most frequent question I get from business leaders in Texas and from business leaders nationally, and I meet with business leaders literally every single day. That's a big part of the job of being in the Senate is you meet with leaders from your state and across the country. The most frequent question I get is what's going to happen on tariffs, what's going to happen on trade? And I genuinely don't know. But look, all right, Ben, you're a fancy schmancy radio host, you're big national guy. So you drive a Porsche Pan America really cool ass car. Like by the way, your steering wheel is like really antique wood, which is cool looking.

[Ben Ferguson]

It's the best part of the car. I'm not going to lie. It's like, it is nice. I agree.

[Ted Cruz]

Now the last I checked, Porsche is made in Germany.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yes.

[Ted Cruz]

Today the president announced a 25% tariff on foreign made cars. That means if you bought that car tomorrow, you, Ben Ferguson, would pay 25% more for the same car you have right now. That's meaningful.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, it's meaningful and what it makes. And the reality is for many people, they'd say, all right, well, I'm not going to spend the 25% premium on that car.

[Ted Cruz]

And listen, I will say there's an economic matter when it comes to imposing tariffs to block imports. A lot of nations do that. And there's an economic school of thought called public choice theory, which examines how political decisions are made based on economics. And one of the consequences of tariffs is you have concentrated benefits. So there are industries and jobs that benefit and do great and they're very enthusiastic. And then you have diffuse harms. So frequently with tariffs. If you put tariffs and you protect jobs at home, if you look as a matter of economics, the benefits are in the aggregate much smaller than the harms, but the benefits are concentrated. So the people who are getting it are really energized, they care a lot about it. Whereas the people that are being harmed it is more abstract, they're less energized, they're less focused on it. I believe America has benefited enormously from exporting our goods and services. If you talk to any farmer and rancher, the benefits of exporting to foreign markets are massive. If you talk to American manufacturers, the benefits of exporting to foreign markets are massive. And so I don't want to see a scenario where every country is putting massive tariffs on imports from other countries because it will hurt American exports significantly and it will raise prices for American consumers. That being said, if the President employs these tariffs in the way I'm suggesting, which is focused on reciprocity, then they can be a powerful tool for lowering the tariffs other countries impose and expanding trade, expanding what we sell abroad, expanding American business, expanding jobs and lowering prices for American consumers. I think that is a much better outcome.

[Ritual Representative]

Hey there Ritual. Here to give a big shout out to you for making it through the hectic holiday season. The magic of those family moments, that was you. And now there's new milestones to Prep for in 2025 this new year. Check clean quality pregnancy nutrient support off your to do list with Ritual. We've done the research to create science backed pregnancy support like our prenatal multivitamin, natalcholine and fertility support. All designed to be taken alongside each other. But don't just take our word for it. They're also third party tested for microbes and heavy metals and Clean Label Project certified. So whether you're trying, thinking about trying or already there, we don't have to tell you that prioritizing yourself can be the hardest part. That's why we're helping you get started today with 30% off a three month supply for a limited [e-mail] 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.

[Ben Ferguson]

I want to move on to the corruption of academia and we are now seeing that 300 pro Hamas protests I got visas protests I should say got visas revoked. And this was certainly a big deal. Marco Rubio talking about it, making it a clear that hey, we promised you that if you're here on a visa and it's a privilege to be here and you are cheering on the terrorists and you're hurting your campus or this country, you're anti American. We don't have to put up with it. I love this. Your reaction.

[Ted Cruz]

Amen. Hallelujah. And look, this is something we've talked about on verdict quite a bit. The First Amendment protects American citizens. So if you're an American citizen, you have a constitutional right to espouse the most hateful, horrible, terrible ideas. American citizen has a First Amendment right to advocate for being a Nazi, to advocate for being a Klansman. By the way, if you do advocate for being a Nazi or a Klansman, the rest of us have a moral obligation to say you're a reprehensible bigot and what you're saying is evil, but you have a right to say it. But the First Amendment does not apply to foreigners. It applies to Americans. And when it comes to student visas, foreigners that are getting student visas, they're asking for permission from the federal government to come study in America. They don't have a First Amendment right. And we have no obligation, no legal obligation, no moral obligation, no obligation under anything I can imagine to let people in who hate America, who are undermining America, who are attacking Jewish students or other students at campus who are spreading poison. And so the story broke this week that 300 student visas have been revoked, by the way, under Joe Biden, when we had viciously anti Semitic, anti Israel, anti American protests on college campuses, to the best of my knowledge, zero student visas were revoked. And in fact, the Democrats, they support the pro Hamas protesters. Well, Trump being elected, and this is something I predicted before the election, this is something I said right after the election, you are going to see the radical anti American zealots, you're going to see them arrested and deported. Well, that is happening. 300 student visas have been revoked. And here's what Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, quote, if you apply for a visa to enter the United States and be a student, and you tell us that the reason why you're coming to the United States is not just because you want to write op eds, but because you want to participate in movements that are involved in doing things like vandalizing universities, harassing students, taking over buildings, creating a ruckus, we're not going to give you a visa. If you lie to us and get a visa and then enter to the United States and with that visa, participate in that sort of activity, we're going to take away your visa. And Secretary Rubio continued, you're no longer legally in the United States. And we have a right like Every country in the world has a right to remove you from our country. Amen. Hallelujah. And you ought to ask yourself, why didn't this happen even once under Joe Biden?

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, you also look at what we found out about some of the people that are getting arrested. A great example of that is this Tufts University graduate student from Turkey was arrested by ICE agents on the street in Massachusetts. The liberals are losing their minds. Like, this is so unfair. Should have not been arrested. How dare you target this student? But according to the Department of Homeland Security, the woman was arrested for, quote, glorifying and supporting terrorists and for showing support for a terrorist organization, Hamas, the Palestinian political party and militant group. So they're like, you can be sad all you want to. We're not putting up with this, and it shouldn't be happening in America.

[Ted Cruz]

Look, if you are a foreigner and you're saying, I love Hamas, if you're a foreigner and you're saying, I hate America if you're a foreigner and saying, I support the enemies of America, we have no obligation to admit you to our country. We have no obligation to let you stay here. And no legal obligation, no moral obligation. And what is bizarre, as the Trump administration is saying, all right, these radicals that hate America, that are attacking and threatening violence against Jewish students, that are demonizing Israel, that are demonizing America, that are praising Hamas. And by the way, look, let's be clear. Hamas are vicious terrorists that want to murder you if you're an American. And I think most of the people listening to this podcast are Americans. Understand, Hamas wants to murder you. Understand? Hamas on, on October 7, carried out the mass murder of 1200 civilians. They raped women and little girls. And these radicals are praising child rapists. You know what? If you're praising child rapists, if you're supporting child rapists, get the hell out of our country. Now, look, if you're a US Citizen, we can't throw you out. But if you're not, if you're a foreigner, we have no reason to let you in here. And this is exactly right. And Ben is amazing. Democrats, given a choice, do you support protecting Americans, protecting Israel, protecting Jewish students at schools, or do you support the radical, anti Israel, anti American, pro Hamas zealots? They are choosing the violent anti American protesters. They are standing up and saying, deport nobody. We don't care if you are a radical, pro Hamas supporter. We want you in America. I gotta say, I don't know any rational or normal American that wants pro Hamas supporters in America.

[Ben Ferguson]

Let's give a Perfect example of this. University of Alabama had a doctoral student that was arrested. An Iranian student who was studying at the University of Alabama was arrested by ICE agents. Quote, the University of Alabama recently learned that a doctoral student had been detained off campus by federal immigration authorities. The school said in a statement, federal privacy laws limit what we can share about an individual student. International students are, quote, valued members of the campus community, the university added. The student newspaper said the CR called the Crimson White, identified the man arrested who was in the United States on a student visa, saying, quote, it's unclear what charges he's facing, why he was detained, or if he has a lawyer. But here's what they did report, and this part really made me laugh. Uh, in the statement that came out from the University of Alabama College Democrats, the group said they were aware of the man's arrest and saying, quote, our fears have come to pass. President Donald Trump, the border czar, Tom Homan and ICE have struck a cold, vicious dagger through the heart of the University of Alabama's international community. As far as we know right now, ICE is yet to provide any justification for their actions. So we are not sure if this persecution is politically motivated, as has been seen in other universities across the country. It goes back to your point that you just made. The Democrats on even at the University of Alabama are like, this is persecution. You know, facts be damned. Supporting terrorist activities be damned. Advocating for Hamas be damned.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, and let me be clear, understand the principle. When you were quoting that, that newspaper story, you said the Alabama Democrats were saying, we don't know what crime this person has been charged with. You don't have to be charged with a crime. Let me be clear, okay? If you're charged with a crime, that ought to be easy. Although I say it ought to be easy. If you're charged with a crime. My Democratic colleagues, when we argue, deport people who have committed crimes, deport people who committed violent crimes, deport people who are murderers, deport people who are rapists, deport people who are child molesters. My Democratic colleagues, party line, vote no. So even if you're guilty of a crime, they don't want to deport you. But. But set it aside for student visa. If you're not a US Citizen, you don't have to be guilty of a crime. If you come to America as a foreigner and we've given you a permissive visa, we said, okay, we want you to come, and you come here and you grab a bullhorn and say, I hate America and I want the enemies of America to defeat America, you know what my answer is? Get the hell out. We don't have a reason to let you in. You don't have a protection. If you are an enemy of America, you're entitled to be that. You know what they're there are 7 to 8 billion people on planet Earth. There are some people that are enemies of America, but why do we have to let enemies of America in? If you say, I hate America, it's like the old Saturday Night Live skit of the flight attendant as people are leaving the plane going bye, bye, bye bye. You hate America, bye bye, get out. Hate America somewhere else. But we're not letting you in here because we don't need people who hate America and are trying to undermine our nation in this country.

[Ben Ferguson]

Which brings me to story number three, and this is one where we have, I think, led on exposing the amount of foreign money that's been pouring into universities. We also exposed it with the Biden crime family and the amount of foreign dollars coming in to the Biden Institute, for example, and other universities. And we've witnessed the amount of money coming in to a point where you say this doesn't make sense economically. This is my opinion. I think now you're looking at a bigger issue, which is what are they actually getting in return for the staggering amounts of foreign money that's pouring these universities? Is this covert ops by foreign nations? Is this trying to control the next generation of American minds? Is this about spying? What is it? But when you look at this new report from a nonprofit and a nonpartisan government watchdog group, they're sounding the alarm, saying this amount of money coming in is not just from do gooders. This money's coming in is coming in for something big. Senator, what is that?

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, look, this is not covert. It is overt. It is open. It is out and brazen. So there's a story in Fox News entitled, quote, new report sounds alarm on staggering amount of foreign money pouring into US universities. The report says that $795 million has gone from foreign adversaries to American universities. And here's what the article says. I'm going to quote a little bit of it. Quote, a new report from a nonprofit and nonpartisan government watchdog is shedding light on the tens of billions of dollars, tens of billions that have poured into U.S. universities in recent years, including $20 billion to some of the most prestigious universities in the country. The report produced by Americans for Public Trust and released this week found that $60 billion, again, $60 billion in foreign gifts and contracts were funneled into American colleges and universities, including $20 billion alone, to elite schools like Harvard, Yale and others. Within that total, $795 million came from nations that are long standing adversaries to the United States, including China, Russia, Venezuela and Yemen. This is shocking. It is fundamental corruption, I can tell you. I've introduced legislation to require the minimum that universities report every dollar of foreign money they receive so that we have scrutiny. And I'll tell you, Ben, one of the very first pieces of legislation I ever passed when I was a brand new baby Senator 13 years ago was dealing with this issue of foreign money flooding into universities. And China had been funding these things called Confucius Institutes. Confucius Institutes were institutes on American college campuses that taught Mandarin, that taught the Chinese language. And they were used, number one, as hubs of espionage where China would send spies to engage in espionage, espionage in the United States, and number two, as tools of propaganda where they would push propaganda that that was favorable to the Chinese communist government. And when I was a brand new baby senator, I introduced legislation that banned any money from the federal Department of Defense going to a university that had a Confucius Institute. And at the time I introduced it, we had a Democrat Senate. When I got elected, Harry Reid was the majority leader. The Democrats were in the majority. I was on the Senate Armed Services Committee. I introduced this amendment and Ben, I'll tell you, I got bipartisan support. I got Democrats to support me and Republicans. We passed it into law. And the legislation I passed resulted in more than 20 Confucius Institutes across the country being shut down. This was a problem back in 2013, I gotta say, in 2025, it's much, much worse.

[Ben Ferguson]

So what is the government's response now? What should the government response be moving forward? And is it time to actually look at these universities and ask questions or have regulations about money coming in from foreign countries, especially those that are adversaries of the United States of America. I don't like government overreach. I want to make that clear. But the wild, wild west that we're looking at right now from this report, and 60 billion in foreign gifts and contracts are funneled into American colleges and universities like that, they're getting something in return. 20 billion alone to Harvard, Yale and other elite schools, they're getting something in return. And if they're buying the minds of American students or influence or even what worries me the most is stealing intellectual property or spying on America and future leaders, this scares the hell out of me. So what should the government's response be.

[Ted Cruz]

Yes, yes, yes, all of the above. So they're doing this to buy influence. They're doing this to push propaganda. They're doing this to engage in espionage. They're doing this to steal intellectual property. And so many of our universities, especially our elite universities, have eagerly jumped in bed with them. Look, you and I discussed early on in the wake of October 7th when the anti Semitic protests were breaking out. If you look at the universities with the highest percentage of foreign students, it almost perfectly maps to the universities with the most, the most virulent, the most nasty anti semitic protest. Universities like Columbia and NYU are at the very top of the list. And when you let in a bunch of foreign students. Now look, universities like foreign students because they pay full tuition, they pay full freight. They're cash cows. But why are American universities in the business of educating foreigners, especially foreigners who hate America and are undermining America? I don't see a reason for that. But not only that, but they're pushing this to drive a political agenda. And so what should we do? Number one, we need transparency. As I mentioned, I've introduced legislation to require transparency. If a university is getting money from a foreign country, we need to know about it, how much from which country, and I'll tell you. The legislation I'm introducing puts punitive tax penalties if you get money from a country that is an enemy of America. In my view, the federal government ought to put penalties in place where you end up being taxed more than you get. We don't need the enemies of America funding our universities and actively undermining our education. We need leaders who are willing to stand up for America first. And I think that's incredibly important.

[Ben Ferguson]

If you look at the money that came in, a perfect example of this is within that total I gave you the 20 billion alone going to those elite schools. 795 million came from nations that are long standing adversaries of the US Including China, Russia, Venezuela and Yemen. Is it also time to look at certain countries and say you can't have donations coming in from there?

[Ted Cruz]

Yes, and we ought to penalize the hell out of it. If Iran is funding your university, you're doing something fundamentally wrong.

[Ben Ferguson]

Great point. Don't forget, we do the show Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Hit that subscriber auto download button. And on those in between days, grab my show, the Ben Ferguson podcast. I'll keep you up to date on breaking news as well. And we'll see you back here on Saturday for the week in review.

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