The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode Title: Trump Declares War on ‘Green New Scam’ plus Visa Freeze Targets High-Risk Countries
Date: December 4, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson
Network: Premiere Networks

Episode Overview

This episode dives into two major policy moves from the Trump administration:

1. The rollback of Biden-era "Green New Scam" auto emissions standards in the name of consumer affordability.
2. The announcement of a sweeping visa freeze targeting asylum applicants from 19 “high-risk” countries following a violent attack involving National Guardsmen.

Ben Ferguson guides listeners through the breaking developments, featuring direct remarks from President Trump, insights from former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and extensive commentary on how these policies aim to reshape affordability, U.S. immigration, and national security.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Trump’s Rollback of Auto Emissions Standards and Attack on "Green New Scam"

[03:08 – 09:14]

• Historic Action on Consumer Costs

  • The Trump administration announces the termination of Biden’s stricter CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) auto emissions standards.

  • Framed as part of Trump’s broader push to lower costs on gasoline, cars, and everyday goods.

  • Trump positions these emissions standards as an "expensive restriction" that made car ownership less affordable for Americans.

    "We're officially terminating Joe Biden's ridiculously burdensome, horrible, actually CAFE standards… Very expensive. It put tremendous upward pressure on car prices combined with the insane electric vehicle mandate."
    — Donald Trump [04:39]

• The Narrative on Affordability

  • Trump’s team seeks to contrast concrete price action with “empty” Democratic messaging on affordability.

  • Mark Meadows reiterates that it's not just about the abstract notion of “affordability” but about prices at the checkout—from cars to groceries.

    "Affordability is an abstract term that’s very difficult. What do we need to do? Make sure the price of ground beef goes down…"
    — Mark Meadows [07:08]

• Trump "Tariff Checks" for Americans

  • Meadows mentions the prospect of $2,000 “Trump tariff checks” distributed next year, intended to offset ongoing inflation.

  • Some conservative pushback reported, but Meadows argues direct cash helps Americans “reduce… pain of the higher inflationary prices.”

    "I think these $2,000 Trump tariff checks need to go out next year. That will be something that actually others can spend the money and maybe reduce some of the pain of the higher inflationary prices they're seeing at the grocery store."
    — Mark Meadows [07:52]

• Long-Term Economic Vision

  • Trump's broader economic agenda is summarized as putting Americans "in control" of their financial outlook, including talk of replacing income tax with tariffs, and pressing to cut national debt.

  • The administration is doubling down on its promise to prioritize American consumers and industries while fighting what they label as waste, fraud, and abuse.

2. Major Immigration Crackdown: Visa Freeze for High-Risk Nations

[09:14 – 16:47]

• Background and Motivation

  • Sparked by a recent attack on National Guardsmen, Trump’s administration has moved to freeze all asylum applications from 19 deemed “high-risk” countries.

  • The White House positions the move as a security measure, aiming to “take no chances” with national safety.

    "President Donald Trump... promised Americans... he was going to secure the border, and he was going to make sure that we didn't have terrorists coming into this country across that open border."
    — News Anchor [09:16]

• Scope and Details of the Policy

  • The freeze halts legal migration pathways, including green card approvals and naturalizations, for nationals of the 19 countries, pending enhanced security checks.

  • Notably impacted nationalities: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo, Ecuador, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Cuba, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and more; nine are predominantly Muslim.

  • Does not impact migrants from Mexico, Central America, or India.

  • Some of these populations (e.g., Afghans, Venezuelans, Somalians) have established sizable communities within the U.S.

    "Kristi Noem, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, has hinted the list may be expanded..."
    — News Anchor [12:36]

    "The guidance outlines the adjudicated hold procedure... requirements... USCIS personnel are instructed to prioritize national security and public safety concerns..."
    — News Anchor [13:41]

• Trump’s Comments on Afghans and Somalians

  • Direct questioning about whether the move unfairly targets all Afghans; Trump insists it’s a necessary consequence of past “unvetted” arrivals.

  • Expresses distrust of previous immigration reviews, particularly after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

    "We've had a lot of problems with Afghans because they had a lot of them coming in on these planes... There was no checking. They just poured into the plane. And many of these people are criminals... There was no check in."
    — Donald Trump [15:00]

    "If you look at Somalia, they're taking over Minnesota... We have a lot of problems with gangs, with all of the things taking place in Minnesota. We have an incompetent governor. Dope."
    — Donald Trump [15:34]

  • News Anchor recaps: Administration promises a comprehensive review; goal is to keep unvetted or dangerous individuals out, and to prioritize existing Americans' safety.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Trump’s Framing of the “Green New Scam”

  "It's part of the greatest scam probably. Well, other than Russia, Russia, Russia and a few others I could name, the greatest scam in American history. The green news scam."
  — Donald Trump [05:37]

• Mark Meadows on Direct Cash Aid

  "I think these $2,000 Trump tariff checks need to go out next year."
  — Mark Meadows [07:52]

• Strong Language on Immigration

  "She [Ilhan Omar] shouldn't be allowed to be a congresswoman. I'm sure people are looking at that. And she should be thrown the hell out of our country."
  — Donald Trump [02:37]

  "Many of these people are criminals. Many of these people are people that shouldn't be here."
  — Donald Trump [15:06]

  "If you look at Somalia, they're taking over Minnesota..."
  — Donald Trump [15:34]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:08] – Show kickoff; two major White House stories previewed.
• [04:39] – Trump’s remarks on emissions standards rollback and “Green New Scam.”
• [06:45] – Mark Meadows on "affordability" vs. price, and Trump tariff checks.
• [09:14] – Pivot to immigration crackdown; context on new visa freeze.
• [12:36] – Detailed breakdown of affected countries and rationale.
• [13:41] – Process and intentions behind the new security review protocols.
• [15:00] – Trump comments specifically on Afghan and Somali immigrants.
• [16:28] – Recap on security focus, confirmation of comprehensive reviews.

Summary Flow and Tone

The episode adopts an unapologetically pro-Trump stance, leaning heavily on the administration’s own framing of regulatory rollback and immigration crackdown as necessary, even overdue, responses to alleged Biden-era excess. Quotes from key players ground the rhetoric, while details on affected policies and populations provide both practical and political context. Urgency and populist language dominate, with repeated emphasis on “affordability,” “safety,” and “putting Americans first.”

For listeners:
This episode offers direct insight into how the Trump administration is approaching affordability via regulatory rollbacks and actively tightening U.S. immigration policy in the name of security. It’s a fast-moving, rhetoric-heavy update tailored for followers of conservative political news.