Trump's Plan for Nuclear Iran, WH Revoking Security Clearances & Media Meltdown over Border Numbers

Summary

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson
Episode: Trump's Plan for Nuclear Iran, WH Revoking Security Clearances & Media Meltdown over Border Numbers
Release Date: March 24, 2025

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Overview

In this episode of The 47 Morning Update, host Ben Ferguson delves into three significant and contentious topics dominating the political landscape: former President Donald Trump's aggressive stance on Iran's nuclear program, the revocation of security clearances for high-profile political figures by the White House, and the escalating media frenzy surrounding border security numbers. Through in-depth analysis and exclusive insights, Ferguson provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of these developments and their implications for American politics and national security.

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1. Trump's Plan for the Nuclear Iran

Key Discussion Points:

• Full Dismantlement Demand: The Trump administration is aggressively pursuing the complete dismantlement of Iran's nuclear capabilities. This move marks a stark departure from previous diplomatic efforts, emphasizing no tolerance for Iran's nuclear ambitions.

• National Security Concerns: The administration cites Iran's support for proxy groups like Hezbollah and actions against its own national security as critical factors necessitating this hardline approach.

• Diplomatic Stance: Unlike the Obama-era agreements, the Trump administration refuses to engage in negotiations that do not lead to the immediate cessation of Iran's nuclear program.

Notable Quotes:

• National Security Adviser Mike Waltz (03:43):
  "Iran has to give up its program in a way that the entire world can see. As President Trump has said, this is coming to a head. All options are on the table, and it is time for Iran to walk away completely from its desire to have a nuclear weapon."

• Ben Ferguson (05:00):
  "It's very clear that the Trump administration is not willing to negotiate at all with Iran on the issue of nuclear weapons. Iran has to give up its program in a way that the entire world can see."

Implications:

• This uncompromising stance is expected to heighten tensions in the Middle East and could potentially lead to a new arms race if Iran perceives a direct threat to its sovereignty.

• The international community's reaction remains to be seen, with allies possibly divided on the efficacy and morality of such an approach.

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2. Revoking Security Clearances of Former Officials

Key Discussion Points:

• Broad Scope of Revocations: The Trump administration has revoked the security clearances of several high-profile individuals, including Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former President Joe Biden, among others.

• Justification: The administration claims that maintaining these clearances is no longer in the national interest, particularly for individuals who have been outspoken critics of President Trump.

• Reactions and Consequences:

  • Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, confirmed the revocations, citing national security concerns.

  • Individuals affected, such as Adam Kinzinger, have publicly criticized the decision, highlighting its political motivations.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben Ferguson (05:56):
  "Donald Trump is revoking the security clearances of former Vice President Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden. The White House released a memo stating, 'It is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to have access to classified information.'"

• Adam Kinzinger (09:18):
  "I retired a year ago from the military and don't have a clearance. President Trump calling him a dummy is unacceptable."

Implications:

• Political Warfare: This move is perceived by many as a tactic to undermine political adversaries and consolidate power within the administration.

• National Security Risks: Removing access to classified information from seasoned officials could have unforeseen consequences on national security operations and intelligence sharing.

• Legal and Ethical Concerns: The revocations raise questions about the standard procedures for maintaining or stripping security clearances and whether political biases are influencing these decisions.

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3. Media Meltdown over Border Security Numbers

Key Discussion Points:

• Poll Results: Recent polls indicate overwhelming public support (63%) for stringent immigration policies, including the deportation of illegal immigrants. This marks a significant shift in public opinion, bolstering President Trump's policies.

• Decreased Illegal Crossings: Preliminary figures show a dramatic decline in illegal border crossings, with Border Patrol apprehending just under 8,500 individuals in February 2025—a stark contrast to previous years.

• Media Response: Major media outlets like CNN and ABC are scrambling to address the positive poll numbers for Trump's immigration stance, often contradicting their previous narratives on immigration issues.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben Ferguson (10:42):
  "Within hours of taking the oath of office, I declared a national emergency on our southern border and deployed the U.S. military and Border Patrol to repel the invasion of our country."

• Bernie Sanders (13:10):
  "I think cracking down on fentanyl and making sure our borders are stronger is important. Nobody thinks that illegal immigration is appropriate."

• Ben Ferguson (11:18):
  "The majority of Americans now stand overwhelmingly with Donald Trump in these poll numbers. If Bernie Sanders understands that he's lost the country on this issue, is it time for the Democratic Party to pivot?"

Implications:

• Policy Validation: The decline in illegal crossings and strong public support validate the administration's tough stance on immigration, potentially reducing political pressure to adopt more lenient policies.

• Media Credibility: The media's sudden shift to reporting favorable immigration data may undermine its credibility among viewers who feel misrepresented or misinformed.

• Political Realignment: With public opinion strongly favoring Trump's immigration policies, the Democratic Party may face increasing pressure to adjust its strategies to regain voter trust and support.

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Conclusion

In this episode, Ben Ferguson provides a critical analysis of President Donald Trump's ongoing strategies concerning Iran's nuclear program, the controversial revocation of security clearances for political figures, and the shifting dynamics of public opinion on immigration. Ferguson underscores the administration's decisive actions and the challenges they pose to existing political structures and media narratives. As these issues continue to unfold, the episode offers listeners a thorough examination of the potential long-term impacts on American politics and national security.

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Transcript

[Ryan]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Clay]

Hey Clay, if there was a summer camp for critical thinking, we'd be the chief counselors.

[Ben Ferguson]

Those jelly heads in June would be intellectual warriors by August.

[Clay]

Be a lot of fun too. Some Bill and Ted's excellent adventure references thrown in this podcast.

[Unknown]

Like a daily dose of that.

[Ben Ferguson]

Minus the campfires, archery and pranking the girls.

[Clay]

The Bonafide boot camp for critical thinking. You can get in on it for free at the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search our names. Clay and Balk. Listen and subscribe. Is there anything that you think Trump has done right?

[Unknown]

Yeah, I mean, I think cracking down on fentanyl, making sure our borders are stronger. I don't think that it's appropriate for people to be coming across the border illegally.

[Clay]

But you know, illegal immigration exploded under Biden. Nothing was really done until his last year in office when he was.

[Unknown]

Yeah, should have done much better. No argument.

You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.

Good Monday morning, Ben Ferguson with you. It's nice to have you on the 47 Morning Update. Before I give you the big stories, I want to make sure that you hit that subscribe or auto download button right now so that you do not miss a single episode. A lot of you have reached out saying, how do I make sure I get every episode? We do this every day of the week, so hit that subscriber auto download button right now. First up, Donald Trump administration is seeking, quote, full dismantlement of Iran's nuclear program. And the president says if Iran does not comply, there will be hell to pay. I'll have more on that in just a moment. Up next, in a major move, Donald Trump revokes the security clearance of former top US Officials, including Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton and James Biden. And finally, major poll numbers continue to show the American people are standing with Donald Trump on securing the border and deportation of those who are in this country illegally. So now the media is fighting back and having a meltdown. It's the 47 Morning Update, and it starts right now. Donald Trump is going to try to clean up the mess that was left behind by Joe Biden when it came to Iran. Donald Trump administration, we're now being told, is seeking full dismantlement of Iran's nuclear program. That is obviously a huge deal. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz sang On Sunday on CBS's Face the Nation that President Donald Trump was working towards full dismantlement of Iran's nuclear program. Here is part of that conversation.

Can you clarify, is the US Seeking the dismantlement of Iran's nuclear program or verification like what President Obama put in place back in 2015 and President Trump.

Pulled out of full dismantlement? Iran has to give up its program in a way that the entire world can see. And this is look, as president, as President Trump has said, this is coming to a head. All options are on the table and it is time for Iran to walk away completely from its desire to have a nuclear nuclear weapon. That and they will not and cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapons program.

That's enrichment to the president.

That is weaponization and that it's its strategic missile program. Can you only imagine we've seen the death and destruction that they're doing through its proxies between Hezbollah, the Assad regime, the Houthis and what have you, if they had nuclear weapons, the entire Middle east would explode in an arms race. And that is completely unaccept to our national security. I won't get into what the back and forth has been, but Iran is in the worst place it has been from its own national security since 1979 thanks to Hezbollah, Hamas, the Assad regime and its own air defenses being taken out by the Israelis.

So there's still a chance for diplomacy.

I know you the president has all options on the table. But we want to be clear this isn't some kind of, you know, kind of tit for tat that we had under the Obama administration or Biden. This is the full program. Give it up or there'll be consequences.

Give it up or there will be consequences. It's very clear that the Trump administration is not willing to negotiate at all with Iran on the issue of nuclear weapons. And the reason why is clearly stated full dismantlement. Iran has to give up its program in a way that the entire world can see. And this is what it's going to be. We are not going to trust them with any type of nuclear program. Now you listen to how this president has made it clear to the world that this is unacceptable, what has happened with Iran and that we're not going to do this, we're not going to allow it. And as they described it, Iran's in the, quote, worst place it's been from its own national security standpoint since 1979. The President, United States of America, making it very clear that Iran will not have any of their nuclear facilities as long as he's president, United States of America. And this is another example of the president leading on the world stage.

Next story number two.

It is a very big move. Donald Trump is revoking the security clearances of former opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris and even Hillary Clinton. Trump said it is no longer in the national interest for those listed in the memo that he has released to have access to classified information. President Trump revoking the security clearances of also former President Joe Biden on the list, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, Liz Cheney and several others who have attacked him and weaponized the government to go after Donald J. Trump. The White House released a memo on Friday, the red quote, I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to have access to classified information. That list expanded to also include Anthony Blinken, Jacob Sullivan, Lisa Monaco, Letitia James, Alvin Bragg, Andrew Weitzman, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Cheney, Kamala Harris, Adam Kinzinger, Fiona Hill, Alexander Vindman, Joe Biden and any other member of Joseph R. Biden Jr's family, quote, unquote. Earlier this month, the director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard announced that she had revoked the security clearances of several people listed in Trump's memo and blocked them from having access to classified information. She said the 51 signers of the Hunter Biden disinformation letter also had their security clearances rescinded. President's daily briefing is no longer being provided to former President Joe Biden. In addition to having their security clearances revoked. The individuals listed in Trump's memo have had their, quote, unescorted access to secure United States government facilities also rescinded. Several people listed in Trump's memo mostly dismissed it in social media posts. Reacting to the news, both Zaid and Eisen said it was, quote, like the third time, quote, unquote, their security clearances were revoked. Kinzinger posted a video saying that he retired a year ago from the military and doesn't have a clearance before calling the president a dummy. The security clearance memo comes just days after Trump announced that he was stripping Hunter and Ashley Biden of their Secret Service protection. That looked honestly like a small militia or military around them. The president sang it this way. Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period of time, all paid for by the United States taxpayers. There are as many as 18 people on his detail, which is ridiculous, is what Trump said on Truth Social. Please be advised. And effective immediately, Hunter Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection. Likewise, Ashley Biden, who has 13 agents, will be taken off the list as well. Now, while under federal law, former presidents and their spouses receive lifelong Secret Service protection, but that protection ends for members of their immediate family when they leave office. That, according to the Associated Press, both Trump and Biden extended protection for their children before leaving office. But now, seeing how the government was weaponized and the Biden regime used it to sell access to this country, it's pretty clear now, actually, it's very clear now that the president saying that's part of Vanessa's doge. We're not going to sit here and we're not going to allow for people to abuse their power, whether it's their security clearances. They're selling for big money to people that want to hire them or to the Biden family. The Biden regime having Secret Service protection that they don't need. The president also made it clear that they need protection. They can pay for it themselves, just like any other member of the private sector does. By the way, you want to know about someone that actually pays for their own private security? There's a. A guy by the name of Elon Musk. And if he can pay for it, then why can't Joe Biden pay for it for his kids if he wants them to have it? Or why can't his grown kids pay for it themselves? But at the end of the day, the buck seems to be stopping yet again in the Oval Office.

And finally, story number three.

It's very clear that Americans are standing behind Donald Trump when it comes to the issue of illegal immigration and Keeping America safe. New polls are now showing the vast majority of Americans are supporting deporting illegal immigrants. Plus, the Trump administration has revoked the visa of another student engaged with campus radicalism, a promise that they made. And clearly they're saying, we're not flinching. Now, let's talk about the numbers, and this is the part that is really interesting. This was on the Sunday morning shows. I'm going to play this for you, and I want you to hear what they had to say about what's happening with illegal immigration and the president.

[Ben Ferguson]

It has been Donald Trump's signature issue since the start of his political rise, and he's begun his second term with fast action and striking results.

[Clay]

Within hours of taking the oath of office, I declared a national emergency on our southern border, and I deployed the U.S. military and Border Patrol to repel.

[Unknown]

The invasion of our country. And what a job they've done.

[Ben Ferguson]

Preliminary figures for February 2025 show a plunge in illegal immigrant crossings to levels not seen in 25 years, with Border Patrol apprehending just under 8,500 people during the month. For comparison, during some months of the Biden administration, 8,500 were being apprehended on a given day.

[Unknown]

Wow. Think about that number real quick and what I just played for you. Now, you look at that. And CNN has now been forced to share where the American people are on immigration. Now, this is a moment on CNN that will probably go down in history because I can't believe they actually did it. But they had no choice because they had this data and they had to tell people what it was. And so the poll came out that the majority of Americans are favoring deportations. Take a listen.

63%, according to the latest Fox News poll, say that they favor deporting those immigrants. So that's a pretty high number. Can you square that with what we just heard from Priscilla's reporting? Yeah, I think that obviously, the President has kind of blanketed the airwaves with saying that all of these people deported are criminals. And given the fact that we reporters like Priscilla, we have very limited information to who exactly has been deported. The government has not handed over names. I know CBS got a hold of a list of names, but that hasn't been provided to those who are asking for who was actually deported. And there is a difference between someone who came into the country illegally versus someone who overstayed their visa, that's not a crime, versus someone who has no criminal record. No criminal history. And based on my reporting, based on clearly Priscilla's reporting, There are some Venezuelan nationals whose family members, whose lawyers say that they were deported, who have no criminal record, who have no criminal history, that they legally applied for asylum or were trying to gain status, where some of them were in the middle of proceedings and then they were deported.

I love how they're like trying to spin this. They don't know what to say. They can't believe they're having to admit that the majority of the American people have left them. And abc, by the way, Jonathan Karl, he had this to say on ABC this week about all of it. Listen carefully.

[Clay]

Is there anything that you think Trump has done right?

[Unknown]

Yeah, I mean, I think cracking down on fentanyl, making sure our borders are stronger. Look, nobody thinks that illegal immigration is appropriate.

That's Bernie Sanders saying that to Jonathan Karl. And here's the big takeaway. If Bernie Sanders understands that he's lost the country on this issue and that the majority of Americans are now standing overwhelming with Donald Trump in these poll numbers, is it time for the Democratic Party to pivot? Is what he is dog whistling to everyone that's a socialist in his party. Problem is apparently for Bernie Sanders is that no one is listening to what he's saying right now in the media. And it's because Donald Trump is speaking directly to the American people and making it very clear he has a plan to secure the border and also to get rid of people that broke into this country illegally. And even Bernie Sanders is recognizing it.

Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. And for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.

[Ryan]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Leesa]

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[Clay]

Hey Clay, if there was a summer camp for critical thinking, we'd be the chief counselors.

[Ben Ferguson]

Those jelly heads in June would be intellectual warriors by August.

[Clay]

Be a lot of fun too. Some Bill and Ted's excellent adventure references.

[Unknown]

Thrown in this podcast like a daily dose of that.

[Ben Ferguson]

Minus the campfires, archery and pranking the girls.

[Clay]

The bonafide boot camp for critical thinking. You can get in on it for free at the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. Just search our names, Play and Buck. Listen and subscribe.