Ben Reacts to New Orleans Tragedy and Cybertruck Explosion

Summary

The Ben Shapiro Show: Ben Reacts to New Orleans Tragedy and Cybertruck Explosion

Episode Overview In the January 1, 2025 episode of The Ben Shapiro Show, host Ben Shapiro addresses two significant incidents: a tragic terror attack in New Orleans and a mysterious explosion involving a Cybertruck in Las Vegas. Shapiro provides a comprehensive analysis of these events, delving into their implications on national security, immigration policies, and the broader sociopolitical landscape in the United States. The episode also features statements from prominent political figures and offers insights into the ongoing struggle against Islamic terrorism.

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1. New Orleans Terror Attack

Incident Details At the outset of the episode, Shapiro reports on the devastating terror attack that occurred in New Orleans. Early reports indicate that between 10 and 15 individuals lost their lives, with an additional 35 wounded during the assault.

• Suspect Identification: The attacker has been identified as Shamsud Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen from Texas. Notably, he was operating a rented Ford pickup truck at the time of the attack.

• Modus Operandi: At approximately 3:15 AM Central Time, Jabbar drove his vehicle into a crowd on Bourbon Street before exiting and engaging in a firefight with local law enforcement, resulting in his death on the scene.

• Evidence of Extremism: Authorities found an ISIS flag and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) both in the vehicle and in the surrounding area, suggesting potential affiliations with a larger terror cell.

Notable Quotes:

• Shapiro emphasizes the severity of the attack, stating, “This is pretty clearly an Islamist terror attack” (05:30).
• Addressing law enforcement's response, he notes, “The officers were involved in killing the suspect. Two of them received gunfire... They will be okay” (12:45).

Authorities' Response and Investigation The FBI has launched an extensive investigation, seeking public assistance to uncover any additional ties or associates of Jabbar. Early discussions have centered around the suspect's military background and potential radicalization pathways, though details remain sparse.

• City Council Insights: New Orleans City Council member Jean Perel Morel explained that while security barriers were under repair, the suspect circumvented them by driving onto the sidewalk. Morel also revealed that Jabbar was staying in an Airbnb prior to the attack.

Security Concerns and Policy Implications Shapiro critiques the existing security measures on Bourbon Street, questioning the absence of protective barriers and steel barricades that could have mitigated the attack's impact. He draws parallels to recurring Islamic terror incidents across Europe, arguing for more robust preventative strategies in the U.S.

Notable Quotes:

• On security lapses, Shapiro remarks, “Why there weren't barriers. It would have prevented some sort of terrible automobile attack like this one” (18:20).
• Discussing broader terrorism trends, he asserts, “Islamic terrorism remains a serious threat to the American public” (22:10).

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2. Cybertruck Explosion in Las Vegas

Incident Overview Shapiro shifts focus to a secondary incident: a Cybertruck exploding outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. While initial reports suggest no casualties, the cause of the explosion remains unclear.

• Speculations: Possibilities range from accidental fireworks igniting within the vehicle to a deliberate act aimed at sending a message related to high-profile figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump.

Political Reactions The episode highlights swift reactions from political leaders:

• President Trump's Statement: Shapiro quotes Trump lamenting rising crime rates under the Biden administration and pledging support to New Orleans in the wake of the terror attack. Trump emphasizes, “The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody's ever seen before” (30:15).

• JD Vance's Solidarity: JD Vance expresses condolences, stating, “A heartbreaking violence last night in New Orleans... May God bless the victims and their families” (32:50).

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3. Analysis on ISIS and Immigration Policies

Radicalization and Recruitment Shapiro delves into the mechanisms through which ISIS recruits individuals domestically, emphasizing the role of the internet in radicalizing U.S. citizens. He discusses the complexities of tracking and preventing such radicalization, especially among those with military backgrounds.

Impact of Immigration on National Security A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to critiquing current immigration policies. Shapiro argues that lax immigration controls contribute to the influx of individuals susceptible to extremist ideologies.

Policy Recommendations:

• Stricter Vetting Processes: Implementing robust screening measures to assess the belief systems and assimilation potential of immigrants.
• Border Security Enhancements: Reinforcing physical barriers and surveillance to prevent the entry of individuals with extremist affiliations.

Notable Quotes:

• On immigration and terrorism, Shapiro states, “The flooding of the west with people from countries that unfortunately harbor beliefs that are very much in line with those of ISIS” (40:05).
• Predicting policy shifts, he comments, “Things are about to change in the United States in a very significant way with regard to how Americans view all of these issues” (45:30).

Future Outlook Under Trump Administration Shapiro posits that President Trump's re-election will herald a decisive shift in tackling Islamic terrorism and reforming immigration policies. He anticipates a rigorous foreign policy directed against extremist groups and stricter immigration protocols to safeguard American values.

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4. Conclusion and Forward Look

Ben Shapiro concludes the episode by reiterating the gravity of the New Orleans terror attack and the ongoing threat posed by radical Islamist groups. He underscores the necessity for informed public discourse and decisive policy actions to enhance national security and maintain societal stability.

• Closing Remarks: Shapiro assures listeners that The Ben Shapiro Show will continue to provide timely updates and in-depth analysis on these critical issues.

Notable Quotes:

• Emphasizing ongoing coverage, Shapiro affirms, “We will continue to bring you all of the news on this” (48:20).

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Final Note: This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights presented by Ben Shapiro in addressing recent terror-related incidents and their broader implications on U.S. policies and society.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, folks. Well, it's very difficult to begin the new year with such terrible news out of New Orleans. I wanted to bring you the latest breaking news from the authorities at this point. So what we do know is that by various reports, somewhere between 10 and 15 people have died in New Orleans at this point. Another 35 have been wounded by a terror attack. The terrorist's name is apparently Shamsud Din Jabbar. Now, normally I don't mention the names of mass killers. The difference is that the authorities are actually seeking more information about this person. And so if you have information about this person, it's actually relevant to know his name. He's a 42 year old US citizen from Texas. Apparently, according to the FBI, he was driving a Ford pickup truck which appears to have been rented. There was some early reporting that it had crossed over the US Southern border via the Eagle Pass crossing. That does not mean the person inside was an illegal immigrant or anything like that. Apparently this car was rented. It last crossed through that Eagle Pass crossing back in November. So it's quite possible the person who owned the vehicle went to Mexico and back into the country. In any case, what we do know is that at 3:15am Central Time, an individual drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon street in New Orleans. After hitting the crowd, the suspect then exited the vehicle and fired on local law enforcement. Law enforcement returned fire and killed the suspect on scene. There was in fact an ISIS flag in the vehicle. The FBI did ask for citizen help in determining if there were any other associates. They are investigating other known associates. They're operating under the assumption this person did not act alone and that this may in fact have been part of a terror cell. Presumably one of the reasons for that is that there were IEDs that were found in the vehicle. There were also IEDs that were found apparently on the street and those were apparently detonated a little bit earlier today. There are questions that have been raised about why exactly Bourbon street wasn't better protected, why there weren't steel Ballards that were up, why there weren't barriers. It would have prevented some sort of terrible automobile attack like this one. Obviously this is not the first time that you've seen an Islamic terror attack of this nature. Almost every year there's a Christmas market in Europe that is attacked by some member associated with isis. So what the hell happened here? Well, apparently, according to New Orleans City Council member Jean Perel Morel, he said on Wednesday the barriers on Bourbon street were in the process of being repaired. The suspect actually drove over the sidewalk to avoid that particular area. He said even had the Ballard barriers been up, the circumvention by riding on the sidewalk would have defeated them. Apparently, according to that city council member, the suspect was staying in Airbnb before the attack. Again, a horrible, horrible attack. Details are still emerging. The officers were involved in killing the suspect. Two of them received gunfire. According to the chief of police. They will be okay. What we do know about the suspect at this point, Jabbar was an army veteran, possibly had been discharged. Unclear exactly at this point whether that would be an honorable or dishonorable discharge. There is some tape apparently floating around of the suspect doing things like diversity training on behalf of the military. He apparently, again, was born in Texas and that he was raised in Texas as well. We don't know if he went abroad and was recruited abroad or if he was trained abroad or anything like that at this time. Again, what we do know, according directly to the FBI, is that he was driving a Ford pickup truck which was rented. They're working confirm how the suspect came into possession of the vehicle. And again, there was an ISIS flag that was located in. In the vehicle. The FBI says they're working to determine the subject's potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations. Now, very early on, the mayor of New Orleans immediately called this a terror attack. And the FBI immediately tried to walk that back and said, well, we don't know if it's a terror attack or not. We're not gonna care. And then they came back and said, we're investigating it as a terror attack. They're gonna sort of pretend away the fact that they denied it was a terror attack at the outset, but this is pretty clearly an Islamist terror attack. So presumably the FBI is going to spend the next hours and days trying to retrace exactly what happened to this person, who this person was, who this person was associated with, and if there are other suspects who are out there right now. Meanwhile, there are other explosions that are happening. Unclear whether these are related, whether it's an accident or anything else like that. It would be very weird if it were an accident. What just happened outside of the Trump Vegas Hotel? Apparently a cyber truck blew up in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. It's fairly large explosion. Yeah, it's no. No reports of any casualties did rock the area. We have no other information on this at the time. Maybe somebody put fireworks in. In the cybertruck. Maybe this was a message about Elon Musk and Donald Trump. We don't know anything like that. At this moment, President Trump has issued a statement. He issued a statement very quickly on this. Did President Trump. President Trump's statement lamented the amount of crime under Joe Biden. To, quote, when I said that criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the fake news media, but it turned out to be true. The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody's ever seen before our hearts. With all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department, the Trump administration will fully, fully support the city of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil. JD Vance also put out a statement in solidarity with the people of New Orleans at this time. Is it a heartbreaking violence last night in New Orleans? Such a beautiful and great American city. May God bless the victims and their families. Okay, so what exactly is going on here? Well, this person was an ISIS affiliate. We know that ISIS tends to recruit over the Internet. We know that ISIS has agents all over the world. Very, very often. These are people who are born domestically inside the west and then are recruited because they are radical Muslims into isis. We also know that ISIS has been flexing its muscle somewhat in. In Syria. The decline of the Assad regime in Syria, the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria and its replacement with hts, which is a. An Islamic Jihad breakoff group. It's a breakoff group from originally Al Qaeda and then also from isis. You know, that breakoff group says they, they now oppose Al Qaeda and they oppose isis. But we know that ISIS also has been attempting jailbreaks in the Kurdish areas of Syria. Could this have something to do with the situation in Syria? The cast in Syria, Totally unclear at this point. Again, it could be another one of these isis, quote, unquote, lone wolves. Again, it appears this person was a domestic American citizen, a person born in the United States and who's recruited into isis. Islamic terrorism remains a serious threat to the American public. Pretending that away by suggesting that the real threat in America is right wing, quote, unquote, white supremacism. That the real threat of terrorism in the United States has nothing to do with radical Islam is, of course, wishcasting. And this is one of the big problems that Europe has had as well, is the attempt to pretend away the problem of radical Islamism and its impact on the politics and the lives of people who are living in Europe. A huge amount of the immigration backlash that is happening in the west is A direct result of the flooding of the west with people from countries that unfortunately harbor beliefs that are very much in line with those of isis, that are Muslim Brotherhood offshoots, that are radical Islamist cells or associated therewith. So, again, information is still coming out at this point. We will bring you more information as it does. And they're gonna be serious conversations. And there should be about the nature of our immigration system that who should get in, about who should not be allowed in. That is not just gonna be a question with regard to illegal immigration. It's gonna be a question with regards to legal immigration. Where are people coming from? What are their belief systems? How well do they want to assimilate into the United States? How. How much they actually care about American values? How much do they hate those values? How vulnerable are they to recruitment by radical Islamist terror groups like isis? These are all open questions at this point. One thing is for sure, things are about to change in the United States in a very significant way with regard to how Americans view all of these issues. Because President Trump is coming into power, that is going to change how these issues are addressed. Border issues, immigration issues, antiterrorism issues. No more excuses for radical Islamic terror under President Trump. That was one of his strongest points during Trump term number one. I would assume the same is true during Trump term number two. He's put together an excellent foreign policy team that is directed against Islamic terrorism, that is directed against defeating Islamic terrorism, and that is directed against allowing immigrants from places that are warm toward Islamic terrorism into the United States. And we'll continue to bring you all of the news on this. Should mention that in order for us to continue to bring you things like Ben React, we would appreciate you subscribing over at Dailywire. Com. Subscribe. Go check us out right now. It's a brand new year. It's a good time to subscribe and join the fight. Dailywire. Com Subscribe.