Our Borders are Closed, and Alcatraz is Reopening

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Charlie Kirk Show – "Our Borders are Closed, and Alcatraz is Reopening"

Release Date: May 5, 2025

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of The Charlie Kirk Show, host Charlie Kirk delves into pressing national issues with a focus on economic policies, budget reconciliation, defense spending, Medicaid reform, and the symbolic reopening of Alcatraz Prison. Joined by Senator Rick Scott and referencing remarks from former President Donald Trump, Kirk provides a conservative perspective on America’s current challenges and future prospects.

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Economic Optimism and Trump's Long-Term Vision

Charlie Kirk opens the show with a discussion on economic sentiment among influential leaders. He shares insights from a private dinner attended by over 375 top Turning Point USA donors and supporters, highlighting the prevailing outlook on the U.S. economy.

Notable Quote:

• “At one point somebody asked the group to raise your hand if you are bullish on the economy and the state of America for the next six months. And almost no hands went up. But a year from now, about one fourth of the hands went up. Two years from now, almost every hand went up.” ([06:10])

Kirk interprets this as an indication of short-term pessimism but strong long-term confidence in America’s economic trajectory under Trump’s leadership. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on long-term growth rather than immediate challenges, aligning with Trump’s strategy to build a sustainable economy.

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Private Dinner Insights: Short-Term vs. Long-Term Economic Perspectives

Kirk recounts his experience at a high-profile, politically mixed dinner where influential economic titans expressed varying degrees of optimism about the U.S. economy over different timelines. The consensus leaned towards confidence in long-term economic realignment favorable to America, despite uncertainties in the near future.

Notable Quote:

• “There is a long-term bullish perspective on this country that there might be dips and there might be little speed bumps and there might be corrections, but there is an even private agreement amongst people who hate President Donald Trump that believe this long term economic realignment will work and that it is necessary.” ([08:20])

This private optimism contrasts with the negative narratives often portrayed in mainstream media, suggesting a disconnect between public perception and the views of key economic stakeholders.

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Trump’s Rejection of Short-Termism and Commitment to Long-Term Growth

Kirk praises President Trump’s refusal to succumb to short-term pressures, emphasizing his focus on building a resilient economy for the future. He contrasts this with Europe’s emphasis on sustainability and deindustrialization, advocating for America’s ethos of growth, innovation, and risk-taking.

Notable Quote:

• “In America, our goal is growth. We are a country of flourishing. We're a country of risk-taking. We're a country of building, we're a country of inventing. We're a country of innovating.” ([10:45])

Kirk underscores the necessity of delayed gratification, asserting that America’s historical successes are rooted in sustained effort and long-term planning rather than immediate rewards.

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China as America’s Primary Geopolitical Adversary

The conversation shifts to the strategic challenges posed by China, portraying it as the main adversary in what Kirk refers to as the “new Cold War.” He highlights the potential threats China poses through technological dominance and economic influence.

Notable Quote:

• “Viktor Frankl's thesis will be just as applicable to the people of China as it is here to the mainland of America. And what President Trump has done is, he says, no longer am I going to destroy the middle class to enrich the Middle Kingdom.” ([15:30])

Kirk argues that America’s freedom and innovation provide a competitive edge over China’s authoritarian regime, emphasizing the need for a united front to counteract China’s ambitions.

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Stock Market Dynamics and Investor Behavior Under Trump’s Policies

Kirk discusses the volatility of the stock market in response to Trump’s economic policies, particularly reciprocal tariffs. He critiques the panic-driven responses of investors, advocating for a long-term investment strategy aligned with Trump’s economic vision.

Notable Quote:

• “The stock market is not a casino. If you buy companies, oh my goodness, you'd be getting emails. Charlie, I can't believe how much money I lost because of President Trump and what do I do? Well, you actually only lost the money if you sell the stock.” ([12:15])

He encourages listeners to maintain confidence in the market’s resilience and the underlying strength of American businesses, despite short-term fluctuations.

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Budget Reconciliation: Insights from Senator Rick Scott

Senator Rick Scott joins the show to discuss President Trump’s fiscal year 26 discretionary budget request and the ongoing efforts to balance the federal budget. Scott outlines the administration’s strategies to curb wasteful spending and achieve a balanced budget within three years.

Notable Quotes:

• “What the president wants to do is actually balance the budget. He's got a short term plan to balance the budget.” ([19:29])
• “We're finding ridiculous waste of money. But what he's done with his blueprint is to show there's so much waste and he's going to do everything he can to get this budget balanced.” ([19:30])

Scott emphasizes the importance of addressing both discretionary and mandatory spending, advocating for comprehensive budget reforms to reduce the federal deficit and control inflation.

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Defense Spending and Optimization

The discussion moves to defense spending, where Charlie expresses skepticism about increasing military budgets without ensuring efficiency and eliminating waste. Senator Scott concurs, advocating for a meticulous review of defense expenditures to identify cost-saving measures.

Notable Quotes:

• “We should be going through line by line through the defense budget like we do every other budget and say, is that a must have or is that nice to have?” ([22:34])
• “We need to stop saying we're going to do everything and say, okay, so let's prepare for what our problems.” ([23:31])

They discuss strategies to optimize defense spending by leveraging international partnerships and adopting cost-effective technologies to enhance military capabilities without unnecessary expenditures.

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Medicaid Reform and Cost Reduction

Medicaid is another focal point, with Senator Scott outlining significant reforms aimed at reducing costs and enhancing program efficiency. He criticizes the current system for its inefficiencies and advocates for measures such as work requirements and better alignment of state and federal funding.

Notable Quotes:

• “We shouldn't be covering people that don't want to even look for a job. If you don't want to even look for a job, then why are we giving you free public housing, food stamps, health care, any of that?” ([24:30])
• “There are so many ways to reduce the cost of Medicaid. And if you actually, when I was governor, I told, I Trump was president last year, I said, if you give us, allow us to spend the money the way we want to spend the money, you have to give us as much money we will be able.” ([25:10])

Kirk and Scott advocate for comprehensive Medicaid reform to eliminate waste, ensure program sustainability, and refocus resources on those genuinely in need.

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Reopening Alcatraz: A Symbol of Law and Order

One of the episode’s most provocative topics is the announcement to reopen Alcatraz Prison. Kirk interprets this move as a powerful symbol of America’s commitment to law and order, targeting the most dangerous criminals to reinforce national security and public safety.

Notable Quotes:

• “Alcatraz is now reopened because America is no longer a country to be looted. It is no longer a Wendy's to be burned. It is no longer a convenience store to fleece.” ([31:13])
• “It should be a public reminder that if you do terrible stuff, you're going to go to the nastiest prison that we have.” ([31:52])

Kirk envisions a high-profile reopening where new inmates are visibly processed, serving as a deterrent and reinforcing the administration’s stance against severe criminal activity. He underscores the symbolic importance of Alcatraz in representing the fight against crime and the restoration of stringent law enforcement.

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Conclusion

In this episode, Charlie Kirk masterfully navigates through complex issues facing America, from economic strategies and budget reforms to national security and symbolic gestures like reopening Alcatraz. With informed insights from Senator Rick Scott and references to Donald Trump’s policies, the show presents a conservative blueprint for addressing current challenges while fostering long-term growth and stability.

Kirk concludes by urging listeners to advocate for reduced government spending, budgetary responsibility, and stronger national policies to ensure America’s continued prosperity and security.

Final Notable Quote:

• “Find ways to cut spending. We are careening towards bankruptcy. No one wants to talk about it. We love the tax cuts. We love the tax cuts. We love the tax cuts.” ([27:15])

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Disclaimer: This summary is based on the transcript provided and aims to encapsulate the key discussions and perspectives presented in the podcast episode. For a comprehensive understanding, listening to the full episode is recommended.

Transcript

[Charlie Kirk]

Hey everybody. Charlie Kirk here live from the Bitcoin.com studio in the Charlie Kirk Show. Optimism. I bring you into the room of how some very powerful people are thinking about the next six months and three years. A very, very important discussion here. Email us. As always, freedom Charlie Kirk.com Senator Rick Scott also joins us about the reconciliation and the budget bill. And finally, Alcatraz is reopened. That's right, Alcatraz is open. And I think you're really going to enjoy the this conversation. Email me. As always, freedom charliekirk.com subscribe to our podcast. Open up your podcast application and type In Charlie Kirk show get involved with Turning Point USA at tpusa.com that is tpusa.com tpusa.com Buckle up everybody. Here we go. Charlie, what you've done is incredible here.

[Rick Scott]

Maybe Charlie Kirk is on the college campus. I want you to know we are lucky to have Charlie Kirk.

[Charlie Kirk]

Charlie Kirk's running the White House, folks.

[Donald Trump]

I want to thank Charlie. He's an incredible guy, his spirit, his love of this country. He's done an amazing job building one of the most powerful youth organizations ever created, Turning Point usa.

[Charlie Kirk]

We will not embrace the ideas that have destroyed countries, destroyed lives, and we are going to fight for freedom on campuses across the country. That's why we are here. Noble Gold Investments is the official gold sponsor of the Charlie Kirk Show, a company that specializes in gold IRAs and and physical delivery of precious metals. Learn how you could protect your wealth with Noble gold [e-mail] that is noblegoldinvestments.com it's where I buy all of my gold. Go to noblegoldinvestments.com we had an amazing weekend. In fact, we did not stop. There was no rest this weekend. Usually I take a very serious Sabbath, a Shabbat, but this week was a wartime weekend where we hosted well over 375 of our top Turning Point USA donors and supporters in beautiful San Diego. That was, of course, after we did University of California San Diego. I was all over the place yesterday and in fact, I want to tell you about a dinner I had. I'm not going to be able to tell you who was there. I'll kind of be a little bit cryptic. But that's not the important part. The important is the type of people that were there and the takeaway about the United States economy and how people feel about it. So last evening I was part of a, let's just say a ruling class dinner. These are the people that make the decisions economically, culturally, politically. As a side note, I got a chance to meet Ross Ulbricht, which was amazing. That was just awesome. And Ross Ulbricht is now free from prison with a full pardon thanks to President Donald Trump. Something that I advocated for fiercely and forcefully for quite some time. And it was just awesome. There it is up on screen. To be able to meet Ross Ulbricht, one of the more, let's just say, satisfying accomplishments. Ross ulbricht was given two life sentences plus 40 years and egregious over sentencing for what he did. And I was nonstop focused on getting him out of jail. And President Trump deserves all the credit. So I was thrilled to be able to meet him in person. It was very surreal because I actually never had a chance to meet him. I'd only communicated through letter while he was in a maximum security prison. So I was at this dinner and it was mixed politically. I would say it was probably 30 to 40% Republican, 30 to 40% Democrat and then kind of in the middle. So this was not an ideological dinner. This was one where they're kind of just talking about current events, artificial intelligence, all that. I'm not gonna tell you what it was or all that, cuz there's all these confidentiality agreements. But here's the important point is that at one point somebody asked the groom, raise your hand if you are bullish on the economy and the state of America for the next six months. And almost no hands went up. Well, group of about 100 very important economic titans, how many you are bullish on the country a year from now? About one fourth of the hands went up. How many of you are bullish on the company two years from now? Almost every hand went up. How many are bullish on the company, a country three years from now? Every single hand went up. And for me, in this off the record kind of private gathering, it was very interesting that there might be some short term pessimism. I took this actually as a major positive. And the reason there's uncertainty for the next six months is there's just too much unpredictability. That's what they're saying. We don't know where the tariffs are, we can't plan anything, we don't know if we're going in recession, we're delaying some investments, all sorts of excuses. I actually think I'm more bullish for the short term economy than they are, but that's not worth debating. What was telling though is that they believe that long term Trump is going to be long term great for America. And that was the kicker, is that when the money is on the line, there is a long term bullish perspective on this country that there might be dips and there might be little speed bumps and there might be corrections, but there is a even private agreement amongst people who hate President Donald Trump. They believe that this long term economic realignment will work and that it is necessary. And that, I think, is lost in all of the coverage. And finally, we have a president that is rejecting the temptation to indulge and engage in immediate gratification. It's easy to just get the hands in the room about the next six months. What is difficult, but what is necessary is what is the economy you're building for the next three years, the next 10 years and the next 30 years. That is the instrumental question. And President Trump wants a real legacy. And of all the things that President Trump will be reminded for, will be honored for, is cutting us off from the instant gratification of the Lords of Easy Money, of getting high on low interest rates while we are barreling towards a financial and fiscal apocalypse, and then also making the provocative and yet so necessary truth claim that if you don't make stuff in your country, you're not actually a country. And finally, he has awoken the United States to what could be called the new Cold War. Whether we like it or not, we are involved in some form of a conflict with the Chinese Communist Party. And let me just say it right here, there's going to be a testing time. The Chinese Communist Party very well might go and play their Taiwan card in this presidency. And what that looks like, we don't know. And if they're able to get tsmc, which is the Taiwan semiconductor plant, which is the backbone of the semiconductor chips for the entire industrialized world, billions of them every year. Now, TSMC is investing in America, in Arizona, but they do not have the highest grade plant. They have what is a three out of four plant. And only a four out of four plant is actually able to make the semiconductor chips that are necessary for the latest iPhones and the latest devices that power the entire world economy. We hardly ever talk about Taiwan and we talk about Israel and Ukraine a lot. There's a lot of interesting elements here. But I found this to be an incredibly optimistic take, full of growth, one that is against the narrative that they're trying to paint on television. Because if you think about it, what does the next six months matter if in three years you're going to be in economic freefall? Let's play part of President Trump's phenomenal interview from NBC. He sat down with Kristen Welker asking all about small businesses and tariffs. And instead the question should be, how do you think the economy will be in two years? How are you reconfiguring how the economy is currently composed? That's the more critical question. In America, our goal is growth. And this is such an important point. When you talk to European CEOs and you talk to European leaders, their goal is sustainability, deindustrialization. So much of the developed world just wants to die because they think that growth means more carbon emissions. Here in this country, we are a country of flourishing. We're a country of risk taking. We're a country of building, we're a country of inventing. We're a country of innovating. And it's so against the framing of this ridiculous question from Welker, from NBC, which I can't get away from. We got to play cut 148. Play cut 148. So small businesses say they are being hurt by the Chinese tariffs.

[Donald Trump]

Many businesses are being helped.

[Charlie Kirk]

Are you look at the tariff relief for small business.

[Donald Trump]

Why do you always mention that? You know, you pick up a couple of little businesses. What about the car business? They're going to make a fortune because of the tariffs.

[Charlie Kirk]

And instead the question should be, well, that small business even have economy to be able to trade in. Delayed gratification is at the heart of every single entrepreneur. When you think about what makes an entrepreneur, it's that I'm not going to pay myself, I'm not going to reward myself because there will be a payout down the road. Delayed gratification built the West. Delayed gratification is why Texas was able to be built. Delayed gratification is why pioneers went west. Delayed gratification is why people built Arizona with no air conditioning. Delayed gratification is why so many people went to California during the Gold Rush. And we have changed the mindset the last 20 years to be an immediate gratification. It's bad for everybody. It's bad for your kids, it's bad for society. And it's going to take some maturity to now look two or three years down the horizon. But I could tell you that even those in the ruling class that don't like Trump, even those in the ruling class that have disdain for him and might have a lot of skepticism for the short term, they all believe deep down that President Trump will be able to unleash and unshackle the American economy to greater heights to Be stronger than ever before. Hey, everybody, Charlie, Kirk here. What do you give the mom who gave you everything this Mother's Day? Give her the gift of a lifetime, her memories digitized forever with legacy Box. Legacy Box is the simplest and safest way to preserve aging home movies, photos and film. Just fill the box, set it in, and their team of experts does the rest. Your originals are always returned, plus new digital copies on the cloud, easy to stream and share. Over 1 million families have trusted Legacy Box. It's the perfect way to protect mom's wedding video, your baby tapes, and every milestone that made her mom. We love using Legacy box. We use it for football memories, for wedding pictures, and for pictures of grandparents. It puts it on the cloud and it stays there forever. Right now, get 60% off with legacy Box's best Mother Day sale ever. Buy today and send in when you're ready. Go to legacybox.com Kirk to claim this very special offer that's 60% off for a limited time. Go to legacybox.com kirk legacybox.com Kirk I want to talk about the psychology of fear. It's really interesting and only for this because when you make decisions, when you're panicking and when you are fearful, they're of course not the most rational decision. By the way, we're here@the Bitcoin.com mobile studio. Phenomenal people. Bitcoin.com mobile studio. And just think to about a month ago, but a month ago was Liberation Day. April 2, President Trump announces the reciprocal tariffs on all these countries and the market dips day after day after day and people are worrying that there will be a run on the bonds. Now, mind you, privately, I was getting a lot of messages. I think I was a lot more calm than a lot of people. I was getting messages from that language and the anger was just out of control. And the market went down again. I don't like market watching. I think that it's very deceiving because markets can be manipulated by cheap money and quantitative easing and just high overvaluation of stocks. And so I don't love just market watching. We're not a market watch show. But I could tell you that a lot of people in my own circle that I usually were very calm and very even keeled, were losing their mind. And I asked them, I said, guys, do you really think that President Trump is going to intentionally crash the American stock market? Well, that looks like what he's doing here. And I said, well, are you bullish on America or are you bearish on America? That's the most important question. And I don't know. I'm going to sell everything. I know a lot of people that sold millions of dollars a stock which ended up being like the dumbest thing if they just would have waited a month. The stock market has already recovered and it looks like it's going to go even higher. I know a lot of people that bought the dip and they've done very, very well. And Trump is also, also often a roller coaster ride. And this is where it connects the dots. And it was, it goes back to Trump's economic plan, goes back to this whole thesis here. If you were willing to sell during the pannikin, the panniking, or as Trump says, the pannikin, then you yourself are a short term gratification investor. America was built on long term gratification, delayed gratification. The stock market is not a casino. It you buy companies. We said this on the show and oh my goodness, we'd be getting emails. Charlie, I can't believe how much money I lost because of President Trump and what do I do? Okay, well you actually only lost the money if you sell the stock. Yes, it is down materially, but just wait a year, wait six months because there is so much to be bullish about. Where America is on the cutting edge of quantum computing, on the cutting edge of artificial intelligence breakthroughs, on the cutting edge of liquefied natural gas. We are an energy superpower. We have entrepreneurs that are the envy of the world. And when you have a semblance of a free market liberty economy, we are going to be able to compete against China. China has so many advantages against us. I think China is an enemy. The one. What is our greatest advantage against China out of everything? That we are a freer society than them. That's it. That is the great advantage. They have more people, they are a little bit more industrious, to be honest with you. Meaning that they just. I'm not saying that our people aren't hardworking, but there is an energy from the working class there that is very ambitious. They want to break out of poverty there. We have actually, I'll say this energy and our free society, they don't have energy. They have a big problem. But when you have a free society and you don't have 700 million cameras like China does, constantly monitoring your thoughts and your actions, your body movements, your words and you live in a legitimately Orwellian society. I actually think that we're going to beat them because of that. When you don't have a free society, and it's pure totalitarian. Long term, I think we're going to have better ideas, we're going to have happier people. In the short term, China has a advantage. They have over a billion people, about 400 million of them, which is more than the population of America, are extremely driven to get more money and get more stuff. It is a. It is a problem. The way they run their manufacturing plants. It is a thing of honor to run a manufacturing plant in China. They're like a pseudo mayor, but they're very materialistic. They don't have a belief in the divine. They're going to be lacking meaning they're going to have the same problems that we've had in the west when we get away from ultimate issues. Viktor Frankl's thesis will be just as applicable to the people of China as it is here to the mainland of America. And what President Trump has done is, he says, no longer am I going to destroy the middle class to enrich the Middle Kingdom. And the Middle Kingdom, of course, is what China literally means in Mandarin, Middle Kingdom. So instead, we want to challenge the Middle Kingdom and rebuild the American middle class. And what President Trump has finally framed using delayed gratification is, hey, wake up, America. This is the fight of the century. It's not Russia, it's China. And once America gets focused, as Churchill would say, once America wakes up, watch out. And we are finally awakening from our slumber. And President Trump, he's the alarm bell. President Trump, is that alarm at 4:30 in the morning that you don't want? Like, what is this? I want to keep sleeping. No, get up. It's time to beat China. He deserves great credit for that. The world is waking up to the power of gold. National banks are scrambling to secure it. According to the World Gold Council, central banks added 1,000 tons of gold in 2024, the third straight year of net gold buying. They understand what many investors don't. Gold is real money. Unlike paper currency, gold's value doesn't disappear with inflation, reckless government spending or market crashes. Now, Noble Gold Investments makes it easy for you to claim your share. As our new administration works to reverse the economic chaos of the past. Market swings are inevitable. When uncertainty rises, you need something solid, something to keep you on the path to financial freedom. Gold can be that foundation. And right now, when you make a qualified investment, Noble Gold will send you a free 10th ounce of a cold coin. Visit noblegold investments.com that's noblegoldinvestments.com the world is turning to gold. Shouldn't you be looking into doing that, too? Joining us now is the great senator from the state of Florida, Senator Rick Scott. Senator, thank you so much for taking the time. Great to see you. There's been so much news here, but there hasn't been enough coverage, in my opinion, about President Trump releasing the fiscal year 26 discretionary budget request to Congress. What is in it? And please take some time to educate our audience on it. Thank you.

[Rick Scott]

Senator CHARLIE let's think about why President Trump won. He won because he said he was going to secure the border. He's done that. Also said he's going to focus on inflation. The only way we get inflation under control is to stop this wasteful spending. That's what he's doing right now. This is the only part of the budget he's ultimately going to put out. But he's got a great team that's focused on on how do we get rid of this wasteful spending. Now think about it. He's done it with what Elon Musk is doing with Doge. He's been cutting spending. And I think they're going to continue to do that. They're finding ridiculous waste of money. But what he's done with his blueprint is to show there's so much waste and he's going to do everything he can to get this budget balanced. Now, it's our job in the House and the Senate to work with the president to get the spending under control so we can get inflation under control and we can get interest rates down. So this is the beginning of controlling the spending. But we're going to do it through our budget process and through the reconciliation process.

[Charlie Kirk]

Okay, so let's go through some of the specifics here. I have not had a chance to study it. I've had a very busy weekend with our Turning Point USA supporters going all over the place. What would be the annualized deficit of this budget if President Trump gets his way and Congress approves the budget?

[Rick Scott]

Well, what the president wants to do is actually balance the budget. He's got a short term plan to balance the budget. So part of it is going to be so we it doesn't make any sense because your family doesn't do it this way. But we have things that are mandatory that we don't even review, like Medicare and Social Security and Medicaid. And then we have discretionary things like defense spending and, you know, npr, pbs, things like that that we focus on every year. Now what we should be doing is look at all parts of the budget in the reconciliation process, we're going to be going through the mandatory parts to the budget. And in the budget process, which we have to have done by September 30th, we'll be going through the discretionary part. So as I talk to Russ Votes, who runs Office of Management Budget for the president I'll be meeting with this week is their goal is to very quickly balance the budget, but they know they have to work with the House and the Senate. So hopefully here's where we need to get down to my opinion. This year we need to get down to about a six and a half billion dollar total spend discretionary, mandatory. That will get us down to hopefully less than a trillion dollar deficit with the goal that over three years we balance the budget. Now, if it was me, it was President Trump, we'd been balance the budget. Right now we think we'll collect about five and a half trillion dollars. We'll see what he collects through the, through the tariff process, but we think that we'll collect at least five and a half trillion dollars. So we need to get our spending down now. Is that possible? Absolutely. We've seen a 53% increase in spending in five years and only a 2% increase in population. Actually went back. All right. And stopped, you know, stopped growing the budget and just grew the budget. Like let's say since, since Barack Obama left or since Bill Clinton left, just based on population and inflation, we would have a balanced budget right now. I mean, the Democrats have just thrown money like crazy and they've taken money and made it mandatory, which means we don't even review it every year. So it's going to be a lot of work. But I know the president's committed to this. So hopefully we'll get down to less than a trillion dollar this year deficit and with a balanced budget within three years.

[Charlie Kirk]

So let me ask you a question, Senator, and this is just me representing a lot of the questions of the audience. I love our military. I know that you're a big Navy guy. I see you wear that hat all the time. And you know, you're very proud of that. There's certainly a lot of waste in every government department, including the Pentagon, in this proposed budget. President Trump wants to have the first trillion dollar defense budget. It would increase spending by 13%. To be honest, I'm a little bit, let's just say I need to be won over on this because I think that there's a lot of waste in the Department of Defense. It's nothing against our veterans or our military. The Greatest military ever. What would be your argument, if you agree with it? I mean, I'm not sure if you do, of why we need to increase defense spending right now.

[Rick Scott]

Well, we ought to be doing. Charlie, is doing exactly what you do with, with your family budget. You review everything. So we should be going through line by line through the defense budget like we do every other budget and say, is that a must have or is that nice to have? We also need to see how can we get things done less expensively. So I was just over in Denmark, Finland and Estonia two weeks ago, and one thing I did was I met with shipbuilders over there to say, okay, so can you do it less expensively than what we do it here? We need icebreakers. Can you build them cheaper than we can? You have technology on shipbuilding that you can bring to the United States so we can get things done quicker. So what we have to do is we have to stop saying we're going to do everything and say, okay, so let's prepare for what our problems. Our biggest problem right now is China. So what do we need to do to prepare for China and spend our money that way, build our budget up that way? I think there's lots of. Charlie, I agree with you. There's lots of savings.

[Charlie Kirk]

I'm glad to hear that. And the best argument, again, I'm still a little bit skeptical because I'm such a fiscal hawk. The best argument would be that it's a signal to the world that the dollar is safe because the dollar is largely backed by the supremacy and the superiority of the United States military. People feel safe because they know that if anything were to happen, the United States military can intervene and do so better than any other, any other organization, any other country. Let's also talk about Medicaid. And so, from what I understand, what Speaker Johnson put forward was to try to remove the cap limit where you have to spend a certain amount of money on Medicaid in a certain state to then trigger the federal money to come in and basically do block grants. This is being met with a lot of advertising against Republicans want to cut Medicaid and a lot of misinformation. Can you please educate the audience on what is the ideal plan for Medicaid and where you stand on this issue?

[Rick Scott]

Okay, so I used to run the largest hospital company in the country. All right? There are so many ways to deliver health care less expensive than we do it. So here's some of the things we're doing wrong in my opinion. Number one, we shouldn't be covering people that don't want to even look for a job. If you don't want to even look for a job, then why are we giving you free public housing, food stamps, health care, any of that? So that's number one. Number two, it's supposed to be a match program, but what's actually happened is states have taken advantage of the program and now it's become, most of it is all, all the growth is in federal spending because they've used provider taxes to dramatically increase the federal spending, but not the state spending. It's supposed to be a match. Next, the match between the states is tied to the income levels of the state. Well, places like California, New York, they're guaranteed 50% match when their average income is way higher than some state like Mississippi or Alabama or things like that. So we should do, we should do it based on real income levels, right? Then we shouldn't. Then, then you would, the other thing you have to do is you have to fix a delivery system. Right? You shouldn't be, you shouldn't be over, you shouldn't say, oh, for the exact same procedure, I'll pay you more in an inpatient setting than an outpatient setting. So there are so many ways to reduce the cost. Now, we clearly shouldn't be covered people here illegally. All right? And then so you got to have a work requirement. You don't have skin in the game. You've got to, we've got to make this a, a, a program that you have to work to get to get this. You don't have, you don't get it just because you don't feel like going to work. So there's a lot of money, there's a lot of money to be saved in the Medicaid program. And if you actually, when I was governor, I told, I Trump was president last year, I said, if you give us, if you give us, allow us to spend the money the way we want to spend the money, you have to give us as much money we, we will be able. You have so many foolish rules that I have to comply with that cause the cost of Medicaid to go up. And so if you got rid of those rules, I could drive down the cost of Medicaid for the state and only for the federal government.

[Charlie Kirk]

So about a minute remaining here, Senator, and thank you for, for taking the time here. Do Republicans have the backbone and the spine to fix Medicaid as you have suggested and improve it despite all the media lies and the Democrats misleading framing of what Republicans are trying to do. Do your colleagues have the capacity to get this done, please? One minute remaining.

[Rick Scott]

Okay, Charlie. I'm hopeful. I'm hopeful. I, I'm responsible for the Wednesday lunch. I brought in an individual, Taryn Bragdon, last week. He came in and explained all the different ways that we could save money on the Medicaid program. I'm optimistic. It starts with the House, so we'll see what they're going to do. They're not going to do it this week now. They're going to do it next week. But we, we have to do this. We have to do this. Our interest rates are not coming down. Inflation is not coming down, and we're allowing people to take advantage of the program. That's not fair to the American public that's out there working every day.

[Charlie Kirk]

Senator, thank you so much. You're always welcome. Keep fighting hard and let me just communicate something from the audience, please. Find ways to cut spending. We are careening towards bankruptcy. No one wants to talk about it. We love the tax cuts. We love the tax cuts. We love the tax cuts. But it will all be for nothing if we are posting two or three trillion dollar deficits. So please just know with conviction and we are empowering you here on this program to go back to your colleagues and say, guys, the people want spending cuts. We need to live within our means and shrink the size of government. Senator, thank you so much.

[Rick Scott]

Like every family, Charlie. Like every family does.

[Charlie Kirk]

Absolutely. That's right. Exactly. Go to whyrefi.com that is whyrefi.com why refi does not care what your credit score is when the one year payment comes up with student loans. Boy, why refi can be there for you. Why refi can save you thousands of dollars by refinancing, even lowering your total cost. You can finally take control of your student loan situation with a plan that works for your monthly budget. Call 888yrefi34 or log on to yrefi.com that is yrefy.com may not be available in all 50 states. Go to yrefi.com that IS yrefy.com Do you have a co borrower? Yrefi can get them released from the loan. So go to yrefi.com Many clients aren't able to make the minimum monthly payments on their private student loans when they first contact Yrefi. So go to yrefi.com that is yrefy.com check it out. You can finally take control of your student loan situation with a plan that works for Your monthly budget. So go to it right [e-mail] that is y r e f y dot com. Okay, everybody, big news. Alcatraz is reopening. President Donald Trump announces rebuild and open Alcatraz. Man, I love it. Our borders are closed and Alcatraz is open. For too long, America has been plagued by vicious and violent and repeat criminal offenders, the dregs of society who will never contribute anything other than misery and suffering. When we are a more serious nation in times past, we don't hesitate to most up lock up the most dangerous criminals and keep them far away from anyone they could harm. That's the way it's supposed to be. No longer we will tolerate these serial offenders. Keeps on going. Say that we are going to open Alcatraz. And so he wants it reopened. He's directing the Bureau of Prisons to do that. Now. Here's what I think he should do. I think it should, I think it should be a. It should be a. It should be a. Basically an announcement when someone goes to Alcatraz. People need to know who's there. Very high profile as they kind of go on the boat there. There needs to be media coverage. There needs to be almost a perp walk. And no, this will not be like a, it'll be the opposite of a marker of approval. It'll be a public reminder that if you do terrible stuff, you're going to go to the nastiest prison that we have. Alcatraz is nasty, everybody. That is no good. It was formerly a military fort. 36 inmates tried to escape in 14 separate attempts. Almost all were captured or killed. It's now operated by the National Park Service. And yes, it is a popular tourist attraction. Well, I mean, hopefully we clean up San Francisco so you guys can go back to the Ghirardelli chocolate factory or something. But you think about it, what President Trump is doing is very smart. High profile, high publicity. Imprisonment placot 194.

[Rick Scott]

Where did you get the idea for reopening Alcatraz?

[Donald Trump]

Just an idea I've had and I guess because the judges, so many of these radicalized judges, they want to have trials for every single. Think of it, every single person that's in our country illegally, that came in illegally, that would mean millions of trials. And it's just so ridiculous what's happening. And it's long been a symbol, Alcatraz of whatever it is. I mean, it's a sad symbol, but it's a, it's a symbol of law and order. And you know, it's got quite a history, frankly. So I think we're going to do that and we're looking at it right now.

[Rick Scott]

Where did you get the idea for reopening Alcatraz?

[Charlie Kirk]

Here's what President Trump is right. It is a symbol. Now, reopening it will cost millions of dollars. So it will be an extra expenditure. I can make the argument, though, from a public relations standpoint, it shows that we're not going to put up with the looting and the crime. It's pure symbolism. Let's be honest, everybody, we got enough prisons. Well, actually we need to build more prisons because we need more people in jail in this country, not less. But the TV images alone are going to be worth it. President Trump will be able to fly to Alcatraz at the reopening. Imagine President Trump will be able to give a Hallmark speech in front of Alcatraz at the reopening and say that this once housed Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, Robert Stroud, which was known as the Birdman of Alcatraz. He says now it's reopened. And let me tell you who's going there now. This rapist, this child sex trafficker, this multi murderer, this school shooter, they're all being moved to Alcatraz. And as new ones are moved here, we will make those announcements. Because America is no longer a country to be looted. It is no longer a Wendy's to be burned. It is no longer a convenience store to fleece. It's straight out of Bukele's playbook in El Salvador. And do it like Bukele's high security prisons. Bring the cameras in. He could lead a tour throughout the jail. He can say here, you know, I wish we would have had a little bit more gold here. And the finishing here is a little rough. It is pure symbolism and it's smart symbolism. Here we have the Trende Aragua wing. Over here we have the MS.13 wing. Over here we have Peter Strzok stroke smirk. I'm kidding. It's not going to happen. And you combine all that together into a important symbol that law and order is back. That. Okay, it was closed. It was a tourist attraction. No, the symbol of being locked up and doing harm to our country is reopened because we're not going to put up with the crime against America anymore. Thanks so much for listening, everybody. Email us. As always, freedomarliekirk.com thanks so much for listening and God bless.

[Rick Scott]

For more on many of these stories and news you can Trust, go to charliekirk.com.