← The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Bonus: Trump Takes Out Venezuelan Narcoterrorists in Decisive Military Attack plus Stopping DC Crime & Trump is ALIVE!
00:37:39
Loading summary
Transcript90 lines
- [00:00]
Senator Ted Cruz
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:05]
Announcer (Washable Sofas Ad)
Time for a sofa upgrade. Visit washablesofas.com and discover Annabe where designer style meets budget friendly prices. With sofas starting at $699, Annabe brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space effortlessly. Perfect for both small and large spaces. Anime is the only machine washable sofa inside and out. Say goodbye to stains and messes with liquid and stain resistant fabrics that that make cleaning easy. Liquid simply slides right off. Designed for custom comfort, our high resilience foam lets you choose between a sink in feel or a supportive memory foam blend. Plus our pet friendly stain resistant fabrics ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years. Don't compromise quality for price. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your living space today with no risk returns and a 30 day money back guarantee. Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns. Shop now at washablesofas.com Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions. Restrictions may apply.
- [01:07]
Senator Ted Cruz
Looking for excitement? Chumba Casino is here. Play anytime, play anywhere.
- [01:11]
Lisa Booth
Play on the train.
- [01:11]
Senator Ted Cruz
Play at the store. Play at home. Play when you're bored. Play today for your chance to win and get daily bonuses when you log in. So what are you waiting for? Don't delay. Chumba Casino is free to play.
- [01:21]
Announcer (Washable Sofas Ad)
Experience social gameplay like never before. Go to Chumba Casino right now to play hundreds of games including online slots, Bingo, Slingo and more. Live the chumba life@chumbacasino.com no purchase necessary.
- [01:33]
Josh Sherrard (Burnett)
VGW Group void where prohibited by law 21 terms and conditions apply.
- [01:37]
Propane Ad Narrator
The US electric grid is approaching a breaking point as demand soars from data centers and home energy use. Our aging infrastructure can't keep up and the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready. Powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com Take a deep dive into.
- [02:09]
Ben Ferguson
The stories making the news headlines across the world.
- [02:12]
Emily Maitlis
The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents Dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current.
- [02:25]
Ben Ferguson
Affairs and The News Agents USA.
- [02:27]
Emily Maitlis
Listening to the News Agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free IHEART app and search the newsagents to start listening.
- [02:39]
Carol Markowitz and Mary Kathryn Hamm
You want smart political talk without the meltdowns? We got you.
- [02:42]
Senator Ted Cruz
And I'm Carol Markowitz.
- [02:43]
Carol Markowitz and Mary Kathryn Hamm
And I'm Mary Kathryn Ham. We've been around the block in media and we're doing things differently.
- [02:48]
Senator Ted Cruz
Normally is about real conversations, thoughtful, try.
- [02:51]
Ben Ferguson
To be funny, grounded, and no panic.
- [02:54]
Carol Markowitz and Mary Kathryn Hamm
We'll keep you informed and entertained without ruining your day.
- [02:58]
Senator Ted Cruz
Join us every Tuesday and Thursday Normally.
- [03:01]
Carol Markowitz and Mary Kathryn Hamm
On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [03:09]
Ben Ferguson
Welcome. It is Verdict with center Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you. Senator. I gotta say, there are certain days where it's just really extra fun to be an American and watching us take on the cartels and watching us blow up a boat filled with drugs after the president warned, you don't want to keep doing this by Venezuela. And they did it anyway. God bless America. This Trump Doctrine CAFO 101.
- [03:35]
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, let me say it is a bad time to be a narco terrorist. It is a bad time to be an enemy of America. And we saw President Trump take out a boat off the waters of Venezuela. 11 Trenda Aragua gang members were aboard that boat. It was carrying narcotics. We're going to break that down. We're going to talk about what the impact is going to be on Venezuela, on Mexico, on narco terrorism around the world. This follows on with the last podcast we did and my trip recently to Mexico, calling on Mexico to team up with us in fighting narco terrorism. What happened in Venezuela shows one way or another, we are going to defend the United States of America. We're also going to talk about legislation that I introduced this week, legislation to protect DC the crime wave we've seen in DC the murder wave we've seen in DC President Trump has acted decisively to combat that crime. But a major cause of that crime is an ordinance that D.C. passed in 2022 lessening the penalties for violent crime. I filed legislation to repeal that 2022 law. We're going to talk about that as well. And finally, breaking news. Donald J. Trump is alive. That news causes great pain, great hysteria, great mourning for Democrats, for the left wing media, all of whom were celebrating his death. We're going to talk about just how ridiculous Democrats in the media were in the last few days as they were eager to put President Trump in the cemetery. And how sad that is to see people openly rooting for the death of the president.
- [05:18]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, if you thought the Democratic Party could be any less more soulless. Well, here's another example of it. You can't make it up. All right, want to tell you real quick about a really cool note I got. I got a note from someone that was 77 years old and it was a lady. And she said, Mr. Ferguson, I listen to Verdict each and every day. You do your podcast. My grandson turned me on to the show. I've never bought anything off of radio advertising, but I decided to buy Crockett Coffee because I love coffee. And I decided why not? You are right. It is amazing. Just want to say thank you from a senior citizen who is now waking up drinking the same coffee you guys drink. Godspeed. That is the best maybe email I've gotten this year. And if you haven't tried Crockett Coffee, you got to it is small batch coffee perfected on purpose by experts who love the taste of amazing coffee. Now, this is small batch. So they do it and they roast it in small batches, matches, so that you get premium coffee with every cup. Now, my two friends, my fellow patriots, Bucks X and Clay Travis, they actually started this company because they understood that in the coffee business there are a lot of like woke sellout cups of coffee that you can buy. And they said, look, we're never going to sell out. You can choose between fresh ground, whole bean or K cup. You choose. And if you're even interested in the mushroom coffee and the positive benefits that come with enjoying that each day, Crockett Coffee is now producing that as well. And it's amazing. Now, they keep it simple. Dark roast, mild roast, or light roast. They got a decaf version and the mushroom organic blend. You just get small batch premium coffee the way it's supposed to be made. And here's the other thing. A portion of every purchase goes support the Tunnel of the Towers foundation because the people at Crockett Coffee pledge to never ever forget. Now let me save you money so you can try it. All right, Here you go. Go to crockettcoffee.com use my name Ben. You're gonna get 20% off your first order. That's crockettcoffee.com Use my name Ben on your as your promo code. You'll get 20% off and you'll wake up to the best cup of coffee of your life. All right, So I got to ask you, Senator, I was actually asked this question today, and they said, hold on a second. Senator Cruz goes down to Latin America. He's dealing with and talking about the gangs. He's talking about cartels. He's warning, don't mess with America. And then all of a sudden, we see President Trump take out this boat and send it out to the world. And they're asking me about the timing. Are you just this good or did you know something that we didn't know?
- [08:00]
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, I'll confess, we really are that good. Or, look, put it more simply, put it, put it more simply. I know Donald Trump. I know who he is. My message to the Mexican government this past week was I think there is a 0% chance, not a 5% chance, not a 10% chance, a 0% chance that four years will pass without President Trump acting decisively to take out the Mexican drug cartels. And the choice that I think the Mexican government has is do they, they want the US to do so unilaterally or do they want to work with us? Do they want to be our partners? And I told them, listen, we would much rather work with you. It's a much better situation that we work collaboratively. But I got to say, they got fairly worked up. They said, no, no, no, you have to respect our sovereignty. I said, listen, if these were just local thugs, if these were pickpockets that were robbing people on the streets of Mexico City, it wouldn't be our problem. But these Mexican cartels are murdering Americans, and so the commander in chief has an obligation to act against them. And I have to say, what just happened is a powerful illustration of it. Now, what happened in Venezuela. Video was put out showing the US Military taking out a drug boat and taking it out. And the video shows the boat going along and then boom, the explosion. 11 suspected trend uragua narco terrorists were on board the boat. Here's what Fox News has reported. President Donald Trump shared dramatic video Tuesday of a U.S. military strike that blew apart a Venezuelan drug boat in the southern Caribbean, leaving nearly a dozen suspected trender Aragua narco terrorists dead. Quote, over the last few minutes, we literally shot out a boat, a drug carrying boat, Trump said during a news conference in the Oval Office. A lot of drugs in that boat. And you'll be seeing that and you'll be reading about that. It just happened moments ago. The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action. Trump wrote in a social media Post. No U.S. forces were harmed in the strike. Please let this serve as a notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. Beware. Beware is all caps. Thank you for your attention to the matter. And it looks like nine exclamation marks now, I gotta say, nine exclamation marks for 11 terrorists. Who blew up. That's a really powerful message, I gotta say. If you are a narco terrorist right now, if you're ms.13, if you're trendaragua, if you're any of the. Of the cartels that are bringing drugs into this country, you gotta be looking around, you gotta be looking up, going, is there a drone up in the sky right now? Are they gonna take me out next? And that's the kind of decisive leadership that we see in this commander in chief. That in four years, ask yourself, why did Joe Biden not do anything to stop the narco terrorists who were murdering Americans, who were flooding drugs into this country, who were producing a massive death toll? More than 100,000 people died last year of drug overdoses. 70% of that was fentanyl. What did Joe Biden do? Well, it's actually worse than that. Not only did he do nothing, Ben, he was actively opening our border and releasing the terrorists and the smugglers and the human traffickers and the drug traffickers who were engaged in this assault on the US and so this is.
- [11:37]
Ben Ferguson
Let's just remind people. Let's also just remind people of what you just said and how real that was. They actually sent to Texas forklifts that lifted up the barbed wire barriers that were put down.
- [11:52]
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah.
- [11:52]
Ben Ferguson
To let illegal immigrants into the United States.
- [11:55]
Senator Ted Cruz
They sued Texas.
- [11:56]
Ben Ferguson
Like, if there's any. Yes.
- [11:59]
Senator Ted Cruz
So Texas is fighting to keep out human traffickers and drug traffickers. And the Biden administration, instead of saying, thank you, Texas, let's secure our border, they went and sued Texas and said, damn it, no. We need more human traffickers and drug traffickers in America. They didn't say that, but that's effectively what they said.
- [12:17]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah. No, it's exactly the message that they sent. I also think one of the interestings about this video, and if you haven't seen it, it's everywhere on the Internet. I'm sure it's on Senator, on your Twitter as well. Go there and look at it. But it was also. And I think this is part of the message.
- [12:32]
Senator Ted Cruz
And by the way, for folks that are watching the video, for folks who are watching this on YouTube or rumble, we're playing the video right now. So if you're watching this visually, you can get this as an audio pod, but you can also watch it visually. So you can watch the video as we're talking about it.
- [12:46]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah. And I think as you talk about it or see this video, one of the things that I think is very interesting about the messaging. This boat had no idea. This was about to happen. It wasn't flying through the water. It wasn't zigzagging. It didn't know it was under attack. It was just out there doing its thing. And then it just got blown up. The psychological message that that's going to have to send to anybody else thinking about getting in a boat tonight, tonight, this morning, tomorrow, is you don't know when you're going to die, but we know where you are. And you will not be able to a outrun us because you won't even know we're there. That is a powerful message, and I think that's part of what the President was trying to accomplish.
- [13:27]
Senator Ted Cruz
Amen. You know, Carlos Jimenez from Florida said that the vessel belonged to the cartel of the Suns. And what he said on X was, this is going swimmingly. We continue. And the uncertainty of it, it reminds me of a couple of things. It reminds me number one of the Iranian irgc. The terrorists who, one after the other, were taken out, Were taken out, were taken out. And they didn't know what hit them. And it made them incredibly uncertain. It made them incredibly uncertain. When Israel, we were joking, like the irgc, when the Ayatollah would appoint someone as the head of the IRGC and Israel would take them out, and then they named somebody else the head of the irgc, the next day, Israel would take them out. And by like the third or fourth time, like, if the Ayatollah calls you and said, hey, Ben, you want to be the head of the irgc, what would you say?
- [14:22]
Ben Ferguson
No, no, hell no.
- [14:25]
Senator Ted Cruz
I'm sorry, new number. Who dis. Don't speak English. Like, literally, you got that job and your life Expectancy was about 24 hours. You'd point. No, no, no. I think he'd make a much better head of the irgc, the guy next to me, let's kill him. And the other example it reminded me of again in the Middle east was Hezbollah and Israel when they carried out the pager operation, where these pagers that Hezbollah gave to their senior terrorists exploded and killed terrorists, wounded terrorists. And then, like, I think it was 48 hours later, they had a second operation with walkie talkies, and the walkie talkies exploded. And after 48 hours of all of these exploding, imagine for a second you're Hezbollah terrorist, and the phone rings and you've got to be like, whoa, whoa, what? What the hell? Like, the interorum effect of knowing any moment could be your last. You don't realize it's coming. It could come from a drone strike. In the air, it could come from a pager exploding. That is a powerful deterrent. And this ship just cruising along, I guarantee you the next drug runner that is cruising along in a boat is gonna look up and wondering, wonder, okay, is there a missile about to explode me into the smithereens?
- [15:41]
Ben Ferguson
Let's also talk about the message that was sent not just to the terrorists, the narco terrorists, but also to the message they just sent to Mexico and to the leader in Venezuela, Maduro, who's got a big bounty on his head. Last I checked, I think it's $50 million.
- [15:59]
Senator Ted Cruz
Yep, 50 million. So this week, Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, is traveling to Mexico City, and it's right after I just came from Mexico City. I conveyed to the government, accept our offer, work with our military, take out the cartels. Claudia Sheinbaum, the President of Mexico said, no, we reject your offer. Here's what Marco said on Twitter today. He said, quote, the president has been very clear that he's going to use the full power of America and the full might of the United States to take on and eradicate these drug cartels, no matter where they're operating from and no matter how long they've been able to act with impunity, those days are over. And he went on to say, tda is a designated foreign terrorist organization operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and the Western hemisphere. Now, that is exactly true of the Mexican drug cartels as well. Every word he said. And so for Maduro, you're right. There's a $50 million bounty. If you're Maduro, you've got to feel really nervous right now that there is some ambitious general, or maybe not a general, maybe just a colonel or major in your army who says, you know what, $50 million sounds pretty good. I sure would like to live a life of leisure on an island. Maduro's got to be incredibly nervous. But the cartels, if the Mexican cartel leaders have to understand, they are next. And if you are a government official in Mexico, you got to make a choice now. By the way, Ben, it's possible the Mexican government may make the decision. You know what, we understand that Trump is going to take out the cartels, but we just can't take the heat domestically for domestic political reasons of being part of that. So we would rather be oblivious and not be a part of it. So we can just yell, damn Yankee imperialist. Which is. Which is what they would yell if they didn't participate because they may decide that's better domestic politics. Well, if they decide that, that's fine. I understand that. The message I tried to convey to them is, listen, you're our friend and ally. We would like to cooperate with you. The analogy I used was Colombia with Plan Colombia, where we worked with the Colombian government. We took out the cartels in Colombia. This was under George W. Bush. That's the example. That is the preferable example. But if the Mexican government is going to bury their head in the sand like an ostrich, that does not relieve the commander in chief of the obligation of protecting Americans. And I think this week off the shores of Venezuela demonstrated he will act decisively to protect this country.
- [18:44]
Ben Ferguson
If you've ever listened to show before, you know I'm a big advocate for the second Amendment and I've shared on numerous occasions how carrying a firearm literally saved my life from a gang related attack. But many of you out there may not feel comfortable carrying a firearm. Maybe you have a loved one that's just not comfortable. They need a way to protect themselves. And that's why I want you to know about burnout launchers. I have them and I've given them to many family members. Burn is a handheld pistol that fires both kinetic rounds and chemical irritants to separate you from an attacker. And I'm here with Josh Sherrard from Burnett to tell us how carrying a burner when taking a ride share could be a really good idea. Josh, what does your team learn about safety and ride sharing?
- [19:27]
Josh Sherrard (Burnett)
So recently a story is broke about rideshare, including Burnett and Lyft, about the fact that they haven't been reporting nearly as many attacks between drivers and riders as previously believed. And unfortunately, some of these are as serious as sexual assaults, major assaults that are putting people in the hospital. So what we know is that there has to be something done in order to improve the safety from drivers and riders on both ends. And unfortunately, Uber doesn't allow guns to be carried by riders in their cars. So we're looking at trying to find better ways to improve that safety so that when you're riding in a ride share, you understand that you're going to get from point A to point B and be able to do it safely.
- [20:08]
Ben Ferguson
And unfortunately, a lot of the ride share policies out there are not allowing riders to carry weapons inside the vehicle. But a burner is something you can use?
- [20:17]
Josh Sherrard (Burnett)
Absolutely. They're explicitly stated in their policy that they do not allow riders to carry firearms in their cars. However, those Policies say nothing about their less lethal weapons like burner launchers. Which means that burner is a great solution for making sure that you can stay safe in these ride shares.
- [20:34]
Ben Ferguson
Look, I got one, I carry one, my wife has one as well. Many family members. And if you want more information on how you and your family member can protect yourselves with a burner launcher, go to Byrna B y R N a dot com Again, that's Byrna B y rna dot com BURNA dot com Right now. Senator, I want to ask you one final question on this and that is how quickly do you think this could ratchet up? I don't believe this is a one and done. I think this is the beginning, not the end. I don't believe that President Trump is bluffing. I don't believe the Secretary of State and is in going down to Mexico is a bluff either. The President has made it clear whether it's hitting a terrorist on a tarmac in Iraq, whether it's going after the Iran nuclear sites, whether it's going after ISIS and wiping them out or Al Qaeda, it doesn't matter. And when he said, I'm going to name you terrorist organizations, declare that that's what you are, that was the beginning. Today was the beginning of the action. Do you have any reason to believe that this is not gonna be something that we're gonna be talking about for days and weeks ahead?
- [21:41]
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah. No, I think we're gonna see this over and over again. I wanna play the clip from when President Trump described the action in Venezuela. Give a listen to the President talking.
- [21:50]
Donald Trump
About it when you come out and when you leave the room, you'll see that we just over the last few minutes literally shot out a, a boat, a drug carrying boat, a lot of drugs in that boat. And you'll be seeing that and you'll be reading about that. It just happened moments ago. And our great general, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who's been so incredible, including what took place in Iran, knocking out potential nuclear power for long time to come, I think within a month they would have had it. We didn't do what we did, but he gave us a little bit of a briefing and you'll see. And there's more where that came from. We have a lot of drugs pouring into our country coming in for a long time. And we just, these came out of Venezuela and coming out very heavily from Venezuela. A lot of things are coming out of Venezuela. So we took it out. And you'll get to see that after this, after this meeting. Is over.
- [22:56]
Ben Ferguson
I mean, the President there just seems so calm and collected, like, hey, I warned you. I told you. Now it's happening. This is an FAFO moment yet again.
- [23:05]
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, as the President said, there's more where that came from. I think those were words that were freighted with import. And this really does key into my meeting last week with the governments of El Salvador and Panama, but especially Mexico. I described how when I met with the Mexican defense minister, he began the meeting by arguing at considerable length, the cartels are not terrorist organizations. And I gotta say, I found that a very odd thing for him to argue, and obviously I disagreed. And just as an objective matter, whether he thinks they're terrorist organizations or not, the United States has designated them as terrorist organizations. And he said they're not terrorist organizations because terrorist organizations have a political agenda and they spread fear and terrify the civilian population. Now, by the way, the cartels murder thousands, they kidnap thousands, they intimidate, they spread fear. By any rational definition, they're a terrorist organization. Now, they're not motivated by politics. They're not the IRA trying to free Ireland. They're not the PLO trying to overturn or Hamas trying to overturn the Israeli government. So it's not political motivations, but it is money and power and control that motivate them. But their means is terrorism. The way they exercise power is through murder and rampant violence and narcotics and through spreading fear and terror and their consequences. Designating the cartels as terrorist organizations is not just a paperwork notation. Okay, which box do you check on the paper? It means that we have an authorization. Look, we take out terrorists all over the world, and being a terrorist organization means you are now a target. It means if you're a terrorist organization, look in the sky, because there could be a drone about to light you up any second. And I want to take a minute to step back, because when it comes to foreign policy right now, the debate in this country is often simplified to the point of absurd. Many people put foreign policy as a bipolar situation. You are either an interventionist, in which case you want to invade every country on Earth, you always want to send the Marines, or you're an isolationist and you want to do nothing and withdraw from the world and never engage. And I have long believed both of those polls are wrong. I think the vast majority of the American people disagree with the interventionists and disagree with the isolationists. And yet almost all of foreign policy in politics and the media is treated as if those are the only two choices I have long considered Myself, a third point on the triangle. I consider myself a non interventionist hawk. And here's the point I want to make. I think Donald Trump is as well. I agree with President Trump's foreign policy. America first is not interventionist, but it is not isolationist. And there are a whole bunch of people in politics on Twitter, it seems there's an army devoted to claiming America first is isolationist. And let me just say the facts are to the contrary. Donald Trump is not an isolationist, despite every effort Tucker Carlson tries to make. And Tucker every day goes on and on and on about how Trump is an isolationist and he just ignores reality. Because look, in the first term, Donald Trump, when he came into office, ISIS had a caliphate the size of the state of Indiana. Trump came in, obliterated isis, destroyed their caliphate, took them out entirely. Donald Trump took out General Soleimani. He took out Al Baghdadi. Those are not the actions of an isolationist. The second term, Trump began by bombing the hell out of the Houthis who were attacking US Shipping vessels and other shipping vessels in the Suez Canal. That's not the act of an isolationist. He then launched an incredibly important, a critical bombing run on the Iranian nuclear facilities. That most definitely was not the actions of an isolationist. And right now, today, taking out these narco terrorists in Venezuela, that is not the act of an isolationist. Now, understand, the fact that President Trump is willing to act and act militarily to take out our enemies does not mean that he's an interventionist. Notice that Trump hasn't invaded any countries. I don't believe he's going to send the Marines into Iran. I don't believe he's going to send the Marines into Venezuela or Mexico. And by the way, I would oppose it if he did. I don't agree with doing that. But there is a big difference between targeted use of force against enemies of America and trying to invade other countries and turn them into democracies. And this is. There's another point I want to make. Many on the left, many Democrats, many in the media, and also many isolationists on the right believe that when you withdraw from the world, that's how you avoid war. I want to make the case that's exactly backwards. Look, Joe Biden was the weakest, most impotent commander in chief we have seen since Jimmy Carter. And that weakness, just like Jimmy Carter, it encouraged the radicals in Iran to foment a revolution, to take over the embassy, to take Americans hostage for 444 days. The same was true under Joe Biden. The war in Ukraine was caused because Putin was emboldened. October 7th was caused because Iran and Hamas and Hezbollah were emboldened. If you want to avoid war, I believe, as Ronald Reagan put it, in peace through strength. I believe as, as, as President Trump puts it in America first. And the way you avoid war is being strong enough that nobody in their right mind wants to mess with you. That's how you avoid war. And I gotta say, this action, taking out the terrorists, it's a step in the right direction.
- [29:07]
Ben Ferguson
I am sure if you've been listening to conservative radio and podcasts, you've heard a lot of talk about gold and silver. Now there are people that ask me all the time who do I trust? And that is K. Kirk Elliott Precious Metals. You get more than gold and silver. You get trusted guidance from a team that puts people first.
- [29:25]
Senator Ted Cruz
Always.
- [29:26]
Ben Ferguson
The mission is clear. They want to help you and your family protect what matters the most with real metals, real service and real clarity. Here's what sets Kirk Elliott apart. Number one, a bullion only approach. They focus on investment grade metals. No overpriced collectibles or gimmicks. That means more precious metals for your money. You when it's time to sell. They also have transparent pricing. This is why I recommend them and love using them. Just 8% when you buy and zero commissions when you sell. No hidden fees ever. Many companies do that. They also give you personalized guidance. You're never just a number. There's no pressure. They give you honest answers and education that put you in control. I want you to go to kepm.comBen that's K-E-P M.comBen to schedule your personal portfolio review. Ask about today's unique market window and how the current silver to gold ratio might work in your favor. Protect what matters. Visit kepm.com ben or call them 720-605-3900 Kirk Elliott Precious Metals Smarter metal Investing starts with them.
- [30:44]
Lisa Booth
This is Lisa Booth from the Truth with Lisa Booth. Who's really on your side when it comes to your health insurance companies? Pharmacies that refuse valid prescri?
- [30:53]
Announcer (Washable Sofas Ad)
Not a chance.
- [30:54]
Lisa Booth
The truth is our healthcare system is broken. That's why more people are turning to All Family Pharmacy, an independent pharmacy that's actually on your side. The right side. They fight for your medical freedom, making it simple to get the treatments you trust without the insurance run around. Right now, Ivermectin and mebendazole are 25% off starting at just $2 a capsule and you can save another 10% with code USA10. Choose from over 200 medications, antibiotics, hydroxychloroquine, NAD plus, methylene blue, antivirals and more, all with a doctor's prescription included and shipped straight to your door. Go to AllFamilyPharmacy.com USA and use code USA10. Again, that's AllFamilyPharmacy.comUSA and use code USA10. If you believe in medical freedom, well, this is your pharmacy.
- [31:41]
Announcer (Washable Sofas Ad)
Life's messy. We're talking spills, stains, pets and kids. But with Annabe, you never have to stress about messes again. @washablesofas.com Discover Anabe sofas the only fully machine washable sofas inside and out, starting at just $699. Made with liquid and stain resistant fabrics, that means fewer stains and more peace of mind. Designed for real life, our sofas feature changeable fabric covers allowing you to refresh your style anytime. Need flexibility? Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa effortlessly. Perfect for cozy apartments or spacious homes. Plus, they're earth friendly and built to last. That's why over 200,000 happy customers have made the switch. Upgrade your space today. Visit washablesofas.com now and bring home a sofa made for life. That's washablesofas.com offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.
- [32:41]
Ben Ferguson
Hey, it's Brian Christopher. Ready to chill this summer? You're in luck. I'm hanging out at Champa Casino and you're in for a treat. Chillax. With hundreds of games, daily bonuses, exciting spins and epic prizes. It's all here. Always free to play, kick back, have fun and head to champacasino.com let's make the summer legendary.
- [33:04]
Senator Ted Cruz
Sponsored by Channel Chumba Casino. No purchase necessary. VGW Group VOID where Prohibited by law.
- [33:09]
Propane Ad Narrator
CTNCs 21/ the US electric grid is approaching a breaking point. As demand soars from data centers and home energy use, our aging infrastructure can't keep up. And the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready, powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com all right, Senator, I want.
- [33:42]
Ben Ferguson
To bring it back home to something and you talk about cleaning things up. That's what President Trump has said he's going to do with the terrorists and those that are bringing drugs in this country. But he's also doing big things in different cities. And now you have introduced the Clean DC Act. Explain to us what this is.
- [34:02]
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, the principle is very much the same as we were talking about in foreign policy with the terrorists, which is when you react with weakness, the result is domestically, you get more and more crime. When you react with weakness abroad, the result is internationally, you get more and more terrorism and more and more enemies attacking. The converse is true. When you react with strength with regard to crime, when you lock up murderers and rapists and child molesters, you get fewer violent crimes, number one, because of deterrence, number two, because of prevention, you get the bad guys off the street. In D.C. the murder rate has consistently been one of the highest in the entire country. Among large Cities, it is 27 homicides per 100,000 residents each year. That is higher than Bogota, Colombia. D.C. not only that, but if you look at vehicle theft, vehicle theft is 842 per 100,000 residents, which is three times the national average. And carjackings have tripled in recent years. I'll tell you, actually, one time I was filming several years ago, I was filming Verdict. It was a little past midnight and we had our truck parked on the street. I was in the studio filming it. The truck was broken into and my briefcase was stolen. On the streets of D.C. if you look at D.C. which is our nation's capital, you've got elected representatives and staff from all 50 states, from all over the country. We had, earlier this year, we had a staffer from the White House, from Doge, who was violently assaulted in D.C. beaten up by 10 juvenile offenders. We had in recent years, we had a staffer for Rand Paul who was stabbed in the middle of the afternoon on a DC street. We had a former official in the first Trump administration who was shot and killed at 5 o' clock in the afternoon parked in his car on a DC street. The violence is out of control and it was made worse by a 2022 law. 2022 law. In the wake of the George Floyd killing and the Black Lives Matter protest, when anti police fervor was driving the Left crazy, the D.C. city Council and the D.C. mayor came in and they passed a law that lessened the penalties for violent crimes almost entirely across the board. They lessened the penalty for murder, they lessen the penalty for carjacking, they lessen the penalty for violent assault. And the effect, understandably, was those crimes all increased. If you lessen the penalty for violent crime, the crimes increase. And this is the thing that the left doesn't understand, we saw a Democrat, Congressman Henry Cuellar from Texas, who was carjacked in his car at about 8 or 9 o' clock at night. He was coming home with his dinner and he was carjacked outside an apartment building that, if I remember correctly, five other congressmen lived in. That's how bad it was. Now, I will tell you, in the past, Congress, Congress took up legislation to reverse that 2022 law. It passed the House and it passed the Senate, and then Joe Biden vetoed it. Joe Biden decided, all right, we're not going to let this go into effect. Well, I've introduced again legislation that is called the Clean DC Act. And the Clean DC act act is very simple. It is designed to repeal the 2022 law, lessening the penalty for violent crimes. And the Clean DC act, we're pushing for a vote. I think the House may vote on it as soon as the next week or two. I'll tell you, the Clean DC act, it's supported by the D.C. police Union, it's supported by the Fraternal Order of the Police, and it's a good opportunity. I think every member of Congress, every Democrat, every House member needs to decide, okay, where do you stand? Do you stand with the violent criminals? Do you stand with the murderers? Do you stand with a rapist? Will you. Do you stand with the carjackers? Or do you stand with, with the citizens of America? That ought to be an easy vote. Although sadly, I'm going to predict, I think an awful lot of Democrats are going to vote with criminals.
- [38:05]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, it really does tell you where the Democrats mindset is right now, where they can't even agree that criminals should be held accountable. And it also just crazy tells you about how sinister they are. Which brings us to our final story. The idea that because the President wasn't seen like 24, 7, totally different than Joe Biden when he was president, by the way, that somehow he was dead was a trend on social media and Democrats were celebrating it now.
- [38:32]
Senator Ted Cruz
It really was bizarre. The left was losing their mind because a couple of days, President Trump hadn't done a public event. And so suddenly the left, they were so excited. They were so excited that, oh, this means Trump is really sick, he's in the hospital, he's had a stroke, he's dead. You know, Andrew Yang, you remember the Democrat who ran for president, he tweeted out, quote, I would be pumped to have a President whose physical vitality or mental fitness was an ongoing issue or concern. It's like, what? Where the hell were the Democrats during the last four years of Joe Biden? The man was, was, was almost publicly in a coma for four years. He was drooling and coloring with crayons. And the Democrats are like, nothing to see here. No, no, no, it's perfectly fine. Yes, we have a White House staffer. We dress as a giant Easter bunny to lead him away, to keep him out of trouble. But there's nothing to see here. And I gotta say so today, President Trump was asked about this by Peter Doocy. And in fact, Peter Doocy asked about the stories that he'd been dead. Listen to the exchange between Peter Doocy and President Trump about a big viral social media trend over the weekend. How did you find out over the weekend that you were dead? You see that? No, people didn't see it for a couple days. 1.3 million user engagements as of Saturday morning about your demise.
- [39:59]
Donald Trump
Really? I didn't see that. You know, I have heard it's sort of crazy, but last week I did numerous news conferences, all successful. They went very well. Like this is going very well. And then I didn't do any for two days. And they said there must be something wrong with him. Biden wouldn't do him for months. You wouldn't see him. And nobody ever said there was ever anything wrong with him. And we know he wasn't in the greatest of shape. No, I heard that. I get reports now. You knew. I did an interview that lasted for about an hour and a half with somebody, and everybody saw that was on one of your competitors. I did numerous shows and also did a number of truths, long truths, I think pretty poignant truths. No, I was very active over the weekend. They also. I went out to visit some people at the, at the club that I own pretty nearby on the Potomac River. And no, I've been very active, actually, over the weekend. I didn't hear that one. That's pretty serious. Well, it's fake news. You know, it's just so. It's so fake. That's why the media has so little credibility. I didn't. I knew that you were saying, like, is he okay? How's he feeling? What's wrong? I said, I just left. And it's also sort of a longer weekend. You know, it's Labor Day weekend. So I would say a lot of people. No, I was very active this Labor Day. I had heard that, but I didn't hear it to that extent.
- [41:22]
Ben Ferguson
I love how the President just trolls the media on this one. Like, yeah, you Guys are a bunch of scumbags. And I'm not surprised that this is what you did.
- [41:29]
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, no, look, it was absurd. I mean, this president, you can disagree with him on substance, you can disagree with him on style, but the man has enormous energy. I mean, if you look at the first seven months of this administration, I think there's been no administration in our lifetime that has had more velocity and volume and action, and it has been incredible. And this president, he is going this weekend? Actually, President Trump called me. I talked to him this weekend. He was in great spirits. We were talking.
- [41:57]
Ben Ferguson
You talked to him while he was dead but alive?
- [41:59]
Senator Ted Cruz
Oh, yeah. And oddly enough, I didn't have a Ouija board, I didn't have to do a seance. And he was kind of. And it was. We were not talking about. Are you all right? He called me on an issue that he and I had been working on. So we had a substantive conversation. You know, today the President announced that there was gonna be a White house address at 2 o'. Clock. And I gotta say, Twitter went crazy with anticipation. And I think people expected them to announce, okay, President Trump is dead. He's entered a permanent vegetative state. He's resigning. Like, the left was. They were beside themselves, but particularly egregious. I want you to listen to Tim Waltz. Tim Waltz is the governor of Minnesota. He's a weird dude. And you'll remember for, like 12 seconds, he was Kamala Harris, vice presidential nominee. Give a listen to what Tim Waltz had to say about President Trump and his hopes that the president was dead.
- [42:54]
Ben Ferguson
You get up in the morning and you doom. Scroll through things, and although I will.
- [42:59]
Donald Trump
Say this, the last few days, you.
- [43:01]
Ben Ferguson
Woke up thinking there might be news. Just saying. Just saying there will be news sometime. Just so you know, there will be news. I mean, that's sick. And that's the guy who ran for vice president of the Democratic Party.
- [43:15]
Senator Ted Cruz
Let me say that is sick. And I have never wished death upon Joe Biden or Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton or any of the Democrat leaders. The President of the United States, whether you agree with them or not, what the hell is wrong with these people where they say they wake up every day hoping, please, please, please let me see that he is dead. You know, there used to be a notion. Listen, when. When Barack Obama was president, I disagreed with a lot of the policies that he implemented. I think they did a lot of damage, a lot of harm to this country. But. But. But I wish success on him. I wanted America to succeed. You know, we talked about earlier this year. President Trump's State of the Union address I've been to 13 State of the Union addresses. Every single one begins the same way, with the sergeant at arm calling out the President of the United States. And 12 of the 13 I've been to. Every House member and senator stands and applauds. And that's true whether it's a Democrat or Republican, whether it's your party or the other party, you respect the office. And so when when Barack Obama walked onto the floor of the House, I stood and applauded for him. When Joe Biden walked on the floor of the House, I stood and applauded for him. This year, when Trump walked onto the floor, every single Democrat I saw states sitting in would not applaud. And there's something really wrong when you are openly cheering for the President of the United States to die and the people laughing and I suspect there were reporters there and there were also leftist activists, the people laughing and cheering. There's something just fundamentally wrong about that.
- [44:52]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, it really is. Don't forget we do this show Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We're going to keep you updated on all the biggest breaking news and the stories the media refuses to cover. So hit that subscriber auto download button wherever you are on social media and wherever you are, share it. I stay on social media and download it. Wherever you get your podcast, you can also tell Siri or Alexa play Verdict with Ted Cruz and it will do it for you just that easily. And the center and I will see you back here in a couple of days.
- [45:22]
Announcer (Washable Sofas Ad)
Life's messy. We're talking spills, stains, pets and kids. But with Anabe, you never have to stress about Messes again@washablesofas.com Discover Annabe Sofas the only fully machine washable sofas inside and out, starting at just $699. Made with liquid and stain resistant fabric, that means fewer stains and more peace of mind. Designed for real life, Our sofas feature changeable fabric covers allowing you to refresh your style anytime. Need flexibility? Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa effortlessly. Perfect for cozy apartments or spacious homes. Plus, they're earth friendly and built to last. That's why over 200,000 happy customers have made the switch. Upgrade your space today. Visit washablesofas.com now and bring home a sofa made for life. That's washablesofas.com offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. How to have fun anytime, anywhere step.
- [46:23]
Senator Ted Cruz
One go to chumbacasino.com chumbacasino.com Got it.
- [46:27]
Announcer (Washable Sofas Ad)
Step two collect your welcome bonus.
- [46:29]
Senator Ted Cruz
Come to papa. Welcome bonus.
- [46:31]
Announcer (Washable Sofas Ad)
Step 3 Play hundreds of casino style games for free.
- [46:34]
Senator Ted Cruz
That's a lot of games all for free.
- [46:36]
Announcer (Washable Sofas Ad)
Step 4 Unleash your excitement. Chumba Casino has been delivering thrills for over a decade. So claim your free welcome Bonus now and live the chumba life. Visit chumbacasino.com no purchase necessary.
- [46:48]
Josh Sherrard (Burnett)
VGW Group void where prohibited by law 21/ Terms and conditions apply Take a.
- [46:52]
Ben Ferguson
Deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world.
- [46:56]
Emily Maitlis
The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why. From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents Dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current.
- [47:09]
Ben Ferguson
Affairs and The News Agents USA listening.
- [47:12]
Emily Maitlis
To the News Agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening Oral health.
- [47:22]
Colgate Ad Narrator
Goes beyond just aesthetics. It's deeply connected to your general health and well being. That's why preventing oral health problems before they start is so important. When you use the Colgate Total Active Prevention system, you're not just helping to prevent oral health problems like cavities and gingivitis, you're laying the groundwork for overall wellness. Colgate Total's three product routine includes a reformulated toothpaste, an innovative toothbrush and a refreshing antibacterial mouthwash that all support a healthy mouth. In fact, the three products were designed to work together to be 15 times more effective at reducing bacteria buildup in six weeks starting from week one. Compared to a non antibacterial fluoride toothpaste and flat trim toothbrush. Take control of your oral health and get the Colgate Total Active Prevention System today so you can be dentist ready. Visit shop.colgate.com total.
- [48:15]
Carol Markowitz and Mary Kathryn Hamm
You want smart political talk without the meltdowns? We got you and I'm Carol Markowitz. And I'm Mary Kathryn Hamm. We've been around the block in media and we're doing things differently.
- [48:24]
Senator Ted Cruz
Normally is about real conversations, thoughtful, try to be funny, grounded and no panic.
- [48:30]
Carol Markowitz and Mary Kathryn Hamm
We'll keep you informed and entertained without ruining your day.
- [48:34]
Senator Ted Cruz
Join us every Tuesday and Thursday Normally.
- [48:37]
Carol Markowitz and Mary Kathryn Hamm
On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [48:44]
Senator Ted Cruz
This is an iHeart podcast.