Podcast Summary: Verdict with Ted Cruz – Biden DOJ Spied on Susie Wiles & Kash Patel, A Tale of Two Olympians, and Democrats No Longer Proud of America

Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (Verdict with Ted Cruz)
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson
Date: February 27, 2026
Episode Theme:
This episode unpacks breaking allegations about the Biden DOJ and FBI spying on Trump associates, dives into contrasting Olympic stories of American and Chinese athletes, and discusses new data showing a dramatic decline in Democratic pride in America. Throughout, Senator Cruz and Ferguson mix political insight with humor and personal anecdotes to engage listeners in the current culture and political landscape.

Main Topics Covered

1. Allegations of Biden DOJ/FBI Spying on Trump Allies
2. A Tale of Two Olympians: Alysa Liu vs Eileen Gu
3. Polling: Are Democrats No Longer Proud of America?

1. Biden DOJ/FBI Spying Allegations

• Story Overview: New revelations suggest the Biden DOJ and FBI, under Special Counsel Jack Smith, engaged in widespread surveillance targeting Trump campaign associates, notably Susie Wiles (Trump’s campaign manager) and Kash Patel (now FBI Director), even before Trump officially ran again.
• Notable Segments:
  • Dragnet of Subpoenas: Approximately 20% of Senate Republicans had their phone records subpoenaed.
  • Attorney-Client Privilege Violation: Wiles' phone call with her lawyer was allegedly monitored without her knowledge, sparking outrage from Cruz as a practicing lawyer.

Quotes & Commentary:

• "[T]he Biden FBI spied upon, number one, Susie Wiles… number two, Kash Patel…when he was a private citizen. We're going to break that down. It is part of a broader pattern of the Democrats being willing to abuse power, do anything humanly possible to stop Donald Trump from being reelected." (Sen. Cruz, 01:00)
• “They subpoenaed the phone records of 20% of the Republicans in the United States Senate, including yours truly.” (Cruz, 05:44)
• “They literally subpoenaed my office phone records…they subpoenaed the general number in my office that has every person who calls in to complain about a pothole…” (Cruz, 05:54)
• “If I’m your lawyer…you would be disbarred. You would lose your license if you did that, correct?” (Cruz & Ferguson, 09:21-09:32)
• “[T]here were no bounds of propriety other than get Trump. Orange man bad at any cost.” (Cruz, 09:59)
• Political Interference: Ferguson argues listening to campaign strategy calls constitutes election interference. (10:07-11:17)

Historical Context:
Cruz draws parallels to past administrations, arguing the weaponization of executive agencies against political opponents began with Obama, escalated under Biden, and references historical acts like the IRS scandal and the Russia probe.

Memorable Analogy:
Cruz likens the repeated efforts to unseat Trump to “the old Scooby Doo, when the villain has the mask pulled off…‘I would have succeeded if not for you meddling kids!’” (Cruz, 13:50)

2. A Tale of Two Olympians: Alysa Liu & Eileen Gu

• Story Overview: The contrasting Olympic journeys of American Alysa Liu and Chinese athlete Eileen Gu, both of Chinese heritage, highlight the difference between patriotism and opportunism as seen by the hosts.
  • Alysa Liu – American figure skating gold medalist, daughter of a Chinese dissident, allegedly targeted and harassed by Chinese government operatives ahead of the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
  • Eileen Gu – American-born but competed for China in skiing, reportedly for millions in incentives.

Notable Segments:

• Alysa Liu’s Story: Father fled China after Tiananmen Square, family harassed in U.S. for refusing to defect, protected by FBI (18:50-20:41).
• Personal Anecdotes: Cruz identifies with Liu’s background as the child of a refugee, shares humor about his own skating ineptitude versus Ferguson (22:14-22:46).
• Eileen Gu’s Choice: Hosts distinguish between competing for one’s country of origin (common in Olympics) and “defecting” from America for financial reasons.

Quotes & Commentary:

• “She didn’t just skate for a medal. She skated for the freedom her father risked everything for…that’s what a patriot looks like.” (Cruz quoting Afshine Amrani, 20:16)
• “If you decide, ‘I want to compete for China’… you can do that, but you know what you’re saying? I want…China to root for me and I want to beat the United States… well… I’m not going to root for you.” (Cruz, 27:21)
• “She was offered millions of dollars.” (Cruz on Liu, 27:34)
• “They love this country. They didn’t take the money. By the way, if they took the money, I’m assuming they wouldn’t need protection anymore.” (Ferguson, 28:08)
• “I don’t care if she votes for Barack Obama or Joe Biden. She’s an American and I’m proud to cheer her on.” (Cruz, 28:50)

Alysa Liu’s Father’s Story:
An interview segment (31:22-32:50) details Beijing’s ongoing harassment of the Liu family, highlighting their patriotic resolve and sacrifices.

Visualization:
Cruz describes an iconic image of Liu skating: “There’s a level of just reckless abandon…it’s actually incredibly controlled, joyful skill.” (Cruz, 33:35)

3. Polls Show Declining Democratic Pride in Being American

Segment Overview:
Gallup polling data reveals a sharp decline in Americans’ pride in their country, notably among Democrats; Republicans’ pride remains high.

Data Points:

• 2001: ~90% of Republicans, 87% of Democrats, and 84% of Independents “very proud” to be American.
• 2025: 92% of Republicans, 36% of Democrats, and 53% of Independents “very proud”.

Quotes & Analysis:

• “That’s a massive decrease.” (Cruz, 34:03)
• “Democrats in 2001, 87%... what do you think the number is in 2025?” [“28%” Ferguson guesses—“36%” Cruz corrects.] (36:09)
• “How much of that…is our public school system and our universities training up an entire generation to be ashamed of America?” (Ferguson, 36:39)
• “Part of leftism is that America is evil…they’re taught that capitalism is evil.” (Cruz, 36:48)

State of the Union Tie-In:
Cruz references a dramatic moment from the State of the Union where Democrats refused to stand for prioritizing U.S. citizens over illegal immigrants, calling it “the moment that defined the whole State of the Union address.” (36:49-38:49)

Most Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On DOJ Abuse:
  • “Jack Smith and the Biden DOJ, there were no bounds of propriety…get Trump…at any cost.”
    (Cruz, 09:59)
• On Attorney-Client Privilege:
  • "If I'm your lawyer...you would be disbarred. You would lose your license if you did that, correct?"
    (Cruz & Ferguson, 09:32)
• On Alysa Liu:
  • “She didn’t just win for herself. She won for the flag that protected her family when the world felt small. That’s what a patriot looks like.” (Cruz reading tweet, 20:16)
• On Partisanship and Pride:
  • “It’s indoctrinating leftists. And part of leftism is that America is evil. We are a colonialist, oppressive nation.”
    (Cruz, 36:46)

Key Timestamps

• 00:35: Episode overview, breaking news on FBI/DOJ surveillance (Cruz/Ferguson)
• 05:34 – 11:17: Details on subpoenas, attorney-client concerns, timeline of alleged campaign spying
• 12:32 – 16:37: Historical context: agency weaponization from Nixon, Obama, to Biden
• 18:50 – 28:50: Olympic stories; Alysa Liu’s background and performance; Eileen Gu controversy
• 31:22 – 32:50: Alysa Liu’s father recounts Chinese government harassment before Beijing Olympics
• 33:38 – 38:49: Poll data on pride in America; links to State of the Union moment

Takeaways

• Political Weaponization Accusations:
  Hosts allege unprecedented partisan abuse of DOJ and FBI power targeting Trump supporters and campaign staff, likening tactics to historical political scandals but with greater impunity.

• Patriotism vs. Opportunism in Sports:
  Alysa Liu, despite political differences, is lauded for her patriotism and perseverance, contrasting starkly with Eileen Gu’s decision to compete for China for financial benefit.

• Cultural Divide Deepens:
  Declining Democratic pride in being American is presented as an outcome of long-term academic and cultural influence, with Gallup data underscoring a growing ideological split in national identity.

Tone & Language:
The episode is conversational, combative, and laced with humor (e.g., “the old Scooby Doo,” self-deprecating skating stories), but also serious when discussing legal and cultural implications.

Intended Audience:
Conservative listeners concerned with government overreach, cultural values, and American identity; also appeals to those interested in personal stories of perseverance and dissent.