Verdict with Ted Cruz: Iran Strike Ayatollah DEAD, Austin Shooting - Why, How & What's Next

Date: March 3, 2026
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz & Ben Ferguson
Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show presents Verdict with Ted Cruz
Producer: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This urgent episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz" tackles two seismic events rattling the United States and the world: the coordinated U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran that killed Ayatollah Khamenei, and the mass shooting in Austin, Texas—suspected to be an act of terrorism. The episode blends real-time analysis, political insight, inside stories from Air Force One, and a sharp critique of media coverage and political responses.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Attack on Iran: Decision, Execution, and Aftermath

• Announcement of Strikes

  • Senator Cruz opens with a summary: On Saturday, President Trump—coordinating closely with Israel—launched a major air and naval assault on Iran, resulting in the death of Ayatollah Khamenei and other top Iranian officials. Over 2,100 combined U.S. and Israeli bombing strikes have occurred so far ([00:50]).
  • Cruz had spent the previous day (Friday) with President Trump, discussing the imminent attack.

• Rationale for the Strike

  • Cruz asserts, "President Trump's decision to launch this decisive action against Iran is the single most important decision of his presidency. ... They have been the leading state sponsor of terrorism for 47 years." ([05:09])
  • Cruz claims the Iranian regime was at a historic low, making it the optimal moment for military action. He says his advice to Trump was, “do not miss this opportunity.”
  • The Iranian government, Cruz claims, had been actively plotting to assassinate President Trump.

• Failed Diplomacy and Its Limits

  • When pressed on why President Trump abandoned last-minute diplomatic talks, Cruz responds:
    • “The diplomacy was an abject failure. The Iranians approached the diplomacy with arrogance … President Trump understood that the Iranian, quote, negotiation was just a stall tactic and that the only response was my advice to him.” ([07:08])
  • Cruz says the only deal he would advise was “leave the country or nothing.”

• Nuclear Program and Security Concerns

  • Cruz states that a year prior, U.S. forces destroyed much of Iran’s nuclear weapons program during the “12 Day War,” targeting underground facilities with specialized bombs.
  • However, Iran had shown intent to rebuild, and Cruz doubts the regime had regained serious nuclear capability before the most recent strikes ([09:09]–[10:31]).

• Insights from Air Force One

  • Cruz shares that aboard Air Force One, Trump polled senior lawmakers —“Should we strike? Should we hit them hard or try again for a deal?”
  • Consensus: "Every one of us ... said hit them and hit them hard." ([17:34–18:16])
  • In a one-on-one in “the Beast” (presidential limo), Cruz urged: “This is a moment in time which we’ve never had like this before. This regime is so weak.” ([18:58])

• On Dictatorial Weakness, U.S. Policy & Messaging

  • Cruz emphasizes the narrative: dictatorships survive on perceived invulnerability. The “ass kicking” (his phrase) Iran suffered in last year’s war with Israel undermined that perception and set the stage for this strike.
  • He recounts the regime’s brutal repression of internal protests—ordering mass shootings of demonstrators.

• Regional Escalation & Responses

  • Ben Ferguson expresses shock at Iran’s response after the strike—instead of targeting only the U.S. and Israel, Iran lashed out at neighboring Arab states; Cruz agrees: “There’s basically nobody standing up and siding with the Iranians. ... They’re demonstrating, essentially, they’re willing to kill anybody and everybody.” ([29:04–31:04])
  • On nuclear dangers: “If the Ayatollah had a nuclear war weapon, would detonate it, maybe in Tel Aviv or maybe in New York or Los Angeles.” ([31:06])

• On U.S. Doctrine and Trump’s Non-Isolationism

  • Cruz: “Donald Trump has never been an isolationist… This is America first.” ([33:04])
  • He makes clear an invasion isn’t being considered—no large U.S. ground operation.

2. The Austin Terrorism-Linked Shooting

• Incident Details

  • In the early hours Sunday, a mass shooting in Austin killed two and injured 17; the gunman, a Senegal-born naturalized U.S. citizen (Indiga Diagny), was killed by police ([23:31–27:26]).
  • Details strongly suggest a terrorism motive: shooter wore “Property of Allah” sweatshirt and an undershirt with the Iranian flag, and had a Quran in his car.

• Law Enforcement Response

  • Cruz praises police: “The Austin police was there within a minute … took him out, thank goodness.” ([27:26–27:28])
  • He emphasizes investigation is ongoing but says, “It is very likely this is terrorism.”

• Broader Risks

  • Cruz warns of possible further attacks—by Iran-backed proxies (Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis) or U.S.-based sympathizers.

3. Media Critique & Political Commentary

• Mainstream Media Coverage

  • Cruz and Ferguson blast The New York Times and Washington Post’s “ridiculous” and “absurd” obituary headlines for Khamenei ([12:03–13:36]), comparing them to minimizing the crimes of notorious murderers.
  • “If Saturday Night Live had done this, they couldn’t have made it more absurd.” ([13:36])

• Perceived Leftist Disconnection

  • Cruz and Ferguson note the contrast between oppressed Iranian women risking their lives in protests and U.S. progressives protesting American intervention ([35:27–36:28]).
  • Cruz reads statements from left-wing politicians condemning U.S./Israeli strikes as “catastrophic… illegal war of aggression” ([36:28]).

• Political Fallout

  • Cruz criticizes Kamala Harris for her opposition to U.S. action, saying, “your administration gave over $100 billion to the Ayatollah who kept killing Americans. We know you’re sad your friend isn’t with us anymore.” ([39:30])

4. Global and Economic Implications

• Strait of Hormuz
  • With reports of potential Iranian mining, shipping—a vast portion of the world’s oil supply—is at a standstill. Civil aviation is also grounded across the region ([41:14–42:28]).
  • Cruz expects U.S. minesweepers will assess and clear the waterway before resumption of normal trade and travel.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Strike’s Importance:

  “President Trump’s decision to launch this decisive action against Iran is the single most important decision of his presidency.”
  —Sen. Ted Cruz ([05:09])

• On Failed Diplomacy:

  “The diplomacy was an abject failure. The Iranians approached the diplomacy with arrogance … They would not stop enriching no matter what.”
  —Sen. Ted Cruz ([07:08])

• On Dictatorship Weakness:

  “Dictatorships depend upon convincing their citizens they’re invulnerable… That’s how you keep 92 million Iranians subjugated.”
  —Sen. Ted Cruz ([18:58])

• Media Satire:

  “That headline was a little bit like a headline, quote, Jeffrey Dahmer, hungry Wisconsin man passes away.”
  —Mark Halperin, relayed by Cruz ([12:03])

• On Nuclear Threats:

  “If the Ayatollah had a nuclear war weapon, would detonate it, maybe in Tel Aviv or maybe in New York or Los Angeles.”
  —Sen. Ted Cruz ([31:06])

• On Leftist Reactions:

  “…women in America were actually standing up angry at America for going into Iran. The disconnect from reality from some of these leftists is amazing.”
  —Ben Ferguson ([35:27])

• Final Take on Political Stakes:

  “My hope is we see a new government in Iran that wants to be friends with America, that would make this country massively safer.”
  —Sen. Ted Cruz ([33:04])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Podcast Context: [00:21–00:50]
• Summary of the Iran Strike: [00:50–02:37]
• Recap of Air Force One Deliberations: [17:34–18:58]
• Critique of Media Coverage: [12:03–15:35]
• Face the Nation Interview & Arguments for the Strike: [04:45–09:09]
• Austin Shooting Details/Analysis: [23:31–28:14]
• Regional Escalation & Response: [28:14–31:06]
• Strait of Hormuz/Geopolitical Impact: [41:14–42:28]
• Summary and Closing: [42:55]

Tone and Language

The speakers, particularly Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson, maintain a combative, urgent, and deeply partisan tone throughout the episode. The dialogue is direct, unfiltered, and oftentimes scathing toward the mainstream media and political opposition, with humor and sarcasm interlaced. The insider, “behind the scenes” accounts from Cruz lend immediacy and a sense of exclusivity.

Conclusion

This episode delivers crucial first-hand insights into the dramatic escalation with Iran, the decision-making process at the highest levels of the U.S. government, and potential implications for national security and global stability. The analysis is forceful, politically pointed, and punctuated with pointed media critiques and reflections on the dangers of both diplomatic stalling and terrorist escalation at home.