Bonus Pod: Biden's New Autopen Scandal, Houthi Crackdown in the Middle East & JFK Files Released

Summary

Verdict with Ted Cruz: Bonus Pod Summary Episode: Biden's New Autopen Scandal, Houthi Crackdown in the Middle East & JFK Files Released
Release Date: March 18, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson with contributions from Donald Trump

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Introduction

In this bonus episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz, co-host Ben Ferguson delves into three pivotal and timely issues shaping the political landscape: the controversy surrounding President Joe Biden's use of an autopen for pardons, former President Donald Trump's intensified military actions against Houthi rebels in the Middle East, and the highly anticipated release of previously classified JFK assassination files. This summary captures the essence of the discussions, complete with notable quotes and timestamps to provide a comprehensive overview for listeners and readers alike.

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1. Biden's Autopen Scandal: Pardons Declared Void

Timestamp: [00:51] – [06:19]

Ben Ferguson opens the discussion by addressing President Donald Trump's claims that President Joe Biden's pardons issued to members of the January 6th Committee are invalid due to the use of an autopen. Trump alleges that these pardons were not personally signed by Biden, suggesting possible unauthorized use of the president's signature.

Key Points:

• Autopen Usage: Trump asserts that the pardons were executed using an autopen, implying Biden's lack of direct involvement or consent.

  Donald Trump ([02:09]): "I would say that they're null."

• Intentional Obfuscation: According to Trump, the administration did not inform Biden about the pardons and destroyed incriminating information related to the committee's investigations.

  Donald Trump ([02:09]): "...they deleted and destroyed all of the information that took them over a year to get. And the reason they did that is because the information was very incriminating about them."

• Legal and Criminal Implications: Ferguson highlights that Trump is positioning these actions as potential legal violations, suggesting that individuals involved may face investigations.

  Ben Ferguson ([05:59]): "...this is going to be an issue the courts are going to have to deal with. And one that Donald Trump is happily raising the question, was there illegal activity with people signing Joe Biden's name without his knowledge or his consent?"

White House Response: Caroline Levitt, White House Press Secretary, responded by questioning Trump's claims and suggested that concerns about Biden's cognitive abilities underpin the allegations.

Caroline Levitt ([04:59]): "...the former President of the United States, who I think we can all finally agree was cognitively impaired."

Levitt emphasized the need for media scrutiny on the legality of the autopen's usage, referencing reports from the New York Post about internal White House doubts regarding the president's awareness of the pardons.

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2. Trump's Counterterrorism Efforts Against Houthi Rebels

Timestamp: [06:21] – [10:12]

Ben Ferguson transitions to discussing Trump's proactive military strategies aimed at combating terrorist threats, specifically focusing on actions taken against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Key Points:

• Military Action Authorization: On March 15, Trump authorized significant airstrikes targeting the Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital, responding to threats against U.S. shipping in the Red Sea.

  Donald Trump ([07:30]): "I ordered the United States military to launch decisive and powerful military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen."

• Rationale Behind Strikes: The offensive aims to safeguard American interests, ensure navigational freedom in critical waterways, and deter further terrorist activities that jeopardize global commerce.

  Donald Trump ([07:30]): "...protect American interests and ensure navigational freedom in the region."

• Impact of Houthi Actions: The Houthis, backed by Iran, have been implicated in multiple attacks on U.S. vessels and military assets, disrupting international shipping lanes and contributing to economic downturns.

  Donald Trump ([07:30]): "The Houthi attack on American Vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective."

• Recent Successes: Less than 24 hours prior to this episode, Trump announced the killing of ISIS leader in Iraq, showcasing a relentless approach to eliminating terrorist threats.

  Ben Ferguson ([10:12]): "President Trump will go and terminate any terrorist leader anywhere he has to to keep Americans safe."

Strategic Messaging: Trump's communication underscores a strong stance against terrorism, emphasizing decisive action and the protection of both American lives and economic interests.

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3. Release of JFK Assassination Files

Timestamp: [10:13] – [12:50]

The final segment covers President Trump's announcement regarding the release of approximately 80,000 pages of previously classified documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Key Points:

• Commitment to Transparency: Addressing longstanding public demand for information, Trump declares the imminent release of comprehensive JFK files, aiming to restore trust in the federal government.

  Donald Trump ([10:59]): "We are tomorrow announcing and giving all of the Kennedy files. So people have been waiting for decades for this."

• No Redactions Policy: Trump assures that the released documents will be unredacted, promising complete transparency.

  Donald Trump ([11:26]): "I don't believe we are going to redact anything. Just don't redact. It's going to be very interesting."

• Broader Historical Disclosure: Alongside JFK files, an executive order mandates the release of records related to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., broadening the scope of historical transparency.

• Public Access and Impact: With over 99% of JFK-related documents already public, the release of the remaining 4,700 files is poised to fill significant gaps in historical records and potentially shed new light on the assassination.

  Ben Ferguson ([12:50]): "...you will be seeing that today."

Anticipated Reactions: The release is expected to provoke widespread interest and analysis, potentially altering public understanding of the JFK assassination and related historical events.

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Conclusion

In this bonus episode, Verdict with Ted Cruz provides an incisive exploration of pressing political controversies and policy actions. From allegations of unauthorized presidential pardons and robust military interventions against terrorism, to fulfilling promises of historical transparency, the episode underscores the administration's commitment to accountability and national security. Through detailed discussions and direct quotes, Ben Ferguson offers listeners a thorough examination of these complex issues, ensuring that even those who haven't tuned in are well-informed on the latest developments.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Donald Trump on Pardons ([02:09]): "I would say that they're null."

• Caroline Levitt on Trump's Claims ([04:59]): "...the former President of the United States, who I think we can all finally agree was cognitively impaired."

• Donald Trump on Houthi Actions ([07:30]): "The Houthi attack on American Vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective."

• Donald Trump on JFK Files ([10:59]): "We are tomorrow announcing and giving all of the Kennedy files. So people have been waiting for decades for this."

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions from the episode, providing clarity on the major topics while maintaining engagement through structured sections and highlighted quotes.

Transcript

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[Donald Trump]

VGW Group void. We're prohibited by law 21/ terms and conditions apply. Well, we have done that with many. So you have 18 Secret Service. I would say if there are 18 with Hunter Biden, that will be something I look at this afternoon. Okay, sir, I just heard about it for the first time. So he's in South Africa. That's very interesting.

[Ben Ferguson]

You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.

Good Tuesday morning, Ben Ferguson with you. And welcome the 47 Morning Update. We've got three major stories for you. And first up, does the auto pin count with Joe Biden's name if he didn't actually even know that it was being used? That is a question that Donald Trump has asked about the pardons that he gave to many on his days when he was going out of office. And we have reason to believe that many of those pardons were not signed by the President's actual signature, but instead by the auto pen. Also, Donald Trump spent quite a few hours from last week to this week going after terrorists all over the Middle East. So what all did he accomplish? We'll explain that as well. And finally, President President Trump says that the JFK files will be released today. How many pages? I'll give that to you in a minute. It's the 47 Morning Update and it starts right now. Story number one, Donald Trump has made it very clear declaring that Biden's pardons of January 6th committee members are void vacant due to the auto pen apparently being used. This all started in a conversation on Marine One when a reporter asked a very simple question of the President about that auto pin. Listen, I would say that they're null.

[Donald Trump]

And war because I'm sure Biden didn't have any idea that it was taking place and somebody was using an auto pen to sign off and to give pardons to as an example, just one example, but the J6unselect committee, the they gave, think of it, they gave pardons with a notepad. I don't think Biden knew anything about it. And what they did is they deleted and destroyed all of the information that took them over a year to get. And the reason they did that is because the information was very incriminating about them. Like Nancy Pelosi, it was determined conclusively that she knew about 10,000 soldiers and turned it down. And if we used 500 soldiers, you would have had no problem, let alone 10,000. The young lady that said that I grabbed these powerful young secret service agents by the neck, okay, you know, that was a big hoax. It was a lie. And she admitted it. And they deleted everything. So, you know, they did as criminal.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, that wasn't all that the President had to say on this. He then put out a true social post that said, quote, the pardons that sleepy Joe Biden gave the unselect committee of political thugs and many others are hereby declared void, vacant and of no further force or effect because of the fact that they were done by auto penalty. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them. But more importantly, he did not know anything about them. The necessary parting documents were not explained to or approved by Biden. He knew nothing about them. And the people that did may have committed a crime. Therefore, those on the unselect committee who destroyed and deleted all evidence obtained during their two year witch Hunamy and many other innocent people should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level. President went on to say this, quote, the fact is they were probably responsible for the documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the worst president in the history of our country, crooked Joe Biden. Now, on Monday, during a White House press briefing, the White House press secretary, Caroline Levitt responded to a question from CNN's Kaitlan Collins regarding Trump's post on Sunday night in which he declared, the pardons are void, vacant and of no further force or effect because of the fact that they were done by the auto pen. Caroline Levitt said Trump was begging the question that I think a lot of journalists in this room should be asking about whether or not the former President of the United States, who I think we can all finally agree was cognitively impaired, quote, unquote.

[Caroline Levitt]

The President was begging the question that I think a lot of journalists in this room should be asking about whether or not the former President of the United States, who I think we can all finally agree was cognitively impaired. I know it took people some time to finally admit that, but we all know that to be true, as evidenced by his disastrous debate performance against President Trump during the campaign. I digress on that. But the president was raising the point that did the president even know about these pardons? Was his legal signature used without his consent or knowledge? And that's not just the president or me raising those questions, Caitlin. According to the New York Post, there are Biden officials from the previous White House who raised those questions and wondered if the president was even consulted about his legally binding signature being signed onto documents. And so I think it's a question that everybody in this room should be looking into because certainly that would propose perhaps criminal or illegal behavior if staff members were signing the president of the.

[Ben Ferguson]

United States autograph without criminal or legal procedures. It's very clear now this is going to be an issue the courts are going to have to deal with. And one that Donald Trump is happily raising the question, was there illegal activity with people signing Joe Biden's name without his knowledge or his consent?

Next story number two.

One of Donald Trump's promises from the campaign trail was to go after terrorists all over the world. Peace through strength, making sure that we strike first on those that are trying to do harm to Americans, our soldiers and American interests around the world. Well over the past week, Donald Trump has intensified his counterterrorism efforts both domestically and internationally. Here is a quick summary of just some of the things that the president has done. Airstrikes have been ordered starting on March 15, President Trump authorized large scale airstrikes targeting Iran back Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital. This action was in response to the Houthis threat to US Shipping assets in the Red Sea. The offensive aims to protect American interests and ensure navigational freedom in the region. Donald Trump putting it this way in his own words on true social Today I ordered the United States military to launch decisive and powerful military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence and terrorism against American and other ships, aircraft and drones. Joe Biden's response was pathetically weak. So the unrestrained Houthis just kept going. It has been over a year since a US Flag commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden. The last American warship to go through the Red Sea four months ago was attacked by the terrorist group over a dozen times. Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at US Aircraft and targeted our troops and allies. These relentless assaults have cost the US and the world economy many billions of dollars while at the same time putting innocent lives at risk. The Houthi attack on American Vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. The Houthis have choked off shipping and one of the most important waterways of the world, grinding vast swaths of global commerce to a halt and attacking the core principle of freedom and navigation upon which international trade and commerce depends. Our brave war fighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorist bases, their leaders and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air and naval assets and to restore navigational freedom. No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the waterways of the world. To all the Houthi Terrace, your time is up and your attacks must stop, starting today. If they don't, hell will rain down upon you like nothing you've ever seen before. President Trump went on to say to Iran, support for the Houthi terrorists must end immediately. Do not threaten the American people, their president, who has received one of the largest mandates in presidential history or worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, beware, because America will hold you fully accountable and we won't be nice about it. That is the President's clear message to the terrorists right now in the Middle East. Now, this message comes less than 24 hours after Trump also announced Friday night that the U.S. forces had killed the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq. The White House even released the footage of the airstrike on social media, making it clear that President Trump will go and terminate any terrorist leader anywhere he has to to keep Americans safe.

And here is story number three.

Transparency with our government is a core foundation of Donald Trump's second term in office. And that was one of his big promises from the campaign trail. Even the biggest secrets that we've never been able to actually know what really happened. One of those secrets deals with the JFK assassination. Well, President Trump has announced that his administration will Release today approximately 80,000 pages of previously classified documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. This is a major move towards transparency so that the American people, well, hopefully will have more trust in our federal government.

[Donald Trump]

We are tomorrow announcing and giving all of the Kennedy files. So people have been waiting for decades for this. And I've instructed my people that are responsible. Lots of different people put together by Tulsi Gabbard, and that's going to be released tomorrow.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, the decision to declassify these documents fulfills that promise. It is to provide greater transparency, the White House says, regarding the events surrounding Kennedy's assassination in 1963. During a visit to the Kennedy center in Washington, D.C. president Trump stated, I don't believe we are going to redact anything. Just don't redact. You can't redact. It's going to be very interesting, quote unquote. Now, in addition to the JFK files, the executive order signed by President Trump in January also mandates the release of records pertaining to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. The National Archives and Records Administration has been tasked with processing and digitizing these records for public access. Prior to the release, by the way, over 99% of the approximately 320,000 documents related to the JFK assassination had already been made public, but fewer than 4,700 files withheld in part or in full. In other words, anything they didn't want you to read, you didn't see. Well, Donald Trump now says get ready to sit down and start reading all of the information of the 80,000 pages. And you will be seeing that today.

Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now and for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.

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