Podcast Summary: Verdict with Ted Cruz

Episode: Cartels Now Terrorist Targets, Texas Pushes Back Against Blue Hypocrisy & Search Engine or Election Engine? Week In Review

Date: August 16, 2025
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz & Ben Ferguson

Overview

This "Week in Review" episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz dives into three big stories:

1. President Trump's bold military stance against drug cartels by designating them as terrorist organizations;
2. The fierce debate over gerrymandering and Democratic hypocrisy exposed during Texas redistricting;
3. Accusations of political bias by Google in manipulating search results and fundraising emails around elections.

Throughout the episode, Cruz and Ferguson offer strong conservative commentary, tracing connections between current events and larger themes of political power, media bias, and the preservation of American liberties.

1. Military Action Against Cartels: Terrorist Designation

(Begins ~00:35)

Discussion Highlights

• Presidential authorization: Trump orders the military to target Latin American drug cartels designated as terrorist organizations.

  • Cruz reads from the New York Post:

    “President Trump has secretly authorized the military to use force against Latin American drug cartels classified as foreign terrorist organizations... The President is determined to not just dismantle but completely destroy Maduro’s Cartel de los Solis and to obliterate their operations in the Western hemisphere.” (Sen. Ted Cruz, 02:52)

  • The designation includes Venezuelan and Salvadoran groups such as Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).

• Media and Democratic criticism:

  • Critics argue this is equivalent to "sanctioning World War Three" or declaring war on Mexico.
  • Ferguson rebuts:

    “If we attack the cartels or terrorist organizations, that’s not an attack on Mexico.” (Ben Ferguson, 04:51)

• Historical precedent & U.S. interests:

  • Cruz recalls U.S. success with "Plan Colombia":

    “Our military knows how to do this. There’s clear precedent... Plan Colombia sent the military in and just decimated the cartels.” (Sen. Ted Cruz, 05:29)

• Legal & foreign relations nuance:

  • Some nations may welcome U.S. assistance; others may object, complicating military intervention.

Notable Quotes

• Sen. Ted Cruz:

  “If you’re a Mexican drug lord... sleep with one eye open, because a Predator drone is really good at making things go boom in the night.” (06:57)

2. Gerrymandering: Redistricting Battles & Democratic Hypocrisy

(Begins ~07:47)

Key Points

• National attention on Texas redistricting:

  • Democrats accuse Republicans of undermining democracy, but similar practices exist in Democratic-led states.

• Exposing blue-state gerrymandering:

  • Cruz and Ferguson play national media clips calling out IL Governor Pritzker and NY Governor Hochul for their own gerrymandering:

    “Every major group that grades fairness of congressional maps gives your state an F...” (NBC clip, 08:54) “So fair to say Democrats have done what they’re now accusing Republicans of doing? No, we followed the rules.” (Fox clip, 12:01)

• Comparing numbers:

  • Illinois: 54% Democratic vote → 82% Democratic congressional seats
  • Texas: 56% Republican vote → 63% Republican congressional seats (expected to increase with redistricting, but still not as skewed as blue states) (Sen. Ted Cruz, 09:56, 10:34)

• Motivation and power dynamics:

  • Cruz frames Democratic criticism as power-driven, not about protecting democracy.

    “In their view, anytime you hear a Democrat use the words ‘assault on democracy,’ what they really mean is electing Republicans.” (Sen. Ted Cruz, 11:53)

  • Democrats, according to Cruz, are comfortable locking out opposition in blue states, but decry fairer practices elsewhere.

• Beto O’Rourke’s candor:

  • Clip features Beto urging Democrats to “punch first... to maximize Democratic party advantage":

    “There are no refs in this game. We’re going to win whatever it takes.” (Beto O’Rourke clip, 17:04)

Memorable Moments

• Banter:

  • “How do you know that a Democrat is lying?”
    “They start talking about democracy at stake.”
    “His lips are moving.” (Cruz & Ferguson, 09:49–09:56)

• Cruz's assessment:

  “Today’s Democrat party... is about power. Nothing else matters. Democracy doesn’t matter. The will of the voters doesn’t matter.” (Sen. Ted Cruz, 17:18)

3. Google Bias: Search Engines or Election Engines?

(Begins ~18:35)

Main Themes

• Accusations of tech bias:

  • Google alleged to flag Republican fundraising emails as spam while allowing Democratic emails through.
  • Ferguson:

    “It is another bombshell... the same email, same wording—one with a link to a conservative group went to spam, but if it had a link to a hardcore lefty group, it went straight to the top.” (Ben Ferguson, 18:35)

• Cruz on Google’s political involvement:

  • “Big tech censorship and bias poses the single greatest threat... to free speech in America and the single greatest threat we have to free and fair elections in America.” (Sen. Ted Cruz, 19:26)
  • Cruz details testimony before Senate, referencing Dr. Robert Epstein’s research:

    “Google skewed search results and moved millions of votes from Donald Trump to Hillary Clinton.” (Sen. Ted Cruz, 21:08)

• Campaign contributions:

  • Google (Alphabet) was Hillary Clinton’s largest campaign donor in 2016. (Sen. Ted Cruz, 20:21)

• Implications:

  • Ongoing lawsuit and public concern, but alleged bias persists despite scrutiny.

4. Viral Incident: DOJ Employee Assaults Law Enforcement (“Sandwich Gate”)

(Begins ~22:19)

Recap

• Incident details:

  • DOJ employee in DC throws a Subway sandwich at a Customs and Border Patrol agent during a heated protest.
  • Cruz:

    “This pink polo clad jumping up and down nutcase... throws as hard as he can the Subway sandwich into the chest of the federal law enforcement officer.” (Sen. Ted Cruz, 25:52)

• Trump Administration reaction:

  • Under Trump, such behavior is prosecuted—as opposed to perceived leniency under Biden or Obama.
  • Ferguson and Cruz express satisfaction at law enforcement being defended.

• Tone and humor:

  • Cruz jokes about the absurdity of the scenario and quotes Jeanine Pirro:

    “He may have to stick that sandwich somewhere else instead.” (Cruz quoting Pirro, 26:44)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Cartels Declared Terrorist Targets: 00:35 – 07:47
• Democratic Gerrymandering Hypocrisy: 07:47 – 18:35
• Google & Big Tech Election Bias: 18:35 – 22:19
• DOJ Employee Assaults Officer (Sandwich Gate): 22:19 – 27:06

Conclusion / Takeaways

• The Trump administration’s approach to drug cartels marks a stark shift to military options, drawing historical parallels and current controversy.
• Redistricting and representation battles reveal both parties engage in self-serving gerrymandering, but Cruz argues Democrats lack the moral high ground and operate via hypocrisy.
• Big Tech, particularly Google, is painted as a significant actor in undermining conservative political efforts and fair elections, raising alarms about digital censorship.
• The DOJ employee incident serves as a microcosm of escalating partisan tensions and the Trump administration’s law-and-order platform.

Notable Quote:

“If you’re a party whose entire platform is wildly unpopular... the only way you can implement your crazy ideology is through brute force and power.”
—Sen. Ted Cruz (17:18)

The episode is combative, partisan, and pointed—offering listeners a behind-the-curtain Republican perspective on the week's biggest political flashpoints.