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Senator Ted Cruz
Good Monday morning it is Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you. And Senator, we've got a lot to chat about, especially when it deals with what's happening with Israel and Iran.
Podcast Announcer
It is day five of Israel's war with Iran and the entire world is watching the with bated breath. Israel is scoring major victories, taking out senior Iranian military leadership, doing massive damage to Iran's nuclear facilities. We're going to break down exactly what has happened. We're going to talk also about the missiles that are flying back into Israel, about the Israeli civilians who are being wounded, who are being killed as a price for this war. We're going to talk about the risks that American servicemen and women are facing in the Middle east and the risk all of us are facing here at home of the potential for Iranian terrorism. And the question everyone is asking, what's next? Where does this go? More than once I've, I've, I've had teenagers at home ask, is this World War 3? The short answer is no. But we're going to break down why all of that on today's Verdict.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, it's a really important show. I want to also make sure you guys remember, hit that subscribe auto download button and share this podcast on your social media wherever you're listening right now. We've also had so many of you that have asked the question how can I help people in Israel? And we've been telling you about the international fellowship of Christians and Jews and the work they are doing is incredible. They are deploying bomb shelters as we speak to help keep people safe in Israel when things get bad, that is when they step up and protect families and loved ones. And if you want to get involved and stand with the people in Israel right now, you can do it by giving food and shelter to Jewish families that are under threat. As I said, they're building bomb shelters for children. They're helping survivors of the attacks that we're witnessing right now and they are doing it daily. Your gift of only $45 will help support life saving work by providing food, shelter and so much more. I was speaking with the CEO of IFCJ and she was talking about just how hard is for so many families in Israel right now and what they're doing on the ground and the bomb shelters that are needed. And, and she said very simply, if you can help stand with the people in Israel that are under attack, they are doing everything they can to support them and to give the bomb shelters that are needed. So step up and help right now if you can at all. 888-488-IFCJ. That's 888-488-4325. You can also give online@ifcj.org every dollar helps. Don't wait be the difference. Ifcj.org or 888-488-IFCj so, Senator, this started, as you mentioned, five days ago. And let's go back to what caused this to happen and remind people how we got here.
Podcast Announcer
Well, in many ways, I think this was inevitable. It is inevitable because the Ayatollah has set out a clear objective of acquiring a nuclear weapon. President Trump had given the Ayatollah a 60 day deadline, a 60 day deadline to cut a deal. And the deal that the President was demanding was complete dismantlement. I led a letter of 52 Republican senators saying, we agree with President Trump that the only acceptable outcome is complete and total dismantlement. Every Iranian centrifuge being dismantled. Why? Because the Iranians have proved that they are liars. And if they keep enriching uranium, they will use that to try to develop a nuclear weapon. And given that these are theocratic lunatics who chant death to America and death to Israel, I believe they want a nuclear weapon because they want the ability to use a nuclear weapon. And so on day 61, Iran announced we will not dismantle even a single centrifuge and we're going to build more. We're going to keep enriching, which was essentially a gigantic middle finger to President Trump. But it was also telling Israel, hey, hit us now because we're going to keep going until we get a nuke. And Israel did not need to be asked twice. This attack was launched on the 61st day, the day after the expiration of President Trump's deadline. And listen, what we've seen in the last five days has been a massive attack from Israel that is highly targeted. As of June 15, Israel had struck more than 720 military targets in Iran. These airstrikes are largely intelligence driven. They're precision strikes on infrastructure, on military leaders, on mobile military targets. And part of the reason Israel is able to do so is that Israel has almost complete dominance of the airspace because they've degraded Iran's air defenses. And so in the last five days, who have they taken out? Well, Israel has taken out Major General Hossein Salami, who was the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the irgc. They've taken out Major General Mohammed Bagheri, who was the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces. They've taken out Major General Gholam Ali Rashid, who was the head of the Katam Al Anbiya Central Headquarters. They've taken out Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC Air Force. They've taken out Ali Shamkhani, who's a close aide to the Supreme Leader and the former Iranian Navy Commander. They have taken out Amir Ali Hajid Adeh, commander of the IRGC airspace units, oversaw ballistic missiles. They've taken out Brigadier General Kosrav Hassani, the IRGC Intelligence airspace force Chief deputy. They've taken out Mohammed Mehdi Tarangi, who's a physicist and president of the Islamic Azad University in Tehran. And they've taken out Faradun Abbasi, former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. This is massive. This is decapitation of the senior military leaders in Iran. They've also had targeted strikes on bases. And we're going to go through that in a minute. But the effect of it, the leaders that Iran would turn to, to say, wage war against Israel, they're all taken out. And it was almost instantaneous. Now, the other thing that has the Iranians completely freaked out is the intel. Israel knew where each of those leaders were. They took them all out within hours of each other. I mean, it was almost instantaneous. Now, you gotta note the Iranian, their leaders were all sitting around in predictable places on the 61st day. They did not think Israel was going to act. That was a wrong prediction. And you combine that with massive degradation of the air defenses and multiple attacks on bases, nuclear facilities, and also missile launch sites. And Israel's opening salvos of this attack have been incredibly effective.
Senator Ted Cruz
You look at the effectiveness of this, and I do have to just say, honestly, wow, the intelligence work that they'd just been sitting on, as you mentioned, Israel, is truly mind blowing. But there's also, I think, a debt of gratitude the world owes Israel for stepping up and doing what needed to be done. Would you agree?
Podcast Announcer
Absolutely, yes. And listen, Iran wants a nuclear weapon. The Ayatollah refers to Israel as the Little Satan. He refers to America as the Great Satan. And I got to say, as an American, I think Americans should be grateful that Israel is taking out not just these leaders. And mind you, the IRGC are the same people who've taken out two different hits on President Trump, have hired assassins to try to murder President Trump. They've hired assassins to try to murder Trump's former Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo. They've hired assassins to try to murder Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton. And these nuclear weapons, it is a massive favor to the United States to take out the facilities. So, for example, the Natanz facility, which is the main uranium enrichment facility. The United nations nuclear chief, Rafael Grossi told the Security Council that the above ground section of the Natanz facility was totally destroyed. He said all the electrical infrastructure and emergency power generators were destroyed. And he said the section of the facility where uranium was enriched up to 60%, that was destroyed. Satellite imagery confirms that the pilot fuel enrichment plant was destroyed and buildings across the facility were damaged. There are also reports that electricity is down in the Tanza's lowers levels, which is where centrifuged centrifuges used to enrich uranium are stored. That was massively effective. And you know, one thing, I want to say so on Twitter. Look, most people, certainly people who are focused on protecting America's national security are celebrating what's happening here. But I will say there's some voices on Twitter who have decided that, that, that what America first means is that we retreat from the world and we don't actually stand up to our enemies. And I'm here to tell you, that is not America First. Listen, I am someone who is reluctant to put US Servicemen and women in harm's way. And by the way, President Trump is also in his first term. He did not invade foreign countries. Indeed, he ended two wars. But at the same time, it is worth remembering Donald Trump has never been an isolationist in his first term. Donald Trump inherited from Barack Obama. ISIS had a caliphate the size of the state of Indiana. And Trump utterly decimated that caliphate. He destroyed isis. Trump took out General Soleimani, the former head of the irgc, and he also took out Al Baghdadi. Trump's actions were never those of an isolationist. And I will say some of the folks who are throwing rocks, attacking the president, attacking the president and saying, President Trump is not America first because he's supporting Israel and standing up and stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons, I will say the President had an interview in the Atlantic where here's what he said. Quote, well, considering that I'm the one that developed America first, and considering that the term wasn't used until I came along, I think I'm the one that decides that for those people who say they want peace, you can't have peace if Iran has a nuclear weapon. So for all those wonderful people who don't Want to do anything about Iran having a nuclear weapon. That's not peace. I gotta say, I agree with President Trump. He is exactly right. And America first means peace through strength. And stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon keeps us out of war.
Senator Ted Cruz
How close do you think we really were? And that's one of the questions I've been asked. If I've been asked it once, it's 100 times to dealing with the real possibility of a nuclear Iran or an Iran that was willing to go after Israel the way that Israel has described it, it was way closer than it should have ever been.
Podcast Announcer
Well, that's right. And I'll tell you what, you should listen to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he explains what their intelligence showed here. Give a listen. You know, I just want to press you on the intel on the nuclear part. Less than two months ago, the new Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard testified on Capitol Hill saying that everything had been suspended since 2003 and had not restarted, that the nuclear program had not been restarted by the Iranians. So did something change from end of March until this week? Was the US intel wrong?
Benjamin Netanyahu
The intel we got and we shared with the United States was absolutely clear, was absolutely clear that they were working in a secret plan to weaponize the uranium. They were marching very quickly. They would achieve a test device and possibly an initial device within months and certainly less than a year. That was the intel we shared with the United States. I think we have excellent intel in Iran. I think we've proven that. And that is something that we couldn't possibly accept. Whether it would be 6 months or 12 months or 13 months is immaterial. Once they go that route, it's too late. And we will not have a second holocaust. A nuclear holocaust, we already had one in the previous century. The Jewish state is not going to have the holocaust made it on the Jewish people. It's not going to happen. Never again. Is now, and we have to act now.
Senator Ted Cruz
Senator, the idea of a nuclear holocaust the way that he just described it is one that I think everyone should just step back and really think about. And then there's the second aspect of this, which is if there's any foreign policy doctrine that has been very clear in the world, it is Iran saying that they want to destroy Israel from the river of the sea. Death to Israel. It is their foreign policy. It is clear they're not lying about it. Believe them when they say they want to annihilate Israel.
Podcast Announcer
Well. And look, the Ayatollah The Islamic revolution in Iran succeeded in 1979, and the Iranian regime since that time has been the number one state sponsor of terrorism in the world. The Ayatollah has paid for. Hamas provides. Iran provides over 90. 90% of the funding for Hamas, over 90% of the funding for Hezbollah. They fund terrorists who murder Israelis. They fund terrorists who murder Americans. General Soleimani, who Trump took out in the first term, was directly responsible for the murder of over 600American servicemen and women. And to give you a sense of the level of hatred from the Iranian radicals, and I want to draw a distinction between the theocratic zealots, that is the ayatollah and the mullahs versus the Iranian people. Look, the people of Iran. Before the revolution, Iran was a relatively secular country. They were an ally of America. They were, in many senses, pro America. And it was the radical jihadists that took it over, that twisted it, and they've been horrible to the people of Iran. And so I think there are a great many people in Iran who yearn to be free from these theocratic lunatics who've dominated the country and who engage in torture and murder and suppression of their own citizens. But the former. Here's an amazing fact. The former head of the Iranian nuclear program, who has some time ago gone to meet his maker and, many say at the hands of the Mossad, the Israeli intelligence services, he had written in his last will and testament that he wanted the following words written on his tombstone. Here lies a man who sought to annihilate Israel. Now, Ben, what kind of level of bilious hate do you have when the only thing you want to be remembered for is, I am a bigot and an anti Semite, and I want to murder as many Jews as possible, and that's the sum total of my life? And listen, this is where a lot of Democrats and a lot of folks who are. Who are isolationists, they say, well, what business is it of ours if Iran has a nuclear weapon? I believe if the Ayatollah had a nuclear weapon, the odds are unacceptably high that he would use that nuclear weapon. And I want to draw a contrast to North Korea. Look, Kim Jong Un, the dictator of North Korea, has a significant nuclear arsenal that was a result of catastrophic policy mistakes, most notably by Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton went to Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il, and said, hey, let's cut a deal with you. We'll flow tens of billions of dollars for you in exchange for you promising not to make nuclear weapons. And Kim Jong Il said, hey, great idea. I'll take your deal. And he took the tens of billions of dollars and he used them to develop nuclear weapons. And so now we've got a crackpot dictator on the Korean peninsula with nuclear weapons that periodically goes off and threatens to fire the nuclear weapons at America. You know, Trump famously calls, calls Kim Jong Un rocket man the one thing that is a very dangerous part of the world, because Kim Jong Un is megalomaniacal. He's unpredictable. But there is one thing we know, which is that he values staying in power. And he knows if, God forbid, he ever used a nuclear weapon that day, his regime would be over. So hopefully you can have some modicum of rational deterrence with Kim Jong Un. The problem with the Ayatollah is he is a threat theocratic zealot. He glories in death and suicide. And so the Ayatollah knows if he detonated a nuclear weapon, he knows that his regime would instantly fall, that massive Iranian deaths would result. The problem is if he was able to murder millions of Jews or millions of Americans, he just might be willing to take that trade. With religious zealotry, the ordinary cost benefit analysis does not work. And so I think if he had a nuclear weapon, we could find out for sure with a mushroom cloud over Tel Aviv or New York or Los Angeles.
Ryan Seacrest
You know what's great about your investment account with the big guys? It's actually a time machine. Log in and zoom. Welcome back to 1999. It's time for an upgrade. At public.com you can invest in almost everything. Stocks, bonds, options and more. You can even put your cash to work at an industry leading 4.1% APY. Leave your clunky, outdated platform behind. @Public.com Go to Public.com and fund your account in five minutes or less. Paid for by Public Investing, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. Full disclosures at public.com disclosures.
Senator Ted Cruz
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Travis Holloway
And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break.
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Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle, and relying on your community to create something bigger.
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Senator Ted Cruz
There's also another aspect of this. Iran is excellent at using terrorist organizations.
Podcast Announcer
Yes.
Senator Ted Cruz
Fund them. They, they give them weaponry, they train them. I mean, there are countless examples of Iran using extremist groups. If they also got this technology, there's. What's the guarantee they wouldn't hand it over to somebody like that?
Podcast Announcer
Yeah. And look, that's, that's the problem. Do they have a reliable ICBM that could carry a nuclear weapon from Iran to Manhattan? Probably not, although they're trying to develop them. They have an ICBM program. And it's worth noting, you do not need an ICBM to get to Israel from Iran. A ballistic missile is sufficient. An intercontinental ballistic missile is designed to travel much further. 100% of the reason Iran has an ICBM program is to carry a nuclear warhead to America. Israel is not the target of their ICBM's. America is. But, but I would note also they would not need an ICBM to do it if they could get it on a ship or a container and detonated in a port anywhere in America. Or I'll tell you one enormous risk. They could put it in a satellite that is orbiting over, say, the Eastern seaboard and detonate a nuclear weapon, which, which would set off an EMP and take down the electrical grid. I'll tell you, I've seen the projections. An EMP that took down the electrical grid could result in, over time, millions of deaths in America. That's the kind of vulnerability we're facing. And so my view, President Trump is exactly right when he says, that's not peace. We're not gonna find out what a world with an Iranian nuke is like. And I'll tell you, I spoke with President Trump this weekend and I told him I thought he was doing a fantastic job, and he was agreeing. He said, look, he gave Iran every option to avoid this and they didn't want to, they wouldn't take a deal, they wouldn't agree to give up their centrifuges. And I'll tell you what I told the President.
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, I gotta ask, you said you talked to him this weekend before this is, before enduring, this is all this is happening, correct?
Podcast Announcer
Yeah, no, no, I talked to him. You and I are talking right now. It is 12:25am Sunday night, Monday morning. I talked to him about 2:00 clock Sunday afternoon.
Senator Ted Cruz
All right, so you said that he said that he offered him a deal that's being just either just completely disregarded by the media are severely under reported that he was trying to get a deal done and they refused to do it.
Podcast Announcer
That's what the 60 day deadline was. He gave him 60 days to cut a deal and the deal had to be complete dismantlement. And they basically told him go jump in a lake, we don't want a deal, we want a nuclear weapon. And so, you know, Trump said, all right, and I will say there were some early reports from the administration that the administration didn't know anything about it. And Trump very quickly corrected that and said of course we do about it. Which is exactly right. And listen, asking where does this go from here? I don't see any outcome that results in American boots on the ground. I don't see any outcome that results in American soldiers fighting in Iran. What we're doing right now, we are assisting the Israelis, we're assisting the Israelis in intel, we're assisting the Israelis in surveillance. Israel is engaged in targeted military strikes within Iran. Iran is responding by firing a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel aimed at civilian targets. So they're landing missiles in Tel Aviv. And I will say in terms of escalation, I'm worried that we will see very significant casualties in Israel. I was speaking with a friend of mine this evening whose mom is in Jerusalem right now and he said his mom in five days has gotten very little sleep because every night at 2 or 3 in the morning the sirens go off and they have to rush to a bomb shelter. So he said she has not slept very much for five days because that's constantly happening. There is a real risk of there have already been significant casualties, but they could be much higher. And listen, the government of Israel knows that, but the casualties from these missile strikes are relatively small compared to the millions of Israelis who could die with an Iranian nuclear attack. And so that's why the government is acting to stop that. But I'll tell you what I also said to the President, I said thank you in particular for making absolutely clear to Iran the overwhelming consequences if they attack American servicemen and women.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah. That note that he put out there was very clear because he's saying, hey, we weren't involved in this, and we're going to state that clearly this was Israel doing their thing. But if you think for a moment that you can use this to justify attacking Americans anywhere in the world, there will be hell to pay if you do that.
Podcast Announcer
Yeah, look, I think if Iran carries out a significant strike on American servicemen and women, then I think America, if they think the bombs coming from Israel are bad, I think they will face massive retaliation. And then that's called deterrence. We want them not to strike our servicemen and women. And by the way, that's the difference between Joe Biden, who was so weak he couldn't deter anything. It helps that our enemies are afraid of the commander in chief. That's where actually, in the debates about foreign policy, those who argue for isolationism get it wrong. Because if you're so terrified to engage with your enemies that then you end up causing more war. I think Reagan was right. I think Trump is right that when you're strong, when you tell your enemies, if you attack and kill Americans, your military leaders are going to die, what happens is, most of the time they say, you know what, we're just not going to attack. And you end up avoiding war because. Because they're scared of the commander in chief.
Senator Ted Cruz
So where does this go from here? And this is where everybody's saying, hey, look, we want an off ramp. Right. Like that's something we do want. We want this. We want to protect lives. But at the same time, Israel is, I think, making it very clear we have no choice but to do this. And we're doing the world a huge service by doing it.
Podcast Announcer
Yeah. So the Israeli government is talking on a timeframe that this could last another week or two. They're engaged in massive bombings. And at some point, you know, at some point, the question is, how much ordinance do they have? How much capacity do they have to keep bombing, and how many targets do they have? You know, I will say also, one of the most significant sites is Fordow. Now, Fordow is a nuclear bunker that is built into the side of a mountain, and it's built deliberately to make it very difficult to strike, to carry out an airstrike. And it's where much of their nuclear research is being conducted. Now, there were reports on Sunday that Israel carried out a strike at Fordow, but at least based on publicly reported material. Israel does not have sufficiently effective bunker buster bombs to be able to take out the deep underground laboratories at Fordow. And so one of the open questions is, to the best of my knowledge, the only military that has those bombs is the United States. We have really big bunker busters that are made to take out deep, deep underground facilities like the Fordow nuclear facilities. And so one open question I have for a long time called for the United States to make those bunker busters available to Israel. I think taking out Fordow makes a lot of sense. I think if Israel does it, and by the way, I'll point out, look, Israel is a small country. Israel is about the size of the state of New Jersey. And they are fighting against our enemies. Our enemies who have pledged they want to murder us, and they're doing so at great risk to themselves. But. And so that is something to be grateful for. But understand, they're taking out Iran's nuclear capabilities is very, very good for America because it makes America safer. And I think if Israel finishes the job of taking out their nuclear capability, I think this, these attacks likely end within the next couple of weeks.
Senator Ted Cruz
You look at Donald Trump saying, we can probably get a deal done is that after we accomplish the mission, if you're reading between the lines here, I mean, you've spoken with them, is this, hey, we gotta allow our ally Israel to do what they need to do in that timeframe as well.
Podcast Announcer
So, listen, I'm skeptical that Iran will ever, ever cut a real deal. I don't think you could negotiate with crazy. And I think these people are crazy. And so I think one of the things that would enhance American security massively is to see the Ayatollah fall and to see the mullahs lose power, to see different leadership come to Iran. I think that would make Israel much safer. I think that would make America much safer, and I think that would make the Iranian people better off. Now, let me be clear. I'm not advocating that we send in a bunch of American soldiers to make that happen. I am advocating that we use maximum pressure and economic sanctions to pressure the regime to, in a way that might encourage this regime to fall. Because I think that they have demonstrated that they are homicidal and murderously directing their urges towards killing Americans. And so removing people from power who are trying to kill Americans makes America safer.
Senator Ted Cruz
Let me also go back to something you mentioned earlier, and this seems to clearly be part of Israel's strategy, which is you go after and take out people that are, in essence, holding down the people and silencing the people in Iran in the leadership roles, that's part of who they seem to be going after. That could be huge for allowing what you just described to actually happen a revolution within Israel, or I should say, within Iran.
Podcast Announcer
Well, and listen, one of the conscious choices it appears that Israel made was not to target the Ayatollah himself. And I don't have. I have no classified information on this, by the way.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, why is that, out of curiosity?
Podcast Announcer
So I don't know for sure. I have no classified information on this, but I can give an educated guess, which is that taking out the leader of a country through military forces is a significant step. Now, mind you, the Ayatollah is perfectly fine hiring hitmen to try to murder Donald Trump. So the Ayatollah has no problem doing it. And I have no doubt that if the Ayatollah could. Could murder Prime Minister Netanyahu, he would do so in the blink of an eye. He has not been able to do so. But I think the Israelis, given their success in taking out everyone else, I think it's reasonable to assume that they would have had a real prospect of taking the Ayatollah out had they chosen to do so. My guess is that they made a decision that taking out the leader of the country could backfire. And especially given that he is also a religious leader and you run into a danger of potentially making him a martyr. And it is not clear if you toppled him in those circumstances, you might get a younger, theocratic lunatic take over instead. And so I think it is a reasonable decision for Israel to say, rather than target the Ayatollah directly, let's take out every one of their top military officers that they would use to prosecute a war. And by the way, those are the same people they use to push down an uprising, to oppress their people and so degrading their capabilities. It's what they've done with Hezbollah. They've taken out their top leadership. It's what they've done. It's what they've done with Hamas. And I'll tell you, on Saturday, Israel conducted a strike in Yemen, killing the Houthi chief of staff, Mohammed Abdul Karim Al Gamari, who was responsible for overseeing Houthi military operations and directing the procurement and deployment of a number of weapon systems. For them. The Houthis are another arm of Iran. And so what Israel has done is weakened Iran on every front. And that oppressive infrastructure, their ability to wage war, their ability to kill Israelis, their ability to kill Americans Their ability to fund terrorism and their ability to, to suppress their people, all of those are substantially weakened. That's a very good thing.
Senator Ted Cruz
Final question for you on this is as we move forward through this week, I think it's pretty obvious the media is obsessed with Donald Trump somehow not standing with Israel or trying to drive a wedge. Do you think there's any chance at all that can happen? Because in the, in the early questions, it was almost like, you guys are idiots. Come on.
Podcast Announcer
I think President Trump has been the strongest pro Israel president in the history of America. It's an exact contrast with Joe Biden. Joe Biden was the most anti Israel president in the history of America. The fact that they occurred back and back. You want to talk about whiplash? You'll recall we did this podcast when Bibi came to Washington and I met with him for about two hours. He is a good friend. I have not spoken to Bibi since this war broke out, although I did speak with the Israeli ambassador to the United States on Thursday night, the night the war began. And listen, their successes are significant, but they have the complete backing of the Trump administration and that is important. I do think there are some voices within the administration that are pressing back. And part of the reason I talked to President Trump today was to say what you're doing is exactly right. You're making America safer by allowing Israel to take out Iran's nukes and you're also protecting American servicemen and women. Keep doing it. And he agreed emphatically.
Senator Ted Cruz
Don't forget, we do this show Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Hit that subscribe or auto download button so you do not miss an episode as we take you behind the scenes, even these conversations with President Trump as well. So make sure you do that. Please share this podcast on social media as well. And also you can now listen to the show on YouTube. So make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel and the center. I will see you back here on Wednesday morning.
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Verdict with Ted Cruz: Day 5 at War – Israel Wins Major Victories over Iran, but Serious Risks Remain
Release Date: June 16, 2025
In this pivotal fifth episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz," host Senator Ted Cruz and co-host Ben Ferguson delve deep into the unfolding conflict between Israel and Iran. As the war enters its fifth day, Israel reports significant military successes against Iran, targeting high-ranking officials and critical infrastructure. However, these victories come with substantial risks and raise pressing questions about regional stability and global security.
[02:38] Senator Ted Cruz:
"Good Monday morning it is Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you. And Senator, we've got a lot to chat about, especially when it deals with what's happening with Israel and Iran."
The episode kicks off with Senator Cruz outlining the current state of the Israel-Iran conflict. Israel has launched a series of targeted strikes against Iranian military leadership and nuclear facilities, marking a decisive escalation in the region's tensions.
[05:41] Podcast Announcer:
"The attack was launched on the 61st day, the day after the expiration of President Trump's deadline. And listen, what we've seen in the last five days has been a massive attack from Israel that is highly targeted... Israel has taken out Major General Hossein Salami... They've taken out Mohammed Mehdi Tarangi... This is decapitation of the senior military leaders in Iran."
Israel's military campaign has focused on eliminating key figures within Iran's armed forces and disrupting its nuclear capabilities. Over 720 military targets have been struck, including high-profile generals and scientists crucial to Iran's nuclear program. This strategy aims to cripple Iran's ability to wage war and advance its nuclear ambitions.
[10:03] Senator Ted Cruz:
"You look at the effectiveness of this, and I do have to just say, honestly, wow, the intelligence work that they'd just been sitting on, as you mentioned, Israel, is truly mind blowing. But there's also, I think, a debt of gratitude the world owes Israel for stepping up and doing what needed to be done. Would you agree?"
Senator Cruz commends Israel's precise intelligence and execution, highlighting the rapid and effective elimination of Iran's military leadership. This precision minimizes collateral damage while maximizing operational impact, showcasing Israel's formidable defense capabilities.
[10:26] Podcast Announcer:
"The Natanz facility... totally destroyed... the section where uranium was enriched up to 60%, that was destroyed."
The destruction of the Natanz nuclear facility represents a significant blow to Iran's ability to produce enriched uranium, a critical component for nuclear weapons. This action not only hinders Iran's nuclear progression but also sends a stark warning to other nations contemplating similar pursuits.
[14:18] Podcast Announcer:
"Benjamin Netanyahu explained that Iran was working on a secret plan to weaponize uranium... once they go that route, it's too late. And we will not have a second holocaust."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed the existential threat posed by Iran's nuclear ambitions. He underscored the necessity of preemptive action to prevent Iran from achieving a nuclear-armed status, which he equates to averting potential mass destruction akin to the Holocaust.
[14:52] Benjamin Netanyahu:
"The intel we got and we shared with the United States was absolutely clear... they were working in a secret plan to weaponize the uranium."
Netanyahu emphasized the reliability of the intelligence shared with the U.S., asserting that Iran's intentions to develop nuclear weapons were unmistakable and imminent, leaving no room for negotiation or delay.
[20:58] Ryan Seacrest (Advertisement): (Skipped as per instructions)
[27:19] Senator Ted Cruz:
"I spoke with President Trump this weekend and I told him I thought he was doing a fantastic job... he agreed emphatically."
Senator Cruz highlights President Trump's steadfast support for Israel's actions, praising his administration's firm stance against Iran's nuclear and military threats. This collaboration underscores the United States' commitment to bolstering its allies and maintaining regional stability.
[29:55] Senator Ted Cruz:
"If Iran attacks American servicemen and women, there will be hell to pay."
Reiterating the administration's position, Cruz warns of severe repercussions should Iran escalate the conflict by targeting U.S. military personnel, emphasizing deterrence as a key strategy to prevent further aggression.
[25:35] Podcast Announcer:
"An EMP that took down the electrical grid could result in, over time, millions of deaths in America. That's the kind of vulnerability we're facing."
The discussion shifts to the potential catastrophic consequences of Iran acquiring and deploying nuclear weapons. An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack could cripple critical infrastructure, leading to widespread chaos and loss of life.
[35:33] Podcast Announcer:
"Iran is excellent at using terrorist organizations. They fund them, give them weaponry, and train them. There's nothing to stop them from handing over nuclear technology to such groups."
The alliance between Iran and various terrorist organizations heightens the risk of nuclear proliferation, where extremist groups could gain access to nuclear materials, further endangering global security.
[38:26] Podcast Announcer:
"Israel is engaged in massive bombings... I think if Israel finishes the job of taking out their nuclear capability, I think this, these attacks likely end within the next couple of weeks."
Looking ahead, the podcast discusses the possibility of Israel successfully dismantling Iran's nuclear infrastructure, potentially bringing the conflict to a close. However, the timeline remains uncertain, and the situation's volatility keeps global observers on edge.
[35:44] Senator Ted Cruz:
"Why is that, out of curiosity?"
In response to a question about why Israel hasn't targeted the Ayatollah himself, Cruz explores strategic decisions aimed at minimizing backlash and avoiding martyrdom of Iran's top religious leader, instead focusing on military and scientific targets to undermine Iran's war potential.
[39:37] Senator Ted Cruz:
"I'm skeptical that Iran will ever, ever cut a real deal. I don't think you could negotiate with crazy."
Senator Cruz expresses doubt about the feasibility of diplomatic negotiations with Iran under the current regime, advocating for continued pressure and support for Israel as the most viable path to ensuring regional and global security.
[40:10] Ryan Seacrest (Advertisement): (Skipped as per instructions)
Israel's Military Success: Precise intelligence and strategic strikes have significantly weakened Iran's military leadership and nuclear capabilities.
Iran's Nuclear Threat: Persistent efforts by Iran to develop nuclear weapons pose severe risks, including potential use by extremist groups.
U.S. Support: The Trump administration's robust support for Israel underscores the U.S.'s commitment to allied security and countering Iranian aggression.
Escalation Risks: The conflict holds the potential for broader regional instability and catastrophic consequences if nuclear weapons are deployed.
Future Prospects: Continued support for Israel and strategic pressure on Iran are deemed essential for preventing further escalation and ensuring long-term peace.
For those seeking a comprehensive understanding of the Israel-Iran conflict and its broader implications, this episode offers an in-depth analysis backed by firsthand insights from Senator Ted Cruz and expert commentary.