Podcast Summary: “DEMS Let 18K Terrorists into America plus Trump Leads on AI & Moving to Designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Terrorist Organization”

Podcast: Verdict with Ted Cruz
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz & Ben Ferguson
Date: December 12, 2025
Episode Theme:
A deep dive into three critical issues affecting U.S. security and global leadership:

1. The influx of 18,000 known and suspected terrorists into America under Biden Administration border policies,
2. President Trump’s new executive order to centralize AI regulation and secure America’s dominance in artificial intelligence,
3. Senator Cruz’s ongoing legislative push to designate the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates as terrorist organizations.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. National Security Crisis: 18,000 Terrorists Entered the U.S. (03:05 – 21:27)

Background

• Recent testimony and warnings from Trump Administration and National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) Director Joe Kent highlight 18,000 known/suspected terrorists now in the U.S., largely attributed to Biden-era border and immigration policy.

Key Details

• Joe Kent (NCTC):
  • Reported at a House committee hearing that "NCTC has identified around 18,000 known and suspected terrorists that the Biden administration let come into our country." (07:15)
  • Many entered as part of the "Allies Welcome" Afghan resettlement; 2,000 Afghans from that group are tied to terrorism. (07:15)
  • Central Asian smuggling networks brought in thousands more; ICE now struggling to track hundreds of MS-13, Trender, Aragua, Sinalota cartel members.
• Senator Ted Cruz:
  • “The threat that poses to national security, the threat that poses to our families…” (03:53)
  • “The Trump administration is now telling US that is 18,000 people who we believe are likely terrorists. That is dangerous.” (16:22)
• Specific Incidents Cited:
  • An Afghan terrorist admitted under expedited vetting killed a National Guard member before Thanksgiving.
  • Other incidents: Attempted suicide bombing, pipe bomb plots, infiltration by a self-described Hamas operative.
• Policy Critique:
  • Cruz faults the Biden Administration’s “open border” policy, emphasizing the risk posed by ‘gotaways’—the 2 million illegal entrants who evaded Border Patrol and are more likely to be criminals or terrorists. (15:46)
  • Both hosts express frustration at mainstream media ignoring the scale and urgency of these warnings.

Notable Quotes

• Joe Kent (NCTC Director, 14:34):

  “We just recently put out a warning… of the heightened risk of terrorist attacks posed to the homeland by terrorists pretty much of all stripes, but in particular from ISIS and from Al Qaeda.”

• Ted Cruz (16:22):

  “That 2 million that are got always is the most concerning population… Biden and the Democrats did not care at all. They literally imported 2 million potential criminals into this country.”

• Ben Ferguson (19:42):

  “This wasn’t an accident. This was done deliberately… They knew was a problem and they knew the problem was getting bigger and bigger and they didn’t care what happened to average Americans.”

2. AI Competition: Trump’s Executive Order and the U.S.–China Tech Race (21:27 – 32:52)

Framing the Issue

• Race between U.S. and China to lead artificial intelligence technology; winner’s values will define the global standard.
• President Trump’s new executive order creates a centralized federal standard for AI, to prevent regulatory "death by 50 states" and ensure U.S. industry competitiveness.

Key Details

• Senator Ted Cruz:
  • “The single most important economic battle we have in this country right now is the race for AI… does America win or does China win?” (23:20)
  • Centralizing approval avoids contradictory, burdensome state rules that could cripple U.S. AI companies, an approach mirroring the Internet regulatory model of the 1990s. (23:20, 27:44)
  • Warns that if China wins, AI will be used for “surveillance and control and propaganda,” whereas a U.S. victory means “free speech and free enterprise and individual rights.”
• Donald Trump (24:54):
  • Defends the common-sense need for a “single source of approval” for AI projects:

    “If they had to get 50 different approvals from 50 different states, you could forget it, because it’s not possible to do.” (24:54)

• Impact on Jobs and Economy:
  • Both hosts stress the massive job creation potential and the risk of economic stagnation if China wins.

Notable Quotes

• Ted Cruz (29:21):

  “This is the single most important economic question in the country and in the world. Who wins the race for AI?”

• Donald Trump (24:54):

  “There’s only going to be one winner here… that’s probably going to be the US or China. And right now we’re winning by a lot.”

• Ted Cruz (31:40):

  “We should be the party of jobs… AI is going to create millions of jobs. And the simple question we ought to ask is, who do we want to win?”

3. The Muslim Brotherhood: Push to Designate as Terrorist Organization (32:52 – 42:40)

Legislative Battle

• Senator Cruz highlights his decade-long campaign to designate the Muslim Brotherhood, and now its most clearly violent affiliates, as terrorist organizations.
• Past attempts were weakened by arguments over the “global” label and lack of evidence against certain international affiliates.
• The Trump administration is now moving in line with Cruz’s “bottom up” approach—targeting affiliates like Hamas with clear evidence of terrorism, then the overarching organization for its support.

Key Details

• Muslim Brotherhood’s Threat:
  • Cruz: “The Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization. It is one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations on the planet.” (35:10)
  • Points out that U.S. allies (Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kenya) have already designated it as a terrorist group.
• Bipartisan Congressional Support:
  • Cruz’s new bill—The Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act—has bipartisan backing but faced dilution in the House.
  • Strong assertion of Congress’s role in foreign policy and terrorism sanctions.
• State Department Testimony:
  • State Dept. official says, “I will faithfully execute [such legislation] if I am confirmed,” supporting Congress’s authority to direct such action (39:40).
  • Discusses diplomatic strategies for encouraging other countries to follow suit.

Notable Quotes

• Ted Cruz (35:10):

  “I have been fighting for literally 10 years for the United States to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.”

• State Department Official (39:40):

  “I fully respect Congress’s Article 1 authority... including with respect to foreign terror organization designations or other types of designations.”

• Ted Cruz, On U.S. Allies (40:01):

  “Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kenya—they have all already designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. These are our allies and partners…”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ben Ferguson, On Media Silence (15:20):

  “I don’t know why the national news is not covering this… This is now being said and I still haven’t seen this on the news anywhere.”

• Ted Cruz, On AI (28:31):

  “If there were a button in front of me right now to destroy every cell phone in the world, I’d push that button because I think cell phones are a portal… to every evil force in the world at our kids—but we don’t live in that world. AI is here. It is coming.”

• Senator Cruz, On Republican Reluctance (41:48):

  “We need to be clear eyed about the threats to America. The Muslim Brotherhood is a radical jihadist global terror network… some Republicans that are nervous about this, but Donald Trump is not. And his designation was historic.”

Important Timestamps

• 03:05 – 21:27: Discussion on reported entry of 18,000 known/suspected terrorists under Biden, direct quotes from NCTC’s Joe Kent, specific cases and policy failures.
• 21:27 – 32:52: U.S.–China AI tech race, Trump’s executive order, economic/security stakes, direct quotes from Trump, Cruz, and context.
• 32:52 – 42:40: Muslim Brotherhood terrorist designation push, legislative pitfalls, State Dept. testimony, Cruz’s strategy, and international context.

Tone and Style

• Direct, urgent, and combative—Cruz and Ferguson adopt a tone of frustrated urgency, calling out what they see as media neglect and political failures.
• Strong use of statistics, government testimony, and real-world incidents to build the case for policy change.
• Encouragement for listeners to get involved: contact Congress, stay informed, and share the podcast.

Summary Takeaway

This episode delivers a forceful, information-heavy critique of the Biden Administration’s border and security policies, positions the Trump Administration as proactive on national security and AI, and champions legislative action against Islamist terrorist networks. Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson blend alarming facts, expert testimony, and grassroots calls to action to mobilize their audience around the intertwined themes of national security, technological leadership, and legislative vigilance.