Verdict with Ted Cruz: Final Six Victories in the 1BBB, Cartels Outpace U.S. Law Enforcement in the Skies & Gabbard Drops the Receipts Week In Review

Release Date: July 26, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson
Guest: Senator Ted Cruz
Podcast Network: Premiere Networks

Introduction

In the July 26, 2025 episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz," hosted by Ben Ferguson and Senator Ted Cruz, the duo delves into three pivotal stories shaping the political landscape. The episode emphasizes significant legislative victories, emerging national security threats from drone technology, and a groundbreaking report alleging misconduct by the Obama administration.

1. Final Six Victories in the One Big Beautiful Bill (1BBB)

Senator Ted Cruz highlights six crucial conservative triumphs embedded within the expansive "One Big Beautiful Bill" (1BBB), aimed at advancing various policy areas and countering Democratic initiatives.

a. Spectrum Auction Authority

• Timestamp: [01:46] - [03:20]
• Key Points:
  • Definition: Spectrum refers to the electromagnetic range used for all wireless communications, including cell phones, Wi-Fi, satellites, and streaming.
  • Issue Addressed: Under President Biden, the U.S. government halted new spectrum auctions, favoring governmental control over private sector investment, inadvertently allowing China to gain technological supremacy.
  • Cruz's Legislation: Directed the federal government to auction 800 MHz of spectrum to the private sector.
  • Benefits:
    • Revenue Generation: Expected to bring in over $100 billion to the federal government.
    • Job Creation: Anticipated creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs.
    • Technological Advancement: Aimed to outpace China in developing 6G technology.
• Notable Quote:
  • "President Trump is so excited about this one big beautiful bill, because it is massive, massive victories for America." – Ted Cruz [01:07]

b. Modernizing Air Traffic Control

• Timestamp: [03:20] - [05:52]
• Key Points:
  • Investment: Allocated $12.5 billion to update outdated air traffic control systems.
  • Safety Enhancements: Replacing obsolete radars and computer systems to enhance flight safety.
• Notable Quote:
  • "To keep your family safer when you fly. To keep my family safer when we fly." – Ted Cruz [04:30]

c. Space Investment

• Timestamp: [05:52] - [07:17]
• Key Points:
  • Funding: Allocated $10 billion to NASA for the Artemis and Gateway programs.
  • Objective: To establish a sustained human presence on the Moon and eventually Mars, ensuring the U.S. does not cede celestial high ground to China.
  • Strategic Importance: The Moon's strategic value for national security and economic benefits from rare earth minerals.
• Notable Quote:
  • "If we lose the moon to China, it would be a catastrophic loss." – Ted Cruz [06:45]

d. CAFE Standards Repeal

• Timestamp: [07:17] - [09:47]
• Key Points:
  • Issue Addressed: Biden administration's increasing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards aimed at phasing out internal combustion engines in favor of electric vehicles.
  • Legislative Action: Completely abolished existing CAFE standards.
  • Impacts:
    • Cost Reduction: Potential decrease in vehicle prices.
    • Safety Improvement: Return to sturdier steel vehicles, enhancing crash safety.
• Notable Quote:
  • "They’re gone. So it’s actually... a great American car again, made of steel, tough as hell." – Ted Cruz [08:07]

e. School Choice

• Timestamp: [09:47] - [13:16]
• Key Points:
  • Legislation: Passed the largest federal school choice bill in U.S. history.
  • Mechanism: Allows taxpayers to contribute up to $1,700 annually to scholarship organizations with dollar-for-dollar tax credits.
  • Long-term Vision: Empowering parents and children with educational opportunities, potentially transforming blue states into red through enhanced education choices.
• Notable Quote:
  • "These are victories, generational victories." – Ted Cruz [12:45]

f. Trump Accounts - Invest America Accounts

• Timestamp: [13:16] - [31:15]
• Key Points:
  • Initiative: Establishment of personal investment accounts for every child in America.
  • Features:
    • Seeding: Each newborn receives $1,000.
    • Contributions: Parents and employers can add up to $5,000 annually.
    • Investment: Funds are invested in the S&P 500, fostering long-term wealth accumulation.
  • Impact: Aims to create a financially empowered generation with substantial investments in the American economy.
• Notable Quote:
  • "The wealth creation for the next generation of Americans will be utterly transformative." – Ted Cruz [11:30]

2. Cartels Outpacing U.S. Law Enforcement in the Skies

The discussion shifts to the escalating threat posed by drone technology in the hands of criminal organizations, particularly cartels, and its implications for national security.

a. Current Threat Landscape

• Timestamp: [14:48] - [20:54]
• Key Points:
  • Cartel Operations: Utilization of advanced drones for smuggling fentanyl, coordinating illegal border crossings, and jamming U.S. surveillance.
  • Global Implications: Drones are altering modern warfare and increasing casualties, as seen in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
  • Comparison: Cartels now possess more drone capabilities than U.S. law enforcement agencies.

b. Legislative Gaps and Challenges

• Authority Limitations: Current laws severely restrict federal and even more so state/local law enforcement from intercepting or disabling drones.
• Potential Threats: Includes assassination attempts using drones, attacks on commercial aviation, and large-scale terrorist activities.

c. Call for Legislative Action

• Senator Cruz’s Advocacy:
  • Emphasizes the need for new legislation granting law enforcement the authority to neutralize drone threats effectively.
  • Highlights the asymmetric nature of drone warfare, enabling low-cost drones to challenge high-value military assets.
• Bipartisan Potential:
  • Cruz expresses hope for cross-party collaboration, stressing that drone threats transcend political divisions.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "Cartels today have more drone capability than American law enforcement." – Ted Cruz [16:53]
  • "This ought to be an issue that brings us all together as before." – Ted Cruz [20:29]

3. Gabbard Drops the Receipts: Bombshell Report on Obama Administration

The episode culminates with an explosive report unveiled by Tulsi Gabbard, accusing the Obama administration of orchestrating a false narrative regarding Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

a. Timeline of Events

• Timestamp: [21:25] - [33:30]
• Key Points:
  • Initial Assessment (August-September 2016): Intelligence indicated no Russian intent to manipulate the vote count.
  • Change in Narrative (December 2016): Key Obama administration officials, including James Clapper and Susan Rice, reversed their stance, attributing election interference to Russia without substantial evidence.
  • Orchestrated Lies: The administration actively disseminated false intelligence, manufacturing a narrative to undermine President Trump’s legitimacy.

b. Tulsi Gabbard’s Disclosure

• Statement Highlights:
  • Integrity of Democracy: Emphasizes the threat posed by the manufactured intelligence reports to the democratic process.
  • Conspiracy Elements: Accusations extend to deep state actors and media collaborators who promoted the false narrative.
  • Implications: Suggests a targeted coup against President Trump’s administration orchestrated through deceit and manipulation.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "This episode is a clarion call for vigilance and action against a threat to the very foundations of our democratic system." – Ted Cruz [23:29]
  • "They conspired to subvert the will of the American people who elected Donald Trump." – Ted Cruz [27:17]

c. Legal Ramifications and Investigations

• Formation of a Strike Force:
  • Initiative: Attorney General Pam Bondi has established a strike force to investigate Gabbard’s disclosures.
  • Targets: Senior Obama administration officials, including James Clapper, Susan Rice, John Kerry, and Andrew McCabe.
• Potential Charges:
  • Perjury and Fraud: Citing 18 USC §1621 and §1001, Cruz outlines possible charges for those who knowingly provided false statements.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "The people who are most likely to face criminal liability are those senior members of the Obama intelligence community." – Ted Cruz [30:57]

Conclusion

The episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz" delivers a comprehensive analysis of significant legislative victories that bolster conservative agendas, underscores the escalating drone threats posed by criminal organizations, and exposes alleged malpractices within the Obama administration’s handling of election interference intelligence. Through incisive discussions and compelling evidence, Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson aim to inform and empower listeners with crucial insights into the current political and security challenges facing the United States.

Note: For an in-depth exploration of these topics, listeners are encouraged to download and listen to the full podcast episode available through iHeart Podcasts.