Labeling the Muslim Brotherhood, AI needs a Soft Touch plus Cruz Calls Out Carlson & Qatar Week In Review

Summary

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Verdict with Ted Cruz

"Labeling the Muslim Brotherhood, AI needs a Soft Touch plus Cruz Calls Out Carlson & Qatar Week In Review"

Date: December 13, 2025
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson

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Episode Overview

This Week in Review episode dives into three major stories:

1. The push to officially designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization in the US.
2. The national security implications of AI’s rapid development and the need for a streamlined regulatory framework.
3. Tucker Carlson’s controversial trip to Qatar and concerns about foreign influence in US conservative circles.

Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson frame these topics as both urgent for national policy and as calls to action for their conservative audience, encouraging listener engagement and advocacy.

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1. The Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Push

[02:36–11:29]

Key Discussion Points

• Background & Ongoing Efforts:

  • Cruz recounts his decade-long battle to get the US government to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group.
  • Previous attempts failed due to "deep state, State Department operatives" arguing not all affiliates could be clearly proven as terrorist entities.

• Strategic Shift ('Bottom-Up' Approach):

  • Quote: “So in Trump 2, I inverted the entire approach. Rather than being top down, let's start bottom up.” (Cruz, 04:58)
  • New legislation targets individual affiliates with clear evidence first — for example, Hamas in Palestine.

• Progress Under the Trump Administration:

  • President Trump announced designations for certain affiliates, aligning with Cruz’s legislative framework.

• Congressional Hurdles:

  • House Foreign Affairs Committee recently weakened Cruz’s bill by removing the direct designation authority.
  • Frustration with colleagues' reluctance about Congress’ role in foreign terrorist designations:
    • Quote: "I find that argument to be specious..." (Cruz, 07:42)

• Bipartisan & International Context:

  • Many US allies (Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kenya) already designate the Brotherhood as a terrorist group.
  • Emphasizes that following suit would not alienate allies but align with them.

Memorable Quotes

• Cruz's Clarity on Threat:
  “The Muslim Brotherhood is a radical jihadist global terror network. They are funding jihadists in countries across the globe.” (Cruz, 10:37)
• Call to Action:
  • Ben Ferguson: “This is when you say, ‘I'm going to take a moment, I'm going to send an email. I'm going to call my senator, I'm going to call my congressman.’” (02:50)

Timestamps

• 02:36 — Introduction to the Muslim Brotherhood topic and call for grassroots action.
• 03:58 — Cruz discusses legislative and executive efforts.
• 06:54 — Senate committee discussion on congressional authority.
• 08:50 — US allies’ alignment on the Brotherhood.
• 10:37 — Cruz's summary and direct warning.

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2. AI, National Security, and the Executive Order

[14:40–25:16]

Key Discussion Points

• The Stakes of the AI Race:

  • US vs. China: Whoever wins will “export their values” into AI.
  • Quote: “If you want AI to be defined by the values of China... then you want China to win. If you want it to be free speech and free enterprise... then you want America to win.” (Cruz, 15:45)

• AI and Regulatory Philosophy:

  • Trump and Cruz are pushing for a “light touch” federal standard—preempting heavy and confusing state-level regulations.
  • Comparison to the 1990s Internet boom, where light regulation led to tech and economic dominance for the US.

• Economic and Job Creation Context:

  • AI as the “single most important economic battle” for the US.
  • Acknowledgment of AI’s disruptive potential, but emphasis on opportunity and necessity of US victory.

Trump’s Take (Audio Clip, Paraphrased)

• The executive order ensures a single federal approval process for AI to avoid a patchwork of state rules (16:50–19:49).
• Critiques on state leaders potentially hindering progress—“Especially if you have some hostile [state] actor... you wouldn’t be able to do it.” (Trump, 18:30)

Memorable Quotes

• Historical Parallel:
  “The result was incredible economic growth and jobs in the United States. At the same time, the European Union took a very heavy handed regulatory approach. Here's an amazing statistic ... Today, America’s economy is more than 50% larger than Europe’s. And the two drivers... tech and the shale revolution.” (Cruz, 22:09)
• On Disruption & Leadership:
  “AI. It's going to produce disruption... But it's also going to create millions of jobs... I stood side by side with Donald Trump saying America is going to win the race for AI. We're going to beat China.” (Cruz, 24:05, 25:05)

Timestamps

• 14:40 — Ben introduces urgency of the US/China AI race.
• 15:38 — Cruz details the economic and security stakes.
• 17:16 — Trump explains the executive order.
• 20:07 — Cruz and Ferguson discuss regulatory philosophy and parallels to the Internet era.
• 21:43 — Cruz delivers core argument for a US-led future in AI.
• 24:05 — Economic and geopolitical implications summarized.

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3. The Qatar Controversy & Conservative Influence

[28:27–41:57]

Key Discussion Points

• Qatar’s Influence Operations:

  • Qatar spends millions lobbying the US and funding social media bots, anti-Semitic content, and campus protests.
  • Cruz frames Qatar as “profoundly hostile to America” and an ally of terrorist organizations such as Hamas.

• Tucker Carlson’s Visit:

  • Tucker Carlson attends the Doha Forum and interviews the Qatari Prime Minister.
  • Cruz publicly calls on Carlson to ask pointed questions about Qatar’s support for terrorism, Al Jazeera, treatment of women, and funding of US campus protests.
  • Quote: “Tucker knows how to ask tough questions. Here are a few he should ask...” (Cruz, paraphrasing his tweet, 30:22)

• On Female Rights in Qatar:
  “The rights of women are severely limited in Qatar. Males are treated as the decision makers... The rights of women are severely diminished.” (Cruz, 32:56)

• Carlson’s Exchange with Qatari PM:

  • Carlson: “I am... buying a place in Qatar... to make a statement that I'm an American and a free man, and I'll be wherever I want to be...” (Carlson, as quoted by Cruz, 35:03)
  • Prime Minister: “Thank you. Just ask me whatever you want me to do for you, I will do it.” (Qatari PM, 35:31)

• Critique of Carlson:

  • Cruz and Ferguson accuse Carlson of failing to challenge Qatar’s authoritarian regime; pattern seen in his interviews with global adversaries.
  • “He does not ask a single question defending America. Instead, he just embraces leaders that are doing enormous damage to Americans.” (Ferguson, 41:36)

Notable Quotes

• Direct Accusation:
  “I think Tucker Carlson has become the most dangerous demagogue in America. I think he's doing enormous damage...” (Cruz, 29:49)
• On Lobbying:
  “Qatar pays two to three times as much [as AIPAC] in lobbying... Qatar spends hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying the United States government.” (Cruz, 37:37)

Timestamps

• 28:27 — Introduction to Qatar and the controversy around conservative influencers.
• 29:32 — Detailed background on Qatar’s influence operations.
• 30:22 — Cruz’s Twitter challenge to Carlson.
• 31:37 — Qatar’s support for Hamas and context for women’s rights.
• 34:45 — Excerpt from Carlson interview with the Qatari PM.
• 37:29 — Discussion on Qatar lobbying, AIPAC, and Carlson’s priorities.
• 38:45 — Critique of Carlson’s pattern in interviews with adversarial leaders.
• 40:51 — Ferguson and Cruz discuss motivations for Carlson’s uncritical stance.

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On the Importance of American Leadership in AI:
  “This is the economic battle of the 21st century... America is going to win the race for AI. We're going to beat China.” (Cruz, 25:05)
• On US Allies and the Brotherhood:
  “These are our allies and partners in the Middle east and Africa. And there’s a pernicious narrative that doing the same thing they've done... will somehow alienate these partners.” (Cruz, 08:50)
• On Qatar’s Influence:
  “Qatar spends hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying the United States government, the United States Congress... They are profoundly hostile to America.” (Cruz, 29:32)
• On Carlson’s Interview Style:
  “If you're an enemy of America who wants to murder Americans, he will not ask you a single hostile question.” (Cruz, 34:38)

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Episode Structure & Flow

1. Grassroots Advocacy: Kickoff encouraging listeners to engage their lawmakers, beginning with the Muslim Brotherhood debate.
2. National Security Through Technology: Transition to a high-level discussion on AI innovation, regulation, and the US-China rivalry.
3. Accountability in Conservative Media: Shift to the Qatar segment, critiquing foreign influence and prominent figures’ perceived complicity.

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Summary for New Listeners

This episode serves as a robust defense of conservative national security policy, a call for US leadership in emerging technologies, and a challenge to perceived complacency or complicity among media figures engaging with autocratic regimes. Cruz and Ferguson stress the urgency and gravity of their topics, consistently framing them as both policy imperatives and grassroots action opportunities for their audience.

Useful For:

• Listeners seeking to understand current conservative priorities in foreign policy and technology
• Constituents wanting ways to engage directly with their representatives
• Observers interested in the intersection of media, influence, and geopolitics

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Transcript

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[Senator Ted Cruz]

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[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

It is Verdict with Ted Cruz Week and Review. Ben Ferguson with you and these are the stories that you may have missed that. We talked about this week. First up, an ongoing battle to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. And it's time for you to step up and call your congressman and your senator. We'll explain how important this is in just a moment. Also, AI Executive order signed by the president is going to excel AI business in America. Why is it so important that we beat China on this? And it deals with national security. We'll explain that as well. And also, in a very odd move, a guy by the name of Tucker Carlson decides to go to Qatar, suck up to the country and buy a house. It's the Weekend Review and it starts right now. All right. Finally, Senator, I love doing this show because we get to bring attention and actually get our listeners involved. The next subject we're going to be talking about is one where I say to everyone listening, this is when you say, I'm going to take a moment, I'm going to send an email. I'm going to call my senator, I'm going to call my congressman. This is something you've been working on, we've been talking about a lot. And it deals with the Muslim Brotherhood bill. And I want you to give this update because it's important. And a lot of people that listen to work, they say, hey, what can I do? How can my voice be heard? This is a perfect example of where your phone call can make a big difference.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Absolutely. So, look, the Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization. It is one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations on the planet. I have been fighting for literally 10 years for the United States to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. In the first Trump administration, I came incredibly close. I almost got the Trump administration to do it. Here's what defeated me. So there's a global umbrella group, the Muslim Brotherhood, and there are a bunch of affiliates that are in different countries. And there were deep state, State Department operatives who argued against what I was trying to do in Trump 1 and the argument they used that prevailed is they said, well, look, not every single affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood can we prove as a terrorist organization. Some of them clearly are, but others of them, there's not clear and irrefutable evidence that they're engaged in terrorism. That's what defeated my effort. Trump won. So here's what I've done. TRUMP 2 I said the previous efforts were top down. They were designate the global Muslim Brotherhood and then designate all their affiliates. They argued some of the affiliates may not be terrorists. I don't buy that. But it was an argument and it was an argument that was successful in Trump won. So in Trump 2, I inverted the entire approach. I said, all right, let's. Rather than being top down, let's start bottom up. And so I filed legislation that directed the administration designate every Muslim Brotherhood affiliate that there is clear and unequivocal evidence they're terrorist organizations. So, for example, Hamas. Hamas is the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine. So there is no dispute Hamas is a terrorist organization. So that that is an easy example of a Muslim Brotherhood affiliate that is indisputably terrorist. My legislation says designate the affiliates, and then it says, designate the global Muslim Brotherhood for providing money, providing material assistance to the affiliates that are indisputably terrorist organizations. So I filed that legislation. I've been pressing the Trump administration. President Trump stepped in and he announced that he was designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, not the global, but the individual affiliates. And basically, the Trump administration is following the approach in my legislation. Now, I want you to listen. This week, a State Department official from the Trump administration was testifying before the Senate. I questioned him on this. Give a listen. Do you believe the Muslim Brotherhood poses a threat to the national security of the United States?

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Yes.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Now, let's pivot away from the president's executive order to what's happening here in Congress. As I said earlier, and as you observed, I've been pushing to designate the Muslim Brotherhood for more than a decade now. I've introduced legislation to do so in all but one Congress since I was elected. This Congress, I introduced a version of my bill, the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation act, that uses the same bottoms up approach that is in President Trump's executive order. It has bipartisan support in both chambers. Last week, frustratingly, the House version of my bill was advanced but terminally weakened by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. They took out the designation part of the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act. The Senate should do better, and we should move the full bill on our side. Some public reports and statements have claimed that House members, including House Republicans, did not believe that Congress should have a role in crafting sanctions which are to be implemented by the executive. I find that argument to be specious, and I know the vast majority of this committee does as well. Mr. La Herefeld, I and my colleagues have implicit and explicit expectations that executive officials will work with and, when appropriate, even defer to this committee on issues of foreign policy, including sanctions and including the designation of terrorist groups. What is your view of the role that Congress plays on these issues, including on initiatives like mine to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Terrorist group.

[Whim Sound and Sunday Lawn Care Advertiser]

Senator Cruz, thank you for your question. I fully respect Congress's Article 1 authority in making laws, including with respect to foreign terror organization designations or other types of designations. Whatever legislation is passed, I will faithfully, faithfully execute if I am confirmed.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Thank you. All right, final question. One element of this debate that continues to surprise me, and I don't think the American people, even many people here in Congress, I don't think they appreciate the degree to which our allies support acknowledging and designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. As you know, 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 in the Middle east and Africa. And there's a pernicious narrative that doing the same thing they've done, designating the Muslim Brotherhood will somehow alienate these partners.

[Ben Ferguson]

Describe how you would work with our.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Allies to counter the Brotherhood's malign activities.

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Senator Cruz, thank you for that question. I can say that in a previous capacity in the Bureau of Counterterrorism, I led our efforts to designate the irgc, get designations of other countries to designate the irgc, as well as Hezbollah and Hamas, particularly in the Western Hemisphere. That approach, it's pretty intense diplomacy. It requires a lot of legwork. I've talked with our Chiefs of Mission in the Western Hemisphere across to Australia with respect to that. You saw the news there about four or five months ago, what Australia did with respect to the irgc. I would template that, really. And get at the Muslim Brotherhood using that diplomatic approach. That worked. That is working. And there's more work to be done. Let me be clear, with the IRGC and Hezbollah and Hamas, but I would template that in our efforts with the Muslim Brotherhood.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Terrific. Very helpful. Thank you.

[Donald Trump]

Thank you.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

You hear your question there, and I want you to just explain why this is so important.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Senator, we need to be clear eyed. We need to be clear eyed about the threats to America. The Muslim Brotherhood is a radical jihadist global terror network. They are funding jihadists in countries across the globe. And we are seeing. We started this podcast by talking about 18,000 terrorists who come into this country under Joe Biden. These are. The Muslim Brotherhood is deliberately promoting people who are seeking to engage in acts of terror. They are seeking to wage jihad. And we need to be serious and clear eyed. And I gotta say, there's some Republicans that are nervous about this, but Donald Trump is not. And his designation was historic. And I'm continuing to work hand in hand with him to protect American. To protect the American people. Against the threat of the Muslim Brotherhood, against the threat of Jihadists.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

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[Senator Ted Cruz]

This is where mindset comes in.

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Someone will be eliminated. Pressure is coming down. This is Trainer Games.

[Ben Ferguson]

Watch it on prime video.

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[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

Now on to story number two. You may have heard about AI. It's pretty impressive what it can do, but there also has to be framework around it and making sure that it is a way for us to use the tools and also keep people safe. There's a lot of concern with AI also when it comes to who's going to be leading in the industry. Is it going to be the United States or China? And what does AI look like if they're the leader? And how can they manipulate everything through AI? Senator, this is something that we've talked about on this show a lot. I think we've led on this topic. It's an important one because it is a race. I described the other day on TV as this is no different than the race to the moon with Russia, the race to the moon with AI in China. Whoever gets there first is probably going to win and own it. And this is a really, really important subject right now. And it's also one, I think, that deals with national security.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So the single most important economic battle we have in this country right now is the race for AI. This is going to transform the world. We may not like it, but it's going to happen. And the binary choice is does America win or does China win? Look, whoever wins the race for AI, the values of that country will define the characteristics of AI. If you want AI to be defined by the values of China, if you want it to be surveillance and control and propaganda and the communist government controlling everything, you think then, then you want China to win. If you want it to be free speech and free enterprise and individual rights, then you want America to win. And this is you think back to the 1990s. The battle for the Internet was a massive battle. America won the battle for the Internet. We prevailed. This battle over AI is more consequential than the battle for the Internet. Today, President Trump signed an executive order seeking to ensure a consistent national standard of rules for AI to stop Gavin Newsom and Hochul and JB Pritzker and all these left wing Democrats in the States from putting contradictory, burdensome, inconsistent rules on AI that ends up crippling American AI and letting China win. I want you to listen to the President as he talked about this today.

[Donald Trump]

Well, thank you very much. We have a big signing right now and we have a tremendous industry where we're leading by a lot. It's the AI, artificial intelligence. I always thought it should be si, supreme intelligence, but I guess somewhere along the line they decided on the word artificial. And that's okay with me. That's up to them. It's a massive industry. We're leading China, we're leading everybody by a tremendous amount. We're. The electricity is being built by them in every plant. They're building the electricity. We're getting them rapid approvals, but they're spending trillions of dollars and they can't. Basically this has a couple of other things that are less important, but one of the things that it has is you have to have a central source of approval. When they need approvals on things, they have to come to one source. They can't go to California, New York and various other places like Illinois with Pritzker, who's, you know, a totally unreasonable person. And they have to have, you know, they're putting all this money in. It's a big part of the economy. And there's only going to be, I think, one winner here. I don't know if anybody agrees with that. I think most people agree, but there's only going to be one winner here, and that's probably going to be the US Or China. And right now we're winning by a lot. China has a central source of approval. I don't think they have any approval. They just go and build. But people want to be in the United States and they want to do it here, and we have the big investment coming. But if they had to get 50 different approvals from 50 different states, you could forget it because it's not possible to do. Especially if you have some hostile. All you need is one hostile actor and you wouldn't be able to do it. So it doesn't make sense. I didn't have to be briefed on this, by the way. This is real easy business. I mean, this is simple. So we're very happy with that. But this is about something a little bit different. We want to have one central source of approval and we have, I think, great Republican support. I think we probably have Democrat support, too, because it's common sense. And you can't go to every time you make a change and it could be a very reasonable change, you still won't get it approved if you have to go to 50 states. So this centralizes it and it's something which the people behind me, the very distinguished people all but Tim Cook just left of Apple and spoke to all of the big companies, great companies, and they won't be able to do this. This will not be successful unless they have one source of approval or disapproval. Frankly, you can have disapproval too, but it's got to be one source. They can't go to 50 different sources.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

This seems to be a core point of what the President and what you were trying to accomplish, which is that one source. Because otherwise it would be impossible to grow AI and to deal with it the way that we need to deal with it. If you didn't have this kind of one standard across the board.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Look, AI is transformational. Think back to the 1990s. The 1990s, Bill Clinton was president and the Internet was. It was the dawn of the Internet. And we made a choice. America made a choice to do a light touch regulatory approach to the Internet and we ended up winning that race. America dominates tech. We dominate the Internet. It produced hundreds of thousands, if not millions of jobs in the United States. That was incredibly consequential. AI is the same point. And Ben, I'll say, look, I understand people across the country, they're nervous about AI they're afraid. They don't want AI to come take their jobs. They don't want AI to render them irrelevant. They don't like the technology. And I get that. That's not a crazy thing to think.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

But look, my view, I'm not a Luddite. I don't think the fact that you're nervous about technology can make it go away as much as you might be worried. Listen, I'll readily admit 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. You know, I'm a dad, I've got two teenage girls. 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. We have a binary choice. Does America win it or does China win it? I want you to listen to what I had to say with President Trump in the Oval today. Give a listen.

[Donald Trump]

Ted Cruz has been a very strong advocate of common. This is common sense. I mean, I think it's nothing more than common sense.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Please, Ted, listen, this is the single most important economic question in the country and in the world. Who wins the race for AI? You look back to the 1990s, there was a similar Inflection point with the beginning of the Internet, the dawn of the Internet. And Bill Clinton was president at the time.

[Ben Ferguson]

He signed an executive order just like you're doing that put into law a light touch regulatory approach to the Internet.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And the result was incredible economic growth and jobs in the United States. At the same time, the European Union.

[Ben Ferguson]

Took a very heavy handed regulatory approach.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Here's an amazing statistic, Mr. President. In 1993, the US economy's and Europe's economy were virtually identical in size. Today, America's economy is more than 50% larger than Europe's. And the two drivers of that are tech and the shale revolution.

[Ben Ferguson]

It transformed this country.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And AI is the same thing. It's a race. And if China wins the race, whoever.

[Ben Ferguson]

Wins, the values of that country will affect all of AI. We don't want China's values of surveillance.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And centralized control by the communist government governing AI. We want American values of free speech, of individual liberty, of respecting the individual.

[Ben Ferguson]

So this executive order I believe is tremendously important.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Thank you for your leadership.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

You know Senator, just to underscore how important this is and what you just described there, even Donald Trump on True social said the Wall Street Journal has another ridiculous story today that China is dominating us in the world on the production of electricity having to do with AI. They're wrong as usual. Every AI plant being built in the United States is building its own electric generating facilities. The approvals are being given carefully but very quickly. A matter of weeks. Any excess electricity being produced is going to go to our electric grid which is being strengthened and expanded for the purpose, for other purposes than AI. Like this is not just moving forward and protecting us. And going to this race with China, who's going to be in charge of it? Who's going to be the best at it? But this is also building American infrastructure. And a lot of American jobs are actually going to be created out of this as well.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, this is a common sense principle. We should be the party of jobs. AI. It's going to produce disruption. It's part of the reason people are scared of it. But it's also going to create millions of jobs. And the simple question we ought to ask is who do we want to win? Do we want a world where China wins? AI And AI is coming. You may not like it, you may be scared about it, you may not know. And I get, it's easy to say, listen, I wish nuclear weapons didn't exist. If there were a button to make every nuclear weapon disappear, I'd push that button. But they do exist. And if they exist, I want to make sure America has the best and is able to deter someone attacking us. AI is similar. And I got to say, President Trump is being bold. He's being visionary. He understands that if we win or lose this, this is the economic battle of the 21st century. And, and, and I was really proud. I stood side by side with Donald Trump saying America is going to win the race for AI. We're going to beat China. That is massively important for jobs in America.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

As before, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation on this topic, you can go back and download the podcast from earlier this week to hear the entire thing. For the next 60 seconds. Can you hit pause on your life and just think about this? Every day, millions of children face a crushing reality. A constant, defeating message echoes in their empty stomachs and their desperate eyes. It is that you don't matter. Poverty doesn't just steal food and shelter. It steals hope, dignity and the fundamental belief that they are love. But there's another message, one of boundless love and hope. Through Compassion International, you can change the child's story forever. You can sponsor a child just like I do. You can introduce them to a loving heavenly Father. You can equip them with education, health care and the support to overcome poverty. This isn't just about one child. It's about transforming families, revitalizing communities and changing nations. It's about proving that every child truly matters. So help give a child a future. Give them hope. Visit compassion.com today. That's compassion.com 10 athletes will face the.

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[Senator Ted Cruz]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

I want to get back to the big story number three of the week you may have missed. Senator, we've talked a lot about influence, foreign influence. And there is a lot of people, they're like, I don't understand why it's a big deal that a bunch of Americans that are conservative influencers are running the countries like Qatar, taking trips over there that are being paid for by them, and putting up what I would describe as propaganda on social media on behalf of Qatar. But people that see that, like, what's the big deal? Tucker Carlson shows up, speaks this Doha forum. Why is that a big deal? Why should I care? I want you to explain before we get to Tucker what Qatar has been doing to influence America so people understand who we're dealing with and why. You might want to ask the question, why would you be going there? I forget Tucker's name. There are a lot of concerns, I know, that have been taking these types of trips recently. They're trying to buy influence in the conservative movement. And it's frustrating because I don't think people understand the threat that Qatar is to this country at all.

[Ben Ferguson]

Look, Qatar is not our friend. Qatar is spending hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying the United States government. They are spending millions of dollars funding bots. You look at the anti Semitic content, you look at the anti American content that is online. Qatar is funding it. By the way. You look at the anti Semitic protests on college campuses, Qatar is funding that, that they are profoundly hostile to America. And I will tell you, there was a conference this past week in Doha, which is in Qatar. Yet a number of Americans go there, the most prominent of which was Tucker Carlson. And I want to tell you, look, I sent a tweet, so Tucker Carlson was going to interview the prime minister of Qatar. And listen, I have been very vocal that I think Tucker Carlson has become the most dangerous demagogue in America. I think he's doing enormous damage, but I try to give him an opportunity. So here's what I tweeted before his interview. I said the following. For years, Tucker Carlson has been accused of being on the payroll of Qatar. For years, he has denied it. This is now a beautiful opportunity for him to try to clear his name. Tomorrow, Tucker is interviewing the prime Minister of Qatar in Doha. Tucker knows how to ask tough questions. Here are a few he should ask. Number one, Al Jazeera is a mouthpiece for anti Americanism, anti Semitism and jihadist terrorism. Why does Qatar pour countless tens of millions into supporting it? Number two, why does Qatar back the Muslim Brotherhood, a group designated as a terrorist organization by several of Qatar's neighbors and which President Trump is also moving to designate? Number three, Hamas planned the October 7th atrocities while Qatar hosted Hamas leadership. This included the kidnapping and murder of dozens of Americans. Even the Biden administration wanted Qatar to expel Hamas after hostage talks collapsed. Why did Qatar keep hosting Hamas leadership?

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

Let's just pause there for one second as you, as you were tweeting this out, because I don't think people understand they were actively hosting these terrorists.

[Ben Ferguson]

The leaders of Hamas live in Qatar. They live in opulent mansions. They live like billionaires while they are murdering not just Israelis, but, but Americans, while they are raping not just Israelis, but Americans. And Qatar is embracing them. And they're like, like movie stars living in Qatar, by the way. Number four, speaking of which, on October 7, 2023, Cutter issued a statement saying Israel alone was responsible for the violence. Then in September of 2024, Cutter Zamir said Israel was responsible for the war expanding to Lebanon. Is that still Qatar's position? Number five, Qatar is the only Gulf country that still maintains male guardianship and travel restrictions for women. When do you intend to join the civilized world? So if you actually believe women have rights, that ain't the case in Qatar.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

Explain what you mean by that real fast so that people understand the context of it, of what you're. Because it made this sound like, okay, what does that even mean for women? What is life like there? Explain how that's so far back in the Stone Ages.

[Ben Ferguson]

Look, the rights of women are severely limited in Qatar. Males are treated as the decision makers. They have control over their wives. They have control over their daughters. And the rights of women are severely diminished in Qatar. So that's an obvious question to ask of, like, why don't you believe women have any rights. Number six, how much is Qatar paying to fund anti Semitic protests on US College campuses? Understand, we saw protests all over America. Cutter was spending millions of dollars to fund that. And simple question, why? Number seven, how much is Qatar paying to spy on US Government officials and why? And to be clear, there were multiple news stories. Cutter hired spies to spy on me because they. They viewed me as. As. As the US Government official most skeptical and antagonistic of Cutters. So they're actively spying on me. And number eight, finally, how much exactly are you paying conservative influencers to come to this conference and participate? Now, if Tucker had asked those questions, it would have been a big deal. Like, he could actually. He had the prime minister. Every one of those questions, they don't have a good answer to. But he didn't ask those questions. He didn't ask any difficult questions. He did the same thing he did when he interviewed Putin, which is he embraced him and kissed his rear end. He did the same thing when he interviewed the President of Iran, which is he embraced him and kissed his rear end. Tucker has a pattern. If you're an enemy of America who wants to murder Americans, he will not ask you a single hostile question. I want you to listen to this exchange. This is a snippet of the back and forth between Tucker and the Prime Minister of Qatar.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So, last question. I've been personally, not to make it about me, but I have been criticized.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

As being a tool of Qatar.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And I just want to say what.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

You already know, which is I've never.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Taken anything from your country, and. And. And don't plan to.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

I am, however, tomorrow buying a place in Qatar, both because I am.

[Prime Minister of Qatar]

Please pay a high check in Doha.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

In Doha?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

And I'm doing that because I like the city.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I think it's beautiful. But also to make a statement that I'm an American and a friend, man, and I'll be wherever I want to be, which I think is important.

[Ben Ferguson]

But that does kind of leave us.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

In a place where I have not.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Taken any money from Qatar. I have instead given money to Qatar. And I wonder if you feel that that means I've bought you and you will now spew my propaganda.

[Prime Minister of Qatar]

Thank you. Just ask me. Whatever you want me to do for.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

You, I will do it. But.

[Prime Minister of Qatar]

Look, Tucker, unfortunately, as I told you, that there are a lot of players putting a lot of efforts to sabotage the relationship between Qatar and the United States and to try to demonize anyone who will come to this country. Our efforts when we are lobbying or doing, you know, Our outreach in the United States is to make sure that this relationship is safeguarded and the relationship for us is mutually beneficial. We are not getting aid from United States. It's. We are, instead we are buying from United States, we are partnering with them. We are investing in United States, United States investing in Qatar. And this relationship has been always a two ways relationship. And we pay all these amounts for lobbying only to protect and to safeguard this relationship. If we were not like being attacked and under a lot of like, disinformation campaign that's been unfortunately funded by other players who doesn't want to see a US Qatar relationship flourish, we wouldn't, we would spend this money for better things, you know, to do with, with the relationship.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

I mean, you look at that question center and it's one of those that just, you scratch your head because there's just part of this. You're like, wait, what did, what did I just witness? What did I just watch there? Like, how is this real? And the idea of like, I'm buying a place, I've never taken anything, I just like it here. It shows I'm a free man, didn't ask any questions, not a single tough question of a man that is allowing terrorists to sit in his country and to orchestrate more terrorist attacks that have killed Americans.

[Ben Ferguson]

So understand this government that is hosting Hamas, that is celebrating Hamas, that is funding anti American propaganda and anti Israel propaganda and anti Semitic propaganda. The Prime Minister says to Tucker, ask me whatever you want, we will do anything you want. He also says to Tucker, we are spending vast amounts in lobbying, understand? Qatar spends hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying the United States government, the United States Congress, by the way. Tucker is obsessed with AIPAC because he's decided that Jews are the source of all evil in the world. And Qatar pays two to three times as much as AIPAC does in lobbying. Now, do you know who AIPAC is? AIPAC are Americans. It is not the government of Israel. AIPAC are Americans who want America and Israel to have a close relationship. So American citizens, many of whom happen to be Jewish, although not all of them, who support a lot of actually Christian evangelicals also who support a strong relationship between the United States and Israel, they do write checks, but they write checks that are an order of magnitude, anywhere from a third to a half what Qatar, the foreign government writes, they spend hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying our government. And I gotta say, Tucker, Tucker claims.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

To be America first.

[Ben Ferguson]

He is literally buying a home in Qatar. Qatar, who is actively funding anti American propaganda, anti Semitic propaganda, and by the way, Tucker says, oh, I've never taken a penny from you. My. By the way, you know, I don't know what kind of sweetheart real estate deal he's getting, but who the heck. What American. Let me ask you, Ben, you know a lot of people.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

Yeah.

[Ben Ferguson]

Do you know any other American who wants to buy a home in Qatar? No.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

In fact, I've known a lot of international people. I've never heard of anybody going, yeah, I'm heading over to Qatar to go buy a home. Never. Not like, not one time. No one. And I know people outside the US They've never said that.

[Ben Ferguson]

Look, and I think there's a reason for it, which is that I don't know why. I've had conversations about why Tucker has decided. By the way, Tucker is actively attacking President Trump's foreign policy. He is furious that President Trump decided to bomb the Iranian nuclear facilities and even more mad that that bombing was incredibly successful. It was the single most important foreign policy and national security decision that President Trump has made in the second term. And Tucker, by the way, it didn't.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

Start War iii, which I'm pretty sure that's what they said was going to happen. Isn't that right? It was going to start World War iii.

[Ben Ferguson]

So let's be clear. It's not. They Tucker predicted if Trump bombed Iran.

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[Ben Ferguson]

He said it would cause World War three. Number one. He said thousands of Americans would die. Number two.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah.

[Ben Ferguson]

And he said America would lose. Iran would beat us in World War three. Now, every one of those predictions was laughably, absurdly, wrong. And yet Tucker is now buying a home in Qatar and saying, hey, you crazy, theocratic, Islamist America hating radicals, you're my people. That is really, really, really dangerous.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

The questions that we just asked there, I really hope that all of you will share those on social media, share the episode on social media, share the video we put up on Facebook. We put it up on.

[Ben Ferguson]

And Ben, let me ask you a question. Let me ask you a question. Why do you think Tucker didn't ask a single one of the questions I suggested? I sent eight. And they were not ridiculous questions. They were actually a question. If you are, in fact, America first and you're interviewing the leader of this country that is funding things that are profoundly anti American, anybody would ask. If you and I were interviewing them, we would ask those questions. Why do you think Tucker didn't?

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

I think it's the same reason why he gave a powder puff interview with Vladimir Putin. I think it's the same reason when he was sitting down with the head of Iran. It is because when he goes there, he knows the role he's playing, which is a propagandist for those countries.

[Ben Ferguson]

I wish that were not the case, but but I can't argue against that. He does not ask a single question defending America. Instead, he just embraces leaders that are doing enormous damage to Americans. And that, by the way, is, I think, significantly undermining President Trump as well.

[Podcast Host (Ben Ferguson)]

As always, thank you for listening to Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you. Don't forget to download my podcast and you can listen to my podcast every other day. You're not listening to Verdict or each day when you listen to Verdict afterwards. I'd love to have you as a listener to again the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here on Monday morning.

[Trainer Games Announcer]

Ten athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental health breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract worth $250,000.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

This is where mindset comes in.

[Trainer Games Announcer]

Someone will be eliminated. Pressure is coming down. This is Trainer Games.

[Ben Ferguson]

Watch it on prime video.

[US Ski and Snowboard Insider Announcer]

Starting January 8th, the world's best ski and snowboard athletes are chasing medals. Now you can follow their every move. Join Insider, the official US Ski and Snowbo fan loyalty program, and get premium viewing at World cup ski events, exclusive athlete meetups, discounts from brands you love, and a custom welcome gift mailed direct to your doorstep this winter. Show your support as they race for the podium. Head to insider.usski and snowboard.org and join today.

[Whim Sound and Sunday Lawn Care Advertiser]

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[Ben Ferguson]

Don'T listen to radio ads while you're driving or making a sandwich. Your subconscious pays full attention. So relax. Let it take over.

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