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Ted Cruz
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Ted Cruz
Welcome. It is verdict with Senator Ted Cruz. Ben Ferguson with you. It's nice to have you with us on this Wednesday morning. And there's a big controversy and a big story that the media has just, I mean, they've gone all in on that deals with conversations that were had, Senator, on the Signal app. A lot of people in government use it. I use it this app, it's encrypted. That's why they use it. And a journalist that was inadvertently put on apparently one of those text message threads.
Ben Ferguson
Well, the media are aflutter with, with what they're calling Signal Gate, which is this text thread on the app, Signal. And it was about the military strikes against the Houthis who have been attacking shipping, shipping in the Suez Canal. And inadvertently, the national security adviser added this journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg, who then wrote an article. And I gotta say, it's an astonishing article. The media are going crazy and they're using it as an excuse to attack President Trump, to attack his national security team. Now, we're gonna break down what exactly was going on there. Did they do anything wrong? What were they talking about? What happened? Why does it matter? We're going to break it all down. We're also going to talk about what has happened to the Democrat Party. They're getting angrier and angrier and angrier and they are embracing violence. Every day. They're calling for violence. They are the party of rage. And finally, we're going to talk about the media coverage, about how the Democrats are in a, quote, deep, dark hole. That's not me, that's Axios, one of the most mainstream corporate media outlets there is that says the Democrats are in the deepest hole in 50 years. We're going to break that down how when a party decides it doesn't stand for anything, when a party gets so radical that it abandons the voters, when a party is formed only around one idea, which is hatred for Donald J. Trump, that turns out not to be a successful electoral strategy. We're going to talk about that as well.
Ted Cruz
Yeah, the gig seems to be up, certainly the American voters on that. And there's some polling data we'll also give you in a minute as well that you don't want to miss. Want to tell you about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. First and for more than a year it has been of war, of terror, of pain in Israel. The need for security essentials and support for for first responders is still very critical in Israel. Even in times of, quote, ceasefire. Israel has to be prepared for the next attack wherever it may come from because Israel is surrounded by enemies on all sides. That is where the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has come in and are supporting those that are doing this incredible work. The people of Israel with life saving security essentials is what you can be a part of. And your gift today will help save lives by providing bomb shelters, armored security vehicles, armored ambulances, firefighting equipment, flak jackets, and even bulletproof vests for first responders. Your generous donation will help ensure the people of Israel are safe and secure in the days and weeks to come. So give a gift to bless Israel and her people by visiting supportifcj.org that's one word, support. IFCJ.org you can also call them 888-488-IFCJ. That's 888488 IFCJ 888-488-4325 or supportifcj.org so Senator, when this story broke, he was very clear. The media thought this was the moment where they could turn the tables on Donald Trump administration. I think there was even some dreams of maybe someone gets fired 60 days into this administration, the Cabinet because of this journalist report that I got on a text thread with all these important people in Trump administration world. And now I'm going to tell you what I saw.
Ben Ferguson
Well, look, what happened is there was a text thread and it was using the app called Signal. Now Signal is a encrypted app. A lot of people in government use it. You use it, I use it. A lot of journalists use it. It's a way to communicate in an encrypted way that is less likely to be intercepted. And there was a group chat that was created by President Trump's national Security Advisor, Michael Waltz about the upcoming strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. And bizarrely, included in the group was a journalist named Jeffrey Goldberg who was at the Atlantic magazine. And Jeffrey Goldberg is a liberal. He's a well known journalist. And I have no good explanation for why Jeffrey Goldberg was added. He's the editor in chief of the Atlantic. And it was a screw up. And let's start with that. It was clearly a screw up. It was embarrassing. It's sort of comparable to a butt dial. You know, look, I've inadvertently sent texts to the wrong person. I'm sure you have. In this instance, it was clear it was a mistake. He was not meant to be added to this group. And suddenly, bizarrely, he is getting text about an upcoming military strike. So that was bad. At the end of the day, though, what is striking, although you're seeing the Shark Circle and trying to attack the president and the national security team, is the underlying substance of what's being discussed is actually quite good. So the substance of what's being discussed, the Houthis are radical Islamic terrorists. They're based in Yemen and they are funded by Iran. They are Iran proxies, and they have been for months, for years, attacking shipping in and around the Suez Canal. And they've been shutting down a massive amount of shipping at the Suez Canal. And that has had a real consequence to Americans. So listen, when you go to the grocery store, when you go to the department store, you are paying significantly higher prices because the Houthis have been shutting down shipping through the Suez Canal, which makes shipping and transportation costs much, much higher. And I gotta say, for four years, Joe Biden and the Democrats, they didn't do a damn thing. They let radical Islamic terrorists engage in acts of terrorism and shut down shipping, slow down shipping. And what has happened in the first two months of the Trump administration is President Trump gave an instruction to his team. He said, open up the shipping lanes. Let's go after the Houthis. And by the way, we carried out a military strike, hit the Houthis and did real damage. And so this entire text chain is the national security leadership of the Trump administration talking about this upcoming strike. And the strike was a massive success. So on substance, we ought to be thrilled. We actually have a commander in chief who's standing up for America, who's defending American shipping, who's defending American interests, who's fighting terrorists who hate America. All of that is a massive contrast from what happened under Joe Biden. What was the mistake? The mistake was inadvertently they added this journalist who then wrote this sort of breathless bombshell story about. I was on this text about the war plans, and again, it was a screw up, it was embarrassing. But the underlying substance, every one of us ought to be really happy about.
Ted Cruz
You mentioned that this was one of those moments that look the press wanted to go ballistic on. There was also really, I think, a smart move by the White House to have no problem having a conversation about this. The President didn't run away from it. There was no, no comment. There was, there was a lot of like, openness and conversation, like, hey, we're more than happy to talk about this. I actually think the American people appreciate that because usually when they're screw ups. Amen. Everybody just disappears from, you know, accountability or even answering questions or saying, we can't talk about this time or it deals with class. There's always a million excuses. The President didn't use any of those like, let's talk about it. And he did it in front of the journalists, in front of this entire cabinet as well.
Ben Ferguson
Yeah. So let me make a couple comments on this. Number one, during four years of Biden's presidency, he hid from the press. He didn't do press conferences, he didn't take questions. And it's not complicated why his, his mental condition was so deteriorated that nobody trusts him to take questions. Donald Trump is taking questions. It seems like every day he's answering hard questions. And so today at the White House, he was asked about reporters, about what happened here. And we're going to play a segment, and this is a lengthy segment, but it's worth listening to because the President explains what's going on. I think his answers here are terrific and it's worth really listening to what he says. So give a listen.
Don Wildman
Mr. President, are you going to change any of the practices that your national security officials used after a reporter was inadvertently added to a group chat about attacks on Yemen?
Travis Holloway
Well, I think it's a question I've been asked now and I've given a few answers and they've all been the same. We have an amazing group. Our national security now is stronger than it's ever been. We have had a very, very successful, numerous attacks on that area. These are people that shoot down ships, not only our ships, ships all over the world. They're shooting down right out of the water and damaging them badly or they're going down. They're also shooting anything that happens to be flying in the area. We hit them very, very hard. There was no classified information. As I understand it. They used a, a app, if you want to call it an app that a lot of people use, a lot of people in government use, a lot of people in the media use. And I think I'll ask Mike, Mike is here. Do you want to respond to that, please?
Michael Waltz
Yes, Mr. President, you asked about Lessons. I think there's a lot of the lessons. There's a lot of journalists in this city who have made big names for themselves making up lies about this president, whether it's the Russia hoax or making up lies about gold star families. And this one in particular, I've never met, know, never communicated with. And we are. And we are looking into and reviewing how the heck he got into this room. But I'll tell you what, the world owes President Trump a favor. Under Biden, global shipping was shut down. Pinprick attacks, months between them are destroyers being fired upon dozens of times. President Trump took decisive action with his national security team. Took out the head missileer, knocked out missiles, knocked out headquarters, knocked out communication sites. And for once, as we hear, as you all hear from every one of our allies, thank God for American leadership again. Thank God for American strength.
Ben Ferguson
You're welcome.
Michael Waltz
And look, we had a national security team that was coordinating these efforts. As Director Radcliffe tells testified today, his first day on the job, he was introduced to this app on his government systems at the CIA and at the State Department and otherwise. So look, this journalist, Mr. President, wants the world talking about more hoaxes and this kind of nonsense rather than the freedom that you're enabling. And a key part of our sovereignty is open sea lanes and knocking the crap out of town terrorists, which is exactly what your team. And Pete Hegseth, a good friend and fellow veteran, is leading the charge on. And it's an honor to be part.
Travis Holloway
Of the very, very successful.
Ted Cruz
Excuse me.
Travis Holloway
We had a very, very successful evening and we've had numerous successful evenings and days in that area. The Houthis are absolutely on the run. The worst of them have been killed. This should have been done a long time ago by Biden, but Biden was an incompetent president. He couldn't do anything. He didn't know where for where he was going. He had no clue. This guy had no clue. This should have been done a long time ago, as they shoot missiles at ships, randomly shoot missiles at ships, and they make their own missiles. You know, this is not an incompetent group of people. They make their own missiles. They get the missiles also from Iran. It's an offshoot of Iran, another offshoot. You have Hamas, you have Hezbollah, you have the Houthis. You got a lot of stuff going on with Iran. And we sent a letter to Iran. You're going to have to be speaking to us one way or the other pretty soon because we can't let this happen. But that's an app that a lot of people use and somebody got on. I mean, I happen to know the guy's a total sleazebag. The Atlantic, the Atlantic is a failed magazine, does very, very poorly. Nobody gives a damn about it. It gives this, gives it a little bit of a shot. And I will tell you this, that they've made up more stories and they're just a failing magazine. The public understands that he's a very good man. That man is a very good man right there that you criticize so strongly. He's a very good man, and he will continue to do a good job. In addition to him, we had very good people in that meeting, and those people have done a very, very effective job. And you're going to see it. And it goes on, by the way. It's going to go on. And I think the Houthis wish that it didn't happen, but that's what it's all about. We have to create a safe country, a safe world, and that's what we're doing.
Don Wildman
Of senior officials using Signal, the use.
Ben Ferguson
Of signal to communicate from senior officials.
Travis Holloway
I don't know anything about Signal. Signal. I wasn't involved in this, but I just heard about it, and I hear it's used by a lot of groups. It's used by the media a lot. It's used by a lot of the military, and I think successfully. But sometimes somebody can get onto those things. That's one of the prices you pay when you're not sitting in the Situation Room with no phones on, which is always the best, frankly. But, you know you. The best is to be there. In fact, oftentimes I've been. In fact, just last week, I was in THE Situation Room on something very important, and we had a couple of people hooked up by line, and I said, cancel the line. Sorry, fellas. What you do is we'll tell you all about the meeting because I know people do get on those lines, whether it's Signal or anything else. Yeah. Are you going to change any procedures as a result of this? Well, I mean, look, we look at everything and, you know, they've made a big deal out of this because we've had two perfect months. We, we're bringing. We are bringing in business. We have another one announced tomorrow, a big one, very big. Like in the history of our country, nobody's ever seen anything like it. And I think probably a lot of people are saying it's. They started by saying it was the greatest first month that a president has ever had. And I think that's true. And now they say it's the best second month and they had to find something. And this certainly will, look at this. But the main thing was nothing happened. The attack was totally successful. It was, I guess, from what I understand, took place during. And it wasn't classified information. So this was not classified. Now, if it's classified information, it's probably a little bit different. But I always say you get, you have to learn from every experience. I think it was very unfair the way they attacked Michael. He's a good person. The person that was on just happens to be a sleazebag. So maybe that's just coincidence. I don't know.
Ted Cruz
I love it. Maybe just, you know, sleazebag, you can't make it up.
Ben Ferguson
Well, look, I gotta say I love President Trump's answer to this because he's very candid, he's very real. He admits it was a screw up, it was a mess up to add the journalist. But one of the things that's most important is he strongly defends Mike Waltz. Mike Waltz is Donald Trump's national Security Advisor. Mike is a friend of mine. He's a very good man. Mike is a veteran. He was in Special Forces. He received four Bronze Stars while serving combat tours in Afghanistan and the Middle east and Africa. And he's smart, he's serious. And I gotta say, there are people who hate President Trump that are trying to use this mess up to attack Mike Waltz. And I was really glad the President stood strongly with Mike Waltz. He's doing a very good job. I had dinner with Mike just a few weeks ago. He is a smart, serious leader, focused on defending this nation from our enemies. I also like that the President focused on the underlying substance. Look, what we did was a great victory for America. Joe Biden had let four years go by of the Houthis attacking American shipping companies, hurting American interests. And President Trump, he's been in office just over two months and he's already standing up, taking out terrorists, fighting for American interests. That is a huge substantive victory. I want to make another point. There are some observers that are looking at the Trump administration and are writing stories saying the Trump administration is isolationist. They're not willing to engage and defend American interests. That is wrong. Donald Trump is not an isolationist. America first is not an isolationist philosophy. If you look at the first term of President Trump, he took out General Soleimani from Iran. That was incredibly important. General Soleimani had murdered over 600American servicemen and women. He, he fought and was vigorous Taking out enemies of America. And it's worth noting, in the first few months of Trump's first term, he took out isis. ISIS had a caliphate larger than the state of Indiana, and he utterly decimated and destroyed isis. So Donald Trump, his record, he is not an isolationist. And this is a good illustration of this. The Houthis are a proxy of Iran. They were attacking America. Joe Biden was too weak to fight back. And Donald Trump in his first two months is already fighting back. And the media wants to change the subject from the substance of protecting America to attacks on the administration. I'm very glad. I'm really happy with the president's defense of Mike Waltz and the President's substantive defense of his policy defending America.
Ted Cruz
You mentioned attacks. I want to move to this other subject, and it deals unfortunately, with the issue of actual attacks and violence coming from the Democratic Party and the crazies within it, threatening violence not only against you, but many others, and even mocking Texas Governor Greg Abbott. And I want to get your reaction to that. But first, I want to tell you about Patriot Mobile. If you have a cell phone, you need to listen to what you're missing out on when you switch to Patriot Mobile. Patriot Mobile is an unbelievable 3, 2, 1. It's an unbelievable company that is a Christian conservative wireless provider. Now, you may say, that's great. Why should I switch? Well, it's what happens every month when you pay your bill. Patriot Mobile offers you a way to vote with your wallet without compromising on quality or convenience. And Patriot Mobile isn't just about providing exceptional cell phone service. They do that. It's a 10 out of 10. I have Patriot Mobile. I travel all over the country all the time, and I get phenomenal service. Here's the best part. When I pay my bill, this is what happens. They take a percentage of my bill every month at no extra cost to me, and they give it directly to groups and organizations that support our first and our Second amendment rights. They also give money to groups that support the sanctity of life. And they give money to our veterans. Our first responders are wounded warriors. So every time you make a call, every time you send a text, every time you pay your bill, you're standing up for what you believe in. Now, switching has never been easier than it is in 2025. You can keep your number, keep your same phone you have now or upgrade to a new one. And they're, they have a 100 US based customer support team that will help you find the perfect plan for you. And many Times save you big bucks. So why not save money and switch to Patriot mobile? Go to patriotmobile.com verdict. That's patriotmobile.com verdict or call them 972-patriot and get a free month of service with a promo code VERDICT. That's patriotmobile.com verdict or 9-72-PATRIOT. Use promo code VERDICT for that free month of service. All right, so, Senator, there's been a lot of violence. We've witnessed this. It's been directed towards Elon Musk. Threats against Elon Musk. Threats now are expanding to Tesla dealerships. We're finding incinerated devices, bombs and dealership, for example, in Austin, Texas. And then there's people now they're threatening you. This seems to be the Democratic Party's playbook. Now. If there's someone we don't like, we go after them. We go after their businesses. We try to destroy what they built, we try to financially ruin them. All of this is what they did to Donald Trump. And, and we saw that the rhetoric literally almost cost Donald Trump his life in that first assassination attempt that actually got him. And now they don't seem to be backing down at all.
Ben Ferguson
Well, the Democrats today are the party of rage. They're the party of anger. And I will say there's a House member in Texas, Jasmine Crockett, who this week has been a rough week for her. She has been unhinged. She has called for violence against me. She has denigrated and mocked Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, because he is in a wheelchair, because he has a disability. And it really does show who today's Democrats are. And I want you to listen to what she said first about me and then about Greg Abbott. Give a listen.
Don Wildman
Just in case the slow people listening decide to clip this up later. I just want to say that I have never promoted violence whatsoever. I think that you punch. I think you punch. I think you're okay with you. You okay with punching. You know, I think, and I love Colin, and I think towards the end, he started to punch a little harder, but, like, it's Ted Cruz. I mean, like, this dude has to be knocked over the head, like, hard, right? Like, there is no niceties with him, like, at all. Like you, you go clean off on him. Right?
Ted Cruz
I hear that. And I just shake my head, Senator, because of course, when the fire is of the spotlight is on her, she's like, oh, I've never called for violence. And then you play the clip right there. It's very clear what she's saying.
Ben Ferguson
Look, I got to admit I've never met this woman, Jasmine Crockett. I don't know her. She's a new congresswoman from Texas. She seems really angry. She seems really radical. She seems to be the darling of the radical left. She. Because she calls for crazy things. I will tell you, look, I've been in the Senate 13 years. One of it's an incredible privilege. I'm blessed. I jump out of bed every day excited because I get to fight for Texas. I get to fight for America. I will tell you one of the downsides of this job. I have literally hundreds of death threats against me.
Ted Cruz
And by the way, I want to be clear. You and I, we spend a lot of time together. We travel. There are a lot of people that come up and encourage. But, man, some of the things that people say. And I've had the threats. Not like you've had threats, but it's like part of the business now, which is the worst part about it, is that if you're in politics and you're conservative, there are people that want you to die and come after you. But you and I, we went to a game and people were screaming the F bomb in front of your daughter who was with us. And there was several times it happened. And it's like there is no. Just like you're a dad in that moment, you're a father. I'm a dad. When I'm out my son and someone gets in my face of the h E B and starts screaming exos at me in the cereal aisle, it's like, what is wrong with these people? And yet it seems to be getting worse, not better.
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, look, there are a lot of people that are just unhinged and filled with hate. And I'll tell you, look, I'll give you an encouragement. Listen. The folks that listen to verdict. You guys are amazing. I'm so grateful for your. You're incredibly engaged and you're passionate. You're fighting to save this country. I will tell you, when I travel around, the ratio of positive to negative comments, it is more than 90% positive. It's probably 95% or even 98% positive. So it's encouraging. When I'm out at airport, when I'm out at a shopping mall, people say nice things. They say, thank you. They say, I appreciate you. And that's gratifying. That makes me happy. There are regularly people who don't and people on the left now, I gotta say, many of them on the left, when they say something negative, they'll like, screw up their courage. They'll run up and they'll go, f you, and they'll just yell at me. And it's very funny. It's like, wow, you spent a long time thinking about that. That was the best you could come up with? That was very clever. And my standard response. And unfortunately, it happens often enough that I have to have a standard response. My standard response is, I say God bless you. And I got to tell you, it infuriates them. And, you know, there's a principle in the Bible that if you repay hatred with kindness, that it is like piling hot coals on their heads. So I'll say, God bless you, and I'll smile. I'll be very happy. Like, when they say, f you, my response is, God bless you. And there was one time in Houston where this, like, liberal woman screamed, f you. And I said, God bless you. And she's like, I don't want your God's love. And I said, that's okay. Jesus loves you anyway. And it drove her nuts. Like, she almost had an aneurysm when I said that. And I try to be smiling and show a contrast now. I will say, just a couple of days ago, I had a young woman who was screaming, f you. And I did say something to the effect of, you're very charming, your mother, but must be very proud.
Ted Cruz
How'd that turn out?
Ben Ferguson
Oh, she just stormed off. And I'm sure as she was driving home, she's thought of 50 different responses, but she didn't say any of them. She's just like, yeah, I randomly scream f you at people in the airport. I'm a great person. But listen, when you have people on the left encouraging. Listen, Jasmine is saying, you need to hit him in the head and hit him really hard. I'll be honest, Ben, I. I really hope someone doesn't hit me in the head really hard. Like, I would prefer not to have my brains bashed in.
Ted Cruz
This is the part where I think it's a bigger issue that concerns me. It's the dog whistles that come from the leadership of the Democratic Party.
Ben Ferguson
Donald Trump put it in your face. You had two assassins who tried to kill him. Yeah. We've got Democrats who are firebombing Tesla and radical leftists, and no Democrat is condemning it. They are calling for violence. These are the same people that had Antifa and Black Lives Matter riots. And so the threat of violence is very real. We had at the baseball practice, we had a radical leftist, a Bernie Sanders supporter, who came and said he asked someone, hey, are Those Republicans there, they said yes, and he came with a rifle and shot people and had. It was pure happenstance that Steve Scalise, who was a member of House leadership, was there because he had a security detail and that security detail shot and killed this radical leftist. If, let's say, scalise had been 10 minutes late that morning, let's say he'd been delayed. He'd been taking his kids to school, he'd been doing something else and he was delayed. That radical leftist would have murdered over a dozen House members and two U.S. senators. We came incredibly close to a massacre because of the active solicitation of violence. And let me be clear, this is. On one side, the left is calling for violence. I categorically oppose violence. I don't want anyone to engage in violence against leftists. I'm not calling for this nutcase jazz Jasmine Crockett to face any violence. No, no, no. Now, I think her views are anathema. And I want you to play what she said like a day or two later, attacking Greg Abbott because it is equally noxious. Listen to this.
Don Wildman
We in these hot ass Texas streets, honey. Y'all know we got governor hot wheels down there. Come on now. And. And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot ass mess, honey.
Ben Ferguson
So.
Don Wildman
So, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Ted Cruz
I mean, you listen to that. It's like one. What do you think's gonna come of that? The other thing is the backdrop behind her is she's literally speaking at the Human Rights Campaign, and that's what she's preaching. And people are laughing and clapping as she's on stage for.
Ben Ferguson
Again, by the way, do you know why Greg Abbott is in a wheelchair?
Ted Cruz
Yeah. If I remember the story correctly, he was running at the park and a random tree limb fell, fell on his head and paralyzed him.
Ben Ferguson
Broke his back. And I'll tell you, I worked for him five and a half years. Greg Abbott is a dear friend. He's been a boss, a mentor. And he would tell a joke. Like when I first went to work for him, he would tell a joke, he'd get up and say, okay, I know what you're thinking. How slow was that guy running to get hit by a tree? And like, the first time he jokes about it, you're not sure what to say. Like, wait, am I allowed to laugh about it? And he would tell jokes about it. And you could be like, okay, I mean, I guess if you can joke about it, I can laugh about it. But, you know, it was tragic. And he's been paralyzed for 20 plus, maybe 30 plus years, a long time in a wheelchair. And she's sitting there at supposedly the Human Rights Campaign. Now it's a leftist radical group that, that is obsessed with lgbt. I mean that, that, that's really what they exist to. But they're cheering yes, Governor Hot Wheels. He's disabled in a wheelchair.
Ted Cruz
Ha ha ha.
Ben Ferguson
What the hell's wrong with these people? I, I mean that is, that is nasty and hateful and it's who's today's Democrat Party is.
Ted Cruz
Yeah, it really is.
Don Wildman
Ch.
Travis Holloway
Ch.
Don Wildman
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Ted Cruz
Nothing but war and terror and pain.
Ben Ferguson
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Ted Cruz
Whenever it may come.
Ben Ferguson
As Israel, as we all know, is surrounded by enemies on all sides.
Ted Cruz
And thankfully, we have partnered very proudly.
Ben Ferguson
With the International Fellowship of Christians and.
Ted Cruz
Jews and they will continue to support the tens and tens of thousands of people in Israel with their life saving security essentials.
Ben Ferguson
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Ted Cruz
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Rodney Williams
And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Lets 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. And that's exactly why we created the wealthbreak. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealth Brave podcast on the iHeartRadio app.
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Ted Cruz
Which brings me to a final thing I want to talk about with you. And this is one of those. It seems like this used to be more effective at dividing the country. That's what I think Crockett, for example, loves to do. We divide and then hopefully I can conquer by division. And that doesn't seem to be working now with the American people. That's why it seems like the president, I think, truly has a majority support on virtually every issue that he's talking about right now. And overwhelming support, 65, 75% approval ratings in certain categories. Because the Democratic Party does seem to be floundering. And I'm talking about the entire party. I think part of that is because the Democratic Party isn't really Democratic party anymore. They're Marxists and socialists and communists masquerading around. And so now people are looking at them for what they are.
Ben Ferguson
And Ben, you're not the only person making that point. I'm not the only person making that point. Just this week there was an article in Axios and Axios may be the sort of Most insidery Washington D.C. swampy media outlet there is. And the lead reporters there, Jim Vande Heyen, Mike Allen, they write a column that is really worth reading because it's astonishing. It is entitled behind the Curtain Dems Dark Deep Hole. And here's what they write. They say top Democrats tell us their party is in its deepest hole in nearly 50 years and they fear things could actually get worse. And they lay out a series of bullet points. The party has its lowest favorability ever. No popular national leader to help improve it. Insufficient numbers to stop most legislation in Congress, A durable minority on the Supreme Court, dwindling influence over the media ecosystem with right wing, with right leaning podcasters like Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson. I may be adding that to and social media accounts ascendant. And that that clearly is about verdict with Ted Cruz and all of our incredible listeners. Another bullet point. Young voters are growing dramatically more conservative. A bad 2026 map for Senate races. Democratic Senate retirements could make it harder for the party to flip the House with members tempted by statewide races. There are only three House Republicans in districts former Vice President Harris won in 2024, a dim sign for a Democratic surge. There were 23 eight years ago in seats Hillary Clinton won. And thanks to the number of people fleeing blue states, the math for a Dem to win the presidency will just get harder in 2030. Amen. Amen. Amen.
Ted Cruz
Amen to that. Don't forget we do this show Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Hit that subscribe or auto download button and help us grow and reach new people by sharing this podcast wherever you are on social media and the center and I will see you back here on Friday morning.
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Us@Thrivent.Com I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the wealthbreak podcast, a real conversation about finance. Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone.
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Rodney Williams
Because wealth isn't just about money. It's about creating a life where you thrive and help others do the same. Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartRadio app.
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Hey, I'm Don Wildman. And on American History Hit my expert guests and I journey across the nation and through the years to uncover the stories that have made the United States. From first flight to first ladies, from stitching the Star Spangled Banner to striking gold in California to shooting for the moon with Apollo, we've got you covered. Catch new episodes of American History. Hit a podcast by History Hit every Monday and Thursday. Wherever you get your podcasts.
Verdict with Ted Cruz: Episode Summary – "Let's Create a Signal Thread...What Could Go Wrong? plus Dems in Crisis, Embracing Rage & Violence"
Release Date: March 26, 2025
In this compelling episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz," Senator Ted Cruz and co-host Ben Ferguson delve into two major topics shaking the political landscape: the controversial leak involving the Signal app and the escalating crisis within the Democratic Party. The discussion offers in-depth analysis, insightful commentary, and notable quotes that shed light on the current state of American politics.
A. Incident Overview
The episode opens with a significant controversy dubbed "Signal Gate," involving the encrypted messaging app Signal. [03:05] Ted Cruz addresses the inadvertent inclusion of journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in a confidential group chat used by President Trump's national security team to discuss military strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
B. Media Frenzy and Political Fallout
Ben Ferguson explains, [03:33] that the media swiftly capitalized on the incident, using it as a means to attack President Trump and his national security advisors. The inclusion of Goldberg, a known liberal journalist, was characterized as a "screw-up," leading to embarrassing headlines and attempts to undermine the administration’s credibility.
C. Defense of the Administration's Actions
Senator Cruz and Ferguson defend the substance of the discussions within the Signal thread, emphasizing the administration’s proactive measures against the Houthis. [05:16] Cruz highlights the effectiveness of the Trump administration in countering threats that were previously neglected under the Biden administration. He states, "Joe Biden and the Democrats, they didn't do a damn thing. They let radical Islamic terrorists engage in acts of terrorism and shut down shipping." The military strikes are portrayed as a significant victory for American interests and security.
D. Notable Quotes
Ted Cruz [11:08]: "The President didn't run away from it. There was a lot of openness and conversation... the President stood strongly with Mike Waltz."
Ben Ferguson [12:50]: "Donald Trump is taking questions. It seems like every day he's answering hard questions."
A. Embracing Rage and Violence
The conversation shifts to the internal turmoil within the Democratic Party. [25:27] Ben Ferguson labels the Democrats as the "party of rage," highlighting their increasing endorsement of violent rhetoric. The hosts discuss recent threats against prominent conservatives, including Elon Musk and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, as indicators of this alarming trend.
B. Examples of Threats and Hostility
Ferguson cites specific incidents, such as attacks on Tesla dealerships and direct threats made against him, illustrating the growing hostility. He recounts, [26:07] how Representative Jasmine Crockett called for violence against him and mocked Governor Abbott’s disability, showcasing the extreme rhetoric emanating from certain Democratic members.
C. Personal Experiences with Threats
Ted Cruz shares his personal encounters with threats, emphasizing the dangerous climate conservatives now face. [28:25] Cruz recounts an incident where individuals shouted profanities at him in public spaces, highlighting the rise in overt hostility and threats against political figures with conservative views.
D. Call for Non-Violence and Strength
Both hosts express their staunch opposition to violence, despite the aggressive rhetoric from Democrats. [31:19] Ferguson clarifies, "I categorically oppose violence. I don't want anyone to engage in violence against leftists." They advocate for resilience and maintaining integrity in the face of such threats.
A. Analysis of Axios Report
The episode references a revealing Axios article titled "Behind the Curtain: Dems in a Dark Deep Hole," which details the Democratic Party's declining favorability and internal struggles. [40:03] Ben Ferguson summarizes the article's key points, including the party’s lowest favorability in nearly 50 years, lack of strong national leaders, and diminishing influence over the media landscape.
B. Implications for Future Elections
Ferguson underscores the long-term repercussions of these trends, noting the increasing conservatism among young voters and unfavorable Senate maps for the Democrats. He states, "The math for a Dem to win the presidency will just get harder in 2030." This analysis suggests a bleak outlook for the Democratic Party's future electoral prospects.
In closing, Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson reiterate the strengths of the Trump administration and the dire state of the Democratic Party. [42:25] Cruz emphasizes the importance of unity and resilience among conservatives, calling for continued support to combat the challenges posed by an embattled Democratic Party.
D. Notable Final Quote
Signal Gate Incident: An inadvertent inclusion of a journalist in a secure Signal thread led to media backlash, but the substance of the administration's actions against the Houthis is defended as effective and necessary.
Democratic Party's Crisis: The Democratic Party is experiencing internal strife, increasing its association with rage and violence, which is alienating voters and undermining its political standing.
Media and Electoral Decline: Reports indicate a significant decline in Democratic favorability, weakened leadership, and unfavorable electoral maps, pointing to a challenging future for the party.
Rise in Conservative Threats: Conservatives face heightened threats and hostility, necessitating resilience and steadfastness in defending their values and policies.
This episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz" provides a thorough exploration of pressing political issues, offering listeners a detailed understanding of the current dynamics between the Republican administration and the struggling Democratic Party. Through incisive analysis and firsthand accounts, Cruz and Ferguson present a narrative of resilience in the face of adversity, urging supporters to remain vigilant and engaged.