Podcast Episode Summary
Verdict with Ted Cruz
Episode: New Year's Resolutions plus Minnesota Shooting, Riots & Fraud
Date: January 9, 2026
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson
Co-guests: Brandon Gill, JD Vance
Overview
In this episode, Senator Ted Cruz and host Ben Ferguson kick off 2026 by sharing their personal New Year's resolutions before diving into a detailed and impassioned discussion of a recent police-involved shooting in Minnesota, the political fallout surrounding it, the rhetoric from left-wing politicians, and pervasive fraud scandals in Minnesota’s government. The tone alternates between light-hearted banter and sobering commentary on national issues, blending personal anecdotes with political analysis.
I. New Year's Resolutions: Personal Goals for 2026
Timestamps: 03:04 – 09:16
Key Points:
- Both hosts candidly share health- and faith-related resolutions, creating a relatable and motivational opening.
- Resolutions include:
- Ted Cruz:
- Lose 30 pounds in 2026 (currently at 236 lbs, goal is 206 lbs)
- Do “dry January” (no alcohol) to support weight loss
- Commit to daily Bible reading for the year
- Ben Ferguson:
- Already lost significant weight (from 298 lbs to 209 lbs); goal is to gain muscle and maintain healthy habits
- Commits to daily Bible reading with Ted as shared accountability
- Ted Cruz:
Notable Quotes:
- Ted Cruz (03:22): “I like too damn fat... I weighed in this week at 236. That is too damn fat... My target for 2026 is to drop 30 pounds.”
- Ben Ferguson (07:00): “I was 298. I went to the doctor, scared the living snot out of me. I’m now down to I think 209... I want to put back muscle on.”
- Ted Cruz (05:15): “Resolution number three is I am committing to myself that I am going to read the Bible every day in 2026.”
- Ben Ferguson (06:10): “The idea of just reading it every day, I actually will take that challenge with you.”
II. Minnesota Shooting: Law Enforcement, Rhetoric, and Political Fallout
Timestamps: 09:16 – 17:30
A. Incident and Initial Reactions
- A woman attempted to run over an ICE agent in Minneapolis, leading to a fatal police shooting.
- Hosts emphasize that this is a tragic event, but highlight that lethal force was used because of the direct threat to the agent’s life.
- ICE and law enforcement agents are depicted as frequently demonized by left-wing politicians and activists.
- Cruz calls out Democratic leaders for what he sees as deliberately inflaming anti-police sentiment.
Notable Quotes:
- Ted Cruz (09:48): “What we’re witnessing in Minnesota is the natural culmination of several years of just increasingly heightened rhetoric from Democrats demonizing ICE agents, demonizing Border Patrol, demonizing law enforcement...”
- Ted Cruz (11:10): “If someone attacks law enforcement, you see instances where sometimes someone is pulled over and they reach for... a police officer’s Taser or his weapon. An awful lot of those instances end up with a fatality.”
B. Political Responses and Escalating Rhetoric
Timestamps: 14:30 – 15:45
- Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s Direct Message:
- Frey publicly tells ICE to “get the F out of Minneapolis,” blames ICE for the death, and accuses them of terrorizing local communities.
- Cruz and Ferguson react with disgust, labelling it “repulsive” and political grandstanding.
Notable Quotes:
- Mayor Jacob Frey (clip, 14:40): “ICE, get the F out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here... Now somebody is dead. That’s on you.”
- Ted Cruz (15:45): “What a repulsive, partisan swine. I’m physically sick listening to and watching Jacob Frey.”
III. Defending Law Enforcement: Best Practices and the Public’s Role
Timestamps: 17:30 – 26:38
- Cruz and Ferguson urge mutual respect in encounters with law enforcement, stressing that civil obedience and clear communication (e.g., showing hands during a traffic stop) reduce risk for all involved.
- Both reflect on their own parenting, teaching their children to comply with police and seek redress in court, not on the street.
- Cruz jokes about Sen. Mike Lee suggesting “9 and 3” hand position vs. “10 and 2.”
Notable Quotes:
- Ted Cruz (22:05): “Anytime you interact with law enforcement, I believe you should interact respectfully and understand... if a police officer pulls you over, that officer, every day, it is potentially a deadly encounter for that officer.”
- Ben Ferguson (23:36): “My dad was in law enforcement... he said, I want to make it clear, you never argue with law enforcement. If they’re wrong, you get to go to court.”
- Ted Cruz (24:21): “Mike Lee brought it up. Although what he said is, you should put your hands at 9 and 3 instead of 10 and 2. I’m like, 9 and 3? Who drives like that? What are you, Mario Andretti or something?”
IV. Violence, Escalation, and the Role of the Left
Timestamps: 18:33 – 23:36
- Cruz and Ferguson allege that the political left is increasingly tolerant of violence if it supports their agenda, citing examples where surveys suggest rising left-wing support for violence against political opponents.
- Argue that much of the activism against ICE is encouraged at the rhetorical and sometimes grassroots level by Democratic politicians.
- Cruz explicitly condemns violence from any political side.
Notable Quotes:
- JD Vance (20:09): “You have a woman who aimed her car at a law enforcement officer and pressed on the accelerator... It’s a tragedy of her own making and a tragedy of the far left who has marshaled an entire movement, a lunatic fringe, against our law enforcement officers.”
- Ted Cruz (21:22): “Violence is always, always wrong. Whether I agree with your politics or disagree... And the Democrats are deliberately pushing this.”
V. The Broader Context: Fraud, Welfare, and Political Strategy in Minnesota
Timestamps: 26:38 – 36:47
A. Cars as Deadly Weapons and Legal Precedents
- Discussion of the legal classification of vehicles as deadly weapons, noting famous cases like the Waukesha Christmas parade attack and prior prosecutorial leniency as dangerous precedents.
- Cruz blames progressive “Soros prosecutors” for contributing to escalating violence through lax policies.
Notable Quotes:
- Ted Cruz (27:40): “Back in 2022, the man in Waukesha, Wisconsin... drove his SUV into a Christmas parade and murdered multiple people... he had previously used his car as a deadly weapon... and [was] let out of jail on a nominal... bond.”
B. Minnesota’s Fraud Crisis and Somali Community Welfare Stats
Timestamps: 29:10 – 34:48
- The hosts tie the shooting’s political response to the wider crisis of fraud in Minnesota, especially relating to Somali immigration and the administration of welfare and grant programs.
- Cruz claims this is the “worst instance of fraud” in US history—$9 billion stolen from taxpayers.
- Segment includes audio of Rep. Brandon Gill grilling a Minnesota witness in a congressional hearing about welfare reliance among Somali-headed households.
- Gill presents stark numbers: 54% on food stamps, 73% on Medicaid, 81% on welfare; after 10 years in the US, 78% still on welfare, and 50% do not speak English “very well.”
- Cruz argues this mass immigration was intended to create Democratic voters and political patronage networks.
Notable Quotes:
- Ted Cruz (29:10): “Democrat politicians in Minnesota are in crisis right now because this Somali fraud, it is the worst instance of fraud that has ever been uncovered in American history. $9 billion and counting...”
- Brandon Gill (32:15): “Does large scale Somali immigration make Minnesota stronger or weaker? Certainly stronger. Do you know what percentage of Somali-headed households in Minnesota are on food stamps? ... 54%.”
- Ted Cruz (34:48): “The Somali immigrants come here... because of birthright citizenship, which is a really foolish policy... and you’ve got 81% of them on welfare.”
VI. Political Strategy, Distraction, and “Calls to Violence”
Timestamps: 30:31 – 36:47
- The hosts allege that Democratic leaders (e.g., Governor Tim Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey) are using incendiary language to intentionally distract from fraud scandals by fomenting unrest and riots.
- They argue that talk of “civil war” and war with the federal government is an intentional political strategy.
- Cruz previews a forthcoming Senate hearing on the Minnesota fraud scandal.
Notable Quotes:
- Ted Cruz (31:08): “If you’re an angry left wing radical, you already hate ICE, you already hate Donald Trump and then you hear the elected Democrat governor say Minnesota is at war with the federal government. That is a call to violence.”
- Ben Ferguson (30:31): “You have a governor... whose job is to back law enforcement... and he’s like, maybe this is an opportunity for a civil war. He’s saying that Minnesota is at war with the United States federal government.”
- Ted Cruz (36:47): “They allowed them to commit fraud, to steal $9 billion and then to bundle those votes for the Democrats to bundle cash for the Democrats. And the Democrats covered it up.”
VII. Standout/Memorable Moments
- Cruz and Ferguson’s personal honesty about resolutions, health journeys, and family (03:04 – 09:16)
- Mayor Frey’s expletive-laden call for ICE to “get the F out” (14:40 – 15:45)
- JD Vance’s blunt assessment of left-wing violence (20:09 – 21:12)
- Brandon Gill’s live congressional “fact dump” about welfare reliance and fraud in Minnesota (32:15 – 34:26)
- The recurring theme: Alleged democrat orchestration of unrest to deflect from scandal (throughout, especially 29:10 – 36:47)
VIII. Conclusion
The episode excels as an example of conservative talk radio’s blend of personal connection and pointed political critique. Cruz and Ferguson are united in their anger toward what they see as leftist demonization of law enforcement, policy failures, and the enabling of both violence and historic fraud, especially in the state of Minnesota. The tone is sometimes caustic, often earnest, and always aimed at rallying their audience for shared values and political engagement.