Poll Numbers a BIG WIN for Trump, Where did $4.7TRILL GO & AG Pam Bondi on 'Getting Along' in the Trump Admin Week In Review

Summary

Verdict with Ted Cruz: Episode Summary
Episode Title: Poll Numbers a BIG WIN for Trump, Where did $4.7TRILL GO & AG Pam Bondi on 'Getting Along' in the Trump Admin
Release Date: February 22, 2025
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson
Produced by: Premiere Networks

---

1. Introduction

In this episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz," hosts Senator Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson delve into three significant topics impacting the current political landscape: the impressive poll numbers favoring Donald Trump, the revelation of $4.7 trillion in untraceable government spending uncovered by Doge, and insights from Attorney General Pam Bondi on fostering effective relationships within the Trump administration.

---

2. Poll Numbers and Trump's Mandate

Overview:
Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson begin by discussing the exceptionally high poll numbers supporting former President Donald Trump. These polls are seen as a strong mandate enabling Trump and the Republican Party to advance their legislative agenda with greater ease.

Key Discussions:

• Magnitude of Trump's Poll Support:
  Cruz emphasizes that the current polls surpass historical standards, comparing recent numbers to those seen in decades past. He states, “I have not seen 60% polls like these in decades” (01:32).

• Democratic Disconnect:
  The conversation shifts to the Democratic Party’s disconnect from mainstream voters. Cruz cites James Carville’s scathing criticism of the Democrats, highlighting the party's shift towards extreme positions detached from the American populace. Cruz quotes Carville:

  "I dedicated the best years of my effing life to this party only to see it taken over by a bunch of stupid MFers." (05:34)

• Impact on Legislation:
  Ferguson inquires about the implications of these poll numbers on congressional actions, to which Cruz responds that Republicans are now better positioned to pass legislation, noting the consistent voting patterns of Democrats against key issues like border security and energy exploration.

Notable Quote:

"This turns into what I call a mandate, a super mandate, and it just means, keep going, Trump, keep going." – Ben Ferguson (03:47)

---

3. Border Security and Illegal Immigration

Overview:
A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to discussing the advancements in border security under Trump’s administration. The hosts present data illustrating a dramatic decrease in illegal border crossings and criticize the Biden administration’s previous handling of immigration.

Key Discussions:

• Record Low Illegal Crossings:
  Cruz shares alarming statistics, stating, “In February, about 359 illegal migrants per day have been caught across the entire southern border, down more than 90%” (07:20). He underscores that if current trends continue, monthly crossings could reach a 60-year low, a stark contrast to the previous administration’s figures.

• Critique of Biden’s Policies:
  The hosts condemn Biden for failing to secure the border, labeling his repeated assurances as “gaslighting.” Cruz asserts that Biden and key Democratic figures knowingly misled the public about the feasibility of fixing border security.

• Stephen Miller’s Interview with CNN:
  Ted Cruz highlights an exchange with Stephen Miller, criticizing CNN’s stance on illegal immigrants committing crimes. He quotes Miller challenging CNN’s ignorance regarding the misuse of taxpayer dollars by illegal immigrants, emphasizing the administration's commitment to law enforcement (23:13).

Notable Quote:

“Every Democrat in the Senate voted no over and over and over again.” – Ted Cruz (03:47)

---

4. Untraceable Government Spending: The $4.7 Trillion Gap

Overview:
Senator Cruz and Ferguson address the startling revelation by Doge about $4.7 trillion in federal payments that were untraceable due to incomplete Treasury Access Symbol (TAS) codes.

Key Discussions:

• Doge’s Findings:
  Cruz explains, “In the federal government, the TAS field was optional for $4.7 trillion in payments and was often left blank, making traceability almost impossible” (19:35). He breaks down the sheer magnitude of the figure, emphasizing the lack of accountability in government spending.

• Implications of Untraceable Funds:
  The discussion points to systemic waste and the politicization of funds within government agencies. Cruz laments the culture of spending other people’s money without concern, leading to extravagant and often questionable expenditures.

• Government Accountability:
  Cruz argues that Trump and Elon Musk are pivotal in exposing these financial irregularities, holding the government accountable for its misuse of taxpayer dollars.

Notable Quote:

“There is a culture of endemic waste that is enormously problematic.” – Ted Cruz (22:34)

---

5. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Administration Relationships

Overview:
The episode features a segment with Attorney General Pam Bondi, who discusses the importance of strong relationships within the Trump administration and the collaborative efforts to enforce laws effectively.

Key Discussions:

• Day One as Attorney General:
  Bondi describes her first days in office as intense and non-stop, focusing on initiatives like combating human trafficking and addressing anti-Semitism on college campuses. She mentions, “Our directive from our boss is so easy, especially on my end. Make America safe” (33:22).

• Fostering Cooperation:
  Bondi emphasizes the significance of trust and open communication among cabinet members, crediting Donald Trump for empowering them to execute their roles without micromanagement.

  “He is a good friend of mine. And I love, during my confirmation hearing, when they try to get on me because they say, I'm friends with Donald Trump. Yes, I'm very. No, I'm not friends with him. I'm good friends with him, and I'm very proud to work for him.” (34:44)

• Combating Anti-Semitism:
  Bondi addresses rising anti-Semitism on campuses, criticizes the Biden Justice Department for inaction, and outlines the administration’s plans to protect Jewish students and prosecute threats of violence.

Notable Quote:

“Let’s stop horrible crimes against vulnerable kids.” – Ted Cruz (15:06)

---

6. Conclusion

In wrapping up the episode, Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson reaffirm their commitment to addressing government waste, securing the border, and enforcing laws effectively. They highlight the successes achieved under the Trump administration and express optimism about the future legislative achievements driven by strong polling support and internal administration cooperation.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Senator Ted Cruz:

  “I have not seen 60% polls like these in decades.” (01:32)
  “There is a culture of endemic waste that is enormously problematic.” (22:34)
  “Punishing itself is terrible.” – Friedrich Nietzsche, quoted by Cruz (16:50)
  “These Democrats are releasing these child rapists.” (15:06)

• Ben Ferguson:

  “I should say that this is now where we are.” (06:34)
  “Is this gonna make it easier to get things done in Congress as well?” (03:47)
  “It's amazing.” (27:20)

• Pam Bondi:

  “We have an October 7th task force that we started and we will protect you.” (37:07)
  “It is refreshingly simple to have an attorney General who has the approach that you're going to follow the law and enforce the law.” (38:09)

---

Key Takeaways

• Strong Poll Support for Trump: The high poll numbers provide the Republican Party with a robust mandate to advance their policy agenda, highlighting the Democrats' growing disconnect from mainstream voters.

• Massive Government Waste Uncovered: The discovery of $4.7 trillion in untraceable government spending underscores systemic inefficiencies and the need for greater financial accountability within federal agencies.

• Effective Administration Relationships: Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasizes the importance of trust and cooperation within the Trump administration, facilitating swift and decisive action on critical issues like border security and anti-Semitism.

• Commitment to Law Enforcement: The administration remains steadfast in enforcing laws against illegal immigration and prosecuting crimes committed by illegal immigrants, positioning themselves against what they describe as the Democrats' ineffective policies.

---

For those interested in an in-depth analysis of these topics, downloading and listening to the full episode is highly recommended.

---

Timestamp Guide

• 01:32 – Introduction to poll numbers supporting Trump.
• 03:47 – Discussion on Poll Numbers and Mandate.
• 05:34 – James Carville’s critique of the Democratic Party.
• 07:20 – Statistics on illegal border crossings.
• 15:06 – Democrats' handling of illegal immigrants.
• 19:35 – Doge’s findings on untraceable spending.
• 22:34 – Ted Cruz on government waste.
• 27:20 – Stephen Miller’s interview with CNN.
• 33:22 – Pam Bondi on her role as Attorney General.
• 34:44 – Bondi on trust within the administration.
• 37:07 – Bondi on combating anti-Semitism.
• 38:09 – Bondi on enforcing the law.

---

Note: Timestamps correspond to the minutes and seconds into the podcast transcript where particular discussions occur.

Transcript

[Unknown Announcer]

The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl Champions.

It's over.

Fly Eagles, fly.

Celebrate the big win with the official licensed Super Bowl Champions gear available [e-mail].

[Ted Cruz]

The Eagles win at Super Bowl 59.

[Unknown Announcer]

From jerseys to hats to must have collectibles, we've got everything you need to rep your team with pride. Don't wait. These styles won't last. Shop [e-mail] and gear up like a champion.

[Ryan Seacrest]

It is Ryan Seacrest here. There was a recent social media trend which consisted of flying on a plane with no music, no movies, no entertainment. But a better trend would be going to chumbacasino.com it's like having a mini social casino in your pocket. Chumba Casino has over a hundred online casino style games, all absolutely free. It's the most fun you can have online and on a plane. So grab your free welcome bonus [e-mail] sponsored by Chumbacasino.

[Ted Cruz]

No purchase necessary. VGW Group void we're prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Ever wondered what it feels like to be a gladiator facing a roaring crowd and potential death in the Colosseum?

[Ben Ferguson]

Find out on the Ancients Podcast from.

[Ryan Seacrest]

History hit twice a week. Join me, Tristan Hughes, as I hear exciting new research about people living thousands of years ago, from the Babylonians to the Celts to the Romans.

[Ben Ferguson]

And visit the ancient sites which reveal.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Who and just how amazing our distant ancestors were. That's the Ancients from History hit.

[Ben Ferguson]

Welcome. It is Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, the Week in Review. Ben Ferguson with you. We had some big stories that you may have missed that we talked about this week. First up, poll numbers helping Donald Trump get his agenda done. Just how big are the poll numbers for the president? And what does it mean about the media who's still coming after him? We'll break that down for you. Also, Doge has come out and found 4.7 trillion in untraceable spending. Was it done deliberately by the government so no one would know where your tax dollars are going? We'll break that down for you as well. And finally, Pam Bondi, the Attorney General of the United States of America, joins us talking about the relationship she has with other people in the administration and just how important it is that they are friends and working together. It's the Weekend Review and it starts right now. When I was at the Bush administration, we were on the campaign. If you had a poll on something we wanted that was above 53%, that was like a home run. If you were at 55% or above. It was like a mandate. I have not seen 60% polls like these in decades. Have you, on these types of issues.

[Ted Cruz]

And to see ABC reporting on it. And you're right, Jonathan Karl is very dismayed to be reporting on it. He's shaking his head, but Hakeem Jeffries looks like he's filming a hostage video. He's just terrified. Why are you asking me this? Because he doesn't want to say, no, I don't agree with Trump on anything, because when you're on the wrong side of a bunch of 60, 40 issues, that's a recipe to lose elections. But he doesn't want to say, yes, I agree with Trump on anything because his base hates Trump so much, they'll lose their mind and go nuts. So all he can say is, well, it's just the beginning. I hope things will go wrong. And then. Then we can celebrate that things are going wrong.

[Ben Ferguson]

It's. It is astounding, astonishing. I should say that. That this is now where we are. But this turns into what I call a mandate, a super mandate, and it just means, keep going, Trump, keep going. Republicans, what does this do to some of your colleagues who maybe didn't want to go along with some of these types of things when they see these poll numbers? Is this gonna make it easier to get things done in Congress as well? I would hope so.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, it certainly should. And by the way, I'll tell you, historically, for the last four years, every Democrat voted on the wrong side of these issues. On the question of are there two sexes, male and female? Every single Democrat in the Senate voted no, over and over and over again. On the question of deporting illegals, Every Democrat in the Senate voted no, over and over and over again. On the question of more oil and gas exploration, Virtually every Democrat, actually, Joe Manchin, would vote yes occasionally. Joe Manchin isn't there anymore. So every Democrat that remains in the Senate has voted no over and over and over again. On the question of declaring an emergency on the southern border. Again, every Democrat voted no. And so the Democrat Party, listen, they're in a crisis. If you're on the wrong side of 60, 40 issues across the board, well, that's how you get the kind of election we had in November. That's how you get a president elected with more than 300 electoral votes. That's how you get a president elected. Who, of the seven swing states wins all seven? That's how you get a Republican Senate and a Republican House. Because the Democrats on the issues. They're not listening to the American people. They're listening to the crazy fringe. And I don't see a whole lot of indication that they're moving. It's a fascinating question is, are there Democrats in the party who say, gosh, we've gotten so far out of the mainstream, we're really listening to just a fringe. Let's get back to the middle. There are one or two people saying that, but I gotta say, all right, I want you to listen to James Carville. James Carville is a Democrat through and through. Listen to what James Carville had to say about his party just completely getting so extreme that they leave the American people behind. And he's really upset about it. Here are the words Carville is quoted online as saying. We don't have the audio, but we have the words. And look, I'll give a warning. Carville's language is always colorful and it is here, but here's how he's quoted, quote, I dedicated the best years of my effing life to this party only to see it taken over by a bunch of stupid MFers. Everything's gone to S. By the way, he did not abbreviate any of those. And if you look at the tweet that is particularly circulating online, it says Carville is especially livid following the DNC leadership election, reportedly saying, quote, who are these people? This David Hogg guy and that other sissy, referring to Malcolm Kenyatta come out of the GD left field. Well, there goes the mail vote forever. Thanks, guys. We're effed and we deserve it. That's James Carville's assessment of where the Democrat Party is right now, based on.

[Ben Ferguson]

The poll numbers that we're seeing. He's not far off, by the way, from reality. I mean, if he's an honest broker. I've known James for years. You have as well. Like, he's. This is the assessment. I think he's spot on with where the Democratic Party is and they still don't seem to understand where that this is how far they are away from the American people. That's a blessing in disguise for us.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, they are not listening to reality. But look, let's look at the facts. Let's take the facts. All right. Here's a headline from the New York Post just a couple of days ago. Quote, illegal border crossings hit record low after Trump's swift crackdown and could be on track for levels not seen in 60 years.

[Ben Ferguson]

Wow.

[Ted Cruz]

The numbers are stunning. So far. In February, about 359 illegal migrants per day have been caught across the entire southern border, down more than 90%.9 0 from February 2024, according to leaked Customs and Border Protection data. That puts the US on track to have the lowest monthly border crossings in at least 25 years. If the trend continues, the number of illegal migrants coming into the US could hit a level not seen since 1968, nearly 60 years ago. Here's a quote from Mark Ricorian, who runs the center for Immigration Studies. It's the lowest the U.S. has seen, quote, in almost a lifetime. Quote. If you kind of break down the numbers, divide them by 365. We hadn't had numbers this low since the 1960s. So we're talking 60 year lows if it's abstained. Obviously. The CPP data shows that just 3953 illegal migrants have been caught this month through February 11th. If that trend continues through the month, that would put the February boarding crossings at roughly 10,000, which is a number that hasn't been seen since CPB began tracking month to month data in 1999. 10,000. Under Biden, we were getting 10,000 a day. We're on track for that to be the total monthly traffic. And that's just in the very first month.

[Ben Ferguson]

It's a momentum thing now, right? I mean, you gotta feel it, I'm sure on Capitol Hill, which is we've just gotten started, the American people are behind us and we're recruiting a bigger audience that's cheering this on each and every day.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, look, this election, President Trump and Republicans in the Senate and House promised the American people real results. And you look at what was promised. Number one, we promised we are going to secure the border. And remember repeatedly, Joe Biden said, first of all, he said the border is security. Said it over and over and over again. People knew that was a lie. And then he said, well, it's impossible to fix it. Look, it's up to Congress. I want you to listen to this clip from the National Border Patrol Council Vice president talking about Biden lying to the American people on this topic. Give a listen.

[Ryan Seacrest]

You know, it's interesting because down on the southern border there has also been a dramatic reduction in the number of people who are coming across the border. I want to put up call for number four here. This is a senior DHS official talking about that. Chris. Delivering consequences has results. Illegal crossings are down. Got aways are down. Criminal prosecutions are on the rise. Daily reports of large groups in Mexico, Guatemala turning back south and surrendering to authorities requesting to go Home. And we have only just begun policy matters. President Biden told us repeatedly, Chris, that he had basically done all he could and that it was up to Congress to do more. What's happened in the last two and a half weeks would seem to suggest that Biden was just gaslighting everybody.

[Ted Cruz]

Yes.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ted Cruz]

You know, it's unfortunate, I think. Yeah. I don't know.

[Ryan Seacrest]

I don't know who he thought he was fooling.

[Ted Cruz]

I mean, it darn sure wasn't us.

[Ryan Seacrest]

We knew what was going on the whole time. And you're right, the apprehension numbers have.

[Ted Cruz]

Slowed to a crawl. Last night, I was actually working the river, and you have the Mexican military.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Patrolling their northern border.

[Ted Cruz]

So that slows down a lot of.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Traffic coming our way.

[Ben Ferguson]

So things have changed a great deal.

[Ted Cruz]

And this president has proven that he's.

[Ryan Seacrest]

A man of his word and can get it done. He actually gave President Biden, then President.

[Ted Cruz]

Biden, the roadmap to do it.

[Ryan Seacrest]

He just failed to do it.

[Ben Ferguson]

There it is. Failed to do it. Right. That's what it boils down to.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, and it was deliberate. It was a decision. And listen, Biden knew he was lying to the American people. Kamala Harris knew she was lying to the American people. Karine Jean Pierre knew she was lying to the American people. Chuck Schumer knew he was lying to the American people. Every Democrat in the Senate and the House, they knew they were lying to the American people. And it's because they elevated politics above their basic job of representing their constituents and protecting them. And listen, reasonable people can disagree. Say on the right level of legal immigration. Some people might say we should allow more legal immigration. Other people might say we should allow less. That's a discussion reasonable and rational people can have. Let me ask you something seriously, Ben. Imagine for a second you're a Democrat strategist. So imagine you're a transgender witch and you are a complete lunatic and you have no reason. Even so, you presumably want your team to win. I mean, one would think that would be sort of the basics if you're running a campaign.

[Ben Ferguson]

Sure.

[Ted Cruz]

Explain to me how a political party gets so far away from common sense in the American people that they decide, let's release multiple child rapists that raping kids. You know, apparently our constituents want child rapists in our community. And if you think, okay, come on, Ted, that's a little extreme. The Democrats are not doing this. I want you to listen about Bill Milluchin. Bill Meluchin is the best immigration reporter in the country. He's with Fox News. I want you to listen to this clip because this is exactly what the Democrat Party's been doing. Give it a listen.

[Bill Melugin]

Well, Dana, it's hard to believe there are any jurisdictions out there that wouldn't cooperate with ICE when it comes to illegal aliens charged with forcibly raping children. But in Massachusetts, it's just routine. Take a look at this case. IceBoston just announcing they arrested this Guatemalan illegal alien charged in Massachusetts with three counts of aggravated child rape and three counts of forcible rape of a child. So the question is, why was he on the streets? Right. Well, ICE says their detainer request on him was ignored by the Essex County Superior Court due to sanctuary policy. The locals released him into the community on bail without any notice to ice. In a statement, the director of ICE Boston says in part, jose Fernando Perez has been charged with some horrific crimes against a minor in our commonwealth. He is exactly the type of alien we are targeting with our worst first policy. He posed a significant danger to the children of Massachusetts, and we will not tolerate such a threat to our community. ICE Boston also announcing the arrest of this Turkish illegal alien charged in Massachusetts with assault and battery against an intellectually disabled person and witness intimidation. But ICE says their detainer on him was also ignored by the sanctuary city of Somerville. He had also been released into the public. Elsewhere around the U.S. iseattle arrested this Salvadoran illegal alien wanted in his home country for aggravated homicide. Here in Los Angeles, ICE arrested this Guatemalan illegal alien charged with sexual assault and rape with a gun. And In Colorado, the DEA announced their top 10 arrests of illegal immigrants in recent days, including several affiliated with Trende, Aragua and others with egregious crimes like kidnapping, child sexual assault, and fentanyl trafficking. And Dana, I was talking to a law enforcement source in Massachusetts about the child rape case that I referenced, and I asked, like, there's got to be some sort of a catch here, right? Forget about cooperating with ice. How does somebody charge with so many counts of aggravated forcible child rape even get released on bail in the first place? The response I got was, quote, welcome to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We'll send it back to you.

[Unknown Announcer]

Well, they're finally on their way out. Thanks, Bill.

[Ben Ferguson]

Welcome. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. That's how much they hate Donald Trump. They don't care about these rapists running around among us.

[Ted Cruz]

It really is shocking. And understand what is being reported there, which is that in Massachusetts, but also you're seeing it in Seattle. Also you're seeing it in Colorado and across the country. You have Democrats who have people who are violent child rapists who are violently, horribly raping little children. And number one, these Democrats are releasing these child rapists. Now, these child rapists are illegal immigrants. They could be deported. But their politics of we want as many illegal immigrants as possible is more important than any sort of common sense of let's stop. Let's stop horrible crimes against vulnerable kids. You know, there's a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche in Beyond Good and Evil which I think is really on point here. And it is quote there is a point in the history of society when it becomes so pathologically soft and tender that among other things, it sides even with those who harm it criminals. And it does this quite seriously and honestly. Punishing somehow seems unfair to it. And it is certain that imagining punishment and being supposed to punish hurts. It arouses fear in it. Is it not enough to render him undangerous? Why still punish? Punishing itself is terrible. With this question herd morality, the morality of timidity draws its ultimate consequence.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation, you can go back and listen to the full podcast from earlier this week.

[Unknown Announcer]

The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl Champions.

It's over.

Fly Eagles, fly.

Celebrate the big win with the official licensed Super Bowl Champions gear available [e-mail].

[Ted Cruz]

The Eagles win at Super Bowl 59.

[Unknown Announcer]

From jerseys to hats to must have collectibles, we've got everything you need to rep your team with pride. Don't wait. These styles won't last. Shop [e-mail] and gear up like a champion.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hello, it is Ryan and I was on a flight the other day playing one of my favorite social spin slot games on chumbacasino.com I looked over the person sitting next to me and you know what they were doing? They were also playing Chumba Casino. Everybody's loving having fun with it. Chumba Casino is home to hundreds of casino style games that you can play for free anytime, anywhere. So sign up [e-mail] to claim your free welcome bonus. That's chumbacasino.com and live the Chumba Life.

[Ted Cruz]

Sponsored by Chumba Casino. No purchase necessary VGW group Void where prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply.

[Ryan Seacrest]

On January 27th it is international Holocaust Remembrance Day. We remember the great horrors, the evil of the Holocaust. Millions and millions of Jews were slaughtered during the Nazi reign of terror. Now today we are witnessing the rise of global anti Semitism. The constant attacks on Israel showing us that it is more important than ever to remember the atrocities of the Holocaust and to ensure it never happens again. We have proudly partnered with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Now they provide food, shelter, safety to so many Israelis in Israel as they fight against radical Islamic terrorism in our time, including those remaining Holocaust survivors. Your donation today will help provide food, water, medicine and other bare necessities to Jewish communities. Go to their [e-mail] that's supportifcj.org or call toll free 888-488-IFCJ 888-488 ifcj today.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now on to story number two. Senator, I want to move on to Doge. And I mean, it's just mind blowing at this point how much money is being uncovered that is involved in waste, fraud and abuse within our government. And then there's this new headline that came out of the White House and that is a bombshell that there has been $4.7 trillion that has been spent that is untraceable in the way that the payments went out from the Treasury Department. Explain that to America.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, let me read from our article in FOX News. Doge says it found nearly untraceable budget line Items responsible for 4.7 trillion in payments. The Trump administration's Doge discovered an identification code linking U.S. treasury payments to a budget line item which accounts for nearly $4.7 trillion in payments, which was oftentimes left blank. The treasury access symbol TAS is an identification code linking a Treasury payment to a budget line item, standard financial process Doge wrote and posted on X. In the federal government, the TAS field was optional for $4.7 trillion in payments and was often left blank, making traceability almost impossible. As of Saturday, this is now a required field, increasing insight into where money is actually going. So understand $4.7 trillion. Listen, a million dollars is a lot of money. A billion dollars is a crap ton more. It's actually a thousand times more. A trillion dollars is a thousand, thousand times more than a million dollars. And 4.7 trillion is even in federal government spending a massive amount. The point here is the money that has been coming from the federal government has been massively wasted and there has been no accountability. And the entire governmental system is reacting in pain and horror and agony that Donald Trump and Elon Musk are bringing finally accountability to it.

[Ben Ferguson]

You look at the 4.7 trillion, is this done on purpose for this exact reason? If you don't know where the money's going, you can't trace the money. Then you can't ask questions.

[Ted Cruz]

Oh, look, yes and no. I had an old boss of mine, my very first boss, who said this, this was actually quite profound. He said, never blame on malice. What can be explained? What with incompetence. Look, that, that explains a lot of government. There is massive waste. There is massive politicization and weaponization. If you're spending your own money, you care about it. Ben, you care about your own money. If you're spending someone else's money, you don't care about it. And, and that problem in government is there's a culture of endemic waste that is enormously problematic. And you combine that with the politicization that there's a, it doesn't matter. I'm spending someone else's money, I don't care. And I'm going to spend it to promote transgender witches in some far off country. That's what we've seen and that's what Trump and Elon are exposing.

[Ben Ferguson]

You talk about what all they're exposing outside the 4.7 trillion in payments that we can't trace. Let's talk about illegal immigrants receiving benefits. And the media, by the way, they're going to defend everything they can, even if it's indefensible. A great example of that.

[Ted Cruz]

Let me ask you this. Is there one Democrat, you know, who has criticized one single example of massive waste, abuse and fraud? And by the way, by one Democrat, I don't mean James Carville. We talked about that two days ago. I don't mean a consultant. I mean one elected Democrat. I can tell you in the US Senate, I don't know of a single one, do you?

[Ben Ferguson]

No, not a single one. And you would think at some point they, they would come out, go, yeah, this is good for Americans, good for my district, that's good for the taxpayers. I represent that we're not going to spend money on X, Y or Z. None of these egregious items that we've listed on the show and we've done a really good job of keeping people up to date with where the money's going. None of them been criticized by the Democrats and the media. Again, they are just hell bent on saying, Donald Trump bad. Elon Musk bad. Doge bad. Here's a great example.

[Ted Cruz]

Listen to this exchange with Stephen Miller, because it is, it is hysterical. By the way, tonight I saw Stephen, I was at a party. So Howard Lutnick was just confirmed as Commerce Secretary. He had a party at his house. I saw Stephen this evening and I told him, great job on cnn. Listen to this exchange because she really is. It's nutty. And I got to say, CNN has become a clown show. It's not even, it's not even real journalism. It's just silly. But listen to this back and forth.

[Unknown Announcer]

You mentioned yesterday and you mentioned again here. Illegal immigrants who are getting child tax credits. If are you looking for that information in the IRS data?

Anytime a crime is committed, of course there should be an investigation. Is it your position that if somebody who is.

Stephen, are you looking for that information in the tax data?

The federal government will find every illegal alien who is stealing American taxpayer dollars and that is what Americans find that in the irs?

[Ryan Seacrest]

I don't even fathom that with law question.

[Unknown Announcer]

It's a simple question. And you find that information in the IRS data, Share that with law enforcement.

IRS investigators find illegal aliens stealing taxpayer money, of course they'll be referred to ice. Of course it'll be referred to Homeland Security investigations. Of course they will be. Surely your position is not that we should let illegal aliens steal taxpayer dollars. Again, you want to talk about something to be upset about?

[Ted Cruz]

That's it.

[Unknown Announcer]

What do you think the millions of illegal aliens who've also stolen Social Security. Illegal aliens en masse have fake Social Security numbers. They have fake identities. Those are felonies. Why should there be an entire class in this country that is immunized from criminal prosecution and arrest for committing felonies? Felony theft of taxpayer information, felony theft of Social Security, felony theft of identity. These are all crimes. And yes, they will be investigated. Yes, they will be prosecuted. And yes, he will be deported. And you know what happens when those.

Deportations occur just very quickly?

Americans will get jobs, Americans will get benefits.

Americans will get houses, Stephen, if they got a child, if they got a credit, a child tax credit, and they, they will be referred, you're saying, to ICE for that. And you would expect deported for that. Is that, is that the position of the administration?

If it is found that a crime has been committed, they'll be referred. If the, if it is justifies the prosecution, they'll be prosecuted. If it justifies a deportation, they will be deported. This will be based on existing IRIS put protocols and procedures for criminal investigation and fraud. The difference is that no one is given immunity anymore. No one is given permission to break the law anymore because this is not a country, this is not a sovereign territory. If illegal aliens can freely steal billions with a B, billions of taxpayer dollars. And I would have to imagine that cnn, which is endlessly talked about the importance of democracy and the Rule of law would say that no class in this country should be above the law, least of all illegal aliens who've trespassed on our territory.

Stephen, I'm just asking. I wanted to get your position on some things.

[Ted Cruz]

This.

[Unknown Announcer]

We're not taking a position here. We wanted to get some answers to some questions. There are so many questions that need.

To be like, you are indifferent or unbiased on these questions. But thank you.

Stephen Miller, thank you so much for your time. Really appreciate it. And we'll be right back. Thank you.

[Ben Ferguson]

It's amazing. Is it just like, oh, we don't take positions here. And I love how he grids here. He grins and laughs in her face. Like, are you kidding me? Everybody watching right now knows exactly what you're doing. And you're trying to act like we're doing something wrong when in fact we're saving taxpayers dollars.

[Ted Cruz]

What Miller is saying is exactly right. The federal government should enforce the law. If you have illegal aliens who are stealing from the taxpayers, they should be prosecuted. And the bizarre position CNN is taking is, well, if the IRS knows that you're illegally stealing from the taxpayers, the IRS shouldn't tell that to the rest of the federal government. You should protect the illegal aliens who are stealing from the taxpayers. That's a weird proposition. Why is the IRS separate from doj, separate from dhs, separate from ice, separate from all of the different federal agencies? And CNN is so vested in saying we want millions of illegal aliens here and we want there to be no consequences to their continuing to engage in fraud, to work illegally, to draw Social Security payments, to draw government payments fraudulently. That is CNN's position. And I gotta say I'm gonna credit Stephen Miller for calling out CNN for They're not engaged in news. They have a position on this. They don't want the law enforced. And I gotta say, I think the American people do as before.

[Ben Ferguson]

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.

[Unknown Announcer]

The Philadelphia Eagles are Super bowl champions.

It's over.

Fly, Eagles, fly.

Celebrate the big win with the official licensed super bowl champions gear, available [e-mail].

[Ted Cruz]

The Eagles win at Super Bowl 59.

[Unknown Announcer]

From jerseys to hats to must have collectibles, we've got everything you need to rep your team with pride. Don't wait. These styles won't last. Shut stop [e-mail] and gear up like a champion.

[Ryan Seacrest]

On January 27, it is international Holocaust Remembrance Day. We Remember the great horrors, the evil of the Holocaust. Millions and millions of Jews were slaughtered during the Nazi reign of terror. Now today, we are witnessing the rise of global antisemitism, the constant attacks on Israel, showing us that it is more important than ever to remember the atrocities of the Holocaust and to ensure it never happens again. We have proudly partnered with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Now they provide food, shelter, safety to so many Israelis in Israel as they fight against radical Islamic terrorism in our time, including those remaining Holocaust survivors. Your donation today will help provide food, water, medicine and other bare necessities to Jewish communities. Go to their [e-mail] that's supportifcj.org or call toll free 888-488-IFCJ 888-488 IFCJ. Today. 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.

[Ben Ferguson]

I want to get back to the big story number three of the week you may have missed. How important are those relationships that you say, hey, I trust? Excuse me. I trust you. I trust you. I trust you. I got your back. Let's go to work.

[Unknown Announcer]

Vital and crucial. And Mike Watts and Christy, we're on the phone with each other all the time. And to change topic just a little bit, just, just to give you an example, Lee Zeldin, a dear friend of mine, right on President's Day, running the EPA now. Epa, Lee Zeldin, great administrator of epa. I'm on the phone hours with Scott Bessen, our secretary of treasury, and Lee Zeldin. And you know, we've seen, thanks to Elon Musk, my buddies. Great work.

[Pam Bondi]

Yeah.

[Unknown Announcer]

And it's been reported. Look what they're doing at epi. I'm changing the subject a little bit, but they're giving out billions of dollars after Joe Biden lost the election, trying to push this money out the door.

[Pam Bondi]

Virtually shoveling cash out the windows.

[Unknown Announcer]

As I said, gold bars. Yeah, let's throw all the gold bars off the ship.

[Pam Bondi]

Yep.

[Unknown Announcer]

And we're stopping them. We're stopping them in real time. We're going after them. But it's because we all pick up the phone and we talk directly to each other. So we're able to work together. Talk to Marco Rubio and look at the men like Steve Witkoff out there, Rick Grinnell, what they're doing working with Marco and Mike Walton, all the great, the people that they're saving around the world. And that's thanks to one man, Donald Trump. He put all of us in these positions.

[Pam Bondi]

The consumer consistent thread of the cabinet nominees is that you're all change agents, you all came in with a mission. And it is. Listen, there has never been a first month of any presidency in the history of the United States of America. Like the last 30 days.

[Unknown Announcer]

That's right.

[Ben Ferguson]

Amen.

[Pam Bondi]

And I'll tell you, I have had great joy turning to my Democrat colleagues in the Senate and just deadpanning, well, three years and 11 months to go, and they literally start twitching like they have facial tics that they cannot suppress. Yeah, but. All right, Pam. One of the things that people like about this podcast that we try to do is we try to bring people behind the scenes to actually understand what's going on behind closed doors. So tell us about your first day as Attorney General. You're confirmed. And like day one, when you get sworn in, just, just walk everyone through what day one of being Attorney General of the United States is like you go non stop.

[Unknown Announcer]

And I jokingly said it felt like 15 years because you're, you're working seven days a week non stop. You're. When we're all working with each other and everything we do, it overlaps. And especially with Department of Justice, especially too, with all this money going out, the usaid, all of these agencies, and we're going to be helping all these agencies, but you just hit the ground running, literally. And don't look back. I don't look at what time of day it is. I don't think I've slept in 15 days. But you don't want to. And then when you find out about this human trafficking ring that was just broken up, it just, that's why we're all doing what we're doing and you just keep going forward. And our directive, our directive from our boss is so easy, especially on my end. Make America safe. And so you just don't. Senator, you don't even. My hardest thing now is I forget to eat. You forget what time it is. And it's six o'clock at night. And why do I have a headache? Because I haven't eaten today. But you're going non stop stop. And it's not me, it's an entire team I've got Chad, myself, got Amel. I've got Todd Blanch, thank goodness, coming in. And we've got Cash Patel now, so they better look out.

[Ben Ferguson]

How. How nice is it to have a boss by the guy and guy by the name of Donald J. Trump who just lets you do your job.

[Unknown Announcer]

Exactly.

[Ben Ferguson]

I mean, there's a lot of presence in the past that have really tried to keep their thumb on people.

[Ted Cruz]

It's.

[Ben Ferguson]

It seems like he's saying, go and go, get it done and call me when you need me.

[Unknown Announcer]

He has trusted all of us in all of our various capacities and all the different roles we have, whether it's education or agriculture, all the cabinet labor, all of the different Cabinet secretaries, just to go out and do the best we can. And we want to make all of you proud, and we want to fulfill his directive to make our country great. That man sure didn't need that job. He's a good friend of mine. And I love, during my confirmation hearing, when they try, they get on me because they say, I'm friends with Donald Trump. Yes, I'm very. No, I'm not friends with him. I'm good friends with him, and I'm very proud to work for him.

[Pam Bondi]

You know, when you look at weaponization and politicization, part of it is using it to attack your political opponents. And we've seen four years of that under Joe Biden.

[Unknown Announcer]

Yeah.

[Pam Bondi]

Another part of it is turning the other way at your political allies and refusing to enforce the law against them. And I think one of the most egregious examples we've seen over the last two years is the rising anti Semitism on college campuses.

[Ben Ferguson]

Amen.

[Pam Bondi]

The violent protesters and rioters, many of whom are not students or not affiliated with the universities, and they are threatening students. You look at Columbia University, the Orthodox rabbi there sent out an email to the Jewish students on campus and said, do not come to campus because the university cannot and will not keep you safe. And the Biden Justice Department did nothing. They investigated nobody. They didn't follow the money, they didn't indict anyone, they didn't prosecute anyone, and they did not enforce Title 6 of the Civil rights laws, which say that if that. That if you are tolerating harassment on the basis of ethnicity or religion, that you will have your federal funds cut off. How is the Department of Justice different today? And what. What will your approach be to anti Semitism and threats of violence directed against Jewish students on campus or any other students on campus?

[Unknown Announcer]

We have an October 7th task force that we started and we will protect you. When I was just a citizen, before I had this job, what you said, I'm watching these. These aren't peaceful protests. We all believe in peaceful protest. Oh, I'm sorry. Unless you're a liberal and you don't want a parent to quietly pray outside an abortion clinic or your account to go to a school board or a parent at a school board, they're going to call you a domestic terrorist.

[Ben Ferguson]

Domestic terrorist. Yeah.

[Unknown Announcer]

I'm screaming at my TV watching these violent protests, you know, the last since October 7th. You're watching this happen. And all of our students deserve to be safe. And first of all, these students who are here on visas, who are, who are threatening our American students need to be kicked out of this country.

[Ted Cruz]

Amen.

[Pam Bondi]

It is refreshingly simple to have an attorney General who has the approach that you're going to follow the law and enforce the law. And that sadly, has been missing for the last four years.

[Unknown Announcer]

It's pretty basic.

[Pam Bondi]

Isn't, should not be complicated. Let me ask you, what keeps you up at night? What scares you in the first two weeks in this job?

[Unknown Announcer]

Pretty much everything. I don't sleep at night anymore, of course. Everything we talked about, the drugs, the cartels, the great. Maybe I'll get a little sleep tonight. Based on the arrests that were just made, the children that are being trafficked, things that have been so personal to me since I was a state prosecutor and then since I was state attorney general, now you just get to help people on a bigger level, which is pretty, pretty cool to get to do that. But most recently it's really been what Elon has been uncovering and the usaid, the waste at epa, this money, trillions of dollars they believe, just being handed out, which is most likely making a round trip well and going to terrorist organizations.

[Pam Bondi]

And you are on the front line of defending the President and Elon Musk and Doge and all the effort they're doing. And every day we are seeing Democrat attorneys general and Democrat interest groups suing the president, suing Elon Musk, suing the federal government and the Department of Justice is on the front lines. And sadly, we're seeing left wing activist judges, individual district court judges issuing nationwide injunctions. Tell us about what, what it's like defending against those lawsuits and give us your thoughts on, on the authority of, of one radical district judge to try to run the executive branch and issue a nationwide injunction.

[Unknown Announcer]

Two words. We're winning. But yeah, so you've got, you've got one.

[Ben Ferguson]

I like that answer.

[Unknown Announcer]

One unelected district judge trying to tell President Trump, who was elected overwhelmingly by the American people, where federal funds can go. We're winning even in liberal courts. By the way, Senator, we're winning.

[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.

[Unknown Announcer]

The Philadelphia Eagles are Super bowl champions.

It's over.

Fly, Eagles, fly.

Celebrate the big win with the official licensed super bowl champions gear, available [e-mail].

[Ted Cruz]

The Eagles win at Super Bowl 59.

[Unknown Announcer]

From jerseys to hats to must have collectibles, we've got everything you need to rep your team with pride. Don't wait. These styles won't last. Shop [e-mail] and gear up like a champion.

[Ted Cruz]

Did you know you can now buy a Hyundai on Amazon? The same place where you order yoga mats, a toothbrush, and pretty much everything else, all from the comfort of your home? Just locate a nearby dealer, pick your color, your options, check the price, and with a few dotting of some I's and crossing of some T's, voila, Your Hyundai is ready for pickup. It's that easy. Visit HyundaiUSA.com for more details. Limited availability. Pick up through a participating Hyundai dealer in select markets.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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.