Podcast Summary: "The UN has Their Hat Out, Why the Netflix Merger is Paramount in Entertainment & Americans Agree on Voter ID (Week In Review)"

Verdict with Ted Cruz – February 7, 2026
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz & Ben Ferguson

Episode Overview

In this week-in-review episode, Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson break down three central stories:

1. The Trump administration’s decision to halt funding to the United Nations, prompting an international financial crisis.
2. Concerns and controversies surrounding the proposed Netflix-Paramount merger, focusing on national security and political bias in media.
3. The debate over the Save America Act (formerly the SAVE Act), which seeks to require proof of citizenship and photo ID for voting—a move Democrats oppose despite broad public support.

The conversation is marked by sharp critiques of progressive agendas in international and domestic institutions, skepticism over foreign influence in American media, and a passionate defense of voter ID laws.

Segment 1: The United Nations Funding Crisis

[01:39 – 11:45]

Key Points & Insights

• Trump’s Policy Shift:
  Ben Ferguson introduces the segment by framing the UN’s funding shortfall as a result of Trump’s refusal to let America be the "piggy bank" for international “woke crap.”

  "Donald Trump has said no more. We're not going to just give you this blank check and fund all this stuff." (B, 01:58)

• UN Secretary General’s Plea:
  Ted Cruz reads from a Breitbart article highlighting UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' warnings of “imminent financial collapse” due to nonpayment by member nations, especially the U.S. Escalators are being turned off and temperatures lowered at UN headquarters to save money.

• Team America Reference:
  Cruz lightens the discussion with an extended Team America: World Police reference, comparing the UN’s ineffectiveness to the film’s satire of international bureaucracy:

  “As I’m reading the cries from the Secretary General, I keep envisioning Hans Blix in Team America saying, give us money, or we will send you a really stern letter.” (Ted Cruz, 09:25)

• List of Withdrawals:
  Cruz lists the 66 organizations/treaties from which Trump has withdrawn, suggesting these are little-known and wasteful:

  “All of that. Look, you and I and most people on planet Earth have no idea what any of these do. But we were sending millions of dollars to this garbage.” (Cruz, 11:29)

• Bottom Line:
  The hosts celebrate what they see as a "scandal to love": cutting off taxpayer money to unaccountable globalist institutions.

Notable Quotes

• On UN Money Management:

  “By the way, how much money do you save turning the escalators off? Like, that's really..." (Cruz, 03:45)

• On Bureaucratic Waste:

  “Hans Blix is floating in the water, having been eaten by sharks from Kim Jong Un, because stern letters from the United Nations don't do a whole lot.” (Cruz, 11:29)

Segment 2: The Netflix-Paramount Merger & Foreign Influence

[13:18 – 22:27]

Key Points & Insights

• Merger Details:
  The proposed Netflix-Paramount merger is worth approximately $83 billion and has drawn Congressional attention for potential national security, antitrust, and foreign influence concerns.

• Antitrust and National Security:
  Ben Ferguson and Ted Cruz both express worries about the increasing concentration of media power and the possible influx of billions in Middle Eastern investment if Netflix cannot close the deal domestically. Chinese influence is also a concern.

• Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing:
  Ted Cruz recounts his questioning of Netflix and Warner Bros executives. He challenges them on political bias, the representation of conservative voices, and their lack of willingness to challenge progressive narratives (e.g., entertainers calling America "stolen land" at the Grammys).

• Bias in Entertainment:
  Cruz confronts executives over the lack of conservative programming and the propagation of left-wing views, citing examples such as John Oliver. He questions the objectivity of outlets like CNN, calling them “a dumpster fire.”

  “How are people at home…supposed to be confident that if this merger happens, the combined entity won’t simply be a propaganda outlet pushing one particular political view?” (Cruz, 16:28)

• Foreign Money & Censorship:
  Both hosts raise alarms about the risk of foreign funders (especially China and the Middle East) dictating what can and cannot be depicted in American entertainment, referencing the removal of a Taiwan patch from "Top Gun: Maverick" to appease Beijing.

  "24 billion in Middle East funding scares the hell out of me." (Ferguson, 19:24)

Notable Quotes

• On Political Bias:

  “There is a reason why entertainers who are even slightly right of center get blackballed in Hollywood. Writers get blackballed in Hollywood, actors get blackballed in Hollywood.“ (Cruz, 18:36)

• On Foreign Censorship:

  “I don't want American movies being paid for...by Middle East funding...[which] scares the hell out of me because what are they going to say you can and can't do?” (Ferguson, 19:24)

• Timeline for Consumers:

  “Typically this process takes months to years...it will take some time. At a minimum, it's several months.” (Cruz, 21:17)

Segment 3: The Save America Act & Voter ID Debate

[22:27 – 34:57]

Key Points & Insights

• Legislation Overview:
  The Save America Voting Act (now called the Save America Act at Trump’s request) combines a requirement for proof of citizenship to register and mandatory photo ID to vote.

• Democratic Opposition:
  Ben Ferguson describes Democratic resistance as absolute, quoting Chuck Schumer's labeling of the measure as “Jim Crow 2.0.”

  “And there isn't a single Democrat that had his blessing to vote in favor of this thing. He's calling it Jim Crow 2.0.” (Ferguson, 23:02)

• Broad Public Support:
  Polls are cited showing vast majorities across racial groups support voter ID requirements – 85% of whites, 82% of Latinos, and 76% of Black Americans, including 71% of Democratic voters.

  "The vast majority of Americans agree with Nicki Minaj that in fact you should have a photo ID to be able to vote.” (Unattributed, quoting CNN, 27:09)

• Republican Plan & Filibuster:
  Cruz outlines the strategy he’s pushing to force a “painful” talking filibuster for Democrats, but notes it will require every Republican senator's support to be effective—a threshold not yet met.

• Historical Report Reference:
  The hosts cite the Carter-Baker Commission (co-chaired by Jimmy Carter and James Baker) as Democratic evidence that voter fraud is real; the commission recommended stricter controls—recommendations Democrats now allegedly oppose.

  “The Carter Baker Commission said, if you want to stop voter fraud, limit mail in ballots. The Democrats want mail in ballots in every election…[and] are adamantly opposed to photo ID.” (Cruz, 30:33)

• Ballot Harvesting Explained:
  Cruz describes "ballot harvesting" as operatives collecting large numbers of ballots, enabling fraud, especially among vulnerable populations.

• Strategic Impasse:
  Both hosts acknowledge that without seven Democrats, the Act cannot overcome a filibuster, and they're not optimistic about any crossing party lines.

Notable Quotes

• On Political Strategy:

  "I am making the case. This week. I made the case vigorously to my Republican colleagues. Mike Lee is making the case vigorously...But it's not clear if we have 50 [votes] or not." (Cruz, 34:24)

• On Democrat Motivation:

  "They’re opposing it for two reasons. Number one...voter fraud is a real and persistent problem. And they count on voter fraud to help them win elections. And so they don't want photo ID because they want cheating." (Cruz, 28:41)

• On Historical Irony:

  “Schumer using the rhetoric about Jim Crow, there is an irony in that. It was his party. It was the Democrats who enacted the Jim Crow laws...kept the system of segregation for decades.” (Cruz, 27:34)

Timestamps of Key Moments

• UN Funding & Team America Satire: 01:38 – 11:45
• Netflix/Paramount Merger, Senate Hearing: 13:18 – 22:27
• Voter ID Debate, Public Polling & Senate Strategy: 22:27 – 34:57

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Hans Blix & Stern UN Letters (Team America Reference):

  “Give us money, or we will send you a really stern letter saying, give us money.” (Cruz, 09:25)

• Foreign Funding in Media:

  “24 billion in Middle East funding scares the hell out of me...” (Ferguson, 19:24)

• On Voter ID Agreement:

  “It is not controversial by party and it is not controversial by race.” (CNN clip via Ferguson, 27:09)

Overall Tone & Style

The episode is energetic, heavy on sarcasm and pop-culture references, and unapologetically combative toward progressive policies and Democratic leaders. The style is informal with frequent banter, but rooted in political advocacy and strategy discussion.

For listeners seeking a mix of conservative analysis, political strategy, and media skepticism laced with humor and pop-culture analogies, this episode encapsulates the show's direct approach to the week’s leading stories.