Verdict with Ted Cruz: Week in Review – "Unvetted & Unchecked Brings Disaster, Fear vs. Future on AI, plus CAFE Standards Not So Cozy"

Date: December 6, 2025
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz & Ben Ferguson
Guest: Scott Jennings

Episode Overview

This "Week in Review" episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz covers three major stories anchoring recent national debate. Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson discuss the fallout of the National Guardsman shooting tied to Afghan resettlement, the public’s anxiety and potential of artificial intelligence (AI) with guest Scott Jennings, and President Trump’s rollback of stringent CAFE standards and EV mandates, aiming to make cars more affordable and less regulated.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Afghan Resettlement, Vetting Failures, and National Security

[01:03 – 12:23]

• Incident Recap:

  • National Guardsmen were shot in D.C., one fatally, by an Afghan national admitted under the Biden administration’s resettlement program. The media initially blamed Trump, but details indicate vetting failures by the Biden administration.
  • Cruz recalls warnings he made in 2021 about bloodshed due to poor oversight in Afghan resettlement.

• Cruz's Experience at Arrival Facilities:

  • Recounts visiting the Donna Ana tent facility and observing the lack of security and vetting for Afghan arrivals.
  • "Are there any fences around it? No. Is there any barrier? No... This is just... housing. Think of this like an apartment complex. They can stay here if they want, or... go somewhere else." (Cruz, [03:23])

• Vetting Shortcomings:

  • Points to an Afghan national in Texas (Mohammad Dawood Al Kazay) threatening violence post-resettlement.
  • "The Biden administration invited into this country Islamists, terrorists who explicitly want to murder us." (Cruz, [04:29])
  • Suggests that ideological blindness within the administration downplayed the threat of importing individuals from radicalized regions.

• Democratic Ideological Blindness:

  • Critiques Democrats for not recognizing or condemning radical Islamic terrorism.
  • Cites the example of Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s reluctance to condemn ‘Death to America’ chants at a rally in her district:
    • "Is she okay with her constituents chanting Death to America?" (Ferguson, [09:35])
    • "If you are a member of the United States Congress... it ought to be easy to say, yeah, of course. Death to America is wrong. I'm against that." (Cruz, [11:04])

• Outcomes:

  • Cruz underscores the real danger of poor vetting, linking the current violence to policy failures.
  • "That shows just how dangerous the ideological rot is. And tragically, we saw the very real consequences... one of whom just murdered one D.C. national Guardsman." (Cruz, [12:09])

2. AI: Between Fear, Disruption, and American Innovation

[14:34 – 22:41]

• AI Hype and Fear in the U.S.:

  • Cruz frames AI as a geopolitical race against China, with deep public skepticism: polling shows Americans are "about 70-30 terrified." (Cruz, [14:54])
  • "Even if you don't want it to happen, it is coming." (Cruz, [16:48])

• Technology Adoption and Public Anxiety:

  • Fears of job loss and distrust dominate, with historical comparisons to previous tech disruptions (e.g., automobiles vs. horse-and-buggy).
  • "Many of the jobs that are at risk with AI are white collar jobs... that's a level of... elite discontent." (Cruz, [19:27])

• Power and Infrastructure:

  • Jennings raises concerns about community resistance to building data centers and the enormous energy requirements of AI.
  • Cruz notes exceptions in West Texas, where job creation offsets fears.

• Education and Job Market Evolution:

  • Jennings: "We're going to have to reorient how we're educating kids, what we're teaching them to do... It may not be the path anymore." ([20:59])
  • Creativity and information work will be reshaped as AI can now emulate high-level skills rapidly.

• Opportunities and Optimism:

  • Cruz: "The positive outlook here is how can we use these tools to make your life easier, make you more productive, and maybe make you more economically successful." ([22:10])
  • Emphasis is placed on proactive engagement and American leadership to direct the values AI will reflect.

3. CAFE Standards, EV Mandates, and Car Prices: Deregulation Wins

[24:48 – 33:16]

• Policy Change:

  • President Trump, with Cruz’s support, rolls back the stringent CAFE fuel economy standards and federal electric vehicle (EV) mandates.
  • The rollback is pitched as a path to cheaper new cars, more choices, safety, and U.S. job creation.

• Trump Quotes in Oval Office:

  • "From day one, I've been taking action to make buying a car more affordable. I signed an executive order to end the unfair expensive electric vehicle mandate." (Trump, [26:32])
  • On infrastructure inefficiencies: "They spent to build nine chargers. They spent $8 billion. So that wasn't working out too well." (Trump, [26:49])
  • On California’s previous rules: "We revoked Biden's emissions waiver for California so that California communists could not regulate the automobile industry..." (Trump, [27:41])
  • Projected consumer benefit: "The action is expected to save the typical consumer at least $1,000 off the price of a new car. And we think substantially more than that." (Trump, [28:25])

• Cruz on Deregulation and Choice:

  • "It should be your choice. If you decide you want to go buy a Tesla... you can go do that. But if you decide you want to drive your F150, that ought to be your choice too." ([29:18])
  • Cruz describes safety risks of "plastic instead of steel" under prior standards, claiming deregulation will result in safer vehicles and lives saved. ([30:03])

• Capstone Moment:

  • Light-hearted exchange about car sales among lawmakers highlights bipartisan business interests.
  • "I just want to give props to Mike Kelly. He tried to sell you a car. And you can afford a much nicer car than I can." (Cruz to Trump, [31:20])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Afghan Vetting:

  • "The Biden administration invited into this country Islamists, terrorists who explicitly want to murder us." – Ted Cruz ([04:29])

• On Democratic reluctance to condemn extremism:

  • "If you are a member of the United States Congress... it ought to be easy to say, yeah, of course. Death to America is wrong. I'm against that." – Ted Cruz ([11:04])

• On AI’s Inevitable Disruption:

  • "Even if you don't want it to happen, it is coming." – Ted Cruz ([16:48])
  • "We're going to have to reorient how we're educating kids, what we're teaching them to do." – Scott Jennings ([20:59])

• On Deregulation and Personal Choice:

  • "It should be your choice. If you decide you want to go buy a Tesla... But if you decide you want to drive your F150, that ought to be your choice too." – Ted Cruz ([29:18])

• On Safety and CAFE Standards:

  • "What these regulations did is they forced cars to be more expensive and made of plastic instead of steel... So you'd get in a wreck and people would die." – Ted Cruz ([30:03])

Timestamps of Important Segments

• National Guardsmen Shooting, Afghan Resettlement, and Vetting Issues:
  [01:03–12:23]

• Rashida Tlaib and ‘Death to America’ Chants Discussion:
  [08:32–11:35]

• AI Anxiety, U.S.-China Race, Economic Fears, and Solutions:
  [14:34–22:41]

• CAFE Rollback, EV Mandates, and Consumer/Industry Impact:
  [24:48–33:16]

Episode Tone and Flow

Throughout the episode, Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson deliver a direct, punchy, and impassioned conservative critique, placing accountability on Democratic leaders for policy failures and highlighting victories under Republican leadership. The show is conversational with moments of humor (such as the car dealer story), serious warnings regarding security and technology, and calls for returning freedom and choice to the American public. The inclusion of Scott Jennings adds a layer of bipartisan analysis, especially around AI policy.

This summary presents all major arguments and memorable moments, encapsulating the urgency and tone of the podcast for listeners who missed the discussion.