SPECIAL: Trump's First Moves After Historic Win (Recap)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Dan Bongino Show – SPECIAL: Trump's First Moves After Historic Win (Recap)

Date: [Insert Date]
Duration: Approximately 60 minutes
Hosts: Dan Bongino and Paul

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1. Overview of Trump's Appointment Strategy

Dan Bongino begins the discussion by addressing President Trump's recent appointments following his historic win. He emphasizes Trump's decisiveness and strategic approach to staffing his administration.

Dan Bongino [00:54]: "A good thing about President Trump is he is not hesitant at all."

Paul concurs, highlighting Trump's willingness to make tough decisions and his methodical approach to evaluating appointees.

Paul [00:57]: "To fire and get rid of people if he doesn't like them."

They introduce the "Dan Bongino rule," which metaphorically represents how Trump assesses his team members.

Dan Bongino [01:07]: "Gauge this whole thing like a spreadsheet. If they're a positive and a plus one, great. There are negative one, we get rid of them. There is zero, we get rid of them too and move on till we can find a plus one."

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2. Analysis of Specific Appointments

a. Executive Branch Appointments

The hosts delve into the significance of appointments within the executive branch, referencing the Plum Book—a comprehensive listing of federal positions.

Paul [03:46]: "It's called the Plum Book. And it is a list of about a couple thousand, two, maybe 3,000 jobs that fall under the executive branch that the president and his people are going to appoint."

Dan expresses skepticism about the bipartisan "team arrivals" approach Trump previously adopted, which aimed to include individuals who might not have fully aligned with his agenda.

Dan Bongino [05:06]: "The team arrivals approach didn't work this time. What I'm hearing is they're not going to agree on policy with every single appointment."

b. FBI Director Appointment

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the potential appointment of Christopher Wray, the current FBI Director, whom they criticize as incompetent and corrupt.

Dan Bongino [08:07]: "NBC News FBI Director Christopher Wray is... absolutely incompetent and potentially corrupt... as Jim Comey."

Dan proposes the removal of Wray, suggesting a direct and unilateral approach Trump could take.

Dan Bongino [08:16]: "Donald Trump should just whip out a flip phone from his pocket, a StarTac from the 90s that still works. Call up Christopher Wray and say you're fired in that Donald Trump only way."

Paul supports this stance, asserting the need for new leadership within the FBI.

Paul [09:04]: "Some people have asked me who I would like to see in charge of the FBI. I think Cash Patel, Devin Nunes, or Ratcliffe would be really good."

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3. Formation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Dan and Paul discuss the controversial creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. They argue that this move aims to disrupt the existing liberal governance model.

Dan Bongino [19:39]: "Donald Trump sending out some bombshell announcements last night... the Department of Government Efficiency. This set the liberals into a tizzy."

They emphasize the department's role in cutting budgets and increasing government efficiency, positioning Musk and Ramaswamy as pivotal figures in this initiative.

Dan Bongino [20:37]: "This could be one of the most important announcements yet. Even though they're not formal cabinet positions."

Paul mirrors this sentiment, cautioning listeners about the department's potential impact.

Paul [20:56]: "This could break up the entire liberal governing model. They are realizing now they may have to actually go to work and produce."

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4. Media and Political Opposition Reactions

The hosts analyze the reactions from the media and political opponents to Trump's appointments, using these responses as indicators of the administration's effectiveness.

Dan Bongino [25:09]: "If they don't care about a pick. Do you notice they were very muted."

Paul references commentary from media personalities like Joy Reid and politicians like David Jolly, critiquing their understanding and acceptance of the new appointments.

Paul [27:17]: "David Jolly, that guy you heard next who ran as a fake Republican, is a life loser."

Joy Reid [26:18]: "We're gonna get to hear his voice again... Department of Government Efficiency."

Dan interprets these reactions as signs of the left's inability to counteract Trump's strategic moves.

Dan Bongino [28:29]: "Their freak out tells me. Double down on Vivek and Elon."

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5. Notable Appointments and Their Implications

a. Secretary of Defense: Pete Hegseth

The nomination of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense is lauded as a significant and strategic choice, given his military background and commitment to removing "wokeness" from the military.

Paul [22:32]: "Pete understand what needs to be done... committed to ripping wokeness out of the military."

b. CIA Director: John Ratcliffe

John Ratcliffe's nomination as CIA Director is discussed with an emphasis on cleansing the agency from previous deep-state influences.

Paul [24:05]: "John Ratcliffe... think a fantastic, fantastic pick."

Dan underscores Ratcliffe's role in investigating Spygate and his determination to reveal hidden truths.

Dan Bongino [30:43]: "Ratcliffe, he's knee deep in this thing... eviscerating Deep state FBI goon Peter Stroke."

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6. The "Avengers" of Trump's Team

Dan and Paul metaphorically describe Trump's assembled team as the "Avengers," highlighting the blend of loyalty, expertise, and strategic positioning intended to fortify the administration.

Dan Bongino [41:48]: "The team is coming together, folks. The best way I've described it, which... I call them the Avengers."

They stress the importance of having a balanced team, including strategic figures like Lee Zeldin, Tulsi Gabbard, and Cash Patel, to handle national security and intelligence.

Paul [44:44]: "We have Tulsi Gabbard at DNI. I really like that pick a lot."

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7. Concluding Thoughts and Future Outlook

In their closing remarks, Dan and Paul reiterate their confidence in Trump's strategic appointments and urge listeners to trust the administration's plan despite initial uncertainties or opposition.

Dan Bongino [47:14]: "When the people who hate you are furious about something, they're furious about it for a reason... there's a legal reckoning coming."

Paul [60:03]: "President Trump's really good about hiring and firing. He has his reasons this time. Just be patient."

They forecast continued political maneuvering and upcoming appointments, emphasizing the importance of strategic patience and support for Trump's broader agenda.

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Key Takeaways

• Strategic Appointments: Trump is meticulously selecting loyal and competent individuals to strengthen his administration and push forward his agenda.

• Department of Government Efficiency: The creation of DOGE signifies a major shift aimed at dismantling existing liberal governance structures and promoting efficiency.

• Media Scrutiny: The muted and critical reactions from the media and political opponents are interpreted as indicators of the administration's growing influence and the effectiveness of its strategies.

• National Security Focus: Appointments like Pete Hegseth and John Ratcliffe highlight a strong emphasis on national security and intelligence reform.

• "Avengers" Team Metaphor: The assembled team is compared to the Avengers, symbolizing a powerful and cohesive force ready to tackle national challenges.

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Notable Quotes

• Dan Bongino [00:54]: "A good thing about President Trump is he is not hesitant at all."

• Paul [03:46]: "It's called the Plum Book. And it is a list of about a couple thousand, two, maybe 3,000 jobs that fall under the executive branch that the president and his people are going to appoint."

• Dan Bongino [08:07]: "NBC News FBI Director Christopher Wray is... absolutely incompetent and potentially corrupt... as Jim Comey."

• Paul [22:32]: "Pete understand what needs to be done... committed to ripping wokeness out of the military."

• Dan Bongino [25:09]: "If they don't care about a pick. Do you notice they were very muted."

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Conclusion

In this special recap episode, Dan Bongino and Paul provide a comprehensive analysis of President Trump's initial actions following his historic win. They explore the strategic nature of his appointments, the creation of new government departments aimed at efficiency, and the mixed reactions from media and political adversaries. The hosts maintain a strong stance of support, urging listeners to trust in Trump's plans and the capabilities of his chosen team members.

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Note: This summary excludes advertisement segments and non-content discussions, focusing solely on the core political analysis and discussions presented in the episode.

Transcript

[Dan Bongino]

Get ready to hear the truth about America on a show that's not immune to the facts with your host, Dan Bongino. Hey, welcome back.

[Paul]

For this Friday show, we got a special best of the last week in election coverage, including some of the Trump appointments.

[Dan Bongino]

You know, some of them we like. Some of them I think we're going to have to be open to.

[Paul]

Some of them we all have an opinion on. We may not like. That's all right, too. There's nothing wrong with that. You're not going to agree with every single person, every single idea. But as I said earlier in the week, I think it's really critical that we stay open to the idea that he has his reasons. He was burned, President Trump, that is, last time by a lot of really awful appointments who were recommended to him by other people. I am absolutely certain this time that regardless of who recommends who, he made the final decision this time and he has his reasons.

[Dan Bongino]

And a good thing about President Trump is he is not hesitant at all.

[Paul]

To fire and get rid of people if he doesn't like them. So we're going to see, as always, the Dan Bongino rule applies. Gauge this whole thing like a spreadsheet.

[Dan Bongino]

If they're a positive and a plus one, great.

[Paul]

There are negative one, we get rid of them. There is zero, we get rid of.

[Dan Bongino]

Them, too and move on till we.

[Paul]

Can find a plus one.

[Dan Bongino]

Don't miss today's show.

[Paul]

You're going to love it. Beam Cyber sales here. Bongino listeners Enjoy up to 50% [e-mail] Bongino using code BONGINO don't miss beams biggest sale of the year. Thanks again for joining us on this Friday. We appreciate it.

[Dan Bongino]

Folks.

[Paul]

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[Dan Bongino]

From Fox Paris came back. Harris campaign no longer speaking to media. Let's go. And in the greatest side of all.

[Ben]

Wait, that headline is two years old.

[Dan Bongino]

That's actually a good point. Breaking news, the Kamala Harris campaign is no longer talking to the media. And Ben's brought up a good point that headlines from three and a half years ago where Kamala has never spoken to the media ever. Folks, listen, I'm just going to tell you tonight, if this thing keeps going the direction it's going now, outside of some drastic, drastic seismic punctuated equilibrium type moment where species are getting wiped out, this thing is going to be a really good night. And I go to sleep tonight feeling really good. I think you're going to wake up tomorrow and I see very few scenarios by which, you know, we're going to be able to.

[Paul]

We're not, we're not going.

[Dan Bongino]

I don't know any other way to say it. This. I just don't want to get ahead of myself, but this thing really just looks absolutely incredible. There's this book, okay, called, I think.

[Paul]

It'S called the Plum book.

[Dan Bongino]

And it is a list of about a couple thousand, two, maybe 3,000 jobs that fall under the executive branch that.

[Paul]

The president and his people are going to appoint, okay? The president's not going to be involved with all 3,000 picks.

[Dan Bongino]

He's going to have the big headliner.

[Paul]

Jobs like you saw yesterday, epa, dhs, sex, state cabinet, probably the deputies underneath them, obviously, Attorney General and that stuff.

[Dan Bongino]

But they're not going to get involved.

[Paul]

In like, I mean, not, but like the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

[Dan Bongino]

That's an important job for them.

[Paul]

But it's not going to be something probably President Trump's going to personally be involved in.

[Dan Bongino]

But there's a lot of appointments he's got to make. Now, I'm just being straight with you here. I know a lot of good and decent people. They told me they're going through a.

[Paul]

Very methodical process with this thing.

[Dan Bongino]

Here's the problem they have. There is not a single appointment they.

[Paul]

Are going to make. I promise, where you're going to agree with that person 100% of the time.

[Dan Bongino]

It's just not going to happen. It's not. This is. And I'm not going to comment on.

[Paul]

The Christie Noem pick yet because I haven't seen it on True Social.

[Dan Bongino]

So I'm going to follow my pattern. The Rubio pick seems, seems like that's.

[Paul]

Pretty much a fait accompli at this point for Secretary of State. You have Lee Zeldin. We'll get to that later at epa.

[Dan Bongino]

Here's the issue. The last time Trump chose a team arrivals approach, this team arrivals approach was meant to bring into the tent people who generally disagreed with Trump and ran against him with the thought that it would mute the resistance to his agenda. Does that make sense?

[Paul]

Gee, stop me if this is getting boring.

[Dan Bongino]

He just figured there's going to be a lot of people out there don't like me who were Never Trump in 2016. You might as well bring them in the tent and then they'll become Team Trump loyalists. That didn't happen. They got inside the tent and they did what? Double barreled Fu Man. They just gave him the double barrel and screwed him over. The Rex Tillersons and others, they shafted his entire, basically his entire presidency. And it took him three and a half years for, you know, to get their sea legs. Luckily they got a lot of stuff done.

[Paul]

I shouldn't say three and a half years.

[Dan Bongino]

They got a lot of stuff done. But it was. The team arrivals approach didn't work this time. What I'm hearing is they're not going to agree on policy with every single appoint.

[Paul]

They're not.

[Dan Bongino]

But they at least initially trust these people to be loyalists to the Trump agenda. If not, I want to say the Trump agenda and that they came out there and they put, before they put.

[Paul]

Their political butts on the line a little bit.

[Dan Bongino]

That's what I think is going on. So there's going to be a lot of circular firing squad stuff where somebody wants someone and they don't get picked and then boom, everybody, here's my suggestion. Give it a little bit. Trump has had no problem firing people. Trust his judgment on this just for a bit. I know his people are doing their homework. None of these picks are by accident. There's a reason it's happening. I'm just asking you, especially with the Rubio pick and others. Listen, Marco Rubio and I have had some agreements and some disagreements on issues. He's my, one of my senators down here from the state of Florida. Just give it some time. There's a reason they made these picks.

[Paul]

They're not by accident.

[Dan Bongino]

Do you get what I'm saying? Just kind of a lot of times, like in the past, we thought we.

[Paul]

Had really good people, Bill Barr and others, and they let us down. Jeff Sessions and others, and they let us down. This time he's doing it for a reason.

[Dan Bongino]

We talked about personnel for a second there.

[Paul]

Let's talk about anti personnel getting rid of some people.

[Dan Bongino]

Because folks, if there's not mass firings on day one, day two through day 100, then this thing has all been for naught. The hits just keep on coming. And I want to address something, too.

[Paul]

Some of a tactical disagreement I have with a listener yesterday who's like, Dan.

[Dan Bongino]

They'Re doing it all wrong. They're announcing all the people they're going to fire and all the things they're going to do. This is a big mistake. We should sneak up on him.

[Paul]

Funny with the ninja stars, like ninja style.

[Dan Bongino]

The karate man. I would do karate man, but my right knee is like blown out.

[Paul]

I slipped in the sauna yesterday.

[Dan Bongino]

I know things keep breaking.

[Paul]

I'm getting old, but I'm going to.

[Dan Bongino]

Address why you're wrong.

[Paul]

I love that you commented, but you're wrong.

[Dan Bongino]

But this person's got to go. NBC News FBI Director Christopher Wray is.

[Paul]

Preparing for a possible forced egged under Trump exit on Trump.

[Dan Bongino]

Hallelujah, please. See, you wouldn't want to be I this guy has got to go, folks. I said to you, the second Donald Trump swears in I Donald J. Trump, he should just whip out a flip phone from his pocket, a StarTac from the 90s that still works. Call up Christopher Wray and say you're fired in that Donald Trump only way. This guy has got to go. I can make a strong case to you that he has been as incompetent and potentially corrupt an FBI director as Jim Comey.

[Paul]

And believe me, that's saying a lot. This guy is awful.

[Dan Bongino]

It's by Kendallanian, which of course, you.

[Paul]

Know, is a, you know, a Fusion candy. Lanian, Was that a candy.

[Dan Bongino]

An article, really? Oh.

[Paul]

Some people have asked me who I would like to see in charge of the FBI. I'm always hesitant to throw names out there, but I. Cash Patel, I think would be great. I think would be a great addition. Listen, Devin Nunes, who led the Spygate investigation, would be really good. Ratcliffe would be pretty good. Again, folks, I understand as I throw.

[Dan Bongino]

These names out there, I'm listening to you guys in the chat. You guys matter to me.

[Paul]

I'm here. Someone who's it West Coast360 Cash Patel.

[Dan Bongino]

Listen, I love you guys in the chat, but I don't, I just want to be clear. Like, this is not a monarchy. If you don't agree with me, say Dan. Say screw that guy.

[Paul]

F that guy.

[Dan Bongino]

And here's why that's fine.

[Paul]

Like, that's cool.

[Dan Bongino]

There's just so many people to pick. There's not going to be unanimity on.

[Paul]

Every single pick is all I was getting at. I'm sorry if I was even a little long winded at the beginning of the show. Now, let me get to one of my listeners. Someone reached out via Facebook yesterday and.

[Dan Bongino]

Said, dan, the strategy of announcing all.

[Paul]

This stuff that Trump is going to do by video is a huge mistake because the left can prepare. I'm here to tell you with absolute certainty, certainty. And I, I'm not absolutely certain about much, but I'm certain by this you are 100% wrong. And I can tell you, because this is not an ex post facto analysis. I've said to you before in advance for years that that's wrong.

[Dan Bongino]

The one the left already knows what.

[Paul]

Trump is going to do.

[Dan Bongino]

People in government who are getting pink slips, notifications, your job, they're already leaking to the media. So let me be clear, and I would like your feedback in the chat here. But let me just be clear on this. People in the media, number one, already know what Trump is going to do. Fact, people all over the government are leaking.

[Paul]

I'll give you an example.

[Dan Bongino]

Someone leaked out the Rubio pic before Trump even got to announce it. That's why I'm not so sure the gnome pick is even real. It was leaked. People already know. Second, what did I tell you about.

[Paul]

A year, two year, three years ago, over and over again, the way you.

[Dan Bongino]

Handle the first hundred days is you do remember Rock Em Sock em Robots. You guys ever play that game with kids? Am I aging myself a little bit now? Everybody's on video games, but back then they had actual games.

[Paul]

Like you'd have to hit little levers.

[Dan Bongino]

And stuff, remember to Rock Em Sock em Robots. And they'd beat the crap out of each other. Me and my brothers love that game. And if you could hit it really fast, that Rock Em Sock em robot, you beat the hell out of the other robot. That's how you do it. You got to just keep throwing punches. You send out the minute they're worried about Trump breaking up the international censorship regime. You send out a video about breaking up the DEI regime on universities, the minute they get upset about that. You send out Stephen Miller is going.

[Paul]

To be a deputy chief of staff.

[Dan Bongino]

They start crying about that. You announced Tom Holman and En Rubio. The minute they're upset about that, you announced that you're going to break up the Department of Education. This is the way you do it. Because if you noticed that they're so busy infighting they don't know what to focus on. They were losing their shit over Tom Homan being appointed border czar. And basically you haven't heard anything about it in the last 12 hours because they're focused on everything else. This. You do it openly. You do it in their face.

[Paul]

You go rock em sock em robots style.

[Dan Bongino]

Here's what I mean. Here's Donald Trump releasing another video yesterday.

[Paul]

Watch every second of this.

[Dan Bongino]

This is good about breaking up our.

[Paul]

Communist university accreditors and the DEI regime.

[Dan Bongino]

This is super important. The accreditors are what make these universities.

[Paul]

These factories for communism and socialism. Check this out.

[Elon Musk]

Tuition costs at colleges and universities have been exploding, and I mean absolutely exploding, while academics have been obsessed with indoctrinating America's youth. The time has come to reclaim our once great educational institutions from the radical left. And we will do that. Our secret weapon will be the college accreditation system. It's called accreditation for a reason. The accreditors are supposed to ensure that schools are not ripping off students and taxpayers, but they have failed totally. When I return to the White House, I will fire the radical left accreditors that have allowed our colleges to become dominated by Marxists, maniacs and lunatics. We will then accept applications for new accreditors who will impose real standards on colleges once again and once and for all. These standards will include defending the American tradition in Western civilization, protecting free speech, eliminating wasteful administrative positions that drive up costs incredibly, removing all Marxist diversity, equity and inclusion bureaucrats, offering options for accelerated at low cost degrees, providing meaningful job placement and career services, and implementing college entrance and exit exams to prove that students are actually learning and getting their money's worth.

[Dan Bongino]

So to the gentleman who reached out to me at Facebook, I love you. This is not a monarchy. I can't say that enough.

[Paul]

This is a family.

[Dan Bongino]

We don't have to agree. But I have to be firm here in telling you you are definitely wrong. Do you see how this approach works better when you hit them rock em sock em robot style? Think about this. I've been in the media business a long time. We have bongino.com, evita writes there, Matt writes there. We've got Articles there. Still, they have one column, they'll pretty much write a day. It's the exact same thing at the Washington Post and the New York Times. If you have one column and you're an anti trump lunatic like a Jennifer Rubin, what do you write about, Right? What do you write about that day? Tom Holman. It's a Nazi. I mean, Stephen Miller's a fascist. I mean, they're gonna break up the university. I mean, they're gonna break up the department. They don't know what to do. They don't know what to do. They were still busy, focused on Trump breaking up the censorship regime. They're worried about him firing the FBA guy. They don't know what to write about. Trust your boy. Have I led you astray on anything?

[Paul]

Trust your boy, D bots.

[Dan Bongino]

Trust your boy. I told you J.D. was the pick. Some of you didn't believe me.

[Paul]

He was the pick.

[Dan Bongino]

Told you to vote early. We'd kick their ass. They weren't prepared for it.

[Paul]

We.

[Dan Bongino]

What did we do on a radio show? We focused on the Senate because it mattered.

[Paul]

We're up 53 seats.

[Dan Bongino]

Your boy is not going to lead you astray into the wilderness, okay?

[Paul]

This is the only way.

[Dan Bongino]

Because now Jennifer Rubin's writing a piece right now.

[Paul]

I'm probably not doing it in pen.

[Dan Bongino]

But I used to.

[Paul]

I didn't even learn to type till I was like, in Secret Service school. I used to love to write everything down. It's true. I was like, you know, the Hunt and Peck guy.

[Dan Bongino]

Jennifer Rubin right now is like, oh, my gosh, they're going to fire at creditors. We will not be able to institute communism in universities. We're going to lose our ideological power over the. Over the younglings. The younglings. As she's writing this article, she's watching this video. Here's the same video at the end. She's like, wait, wait, wait. Now she's got to scratch the whole column out and say, holy shit. There was something even worse in this video. Trump is going to break up the Department of Education hairs. Folks. Hair is getting pulled out in chunks, right? Whole chunks. Like you can have, like a big donut around your head. Chunks are being pulled out right now. Here, watch this same video.

[Elon Musk]

And one other thing I'll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of education in Washington, D.C. and sending all education and education work and needs back to the States. We want them to run the education of our children because they'll do a much better job of it. You can't do worse. We spend more money per pupil by three times than any other nation. And yet we're absolutely at the bottom. We're one of the worst.

[Paul]

You see?

[Dan Bongino]

You see, man? You see what I'm telling you? They don't know what to write about. They're still busy writing about Kamala Harris sucks. Joe Biden should have got out sooner. Republicans are racist, Nazi, misogynist, anti immigrant. They're still busy writing notes. They're not even done with those. They don't know what to do.

[Paul]

Please, Seriously, I was joking.

[Dan Bongino]

But please trust me.

[Paul]

I promise you, I have no dog in this fight.

[Dan Bongino]

I swear to you as my loyal.

[Paul]

Listeners, I love you guys. I have no dog in this fight.

[Dan Bongino]

I'm not looking for a job. I'm not looking for pack donations.

[Paul]

I don't want your money. I don't want anything.

[Dan Bongino]

I have no dog in the fight.

[Paul]

Other than you and my credibility. This is the only way to do this.

[Dan Bongino]

And by the way, these things are so fast and furious, I gotta tell you, I've had a tough time triaging the show about what to put in the show because Trump has launched so many nuclear bombs against the left and the deep state, I can't even fit it all in the show. This thing about university accreditors is a big deal. Those are credit. You have to be accredited to get federal money. When the accreditors tell colleges, hey, basically do commie stuff. That's why we've got communist universities. You break that cartel, you've got a whole new education system. And the Department of education has been nothing more than an outlet, bureaucratic outlet for the teachers unions that have screwed over kids forever. This is huge stuff. Hope you're enjoying these producer picks from the week.

[Paul]

It's the best election wrap up you're going to see.

[Dan Bongino]

Hey, you having trouble sleeping or staying asleep?

[Paul]

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[Dan Bongino]

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[Paul]

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[Dan Bongino]

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[Dan Bongino]

Let's just rock and roll through these things. Donald Trump sending out some bombshell announcements last night. As I said to you, if I don't hear it from Donald Trump, it didn't happen. This came out from his official office last night. The great Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, two guys I really like, will be leading doge.

[Paul]

I love the DOGE thing. If you guys are crypto people, you know what that is.

[Dan Bongino]

But here it stands for the Department of Government Efficiency. This set the liberals into a tizzy standby as they used to say in the police academy in New York on the mustard deck. Share Daisy I will get to the media response in a second.

[Paul]

I just want to get to a.

[Dan Bongino]

Few more appointments first. I just want to make one quick point on this. This is probably not going to be.

[Paul]

Some formal government department with any legends legislative powers. Obviously that states in the Congress.

[Dan Bongino]

However, it's going to be an advisory board. And let me tell you something. Elon Musk, Vivek and Donald Trump have.

[Paul]

A really big microphone.

[Dan Bongino]

So if the Department of Government Efficiency recommends a bunch of things and a bunch of swampy Republicans are like that, we ain't doing that stuff. Then good.

[Paul]

You're going to have to deal with a massive PR machine running against you. So I would take what these people do really seriously. They're too serious businessmen. They know what they're talking about.

[Dan Bongino]

This could be one of the most important announcements yet. Even though they're not formal cabinet positions.

[Paul]

Okay, this.

[Dan Bongino]

Forget it. Set the Internet on fire. Long story short, last night I'm trying to escape the politics just a little bit.

[Paul]

I was a little tired yesterday at.

[Dan Bongino]

The end of the radio show. Had a long week.

[Elon Musk]

Boo hoo.

[Dan Bongino]

Who gives a shit?

[Paul]

Who cares.

[Dan Bongino]

But I'm home. I'm sitting upstairs.

[Paul]

We got this little like down room I hang out. It's super dark in here.

[Dan Bongino]

I'm ready to go visit Lily White's party. Who's Lily White? I don't know. My mother used to say that when I was a kid and she Wanted.

[Paul]

Me to go to sleep.

[Dan Bongino]

So I'm like.

[Paul]

And I got.

[Dan Bongino]

I pop on Laura Ingram's show and she's got a guest on. The guy's like mid sentence. Usually they let them finish the sentence, right? He used to do the Fox show with me. You let him finish the sentence. You go, hold on. Breaking news, mid sentence. She cuts him right off and she's like, breaking news, folks.

[Paul]

I had no idea it was Pete Hegseth. I know I said I do it over it, but throw that one up if you would. Guy. Pete Hegseth is now going to be nominated to be the Secretary of Defense. If you want to sound cool about it, like say Sec. Def. Whatever. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseck.

[Dan Bongino]

Def Day.

[Paul]

That's pretty good Gailey.

[Dan Bongino]

Folks, I have known Pete a long.

[Paul]

Time, A really long time.

[Dan Bongino]

Like in Dan Bongino's life.

[Paul]

I've only been alive 50 years in a few weeks. I've known Pete for about 1/5 of it.

[Dan Bongino]

Pete is an amazing guy.

[Paul]

I want to tell you, I 100% support this. Pete is a door kicker.

[Dan Bongino]

Pete understands what needs to be done. Pete understands the tactical component.

[Paul]

He understands the foreign policy component.

[Dan Bongino]

He understands the PR component. He's selling America and he's selling the military to new recruits as well. He is absolutely committed to ripping wokeness out of the military.

[Paul]

Wrote a whole book about it. I highly recommend you pick it up.

[Dan Bongino]

He's a good man and a decent man.

[Paul]

I support him 100%.

[Dan Bongino]

And what do I always tell you guys? Michael and I didn't talk about this yesterday. Always gauge the effectiveness of a pick.

[Paul]

Or a political tactic. By what? The response of your political opponents.

[Dan Bongino]

And folks, diapers were being changed everywhere. People were crapping all over the place in their diapers.

[Paul]

They all had to be cleaned up by mama.

[Dan Bongino]

It was a total mess yesterday on the left. They don't know what to do. And just so you know, because I'm never going to fake it or anything. Dan, did you know? I had absolutely no idea. None. Matter of fact, I talked to Rachel often.

[Paul]

I mean her daughter Evita works here. I mean her son in law sitting right there.

[Dan Bongino]

Rachel and Sean are very close friends of mine. I don't want to speak for them, but I'm reasonably confident they didn't know either. I was talking to Rachel probably a few hours before that happened. I was actually talking to a producer at Fox who knows Pete well from Fox and friends about Pete going somewhere. She didn't know either.

[Paul]

So they had a close hold on this one also yesterday, John Ratcliffe, I.

[Dan Bongino]

Think a fantastic, fantastic pick.

[Paul]

I got some video of him coming up in a second at CIA.

[Dan Bongino]

I have one request from hopefully soon to be CIA director John Ratcliffe.

[Paul]

I hope that appointment comes really quick and really fast. Or confirmation, I should say.

[Dan Bongino]

We've got to open all the books, all the books on Spygate. Folks, I promise you that full story has not been told. The angle you should ask about first, and I know Director Ratcliffe, if he's a confirmed, we'll get on this. What were we doing with UK intelligence.

[Paul]

To spy, to spy on American political candidates in 2016. And afterwards you tell that story, it's going to shake up the deep state forever. That's the story that needs to be told. People have been feeding me information about that for a long time. And you know you're watching me. I got that whistleblower who reached out. I get it. I don't care. Watch me all you want. Doesn't matter. Do I look like I care? I don't care one bit. You watch whatever you want, folks. The media lost it yesterday. Gauge the effectiveness by how the left wing media responds.

[Dan Bongino]

If they don't care about a pick. Do you notice they were very muted.

[Paul]

About Elise Stefanik and others because they.

[Dan Bongino]

Don'T see any political hay to be made about it. If they're melting down, they know they've.

[Paul]

Got a serious problem. The doge, the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon and Vivek.

[Dan Bongino]

Do you understand this could break up the entire liberal governing model. The liberal governing model is this. Don't go to work, sit on your ass, put your ass in the seat, do nothing. Right. Collect money from the government and wealthy taxpayers. That's it. That's the liberal governing model. If liberals don't have their government funded NGOs and everything else, they don't have jobs and lives. They're realizing now they may have to actually go to work and produce shit. And they're freaking out because Elon's going to be in charge. Here is Joy Reid and this clown show of a congressman, David Jolly, who once pretended to be a Tea Party guy. This guy is an absolute fraud and a total life loser with no human dignity at all. Ripping apart the Department of Government Efficiency.

[Paul]

With Elon, that has even started yet. Because.

[Dan Bongino]

Because they don't want efficiency, they want a grift.

[Paul]

Like losers. Check this out.

[Joy Reid]

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

[Dan Bongino]

Great.

[Joy Reid]

We're gonna get to hear his voice again. For however many years till he gets fired, they're gonna lead something called the Department of Government Efficiency. They're supposed to now be in charge of cutting the budget, which is normally the job of the House of Representatives. You served in the House. Doesn't the House have to be involved some way in creating a new government agency? Or can Trump just whip one up on Twitter X?

[David Jolly]

No, Joy, Joy, that's right. I think Donald Trump's just handing out candy right now to his to his friends and family. Congress is required to establish federal departments to define the jurisdiction to decide how it's appointed. Presidents can certainly appoint aides and non congressional positions, but there will not be a Department of Government Efficiency without Congress. Which actually raises the question, does Congress now just rubber stamp that in one of its next appropriations bill? And here's what it's going to be. This is your Project 2025 department.

[Joy Reid]

Yes.

[David Jolly]

The Department of Government Efficiency by Ramaswamy and Elon. That's your Project 2025 department. Without the bad impressions that Heritage created during the campaign trail.

[Paul]

David Jolly, that guy you heard next who ran as a fake Republican, is a life loser. Like I'm one of the worst guys to ever enter the Congress at any point.

[Dan Bongino]

An absolute zero with not a shred.

[Paul]

Of human dignity whatsoever.

[Dan Bongino]

Do you hear him at the end?

[Paul]

This is Project 2025.

[Dan Bongino]

Project 2025 was a heritage think tank product that is put out every single year by conservative think tanks. Elon, Musk and Vivek have absolutely nothing to do with it at all. So why would David Jolly say it? Because David Jolly is a loser. He is a life loser. He lies for a living. He lies on a show that loves lying. It's why nobody watches that crap network and it's why their ratings have absolutely collapsed. Because people are tired of people like David Jolly lying. Personally, folks, Project 2025, look at it. It has some great ideas in it. Am I going to agree with all of them? No. Are you? No. It's a think tank product. They had nothing to do with it. That's what these people do. Gauge the reaction by how successful.

[Paul]

Gauge your success if you think by the reaction.

[Dan Bongino]

Their freak out tells me. Double down on Vivek and Elon. And to the swampy Republicans out there, if they find these efficiencies, you better think twice before you even get the idea of voting this stuff down.

[Paul]

Now, John Ratcliffe at CIA, folks, I.

[Dan Bongino]

Think this is probably so far maybe his second most important pick.

[Paul]

Secretary of Defense I think is number one.

[Dan Bongino]

We don't have a Defense Department and A military. We don't have a freaking country, Daddy. O, you don't have anything. If it wasn't for our door kickers, if it wasn't for our warriors, our Marines, our Navy, Air Force, army, our folks in the Coast Guard, our people in the National Guard, if it wasn't for these people, you wouldn't have a country, man. You'd have an idea. We would have been conquered a long time ago for all of our resources, and we'd all be speaking German or Russian or Japanese after World War II. However, CIA director is going to be an important spot. We have got to clean the deep state out. And the CIA under John Brennan and others under Burns and under Haspel have been a total, absolute disaster at the leadership spot. They have let Russia and other countries walk all over us while they focused on spying on Donald Trump. And that bullshit is going to stop. Ratcliffe, why do you like Ratcliffe? You asked me in the chat, Dan.

[Paul]

Why do you like Radcliffe?

[Dan Bongino]

I'll give you guys an answer in.

[Paul]

The chat because that's what you're there for, to keep me in check.

[Dan Bongino]

Back it up. Show some receipts, folks.

[Paul]

I wrote three, I don't know, who cares, A few books on the whole Spygate disaster. They were very well researched products. I had help with it. It wasn't just me. I wrote three books on this.

[Dan Bongino]

And I'm telling you, there were only about five, maybe 10 members of Congress that were fully on board with getting to the bottom of this scandal.

[Paul]

Ratcliffe was one of them.

[Dan Bongino]

Ratcliffe was knee deep in this thing.

[Paul]

From day one trying to figure it out.

[Dan Bongino]

Here he is, absolutely eviscerating Deep state FBI goon Peter Stroke, who led the whole spying operation into Donald Trump. When Stroke insists, like, oh, he's not.

[Paul]

Partisan or anything like that. I mean, he didn't send any of this stuff out or anything like that.

[Dan Bongino]

Watch him just destroy this guy. He knows where the bodies are buried.

[Paul]

Ratcliffe, check this out.

[John Ratcliffe]

Approximately 50,000 text messages that I've seen with your personal beliefs, like, f Trump, stop Trump, Impeach Trump. Go ahead and confirm on the record that none of that occurred on an official FBI device or on official FBI time. Go ahead and do that, sir.

[Dan Bongino]

No, they did. Many of them did.

[Scott Jennings]

Oh, they did.

[Dan Bongino]

Okay.

[John Ratcliffe]

So really, no, I'll give you a chance at the end. So what you really meant to say was that when you said you never crossed that bright, inviolable line, what you meant to say was, except for 50,000 times, except for hundreds of times a day, where I went back and forth expressing my personal opinions about effing Trump and stopping Trump and impeaching Trump on official FBI phones, on official FBI time. Other than that, you never cross that line. I'm sure there are 13,000 FBI agents out there that are beaming with pride at how clearly you've drawn that line. Agent Struck, are you starting to understand why some folks out there don't believe a word you say?

[Paul]

Folks, this is the Avengers dream team. Think of this now, right?

[Dan Bongino]

And I'll address.

[Paul]

I promise. I get it. I'm not ignoring that.

[Dan Bongino]

I just imagine at a table you.

[Paul]

Have some national security crisis we hope.

[Dan Bongino]

Doesn'T happen, but they do.

[Paul]

Wars, terror attacks. Sadly, tragically, they do happen.

[Dan Bongino]

Okay, Imagine at that table you have Donald Trump, you have J.D.

[Paul]

Vance, his national security team, right?

[Dan Bongino]

You have an FBI director. I'm hoping it's Cash Patel.

[Paul]

Let's keep our fingers crossed for cash.

[Dan Bongino]

You've got John Ratcliffe, who shouldn't have.

[Paul]

Any problem getting confirmed as CIA director.

[Dan Bongino]

You got Pete Hegseth Secdev. You've got potentially, say, as Attorney General.

[Paul]

And a Bailey, who is awesome, fantastic warrior. You got Andrew Bailey.

[Dan Bongino]

This could be just a magic dream.

[Paul]

Team, some of you say.

[Dan Bongino]

Well, wouldn't you want to seat at that table? Folks, I don't ask for things.

[Paul]

I told you that. I'm not a deal cutter, okay? I'm just a servant in this whole operation for you guys and for the cause. I don't mean that to be like, obsequious or anything like that. I just.

[Dan Bongino]

It's true.

[Paul]

So let me address one more.

[Dan Bongino]

You know what?

[Paul]

Let me just get to Pete first, because Pete's super important. Pete Hegseth is a good man. Pete and I have been very close for a long time. I love Pete.

[Dan Bongino]

Pete. The only thing I'm worried about now is are you going to make it to my 50th birthday party? This was going to be the greatest, greatest party ever. And everybody keeps getting appointed to positions. My guest list is dropping off dramatically. If you can't make it, this is. Geez, Lebanon. This is really. This was on my mind. I'm like, pete, are we going to lose Pete now?

[Paul]

He's more important to the country.

[Dan Bongino]

If you can't make it, I understand.

[Paul]

But it's going to be a good party. Don't miss it. That is going to be some morning. A Monday morning update.

[Dan Bongino]

Here is the great Scott Jennings on.

[Paul]

Cnn, a guy I'm really starting to like who absolutely tore it up on the network yesterday when they Started melting down. About Pete Hegseth, he's like, yeah, yeah. I get unqualified, like, what's he going to do? Like let a spy balloon come into the country, evacuate Afghanistan and get our members killed and lose the country hurriedly and give up Bagram?

[Dan Bongino]

Oh, that already happened. That already had already happened.

[Paul]

Check this out.

[Ben]

They want to have confidence in the current leadership of the Pentagon and the way the defense situation has been operating for the last several years. I mean, from the Afghanistan pull out, which was an extreme debacle for which no one was held accountable. We've had spy balloons flying over the United States. We built a $300 million pier as a public relations stunt which wound up killing an American service member. I'd say I've had just about enough of the so called insiders running the Defense Department. I think we ought to give Pete Hegseth a chance because he's got insiders. All the criticism of him is that he's not the expected Washington pick. And I'm just saying to you, but the American people just voted against the expected Washington pick. So he's got 20 years in service, Afghanistan, Iraq, two Bronze Stars, Princeton, Harvard. Yeah, he's on TV, but so are the rest of us, by the way. And I just, I think he ought to be.

[Joy Reid]

That listen, you just gave is really interesting because you highlighted a bunch of things that the civilian leadership of the country decided on and the military, their job was just to execute. They, they actually.

[Elon Musk]

How did it go?

[Joy Reid]

I'm just saying.

[Dan Bongino]

I'm just saying. How did it go? Jennings, great question. How did it go? Don't tell me what you thought was going to happen. Tell me what happened. Reminds me of Rocky 3. Don't tell me what you think. Just tell me what happened. Your judgment sucks so bad. You got people killed. You got people killed. Maybe we need a bit of an outsider here who has some inside experience but isn't a company man. He's a freedom and liberty man. I'll take that.

[Paul]

All right, let me take a quick break and I'll address some stuff that popped up about your boy here, Danny. Boombots. Okay, it was a busy day last night. My phone was blowing up last night. I mean really blowing up. I had to put it on do not disturb because even I need to sleep sometimes. And it was crazy.

[Dan Bongino]

So I heard yesterday on.

[Paul]

I'm sitting home on X and I'm reading through the news, doing some show prep.

[Dan Bongino]

So my phone starts blowing up and friends of mine are congratulating me and.

[Paul]

I honestly was worrying about something happen. I thought, like, the podcast been great. And they cited some tweet that was going around X that I had been picked or was under consideration for Secret Service Director.

[Dan Bongino]

Folks, I have not had any conversations.

[Paul]

Formally about that position.

[Dan Bongino]

I'm not asking for anything.

[Paul]

When you start asking for stuff. And, folks, I'm sorry, I'm stumbling over my words because I'm not comfortable talking about myself. Can you guys just give me a little leeway? Because I know I sound like an asshole right now. I do. I'm usually clearer and more precise, and I'm stumbling all over because I'm so uncomfortable with the topic of the show being me. I mean it. I love this president, Like, a lot. President, President elect, soon to be president again. My problem with D.C. for a long time and that whole bureaucracy is whenever you start asking for something, it corrupts you. And I don't ask for anything. I don't want anything. I've called him maybe five or six times over the last four or five years, and it's always been about ideological things I thought were great for the movement, and I thought my input would matter. I don't bug him about stuff. I don't bug his people about stuff. So I'm a little uncomfortable addressing it because if the president calls you and asks you something, you obviously have to take it seriously. You do. If you love your country and your.

[Dan Bongino]

President calls you and asks you something.

[Paul]

You have to take it seriously.

[Dan Bongino]

But I'm telling you right now, whatever.

[Paul]

You'Re hearing about rumors are just rumors. Okay? I'm not.

[Dan Bongino]

No one.

[Paul]

No one has called me formally about anything. All right? Enough said. Because I'm not. I'm screwing this thing up because I don't like talking about myself, but I just leave it there.

[Dan Bongino]

Just rumors now.

[Paul]

And I know you guys really love the show, and I love doing the show. I love it. The president matters to me a lot. And the Secret Service is a position that you don't keep this guy alive, you're not going to have a president. Okay? This is probably the worst explanation I've ever done, any segment. I'm really sorry. I just don't talk about myself. Well, okay. Thank you. All right, moving on. I just want to congratulate one more guy, too.

[Dan Bongino]

Dan Scavino, folks, is going to be.

[Paul]

Deputy chief of staff.

[Dan Bongino]

I'm telling you. Dan Scavino. What did I say this morning?

[Paul]

Justin?

[Dan Bongino]

I am not, like, hip with the young kid lingo, but I see online all the time that dude's an absolute G and I'm like, that must be a good thing.

[Paul]

Like the OG OG original.

[Dan Bongino]

So Dan Scavino is a G. I love him. He's going to be deputy chief of staff. The nicest guy in the Trump orbit. A guy who has been with me and a friend to me day one. We love you Dan Scavino.

[Paul]

Congratulations on being deputy chief of staff. You got him. You got Miller, you got Taylor, you got James. He surrounded himself with a great team. Thanks for checking out our producer pick show on this Friday. We love it. We will be back with you live on Monday. But I'm glad you're here. We really appreciate it. We put a lot of work into these shows and my team put a lot of work into this one. So we appreciate it. The podcast sponsored by Today MD Hearing. You know MDHearing recently cut their price in half. MDHearing just made their Neo rechargeable digital hearing aids. Only $297 a pair. That's over 90% less than clinic hearing aids. The Neo fits inside your ear so no one will even know it's there. Plus mDhearing just launched the Neo XS. MDhearing's smallest hearing aid ever. $297 for a pair of hearing aids this good? That's crazy. MDHearing has sold over 1.9 million hearing aids and they offer a 45 day risk free trial with 100% money back guarantee so you can buy with confidence. You still on the fence about MDHEaring? They were just selected to be the hearing aid supplier for top Medicare Advantage plans. So they're a brand you can trust this holiday season. Get the hearing you deserve with MDHearing. Go to shopmdashearing.com use promo code patriot to get a pair of hearing aids for just $297. Plus they're adding a free extra charging case, a $100 value just for listeners to the Dan Bongino show podcast. That's shopmdhearing.com use our promo code Patriot and get a pair of hearing aids for just $297. And our last sponsor before we get back to the show, a large retail.

[Dan Bongino]

Store just canceled a huge order leaving.

[Paul]

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[Dan Bongino]

But you know what?

[Paul]

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[Dan Bongino]

The team is coming together, folks. The best way I've described it, which.

[Paul]

I heard someone kind of fleece for me last night on cable news.

[Dan Bongino]

Which is okay. Which is okay. You can take it. I wish you'd give us credit, but whatevs. I call them the Avengers. The Avengers are back. Okay, this is the team of Avengers. But even with the Avengers, you know, you need some guys in the Avengers in there. And the team who, you know, you need your Hawkeyes. Right, Your Hawkeyes. And the people who may not be like Captain America, but they get it. They understand what humans are like. Captain America don't understand what humans like. He took the truth, the Superseer. Now he's superhuman. Okay, you need a Hawkeye once in a while, right? You need that. That's why you're getting picks like this Rubio. Now, you know Rubio knew a lot.

[Paul]

About the deep state spygate thing. We gotta clear that up.

[Dan Bongino]

But there's a reason Donald Trump picked Rubio. He's not stupid, folks. Anyone in the chat have any idea? Some of you may object to this. I'm not telling you. You're gonna like everyone. Rubio has bona fides with both sides. We've got to cut deals, folks.

[Paul]

Dan, we should be good.

[Dan Bongino]

We? I'm talking about on the legislative side. We have the slimmest of buffers. Slimmest of buffers when it comes to the house. We lose one rhino and it's going to be done. Someone gets sick, it's over. They had to pick A couple of people at. Yeah. Let me give you a quick example in case you think I'm crazy. Democrats and Republicans in the past have.

[Paul]

Typically picked someone from the opposite party for their Cabinet.

[Dan Bongino]

You've got like, the John Huntsman for Obama.

[Paul]

Huntsman was a Republican.

[Dan Bongino]

I'm pretty sure Trump's not going to pick a Democrat. Could argue Tulsi, but she's now a.

[Paul]

Republican, so that's kind of different. Tulsi's been going that way for a.

[Dan Bongino]

Long time, but there's a reason he picked a Rubio. He doesn't want a Democrat, but he needs a couple of guys in there who have some bipartisan appeal. And please. Someone said to me yesterday, I was. I almost lost it on the air. You're getting. So I'm getting. Who the hell opened this show? Telling you about heads exploding, telling you cutesy time is over. I'm asking you not to trust me. I didn't pick him. I'm not the president. Don't trust me. Trust him. He knows what he's doing. I promise you, when I know something from the inside, I'll tell you. I know from the horse's mouth, man, he knows exactly what he's doing. And let me tell you something. People are going to be on a short leash. Do you understand? There's not going to be any more Rex Tillerson bullshit. People are going to be on a short leash. He knows he's got two years. He's got four. No, he's got two. He absolutely understands. Please trust me. Have I let you down yet on anything? Trust me. Please trust me. He's got a plan here.

[Paul]

Then we got Tulsi Gabbard at dni. I really like that pick a lot.

[Dan Bongino]

I like Tulsi.

[Paul]

You know, the former Democrat thing, the abortion position bothers me a lot. But his dni, it's not going to be about politics. It's going to be about national.

[Dan Bongino]

The intel swamp.

[Paul]

And no one has been a bigger fighter against the swamp and censorship than Tulsi Gabbard. It is what it is. And I like to pick.

[Dan Bongino]

You're free to object. I'm not the monarch here. The thing that's great about this family.

[Paul]

Is this is a family.

[Dan Bongino]

I am not the freaking dad, okay? I'm just one of you guys.

[Paul]

And of course we have Gates. This is a really strong national security team, folks.

[Dan Bongino]

Can you imagine if we can get.

[Paul]

Cash Patel over at FBI?

[Dan Bongino]

That's my guy.

[Paul]

That's my pick.

[Dan Bongino]

Donald Trump makes his own picks. He does not need advice. From Dan. I love you, President Trump. You're my guy. I'm just telling you, I think Cash Patel. Can you imagine this dream team here again? You're looking at a national security crisis. You've got Hegseth, you've got Tulsi, you've got Radcliffe, you've got Cash Patel. You've got the Secret Service director, the ATF director. Imagine that little Justice League table. You want them making decisions or you want Lloyd Austin making decisions with his face mask and 72 masks on? That's who I want.

[Paul]

And by the way, congratulations. CNBC finally projected to win the House majority. It was obvious we secured the trifecta.

[Dan Bongino]

But I'm going to say to you.

[Paul]

Again, throw that up. Thank you. Thank you all. Round of applause for you.

[Dan Bongino]

Thank you for doing it. Listen, I know a lot of you objected. I know a lot of you objected.

[Paul]

And I respect you.

[Dan Bongino]

A lot of you said, I'm there to vote for Trump. And I tried to explain to you that you got to pull the lever for these Republicans. Hold your nose. I know they're not the solution to your problems, but the Democrats are the.

[Paul]

Cause of your problems.

[Dan Bongino]

Are you seeing why now, folks, if we did not get Bernie Moreno, John.

[Paul]

Tester, excuse me, Tim Sheehy ran against Jon Tester.

[Dan Bongino]

If we did not get Jim justice, if we did not get Dave McCormick in there. Are you seeing now why the Dan Bongino down ballot, not theory, but fact works? There's no way you'll get a gates.

[Paul]

Or a HEG set.

[Dan Bongino]

There is no way. If you don't have 51, you're not going to get confirmed at all. Then they can't recess appointment everyone. They can't. It would never fly.

[Paul]

Trust this plan, man. Trust it.

[Dan Bongino]

All the right people are losing their minds. This is what I mean by this. I want you, please, you know, get them those horse blinkers on right here.

[Paul]

Look straight ahead.

[Dan Bongino]

This is super important. When the people who hate you and have weaponized government to destroy the constitutional republic, Donald Trump and you, the magic crowd. When the people who hate you are furious about something, they're furious about it for a reason. Because they know there is a legal reckoning coming.

[Paul]

That's why.

[Dan Bongino]

And Trump, you've got to trust the plan. Trust, trust. What he's doing now does, Gosh, I.

[Paul]

Want to fuck this up now.

[Dan Bongino]

Does it make sense why he's appointing people in this order? Some people, folks are more mainstream picks. I told you yesterday, please listen to the show. And some of you got upset at me. It's fine. It's a family. I'm not the king here. I'm not the dad. I'm just part of the family like anyone else. I'm your uncle who likes some Casa.

[Paul]

Dragones once in a while.

[Dan Bongino]

That's it. But your uncle's been around a little bit. I said to you, you're not gonna like every pick because Trump is gaming this out perfectly, Folks, in the chat. Do you see what he's doing? Seriously, put it in there. I'm reading. He's announcing some picks that are loyalists. He's not putting anyone who's not loyal in there, but, you know, may not have been the hardest conservatives or MAGA people in the past, but are loyal to him, and he knows he'll get the job done. Got a Rubio, you got a gnome, a Stefanik, a Lee Zeldin. I'm not knocking these people down. I'm just saying he's announcing some of them. He quiets down the temperature on a low and then boom, boom. The people. Who's got the people's elbow rocket in the chat? The people's elbow comes down. The people's elbow. This is what Rock Em Sock em Robots is. You hit him, you hit him, you hit him. Then all of a sudden they're like, oh, this doesn't hurt. So boom, there it is. There. People's elbow band just comes off the top rope. Macho man, savage style. Do you see what he. Do you think this is? Do you think this is being done by accident? Trust your guy. No, not. There it is. There it is. In chat.

[Paul]

You guys are rocking it, man. Yeah, I love you guys.

[Dan Bongino]

Trust your guy. Who, Dan? No. Yeah, trust me. But Trump knows what he's doing, man. Give this guy some time.

[Paul]

So let me just say a couple things.

[Dan Bongino]

Cutesy time is definitely over.

[Paul]

All right?

[Dan Bongino]

This is what cutesy time is over looks like. All the right people are pissed off. And, you know, I'm giving you an honest take because I've never bullshitted you. I don't agree with Matt Gates on everything. I thought the speaker plan. You heard me.

[Paul]

You heard me on the show.

[Dan Bongino]

I wish we had an exit plan, a better ramp. I think it worked out. I mean, listen, we can work on Johnson.

[Paul]

There's a lot to improve there.

[Dan Bongino]

McCarthy, who knows? I mean, we'll see in the long.

[Paul]

Term if we can get some legislation passed, however.

[Dan Bongino]

But you got to. Let's be straight, you know, we always have. We haven't always seen eye to eye on things, but I'm Going to tell you something. When it came to the Secret Service debacle and keeping President Trump alive, I met with Matt Gaetz up at the Heritage thing when I did that little congressional hearing we did. And there's no one more concerned about keeping Trump safe than this guy. Let me show you a little Matt Gates.

[Paul]

For all the people freaking out like.

[Dan Bongino]

Oh, he's not going to get confirmed. Eh, stand by on that. You sure? Maybe. We'll see. But there's a plan.

[Paul]

Trust it.

[Dan Bongino]

Here's Matt Gaetz versus Christopher Ray. This is one of the finest clips you'll see today. This guy understands that Christopher Wray, who.

[Paul]

Hopefully will be leaving his job the.

[Dan Bongino]

Minute Trump is sworn in. Matt Gaetz gets it. The FBI management has worked as a singular force to destroy liberties and freedoms in the United States. And they better get a guy in there who's willing to see it for what it is. This guy sees it. Watch this.

[Matt Gaetz]

I'm sitting here with my father. I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father. Sounds like a shakedown, doesn't it, Director?

[Paul]

I'm not going to get into commenting on that.

[Matt Gaetz]

You seem deeply uncurious about it, don't you? Almost suspiciously uncurious. Are you protecting the Bidens?

[Dan Bongino]

Absolutely.

[Paul]

Not the FBI?

[Matt Gaetz]

You won't answer the question about whether or not that's a shakedown. And everybody knows why you won't answer it because to the millions of people who will see this, they know it is. And your inability to acknowledge that is deeply revealing about you.

[Dan Bongino]

Now, some, apparently some Republican senators are bitching and moaning and griping already. This guy Andrew Desiderio says, hey, my phone's blowing up. With Republican aides aghast at the nomination of gays. Were they aghast at the nomination of Derek Farland, sometimes known as Merrick Garland? I'm not so sure. They didn't sound aghast. They were aghast. List with Merrick Garland. But now they're aghast. They're aghast. What, do you want to date them? How many times do I get to tell you this, Michael, if I not said this a thousand times? What is this, a Tinder site?

[Paul]

I don't like back Gates.

[Dan Bongino]

I don't like the way. Really? What do you want to. A date with him? What do you want to do you want to. You're Looking for some after hour activities with him or something. What are you worried about? All I'm worried about is a guy who gets it and is going to clean up the act. Over there is a plus one or a minus one. I see the world transactionally as a spreadsheet. You're going to fix the government or not. That's it. Senate Republicans, you better get your asses in line. I'm sorry. We've got a big army of people out there. Not really happy about what happened in the Senate with the Majority leader.

[Paul]

Wait.

[Dan Bongino]

Race. We're waiting to see what happens now. This is Trump's pick. A lot of people wouldn't have jobs if it wasn't for Trump. That's a fact. You got your panties in a wad over this. Get with the program. Already got what Susan Collins and others thought I went. All right, we're not voting. Okay, fine. I promise you. Trump has a plan. Senator Susan Collins.

[Paul]

Now she opposes Mac, of course. Of course she does. Probably loves Merrick Garland. Probably thinks he's a real hero. By the way, just throwing this out there.

[Dan Bongino]

When this happened.

[Paul]

I shouldn't say this, I'll say because this is going to sound like ex post facto me trying to look like a ringer. But screw it. I'm.

[Dan Bongino]

I had a feeling this is what no one. I swear to you, I.

[Paul]

Again, I had no idea.

[Dan Bongino]

But I had a feeling this is.

[Paul]

What they were talking about. When Trump mentioned that the Madison Square Garden rally. They had a little secret.

[Dan Bongino]

I wasn't sure it was going to be ag.

[Paul]

I thought maybe FBI director or something.

[Dan Bongino]

But I had a bit of a.

[Paul]

Feeling when Donald Trump said this play that cut.

[Elon Musk]

We got to get the senators elected because we can take the Senate pretty easily. And I think with our little secret, we're going to do really well with the House. Right? Our little secret is having a big impact. He and I have a secret. We'll tell you what it is when the race is over.

[Paul]

Whatever. Talking about it after the fact sounds. Sounds kind of dopey, but I had a feeling. I thought maybe FBI director or some. But now I think it's fairly obvious what the little secret may have been.

[Dan Bongino]

Folks, all the right people are furious. You know who, who's. I'm curious here. Baccino.

[Paul]

This is a real poll because this.

[Dan Bongino]

Is the biggest audience in conservative media. Digitally, there's no number two. We got 151,000 people. So this is a big freaking poll.

[Paul]

Of MAGA folks right here.

[Dan Bongino]

That's the big house plus another 50,000. Bat. Gino, if you're out there, get on the case. Yes. You agree with the pick? Very simple. Why? You like the Gates pick? No, you don't. I like to see some of you may not. I'm just trying to explain to you that when Dan Bongino tells you cutesy time is over, this is what cutesy time looks like. You want a cutesy time pic? You worried about resumes and who's going to get their lobbyist job and who's, you know, sunning their balls out on a beach in Belize and Ibiza. Whatever. That's not this guy. That's not this guy.

[Paul]

Moore. Some of you put more wasn't one of the technical answers, but you get two extra points for putting it in. I think we may melt the chat again. Man, you guys are blowing it up.

[Dan Bongino]

All the right people are pissed. All the right people. I'm not a hypocrite. Matt and I are not the best of friends. Matt and I. I've had probably five, six conversations with him. When he needs something about the Secret Service, we talk. I'm not as we're not coffee buddies. I'm telling you, this is what cutesy time is over looks like. How do I know that? Folks, who is the number one Deep State reporter mouthpiece for the Deep State intel community? Anybody know? Yes, Kendall. Fusion Kendallanian. When Fusion Kendallian goes on TV about Matt Gaetz and starts melting down again, folks in the chat, who is he speaking for? The Deep State. So if Candy lady and say it. Oh, my gosh, this pick is so terrible. The Deep State is freaking out. Measure the success of what you're doing by the response of your enemies. I know that's hard to digest, especially for swampies who are like the National Review crowd. My gosh, we can't have John Bolton. My mustache is burning. We can't have this. When they're freaking out, you know we did something right.

[Paul]

Watch this.

[Scott Jennings]

Katie, I've gotten two different texts from different people at the Justice Department who just used the word insane to respond and react to this potential appointment. And then also questioning whether Matt Gaetz can be confirmed. And one person asked me to research whether anyone had ever been nominated for the post of Attorney General who had been investigated by the Justice Department. We'll have to look into that. But my initial reading is that I can't think of any time that's ever happened in American history. And not only was Gaetz investigated and not charged, we should point out, in a sex trafficking investigation, but he has been perhaps among the top five most vociferous critics of the FBI, FBI and the Justice Department. And not just critics, but accusing them of being corrupt and weaponized and unethical at every single congressional hearing that ever anytime he's on the Judiciary Committee and anytime Chris Wray, the FBI director, or Merrick Garland, the Attorney general, or other lower officials have gone before that committee, you could count on Matt Gaetz taking aim at them in very extreme language and accusing them of unethical and corrupt behavior.

[Paul]

Oh, my gosh, guys, did you hear that? Michael's like, forget it. Michael's like, I'm totally out on Gates. He's like, forget it. I can't do that. He accused the FBI of unethical behavior. Justin says he's out, too. Justin's 100. Justin's a Florida cat, too. Well, so is Michael. Michael still got a lot of Wisconsin we're working.

[Dan Bongino]

Justin's been a native his whole life. Justin has got, like Sunshine State blood in him through and through. You would think he'd be a loyalist.

[Paul]

Justin's like, I definitely can't do Matt Gaetz. He mentioned that the FBI may have been engaged in unethical behavior.

[Dan Bongino]

And Fusion, Ken says it. Justin's like, I'm sold. I'm pulling my support.

[Paul]

He's out.

[Dan Bongino]

He's totally out.

[Paul]

He's like, I don't know, man. He's still worried about Star wars and the Mandalorian. He's only worried about that right now, folks.

[Dan Bongino]

Always.

[Paul]

A priority.

[Dan Bongino]

Always gauge it by the reaction of your political opponents. I'm going to tell you something from some pretty good sourcing folks. The head's exploding.

[Paul]

It ain't even done yet.

[Dan Bongino]

You think they're upset about Gates?

[Paul]

Oh, you just wait. You just wait. It isn't even close to done.

[Dan Bongino]

They're still sweating. Pete Hegseth and Ratcliffe. They haven't even. They don't even know what to do.

[Paul]

About Tulsi at dni.

[Dan Bongino]

They have no idea.

[Paul]

This is not the Trump dance, although it looks it. It's the Rock Em Sock Em Robots.

[Dan Bongino]

Kids, I hope you enjoyed this producer pick show. As I said, folks, there's going to.

[Paul]

Be a lot of appointments that are coming in the next few weeks. As I keep telling you, there's a.

[Dan Bongino]

Limited pool of people you can take.

[Paul]

You have to have experience and loyalty.

[Dan Bongino]

You can't have them in critical swing.

[Paul]

Seats in critical swing states where we may lose seats. So there's a lot that goes into it. President Trump's really good about hiring and firing. He has his reasons this time. Just be patient. I promise you, if they don't work out, this show is going to be the first one to call it out. You know, we're always on your side and the only person we care about is the president and the agenda. Everything else is secondary. So we appreciate your patience with everything, and thanks for picking this show. We deeply appreciate it. We'll be back with you here live on Monday at 11am and please give us a follow. Go to rumble.combongino on your computer, your desktop, your tablet, or if you download the Rumble app. It's free. We'd really appreciate it. Download that app. You'll get a notification when the show goes live at 11aM every day. See you back here on Monday.

[Dan Bongino]

You just heard the Dan Bongino Show.