Verdict with Ted Cruz - December 30, 2025


BONUS POD: Governor Waltz Doubles Down ‘Bring More In!’ Amid Somali Scandal


Episode Stats

Length

15 minutes

Words per Minute

149.56754

Word Count

2,248

Sentence Count

166

Hate Speech Sentences

3


Summary


Transcript

00:00:00.000 This is an iHeart Podcast.
00:00:02.660 Guaranteed human.
00:00:04.760 You went straight on Putin's residence.
00:00:07.380 Yeah, I don't like it.
00:00:10.300 It's not good.
00:00:11.880 I heard about it this morning.
00:00:13.760 You know who told me about it?
00:00:15.220 President Putin told me about it.
00:00:17.240 Early in the morning, he said he was attacked.
00:00:20.120 It's no good.
00:00:21.140 It's no good.
00:00:22.160 Can't do it.
00:00:22.900 And I learned about it from President Putin.
00:00:24.900 I was very angry about it.
00:00:26.220 You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.
00:00:30.280 Good Tuesday morning.
00:00:31.420 It's so nice to have you with us on the 47 Morning Update.
00:00:35.040 And we've got two major stories for you.
00:00:37.220 First up, Governor Tim Walz breaks his silence in the fraud scheme in Minnesota.
00:00:43.660 What he said is going to shock you.
00:00:46.040 He's not holding those accountable who are committing the fraud.
00:00:48.800 Instead, he says he wants to bring in more Somalis into his state.
00:00:52.620 We'll have those comments from him and the fallout from the federal government in just a moment.
00:00:58.920 Also, President Trump in Mar-a-Lago having two major meetings.
00:01:03.440 One with Netanyahu as reports surfaced that Iran is working on chemical and biological warheads.
00:01:09.700 And then also meeting with Zelensky and talking with Vladimir Putin.
00:01:14.140 So what happened out of the meetings?
00:01:15.900 We have it all for you.
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00:03:26.280 It's the 47 morning update, and it starts right now.
00:03:29.720 Story number one.
00:03:30.760 That fallout after the viral video showing widespread fraud in Minnesota
00:03:35.340 doesn't seem to be stopping the governor, Tim Waltz, from doing what he does best,
00:03:41.620 standing with the Somali community.
00:03:44.320 Not only is he refusing to answer questions from the media,
00:03:48.420 he's now saying he wants to bring more Somalians into Minnesota
00:03:52.700 to back up the fraud and abuse apparently that's already happened.
00:03:57.220 This coming out of Seattle as Tim Waltz ignores the questions about apologizing to Minnesota
00:04:04.020 over the Somali fraud, and then listen to what he had to say at a luncheon about it as well.
00:04:10.180 Governor Walz, what can you say about the latest on the Somali fraud that happened under your watch, sir?
00:04:16.820 Governor, have you been able to apologize yet to the people of Minnesota for allowing this Somali fraud to continue under your watch?
00:04:23.280 I can't be able to interrupt the people of Minnesota.
00:04:24.460 Is it time to apologize?
00:04:26.040 How about the whistleblowers that you have allegedly retaliated against?
00:04:30.160 Would you like to respond to the whistleblowers?
00:04:33.580 And right now, our neighbors are being demonized.
00:04:36.180 Our neighbors are being paralyzed.
00:04:37.860 Our neighbors are being hit a couple off the streets.
00:04:40.860 The antidote to that is, is positive actions to improve lives that go against what they're trying to do.
00:04:47.740 So instead of demonizing our Somali community, we're going to do more to welcome more in and welcome people back.
00:04:53.920 Instead, how important is we're going to be immune?
00:04:57.840 That's right.
00:04:58.600 You just heard the governor of Minnesota say, instead of cutting programs filled with billions of dollars of fraud, we're going to enhance those programs.
00:05:09.160 He said, instead of getting rid of people, we're going to be more welcoming.
00:05:13.820 Instead of demonizing our Somali community, we're going to be bringing more of them in.
00:05:20.940 Welcoming more of them in.
00:05:24.240 Why?
00:05:24.820 Why would a governor, after billions of dollars of fraud is exposed, would say something this out of touch with reality?
00:05:32.200 Well, it's very simple.
00:05:34.020 Governor Walz knows that he could not be reelected without the Somali community.
00:05:39.060 There is a large voting bloc.
00:05:40.920 And the Somali community votes basically 100% of the time together.
00:05:44.420 It's not like normal America, where 50% are conservative and 50% are liberal or 45% are conservative and 45% are liberal.
00:05:53.200 And then there's the undecideds in the middle.
00:05:55.020 The Somali community, you get all of them or virtually none of their vote.
00:05:59.400 And Governor Walz is basically saying, I'm willing to sell out Minnesota's taxpayers and federal taxpayers to save the Somali community,
00:06:09.040 putting them ahead of American citizens that are being defrauded.
00:06:12.540 Which brings us to the Trump administration's response to this insanity.
00:06:16.920 The Department of Homeland Security, under Secretary Noem, has now confirmed that federal Homeland Security agents are actively conducting a major fraud investigation in Minneapolis,
00:06:30.560 focusing on the child care centers and other alleged rampant fraud schemes.
00:06:35.960 Agents have been observed going door to door at suspected sites as part of the probe in the last 24 hours.
00:06:43.100 The administration is portraying the operation as part of a broader effort to protect federal funds and ensure accountability.
00:06:53.060 Framing these activities as legitimate law enforcement actions that are expanding.
00:06:59.680 And that moves us to the FBI.
00:07:01.960 FBI Director Cash Patel has announced that the Bureau has also surged additional agents and new investigative resources to Minnesota at large
00:07:12.380 to investigate what officials are describing as a large-scale fraud schemes involving federal aid programs amounting into the hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars.
00:07:24.980 Director Patel characterized the known fraud cases as possibly the tip of a very large iceberg,
00:07:32.520 referring to previous investigations like Feeding Our Future and new leads sparked by the recent media attention as well as whistleblowers coming forward.
00:07:42.120 That also brings us to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE.
00:07:47.980 They often work under the Department of Homeland Security, and it has been reported that they are targeting suspected fraud sites in Minnesota
00:07:55.300 to identify and address possible immigration-related violations, including checks on legal status and enforcement where applicable.
00:08:05.820 Some news reports are also indicating that there have been door-to-door operations connected with the fraud investigation
00:08:13.600 that also involved immigration enforcement elements.
00:08:18.020 Specific numbers and targets are in flux, but we will keep you updated on when we get the hard numbers.
00:08:24.080 Now, all of this has triggered a federal response because of the viral social media video
00:08:31.300 showing alleged empty daycare centers and nonetheless receiving no significant public information
00:08:40.060 from the governor, the Attorney General of Minnesota, or even from the mainstream media.
00:08:46.460 Conservative leaders, including Ted Cruz, Vice President Vance,
00:08:51.080 have publicly praised the video's impact in drawing federal attention to the matter as well.
00:08:56.540 The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security response also blends long-standing fraud investigations
00:09:03.100 with new actions tied to the recent spotlight on the Minnesota programs.
00:09:09.160 Which brings us back to the Minnesota Governor, Tim Walz.
00:09:12.640 He is being criticized by federal figures and GOP lawmakers.
00:09:17.060 The Trump administration framing the situation is evidence of lax oversight of federal funds,
00:09:22.780 and officials in Minnesota are even angry as well, bringing up broader claims,
00:09:28.140 emphasizing existing efforts to fight fraud, and the whistleblowers were punished by the governor.
00:09:36.180 So that brings us to where we are now.
00:09:39.000 What we know is it looks like law and order will be restored,
00:09:42.900 even if the governor says we want to bring in more Somalis for more fraud.
00:09:46.660 Even when he says that we're demonizing those that are taking billions of dollars away from American citizens.
00:09:54.720 So Governor Walz can hang out on stage and say this is his plan.
00:09:59.620 But it's clear that law and order and law enforcement is going to take place,
00:10:04.040 and it could even involve the governor himself.
00:10:07.360 Now story number two.
00:10:08.480 There were major meetings in Palm Beach at Mar-a-Lago between President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu,
00:10:13.860 as well as Zelensky, talking about the wars that have been taking place in different parts of the world.
00:10:20.440 We'll start first with a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, and there were positive developments.
00:10:25.520 Trump hosting the prime minister at Mar-a-Lago for bilateral talks on regional peace, as well as security.
00:10:32.160 There was a public display of a strong alliance,
00:10:35.040 especially after liberal media outlets were claiming that there was major tension between the two leaders.
00:10:40.120 Both Trump and Netanyahu projected unity and cultivated a positive atmosphere around them,
00:10:46.820 exchanging compliments and emphasizing that U.S.-Israeli cooperation and relations have never been stronger,
00:10:53.780 yet again showing that the fake media was lying.
00:10:57.320 The peace plan discussions were also a very important part of that conversation.
00:11:02.280 They discussed a U.S.-brokered Middle East peace plan,
00:11:05.820 including Gaza and broader regional issues,
00:11:09.360 which brought us to some of the new information coming out of Iran,
00:11:13.740 as Iran, we're now being told, is working on chemical and biological warheads.
00:11:19.240 Donald Trump was asked about that as Netanyahu was standing next to him.
00:11:23.380 And here's what the president had to say about Iran,
00:11:26.100 their nuclear arsenal, and regime change.
00:11:28.880 I'm not going to talk about overthrow of a regime.
00:11:33.560 They've got a lot of problems that are in.
00:11:35.440 They have tremendous inflation.
00:11:37.620 Their economy is bust.
00:11:39.060 The economy is no good.
00:11:40.860 And I know that people aren't so happy,
00:11:42.560 but don't forget, every time they have a riot or somebody forms a group,
00:11:47.520 little or big, they start shooting people.
00:11:50.320 You know, they kill people.
00:11:51.420 And the people tend to – I've watched this for years.
00:11:57.260 There's tremendous discontent.
00:11:59.320 They form 100,000, 200,000 people.
00:12:03.040 All of a sudden, people start getting shot.
00:12:06.500 And that group disbanded pretty quickly.
00:12:09.140 So I've watched it for years.
00:12:10.520 They're vicious, vicious people.
00:12:12.140 Mr. President, will you support an Israeli attack on Iran
00:12:17.480 if Iran will not have a deal,
00:12:19.520 if Iran will continue with their ballistic missiles
00:12:21.940 and also nuclear weapons?
00:12:24.140 If they will continue with the missiles, yes.
00:12:28.520 The nuclear, fast.
00:12:31.380 Okay?
00:12:31.920 One will be yes, absolutely.
00:12:33.780 The other will do it immediately.
00:12:36.360 President Trump making it clear with Netanyahu by his side
00:12:39.780 that the two agree on this.
00:12:41.580 There's no way that Iran can get a nuclear weapon.
00:12:44.820 And if they start producing biological and chemical warheads,
00:12:48.140 the same fate of those Iranian nuclear sites will happen again.
00:12:52.500 Which brings us to Donald Trump meeting with Zelensky.
00:12:55.940 Donald Trump's engagement with Zelensky was about moving forward.
00:12:59.720 Diplomacy.
00:13:00.740 It also included a phone call with Russia's Vladimir Putin
00:13:03.820 after their meeting ended.
00:13:06.100 Progress towards a peaceful framework was the bottom line for President Trump.
00:13:10.540 They reviewed an evolving peace plan proposal aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
00:13:15.920 Both indicated movement towards common principles and continued negotiations.
00:13:21.900 There was also security guarantees that were discussed.
00:13:24.920 Ukraine was offered a 15-year U.S. security guarantee
00:13:29.620 as a concrete part of the peace framework.
00:13:32.980 Something Zelensky described as an important step forward,
00:13:36.220 even if he prefers longer commitments.
00:13:39.240 And then there was a follow-up diplomacy with Russia.
00:13:41.740 After that meeting with Zelensky,
00:13:44.260 Trump held what was described by the White House
00:13:46.260 as a positive call with Putin to keep negotiations moving forward.
00:13:51.020 Now, while a full peace agreement isn't done yet,
00:13:54.040 today's actions reflect continued commitment to diplomacy, the White House said.
00:13:59.080 Mutual talks between Kiev and Washington
00:14:01.220 and real movement on security assurances and negotiation channels
00:14:05.880 is a constructive diplomatic direction.
00:14:08.600 Overall, it was an important day for the President in West Palm Beach.
00:14:14.120 It was an important day for Trump to host two major world leaders
00:14:17.440 back-to-back and underscores the active U.S. role in high-level diplomacy.
00:14:23.480 Discussions are pointing towards progress on peace initiatives,
00:14:27.360 something the President desperately wants,
00:14:29.700 as well as ongoing dialogue with Russia.
00:14:32.220 After the Ukraine meeting, keeping the diplomatic channels open,
00:14:35.420 all the positive sign for what President Trump said we need,
00:14:39.900 the wars to end.
00:14:41.440 Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.
00:14:45.780 Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now.
00:14:51.080 And for more in-depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson podcast,
00:14:55.500 and we will see you back here tomorrow.
00:14:58.400 This is an iHeart Podcast.
00:15:00.900 Guaranteed Human.