Verdict with Ted Cruz - April 17, 2025


BONUS POD： Tariff Tango-China & Japan arrive in DC plus Guantanamo Bay Expansion


Episode Stats

Length

12 minutes

Words per Minute

157.86986

Word Count

2,004

Sentence Count

154

Hate Speech Sentences

2


Summary


Transcript

00:00:00.000 This is an iHeart Podcast.
00:00:02.660 Guaranteed human.
00:00:05.780 I work for the greatest president of my lifetime, Donald Trump.
00:00:08.720 He secured that border in five weeks.
00:00:10.820 As we're talking right now, Lawrence, we have the most secure border in my lifetime right now
00:00:15.280 because of President Trump's actions.
00:00:17.020 We're coming to sanctuary cities.
00:00:18.480 We're going to put all hands on debt.
00:00:20.600 Sanctuary cities are not going to get away with the illegality that's killing Americans at record numbers.
00:00:25.540 You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.
00:00:29.140 Good Thursday morning.
00:00:30.380 Welcome.
00:00:30.800 It is the 47 Morning Update.
00:00:32.420 Ben Ferguson with you.
00:00:33.560 And here are the three big stories that you need to know about.
00:00:36.400 First up, Donald Trump touting major progress after trade talks with Japanese officials.
00:00:43.300 The moral of the story, if you show up and you're willing to work with America, we're willing to work with you.
00:00:48.640 I'll give you all those details in a moment.
00:00:51.160 And comparing that story to our second one,
00:00:54.080 China is now signaling a readiness for talks, quote,
00:00:58.360 if the U.S. shows respect amid the numbers game, as some tariffs have gone to 240 percent.
00:01:05.980 And finally, in a big story, a memo now is revealing U.S. plans to send migrants who are linked to organized crime to Guantanamo Bay.
00:01:16.220 It's the 47 Morning Update, and it starts right now.
00:01:19.700 Story number one.
00:01:20.740 There is a major theme coming out of the White House with consistency.
00:01:25.120 And that is, if you work with the Trump administration on tariffs as a foreign nation, you're going to get a very good deal.
00:01:32.040 Well, the Trump administration, we're now being told, is working with dozens of countries in direct negotiations on new trade deals.
00:01:40.920 There's one big success story that's coming out of the White House.
00:01:44.600 President Trump, we are now being told, met with Japanese officials at the White House yesterday to discuss trade negotiations.
00:01:52.700 And his quick reaction on social media afterwards suggested a very positive result.
00:01:58.240 Quote, a great honor to have met with the Japanese delegation on trade.
00:02:03.260 Big progress.
00:02:04.920 He was also joined by the Treasury Secretary, Scott Besant, and the Commerce Secretary, Howard Lettnick.
00:02:10.920 The talks were scheduled after Trump announced he would impose tariffs on the island nation.
00:02:16.520 Now, Trump previously confirmed that he would attend the meetings and that discussion topics would include the cost of military support and also, quote, trade fairness.
00:02:26.600 The United States and Japan have had a decades-long military alliance formed in the aftermath of World War II.
00:02:34.100 Thousands of American troops are also stationed on Japanese soil, a majority of them on a military base in Okinawa.
00:02:41.920 Trump also said last night, quote, hopefully something can be worked out which is great for Japan and the U.S.
00:02:49.760 Now, this month, Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff on nearly every country in the world, but added higher reciprocal tariffs on a number of significant trading partners.
00:03:01.020 This included Japan, Vietnam, the European Union, China, and others.
00:03:06.360 Later, he announced a 90-day pause on the higher tariffs for every country except China, which was hit with a total rate of 145%,
00:03:16.740 and some categories higher than that overall.
00:03:20.340 Now, the higher tariffs on imports from China were needed, Trump said in his announcement suspending the other duties,
00:03:26.760 because the Chinese regime has taken advantage of the United States for decades on trade.
00:03:31.160 The Chinese regime has responded by imposing higher tariffs on U.S. products,
00:03:35.820 which we'll get to more on that in just a moment in story two.
00:03:39.020 But the big news here is this.
00:03:41.280 Even Besant had said that there is, quote, a first-mover advantage,
00:03:45.700 given that Washington has stated that more than 75 countries now have requested direct talks.
00:03:51.800 Japanese prime minister said on April the 14th that his country, quote, won't rush to reach a deal
00:03:57.820 and does not plan to make, quote, big concessions,
00:04:01.580 although he said he would not impose countermeasures on U.S. tariffs.
00:04:05.320 Well, some of this may be posturing, because what we're seeing coming out of the White House
00:04:10.120 is significant, that this country, America, and Japan are clearly looking to get a deal done soon.
00:04:18.220 We also are being told that about 15 countries so far have submitted proposals on trade.
00:04:24.000 That is coming from the press secretary, Caroline Leavitt.
00:04:27.200 She also noted that dozens more countries have reached out to the White House
00:04:31.240 and are looking to sit down as soon as possible.
00:04:34.140 Her exact timeline, she said, is as quickly as we can put people at the table.
00:04:40.280 And the proposals that we're getting are actively being considered.
00:04:44.120 As we've said consistently, there are more than 75 countries that have reached out.
00:04:48.960 And those that reached out first with the best deals are those that are sitting down with us quickly.
00:04:54.640 Now, story number two.
00:04:55.880 You may have seen the headline.
00:04:57.820 And the headline is one that was shocking to the world.
00:05:00.760 And it was done on purpose by the Trump administration when it comes to China.
00:05:05.020 China is now facing up to a 245% Trump tariff.
00:05:09.860 Now, there's a lot that has happened in the last 24 hours.
00:05:14.140 Not only did the White House say China's facing this 245% tariff on imports to the U.S.,
00:05:19.600 but they said it was because of a result of its retaliatory actions from China against us.
00:05:25.540 Now, this is going back and forth at a rapid pace.
00:05:29.820 Why does this matter?
00:05:30.940 Because the trade war is obviously rattling global markets.
00:05:35.080 Cutting off Chinese imports is complicating American supply chain.
00:05:39.060 And it is also hurting Chinese exporters.
00:05:43.600 All but losing.
00:05:45.060 The U.S. market is, quote, a severe blow.
00:05:47.940 And now they are putting pressure on their own government to get a deal done.
00:05:53.100 So here's what we know now.
00:05:55.340 There has been movement from China quietly.
00:05:59.180 China has now appointed a new trade negotiator.
00:06:03.000 China appointed a man by the name of Li Chengong as its new trade negotiator on Wednesday
00:06:09.500 in the midst of its tariff fight with the U.S.
00:06:12.600 Now, this is a significant move that signals a change in the style of their negotiations
00:06:18.880 or lack thereof from Beijing.
00:06:21.240 Now, let me tell you more about Li that you will hear nowhere else prior to this new appointment.
00:06:27.760 Li spent about four and a half years as China's ambassador to the World Trade Organization.
00:06:33.000 That is the body that governs global commerce and to which Beijing has appealed in its tariff
00:06:39.880 dispute with the U.S.
00:06:41.900 Li has also had permanent representative status to the Chinese delegation to the U.N. office
00:06:48.220 in Geneva, as well as other international organizations in Switzerland.
00:06:53.600 We also know that Li participated in negotiating China's ascension to the WTO, known as the World
00:06:59.560 Trade Organization, more than 20 years ago.
00:07:02.360 This means there is real movement now and movement, as it was described by one as saying
00:07:08.640 this, quote, there might be another style of negotiations from China.
00:07:13.460 Li is an open minded person and supports free trade.
00:07:17.620 That is what the dean of the China Institute for WTO Studies at the University of International
00:07:22.560 Business and Economics said in a statement to the press.
00:07:25.080 So what are people saying about this in China?
00:07:28.720 Well, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said there is no winner in tariff wars and
00:07:33.980 trade wars.
00:07:34.880 The first time signaling that they may be willing to do a deal.
00:07:38.440 And China, he went on to say, does not want to fight.
00:07:41.680 Let me say that again.
00:07:43.220 China does not want to fight, but it is by no means afraid to fight.
00:07:48.440 Again, a major change in the rhetoric coming out of Beijing.
00:07:52.880 President Trump also wrote on True Social.
00:07:55.640 Nobody is getting off the hook for the unfair trade balances and non-monetary tariff barriers
00:08:02.300 that other countries have used against us, especially not China, which by far treats us the worst.
00:08:08.900 That's what Trump said on True Social on the 13th.
00:08:12.320 He said, we are taking a look at semiconductors and the whole electronic supply chain in the
00:08:18.360 upcoming national security tariff investigations.
00:08:22.020 What has been exposed is that we need to make products in the U.S.
00:08:25.360 and that we will not be held hostage by other countries, especially hostile trading nations
00:08:31.020 like China, which will do everything within its power to disrespect the American people.
00:08:36.220 Which brings us now to the newest headline.
00:08:39.180 As I said a moment ago, things are moving rapidly, and this is good news for Americans as well.
00:08:46.240 The newest headline reads like this.
00:08:48.800 China is now signaling a, quote, readiness to talk if U.S. shows respect amid the numbers game.
00:08:56.580 Again, this is very different than what they were saying just 24 hours ago.
00:09:00.600 China is now expressing openness into trade talks with the U.S. under certain conditions.
00:09:06.840 Even after the White House clarified that China now faces up to a 245% tariff on imports to the U.S.
00:09:15.780 This goes back to what Donald Trump said all along.
00:09:19.320 I'm not flinching on countries that are taking advantage of the American workers, the American people.
00:09:24.480 He also said it was going to be a national security issue, which you just heard them mention yet again.
00:09:29.180 And the president said, I'm more than willing to sit down to get a fair deal for the American people.
00:09:35.040 And with China appointing Li as its new trade negotiator, it signals a major potential shift in the approach to trade discussions.
00:09:43.380 And that is not only good for Americans, but also for the entire world.
00:09:48.300 And here is story number three.
00:09:49.640 It is a major story that no one seems to be covering.
00:09:52.940 And our good friends over at the National Pulse are the first to expose this big news.
00:09:58.300 A new memo shows the Trump administration's wide-reaching authority to detain migrants at Guantanamo Bay
00:10:06.040 is going to be expanding beyond only the worst offenders, quote-unquote.
00:10:11.520 This development is part of Trump's broader policy to crack down on illegal immigration.
00:10:17.600 Now, what I'm about to tell you, I hope you'll share with everyone you know.
00:10:21.340 And I hope you will share this podcast on social media.
00:10:24.920 Also, make sure you hit that subscribe or auto-download button because these are the stories you're not going to get anywhere else.
00:10:31.800 Now, this agreement was signed in early March by top officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense.
00:10:40.300 It sets criteria for detaining migrants based not on criminal history,
00:10:45.920 but rather a nexus to transnational criminal organizations or criminal drug activity.
00:10:54.640 Officials have defined this connection broadly,
00:10:57.360 which could include paying a criminal group for smuggling services into the United States of America.
00:11:04.640 That would be a game changer.
00:11:07.080 Now, the guidelines also allow for detaining migrants with final deportation orders
00:11:14.140 who have interacted in any way with organized crime, including direct or indirect interactions.
00:11:22.240 The Department of Defense confirmed the memo.
00:11:25.780 The DOD has highlighted its role in clarifying operational roles at Guantanamo Bay
00:11:31.540 between the Department of Homeland Security and the DOD.
00:11:35.320 Teresa Cardinal Brown, a former U.S. immigration official,
00:11:40.080 stated that many illegals could have some form of interaction with a crime syndicate.
00:11:46.820 This is due to the territorial control established by the cartels in Mexico.
00:11:52.660 Now, the Trump administration officials are defending the strategy as vital to, quote, national security.
00:11:59.400 The White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said operations at Guantanamo for detaining migrants will proceed without changes.
00:12:09.300 Currently, 42 individuals are detained at the base.
00:12:13.520 This story we expect to change, and I promise you we will cover it here for you every step of the way.
00:12:19.500 Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.
00:12:23.820 Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now.
00:12:28.680 And for more in-depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast, and we will see you back here tomorrow.
00:12:35.320 This is an iHeart Podcast.
00:12:40.640 Guaranteed human.