Verdict with Ted Cruz - October 14, 2025


BONUS POD： Trump in the Middle East signing his Historic Peace Agreement


Episode Stats

Length

14 minutes

Words per Minute

146.7877

Word Count

2,102

Sentence Count

148


Summary


Transcript

00:00:00.000 This is an iHeart Podcast.
00:00:02.460 Guaranteed human.
00:00:05.760 Of the age of terror and death
00:00:08.320 and the beginning of the age of faith and hope and of God.
00:00:12.680 It's the start of a grand concord and lasting harmony
00:00:16.220 for Israel and all the nations
00:00:18.460 of what will soon be a truly magnificent region.
00:00:22.380 I believe that so strongly.
00:00:24.300 This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East.
00:00:27.180 This is a 47 Morning Update special edition with Ben Ferguson.
00:00:32.040 There is no other way to describe it but historic.
00:00:35.260 A Middle East peace deal.
00:00:37.540 President Donald Trump describing his prayers of millions
00:00:40.780 have finally been answered
00:00:42.260 with the signing of the peace agreement.
00:00:46.260 Now, there is a lot that has happened in the last 24 hours.
00:00:50.920 And this is the part that most are celebrating.
00:00:54.720 Hamas released the final 20 living Israeli hostages
00:00:59.480 that have been held since October the 7th of 2023.
00:01:04.900 Many of them underground the entire time.
00:01:08.700 What we also know is we have witnessed
00:01:11.820 and seen the homecoming play out on TV and social media.
00:01:17.340 Families prayerfully crying, celebrating in tears without words
00:01:24.880 to describe what it's like to see a loved one
00:01:27.500 they thought they may never see again.
00:01:30.500 What happened in exchange is also important.
00:01:34.320 Israel released 1,900 Palestinian detainees and prisoners,
00:01:40.340 including many who had life sentences
00:01:43.780 for their atrocities against the Jewish people.
00:01:48.080 We also know that the bodies of some of the deceased hostages
00:01:50.920 are also being returned.
00:01:54.160 At least four caskets have made it back to Israel.
00:01:58.100 The exchange is part of a broader ceasefire,
00:02:01.780 a peace deal framework,
00:02:03.220 often referred to as Trump's 20-point plan
00:02:06.660 that was agreed earlier this month.
00:02:09.440 And under the deal, Israel is to partially withdraw troops from Gaza
00:02:14.640 to a designated line,
00:02:16.920 while retaining control over certain security zones,
00:02:20.860 at least initially.
00:02:22.640 Now, the plan envisions handing over administration
00:02:25.840 of Gaza to a body of technocrats,
00:02:29.820 rather than Hamas directly,
00:02:31.880 with oversight by international guarantors.
00:02:34.700 The deal also calls for a disarmament of Hamas,
00:02:38.560 or at least their relinquishment of overt military control
00:02:43.200 as a condition of long-term peace.
00:02:46.920 A humanitarian aid push into Gaza
00:02:49.460 is also part of the agreement,
00:02:51.480 with large-scale deliveries planned during the ceasefire period.
00:02:55.980 Now, aboard Air Force One, en route to Israel,
00:02:58.920 Trump declared the war is over,
00:03:01.300 and in his address to Israel's parliament,
00:03:04.940 Trump framed the release of the hostages
00:03:06.640 as a, quote,
00:03:07.360 new beginning for the Middle East
00:03:09.540 and stressed that the deal is historic.
00:03:12.740 He also reaffirms U.S. commitment
00:03:15.380 to prevent renewed war,
00:03:17.720 saying he would uphold the ceasefire
00:03:19.260 and not allow hostilities to resume.
00:03:22.640 Trump also joked about pardoning
00:03:24.860 the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
00:03:26.800 and said he would fight for whoever it may be
00:03:30.080 to preserve peace.
00:03:32.460 He thanked those involved,
00:03:34.020 including Middle Eastern mediators,
00:03:36.120 and pushed the 20-point peace plan
00:03:38.880 as the path forward.
00:03:41.780 Every so often,
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00:05:31.300 The president, in his own words,
00:05:34.080 had this to say at the signing.
00:05:37.380 Take a listen.
00:05:38.080 It's a tremendous day for the Middle East
00:05:40.220 and you can see that
00:05:42.560 this is probably
00:05:43.560 the greatest assemblage of countries
00:05:45.720 in terms of wealth and power
00:05:47.440 maybe ever assembled.
00:05:49.520 And it's just an honor
00:05:51.200 to be a part of it.
00:05:52.680 We're going to be signing a document
00:05:54.380 that's going to spell out
00:05:56.620 a lot of rules and regulations
00:05:58.680 and lots of other things.
00:06:00.680 And it's very comprehensive.
00:06:03.520 But we've already signed documents
00:06:05.540 in the Middle East
00:06:06.380 and having to do with Israel
00:06:07.780 and Hamas
00:06:09.240 and just about everything else.
00:06:11.040 And it's really working out
00:06:13.780 incredibly well.
00:06:14.940 The hostages, as you know,
00:06:16.340 were let go on time, on schedule.
00:06:19.720 The very sad situation of bodies,
00:06:23.420 which was always a sad situation,
00:06:25.380 and they're being sought out
00:06:26.880 and they're working with
00:06:28.100 many different people,
00:06:29.960 finding some were brought in
00:06:31.400 and some were not.
00:06:33.400 And they're working out
00:06:34.960 to find out where those bodies are.
00:06:37.640 It's hard to believe
00:06:38.180 that you even have to say
00:06:39.100 something like that.
00:06:40.000 It's so sad.
00:06:41.200 It's so sad.
00:06:42.660 But what's not sad
00:06:43.640 is that we have finally,
00:06:44.980 after, I guess they say,
00:06:46.380 3,000 years.
00:06:47.380 I've heard from 3,000 years
00:06:48.980 to 500 years.
00:06:50.040 But whatever it is,
00:06:51.160 it's a lot.
00:06:52.660 But this was the one,
00:06:54.020 this was the granddaddy of them all.
00:06:55.620 And frankly,
00:06:56.900 I thought this was probably
00:06:58.640 going to be the toughest
00:06:59.500 and maybe in many ways it was,
00:07:01.360 but we had a lot of good talent.
00:07:03.380 Steve Whitcoff, Jared,
00:07:05.140 and Marco, and Pete,
00:07:07.320 and General Kane was so great.
00:07:10.680 John Ratcliffe was incredible.
00:07:13.600 We had an amazing array of talent.
00:07:16.920 An amazing array of talent
00:07:18.940 that was able to bring
00:07:20.060 all of this to reality.
00:07:21.880 There was even a shocking moment
00:07:23.880 that happened in this country
00:07:25.900 as the media.
00:07:28.100 Yes, even some Democrats
00:07:30.040 surprisingly giving
00:07:32.080 Donald Trump credit
00:07:33.680 for the Gaza deal.
00:07:35.280 One of those was Hillary Clinton.
00:07:38.260 And here is what she said.
00:07:40.520 It's a really significant first step.
00:07:43.940 And I really commend
00:07:46.340 President Trump
00:07:47.760 and his administration
00:07:49.220 as well as Arab leaders
00:07:52.460 in the region
00:07:53.500 for making the commitment
00:07:56.400 to the 20-point plan
00:07:58.280 and seeing a path forward
00:08:01.500 for what's often called
00:08:03.140 the day after.
00:08:04.640 Most importantly,
00:08:06.160 the conflict hopefully
00:08:08.560 will end with the ceasefire.
00:08:11.440 The hostages will be returned.
00:08:13.660 And then the very hard work
00:08:16.060 of rebuilding Gaza,
00:08:18.720 of finding the kind of security
00:08:21.300 that Israel and the Palestinians
00:08:23.620 after Hamas deserve to have
00:08:26.000 moving forward
00:08:27.600 with the other points in the plan
00:08:29.620 to try to create
00:08:31.260 an opportunity
00:08:33.180 for Palestinians
00:08:34.320 to have a better life
00:08:35.720 and for Israel
00:08:36.500 to have greater peace
00:08:39.260 and security.
00:08:39.860 I am very hopeful
00:08:42.220 that we'll be able
00:08:43.840 to see progress.
00:08:45.260 Today's a good start,
00:08:46.460 but we have to keep going
00:08:47.820 from here.
00:08:48.880 You can hear Hillary Clinton
00:08:50.300 giving this type of gratitude
00:08:52.280 for the leadership
00:08:53.340 of President Donald Trump,
00:08:55.580 doing something
00:08:56.340 that Joe Biden and his team
00:08:57.580 never got close to doing.
00:08:59.580 And that's not all.
00:09:01.080 The CBS Evening News
00:09:02.480 opening their newscasts
00:09:04.400 saying this
00:09:05.280 about President Trump.
00:09:06.720 There is more hope
00:09:08.120 for peace
00:09:08.760 in the Middle East tonight
00:09:09.740 than there has been
00:09:10.680 in a very long time.
00:09:12.300 Hamas today released
00:09:13.280 the last of the surviving Israelis
00:09:15.200 held hostage
00:09:15.960 since October 7, 2023.
00:09:18.720 And Israel, in turn,
00:09:20.140 freed hundreds
00:09:20.760 of Palestinian prisoners
00:09:22.020 and detainees.
00:09:23.400 This is the first phase
00:09:24.920 of the Trump peace plan.
00:09:26.260 But remember,
00:09:27.160 it is a 20-point plan
00:09:28.760 and there's still
00:09:29.300 a long way to go.
00:09:30.840 The president was in Israel today
00:09:32.180 meeting with families
00:09:33.180 of the now free hostages
00:09:34.740 and addressing the Knesset.
00:09:36.980 The president said
00:09:37.760 the long nightmare
00:09:38.700 for Israelis
00:09:39.740 and Palestinians
00:09:40.660 is over.
00:09:41.440 Now, he said,
00:09:42.680 it is time
00:09:43.320 to turn the battlefield victories
00:09:44.900 against terrorists
00:09:46.100 into the ultimate prize,
00:09:48.160 peace and prosperity
00:09:49.420 for the entire Middle East.
00:09:50.940 Mr. Trump then traveled
00:09:52.000 to Egypt
00:09:52.600 to sign the peace deal
00:09:53.820 and hold a summit
00:09:54.460 on the future of Gaza
00:09:55.720 and the region.
00:09:56.680 It's been a day
00:09:57.120 of dramatic split-screen moments
00:09:58.620 and none more so
00:09:59.520 than the sight
00:10:00.020 of President Trump
00:10:00.800 addressing the Israeli parliament
00:10:02.520 at the final moment
00:10:04.020 as the final hostages
00:10:05.480 crossed out of Gaza
00:10:06.920 and aid trucks
00:10:08.040 rolled freely into Gaza.
00:10:10.000 The result was,
00:10:11.000 after two years now
00:10:12.340 of brutal war,
00:10:13.320 the unmistakable hope,
00:10:14.900 the feeling in the air
00:10:15.760 that something big
00:10:16.740 had finally changed.
00:10:18.980 You listen to that news report
00:10:21.080 that is honest reporting.
00:10:23.720 And that wasn't the only praise
00:10:25.460 the president received
00:10:26.620 as even those in the media
00:10:28.360 that can't stand him
00:10:29.380 could not overlook
00:10:30.640 the significance
00:10:31.640 of his leadership
00:10:32.860 bringing peace
00:10:34.160 to the Middle East.
00:10:35.620 This was very much
00:10:36.560 a peacemaker speech.
00:10:37.840 Do you give him credit
00:10:38.580 for this?
00:10:39.460 Oh, certainly.
00:10:40.200 I mean,
00:10:40.500 this is an incredible accomplishment
00:10:42.200 and an incredible moment.
00:10:43.680 It's a terrific day
00:10:45.320 for the hostage families.
00:10:47.120 It's a terrific day
00:10:48.040 for President Trump,
00:10:49.940 for our national interests.
00:10:52.240 He should get a lot of credit.
00:10:53.720 I mean,
00:10:53.940 this was his deal.
00:10:54.980 He worked this out.
00:10:56.740 Listen,
00:10:56.960 he got the deal
00:10:57.520 across the finish line.
00:10:58.360 There's no question.
00:10:59.500 Things seem sort of possible now
00:11:01.580 in a way
00:11:02.060 that they didn't necessarily
00:11:02.880 before.
00:11:03.660 It's a better future ahead.
00:11:05.660 That's what today represented.
00:11:07.180 It was so,
00:11:07.600 so powerful
00:11:08.120 and unbelievably emotional.
00:11:10.020 You listen
00:11:10.580 to those members
00:11:11.720 of the media,
00:11:12.980 those commentators
00:11:14.040 giving credit
00:11:14.860 on networks
00:11:15.560 that never
00:11:16.320 give Donald Trump credit.
00:11:18.080 And it puts
00:11:18.700 into perspective
00:11:19.380 just how significant
00:11:20.580 this moment
00:11:21.400 actually is.
00:11:23.420 Donald Trump's
00:11:24.060 historic peace deal
00:11:25.100 on NBC,
00:11:26.480 they covered it
00:11:27.540 this way.
00:11:28.520 From the moment
00:11:28.980 he landed in Israel,
00:11:30.120 the words thank you
00:11:30.920 visible from Air Force One
00:11:32.260 and billboards
00:11:33.120 here expressing gratitude.
00:11:34.920 President Trump
00:11:35.480 basked in the praise
00:11:36.420 of a country
00:11:36.880 that credits him
00:11:37.800 more than its own
00:11:38.820 prime minister
00:11:39.520 for today's
00:11:40.320 long-awaited reunions.
00:11:43.420 The president's name
00:11:44.740 echoing through
00:11:45.540 Israel's parliament
00:11:46.540 as he touted
00:11:47.320 his landmark
00:11:48.040 diplomatic success.
00:11:49.560 This is the end
00:11:50.320 of the age
00:11:51.380 of terror and death.
00:11:52.680 This is the historic
00:11:53.760 dawn of
00:11:54.500 a new Middle East.
00:11:57.180 Netanyahu
00:11:57.740 praising his
00:11:58.820 American ally.
00:12:00.140 Donald Trump
00:12:01.040 is the greatest
00:12:02.500 friend that the
00:12:03.620 state of Israel
00:12:04.500 has ever had
00:12:05.700 in the White House.
00:12:06.900 Going off script,
00:12:07.980 the president called
00:12:08.660 on his Israeli
00:12:09.300 counterpart to
00:12:10.100 pardon Netanyahu,
00:12:11.520 who is indicted
00:12:12.320 for allegedly
00:12:12.860 accepting expensive
00:12:13.920 gifts,
00:12:14.500 which he denies.
00:12:16.080 Cigars and champagne,
00:12:17.900 who the hell
00:12:18.440 cares about that?
00:12:20.780 The president then
00:12:22.060 heading to Egypt
00:12:22.820 for a peace signing
00:12:23.840 ceremony with Arab
00:12:24.820 nations and other
00:12:26.100 world leaders who
00:12:26.940 back the deal.
00:12:28.160 Peace has been
00:12:29.340 achieved after
00:12:30.900 untiring efforts.
00:12:33.100 Efforts led by
00:12:34.800 President Trump.
00:12:36.560 His landmark
00:12:37.400 diplomatic success,
00:12:39.740 how NBC News
00:12:40.800 described it.
00:12:41.780 As for what the
00:12:42.680 rest of the world
00:12:43.420 is thinking,
00:12:44.580 Netanyahu
00:12:45.140 praising the deal,
00:12:46.680 defending Israel's
00:12:47.540 conduct over the war,
00:12:49.640 and express relief
00:12:50.740 and joy over the
00:12:51.720 hostages' return.
00:12:53.400 At the summit
00:12:54.020 held in Egypt,
00:12:55.180 over 20 world leaders,
00:12:57.120 including the
00:12:57.600 Egyptian president,
00:12:58.560 joined with Trump
00:12:59.800 to endorse the
00:13:00.680 ceasefire as well
00:13:02.320 as the post-war
00:13:03.220 plan.
00:13:04.080 And as part of
00:13:04.800 that, several
00:13:05.820 countries committed
00:13:06.580 to being guarantors
00:13:08.300 of the agreement.
00:13:10.080 The U.S.,
00:13:10.740 Egypt, Qatar,
00:13:11.660 and Turkey overseeing
00:13:12.980 security and
00:13:14.240 reconstruction in
00:13:15.220 Gaza.
00:13:15.840 The French president
00:13:16.780 called for progress
00:13:17.980 towards a two-state
00:13:18.840 solution and
00:13:20.080 announced plans for
00:13:21.000 a humanitarian aid
00:13:22.160 conference for
00:13:22.980 Gaza.
00:13:23.660 Overall, many
00:13:24.660 nations welcomed
00:13:25.800 the deal they
00:13:26.560 thought was impossible
00:13:27.860 as a vital step
00:13:29.120 towards peace.
00:13:30.500 And many of them
00:13:31.240 said it's time now
00:13:32.280 to get the real
00:13:33.120 work done for
00:13:34.480 Gaza, disarmament,
00:13:36.280 security, and
00:13:37.460 reconstruction.
00:13:38.700 If you just step
00:13:39.860 back and you look
00:13:41.060 at what President
00:13:41.760 Trump was able to
00:13:42.640 do, there is no
00:13:44.200 doubt, as NBC
00:13:45.280 News put it,
00:13:46.520 Trump's historic
00:13:47.300 peace deal, it is
00:13:49.020 his landmark
00:13:50.160 diplomatic success.
00:13:52.220 And it's no
00:13:52.960 telling how many
00:13:54.240 lives will be saved
00:13:55.520 because of Donald
00:13:56.520 Trump's leadership.
00:13:57.860 Thank you for
00:13:58.500 listening to the
00:13:59.180 47 Morning Update
00:14:00.580 with Ben Ferguson.
00:14:02.200 Please make sure
00:14:03.060 you hit subscribe
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