Verdict with Ted Cruz - April 21, 2026


BONUS POD： Trump Unleashes DPA on Energy Prices plus Dan Rather & the 200

Hosted by
Ted Cruz
Mentioned
Donald Trump Alejandra Ben Ferguson D.C. Dan Rather Eric Swallow Maria
Trump Tightens Grip on Strait of Hormuz Putting Enormous Pressure on Iran plus Qatar Hires DC Lobbyists as the Heat Rises Ted's Brand-New Book—A Biography of Clarence Thomas, Telling his Incredible Life Story and his Historic Impact on our Nation

Episode Stats


Length

16 minutes

Words per minute

147.88

Word count

2,471

Sentence count

131

Harmful content

Misogyny

5

sentences flagged

Hate speech

2

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

Trump enacts the Defense Production Act to boost U.S. oil production, and the White House Correspondents Association calls out Donald Trump to his face at Saturday s dinner. Meanwhile, a little girl named Alejandra is fighting for her life in a remote community with no access to medical care.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Misogyny classifications generated with MilaNLProc/bert-base-uncased-ear-misogyny .
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
Hosts, guests, and mentioned names generated with spaCy (en_core_web_sm), reconciled against Wikidata.
00:00:00.000 This is an iHeart Podcast.
00:00:02.520 Guaranteed human.
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00:00:35.040 If I'm not working, then how is it that the FBI delivered the safest America under President Trump's leadership in the history of our country?
00:00:43.280 And so, you know what?
00:00:44.200 They can beat their drums and stand next to toxic waste all they want, but that doesn't make it toxic waste.
00:00:49.100 And, Maria, I'm happy to announce on your show that we are not going to take this laying down. 0.98
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00:00:55.840 I'll see you in court.
00:00:56.720 You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.
00:01:00.760 Good Tuesday morning. Nice to have you with us on the 47 Morning Update.
00:01:04.680 And we've got two major stories for you.
00:01:06.960 First up, Donald Trump enacting the Defense Production Act to boost U.S. oil production.
00:01:13.720 So what does this mean for you?
00:01:15.780 I'll explain it for you.
00:01:17.240 And it could also mean major price changes at the pump as well.
00:01:21.440 Also, in a shocking move, Dan Rather and more than 200 journalists have signed an open letter
00:01:27.640 demanding the White House Correspondents Association call out Donald Trump to his face at Saturday's dinner.
00:01:35.460 I'll have those details as well.
00:01:37.520 I want to take a quick moment and talk to you about an incredible organization,
00:01:40.780 and it is called Compassion International and how you can get involved.
00:01:46.040 I want you to pause what you're doing for just one minute,
00:01:48.940 and I want you to hear about Alejandra. 0.78
00:01:51.860 She lives in a remote community with very few resources 0.89
00:01:55.100 and little to no health care.
00:01:57.820 So when Alejandra gets sick, her parents have no real options, 0.94
00:02:01.960 no doctors in their community, and no money for real medical care.
00:02:07.480 By the third day, her body was shutting down.
00:02:10.420 She woke up and just long enough to tell her mom,
00:02:13.700 I can't take the pain anymore.
00:02:16.440 I can't keep going.
00:02:17.600 Her parents drove hours to find a doctor who tried everything, but she needed a private hospital, and that was impossible for her family to afford, and that is when Compassion International stepped in.
00:02:31.640 Now, through Compassion, Alejandra was treated, and against all odds, she survived.
00:02:38.260 She lived because someone, just like you, took action.
00:02:42.360 Right now, unfortunately, there are children, just like Alejandra, who won't survive unless someone like you steps in.
00:02:50.140 Compassion International partners with local churches, providing children with the support that they need.
00:02:56.440 critical medical care, plus food, education, and the hope of the gospel.
00:03:02.800 All in Jesus' name.
00:03:05.020 So help a child just like Alejandra today.
00:03:08.640 You can visit Compassion.com.
00:03:11.320 That's Compassion.com.
00:03:13.920 It's the 47 Morning Update, and it starts right now.
00:03:17.720 Story number one.
00:03:18.940 We're going to start with Donald Trump and big news coming from the White House
00:03:22.960 as the president has now cited the Defense Production Act to boost U.S. oil production.
00:03:30.200 Now, let me walk you through this major development.
00:03:32.920 It could have serious implications not only for your wallet,
00:03:36.740 also your energy bill and America's position on the world stage.
00:03:41.940 Now, President Trump has moved to invoke the Defense Production Act,
00:03:45.600 and this time it's aimed squarely at one thing,
00:03:49.440 boosting U.S. oil production, the White House is confirming.
00:03:53.500 Now, that might sound like some politics to you, right?
00:03:57.180 Like bureaucratic jargon.
00:03:58.700 But make no mistake, this is directly going to affect your life in a very big way.
00:04:06.600 Now, let's talk about what the Defense Production Act even is.
00:04:10.420 It's a powerful Cold War era law.
00:04:13.440 It was originally designed to ensure the United States could rapidly ramp up production of critical minerals during times of national emergency.
00:04:22.960 You think about World War II, you needed steel, you needed weapons, you need medical supplies.
00:04:29.660 Now we've seen it used in modern times during the crisis not too long ago, COVID.
00:04:35.740 And what was it used for? To accelerate the vaccine as well as PPE production.
00:04:42.100 But now the target is new and this time it's straight up energy.
00:04:47.980 Energy, by the way, is not just about filling your gas tank. 0.57
00:04:51.620 It's also about national security, one of the things the president's been talking a lot about lately, making sure that America isn't held hostage by Iran or any other country in the world.
00:05:02.560 It's also about economic stability and global leverage.
00:05:07.780 If you don't know what you're going to pay each month for energy costs and they skyrocket or double and triple in no time at all, well, that is instability, something the president also wants to make sure we get rid of.
00:05:21.620 Now, for years, the U.S. has been in a tug of war with foreign energy producers, countries
00:05:27.460 like Russia, for example, Iran, and then OPEC.
00:05:32.560 They can manipulate supply and drive up global prices basically whenever they want to.
00:05:39.240 Part of the reason why the president has made it clear in his first campaign in 2016 that
00:05:44.760 he was about drill, baby drill.
00:05:47.840 And that's exactly what the president's talking about this time.
00:05:51.620 Now, when supply is tight, the prices are spiking and you're witnessing it right now.
00:05:56.740 I went today to fill up my car that I bought not that long ago.
00:06:00.500 And originally when I filled it up, it was $37.
00:06:03.500 Today, I put $90 in my gas tank.
00:06:07.560 That is unsustainable for many Americans.
00:06:11.360 And that's why President Trump is doing this now.
00:06:13.900 Now, whether it's the price of the pump or the electric bill, the grocery store, it doesn't matter.
00:06:22.220 As the White House said, when transportation costs go up, it hurts American families.
00:06:27.840 It weakens our economy. And we're now, as the White House said, taking back control.
00:06:35.820 Now, let me explain how the Defense Production Act works now by invoking this act.
00:06:41.240 the federal government can number one prioritize contracts for domestic oil production number two
00:06:48.700 direct resources like steel labor and infrastructure towards energy development
00:06:54.680 three it now cuts through major regulatory delays and four it provides financial incentives
00:07:02.260 or even guarantees to producers to produce maximum capacity in other words it fast tracks production
00:07:11.140 which is exactly what America needs right now.
00:07:14.440 So instead of waiting years for permits or pipelines or refinery upgrades,
00:07:19.140 the government can accelerate the process dramatically.
00:07:22.940 It's essentially putting oil production on a wartime footing.
00:07:27.560 Let me say that again.
00:07:29.060 We're putting oil production in the U.S. on a wartime footing.
00:07:32.820 We're treating energy independence not just as an important issue,
00:07:36.900 but literally as a national emergency.
00:07:40.000 and a national security issue as well so what does that mean for u.s oil production
00:07:46.960 well the goal here is real simple we need to increase output quickly and at scale that can
00:07:55.660 mean reopening or expanding drilling operations boosting output from existing wells investing in
00:08:03.180 refining capacity so crude oil actually becomes usable fuel faster and here's the key the United
00:08:11.460 States already has massive reserves and the capability to lead globally the issue has never
00:08:17.740 been whether we can produce it's whether we will and this move clearly answers that question
00:08:23.940 so for a consumer is this good news well let's bring that home to you and your family if what
00:08:31.760 the president's trying to do is successful increasing supplies should number one lower
00:08:36.940 energy prices specifically gas prices it will stabilize the energy markets meaning you know
00:08:44.020 what to plan on spending each and every month reduce the volatility caused by foreign conflicts
00:08:50.340 or production cuts from OPEC or other nations giving them the upper hand well and taking it
00:08:57.880 right back which is what the president's trying to do when supply goes up prices tend to come down
00:09:04.660 or at least stop skyrocketing which is exactly why this matters for every american and maybe
00:09:10.920 most importantly it means less dependence on foreign oil something the president ran on in
00:09:17.980 2016 it reduces the risk of sudden shocks to the market when geopolitical tensions flare up in the
00:09:25.440 Middle East or Eastern Europe. And beyond gas prices, there's also a major ripple effect.
00:09:32.220 Cheaper fuel lowers shipping costs, and lowering shipping costs can ease inflation and what you
00:09:38.400 pay for basic goods and services. That affects everything from your groceries to online orders.
00:09:46.020 So this isn't just an energy policy decision coming from Donald Trump. It's an economic policy
00:09:53.100 and a national security policy as well and it goes back to what trump has been talking about
00:09:59.600 for quite some time there's a strategic layer here energy dominance gives the united states
00:10:06.960 leverage on the global stage it means we're not only less reliant on our adversaries but also
00:10:14.780 more ability to influence our allies it gives us a much stronger negotiating place at the table
00:10:21.700 and negotiating from a standpoint of power in international conflicts.
00:10:27.060 It's also really about controlling our own destiny
00:10:30.500 because the countries that control energy often control the conversation.
00:10:37.000 Now, not everyone agrees with this move.
00:10:39.660 The critics are already yelling on TV and from the rooftops.
00:10:44.140 They're saying this will have environmental consequences
00:10:47.400 because it's not done in a green way.
00:10:49.500 it may distort markets with government intervention they say which they don't want
00:10:54.860 but to be clear what this is really about is the president saying to the american people
00:11:00.080 i'm going to do everything i can to make sure that national security wise we're safe but also you
00:11:06.320 have more of your hard-earned dollars in your pocket and why are democrats fighting this right
00:11:12.640 now it's actually for just one really simple reason they want gas prices to stay high and
00:11:20.260 they want you to feel instability in your own life financially heading into the midterm elections
00:11:26.560 to be clear democrats have never had a problem with high gas prices they want to force you into
00:11:32.200 buying an electric car but this time it's for a different reason they want you to hurt and your
00:11:38.700 family to hurt so that maybe you'll vote for them come November. And that's part of the reason why
00:11:44.280 the president needs to act quickly and decisively, just like he did today. Next, story number two.
00:11:50.860 There's something incredibly ironic, and it just is laughable at this point, happening in Washington,
00:11:56.480 D.C. Dan Rather is now among 200 journalists. You know, those that say they're journalists,
00:12:02.640 right? Non-bias individuals. Those that say they don't put their own personal opinions into their 1.00
00:12:08.360 journalistic work their integrity we all know they're lying there's massive bias in the media
00:12:14.940 almost every quote journalist when they quit they become a radical lefty they start a podcast and
00:12:21.060 then they tell you what they really think which is what they've always thought all along they hate
00:12:24.800 conservatives they hate Donald Trump orange man's bad you go through the list it's pretty clear
00:12:29.300 Well, now these journalists of 200 plus have joined the longtime media figure, you know, the non-biased and rather.
00:12:40.580 And now they're demanding that the White House Correspondents Center call out Donald Trump to his face.
00:12:47.200 That's right. They're calling for President Trump to be publicly admonished at the White House Correspondents Dinner.
00:12:54.140 Now, just think about that for a second.
00:12:56.180 This is the one night that's supposed to celebrate journalism, its independence, its integrity, its commitment to holding power accountable no matter who's in office.
00:13:08.700 And yet what we're seeing is not independence, it's coordination, it's not objectivity, it's literally activism.
00:13:17.100 because when you have more than 200 journalists collectively demanding a political message be
00:13:24.500 delivered and at what's supposed to be a non-partisan event you're not acting like
00:13:32.180 referees anymore you're literally stepping into the field and being an activist now the issue
00:13:39.520 isn't whether you agree or disagree with donald trump the issue for me is this is journalism
00:13:46.040 still journalism or whether it's becoming a political movement with press credentials that's
00:13:52.640 what i believe it actually is and when reporters who claim they're non-biased start organizing
00:13:58.440 literally like activists signing letters pushing narratives demanding public denouncement of the
00:14:06.920 president united states of america to his face not only are they blurring the line that they're
00:14:12.260 supposed to protect but they're telling you exactly who they are they're not journalists at
00:14:17.040 all they're hardcore liberal activists and that is exactly why the public has lost their trust
00:14:24.840 in journalism now let's be honest this is not new this is just another blaring example of how
00:14:31.820 biased the media has become we've seen years of selective outrage where some politicians are
00:14:38.260 relentlessly targeted while others get a huge pass. If you don't believe me look at Eric Swallow's
00:14:43.800 entire career and the only reason why the media turned on him last week was because they were
00:14:48.160 afraid they were going to lose the governor's mansion in California. They protected him while
00:14:53.480 he was going after women but then when it was politically expedient to get rid of him the
00:14:59.260 journalists started acting like journalists and reporting the news. We've seen this over and over
00:15:05.940 again and yet what do we see from the press a clearly coordinated push to turn a dinner that's
00:15:13.620 supposed to be non-partisan into their political platform imagine for a moment if the roles were
00:15:19.840 reversed if 200 journalists demanded a public takedown of a democratic president at this event
00:15:26.280 would it be framed as speaking truth to power or would it be condemned as biased as inappropriate
00:15:32.620 as crossing the line we all know that answer so what this really means to me is this trust in the
00:15:40.680 media is already at historic lows and it's moves like this that don't rebuild the trust they
00:15:46.620 reinforce the skepticism based on facts americans are watching and they're asking a simple question
00:15:54.280 are journalists even reporting the story anymore or they actually just trying to manipulate and
00:15:59.880 shape a narrative every time they go on TV or write an article in the newspaper. They're not
00:16:05.660 informing the public anymore. They're literally influencing the outcome, and that includes our
00:16:11.460 elections. So if the correspondents decide to do this at the dinner, I hope Donald Trump smacks
00:16:18.100 them back hard, calls them out for their anarchy and for what they really are, activist political
00:16:25.440 hacks. Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you
00:16:32.120 hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. And for more in-depth news,
00:16:38.040 also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson podcast, and we will see you back here tomorrow.