Verdict with Ted Cruz - October 24, 2025


Dems Refuse to Pay Federal Workers, Antisemitism on the Right, Standing up to the Muslim Brotherhood & Defending Christians in China


Episode Stats


Length

38 minutes

Words per minute

158.34215

Word count

6,035

Sentence count

440

Harmful content

Misogyny

2

sentences flagged

Toxicity

15

sentences flagged

Hate speech

17

sentences flagged


Summary

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

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joins Sen. Ben Fetterman (D-GA) to discuss the continuing government shutdown, the need to fight anti-Semitism on the right, and China's persecution of Christians.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Misogyny classifications generated with MilaNLProc/bert-base-uncased-ear-misogyny .
Toxicity classifications generated with s-nlp/roberta_toxicity_classifier .
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
00:00:00.000 This is an iHeart Podcast.
00:00:02.700 Guaranteed human.
00:00:05.480 Welcome. It is Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you,
00:00:08.900 and many of you listening on the radio around the country.
00:00:10.980 It's so nice to have you with us.
00:00:12.500 Senator, we've got a lot to talk about, including we're still in a dead gum
00:00:16.100 government shutdown, and Democrats seem to be hell-bent on digging in,
00:00:19.520 hurting Americans.
00:00:20.960 Well, the Schumer shutdown continues.
00:00:23.920 As of Friday, it was day 24 of the Schumer shutdown.
00:00:27.860 The government remains shut down.
00:00:30.000 Federal employees are not getting paid.
00:00:33.020 We had a vote on the Senate floor on Thursday on Ron Johnson's legislation,
00:00:38.080 very simple legislation, to pay government workers who have to work
00:00:42.980 to have them actually pay their salaries.
00:00:45.120 In other words, essential workers, workers who are ordered to come into work,
00:00:48.980 should get their salaries. 0.71
00:00:50.220 It's a very simple, common-sense proposition.
00:00:53.380 The Democrats voted no.
00:00:54.780 The vote was 54 to 45.
00:00:57.620 So Warnock, Ossoff, and Fetterman were the three Democrats who voted to pay the federal
00:01:03.960 workers that are being forced to work and are not getting their paychecks.
00:01:07.000 And every other Democrat voted no.
00:01:09.800 No paycheck for you.
00:01:11.060 So we continue going through the weekend.
00:01:13.860 Next week, the Senate is going to take up a series of votes to try to reopen the government again.
00:01:22.060 We're going to break that down, what to expect in this next week and when and how this shutdown is going to end.
00:01:27.420 We're also going to talk to you about the need to fight anti-Semitism on the right.
00:01:31.640 Anti-Semitism is rising on the right, and we need to stand up and combat it.
00:01:35.740 We're going to break that down for you.
00:01:37.480 We're going to talk about an individual who's been nominated to be ambassador to Kuwait,
00:01:43.040 who unfortunately has an extreme record, a record of praising the Muslim Brotherhood,
00:01:49.860 of opposing President Trump's foreign policy objectives and principles,
00:01:55.380 and I called for his nomination to be rejected.
00:01:58.280 We're going to tell you all about that.
00:01:59.520 And finally, we're going to talk about the need to stand up against the persecution of Christians in China.
00:02:05.820 Communist China is imprisoning pastors and Christians.
00:02:09.240 I'm leading a bipartisan effort in the Senate to call out China to stop persecuting Christians.
00:02:14.420 All of that on today's pod.
00:02:17.060 Yeah, we've got a lot to cover.
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00:03:59.240 All right, Senator, so let's start with where we are in the shutdown.
00:04:02.620 It is amazing. I actually thought there could be some movement this week.
00:04:06.860 The radical left and the Democratic Party clearly is saying no to that.
00:04:09.900 But they want to hurt people right now.
00:04:12.480 It is hurting Americans, and they don't seem to care about that. 0.83
00:04:16.160 In fact, they seem to be proud of the fact that people are hurting.
00:04:19.200 Well, they are. You have Democrats going on TV bragging that the shutdown gives them leverage,
00:04:24.300 although it's not clear what they want leverage for,
00:04:26.540 other than their demand that illegal aliens get free taxpayer-funded health care, 0.87
00:04:31.380 and that demand is going nowhere and is wildly unpopular with the American people.
00:04:36.840 This shutdown is really just about politics, though.
00:04:39.720 It's about the fact that Chuck Schumer, in March, when the Democrats worked with Republicans to keep the government open,
00:04:45.640 his left-wing base got furious, and he almost lost his job.
00:04:48.920 They almost fired him. 0.98
00:04:49.740 And so this is his saying, screw you, to President Trump. 0.89
00:04:54.320 This is Chuck Schumer and the Democrats trying to prove to their radical base, 0.98
00:05:00.020 to everyone who was marching in those No Kings rallies, that they hate Donald Trump as much as the radicals do.
00:05:05.560 And sadly, that means the government stays shut.
00:05:09.200 And there are a lot of real consequences.
00:05:10.780 As I said, on Thursday, the Democrats, almost straight party line,
00:05:14.880 voted not to pay the federal workers who are forced to go in and work.
00:05:18.580 And by the way, the Association of Federal Workers, both active and retired, supported this provision.
00:05:25.220 Democrats are normally always, you know, always eager to be supporting federal workers.
00:05:30.500 Well, they just voted none of them get paid.
00:05:32.940 Next week, next week we're going to vote on legislation from Dan Sullivan,
00:05:38.580 that I'm a co-sponsor of, that we'll pay our troops, pay our soldiers and sailors and airmen and marines,
00:05:44.140 and pay our Coast Guardsmen.
00:05:46.460 And my suspicion is the Democrats are going to vote no,
00:05:49.160 that they don't want to pay our active-duty military.
00:05:51.860 Now, right now the military is being paid because President Trump has reallocated funds from another portion of the budget.
00:05:58.100 But this is going to be a straight-up vote.
00:06:00.060 Do you want to pay the military or not?
00:06:02.000 My suspicion is that the Democrat Party is radical enough.
00:06:05.760 They'll vote no.
00:06:06.560 So we're also going to vote next week on legislation I filed to pay those concerned with air travel.
00:06:14.320 So right now, Ben, there are roughly 50,000 TSA workers who are going into work and they're not getting paid.
00:06:22.260 They don't get a paycheck.
00:06:23.620 There are roughly 14,000 air traffic controllers who are going into work and they're not getting paid.
00:06:30.780 They don't get a paycheck.
00:06:31.660 Now, the result of that, we're seeing more and more flight delays.
00:06:35.200 We're seeing more and more cancellations.
00:06:37.540 Just a couple of days ago, Houston's Hobby Airport had a ground stop.
00:06:41.360 They had a ground stop.
00:06:42.400 Why?
00:06:42.740 Because of a shortage of air traffic controllers.
00:06:44.780 And this problem will only get worse.
00:06:47.000 I'll tell you, a senior Democrat aide told Politico that the shutdown will continue, quote,
00:06:53.380 until planes start falling from the sky.
00:06:57.040 Wow.
00:06:57.140 Now, that's not remotely funny.
00:06:59.080 It is reckless.
00:07:00.160 It is dangerous.
00:07:01.100 And it is imposing real costs on the American people.
00:07:05.160 And so next week...
00:07:06.100 By the way, is there any accountability for that individual so far that we know of?
00:07:09.760 It was an anonymous quote.
00:07:11.040 So I suspect we'll never know who said that.
00:07:14.040 But...
00:07:14.320 Amazing.
00:07:14.660 The bottom line is...
00:07:17.320 And by the way, if this shutdown continues through Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving is the busiest
00:07:22.160 travel time of the year.
00:07:24.100 And if the Democrats have been forcing air traffic controllers to work for a month with
00:07:28.920 no pay, you can predict real shortages and delays and cancellations that will impact
00:07:35.600 Americans across this country.
00:07:37.380 Now, I'll tell you something that'll make you mad, Ben.
00:07:39.540 You know who is being paid?
00:07:41.180 Who's that?
00:07:42.640 Democrat politicians.
00:07:44.160 Oh, yeah.
00:07:44.520 Because they didn't do what you did, by the way.
00:07:46.020 And other conservatives were like, don't pay me during the shutdown.
00:07:48.340 We don't need to get paid.
00:07:49.980 So under the Constitution, the 28th Amendment to the Constitution provides that members of
00:07:55.580 Congress cannot have their salary altered during their term in office.
00:07:59.320 And so that means constitutionally, even when the government shut down, members of Congress
00:08:03.740 keep their paychecks coming.
00:08:05.580 Now, as you just noted, you don't have to do that.
00:08:08.440 And when this shutdown started, I sent a letter to the Secretary of the Senate.
00:08:12.260 And I said, please hold my paycheck.
00:08:14.860 Do not pay me.
00:08:15.820 I do not want to accept a penny of salary unless and until the government opens up, unless and
00:08:21.720 until our soldiers and sailors and airmen and Marines are being paid, unless and until
00:08:25.840 our air traffic controllers are being paid, and all the federal workers, our border patrol
00:08:29.960 agents are being paid, our FBI agents are being paid.
00:08:33.840 Virtually every Democrat in the House and Senate has said, nope, keep my paycheck going.
00:08:38.040 I'm going to take away yours.
00:08:39.360 But but, you know, me, the Democrat politician, I need every penny of my salary.
00:08:44.400 Senator, let's talk about another big issue, and that is the rise of anti-Semitism.
00:08:48.640 But it's not just on the left.
00:08:51.480 We are witnessing it happen within the conservative movement as well.
00:08:55.280 And that is very concerning to me and you as well.
00:08:57.960 It is deeply concerning.
00:08:59.420 So last weekend, last Sunday night, I was the keynote speaker at Christians United for
00:09:04.860 Israel at their annual Night to Honor Israel.
00:09:08.340 And I was in San Antonio at Cornerstone Church with Pastor John Hagee.
00:09:12.520 And I talked about I talked about, number one, the grief and tragedy of October 7th.
00:09:18.380 Number two, the incredible military victory that Israel won and that President Trump won
00:09:22.600 against Iran.
00:09:24.920 But then I also talked about about the danger of rising anti-Semitism.
00:09:29.340 One of the points I made is that we support Israel because it is in America's national security
00:09:34.960 interest to do so.
00:09:36.060 Here, give a listen.
00:09:36.640 Here, the United States provides roughly $3 billion in military assistance to Israel.
00:09:42.700 The benefit we get from that, the Mossad, the intelligence resources.
00:09:47.400 You look at Iran where they knew where every anti-aircraft weapon was, every military leader,
00:09:52.420 every IRGC leader, that benefit.
00:09:55.300 If America tried to replicate that intelligence network, it would cost us tens of billions
00:10:02.200 of dollars.
00:10:03.020 And I will tell you, every lunatic terrorist in Hamas or Hezbollah or Iran that Israel took
00:10:11.160 out, made America safer, and the United States of America should say to that little nation, 0.96
00:10:16.740 thank you, thank you, thank you.
00:10:19.640 That's why, as a matter of public policy, we should support Israel.
00:10:40.920 Senator, you're absolutely right there.
00:10:42.420 It is a bargain for what we get in response to what Israel and their intelligence community 0.97
00:10:48.180 does for us to keep us safe and others around the world.
00:10:51.400 Well, when the terrorists chant, death to Israel and death to America, they mean it. 0.94
00:10:55.960 When the Ayatollah refers to Israel as the little Satan and America as the great Satan, 0.99
00:11:00.800 he means it.
00:11:01.540 And when Israel is taking out those terrorists, Israel is saving American lives.
00:11:06.380 But I also took the opportunity of this keynote speech to directly address a threat that I think
00:11:12.760 a danger that is deeply concerning, and that is the rise of anti-Semitism on the right.
00:11:18.420 Here, give a listen.
00:11:21.780 But there is a danger that is very real, and we've talked about anti-Semitism.
00:11:26.720 Listen, about a decade ago, anti-Semitism began rising on the left, and the Democratic Party did
00:11:33.700 nothing.
00:11:34.000 And in the decade that followed, it has consumed the Democrat Party.
00:11:39.320 I do not believe this is exaggeration to say there is a real and meaningful pro-Hamas contingent
00:11:46.480 of the Democrat Party in Washington.
00:11:48.780 And the remainder of the Democrats are terrified of the pro-Hamas contingent.
00:11:55.580 We know that.
00:11:57.460 But the danger that I want to highlight to you tonight is not anti-Semitism on the left.
00:12:01.660 It is anti-Semitism on the right.
00:12:04.460 And I'm here to tell you, in the last six months, I have seen anti-Semitism rising on
00:12:10.500 the right in a way I have never seen it in my entire life.
00:12:16.560 Listen, CUFI is extraordinary.
00:12:18.980 The work that CUFI does is desperately, desperately needed.
00:12:23.020 But I'm here to tell you, the church is asleep right now.
00:12:26.300 If I pick up my phone and send out a tweet, if I say good morning, within minutes I will
00:12:41.260 have hundreds of blatantly anti-Semitic responses.
00:12:47.720 When Prime Minister Netanyahu was here a few months ago, I sat down with him for a couple
00:12:51.960 of hours, I raised this issue with him, and his first reaction was, he said, well, that's
00:12:56.380 Qatar, that's Iran, they're paying for it, it's AstroTurf. 1.00
00:13:01.440 And I said, Mr. Prime Minister, yes, but no.
00:13:06.120 Yes, Qatar and Iran are clearly paying for it, and there are bots, and they are putting
00:13:10.500 real money behind it.
00:13:11.880 But I am telling you, this is real.
00:13:14.340 It is organic.
00:13:15.280 These are real human beings, and it is spreading.
00:13:19.460 In the last year, we had three prominent voices on the right, publicly muse, gosh, maybe Hitler
00:13:28.320 wasn't that bad a guy after all.
00:13:32.620 Yes, he was. 0.96
00:13:33.960 He was the embodiment of evil.
00:13:36.300 And I asked Prime Minister Netanyahu, I said, imagine how different American political history
00:13:50.280 would have been if Rush Limbaugh had been an anti-Semite instead of a Philo-Semite.
00:13:57.100 We would have a fundamentally different country if Rush Limbaugh had spent years spreading poison.
00:14:04.640 Listen, I want to tell, especially folks that are no longer teenagers or in your 20s, this
00:14:15.700 poison of anti-Semitism on the right, it is spreading with young people.
00:14:22.660 It is gaining traction.
00:14:25.840 Part of it is philosophical.
00:14:29.460 There is an isolationism, so they will argue, what business do we have supporting Israel?
00:14:35.760 Why should America support Israel? 0.99
00:14:37.840 It is their problem.
00:14:39.020 Let them deal with it.
00:14:42.060 And let me give you an answer as someone elected to represent 31 million Texans and fight every
00:14:47.640 day for your jobs, your freedom, and your safety and security.
00:14:51.940 The United States supports Israel not because we are helping out a down-on-his-luck neighbor.
00:15:00.380 We're not engaged in a charity act.
00:15:02.560 The United States supports Israel because it is unequivocally in the national security interest
00:15:07.680 of the United States to support Israel.
00:15:13.080 I couldn't agree with you more there, Senator, by the way.
00:15:15.680 And I think most people listening right now, it's true, you've got to remind younger people
00:15:20.680 why it is important to stand with Israel because of so much anti-Semitism we're witnessing
00:15:25.980 now, even on the right.
00:15:28.200 Well, and that's where it's spreading, and that's where it's dangerous.
00:15:31.500 And I don't want us to make the mistake that the left made a decade ago of sitting there
00:15:35.500 silently.
00:15:36.100 And I'll tell you, in particular, my call was to church leaders, wake up.
00:15:39.800 You know, you look at the polling, at the number of young Christians who are turning
00:15:43.740 away from Israel, and it is really sad that they're being misled, but they're being misled,
00:15:49.800 and there are very few pastors who are standing up and speaking the truth, teaching biblical
00:15:55.720 truth.
00:15:56.480 There are very few who are engaging and confronting these lies, and I think if we do nothing,
00:16:04.340 we'll wake up in a few years, and the Republican Party will be lost like the Democrat Party
00:16:09.240 is lost, that we'll have two anti-Israel parties, and I, for one, I don't intend to sit quietly
00:16:16.420 and let that happen.
00:16:17.460 We're going to speak the truth.
00:16:18.560 We're going to speak the truth on this podcast, and I'm going to speak the truth in every forum
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00:18:15.520 All right, Senator, I want to talk about something else that happened, and this is really important
00:18:20.600 on Capitol Hill this week.
00:18:22.580 It was the confirmation for the ambassador to Kuwait.
00:18:26.680 Needless to say, there were some fireworks involved in this ambassadorship conversation
00:18:32.780 and debate and confirmation hearing.
00:18:35.500 You were involved in that.
00:18:37.040 Break it down for us.
00:18:38.020 Well, sure.
00:18:39.600 The Trump administration has named, as the ambassador to Kuwait, an individual named Amir
00:18:45.400 Ghalib, who was the mayor of Hamtrak, Michigan.
00:18:49.600 Amir Ghalib is a Democrat, a Democrat mayor, and in 2024, he endorsed President Trump in the
00:18:57.740 election campaign, and then that resulted in his being nominated to be ambassador to Kuwait.
00:19:02.860 The problem, however, is that Mr. Ghalib's record is really extreme, and it is very far
00:19:10.340 out of touch with President Trump's record, with his positions, with his beliefs, and with the
00:19:15.740 positions of the United States.
00:19:17.080 And so we had a hearing this week in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee where I
00:19:20.940 questioned Mr. Ghalib on his record.
00:19:23.600 One of the things in his record, he's publicly praised the Muslim Brotherhood.
00:19:27.900 He said he finds the Muslim Brotherhood to be an inspiration. 0.99
00:19:31.160 Now, I believe the Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization.
00:19:34.440 I've filed legislation to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, and
00:19:39.180 I think the Trump administration is likely to do so.
00:19:41.600 And so Mr. Ghalib's record is squarely out of step with President Trump's views.
00:19:47.000 Here, give a listen to my questioning, Mr. Ghalib, on the Muslim Brotherhood.
00:19:50.740 In August of 2020, you posted that the Muslim Brotherhood was an inspiration.
00:19:57.300 Do you continue to believe the Muslim Brotherhood is an inspiration?
00:20:02.080 Thank you, Senator.
00:20:02.940 I think a lot of my posts were written in Arabic and mistranspillated.
00:20:07.700 I believe that, you know, there is, it's an ideology.
00:20:13.860 It's not just a group of people.
00:20:15.720 I disagree with a lot of things that they do.
00:20:17.960 Some of them are extremists.
00:20:19.100 Some of them are part of some governments in the Middle East.
00:20:21.620 So I trust our government to do the research and...
00:20:24.960 Okay, again, my question was simple and straightforward.
00:20:28.720 Do you continue to believe the Muslim Brotherhood is an inspiration?
00:20:31.920 No, I'm not part of it.
00:20:33.160 I don't believe in that.
00:20:34.220 But if anybody comes...
00:20:35.200 Okay, but you did post it in 2020.
00:20:36.680 Let me ask you, how would you be able to serve as an ambassador if President Trump designates
00:20:42.760 the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization?
00:20:44.820 I have legislation to do that.
00:20:46.800 I believe it is likely the Trump administration will designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist
00:20:51.600 organization.
00:20:52.480 Hamas is the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine.
00:20:56.800 I would trust the President, and if it's designated, I will be committed to implement President Trump's
00:21:04.240 policies.
00:21:05.840 I'm not, you know, I trust the President's policy, and if it's confirmed, I will be implementing
00:21:11.280 the policies of the administration.
00:21:12.840 I mean, I wouldn't go against the President and his policies.
00:21:16.040 Mr. Gurley, I will say, from your longstanding public positions, it appears you have a deep
00:21:24.020 felt and passionate view about the Middle East, but it is a view that is in direct conflict
00:21:29.620 with the policy positions of President Trump and this administration.
00:21:34.160 I mean, you listen to his background as you just described it.
00:21:37.680 How did this get to the point where we're actually having a confirmation hearing for him?
00:21:43.300 I don't know.
00:21:44.520 I think this was largely a political decision.
00:21:47.240 He was a Democrat mayor in Michigan who endorsed President Trump, and it's not unusual that
00:21:51.960 something like an ambassadorship rewards someone who did something politically beneficial and
00:21:57.480 helped President Trump win the state of Michigan.
00:22:00.640 But I don't know that the team did a particularly deep dive into his record.
00:22:05.640 As the mayor of Hamtrak, that city passed a resolution calling for BDS, calling to boycott,
00:22:16.160 divest, and sanction Israel. 0.84
00:22:17.540 It's the first city in America to pass a BDS resolution.
00:22:20.800 That is directly contrary to President Trump's policy.
00:22:23.320 It's directly contrary to U.S. foreign policy.
00:22:27.620 Not only that, but Mr. Ghalib described Saddam Hussein as a martyr.
00:22:38.980 And at the same time, he also liked a Facebook comment that said,
00:22:46.880 Now, that is obviously anti-Semitic, and he tried to run away from it.
00:22:57.100 But here, listen, I questioned him on this record and how out of step it is with President Trump.
00:23:01.820 Give a listen.
00:23:02.220 What I do not understand is how you could possibly serve as a United States ambassador for President Trump in the Middle East
00:23:14.400 when you have passionate views, including having been a vocal opponent of the Abraham Accords,
00:23:21.840 the singular and most consequential accomplishment President Trump has negotiated,
00:23:28.200 and your longstanding views are to publicly oppose the Abraham Accord.
00:23:32.940 Thank you, Senator.
00:23:33.660 Let me be clear.
00:23:34.420 I support the Abraham Accord, and I think there is a golden opportunity to get everybody involved in that.
00:23:39.900 And let me be clear.
00:23:40.880 In February of 2022, as the mayor, the first thing I did is to pass a resolution to condemn anti-Semitism.
00:23:48.860 It's documented.
00:23:49.700 That's what I perform in my official capacity.
00:23:52.380 The other things, people are making assumptions based, you know, trying to judge my intention.
00:23:56.620 I'm curious. 0.90
00:23:57.380 Would a statement like, all Jews are monkeys, would that qualify as anti-Semitism? 0.99
00:24:01.680 Well, that's, somebody wrote it who is mentally challenged. 0.98
00:24:06.000 Now, my question is, does the statement, all Jews are monkeys, does that qualify as anti-Semitism? 0.95
00:24:11.000 I don't agree with it, Senator. 0.74
00:24:12.840 You're not answering my question.
00:24:14.480 It's definitely anti-Semitism. 0.52
00:24:16.020 But clicking on it doesn't mean I endorse it.
00:24:18.400 It's just a acknowledging reading.
00:24:19.600 Well, actually, like means exactly that.
00:24:20.700 When you like something, it means you like something.
00:24:22.280 No, Senator, every post since 2010, every comment, because I used to have like 10, 20 comments, I used to acknowledge it, to read it.
00:24:30.740 But sometimes I would respond to oppose it.
00:24:33.680 And there was a response here that wasn't translated by the media that says you cannot say this in your country.
00:24:38.960 It wasn't translated. 0.98
00:24:39.880 But that's not disagreeing with the statement that all Jews are monkeys. 0.98
00:24:44.680 But let me be clear now. 0.97
00:24:45.780 I disagree with that.
00:24:47.280 But you didn't at the time.
00:24:49.740 You are making assumptions, sir.
00:24:51.280 No, I'm asking.
00:24:52.040 I'm not making assumptions.
00:24:53.260 That's the question.
00:24:53.880 No, I did disagree at the time.
00:24:54.960 And I still disagree.
00:24:55.820 Did you disagree publicly?
00:24:57.140 Did you say a word of disagreement, or was your only public statement a like, which is the universal method of saying you like something and agree with it?
00:25:05.620 Everybody who asked me, I told them it doesn't mean I endorse it.
00:25:08.860 It's just acknowledging reading it.
00:25:10.460 But I am opposing that, and I make it clear now.
00:25:13.420 I passed a resolution to condemn anti-Semitism in all forms or shape.
00:25:18.280 So, you mentioned earlier that the posts were in Arabic and they haven't been translated right.
00:25:24.260 I have in my hands right now one of those Arabic posts on August 13, 2020, and I have the English translation.
00:25:33.440 Among other things, you talk about individuals who died in Egyptian prisons, and you said, quote,
00:25:44.080 They die to be etched on the pages of history, stained in positions that inspire generations and make millions of Brotherhood fans exposed to a global demonic campaign and unprecedented demonic media infliction. 0.56
00:26:01.000 I have only seen such situations in the martyr Saddam Hussein and his companions. 0.85
00:26:07.120 May God have mercy on them.
00:26:09.000 Thank you, Senator, for that question.
00:26:10.560 I was talking about standing firm for the cause of a person.
00:26:14.840 It doesn't mean I agree with him.
00:26:16.060 I am a strong advocate of democracy in the Middle East.
00:26:19.120 Yes, I was against the military coup, and I believe in democracy.
00:26:23.420 That's the best value that we have, and we want everybody to enjoy that value in the Middle East.
00:26:30.000 So, I was advocating for democracy in the Middle East.
00:26:33.120 It doesn't mean that I support a certain group, but I support democracy.
00:26:37.880 Well, as I said, I think your longstanding views are directly contrary to the views and positions of President Trump and to the position of the United States.
00:26:47.980 I, for one, am not going to be able to support your confirmation.
00:26:50.600 And I want to enter into the record this post in both the Arabic and English translation.
00:26:59.920 I ask that it be entered into the record.
00:27:01.380 It'll be entered into the record without objection.
00:27:04.600 And, look, I think the facts here are quite clear, and your longstanding position is directly contrary to that of the president's.
00:27:14.400 So, where do we go from here?
00:27:16.820 I mean, this seems to be pretty damning.
00:27:18.800 Are any of your colleagues rallying behind this, and what was the reaction in the room and also afterwards?
00:27:25.700 So, I don't know what the result will be.
00:27:28.040 I think we'll see this nomination withdrawn.
00:27:30.680 I think the White House will make the decision to withdraw this nomination.
00:27:34.500 If they don't, I will vote no.
00:27:36.200 I'll vote no in committee, and I'll vote no on the floor.
00:27:38.120 And I don't think this individual will be confirmed.
00:27:41.060 Let's take one component, where this fellow refers to Saddam Hussein as a martyr.
00:27:51.800 Now, mind you, he's being nominated to be the ambassador to Kuwait.
00:27:57.840 Kuwait is the country that Saddam Hussein invaded that started the first Iraq war that George Herbert Walker Bush went in to liberate Kuwait.
00:28:06.780 So, the American ambassador to Kuwait is someone who describes Saddam Hussein, who was toppled by America, as a martyr.
00:28:16.000 That's not, it's not possible for him to do his job and faithfully represent President Trump.
00:28:22.960 And by the way, as I said, he vocally opposed the Abraham Accords.
00:28:26.980 President Trump negotiated the Abraham Accords, bringing Arabs and Israelis together.
00:28:32.040 And this individual, I think he believes every word he's saying.
00:28:36.520 He spent his entire life passionately advocating, praising the Muslim Brotherhood, praising Saddam Hussein. 0.72
00:28:44.380 Those are not the views or position of President Trump or the United States of America.
00:28:49.000 And that's why I believe that this individual is not going to be a U.S. ambassador to Kuwait.
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00:29:26.000 Senator, it's time for us to talk about China.
00:29:28.500 And a lot of people are talking about the economic issues with China, sanctions and tariffs.
00:29:33.900 The subject we're about to talk about is one I hope people share everywhere on social media.
00:29:38.780 This is why we do this show and it's so important.
00:29:41.280 And this is what's happening in China, cracking down on Christianity right now and is not being talked about enough.
00:29:48.440 Well, communist China has a terrible record when it comes to religious liberty and religious persecution.
00:29:55.700 And in particular, the persecution of Christians.
00:29:58.660 And China has for decades persecuted Christians in China.
00:30:03.660 But recently, they've been cracking down and it's been getting worse.
00:30:07.540 So here's how I put it to Fox News this week.
00:30:10.040 The Chinese Communist Party is conducting yet another sweeping crackdown on Christians.
00:30:16.480 And they're again targeting Pastor Jin and the Zion Church.
00:30:21.100 The CCP fears anything it cannot directly control.
00:30:25.720 Perhaps most of all, faith.
00:30:29.020 The United States has powerful tools to provide protection and relief to people facing persecution and violence.
00:30:36.060 And we should use those tools unless and until China releases the members of the Zion Church. 1.00
00:30:43.920 And what has happened is China arrested several Christian leaders, including the pastor of one of the country's biggest underground evangelical churches.
00:30:55.200 And that's Pastor Jin Mingri, whose children are U.S. citizens.
00:31:00.280 Grace Jin, who is Mingri's daughter, was very kind, but went out of her way to thank me for fighting to release her father from prison.
00:31:12.920 And here's what Grace Jin said.
00:31:14.580 She said, quote,
00:31:15.240 And Senator, this is, I think, the part that's so frustrating for me and so many listening is this has been happening for so long.
00:31:40.500 And because so many countries do business with China, they have deliberately looked the other way because they're basically saying, hey, we'd rather just get along and do trade and get cheap Chinese goods and actually hold them account for what they're doing to Christians. 0.63
00:31:55.520 Well, that's happening far too often.
00:31:57.480 And we've discussed before in this podcast the persecution, the mass murder of Christians in Nigeria, Nigeria, the most Christians are murdered for their faith of any country on Earth.
00:32:07.200 And I've been leading the effort to hold Nigeria to account. 0.98
00:32:10.740 Well, in China, likewise, for my entire time in the Senate, I've been vocal speaking out for Christians being persecuted in China.
00:32:17.760 And this crackdown, actually, next week, President Trump is going to Asia and is going to meet with President Xi of China.
00:32:26.720 And so just this past week, I introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning China's persecution of Christians in particular and Pastor Jin.
00:32:38.740 And I was joined by Chris Coons.
00:32:41.560 Chris is a Democrat.
00:32:43.160 And Chris is someone who cares deeply about religious liberty.
00:32:47.520 And so we joined together with a bipartisan resolution calling on China to release Pastor Jin, to stop targeting the Zion Church, to release the pastors and the Christians who've been imprisoned, and to cease engaging in persecution of religious liberty writ broadly and of Christians in particular.
00:33:08.240 It really is one of those that is frustrating.
00:33:12.020 And now this comes back to the issue of leverage.
00:33:14.140 Is this going to be enough leverage to possibly see a change here?
00:33:18.800 Because one thing that we've learned is China only responds when their pocketbook gets hurt.
00:33:23.600 And if they don't think we have the political will to stand up for Christians, then they're going to continue to persecute them no matter what.
00:33:30.520 That's just their M.O.
00:33:33.480 They are, but they respond to pressure.
00:33:35.820 They respond to pressure in two forms.
00:33:38.400 Number one, to being publicly called out, to having light shine on their oppression.
00:33:43.060 And number two, they respond to economic leverage.
00:33:45.020 And President Trump is very effective at employing economic leverage.
00:33:48.280 I think we should do both.
00:33:50.060 Our bipartisan resolution is aimed at, quote, expressing condemnation of the Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Christians and reaffirming the United States' global commitment to promote religious freedom and tolerance.
00:34:04.560 And it also includes a demand that the Chinese Communist Party respect the human right to freedom of religion and end all forms of violence and discrimination against religious minorities.
00:34:17.140 And the resolution notes, the CCP's actions mark the largest coordinated nationwide crackdown against a Christian urban house church in more than 40 years.
00:34:31.660 It also notes that the U.S.
00:34:33.940 It also notes that the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom designated China as a country of, quote, particular concern for religious freedom every single year since 1998.
00:34:44.720 And Pastor Jin of the Zion Church was detained by Chinese authorities.
00:34:52.020 And indeed, that came as nearly 30 Zion Church pastors and workers were likewise detained or went missing across Beijing, Sanjing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Beihai, Jingxing, and Huangdo.
00:35:08.740 And I apologize for my Chinese pronunciation.
00:35:12.480 We'll forgive you.
00:35:13.720 But here's what Grace Jin said about this, and she's Pastor Jin's daughter.
00:35:22.480 One after another, they were also taken, detained, like they were saying that they were people outside the doors, then one at a time, they were taken into custody.
00:35:32.960 This is wrong, and President Trump has an opportunity when he is with President Xi to call on President Xi to release these pastors, release Pastor Jin, release the Christians who are being persecuted, and stop persecuting people of faith.
00:35:51.820 And I think the United States has a responsibility to be a voice for religious liberty across the country to defend Christians when they're persecuted, to defend Jews when they're persecuted, to defend people of faith all across the world.
00:36:06.320 You know, you know, you look at radical Islamic terrorists, many of them target and persecute other Muslims who are not violent.
00:36:13.660 And I think religious persecution is wrong regardless of who the victims are, and we should be a voice for religious liberty.
00:36:23.520 Now, that doesn't mean that America should go and invade China to try to break the pastor out of jail, but there are lots of tools that the president can use, including the bully pulpit of the presidency, including shining a light,
00:36:37.680 and including also economic leverage, to try to stop this persecution, and I very much hope President Trump will do so in the coming week.
00:36:49.580 Yeah, you and I both hope that. Final question on this.
00:36:53.580 As you watch President Trump put pressure, not just on China, but other countries, it does seem to be that his foreign policy now is,
00:37:01.140 if there is a wrong that needs to be discussed, it's going to be on the table front and center.
00:37:05.640 That is pretty different from what we've seen in past administrations where they're like,
00:37:09.720 well, maybe it's not the time to bring that up right now. He seems to be willing to bring it all up.
00:37:14.320 You're absolutely right, and strong American leadership can stand up to tyrannies.
00:37:20.160 The Soviet Union was terrified of Ronald Reagan. That's how we won the Cold War without firing a shot.
00:37:25.500 And communist China and our enemies across the globe are terrified of Donald Trump,
00:37:29.520 and that's why we're seeing such major national security improvements right now.
00:37:33.340 It's incredible. Don't forget, we do this show three days a week as a podcast.
00:37:37.880 So download Verdict with Ted Cruz wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss an episode.
00:37:42.520 Please share the show with your family and friends so that these important stories that we're talking about here,
00:37:46.980 this is a great example of China, are heard by the masses.
00:37:50.880 And the Senate and I will see you back here on this radio station next weekend,
00:37:54.200 and all week long on our podcast as well.
00:37:57.700 This is an iHeart Podcast.
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