Verdict with Ted Cruz - The Human Trafficking Maryland Man, 'Don’t Believe Your Lying Eyes' watching Cars Burn & Behind the Israel Strike on Iran Week In Review

00:00:00.000 This is an iHeart Podcast.

00:00:02.660 Guaranteed human.

00:00:04.340 Welcome.

00:00:05.000 It is Verdict with Ted Cruz.

00:00:06.640 Week in Review.

00:00:07.640 Ben Ferguson with you.

00:00:08.560 And we had some major stories that you may have missed that we talked about this week.

00:00:11.940 First up, remember the famous Maryland man, the Maryland father that the Dems demanded

00:00:17.660 be brought back to America?

00:00:19.560 Well, he's coming back to America to face human trafficking charges.

00:00:23.300 We'll have those details on that in just a moment.

00:00:25.260 Also, the media is trying to convince you that what you're watching on TV is not rioting.

00:00:31.100 No, it's just peaceful. 0.93

00:00:32.740 Don't believe your lying eyes.

00:00:34.420 We call them out and we've got the proof of exactly what they're saying and how it's wrong.

00:00:39.360 And finally, Senator Cruz talked to the ambassador from Israel moments after the attack on Iran.

00:00:45.980 What did he have to say?

00:00:47.060 We'll break all that down for you.

00:00:49.140 It's the Week in Review and it starts right now.

00:00:51.700 Democrats have been obsessed with the Maryland father, the Maryland man, who just happened

00:00:57.480 to get deported, who was an illegal immigrant, who was caught human smuggling through my home

00:01:02.260 state of Tennessee, and they act like it never happened.

00:01:05.960 And now all of a sudden, we're like, they were demanding you bring him home, bring him

00:01:09.660 back to America. 0.89

00:01:10.340 Well, guess what?

00:01:11.280 The dude's coming home.

00:01:12.740 He is indeed.

00:01:14.320 And he has been brought to be prosecuted.

00:01:19.600 He has been indicted.

00:01:20.900 He has been indicted for human trafficking.

00:01:24.200 Wait, I thought he was just a Maryland dad, not a human trafficker.

00:01:26.900 Well, I will tell you, I'm holding the indictment in my hand and it is stunning.

00:01:31.820 So how long was he a human trafficker?

00:01:34.180 Well, according to the indictment, from in or around 2016 through in or around 2025.

00:01:43.200 So for nine years.

00:01:44.220 That's a pretty good career.

00:01:45.200 Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia and others known and unknown to the grand jury conspired to bring

00:01:53.720 undocumented aliens to the United States from countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador,

00:01:59.000 Honduras, Ecuador, and elsewhere, ultimately passing through Mexico before crossing into

00:02:03.940 Texas.

00:02:04.320 Very nice.

00:02:04.860 Very nice.

00:02:04.960 They came into Texas.

00:02:06.260 The co-conspirators knew the undocumented aliens did not possess authorization to enter the United

00:02:12.340 States.

00:02:13.300 They used cell phones.

00:02:15.040 They used social media applications.

00:02:16.760 The indictment also alleges Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia was a citizen of El Salvador, was not a United

00:02:26.060 States citizen, was living in the United States, and was also a member and associate of the

00:02:34.600 transnational criminal organization MS-13.

00:02:39.640 No, he's a dad.

00:02:40.960 Hold on a second.

00:02:41.880 You can't say that.

00:02:42.880 This is just a Maryland dude.

00:02:44.460 Maryland dad.

00:02:45.200 Maryland man.

00:02:45.840 And by the way, they accurately describe MS-13.

00:02:49.860 MS-13 was a criminal enterprise engaged in, among other activities, acts and threats involving

00:02:55.640 murder, extortion, narcotics trafficking, firearms trafficking, alien smuggling, and money laundering.

00:03:03.000 MS-13 operated throughout North and Central America, including in El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico,

00:03:08.240 the United States, including in Texas, Maryland, New York, Tennessee, and elsewhere.

00:03:11.780 Now, how many illegal aliens do you think he's charged with smuggling?

00:03:19.040 I'm assuming zero because he's just a Maryland man.

00:03:21.260 He's just a Maryland dad.

00:03:22.840 He's a Maryland dad.

00:03:24.160 I want to read this paragraph.

00:03:27.600 Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, as detailed further below, used his status in MS-13 to further his

00:03:36.520 criminal activity.

00:03:37.460 Right.

00:03:37.640 Not his status as a father or dad, as a MS-13 gang member.

00:03:42.100 Over the course of the conspiracy, the co-conspirators knowingly and unlawfully transported, wait for

00:03:50.980 it, thousands of undocumented aliens, many of whom were MS-13 members and associates.

00:04:01.680 So you're bringing in people that are now a member of a terrorist organization into the

00:04:07.060 country.

00:04:07.700 So not just random people paying.

00:04:10.100 He was smuggling in members of the terrorist organization in the United States of America

00:04:13.680 for not one year, not two, not three, not four, not five years, but nine years.

00:04:18.420 Yes.

00:04:19.060 And look, the fact that DOJ brought this indictment means presumably they have the evidence

00:04:24.920 to prove this indictment.

00:04:26.040 They're going to put on that evidence.

00:04:27.240 They're going to put on that evidence that this guy was a gang member for nine years,

00:04:33.780 that he was part of a conspiracy that smuggled thousands of people illegally, including other

00:04:38.960 gang members.

00:04:41.340 You think the media is going to apologize for any of their stories when they're attacking

00:04:44.600 Trump and saying that he just sent a Maryland dad, a Maryland man?

00:04:47.840 And understand, this is the same illegal immigrant that my colleague Chris Van Hollen, Democrat from

00:04:54.800 Maryland, flew down and had really what was a very sweet margarita with.

00:05:01.000 I mean, it was a bro man holding.

00:05:02.900 It was a moment.

00:05:03.560 It was a bro moment.

00:05:04.580 It, you know, as I tweeted out at the time, you know, find somebody who looks at you the

00:05:10.900 way Democrats look at illegal alien MS-13 gang members.

00:05:14.320 Like, the sweet nothings in his eyes as he looked on.

00:05:21.300 And by the way, you saw Democrat House members, you know, all on a parade to go down there.

00:05:26.300 They wanted to use your tax dollars to go see the Maryland man.

00:05:29.040 This is the face of the Democrat Party.

00:05:31.500 This is who they stand for.

00:05:32.960 So look, you ought to ask yourself at home.

00:05:34.600 Am I an MS-13 gang member who's a human trafficker who smuggles in thousands of illegal aliens

00:05:42.120 who smuggles in gang members?

00:05:43.980 If so, the Democrats are the party for me.

00:05:46.940 If you're not, if you kind of think we don't want human traffickers and gang members in America,

00:05:52.660 well, then I don't know what the Democrats have to say.

00:05:54.280 Is this like the ultimate FAFO, like, moment?

00:05:56.880 Because for Democrats, and I want people to understand the funniest part of the story.

00:06:01.960 Democrats demanded we bring him back.

00:06:04.760 He's coming back, going to go to jail for a long time.

00:06:07.960 And then after he serves his time, apparently, we're going to send him right back to the country

00:06:12.060 where he just came from.

00:06:13.180 Like, it didn't just go from bad to worse.

00:06:15.280 Like, he would have been better off just staying where he was.

00:06:17.980 Democrats actually are putting this man in jail.

00:06:20.060 And these facts, the facts that prove he was a human trafficker,

00:06:24.880 the facts and evidence that DOJ is going to put on,

00:06:28.040 I hope and believe the American people need to know those facts.

00:06:30.820 Because they need to know, look, we've already in this podcast cover

00:06:34.140 how the guy is allegedly a wife beater, that he has a long history of criminality.

00:06:39.920 We played the audio of him being caught human trafficking.

00:06:44.420 But at the time, we didn't know that there was a decade worth of thousands of people

00:06:49.960 being trafficked, including other gang members.

00:06:53.800 Count for what you wish for, right?

00:06:55.120 And by the way, to understand, look, I don't know specifically what this gang member did, 0.96

00:07:01.780 but I'll tell you, MS-13, when they are human trafficking, they are raping women, 0.99

00:07:06.740 they are raping children, they are abusing women and children, 1.00

00:07:11.220 they are abusing little boys, little girls. 1.00

00:07:15.400 They're soulless. 0.98

00:07:16.420 They do not care about human life or using human life. 0.85

00:07:19.340 It is, MS-13 is evil.

00:07:23.300 And in Texas, we see the atrocities they carry out.

00:07:27.420 I fully expect the evidence that comes out in this trial to be nothing short of horrifying.

00:07:32.640 And I got to say, if you're a Democrat,

00:07:36.140 and you've decided the entire future of your party is defending this guy,

00:07:40.780 you know what's weird, Ben?

00:07:43.140 I'm not sure the Democrats are worried right now.

00:07:45.160 I don't think they are.

00:07:46.020 I mean, that's the strangest thing, is in the face of this.

00:07:51.320 There used to be in politics moments where you knew you screwed up,

00:07:53.980 where even your party, they're all in on California and still on defending this guy.

00:07:58.340 Their position is, is that one Democrat congresswoman said,

00:08:02.380 law enforcement, get the F out. 0.98

00:08:04.400 That's their message.

00:08:05.780 No cops, no ICE, no border patrol.

00:08:08.180 We don't defend.

00:08:09.180 We don't defend California.

00:08:10.380 We don't arrest bad guys. 0.82

00:08:12.080 But gang members and murderers, you're a peeps.

00:08:15.100 Amazing. 0.94

00:08:15.500 Now, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation,

00:08:18.540 you can go back and listen to the full podcast from earlier this week.

00:08:22.100 Canadian women are looking for more. 1.00

00:08:24.700 More out of themselves, their businesses, their elected leaders, and the world around them.

00:08:29.140 And that's why we're thrilled to introduce the Honest Talk podcast.

00:08:32.780 I'm Jennifer Stewart.

00:08:34.040 And I'm Catherine Clark.

00:08:35.280 And in this podcast, we interview Canada's most inspiring women.

00:08:38.960 Entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, politicians, and newsmakers,

00:08:42.580 all at different stages of their journey.

00:08:44.760 So if you're looking to connect, then we hope you'll join us.

00:08:47.760 Listen to the Honest Talk podcast on iHeartRadio or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

00:08:53.800 Now on to story number two.

00:08:56.040 None of what you said can be true because I have a montage of the media saying that what

00:09:02.100 you just described is a lie.

00:09:04.680 It's not rioting.

00:09:06.100 It's not looting.

00:09:07.660 It's not burning of police cars.

00:09:10.100 Here's the media saying you're just wrong.

00:09:12.380 The L.A. County police say that they have it under control.

00:09:17.560 Carrying a flag is not illegal, as you know.

00:09:21.360 What did happen in 1992 was so different from what we're seeing now.

00:09:25.520 I mean, that was a real riot.

00:09:29.500 Video after video has shown that these agents are the ones provoking protesters

00:09:35.200 and also making up, you know, aggression by these protesters that later video shows

00:09:42.500 people were not aggressive.

00:09:44.360 We are having an administration that's targeting peaceful protests,

00:09:48.220 people that are there to protest.

00:09:49.940 The president is sending the National Guard because he doesn't like the scenes.

00:09:53.400 He doesn't like the scenes of people peacefully protesting.

00:09:56.600 Unrest is isolated.

00:09:57.880 L.A. is home to millions of people, most of whom are having a normal day here on Sunday.

00:10:02.840 You know, you've heard reports that there are riots on the streets of Los Angeles.

00:10:05.940 That is not what's happening across the city of Los Angeles.

00:10:08.660 Governor Newsom's right.

00:10:09.720 There wasn't anything like a riot happening on Friday, Saturday.

00:10:12.300 We just witnessed a protester thanking a National Guardsman for his service here in California.

00:10:19.240 LAPD, by most estimates, had this under control last night.

00:10:23.840 No, I don't think the National Guard is needed now.

00:10:26.740 Things in L.A. are calm.

00:10:28.580 There was a protest that got a little unruly late at night.

00:10:32.440 There had been no violence where anybody that was protesting hit anybody,

00:10:38.100 shot anybody, threatened anybody.

00:10:40.800 Nothing had happened.

00:10:42.360 What is just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn?

00:10:46.120 Most of those demonstrations were very peaceful.

00:10:48.980 They were chanting, they were shouting, people were driving by, honking their horns.

00:10:53.140 I mean, that's just normal life out there.

00:10:55.500 You know, they were just having fun watching cars burn.

00:10:57.980 You know, that's just good old-fashioned entertainment.

00:11:01.340 Like, get out your popcorn, you know, light some police cars on fire, you know.

00:11:05.900 You see, next time you and I are just hanging out, you know, we should just maybe just, I don't know,

00:11:12.000 find a car and just sit on fire and watch it burn.

00:11:14.260 We're not doing anything illegal.

00:11:15.620 Everything's fine.

00:11:16.400 So, to give you a sense of just how much propaganda the media is desperately trying to spin,

00:11:25.040 I'm going to read you four headlines.

00:11:27.140 All right, so this is a headline from the New York Times.

00:11:29.260 Quote,

00:11:30.280 The Mexican flag becomes a potent L.A. protest symbol.

00:11:34.700 Trump officials have cast demonstrators waving the Mexican flag as insurrectionists.

00:11:39.740 But for many protesters who are Mexican-American, the flag represents pride in their heritage.

00:11:45.420 Now, mind you, they're waving the flag saying,

00:11:48.160 Dear God, whatever you do, do not send me back to Mexico.

00:11:50.900 That is their message.

00:11:52.360 But apparently it's pride in their heritage simultaneously.

00:11:55.260 Here's CNN.

00:11:56.060 Quote,

00:11:57.220 Trump is acting like an authoritarian.

00:12:01.140 California's crisis now rests on what he does next.

00:12:04.860 That's CNN.

00:12:05.680 Nice and objective.

00:12:07.260 All right, how about the Washington Post?

00:12:09.740 Quote,

00:12:10.540 He's waging a war on us.

00:12:13.000 As Trump escalates,

00:12:15.560 Angelenos defend their city.

00:12:18.560 Across this vast metropolis,

00:12:20.440 residents denounce what they consider an attack on the very fabric of their city,

00:12:25.520 on their neighbors, coworkers, family members.

00:12:28.140 That's the Washington Post.

00:12:29.840 And finally, NPR.

00:12:31.360 NPR, which, by the way, you and I are paying for,

00:12:33.680 every one of us who listens is paying for it through our tax dollars.

00:12:36.540 Here's what NPR says.

00:12:37.620 Quote,

00:12:38.780 Trump using National Guard in L.A.

00:12:41.360 is an abuse of power,

00:12:43.400 says national security expert.

00:12:45.900 That's the media.

00:12:47.260 Well, and with the media doing everything they can to deny the truth,

00:12:52.280 to lie, to obfuscate,

00:12:53.860 to pretend that this is all peaceful,

00:12:56.080 that there's no violence,

00:12:57.500 never mind the violence that is unfolding in front of our eyes.

00:13:00.780 You know, Maxine Waters said, 0.52

00:13:01.920 don't believe your lying eyes.

00:13:03.140 I'm telling you, there's no violence. 0.86

00:13:05.060 What is Gavin Newsom doing?

00:13:06.240 Is he protecting the people of California?

00:13:08.220 No.

00:13:09.380 Instead, he's suing President Trump

00:13:11.400 to stop the president

00:13:13.720 from protecting the people of California.

00:13:16.720 Gavin Newsom tweeted out,

00:13:18.140 quote,

00:13:18.620 I have formally requested the Trump administration

00:13:21.180 rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles County

00:13:24.620 and return them to my command.

00:13:27.540 We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved.

00:13:30.540 This is a serious breach of state sovereignty

00:13:32.840 and flaming tensions

00:13:34.000 while pulling resources from where they're actually needed.

00:13:37.740 Rescind the order.

00:13:39.200 Return control to California.

00:13:41.980 So, Gavin Newsom is not upset

00:13:44.040 that illegal immigrants 1.00

00:13:48.140 have flooded into this country

00:13:50.000 for the last four years across open borders.

00:13:52.280 He's not upset

00:13:53.080 that murderers and rapists 0.97

00:13:55.460 and child molesters and gangbangers 0.72

00:13:57.100 have been released.

00:13:57.880 He's not upset that Californians are being murdered, 0.55

00:14:01.520 are being violently assaulted by illegal immigrants. 0.80

00:14:04.020 None of that dismays him.

00:14:05.420 He's not upset at the looting.

00:14:06.680 He's not standing with the poor small business owners

00:14:09.440 and shop owners

00:14:10.160 whose stores were destroyed by the violent crime.

00:14:12.340 None of that upsets him.

00:14:13.920 Instead,

00:14:15.120 Gavin Newsom's problem is, 0.99

00:14:16.580 damn it, number one, 0.99

00:14:18.240 Trump is arresting illegals 1.00

00:14:19.840 and we're the Democrats,

00:14:20.980 we're the party of illegals.

00:14:22.680 And number two, 0.60

00:14:23.540 even worse,

00:14:25.320 Trump is sending in federal officers,

00:14:28.120 sending in the National Guard

00:14:29.340 to keep communities safe,

00:14:31.920 to protect families,

00:14:33.060 to protect homes.

00:14:34.400 That is unacceptable

00:14:35.900 because if there's one thing

00:14:37.080 the Democrats stand for

00:14:38.160 beyond illegal immigrations and crime,

00:14:41.440 it is preventing the police

00:14:43.060 from doing their job,

00:14:44.340 preventing them from keeping you safe.

00:14:46.140 I think that really sums up

00:14:48.380 the lunacy of where the left is today.

00:14:52.780 Final question on this one.

00:14:54.280 I don't think there's any near end in sight.

00:14:58.100 I think this is going to continue to grow.

00:15:00.140 Do you agree?

00:15:01.080 I do.

00:15:01.900 And let me say,

00:15:03.400 we started by saying

00:15:04.640 this went where we predicted,

00:15:05.880 that this spreads nationally,

00:15:07.780 that we see these protests

00:15:09.420 and these riots

00:15:10.160 in cities across the country.

00:15:11.780 And I think we need to follow the money.

00:15:14.120 And that's certainly

00:15:14.820 what I am urging the president,

00:15:16.140 urging the Department of Justice to do

00:15:17.640 is follow the money.

00:15:19.040 And anyone who is funding this,

00:15:20.660 this is just like

00:15:21.340 the anti-Semitic protests

00:15:22.420 on college campuses.

00:15:23.480 By the way,

00:15:24.200 I suspect it's the same people

00:15:25.960 who funded the anti-Semitic protests,

00:15:28.880 who funded the Antifa

00:15:30.040 and Black Lives Matter riots.

00:15:32.640 It is the same radicals 0.96

00:15:35.160 who hate America.

00:15:37.880 Many of them are openly Marxist.

00:15:39.860 Black Lives Matter is openly Marxist.

00:15:42.520 They're rabidly anti-Israel.

00:15:44.400 They're rabidly anti-capitalism.

00:15:46.140 They're rabidly anti-police.

00:15:47.640 They're rabidly anti-law and order.

00:15:49.560 They're rabidly pro-criminal.

00:15:51.020 They're rabidly pro-violence.

00:15:52.860 But we need to follow the money

00:15:54.780 and prosecute anyone

00:15:56.960 who is funding riots

00:15:58.300 across this country.

00:15:59.280 And I hope that's exactly

00:16:01.000 what the Trump administration does.

00:16:02.500 Yeah, no doubt about it.

00:16:03.720 Before we wrap,

00:16:04.700 I got to just hit pause.

00:16:06.520 And you got a really cool letter

00:16:08.720 from a kid.

00:16:11.200 This inspires me.

00:16:12.820 It makes me happy.

00:16:13.540 It reminds me when I got into radio

00:16:14.980 when I was 12 years old.

00:16:16.720 And I want you to just tell us

00:16:18.340 about this letter.

00:16:19.220 And I want to read it

00:16:20.100 for everybody that listens to Verdict.

00:16:21.300 It's awesome.

00:16:22.460 Well, listen,

00:16:22.960 I had a member of my staff

00:16:24.540 who was down in Texas

00:16:25.820 this past week

00:16:27.120 and was at Fort Cavazos,

00:16:29.680 which actually just got renamed

00:16:31.220 back to Fort Hood.

00:16:32.220 and he was there at Fort Cavazos

00:16:36.800 and there was a major

00:16:37.640 who stationed there

00:16:39.100 who gave him a letter

00:16:40.680 and gave him a letter.

00:16:42.280 It was a letter

00:16:42.860 from his 10-year-old son.

00:16:45.740 And I'm going to read it.

00:16:46.820 I'm not going to give you

00:16:47.540 his last name,

00:16:48.880 but I'm going to read the letter

00:16:50.500 that I was handed today.

00:16:52.660 Dear Senator Cruz,

00:16:54.760 my name is Justin

00:16:56.340 and I am a student

00:16:57.760 at Hill Country Christian School

00:16:59.140 of Austin

00:16:59.660 and I am pro-God,

00:17:01.840 pro-life,

00:17:02.940 and pro-gun Republican

00:17:04.220 who loves America,

00:17:05.940 Jesus,

00:17:06.660 and politics.

00:17:08.100 I want to write to you

00:17:09.180 to say thank you

00:17:09.920 for everything you have done

00:17:10.880 for Texas and America.

00:17:13.040 There's a paragraph

00:17:15.040 that's really nice

00:17:16.000 and praising me,

00:17:17.340 which I'm going to skip

00:17:18.040 because that seems

00:17:18.920 a little self-centered

00:17:20.860 to read a paragraph praising me,

00:17:22.520 but here's the paragraph

00:17:23.360 I wanted every verdict listener

00:17:25.080 to hear.

00:17:26.700 I listen to your podcast,

00:17:29.440 Verdict,

00:17:30.720 every week.

00:17:32.740 I have learned so much

00:17:34.680 from you

00:17:35.180 about how government works

00:17:36.400 and all the things

00:17:37.520 you are doing

00:17:38.120 to stop the radical left agenda

00:17:40.200 and help President Trump

00:17:41.560 pass the America First agenda.

00:17:44.340 You have helped me

00:17:45.300 to want to be a politician

00:17:46.660 when I'm older.

00:17:48.200 Thank you for everything you do.

00:17:49.820 Sincerely, Justin.

00:17:51.240 H10.

00:17:52.060 As before,

00:17:53.000 if you want to hear

00:17:53.680 the rest of this conversation

00:17:54.920 on this topic,

00:17:56.180 you can go back

00:17:56.900 and download the podcast

00:17:58.220 from earlier this week

00:17:59.080 to hear the entire thing.

00:18:01.180 Canadian women

00:18:01.920 are looking for more.

00:18:03.320 More out of themselves,

00:18:04.320 their businesses,

00:18:05.260 their elected leaders,

00:18:06.220 and the world around them.

00:18:07.420 And that's why

00:18:07.880 we're thrilled

00:18:08.400 to introduce

00:18:09.040 the Honest Talk podcast.

00:18:11.160 I'm Jennifer Stewart.

00:18:12.340 And I'm Catherine Clark.

00:18:13.580 And in this podcast,

00:18:14.700 we interview

00:18:15.180 Canada's most inspiring women.

00:18:17.280 Entrepreneurs,

00:18:18.020 artists,

00:18:18.680 athletes,

00:18:19.300 politicians,

00:18:19.720 and newsmakers

00:18:20.640 all at different stages

00:18:21.920 of their journey.

00:18:23.080 So if you're looking

00:18:24.080 to connect,

00:18:24.880 then we hope you'll join us.

00:18:26.300 Listen to the Honest Talk podcast

00:18:27.680 on iHeartRadio

00:18:28.680 or wherever you listen

00:18:29.640 to your podcasts.

00:18:30.360 I want to get back

00:18:33.280 to the big story

00:18:34.460 number three of the week

00:18:35.400 you may have missed.

00:18:36.600 One of the things

00:18:37.300 I love about doing this show,

00:18:38.500 Senator,

00:18:38.800 is moments after

00:18:40.440 this attack took place,

00:18:42.760 Israel on Iran,

00:18:44.460 you were actually

00:18:45.320 on the phone

00:18:45.740 with the ambassador

00:18:46.540 from Israel.

00:18:47.820 What did he tell you

00:18:49.140 about this attack?

00:18:50.220 How long had they

00:18:51.060 been planning this?

00:18:52.320 What was the final decision

00:18:53.700 that made this happen

00:18:54.800 in the last several hours?

00:18:56.740 Well, understand,

00:18:58.660 this show happens

00:18:59.960 real time.

00:19:00.860 It happens real time

00:19:01.840 in real life.

00:19:03.120 You and I are recording this

00:19:04.400 early in the morning,

00:19:05.600 Friday morning.

00:19:06.300 This podcast will come out

00:19:07.540 later in the day on Friday,

00:19:08.740 so some of you will be

00:19:09.560 listening to this on Friday.

00:19:11.120 Others of you will be

00:19:12.200 hearing this on radio

00:19:13.140 on Saturday or Sunday.

00:19:15.100 And so the world

00:19:16.000 may have changed.

00:19:16.880 48 hours at the time

00:19:18.400 when a war is initiating

00:19:20.180 is a mountain of time.

00:19:22.500 And what I can tell you

00:19:23.500 is late Thursday night

00:19:25.940 as Israel was launching

00:19:27.380 its attacks

00:19:28.300 before Iran has engaged

00:19:30.080 in a counterattack,

00:19:31.740 I was on the phone

00:19:33.680 with the Israeli ambassador

00:19:35.200 to the United States

00:19:36.000 and he told me

00:19:36.860 that the attack,

00:19:39.480 at least so far,

00:19:40.340 had gone extraordinarily well,

00:19:41.900 that they'd taken out

00:19:42.800 senior leadership

00:19:43.620 of the IRGC.

00:19:45.060 And I've got to say,

00:19:45.740 by the way,

00:19:46.380 that's a huge victory

00:19:48.140 for the United States

00:19:49.100 of America.

00:19:49.480 The IRGC has murdered

00:19:51.900 over 600 American

00:19:53.960 servicemen and women.

00:19:56.300 They are grotesquely hostile

00:19:58.880 to the United States

00:20:00.520 and for Israel to take them out 0.77

00:20:02.400 is an enormous benefit

00:20:03.760 to America.

00:20:04.940 But at the same time,

00:20:06.260 the Israeli ambassador

00:20:07.100 told me that the instruction

00:20:09.500 had gone out in Israel

00:20:10.680 to the people of Israel,

00:20:12.400 go to a bomb shelter, 0.80

00:20:14.440 either be in a bomb shelter

00:20:15.780 or be very near a bomb shelter

00:20:17.680 because they are anticipating

00:20:19.740 early in the morning,

00:20:21.120 Friday morning,

00:20:22.260 that Iran is going to launch 0.99

00:20:24.340 a massive counterattack

00:20:26.380 with ballistic weapons.

00:20:28.940 And Israel has extensive

00:20:31.120 anti-missile defenses,

00:20:33.080 but Iran has sufficient volume

00:20:35.520 that if they launch everything,

00:20:37.000 they have the capacity

00:20:37.820 to overwhelm the defenses.

00:20:39.800 And so there is

00:20:40.960 a very real possibility

00:20:42.060 the people of Israel

00:20:42.920 are braced.

00:20:43.460 They understand.

00:20:44.180 Look, look,

00:20:45.580 they're not playing games.

00:20:49.440 They are playing

00:20:50.520 with real stakes.

00:20:51.700 They're playing

00:20:52.140 with live rounds.

00:20:53.300 The people of Israel

00:20:54.380 understand right now,

00:20:56.480 as you and I

00:20:56.980 are recording this,

00:20:58.420 that we may see 0.99

00:20:59.260 Israelis die right now 1.00

00:21:01.040 because Iran 0.99

00:21:01.760 has enough missiles

00:21:03.100 that if they launch

00:21:03.980 them all,

00:21:05.480 there will be 1.00

00:21:06.420 Israelis murdered 1.00

00:21:07.460 in the minutes 0.98

00:21:09.000 and hours ahead of us.

00:21:10.460 But at the same time,

00:21:12.360 Prime Minister Netanyahu

00:21:13.320 who made the decision,

00:21:14.260 it's a decision

00:21:14.860 I agree with,

00:21:15.620 it's a decision

00:21:16.200 that I think was right,

00:21:18.120 which is the risk

00:21:19.780 of Israelis dying

00:21:21.860 and of Americans dying

00:21:23.440 if Iran acquires 0.99

00:21:25.560 a nuclear weapon

00:21:26.440 is qualitatively different,

00:21:28.140 that we could face

00:21:29.920 with an Iranian

00:21:31.360 nuclear weapon,

00:21:33.240 we could face

00:21:33.980 millions murdered.

00:21:36.120 And so, listen,

00:21:38.060 I want to underscore

00:21:39.260 what I said

00:21:39.800 at the beginning

00:21:40.180 of this podcast.

00:21:41.300 Pray for the people

00:21:42.200 of Israel

00:21:42.680 and pray for our

00:21:44.320 servicemen and women

00:21:45.120 in harm's way

00:21:46.200 because this is a

00:21:47.240 very, very dangerous

00:21:48.280 time right now.

00:21:49.760 Well, let's talk about

00:21:50.600 who is targeted

00:21:51.420 and what this looks like

00:21:52.720 moving forward

00:21:53.540 from the standpoint

00:21:54.420 of Israel.

00:21:55.100 I mean,

00:21:55.380 the objective here

00:21:56.920 is clearly to put them

00:21:57.860 back when it comes

00:21:59.300 to their nuclear program,

00:22:00.380 but they also went

00:22:01.340 after people that

00:22:01.960 were involved

00:22:02.440 in that program,

00:22:03.120 which is a really

00:22:04.020 big way to move

00:22:04.980 things backwards.

00:22:06.660 Yeah, look,

00:22:07.360 this was a

00:22:08.000 decapitation strike.

00:22:09.200 It was targeted

00:22:10.260 at the senior

00:22:11.200 military leaders

00:22:12.360 in Iran.

00:22:13.200 It was targeted

00:22:14.360 at the nuclear

00:22:15.160 facilities in Iran.

00:22:16.740 It was targeted

00:22:17.680 at the anti-air

00:22:20.320 assault facilities

00:22:22.080 in Iran.

00:22:23.260 It was a very

00:22:24.640 targeted but massively

00:22:26.520 effective strike.

00:22:27.580 Now, Iran is going 1.00

00:22:29.260 to strike back.

00:22:30.260 Understand that.

00:22:31.180 That's not a possibility

00:22:33.160 or a probability.

00:22:34.840 It is a certainty

00:22:36.040 that Iran will hit back.

00:22:37.420 Now, what I hope Iran 1.00

00:22:39.220 understands is they

00:22:40.320 should not hit back

00:22:41.200 at America.

00:22:42.380 Hitting back at America

00:22:43.460 would escalate this

00:22:44.680 dramatically.

00:22:46.360 And I will say,

00:22:48.480 the Secretary of State,

00:22:49.520 Marco Rubio,

00:22:50.160 he put out a statement

00:22:51.180 Thursday night.

00:22:51.960 Let me read his statement.

00:22:53.480 Quote,

00:22:54.360 Tonight,

00:22:55.760 Israel took unilateral

00:22:57.100 action against Iran.

00:22:59.000 We were not involved

00:23:00.280 in strikes against Iran

00:23:01.960 and our top priority

00:23:03.540 is protecting American

00:23:04.620 forces in the region.

00:23:05.600 Israel advised us 0.94

00:23:07.780 that they believe

00:23:08.540 this action was necessary

00:23:09.820 for its self-defense.

00:23:11.880 President Trump

00:23:12.560 and the administration

00:23:13.460 have taken all

00:23:14.440 necessary steps

00:23:15.460 to protect our forces

00:23:17.180 and remain in close

00:23:18.800 contact with our

00:23:20.220 regional partners.

00:23:21.800 Let me be clear.

00:23:23.400 Iran should not target

00:23:25.140 U.S. interests

00:23:26.600 or personnel.

00:23:28.560 Now, look,

00:23:30.300 I'm glad that the

00:23:31.560 Secretary of State

00:23:32.240 was putting out

00:23:32.800 that statement

00:23:33.360 defending our

00:23:34.020 servicemen and women.

00:23:34.880 I wish there had been

00:23:36.880 more in that statement

00:23:37.840 saying we stand

00:23:38.680 with Israel.

00:23:39.340 That was missing

00:23:40.560 from the statement

00:23:41.200 and it shouldn't have been.

00:23:43.820 From my perspective,

00:23:45.060 we stand unequivocally

00:23:46.500 with Israel,

00:23:47.060 but I understand

00:23:47.800 why the Secretary of State

00:23:49.080 didn't do that,

00:23:50.560 which is that

00:23:51.800 he's concerned

00:23:52.600 that Iran may strike

00:23:55.140 at U.S. military forces.

00:23:56.980 Now, in my view,

00:23:58.000 the way to prevent that

00:24:00.260 is not to say to Iran,

00:24:01.680 hey, we had nothing

00:24:02.420 to do with that,

00:24:03.340 which was the main theme

00:24:05.260 of the Secretary of State's

00:24:07.140 statement,

00:24:07.920 but rather to say

00:24:10.100 if you attack U.S. forces,

00:24:12.200 the consequences

00:24:13.200 will be overwhelming.

00:24:15.140 I think Iran responds 0.99

00:24:16.620 more to stick

00:24:19.100 than to carrot,

00:24:20.300 but we shall see,

00:24:21.700 and it is,

00:24:22.740 any way you look at it,

00:24:24.300 an unbelievably dangerous time.

00:24:27.940 Senator,

00:24:28.520 let's talk about

00:24:29.360 some of the people

00:24:29.920 that have been taken out here.

00:24:30.860 There's two aspects

00:24:32.240 of these strikes.

00:24:33.280 One,

00:24:34.300 nuclear scientists

00:24:35.160 are being reported

00:24:35.880 that they were targeted

00:24:36.940 and have been killed, 0.89

00:24:38.080 and that is the brains

00:24:39.700 of the nuclear program.

00:24:41.860 If you want to stop Iran 1.00

00:24:43.360 from doing this,

00:24:44.600 taking out nuclear scientists

00:24:46.020 is absolutely brilliant.

00:24:47.880 It's the computer system,

00:24:49.320 the nervous system

00:24:50.080 of everything

00:24:50.760 they're trying to accomplish.

00:24:52.280 That's incredible,

00:24:53.420 but we also now know

00:24:54.840 from virtually every news agency

00:24:57.180 is reporting this,

00:24:58.080 that the IRGC terror chief Salami

00:25:01.260 has also been eliminated.

00:25:03.580 That is significant as well.

00:25:05.580 Well, we now know

00:25:06.700 that Hussein Salami

00:25:07.760 is lunch meat,

00:25:09.800 and I feel a little cheesy

00:25:12.220 making fun of him,

00:25:13.240 but then again, 1.00

00:25:14.240 the guy is a racist, 1.00

00:25:17.640 genocidal, 1.00

00:25:19.020 homicidal lunatic, 1.00

00:25:20.660 so I hope after Salami, 1.00

00:25:23.340 bologna,

00:25:23.960 and pastrami

00:25:24.660 both get eliminated as well,

00:25:26.220 and if you look at the head

00:25:28.980 of the IRGC,

00:25:30.660 he has responsibility

00:25:31.840 for murdering

00:25:33.920 over 600 U.S. servicemen

00:25:36.760 and women. 0.98

00:25:38.040 So, if you love

00:25:40.240 the men and women

00:25:40.860 of the armed services,

00:25:41.900 if you are grateful

00:25:42.740 for friends, family,

00:25:44.360 loved ones

00:25:44.900 who have served

00:25:46.000 defending this nation,

00:25:47.600 then you ought to say tonight

00:25:49.400 to the nation of Israel,

00:25:50.780 thank you.

00:25:51.260 Thank you for taking out

00:25:52.360 the head of the IRGC

00:25:53.680 that is responsible

00:25:55.320 for murdering

00:25:56.220 hundreds of American

00:25:58.180 servicemen and women.

00:25:59.880 President Trump,

00:26:00.780 when he was president

00:26:01.380 the first time,

00:26:02.400 he took out

00:26:03.300 General Soleimani,

00:26:04.640 and now, today,

00:26:06.460 the Israelis

00:26:07.040 have taken out

00:26:08.040 Salami,

00:26:09.500 a successor

00:26:10.940 who is the terror chief

00:26:13.060 of the IRGC,

00:26:14.840 and he is now

00:26:16.120 with his 72 virgins,

00:26:17.840 although I will tell you

00:26:18.700 much to his dismay,

00:26:20.380 those virgins 1.00

00:26:20.940 are all Gomer Pyle,

00:26:22.120 and it's not

00:26:22.920 what he hoped for.

00:26:23.920 I gotta say,

00:26:24.900 one of the best parts

00:26:25.640 about this story,

00:26:26.560 just side note,

00:26:27.320 if you look up

00:26:28.640 Salami on his pages

00:26:30.760 on Wikipedia,

00:26:32.740 it already says

00:26:33.660 he's like the former guy

00:26:35.080 in charge of the IRGC.

00:26:37.140 I love the internet

00:26:38.100 when they get it right

00:26:38.900 really quickly, Senator.

00:26:39.920 It is amazing

00:26:41.600 to see this moment

00:26:42.700 in history,

00:26:43.120 because this is a moment

00:26:44.060 in history,

00:26:44.760 and I gotta ask you this,

00:26:46.940 Iran now is gonna respond, 0.71

00:26:48.940 I'm sure,

00:26:49.240 in some way.

00:26:49.780 I'm sure Israel

00:26:50.980 is expecting that.

00:26:52.860 You made it very clear

00:26:53.880 tonight,

00:26:54.320 America's warning,

00:26:55.420 and from this administration,

00:26:57.400 what happens next,

00:26:59.880 and what is Israel

00:27:01.300 expecting in your mind?

00:27:03.300 Well,

00:27:03.900 it depends on the escalation.

00:27:05.500 I think it is

00:27:06.380 100% certain

00:27:07.520 that Iran will respond 0.98

00:27:09.540 by firing missiles

00:27:10.540 at Israel.

00:27:11.800 Israel gets that, 0.94

00:27:12.900 they understand that,

00:27:13.800 they're ready for that.

00:27:14.800 There is some real possibility

00:27:17.420 that Iran will respond 0.98

00:27:19.320 by firing missiles

00:27:20.240 or other weapons

00:27:21.080 at Americans,

00:27:22.920 and I think if they do that,

00:27:24.320 they will dramatically

00:27:25.240 escalate this conflict.

00:27:26.720 I think they will provoke, 0.81

00:27:28.200 if they murder 0.96

00:27:29.000 American servicemen 0.97

00:27:30.000 and women, 1.00

00:27:30.480 I think you will see

00:27:31.380 President Trump respond

00:27:32.940 with devastating force,

00:27:34.880 and so again,

00:27:35.860 my message to the Ayatollahs 0.90

00:27:37.300 do not do that.

00:27:39.480 Their response to Israel, 0.73

00:27:41.000 I don't know what it will be.

00:27:42.840 There is a risk

00:27:44.180 that their response

00:27:45.580 is devastating,

00:27:46.960 that it is overwhelming.

00:27:48.680 They have a massive number

00:27:50.460 of ballistic missiles,

00:27:51.720 so if they fire them all,

00:27:53.800 the odds are significant

00:27:55.040 that we will see

00:27:55.980 a very large number 0.99

00:27:57.280 of Israelis murdered.

00:27:59.300 What I'm saying,

00:28:01.380 Prime Minister Netanyahu

00:28:02.440 understands.

00:28:03.160 He knows that.

00:28:04.180 He knows that,

00:28:05.360 but by virtue of engaging

00:28:06.560 in this attack tonight,

00:28:08.180 there is a real risk

00:28:09.500 of a significant number

00:28:10.580 of Israelis being murdered,

00:28:11.740 but he did this

00:28:12.780 because he knows

00:28:15.260 that if Iran has

00:28:16.180 a nuclear weapon,

00:28:17.580 many, many more Israelis

00:28:19.520 and many, many more Americans

00:28:20.900 are at risk

00:28:21.560 of being murdered.

00:28:23.000 Look,

00:28:24.340 the Ayatollah chants 0.79

00:28:25.760 death to America 0.98

00:28:26.760 and death to Israel. 0.93

00:28:27.880 I believe he believes that, 0.59

00:28:30.220 and so acquiring

00:28:31.680 a nuclear weapon

00:28:32.480 is not just an academic question.

00:28:34.040 If he gets a nuclear weapon,

00:28:35.660 I believe he is trying

00:28:37.200 to acquire one

00:28:38.120 because he wants

00:28:39.100 to carry out

00:28:39.840 his promises

00:28:40.560 of death to Israel 0.97

00:28:42.200 and death to America, 0.94

00:28:43.300 and that's precisely 0.54

00:28:44.380 why Israel 0.88

00:28:45.220 has launched this attack

00:28:46.940 to stop him

00:28:47.740 from getting that capability.

00:28:49.620 As always,

00:28:50.580 thank you for listening

00:28:51.760 to Verdict

00:28:52.580 with Senator Ted Cruz,

00:28:53.820 Ben Ferguson with you.

00:28:54.720 Don't forget

00:28:55.140 to download my podcast

00:28:56.400 and you can listen

00:28:57.140 to my podcast

00:28:57.780 every other day

00:28:58.320 you're not listening

00:28:58.900 to Verdict

00:28:59.280 or each day

00:29:00.080 when you listen

00:29:00.480 to Verdict afterwards.

00:29:01.740 I'd love to have you

00:29:02.700 as a listener

00:29:03.200 to, again,

00:29:04.140 the Ben Ferguson podcast,

00:29:05.260 and we will see you

00:29:06.180 back here

00:29:06.800 on Monday morning.

00:29:08.960 This is an iHeart Podcast.

00:29:11.860 Guaranteed human.

Verdict with Ted Cruz - June 14, 2025

The Human Trafficking Maryland Man, 'Don’t Believe Your Lying Eyes' watching Cars Burn & Behind the Israel Strike on Iran Week In Review

Episode Stats

Summary

Transcript