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

Misogynist Sentences

6

Hate Speech Sentences

29


Summary


Transcript

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.
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.
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,
00:07:01.780 but I'll tell you, MS-13, when they are human trafficking, they are raping women,
00:07:06.740 they are raping children, they are abusing women and children,
00:07:11.220 they are abusing little boys, little girls.
00:07:15.400 They're soulless.
00:07:16.420 They do not care about human life or using human life.
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.
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.
00:08:12.080 But gang members and murderers, you're a peeps.
00:08:15.100 Amazing.
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.
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,
00:13:01.920 don't believe your lying eyes.
00:13:03.140 I'm telling you, there's no violence.
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
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
00:13:55.460 and child molesters and gangbangers
00:13:57.100 have been released.
00:13:57.880 He's not upset that Californians are being murdered,
00:14:01.520 are being violently assaulted by illegal immigrants.
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,
00:14:16.580 damn it, number one,
00:14:18.240 Trump is arresting illegals
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,
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
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
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,
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
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
00:20:59.260 Israelis die right now
00:21:01.040 because Iran
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
00:21:06.420 Israelis murdered
00:21:07.460 in the minutes
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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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,
00:25:14.240 the guy is a racist,
00:25:17.640 genocidal,
00:25:19.020 homicidal lunatic,
00:25:20.660 so I hope after Salami,
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.
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
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,
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
00:27:09.540 by firing missiles
00:27:10.540 at Israel.
00:27:11.800 Israel gets that,
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
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,
00:27:28.200 if they murder
00:27:29.000 American servicemen
00:27:30.000 and women,
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
00:27:37.300 do not do that.
00:27:39.480 Their response to Israel,
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
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
00:28:25.760 death to America
00:28:26.760 and death to Israel.
00:28:27.880 I believe he believes that,
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
00:28:42.200 and death to America,
00:28:43.300 and that's precisely
00:28:44.380 why Israel
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.