1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:01,800 Speaker 1: Welcome. 2 00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 2: It is Verdict with Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson with you 3 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 2: on inauguration Day. Sit back, stretch out America. Donald Trump 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 2: is back and it's going to be a glorious Monday 5 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 2: and Center. 6 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: You're right there in the middle of all of it. 7 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 3: Well, I am. Today is a momentous day. 8 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 4: At noon today, January twentieth, Joseph Robinette Biden Junior will 9 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 4: cease to be President of the United States and Donald 10 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 4: John Trump will become the forty seventh President of the 11 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 4: United States. We will see a new administration come into office. 12 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 4: We will see the entire direction of the country, the 13 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 4: path we're on change. We're gonna break down everything that's 14 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 4: been happening on inauguration today and throughout the weekend. I've 15 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 4: been up here all weekend, so we're gonna bring inside 16 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 4: what it's like on an inauguration weekend. That's what we're 17 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 4: gonna start with. Then we're gonna talk about TikTok TikTok. 18 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 4: The ban went into effect on Sunday. TikTok went down. 19 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 4: It's now back up. What's gonna happen now next? What 20 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 4: does it mean? We're going to break that down all 21 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 4: of that. 22 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 2: In this verdict, I want to tell you real quick 23 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 2: about our friends over at the International Fellowship of Christians 24 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 2: and Jews. On January the twenty seventh, just a few 25 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 2: days away, the International Holocaust Rememberance date will be here, 26 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:19,279 Speaker 2: and that is a day we remember the great evil 27 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 2: of the Holocaust, when millions of Jews were slaughtered during 28 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 2: the Nazis reign of terror. Now today, unfortunately, the rise 29 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 2: in global anti Semitism and the constant attacks on Israel 30 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 2: show us that it's more important than ever to remember 31 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 2: the atrocities of the Holocaust to ensure that it never ever, 32 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 2: ever happens again. And that's why I have partnered with 33 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,839 Speaker 2: the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. What the work 34 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 2: they do is just truly unbelievable. Not only do they 35 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 2: provide food and shelter and safety to Jews in Israel 36 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 2: and around the world, including those remaining Holocaust survivors. And 37 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 2: that is where your donation today will help provide that food, water, medicine, 38 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 2: and other basic necessities to the Jewish community, including bomb 39 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:12,079 Speaker 2: shelters and armored ambulances that have saved countless lives throughout 40 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 2: the last year and a half and your gift will 41 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 2: also send a message that you stand with the Jewish 42 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 2: people against this growing anti Semitism and hatred. So to 43 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,959 Speaker 2: give and show your support right now to the Jewish people, 44 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 2: you can do it by going to support IFCJ dot org. 45 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 2: That's one word, support if CJ dot org. You can 46 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 2: also call eight eight eight four eight eight IFCJ that's 47 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 2: eight eight eight four eight eight if CJ eight eight 48 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 2: eight four eight eight four three two five, or support 49 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 2: IFCJ dot org center. 50 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 1: All right, I gotta be honest with you. 51 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: I'm having fomo and and I were going to come 52 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 2: up for the inauguration, and then we saw the attempts 53 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 2: and then we saw that they can and sold it 54 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 2: being outside, and then it was a question of all right, 55 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 2: do we come do we not? 56 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: You're there. 57 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 2: I've seen your pictures, you hang out with family. You 58 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 2: even got a picture with Snoop Dogg and your daughter 59 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 2: the crypto ball. It looks like it's been an amazing 60 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 2: weekend celebrating democracy and Donald Trump coming back into office. 61 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 3: Well, well it has, and I guess we got to 62 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 3: start ben with you know, why do you hate America? 63 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 1: I set you up pretty well for that one right. 64 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 4: You know, you could choose to be here celebrating a 65 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 4: new day at America, celebrating changing the course. Well, or 66 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 4: you could stay at home and say, you know, I'm 67 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 4: really cold. 68 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: See I can blame you for this. 69 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 2: Anna said, is Center Cruz going to make sure we 70 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 2: go with him to see Snoop Dogg's That's what I 71 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 2: want to do. And I said, he hasn't offered, honey, 72 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 2: So technically it's your fault. 73 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: I'm going to go back hard. 74 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 4: You didn't ask, I would have happily brought you in. So, 75 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 4: particularly because it's already passed. That's the easiest way is 76 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 4: to offer things in the hypothetical after the effect. So look, look, 77 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 4: the whole weekend we start started with Friday. So so Friday, 78 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 4: the Senate was in session this week, and so so 79 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 4: we voted. We voted actually on the Lake and Riley Act. 80 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 4: We got a bunch of Democrats who voted for it 81 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 4: as well. So we actually moved forward with the Lake 82 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 4: and Riley Act. And it may show that Democrats are 83 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 4: a little bit scared of the election results, particularly their 84 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 4: open border policies. Then Friday night we had I started 85 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:30,480 Speaker 4: the festivities with the party, the Donald Trump Junior hosted 86 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 4: and there are a bunch of folks there, a bunch 87 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 4: of cabinet members. There was good, good to celebrate. 88 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: Uh. 89 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 4: And then went from there to the Crypto Ball. And 90 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 4: the Crypto Ball was was remarkable. It was a big 91 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 4: black tie gala and the performer was Snoop dog And 92 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 4: you know, it's interesting. In the first term, Snoop Dogg 93 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 4: was not a fan of Donald Trump. 94 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 2: Uh. 95 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 4: But but this administration, he is performing at one of 96 00:04:55,120 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 4: the inaugural galas, the Crypto Crypto Ball, and h you know, 97 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 4: I'll tell you my daughter Caroline, as you know, she's 98 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 4: not particularly into politics, but but I did ask her, hey, 99 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 4: you got any interest in seeing Snoop Dogg perform? 100 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 3: And she was all over that that's so fun. So 101 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 3: it was very you know, look it's good as. 102 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 1: A game cool yead for like a couple of hours. 103 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 3: And so it was a good chance, you know. 104 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 4: And I told her, I said, I'm pretty sure I 105 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 4: can get you backstage and and and it turned out 106 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 4: I could, and and so Caroline was up there, and 107 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 4: we went back back to Snoop's bus and and he 108 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:30,600 Speaker 4: was there with his entourage. 109 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 3: We hung out with him for a few minutes. 110 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 4: He was very kind, took a picture with Caroline, and 111 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 4: that was It was very nice and very gracious. I'm 112 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 4: not going to say we were partying with Snoop, but 113 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 4: we got to meet him and he took a picture 114 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 4: with Caroline, so that was fun. 115 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:46,160 Speaker 2: So what is a demeanor like and does it feel 116 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 2: like it did eight years ago after sixteen or does 117 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:51,840 Speaker 2: it feel very different this time? 118 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 1: And explain the difference. 119 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 4: There's real excitement, there's a greater mandate. Look in twenty sixteen, 120 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 4: almost nobody believed Trump would win, including Trump, and it 121 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 4: was everyone was kind of a little shocked. And the 122 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 4: Trump team had never done this before, and so they 123 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:18,599 Speaker 4: were trying to figure out what to do. The difference 124 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 4: now this team is hitting the ground running one hundred 125 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 4: miles an hour instead of two miles an hour, like 126 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 4: it is night and day. You look at the cabinet 127 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 4: members have all been announced, We've already had hearings on 128 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 4: half the cabinet members. They are hitting the ground running. 129 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 4: I think today you are going to see somewhere in 130 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 4: the neighborhood of one hundred executive orders. They're going to 131 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 4: come down. It is and and the election results were 132 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 4: so overwhelming for Trump to win the popular vote, for 133 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 4: Trump to win of the seven swing states, all seven 134 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 4: with a big majority in the Senate, fifty three Republicans, 135 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 4: the majority in the House. There's a clear mandate. And 136 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 4: so I will say, there's an excitement in the air. 137 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 4: You also don't have the same anger and resistance that 138 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 4: we had in twenty seventeen. It was such a resounding 139 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 4: result that the left really is in shock, but there's 140 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 4: not the disbelief there was in twenty seventeen. In twenty 141 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 4: seventeen they thought this was a clear aberration, it makes 142 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 4: no sense and it will be over very very soon. 143 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 4: They now recognize, wow, this is what the voters wanted. 144 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 4: And so the feel is fundamentally different. 145 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 3: You know. 146 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 4: After Friday, on Saturday, I went then had had meetings, 147 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 4: went and spoke to the Texas State Society, which was 148 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 4: great to see all the folks up from Texas. And 149 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 4: then went to a party that was hosted by Peter 150 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 4: Teal and David Sachs, and that was kind of a 151 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:59,679 Speaker 4: tech artificial intelligence party. And as you know, Peter Teale 152 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 4: and I and friends for twenty five years, so that 153 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 4: was fun to see a lot of the techies. I 154 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 4: then went to the Hispanic Inaugural Ball, which was massive, 155 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 4: couple thousand people. The excitement there was enormous. 156 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 2: And by the way, I want people to understand, these balls, 157 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 2: it is not easy to get tickets. 158 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: I want to be clear. 159 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 2: It is tough for even people and insiders. So when 160 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 2: it's a big deal, it's like, I mean, it's a 161 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 2: really cool thing to get to do. 162 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 1: I've done an inauguration. It's amazing. 163 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 2: But it is when people like, oh, I'm gonna go 164 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 2: to DC, Like, if you don't have an invite, it 165 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 2: is it is very different than that if you're there 166 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 2: and you're in the know. And that's one of the 167 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 2: things I think is actually the excitement around it is 168 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 2: that you may not get one of these every four years. 169 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 2: It can be eight years in between, like we saw 170 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 2: with Obama. So when they get to celebrate your team winning, 171 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 2: it's a big celebration. 172 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: These are five star events. 173 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 3: Yeah. 174 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 4: Now look, I have to admit it's not my favorite 175 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,079 Speaker 4: thing to do. I don't really like going to black tie, 176 00:08:56,080 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 4: big galas. I would much rather sit around the table 177 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 4: with some good friends with with some scotch and a 178 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 4: cigar and play poker that I'd take that a thousand 179 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 4: out of a thousand times as compared to two thousand 180 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 4: people in a giant auditorium all pressing up and crazy 181 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 4: that that's not really my scene. But at the same time, 182 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 4: I got a job to do, and so I'm i. 183 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 4: You know that the Hispanic Inaugural Ball. I was one 184 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 4: of the honorary co chairmen of the ball, and so 185 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 4: I had an obligation to be there and and talk 186 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,599 Speaker 4: to the folks there and congratulate everyone in the enthusiasm 187 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,680 Speaker 4: that's there is enormous. I went from there to the 188 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 4: America First Policy Institute Ball, which is you know, AFPI 189 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 4: is a big, big think tech that now that came 190 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 4: out of Trump World. 191 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 3: And so was there. 192 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 4: And and then and then on Sunday, actually started the 193 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 4: day by having breakfast with President Trump, and and he 194 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,440 Speaker 4: had breakfast with with all of the Republican senators. But 195 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:53,599 Speaker 4: in classic Trump manner, that breakfast lasted two and a 196 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 4: half hours. 197 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 1: And that really was it. Where did you guys meet. 198 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 3: At the Blairhouse? So the Blairhouse is across the street 199 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 3: from the White ho House. 200 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 1: And this is part of history of the inauguration I love. 201 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 3: Yeah. 202 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 4: So, so Blair House is it is typically where the 203 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 4: president resides before he's sworn in. So so Trump got 204 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 4: up to d C last night. He took Air Force 205 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 4: one from mar A Lago up to DC and then 206 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 4: went to Blair House. And Blair House is also where 207 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:19,199 Speaker 4: visiting heads of state will stay. 208 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 3: So if the. 209 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 4: British Prime Minister is in town, the US government will 210 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 4: put him up in Blair House. And it's it's a 211 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 4: very nice residence right across from the White House. So 212 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 4: that's where Trump is until he's sworn in and moves 213 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,679 Speaker 4: into the White House. And we had we literally arrived 214 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 4: at nine thirty for breakfast and we left shortly before noon, 215 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 4: I mean, and it was he basically just kind of 216 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 4: talked stream of consciousness for two and a half hours 217 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 4: and we all talked back and forth and had him 218 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 4: really and he was in great spirits. And then on 219 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 4: Sunday night, the big thing that is Sunday Night is 220 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,319 Speaker 4: black Tie in Boots, which is the Texas State Society Ball. 221 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 4: That is always a huge It's it's typically the hottest 222 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 4: ticket in town. That actually, the Texas Ball has always 223 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 4: been considered, uh probably the top ball and most fun, 224 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 4: and it's it's packed and and and then you get 225 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 4: to Monday morning and Monday morning is is is the 226 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 4: real shebang? When when when Trump takes the oath of office? 227 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 4: That will happen noon today. 228 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:25,719 Speaker 2: So let's talk about also the big change. And there 229 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 2: was everybody saying, hey, was it the weather? Was it security? 230 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 1: Was it both? 231 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 2: At the end of the day, we're not outside for 232 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 2: the inauguration. It is indoor. Uh, it is something that's 233 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:39,439 Speaker 2: we've It's happened before, not that long ago. Ronald Reagan 234 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 2: had one of his indoor because of weather at the time. Uh, 235 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:45,480 Speaker 2: when you found out about this, how much does that 236 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:49,199 Speaker 2: change things? Because for example, every every office gets x 237 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:52,439 Speaker 2: number of tickets for the inauguration. There's a lot of 238 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:54,439 Speaker 2: people coming up, and then all of a sudden, it's like, hey, 239 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 2: these tickets are basically something you can frame, but they're 240 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 2: worthless now because we're moving indoors. So gets on the 241 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 2: list indoors because it's a lot smaller. 242 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 3: Yeah. 243 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 4: So I'll tell you how I found out about it. 244 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 4: It actually was Friday afternoon, as it so happened. I 245 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 4: was in the office of the Speaker of the House, 246 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,959 Speaker 4: and I spent an hour in the Speaker's office with 247 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 4: the Speaker and me and Lindsey Graham, the three of 248 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 4: us talking about the issue we did a podcast on 249 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 4: last week, which is whether to do one reconciliation bill 250 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 4: or two reconciliation bills. And as we talked about on 251 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 4: that podcast, the Speaker disagrees with Lindsay and me and 252 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:35,839 Speaker 4: with just about every senator. He thinks one bill makes sense. 253 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 4: I think two bills make sense. And we're spent about 254 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 4: an hour talking about that. And I got to say, 255 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 4: as I was walking into the meeting with the Speaker, 256 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 4: we were talking about the inauguration and the fact that 257 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 4: we were all expecting to be freezing our asses off 258 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 4: sitting outside. You know, typically for an inauguration, you're out 259 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 4: on the steps of the capital, you're outside, and Monday 260 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 4: is projected to be very, very cold to be in 261 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 4: the teens. And I'll tell you what I was telling 262 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 4: the Speaker. Look, I just want to make sure that 263 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 4: they don't like Secret Service, doesn't drag us out there 264 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 4: two hours early and have us just sit there and 265 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 4: freeze way before the President gets there. And I'm like, 266 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 4: you know, come on, miss a Speaker, you can get 267 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:17,440 Speaker 4: this done. We can get out there right before it 268 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:20,679 Speaker 4: starts instead of having to like turn into ice boxes 269 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:25,440 Speaker 4: and have a bunch of octagenarians getting pneumonia. Well, while 270 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 4: we're meeting with the speaker get he gets handed the 271 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 4: note card and said, oh, well, problem solved. Trump just 272 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 4: decided to move it indoor. So it was Trump's call. 273 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 4: He made the decision. And so now the swearing in 274 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 4: will occur in the rotunda of the Capital. That is 275 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 4: the same thing that happened in nineteen eighty five for 276 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 4: Reagan's second term. In nineteen eighty five, just like this year, 277 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 4: it was very, very cold on inauguration Day, and so 278 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 4: they did it indoor. So that's what's going to happen here. 279 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 4: But what it means is the number of people that 280 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:02,079 Speaker 4: will be physically present plummets. They're anticipating about six hundred 281 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 4: people will be in the rotunda. Now give you some 282 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 4: quick math. They're five hundred and thirty five senators and 283 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 4: members of the House. If you got six hundred total, 284 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 4: there ain't a whole lot more people than the members 285 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:18,839 Speaker 4: of Congress, and an additional sixty five seventy people. So 286 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 4: virtually everyone who was planning to go. There were thousands 287 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 4: and thousands of seated seats that people had flown up 288 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 4: for tickets. There were many, many more thousands of standing 289 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 4: room only seats would that would extend for blocks and blocks. 290 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 4: And I do feel really bad for all the folks 291 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 4: who came up here who were planning to see it. 292 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 4: I mean, it's an expensive trip to fly to ec 293 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 4: They were excited and they found out, well, okay, now 294 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 4: we're not going to get to see it. You know, 295 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 4: what most people are doing is going somewhere where there's 296 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 4: a TV and it's warm to go watch it. I 297 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 4: can tell you I had a bunch of our top 298 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 4: supporters that flew up here and and so we've we've 299 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 4: tried to we've been talking with them and try to 300 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 4: help folks find find warm places. We've got some folks 301 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 4: that we've got a sports bar where they're gonna come 302 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 4: come watch it there. Uh, but it a lot of 303 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 4: people were left just just in the cold. I will 304 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 4: say this though. If it had been outside, you would 305 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 4: have people, particularly in the standing room only seats, who 306 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 4: might be out there six hours or more. 307 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 3: And I did. 308 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 2: And that's one thing people don't I don't think understood 309 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 2: because I had someone calling and like, hey, we've got seats, 310 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 2: we're going to go, and you know it should be fine, 311 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 2: we'll just get there right before them. Like it didn't 312 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 2: work that way. There's incredible security protocol and you're out 313 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 2: there for hours. I remember it during four this is 314 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 2: I had a seated seat right up at the front, 315 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 2: and that seat was frozen solid. When we sat down, 316 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 2: it was a solid basically sitting on an ice cube. 317 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 2: And so even if you think, oh, well, you have 318 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 2: a seat and you can sit down, I would have 319 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 2: actually preferred to be standing so you can move around 320 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 2: a little bit, because when it's cold Indie See and Wendy, 321 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 2: it is cold and windy. 322 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 4: And look, a lot of people would be getting there 323 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 4: at like six and seven in the morning, and the 324 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 4: swearing in doesn't happen till noon. So that's a lot 325 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 4: of hours to be out in the cold and wind 326 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,239 Speaker 4: and ice. You know, Heidi's in town for it, Caroline's 327 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 4: in town for it. I had advised them they were 328 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 4: gonna have heavy jackets and wrap up. 329 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 3: I'll tell you. 330 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 4: I bought a new set of Long Johns and went 331 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 4: on Amazon and order some Long Johns and actually we 332 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 4: had There were hundreds of tickets that I gave out 333 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 4: of Texans who wanted to come and asked me to, 334 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 4: and so we gave out hundreds of tickets. And one 335 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 4: of the things I had my team do with everyone 336 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 4: that was going to get a ticket is is I 337 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 4: got them handwarmers and feet warmers. I figured, all right, 338 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 4: if they're going to be freezing, you know the things 339 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 4: that you take skiing that like you can put in 340 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 4: your gloves or putting your your boots and warm your 341 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 4: feet and hands. I thought that was a nice thing 342 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 4: to give the Texans who were coming up here. But 343 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 4: I will say this because they canceled it. 344 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 3: Number one. 345 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 4: Look, I'm glad you've got a bunch of members of 346 00:16:57,440 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 4: Congress who were in their eighties. I mean, you could 347 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 4: easily have had someone catched ammonia and die. I'm sure 348 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:08,120 Speaker 4: Trump was thinking of William Henry Harrison, who was president. 349 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:11,680 Speaker 4: He gave a speech on a very cold Washington day 350 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 4: atn inauguration speech and he died thirty days later. He 351 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 4: is the shortest president in US history. And you know, 352 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:22,360 Speaker 4: Trump at seventy eight, I'm sure that precedent occurred to him. 353 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:24,440 Speaker 4: You know, I can't think it would be very healthy 354 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:27,160 Speaker 4: for Joe Biden at his age and in his health 355 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 4: to have him sit a couple hours out in the 356 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 4: freezing cold. And for that matter, the thousands of people 357 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 4: standing there. We probably would have had some people get frostbite, 358 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 4: we might have had some serious health issues. So I 359 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 4: do think that was a major factor and behind President 360 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 4: Trump's decision to move it indoors. 361 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 2: So here's to put it in perspective. Your family that's 362 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:51,399 Speaker 2: up there for it, do they get to go in 363 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 2: the rotunda for the swearing d No, So just and 364 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 2: I knew the answer, but it was just to put 365 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 2: in perspective. That's how different it's going to be that 366 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:03,480 Speaker 2: even senators own family members who thought they were going 367 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 2: to watch the inauguration, they're going to be watching it 368 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 2: on TV as well. 369 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:09,479 Speaker 4: So what works to each member of Congress has a 370 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 4: spouse ticket, and the spouse ticket when it's outside, they're 371 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:17,439 Speaker 4: seated nearby, and you get one ticket for that. Those 372 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 4: tickets are not even going to be in the rotunda. 373 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:21,440 Speaker 4: They're going to be in the Capital Visitors Center, So 374 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,959 Speaker 4: they will be watching it on TV nearby, but they 375 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:26,719 Speaker 4: won't be physically they're able to see it. 376 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:28,160 Speaker 1: That's incredible. 377 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 2: So let's talk about afterwards what's going to happen, because 378 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 2: you mentioned this earlier that this Trump administration is just 379 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:43,160 Speaker 2: operating at a different level of sophistication than in twenty sixteen. 380 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 2: It is a different level of readiness, and this is 381 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 2: going to be a huge day for the country, specifically 382 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:55,440 Speaker 2: for people that voted for change and voted for safety 383 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 2: and security and secure borders. The number of things that 384 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 2: we're going to get done right away after Trump is 385 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 2: torn in is significant. 386 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 4: It is you know, this is something I talked about. 387 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:08,920 Speaker 4: So I did two other podcasts this weekend. I went 388 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 4: on with Barry Weiss on on the Free Press podcast 389 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:14,439 Speaker 4: and talk with her, and then I also went on 390 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 4: the All In podcast. Both of them I talked about 391 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 4: Verdict and then urge listeners of those podcasts come over 392 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 4: here and subscribe to Verdict. But but you know, we 393 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:27,879 Speaker 4: talked about what to expect today, and shortly after the 394 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:30,719 Speaker 4: president has sworn in, we are going to see a 395 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 4: flurry of executive orders, and I think we're going to 396 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 4: see something on the order of magnitude of one hundred 397 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:38,920 Speaker 4: executive orders signed today. 398 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 3: That is massive. 399 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 4: Those orders are prepared, they're they're drafted, the lawyers are 400 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:47,160 Speaker 4: putting the finishing touches on them right now. I don't 401 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,880 Speaker 4: know everyone that's coming out. We can predict a lot 402 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,719 Speaker 4: of them. They're going to be executive orders focusing on 403 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,920 Speaker 4: securing the border. CA Catch and release is going to end. 404 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 4: When illegal immigrants are apprehended, they will be detained, they 405 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 4: will be ported. You're going to see law enforcement going 406 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 4: after and apprehending and arresting criminal illegal aliens, murderers, rapist 407 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 4: gang members. 408 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 3: All of that you're going to see early on. 409 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:15,639 Speaker 4: I'm confident you will see executive orders undoing the Biden 410 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,920 Speaker 4: administration's war on American energy, the war on Texas oil 411 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 4: and gas. 412 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:22,400 Speaker 3: I think we'll see that unwind. 413 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 4: I'm confident we'll see executive orders unwinding DEI initiatives throughout 414 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 4: the federal government. I'm confident that Joe Biden's artificial intelligence 415 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 4: executive order will be rescinded. 416 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 3: The flurry of it will be enormous. 417 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:42,359 Speaker 4: And the phrase that's being used is shock and awe, 418 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 4: and I think that's exactly what it is. And I'll 419 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 4: tell you Ben, in my view, I think there is 420 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 4: a fixed quantum of outrage. And I actually call that 421 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 4: quantum the arsenic quantum. And so you and I both 422 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 4: remember the first term of George W. Bush Bush for three. 423 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:03,719 Speaker 4: So when Bush forty three came in in two thousand 424 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 4: and one, one of the first things the Bush administration 425 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:11,160 Speaker 4: did is it rescinded an EPA rag that had regulated 426 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 4: how much arsenic can be in water, and it changed 427 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 4: it from one microscopic amount of arsenic to a different 428 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 4: microscopic about of arsenic. And for six weeks, the press 429 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 4: lost their mind and their hair was on fire, and 430 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 4: they said, the evil Republicans are trying to poison our 431 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:34,400 Speaker 4: children with arsenic. Now I think today, when Trump issues 432 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 4: all of these executive orders, you're going to see the 433 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:40,160 Speaker 4: same outrage, except instead of all directed at arsenic, it's 434 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 4: going to be at all one hundred. And I actually 435 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 4: think don't think the outrage gets any greater. That's how 436 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 4: much outrage there is, which is why I'm expecting today 437 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 4: to be an extraordinary day. I hope and believe these 438 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 4: orders are focused on delivering on our promises and carrying 439 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 4: through on the mandate from the election, And if and 440 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:01,400 Speaker 4: when they do that, that's a very good thing. 441 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:05,439 Speaker 2: There's also a different aspect of this, this winning a 442 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 2: second time after losing, and that is if these one 443 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:16,160 Speaker 2: hundred executive orders that are signed today make the media mad, 444 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,200 Speaker 2: the press mad, and they lose their mind. I think 445 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,840 Speaker 2: there's a lot of Americans but good. He's doing exactly 446 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:23,920 Speaker 2: what I sent him back to Washington to do. And 447 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 2: you didn't have that type of mandate feel I think 448 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 2: in sixteen like you do now. 449 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 4: Absolutely, if CNN is happy at what happens today, then 450 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 4: the incoming team will have screwed up badly. But I 451 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 4: feel absolutely confidence. I think the odds that CNN will 452 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:44,359 Speaker 4: be happy are zero points zero percent. 453 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:45,120 Speaker 3: So that's a good thing. 454 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 2: Let's move to TikTok for a second, because this has 455 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 2: actually been a big conversation around the inauguration, elections having consequences, 456 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 2: laws having consequences, Supreme Court getting involved. So can we 457 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 2: take it back to square one so that people that 458 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 2: maybe weren't paying attention to TikTok maybe don't use it. 459 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:09,920 Speaker 2: They understand TikTok is extremely important to a younger generation, 460 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:12,639 Speaker 2: and there are a lot of Americans that make a 461 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:14,679 Speaker 2: living on TikTok. There are a lot of people that 462 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 2: supports their businesses. There is a lot of things on 463 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:19,919 Speaker 2: TikTok that you can say are very good. There are 464 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 2: a lot of things you can also say are very bad. 465 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:26,639 Speaker 2: But explain what happened with TikTok and why it was 466 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 2: shut down. 467 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 3: Well. 468 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:32,399 Speaker 4: Congress passed the law last year dealing with TikTok. TikTok 469 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,880 Speaker 4: is owned and controlled by a company called Byte Dance. 470 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,960 Speaker 4: Byte Dance is a Chinese company, and it's a Chinese 471 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:41,679 Speaker 4: company that is under the direct control of the Chinese 472 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:46,680 Speaker 4: Communist government. The Chinese Communist government uses TikTok and uses 473 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:48,680 Speaker 4: it in a way that I think poses a very 474 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:53,120 Speaker 4: real national security risk to the United States. There are 475 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:58,119 Speaker 4: some one hundred and seventy million Americans that use TikTok, 476 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:04,199 Speaker 4: overwhelmingly young people, teenagers, young adults, young professionals, and the 477 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 4: Chinese Communist government uses it number one to engage an 478 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:12,520 Speaker 4: espionage to monitor what those Americans are doing, what they're saying, 479 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,920 Speaker 4: potentially where they are. They have the potential to monitor 480 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 4: their locations. But number two, the Chinese Communist government uses 481 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:26,360 Speaker 4: TikTok aggressively to push propaganda, to push propaganda that that 482 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 4: that is number one pro China, and they suppress content 483 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 4: things like like Tianaman Square. They suppress content about the 484 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 4: one million wiguers that that are in concentration camps in China. 485 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:41,720 Speaker 4: They suppress content about Hong Kong or China or Taiwan. 486 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 4: But but they also push anti American content. They push 487 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 4: anti capitalist content, they push communist content, they push socialist content. 488 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 4: They also push harmful content to young people. Uh, they 489 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:02,200 Speaker 4: push substance abuse, they push self harm that they push 490 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 4: suicidal ideation. I got to say that the same company 491 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:10,199 Speaker 4: that owns TikTok, they have a TikTok version in China 492 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 4: that's very different from the TikTok in America. The Chinese 493 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:17,200 Speaker 4: kids that are on TikTok, they're getting videos on math 494 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:19,399 Speaker 4: and calculus, and they're limited in the number of hours 495 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 4: they can do it, but it's developing the kind of 496 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 4: skills that are going to make them really effective in life. 497 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 4: You know, the Chinese kids are getting calculus and our 498 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 4: kids are getting chewing tide pods. 499 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 3: That ain't good. 500 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 4: The Chinese communist government is not doing it because they 501 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 4: love our kids that they want to see a good outcome. 502 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:43,119 Speaker 4: We also see heavily skewed political propaganda. So, for example, 503 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 4: anti Semitism, anti Israel, pro Hamas, pro Hesbela propaganda is 504 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 4: rampant on TikTok and at a complete differential, wildly different 505 00:25:55,760 --> 00:26:00,399 Speaker 4: ratios than on other social media platforms. And so, given 506 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 4: China's malevolent use of TikTok, Congress passed a bipartisan bill 507 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 4: designed to force China to divest from TikTok, and the 508 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:16,359 Speaker 4: terms of the bill said that TikTok had to shut 509 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:22,679 Speaker 4: down by January nineteenth unless it had been sold and 510 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 4: was no longer under the ownership or control of the 511 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:31,199 Speaker 4: Chinese Communist government. Now, TikTok has done next to nothing 512 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:33,680 Speaker 4: to comply with the efforts to sell itself. In fact, 513 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:38,200 Speaker 4: they brazenly said we will not sell. Instead, they've tried 514 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 4: to do a couple of things. Number one, they've tried 515 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:43,440 Speaker 4: to engage in litigation. They filed lawsuits. They went all 516 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:45,440 Speaker 4: the way to the U. S Supreme Court. They argued 517 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 4: it the US Supreme Court, and TikTok lost unanimously. The 518 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 4: Supreme Court said, no, your First Amendment argument is not valid. 519 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:56,200 Speaker 4: So the First Amendment protects the free speech rights of Americans, 520 00:26:56,760 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 4: but it doesn't protect the Chinese Communist government, and the 521 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 4: Supreme Court unanimously concluded this law is focused on national security. 522 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 4: It's not trying to suppress any Americans free speech. It 523 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 4: is trying to prevent a hostile government from being able 524 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 4: to engage in espionage and propaganda in the United States. 525 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 4: So they devoted a lot of time to litigation, a 526 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:19,199 Speaker 4: lot of time to lobbyists. They've had lobbyists descend on 527 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 4: Capitol Hill trying to lobby against the ban. Well, Saturday night, 528 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 4: at midnight, TikTok turned itself off, and I will tell 529 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:32,439 Speaker 4: you there were teenagers and young people all across the 530 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:36,240 Speaker 4: country that expressed enormous dismay when it shut down. But 531 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:39,879 Speaker 4: they shut it down. And so TikTok for most of 532 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 4: Sunday was shut down, and then Sunday afternoon they turned 533 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:45,679 Speaker 4: it back on. And they turned it back on because 534 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:50,959 Speaker 4: Trump had indicated that he intends to give TikTok an 535 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 4: other ninety days. The statute has a provision that the 536 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 4: president can extend the ban for ninety days in order 537 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 4: to help facilitate a sale of TikTok, and Trump has 538 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:04,600 Speaker 4: said that's what he intends to do. Look my view 539 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:09,360 Speaker 4: on this, If in the next ninety days TikTok follows 540 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:15,359 Speaker 4: through and sells the company to a non Chinese buyer, 541 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:19,640 Speaker 4: a non Chinese government controlled buyer, ideally to an American company, 542 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 4: that will be a very, very good thing. The objective 543 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:27,399 Speaker 4: of this law, it's important understand the objective of this 544 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:31,919 Speaker 4: law was never to ban TikTok. The objective of this 545 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 4: law was to force the Chinese Communist government to end 546 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 4: its ownership and control of TikTok. 547 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 3: I don't know if that's going to happen. I hope 548 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 3: it's going to happen. 549 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 4: I am not certain what Trump is going to end 550 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 4: up doing, but at least right now, he's indicating that 551 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 4: he intends to exercise the ninety day extension to give 552 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 4: TikTok time to consummate the sale, and so we'll see 553 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 4: what happens in the next ninety days. 554 00:28:56,200 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 2: One last thing about TikTok, your opinion, if it is 555 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 2: a threat to national security into our way of life, 556 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 2: and that's why you say it's so important for it 557 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:10,520 Speaker 2: to be sold to a non Chinese control company. 558 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 4: Absolutely, that's why you had overwhelming bipartisan support for this 559 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:20,680 Speaker 4: legislation because what China is doing with TikTok is really 560 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 4: harmful and it's a way to spy on Americans and 561 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 4: it's also a way to really inject harmful content. They're 562 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 4: trying to drive our country in directions that tears America down, 563 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:36,640 Speaker 4: and they're not doing it. You know, this is not 564 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 4: complaining about well, gosh, Hollywood producers are not making wholesome 565 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:45,720 Speaker 4: movies anymore. This is an adversary that is deliberately pumping 566 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 4: propaganda to our children. And we would be a foolish 567 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:52,000 Speaker 4: nation if we said, hey, we're great with the Chinese 568 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 4: communists having an open pipeline to our kids. That's why 569 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 4: Congress acted. And as I said, I don't know what 570 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 4: President Trump will do. Certainly my counsel to him will 571 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 4: be use this law as leverage and let's force China 572 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:07,600 Speaker 4: to sell TikTok. 573 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's going to be really interesting to see how 574 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:13,560 Speaker 2: this happens. Let me ask you one final question on 575 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 2: this inauguration day. 576 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 3: Didn't you just have a final question? 577 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: I got no. This is overall though. 578 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:21,120 Speaker 3: Are you like a used car salesman? One more thing? 579 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 3: One more thing? You would you like some underco coverage? 580 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:27,840 Speaker 1: Hey, I'm not there I get my bonus question. 581 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 2: That's my story and I'm sticking with it. 582 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 1: When you look at. 583 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 2: Where we are January twentieth, twenty twenty five, how much 584 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:40,479 Speaker 2: how excited are you for what we're about to witness 585 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 2: compared to January twentieth of twenty seventeen, because of how 586 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 2: prepared we are this. 587 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:50,719 Speaker 4: Time much more excited Because I think we're much more prepared. 588 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 3: We're hitting the ground running. 589 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:54,600 Speaker 4: As I said, the initial Trump team they'd never done 590 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:57,480 Speaker 4: this before, the initial Trump White House had never worked 591 00:30:57,480 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 4: in the federal government. I think there's just a much 592 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 4: great level of experience and also awareness of the deep state, 593 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 4: awareness of the career bureaucrats who who who fight against 594 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 4: a common sense, free market, freedom oriented agenda. And look 595 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:16,960 Speaker 4: as I look at this array of cabinet nominees, I'm 596 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 4: really excited. And I think the most consistent characterization of 597 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 4: these are characteristic of these nominees is that they're change agents. 598 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 4: They're disruptors, and they're they're going into these agencies to 599 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 4: change and disrupt how they operate. I think that's a 600 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:36,160 Speaker 4: very good thing. Now, Listen, there are gonna be moments 601 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:38,320 Speaker 4: of chaos. They're gonna be mistakes that are made. The 602 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 4: old Silicon Valley phrase of of you know, move fast 603 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:44,960 Speaker 4: and break things. I think that's what we're going to see. 604 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 4: They're going to move fast and some things, some things 605 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 4: won't work. But I'm excited because I think the overwhelming 606 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:54,680 Speaker 4: majority of what's accomplished will be very very good for 607 00:31:54,760 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 4: the country. 608 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:57,520 Speaker 2: Well, it's going to be a really fun rest to 609 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 2: day for everybody. Watch it, enjoy it. It is history, uh, 610 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 2: and I can tell you I really think also Verdict 611 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:05,920 Speaker 2: is gonna be really fun this year. I think we're 612 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 2: gonna have a lot of guests, uh that that because 613 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 2: of this victory and and and get to cover a 614 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:14,200 Speaker 2: lot more victories uh than we have ever got to 615 00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:14,680 Speaker 2: do before. 616 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 1: So get ready for that as well. Don't forget. 617 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:20,160 Speaker 2: We do the show Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We have 618 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:23,280 Speaker 2: that weekend review on Saturday. On those in between days, 619 00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 2: grab my podcast, the Ben Ferguson Podcasts. I'll keep you 620 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:29,480 Speaker 2: up to date during those other big news days. There's 621 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:31,280 Speaker 2: gonna be a lot of them, so we'll have all 622 00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:33,120 Speaker 2: that for you as well. And the Sinat and I 623 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 2: will see you back here Wednesday morning.