1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:02,639 Speaker 1: Well, happy Monday. Welcome. 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 2: It is Verdict with Center, Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you. 3 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:08,639 Speaker 2: And if you missed our podcast that we did over 4 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 2: the weekend on the Zolensky disaster in the Oval Office, 5 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:13,400 Speaker 2: I'm going to tell you right now. We put out 6 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:17,159 Speaker 2: that emergency pod. Go back, listen to it, grab it. 7 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:19,759 Speaker 2: That's why if you have any of that subscribe auto 8 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 2: down with button, make sure you do that so you 9 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 2: never miss when those big moments happen and we get 10 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 2: together and do a show real quick, Senator, We've got 11 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:33,279 Speaker 2: a lot happening right now, including a joint session of Congress. 12 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 2: It's going to happen on Tuesday. But Zolensky left the 13 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 2: White House and he hauled it to Europe begging for money. 14 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:44,520 Speaker 3: Well, the fallout continues from the epic meeting last week 15 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 3: between Presidents Zelensky and Donald Trump. The consequences have been massive. 16 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 3: As you mentioned, we did an emergency podcast Friday afternoon, 17 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 3: within hours of the meeting. We put it out. Normally 18 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 3: we put out pods Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We put 19 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 3: out two pods on Friday, Friday morning and one Friday afternoon. 20 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 3: We did it because we wanted to cover what was 21 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 3: happening then because it was that consequential. So I will say, 22 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:10,039 Speaker 3: as Ben just mentioned a minute ago, if you didn't 23 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 3: listen to Friday Afternoon's pod, I'd encourage you to go 24 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 3: back and listen to it. I believe this will go 25 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 3: down in history as the most disastrous Oval Office his 26 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,759 Speaker 3: meeting that has ever occurred. We're going to break that down. 27 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 3: We're going to break down the fallout that has happened 28 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 3: in three days since that meeting. We're else going to 29 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 3: talk about the fact that tomorrow is the first State 30 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 3: of the Union address for the second Donald Trump term. 31 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:37,960 Speaker 3: We're going to talk about what President Trump is likely 32 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 3: going to say tomorrow and how it's going to be received. 33 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 3: All on today's pod. 34 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 1: Yeah, you got to love the Oscars. 35 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 2: Every year gets more and more woke, and every time 36 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 2: when you think they're done, they'll. 37 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: Double down on it. 38 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 2: I want to talk to you real quick about an 39 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 2: incredible organization called the IFCJ and the work that they're 40 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: doing for the people in Israel. If you want to help, 41 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: then listen to me for the next minute. Because after 42 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 2: more than a year of war, terror and pain in Israel, 43 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 2: all of Israel is broken hearted after learning of the 44 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 2: tragic deaths of the Bis children who were held hostage 45 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 2: in Gaza, and so many are still hurting throughout the 46 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 2: Holy Land, where the need for aid continues to actually grow. 47 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 2: The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has supported and 48 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 2: continues to support the families of hostages and other victims 49 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 2: of the October seventh terror attacks, and with your help, 50 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 2: IFCJ has provided financial and emotional help to hostages and 51 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 2: their families and to those healing and rebuilding their broken 52 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 2: homes and broken bodies. But the real work is just beginning, 53 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 2: and that's why your gift is helping to provide critically 54 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 2: needed support for families in Israel whose lives continue to 55 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 2: be destroyed by terror and uncertainty is Israel remains surrounded 56 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 2: by enemies. You can give a gift to bless Israel 57 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 2: and her people by this support IFCJ dot org. That's 58 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 2: one word support I f CJ dot org, or you 59 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 2: can call to give eight a eight for eight eight 60 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 2: I f CJ. That's triple eight for eight eight I 61 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:20,959 Speaker 2: f CJ eight eight eight for eight eight I f CJ. 62 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 2: Are all online at support I f CJ dot Org. 63 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 2: All right, so let's give a quick recap of what 64 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 2: you mentioned a second ago. But you think this is 65 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 2: going to go down history. This meeting at the Oval 66 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 2: Office is maybe the worst Oval Office meeting in history. 67 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 2: It seems that Zelensky may be agreeing with you at 68 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 2: this point by the amount of backtracking he's done. He's 69 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:46,839 Speaker 2: done some interviews, he's saying, we can get this done 70 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 2: with America. He ran to Europe begging for aid support, 71 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 2: help money, and now there's basically the UK and France 72 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 2: are like, you screwed up big. We're gonna try to 73 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 2: help you put this deal back together and will be 74 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 2: the liaison with the United States of America since you 75 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 2: screwed it up so badly. 76 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 3: Well, Zelensky's Oval Office performance was disastrous, And listen, at 77 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 3: some level, it's not complicated what he had to do. 78 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 3: He was there to come to President Trump and seek 79 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,359 Speaker 3: his help, seek his help, seek the United States to 80 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 3: stand with him in some way, shape or form in 81 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 3: their war with Russia. And Zelensky is belieguered, he's a 82 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 3: wartime leader. He feels desperate. But to be clear, the 83 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 3: United States is also his principal patron, his funder, the 84 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 3: person who has paid for the war for years, has 85 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:45,919 Speaker 3: sent hundreds of billions of dollars to Ukraine. And so 86 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:50,039 Speaker 3: in any sane and rational world, Zelensky would come into 87 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 3: the Oval Office hat in hand, would come into the 88 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 3: office being grateful for the support that the United States 89 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:04,279 Speaker 3: has given, and to be honest, kissing Trump's ass. I 90 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 3: mean that this is not a complicated dynamic. And by 91 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 3: the way, it's also not a new dynamic. I've been 92 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 3: in a lot of Oval Office meetings. Just about every 93 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,720 Speaker 3: foreign leader comes in and treats the President of the 94 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 3: United States with respect. That is incumbent on the office. 95 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 3: The United States is the world's leading superpower, and so 96 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 3: foreign leaders, foreign heads of state, whether they like the 97 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 3: president or not, they treat the president with respect. I 98 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 3: will tell you any president, if there were a foreign 99 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:42,160 Speaker 3: leader who treated them the way Zelenski treated Trump, would 100 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:44,840 Speaker 3: have been pissed off and the consequences would have been bad. 101 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 3: With Trump, the consequences were spectacularly bad. And listen, one 102 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 3: needn't be a forensic psychologist to understand that it is 103 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 3: a really dumb idea to go into a meeting with 104 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 3: Donald Trump and insult him and condescend him and attack him. 105 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 3: If you do that, Ben, I can actually give out 106 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 3: the probabilities to amazing precision. If you attack and insult 107 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 3: Donald Trump, the chances that he will punch back are 108 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 3: one hundred point zero zero zero percent, especially in every instance. 109 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: Always I mean, yeah exactly, I mean. 110 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 3: Behind Cloor on Global TV. 111 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, like, and that's the part where it was like 112 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 2: such shocking tone death and you and I mentioned this 113 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 2: in the pot on Friday. But the ambassador from the Ukraine, 114 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 2: I think she's said up perfectly, holding her head in 115 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 2: her hands, like this is a disaster that no one 116 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 2: knows how to fix. 117 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 3: So look, I think the problem is Zelenski has been 118 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 3: surrounded by an echo chamber of left wing Democrats. He's 119 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 3: been piling around with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. He's 120 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 3: been piling around with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. He's 121 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:01,480 Speaker 3: been piling around with the New York Times and and 122 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 3: and he's become this is a guy who appears in 123 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:07,719 Speaker 3: Vanity fairap, he appears in People magazine, and he's become 124 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 3: a leftist. Caused a joure and and he made I 125 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 3: think the stupid assessment of Gosh, all the people I 126 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 3: hang around with they hate Donald Trump. They think Donald 127 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 3: Trump is an idiot, So I should go in and 128 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 3: treat Donald Trump like he's an idiot. And and it 129 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 3: was I think he felt. I think Zelensky went into 130 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 3: the Oval performing for The New York Times and believing 131 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 3: that that that that the world be like, Oh, Zelensky 132 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 3: stands up and puts Trump in his place, ha, And 133 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 3: it was truly absurd. It backfired enormously. And by the way, 134 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 3: that this is the same political idiocy that led Zelensky 135 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 3: last fall to go and effectively do a campaign event 136 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 3: with Kamala Harris and Pennsylvania and to come to the 137 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 3: United States in the middle of the presidential campaign, to 138 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 3: come to the United States and do a New York 139 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 3: Times interview attacking Donald Trump a month out from the election. 140 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 3: And you and I did a whole pot at the time. God, 141 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 3: what the hell is wrong with this guy? Is he 142 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 3: just an idiot? Look, I don't know who's going to 143 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 3: win the race. Both you and I thought Trump was 144 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 3: gonna win, but nobody knew for sure. At a minimum, 145 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 3: Zelensky knew there was some real possibility that Trump was 146 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 3: going to be the president. Did he think it made sense? 147 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,559 Speaker 3: Like what foreign leader comes. By the way, I wouldn't 148 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,719 Speaker 3: have advocated Zelensky should come campaign for Trump either. He's 149 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 3: the president of Ukraine. He ought to be focused on 150 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 3: Ukraine and stay the hell out of our elections. Like 151 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 3: like it was an idiotic out of it. 152 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:43,559 Speaker 1: There's no upside to this. 153 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 2: And then whoever wins, that's who you work with and 154 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 2: that's how it is, So why would you risk it? 155 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:51,680 Speaker 1: But this goes back to one of two things. 156 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 2: Is this because he is not a he's a fake 157 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 2: politician the sense where he's an actor that you know, 158 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 2: figured out a way to get this job and there's 159 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 2: no elections happening there right now. And he feels like 160 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 2: he believes the international press, which by the way, did 161 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 2: turn him into a rockstar. Mean, he became the Taylor 162 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 2: Swift of dudes in politics and was piped into the 163 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 2: award shows like we had on Sunday Night. I Mean, 164 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 2: this is a guy that I think started maybe believing 165 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 2: the press that he's untouchable. 166 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 1: He's amazing, he's just incressible leader. 167 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 3: Look, he thinks he's George Washington. He thinks he's Winston Churchill. 168 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 3: He thinks he is he is larger than life, and 169 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 3: everyone around him, and particularly Donald Trump, are just beneath him, 170 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:41,079 Speaker 3: and that arrogance and condescension came out, and it really 171 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,839 Speaker 3: is I think it's it's the danger of believing your 172 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 3: own pr like believing your own bs. 173 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 1: Listen. 174 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 3: I've met Zelensky multiple times. You know, people ask me, 175 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 3: all right, is the guy totally and utterly corrupt? And look, 176 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 3: I want to urge our verdict. Listeners, there is a 177 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 3: danger in talking about Ukraine and foreign policy to fall 178 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:10,439 Speaker 3: into extremes and to say either Zolensky is a glorious 179 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 3: hero defending liberty and everyone with morality will stand against 180 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:19,079 Speaker 3: him against the worst skirt humanity has ever seen, Vladimir Putin. 181 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 3: That's one view I think. I don't think that view 182 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 3: is right. There is another view, which, if you spend 183 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 3: your time on Twitter you could see as the sort 184 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:33,679 Speaker 3: of countervailing view, which is Zelensky is a corrupt, evil autocrat, 185 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 3: He's a Nazi, he's a terrible human being. He started 186 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:41,679 Speaker 3: the war against Russia, and Vladimir Putin is a misunderstood 187 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 3: kind soul who we just need to embrace because he's 188 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 3: a giant teddy bear and we need to love. Unsurprisingly, 189 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 3: that view isn't right either. And one of the things 190 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 3: look that I love about doing a podcast. If you 191 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 3: do a TV or radio interview, both you and I 192 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 3: have done a ton of Time Raider interviews. If you've 193 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:05,439 Speaker 3: got five or six minutes to discuss an issue, you 194 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 3: got to talk about it in a quick, little SoundBite, 195 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 3: You got to talk about it a sentence or two. 196 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 3: This podcast, we can actually talk about issues and don't 197 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 3: fall into the mistakes of believing the extremes on either 198 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 3: side my view of this. Has Ukraine struggled with corruption, Yes, 199 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 3: it has for a long time been one of the 200 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 3: most corrupt countries in Europe. There's been endemic corruption throughout 201 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:34,719 Speaker 3: the government, throughout the economy. Absolutely. Yes, is Zelensky implicated 202 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 3: in that, I don't know, but given the history of 203 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 3: corruption in his country, it's not reasonable to acknowledge there's 204 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,319 Speaker 3: some reasonable possibility. It's not unreasonable to acknowledge there's some 205 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:47,199 Speaker 3: reasonable possibility of that. The United States has also been 206 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 3: shoveling hundreds of billions of dollars to this war with 207 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 3: no accountability. It's been dragging on forever, and people are 208 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 3: tired of it. People want it to be over. Donald 209 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 3: Trump campaigned on where going to end the war in Ukraine. 210 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 3: Enough is enough. We're not sending our money there anymore. 211 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 3: That is a mandate that came out of the election. 212 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 3: Now you may not like that, you may not agree 213 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 3: with it. But Trump was not hiding that was the 214 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:13,959 Speaker 3: outcome he wanted. Kamala Harris was not hiding the outcome 215 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:16,079 Speaker 3: she wanted, which is to pay for the war forever 216 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 3: and ever and ever, and keep shoveling cash to Ukraine 217 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:20,960 Speaker 3: no matter what. But by the way, not enough cash 218 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 3: that they win, and not cutting off the money to Iran, 219 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:26,599 Speaker 3: which is making drones and sending him to Russia that 220 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 3: it's using them to kill Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. So 221 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 3: fund both sides in perpetuity to keep the war machine going. 222 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 3: That was Kamala's position. The voters voted for Trump, that 223 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 3: mandate means something. But I will say, if you look 224 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 3: at the aftermath of the Zelensky Oval Office meeting, it 225 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:50,079 Speaker 3: was a disastrous meeting for Ukraine. I actually think because 226 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 3: Zelenski's performance was so bad, it was not a good 227 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 3: meeting for America. Zelensky did harm to America too. Why 228 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,319 Speaker 3: because who was happiest in the world about that meeting? 229 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 3: And the answer is Vladimir Putin. I think Putin was 230 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 3: laughing his ass off as he watched that because Zelensky 231 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 3: was such a hirk that he did real damage to Ukraine. 232 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 3: And the consequence of Zelenski's behavior is it benefits Russia, 233 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:23,079 Speaker 3: and benefiting Russia is not good for America. I do 234 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 3: want to urge everyone who listens to this podcast, is 235 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 3: I watch Twitter. We're so captured by tribalism that there 236 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,559 Speaker 3: are people on the right who are fed up with 237 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 3: the Joe Biden's and Kamala Harris's and the virtue signaling 238 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 3: on Ukraine that they've decided Putin is just awesome. Let 239 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:45,600 Speaker 3: me be clear, Putin is a KGB thug. He is 240 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 3: a murderer. Putin is not our friend. And Putin's ambitions 241 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:54,560 Speaker 3: you don't have to intuit them, you don't have to 242 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 3: infer them. He has told us his ambitions. He has 243 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 3: said that he believes the greatest geo political disaster of 244 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,679 Speaker 3: the twentieth century is the dissolution of the Soviet Union. 245 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 3: He wants to reassemble the Soviet Union. In fact, he 246 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 3: said more. He said he wants to go back to 247 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 3: the old Russian Russian Empire before the Soviet Union, but 248 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 3: that was even broader, and that had Russia controlling much 249 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 3: of modern Europe. That would be a disastrous outcome for America. 250 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 3: My views America first, which means I want our allies 251 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 3: to be strong and I want our enemies to be weak. 252 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 3: It's the reason I've urged President Trump. Yes, you campaigned 253 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 3: on we should end the war in Europe. Enough is enough, 254 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 3: stop sending money. But we want a negotiated outcome that 255 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 3: is a clear loss for Russia. Why, because Russia is 256 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 3: our enemy. Putin is our enemy, and we don't want 257 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 3: our enemy made stronger. Zelenski's performance was so bad, so outrageous, 258 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 3: so infuriating, that Zelenski increased the chances of an outcome 259 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 3: that benefits Putin, and then that is bad for Ukraine, 260 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:03,240 Speaker 3: bad for America, and bad for the. 261 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: World, which brings us to now where we are. 262 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 2: And look, you've got uk in, France and Ukraine that 263 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 2: have agreed to quote work on a ceasefire plan and 264 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 2: try to get I guess Zolensky back into a conversation 265 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 2: with the President of the United States of America. They're 266 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 2: having this big meeting over in Europe. A lot of 267 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 2: different countries are there. The summit includes France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, 268 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 2: the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Chez Republic 269 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 2: in Romania, the Turkish Foreign Minister, the NATO Security General, 270 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 2: and the Presidence of the European Commission and the European 271 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 2: Council will also attend. Now you notice I didn't say 272 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 2: the United States of America. This is part of I 273 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 2: think the most interesting part of President Trump's meeting with Zelenski. 274 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 2: It's like, look, you take us for granted. You come 275 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 2: in here, you lecture us, you have no plan for peace. 276 00:15:57,840 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 2: You clearly aren't here for peace. 277 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 1: Good luck. 278 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 2: And now all of these other leaders are having to 279 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 2: step up and say, okay, let us try to help 280 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 2: you fix this so that we can save your country 281 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 2: because he did so much harm to Ukraine. 282 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 3: And look, I say, great, if Europe wants to step 283 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 3: up and fund the war for another year, knock yourselves out, guys, 284 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 3: like our checkbook is done. But it is striking. It's 285 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 3: an indication of just how disastrous. Zelensky's meeting was that 286 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 3: he immediately ran to the United Kingdom to France to 287 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 3: meet with the King of England. All right, here's one 288 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 3: story from NPR. UK Prime minister on veil steps towards 289 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 3: a Ukraine peace deal urges US cooperation. Here's what NPR 290 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 3: reports quote. British Prime Minister kir Starmer on Sunday laid 291 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 3: out of framework for a plan to end Russia's war 292 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 3: in Ukraine, one where Europe will lead the charge for 293 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 3: securing peace yay, while still relying heavily on US backing boo. 294 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 3: The proposal is the result of emergency talks held by 295 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 3: European leaders in London following President Trump's heated exchange with 296 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 3: Ukrainian President of Vladimir Zelenski at the end at the 297 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,640 Speaker 3: White House last week. Over the weekend, leaders from over 298 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,199 Speaker 3: a dozen countries got together to discuss a roadmap for 299 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 3: peace and security for Ukraine as the country faces its 300 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:22,679 Speaker 3: third year of war with Russia. The emergency summit was 301 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:25,359 Speaker 3: also aimed at working to preserve Ukraine's relationship with the 302 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 3: US and Americans involvement in the war overseas. Starmer said 303 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,959 Speaker 3: that Europe must do the quote heavy lifting to secure 304 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:34,959 Speaker 3: a lasting peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, and that 305 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 3: the UK should lead the front. He emphasized that quote 306 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 3: this effort must have strong US backing, which if he 307 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 3: means more hundreds of billions of dollars, the answer is no, 308 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 3: thank you. But he continues quote. Through my discussions over 309 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 3: recent days, we've agreed that the UK, France and others 310 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 3: will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting, 311 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 3: Starmar sent at a press conference on Sunday. Then we'll 312 00:17:57,520 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 3: discuss that plan with the United States and take it 313 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 3: for we're together now. It's interesting to do so. Starmar 314 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 3: valve the United Kingdom would ramp up at support for Ukraine. 315 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 3: That included a loan of what do you think? 316 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:12,120 Speaker 1: A lot of money? Right? 317 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:14,200 Speaker 3: What do you think? Pick a number? 318 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,119 Speaker 2: Oh gosh, see, this is when you get me in trouble, 319 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 2: because I'm going to either be way too low or 320 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 2: way too high. 321 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: Let's call it. 322 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 3: Fifty million, so higher than that, so you're even more pessimistic. 323 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:29,959 Speaker 1: Okay. 324 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 3: That includes a loan of two point twenty six billion 325 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 3: British points two point eight four billion dollars, So look 326 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 3: two point eight four billion dollars. That's real money, except 327 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 3: for the fact that the United States has spent about 328 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 3: one hundred and seventy five billion dollars on Ukraine. That's 329 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 3: part of the fundamental imbalance there. 330 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:51,439 Speaker 2: Well, look, I love the breath thing about finding money, 331 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 2: like you go back to Trump saying like, we're no 332 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:57,680 Speaker 2: longer just an open blank check. There was also something 333 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,359 Speaker 2: else that was said that Europe quote needs to step 334 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 2: in and release some two hundred billion euros it's two 335 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 2: hundred and seven billion in quote seized Russian assets to 336 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 2: help fund the war efforts. So all of a sudden 337 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 2: they're now saying, well, we got two hundred billion or 338 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 2: two hundred and seven billion in US dollars two hundred 339 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:19,680 Speaker 2: billion euros of seize Russian assets. Maybe we should use 340 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 2: that money instead of our own money to help them 341 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 2: in Ukraine. And I'm like, wow, you turn off this 342 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 2: picket in America, a brilliant, simple plan, and all of 343 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,480 Speaker 2: a sudden they find two hundred billion euros sitting around 344 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:32,920 Speaker 2: They're like, Okay, maybe we can give that. 345 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 1: To them now. Yeah. 346 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 3: Look, I'm all for the Europeans stepping in and doing 347 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 3: everything they can if they want to do that, knock 348 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:42,439 Speaker 3: yourself out. They're welcome to spend their money, but we're 349 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 3: not the welfare provider for the world. And to be clear, 350 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:50,360 Speaker 3: why are we borrowing when we got thirty six trillion 351 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 3: dollars in debt? Why are we borrowing money from China 352 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,919 Speaker 3: to give it to other countries. That makes no sense, 353 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 3: and it is an interesting shift. 354 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 1: Now. 355 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 3: Look, I will say one of the frustrating things about 356 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 3: this meeting last week in the Oval is the meeting 357 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:09,880 Speaker 3: was there to sign an agreement, an agreement that had 358 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 3: been negotiated ahead of time. And that agreement was an 359 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:18,880 Speaker 3: agreement where Ukraine would give the United States a substantial 360 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,919 Speaker 3: interest in its rare earth minerals and valuable resources to 361 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:25,880 Speaker 3: pay back the one hundred and seventy five billion dollars 362 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 3: we've given them. That agreement made a lot of sense. 363 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 3: That agreement was pre negotiated. I think the White House 364 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 3: thought Zelensky was going to show up, sign the agreement 365 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 3: and leave. He didn't. Instead, he put on this performance. 366 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 3: And I actually want you to listen to this exchange 367 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 3: on CNN because it's a striking exchange. The first speaker 368 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:49,439 Speaker 3: of Scott Jennings, who by the way. Scott Jennings is 369 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 3: doing a phenomenal job on CNN, being a voice of 370 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 3: reason and common sense fighting against a bunch of numb 371 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 3: nuts and left wing comedies. Really doing an effective job. 372 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:06,120 Speaker 3: And he's in this case talking with Josh Rogan. Josh 373 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 3: Rogan is is a very smart reporter for Washington Post Intelligence. 374 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 3: He does foreign policy. But look, Josh Rogan and Scott 375 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,879 Speaker 3: Jennings do not often agree. Listen to this back and 376 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:24,199 Speaker 3: forth as they're analyzing what happened with Zelensky in the 377 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 3: Oval office. 378 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:27,679 Speaker 4: I don't know if he needs an apology. He needs 379 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:31,120 Speaker 4: Zelensky to recognize the position that he's in. We're see 380 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:33,639 Speaker 4: you as what We're their patron, we're their best hope 381 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 4: for the killing to stop and for them to emerge 382 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 4: from this sovereign and prosperous. And we're also their best 383 00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 4: hope as a business partner. I mean, all Zelensky had 384 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 4: to do today was put on a tie, show up, smile, 385 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 4: say thank you, sign the papers, and have lunch. 386 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:50,360 Speaker 1: That's it. 387 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 4: And he couldn't do that. And this followed ten days 388 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:57,119 Speaker 4: of being difficult in private and now one day of 389 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 4: being stupid and public. I want this did not have 390 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 4: to go down this way. And however you feel about 391 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:07,639 Speaker 4: why it started, why it's going on, who's right and 392 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 4: who's wrong. We can help them in this and come 393 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:12,639 Speaker 4: out okay on the other side. And he's making it 394 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:14,600 Speaker 4: hard now. First of all, I can't believe I'm about 395 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 4: to say this, but I actually agree with Scott and 396 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 4: everything that he said was basically right. 397 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: Wow. 398 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:22,119 Speaker 4: I know I'm going to get killed on social media 399 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:27,120 Speaker 4: for admitting that, but so be. I have a short 400 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 4: answer on this, and so the short answer is the 401 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 4: Trump administration believes that if Ukraine goes into business with 402 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 4: the United States, that in and of itself is a 403 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 4: security guarantee. If if your interests become our interests, we're 404 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:43,359 Speaker 4: going to be interested in making sure our interests are secure. 405 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 4: So it would have been wise for him to understand 406 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 4: the economic deal, the mineral deal is a security guarantee 407 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 4: in and of itself, and he lost sight of that 408 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 4: today in the arguments premedity. 409 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: I don't know. 410 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 4: I think Zelenski misplayed it in the room, and you 411 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 4: can and we could disagree about Jade Vance's position on 412 00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:04,160 Speaker 4: it or agree on it. But either way, Zolensky certainly 413 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,399 Speaker 4: had been briefed on what the right way to handle 414 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 4: this was, and all he had to do was walk 415 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 4: in there and say, thank you, I'm really grateful to 416 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 4: be here. We want to be partners with the United States. 417 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 4: We're grateful for your leadership. Where's the papers? And what 418 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 4: are we having for lunch? That's all he had to do. 419 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:24,520 Speaker 4: And look, the posturing doesn't have to occur now. If 420 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 4: he is serious about wanting peace and ending this war, 421 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 4: you don't have to keep posturing as a tough guy. 422 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 4: Everybody knows you're tough, all right. The Ukrainians are tough, 423 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 4: they're brave, they're fighting a much larger country. Everybody knows. 424 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 4: The question for Zelensky is can you take off the 425 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,119 Speaker 4: military uniform and put on the uniform of diplomacy. He 426 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 4: failed to test it. 427 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:45,879 Speaker 2: He failed diplomacy that test today. It was not a 428 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 2: hard meeting. This wasn't something that was gonna It was 429 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 2: harder to screw it up than it was to get 430 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 2: it right. 431 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 3: Look, he needed mostly to be saying sir, yes, sir, 432 00:23:56,760 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 3: thank you, sir. 433 00:23:57,600 --> 00:23:58,640 Speaker 1: May I have another. 434 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 3: It? And Scott is right. Look, this deal on minerals 435 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,880 Speaker 3: had the advantage for Ukraine of having the Trump administration 436 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 3: being an integally involved economic partner with Ukraine, that's really beneficial. 437 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 3: And the alternative is very different, which is without the 438 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:31,000 Speaker 3: United States, Ukraine's prospects are really dim. And so if 439 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 3: you know that your prospects for success are miserably sad 440 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 3: unless President Trump supports you, in what universe do you 441 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 3: come in and start attacking and insulting him? 442 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:45,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, it doesn't. 443 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 2: And this is now how fast can Europe get this 444 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:52,679 Speaker 2: back together? But I do love they found billions and 445 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:55,920 Speaker 2: billions and billions of Russian assets, Like, oh well, maybe 446 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:59,640 Speaker 2: instead of our taxpayers over in Europe paying them giving them, 447 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 2: maybe we just take this money we can we've seized 448 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:05,399 Speaker 2: and frozen, and then we'll use that in the war effort. 449 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 2: That makes more sense for the short term. So we're 450 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 2: going to go down that road. It's amazing how fast 451 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 2: Europe found cash when America said it no more from us, 452 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 2: We're not going to be suckers, Which brings me to 453 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 2: tomorrow night. Let's just have a little fun with this 454 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 2: for a second. Because you mentioned earlier to State of 455 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:28,120 Speaker 2: the Union, others are going to say, well, technically, it's 456 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 2: a joint session of Congress. Can we explain very quickly 457 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 2: why the first time the president addresses a joint session 458 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 2: of Congress it's not technically called to state the Union, 459 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:39,919 Speaker 2: but afterwards it is okay. 460 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 3: So I believe tomorrow's address is a state of the Union. 461 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:46,359 Speaker 3: You're right, but I think the sort of tradition is wrong. 462 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:49,320 Speaker 3: The origin of the state of the Union comes from 463 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:53,640 Speaker 3: the text of the Constitution. Article two, Section three provides, quote, 464 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:57,240 Speaker 3: he the President shall from time to time give to 465 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 3: the Congress information of the state of the Union, and 466 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 3: recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge 467 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:10,120 Speaker 3: necessary and expedient. And so that's the origin of it 468 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 3: that the Constitution says he shall give to Congress information 469 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:19,919 Speaker 3: on the state of the Union. Now, traditionally, the first 470 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 3: address the president gives when he's newly elected is not 471 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 3: called a state of the Union address. It's rather just 472 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 3: called an address to a joint Session of Congress. And 473 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:31,719 Speaker 3: traditionally the first state of the Union is the second 474 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 3: address he gives. So a year from now that will 475 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:36,359 Speaker 3: be called a state of the Union. In my view, 476 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 3: the plain text of the Constitution is of the presidents 477 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:41,160 Speaker 3: giving Congress his views on the state of the Union. 478 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:43,119 Speaker 3: It's a State of the Union address, and so I 479 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,240 Speaker 3: think the tradition is wrong. Now it's interesting if you 480 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 3: go and look at the history of it. Initially it 481 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:56,520 Speaker 3: started in writing, so George Washington set written messages to 482 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 3: Congress instead of delivering them in person. So did John 483 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,600 Speaker 3: Adams to Thomas Jefferson. So it started out that the 484 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:05,440 Speaker 3: State of the Union was delivered in writing. Then Woodrow 485 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 3: Wilson in nineteen thirteen delivered his message in person, and 486 00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:14,399 Speaker 3: Franklin Roosevelt did the same. The first radio broadcast of 487 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,080 Speaker 3: the State of the Union was in nineteen twenty three, 488 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 3: and the first televised advised address was in nineteen forty seven. 489 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 3: And it wasn't until nineteen sixty five, which is not 490 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:29,439 Speaker 3: really that long ago, that President Johnson began delivering the 491 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:34,120 Speaker 3: address in primetime, and then in nineteen sixty six the 492 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:38,919 Speaker 3: opposition party began offering a televised response to the president's speech. 493 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 3: So today we think of it as a national speech 494 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 3: that's covered on TV on every one of the stations. 495 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:48,159 Speaker 3: It didn't start out that way, but tomorrow we're going 496 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 3: to see exactly that, a national speech given to the country, 497 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:53,879 Speaker 3: given to a Joint Session of Congress. I'll be sitting 498 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 3: there on the floor of the House listening to it, 499 00:27:56,400 --> 00:28:00,199 Speaker 3: and as will millions of people across America and all 500 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 3: across the world. 501 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:04,160 Speaker 1: What do you expect in this speech? 502 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:06,040 Speaker 2: I mean, this is going to be one where I 503 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:08,480 Speaker 2: think it's going to be a lot about A we 504 00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:11,119 Speaker 2: one B this is what we're getting done for the 505 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 2: American people. I think the present understands how important this 506 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:18,080 Speaker 2: speech is to continue momentum moving forward for DOGE and 507 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 2: other things. But I actually think this is one of 508 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 2: the most important speeches he's going to give because this 509 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 2: is at that critical moment where it's like, all right, 510 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:30,359 Speaker 2: you know, are we winning. Yes, here's what we're doing, 511 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:33,040 Speaker 2: Here's what we promised we were going to do, and 512 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:36,360 Speaker 2: keep supporting and backing us because we're all in. 513 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 3: So my prediction is the theme of the speech will 514 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:43,960 Speaker 3: be promises made, promises kept, and it will have many 515 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:48,720 Speaker 3: similar themes that the inauguration speech had about the mandate 516 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 3: from the last election. But the difference is going to 517 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 3: be the inauguration speech was on the first day of 518 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 3: the second term, so at that point nothing had happened yet. 519 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:00,240 Speaker 3: It was literally raising his hand and taking the oath 520 00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 3: of office is what made him president. So we hadn't 521 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:03,960 Speaker 3: been able to do anything yet this second term when 522 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 3: he gave that speech. In this instance, we have seen 523 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 3: the most consequential first forty days of a president in history. 524 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:16,720 Speaker 3: There's never been a president hit the ground running the 525 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 3: way Donald Trump has. There's never been a president issue 526 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 3: as many executive orders do as much as Donald Trump is, 527 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 3: and so I expect the speech to be number one. 528 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 3: I expect a lot of focus on the border. So 529 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:30,480 Speaker 3: on the border, I think the President is going to say, 530 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,800 Speaker 3: we had chaos, we had open borders, we had twelve 531 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 3: million illegal immigrants, we had the worst illegal immigration in 532 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 3: the history of our country. We had an invasion at 533 00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 3: our southern border. The American people said enough is enough 534 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 3: is enough. I expect the President to point to in 535 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:51,160 Speaker 3: the gallery victims of illegal immigration. I expect to see 536 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 3: the families of people who were murdered by illegal immigrants, 537 00:29:56,440 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 3: whether lacoln Riley or Joscelyn Nungary or Rachel Morin. I 538 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:05,560 Speaker 3: expect to see the families, uh to highlight this was 539 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:09,760 Speaker 3: a tragedy, it was wrong, and Americans were suffering every 540 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 3: damn day as I put it at at the RNC 541 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 3: convention this year, and we've seen in just forty days 542 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:21,959 Speaker 3: the number of illegal crossings plummet over ninety percent. I 543 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:24,680 Speaker 3: fully expect President Trump to say, you elected me to 544 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 3: fix this problem, and we are fixing the problem. If 545 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 3: you're a murderer, if you're a rapist, if you're a 546 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 3: child molester, if you're a Venezuelan gang member, get the 547 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 3: hell out because if you do it, don't We're going 548 00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 3: to find you. We're going to arrest you, We're going 549 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 3: to deport you. We will secure the border. And that's 550 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 3: a promise made and a promise kept. I think that's 551 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 3: going to be a major major theme. 552 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 2: I think entertant on enter how important do you think 553 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 2: this is? I mean, is this one of those where 554 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:54,320 Speaker 2: your ik if you're able to. 555 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 3: Look, I think it's important. I don't think it is, 556 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 3: you know, game changing either way. I think the President 557 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:04,760 Speaker 3: will do a good job. I got to say State 558 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 3: of the Unions are always interesting, and we'll talk about 559 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:08,840 Speaker 3: on Wednesday's pod. 560 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:10,160 Speaker 1: We'll talk about how. 561 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:11,880 Speaker 3: It was, and so you and I will record this 562 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:14,560 Speaker 3: after the State of the Union. That's going to be 563 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 3: a brutal one. By the way, because the State of 564 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 3: the Union goes on forever. And then I typically do 565 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:22,200 Speaker 3: various media. I don't know if I'm doing Hannity. I 566 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 3: often do Hannity after State of the Unions. But I'll 567 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:26,320 Speaker 3: do some media and then you and I will record 568 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 3: the pod at midnight or one in the morning. So 569 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:33,200 Speaker 3: but we will record it and I will give you 570 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 3: my real time assessments of how it went. But look, 571 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:39,720 Speaker 3: I think the President is going to do a terrific 572 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:42,080 Speaker 3: job with it. And I don't know that it matters. 573 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:44,920 Speaker 3: I don't know that it will change anything fundamentally other 574 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:46,760 Speaker 3: than I think a lot of people. You will have 575 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 3: tens of millions of people watching, and you will have 576 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:52,720 Speaker 3: even more globally watching. And I think the basic message 577 00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:57,719 Speaker 3: the American people voted, they elected us, they gave us 578 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 3: a mandate, and we are on that mandate. We are 579 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:05,240 Speaker 3: producing results, We're doing what the voters sent us here 580 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 3: to do. I think that message is really important, and 581 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 3: I think that message will be conveyed. I'm glad of that. 582 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 3: I think that's really important. By the way, I'll say 583 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:21,520 Speaker 3: one of the things that I'm looking forward to so 584 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:26,200 Speaker 3: later today I'm going to do an event in the 585 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:29,479 Speaker 3: Capitol with the First Lady with Melania Trump. I'm going 586 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 3: to do an event with the First Lady on my 587 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 3: legislation to take it down. Legislation to take it down. 588 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 3: Legislation protects young girls, protects women from so called revenge porn, 589 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:47,560 Speaker 3: protects them from deep fakes. So we've seen multiple instances. 590 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 3: We've seen teenage girls who won from Texas. Elliston Berry, 591 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:57,080 Speaker 3: who was a freshman in high school, and she woke 592 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 3: up one morning and a classmate of hers, a boy 593 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:03,680 Speaker 3: in ninth grade, had taken a perfectly innocuous picture of 594 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:07,680 Speaker 3: her from social media, had used AI to create a 595 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 3: deep fake to make it look like they were naked 596 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:12,240 Speaker 3: pictures of her. They were not real. They were fake, 597 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 3: but if you looked at them, you thought they were real. 598 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:18,080 Speaker 3: The AI technology is such that you can't tell. And 599 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 3: this boider class had sent it to her classmates, and 600 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:23,239 Speaker 3: this poor girl woke up in tears. If you can 601 00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:25,800 Speaker 3: imagine you and I are both parents, it's hard to 602 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 3: be a teenager anytime, but for a young girl to 603 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 3: have all your classmates think they're looking at naked pictures 604 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 3: of you, or in some instances, you have deep fake 605 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 3: videos where they can create pornographic videos of real people 606 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:42,560 Speaker 3: that look like they're engaged in lude and explicit acts. 607 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:47,400 Speaker 3: And my legislation that Take It Down Act makes it 608 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:50,920 Speaker 3: number one a crime to post non consensual intimate images 609 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:55,720 Speaker 3: and number two, whether real or deep fakes made using AI. 610 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,800 Speaker 3: And number two it puts an obligation on social media 611 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:03,080 Speaker 3: place platforms, and tech platforms to take this garbage down 612 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:07,320 Speaker 3: when the victims notified them. In Elliston's situation, I met 613 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 3: with her. She reached out to me as her senator 614 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 3: and raised this And it's actually how I encountered the 615 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:15,120 Speaker 3: issue because it was it was it was a concern 616 00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:18,640 Speaker 3: raised by a constituent, and I drafted this legislation in 617 00:34:18,680 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 3: response to her concerns. I met with her and her mom. 618 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:23,880 Speaker 3: At the time, the pictures had been up on Snapchat 619 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:26,359 Speaker 3: for nine months, and I asked her and her mom. 620 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:28,560 Speaker 3: I said, well, what's the story with the pictures now? 621 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:33,960 Speaker 3: And her mom said they're still up and they said. 622 00:34:34,640 --> 00:34:37,399 Speaker 3: Her mom said, I've called Snapchat, I've emailed them, I've 623 00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:39,839 Speaker 3: gone round and round and round. They will not take 624 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:42,480 Speaker 3: them down. And I turned to my team, I said, 625 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:44,000 Speaker 3: damn it, I want you to get the CEO of 626 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 3: Snapchat on the phone right now this afternoon, and I said, 627 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,880 Speaker 3: those pictures will be down today. 628 00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:53,399 Speaker 1: Ben. 629 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:56,400 Speaker 3: They pulled the pictures down within two hours. And you 630 00:34:56,440 --> 00:34:59,080 Speaker 3: know what, it should not take a sitting United States 631 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:01,040 Speaker 3: Senator to make a phone call to make that happen. 632 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:03,439 Speaker 3: The victim ought to have the right to get that down. 633 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,960 Speaker 3: And so my legislation puts a legal obligation on the 634 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 3: part of the tech platform if the victim notifies them, 635 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:11,680 Speaker 3: they have to take it down. So tomorrow I'm going 636 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:14,120 Speaker 3: to do an event at the Capitol with the First 637 00:35:14,239 --> 00:35:17,600 Speaker 3: Lady of Milania Trump. We're gonna have Elliston, Barry Is there, 638 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:20,160 Speaker 3: We're gonna have other victims who have been victims there 639 00:35:20,520 --> 00:35:23,160 Speaker 3: to highlight this legislation. My bill has already passed the 640 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:25,840 Speaker 3: Senate one hundred and nothing. I believe we'll get it 641 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:28,319 Speaker 3: through the House, and I think you could see the 642 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 3: President talking about issues like that at the State of 643 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:33,880 Speaker 3: the Union as well, laying out we have a mandate 644 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:36,280 Speaker 3: we're going to deliver and here's what we're delivering already. 645 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:37,360 Speaker 1: That's awesome. 646 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:40,319 Speaker 2: Well, we're going to have a big show after the 647 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:43,880 Speaker 2: joint Address State of the Union, on, so get ready 648 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:46,840 Speaker 2: for that. Make sure you get that subscriber auto download 649 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:49,799 Speaker 2: button wherever you get this podcast, and please share it 650 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:52,279 Speaker 2: on social media if you would rune us a five 651 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:54,960 Speaker 2: star review. We'd also greatly appreciate that it helps us 652 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 2: reach a new audience every time you do that, So 653 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:00,319 Speaker 2: if you'll do that as well, that would be huge, 654 00:36:00,719 --> 00:36:03,200 Speaker 2: And the Senator I will see you back here on 655 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:04,120 Speaker 2: Wednesday morning.