1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:01,480 Speaker 1: Welcome. 2 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 2: It is Verdic with Ted Cruz Weekend Review Ben Ferguson 3 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 2: with you, and here are some of the big stories 4 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 2: that you may have missed that we talked about this 5 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 2: past week. First up, Donald Trump's message to the world 6 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 2: on the peace Agreement, What was behind it, how did 7 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,319 Speaker 2: it get done, and how big could this be for 8 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 2: peace in the Middle East. We break it down for you. Also, 9 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 2: Charlie Kirk's widow receives the Medal of Freedom award for 10 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 2: her husband. This was a touching moment the White House 11 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 2: and Senator Cruz was there for it. And finally Eric 12 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 2: Trump joins us the present son to talk about how 13 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 2: much it costs the Trump family to fight all of 14 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 2: the legal warfare. It's the weekend Review and it starts 15 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 2: right now. So so many people that are listening to Verdict. 16 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:46,919 Speaker 2: They're going to get to not only I think here, 17 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 2: from probably leadership in Israel in the next several hours. 18 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 2: It's certainly going to happen in the morning or midday. 19 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: You're also going to be able to hear from the 20 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 2: President United States of America. What do you expect his 21 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 2: message to be? And this is by the way, all 22 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 2: happening right now while the federal government is still shut 23 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 2: down in the US. And I want to get your 24 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 2: take on that in a moment. But what do you 25 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 2: expect to hear from the president today? 26 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: Look, I think the President is going to say, this 27 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 1: is an historic day. This peace agreement is a moment 28 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: of history that ended a war that has extended for 29 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: two years, that freed people who have been in captivity 30 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:29,479 Speaker 1: for two years subject to horrific treatment. And I think 31 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: he's going to say, I expect the parties to stick 32 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: to the terms of the agreement. I think he is 33 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: going to continue with peace through strength. He's going to 34 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: continue with the opposite of weakness and appeasement because we 35 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: don't get to this peace agreement without President Trump's strength. 36 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: And then this is one thing to remember that there 37 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: are some observers who want to say that Donald Trump 38 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:58,559 Speaker 1: is an isolationist. He has never been an isolationist. He 39 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: is Look the first term that Trump was in office, 40 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: when when he came into office, he inherited an Isis 41 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 1: caliphate that had grown under Barack Obama that was the 42 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: size of the state of Indiana. They had an entire 43 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: nation state to wage terror against America. And Donald Trump 44 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: utterly decimated and destroyed it. Within months, the caliphate was gone. 45 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: He completely defeated them. He also took out General Solomoni, 46 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: who took out Al bag Daddy. Those are not the 47 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: actions of an isolationist. You look at the second term 48 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:33,799 Speaker 1: uh where he's been bombing the living daylights out of 49 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: the Huthis who are attacking ships going through the Suez Canal. 50 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 1: He is bombing the heck out of narco terrorist off 51 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: the coast of Venezuela. And by the way, Machada was 52 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:46,639 Speaker 1: smart to to say he deserved it, because look, her 53 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 1: efforts fighting Maduro are very important, and they're and they're 54 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 1: they're courageous. But President Trump's strength is the single factor 55 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: that makes it most likely that the Maduro regime will 56 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: be toppled and and so it in Trump taking out 57 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 1: those narcert terrorists is another example of peace through strength. 58 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: And finally, the the Iran bombing run taking out their 59 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: nuclear facilities. None of those are the acts of an isolationists. Now, 60 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: to be clear, President Trump is also not an interventionist. 61 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: He's not invading foreign countries. I don't expect to see 62 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: the Marines engaged in invading other countries other than to 63 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: protect the vital security interest of America, to keep America safe. 64 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: The only instance in which we would see a ground 65 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: war is is where there was a direct danger to 66 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: the lives of Americans. And in those instances, President Trump 67 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: is willing to use military force, but he's not engaged 68 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: in this broader endeavor to send in our military to 69 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: try to turn every country in the world into some 70 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: utopian democracy. That's not the job of the military. Donald 71 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: Trump doesn't think it's the job of the military. And 72 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: the result, strength is the best way to avoid war. 73 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: Our enemies are afraid of Donald Trump. That is a 74 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: very good thing. Hamas is afraid of Donald Trump. Hesbla 75 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: is afraid of Donald Trump. Iran is afraid of Donald Trump. 76 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: Maduro is afraid of Donald Trump. China and Russia are 77 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: afraid of Donald Trump. All of that is good because 78 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: America is safer and we are much likely more likely 79 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: to avoid military conflict when our enemies are afraid of 80 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: the commander in chief than when our enemies. You look 81 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 1: at Joe Biden, when they look and say, the commander 82 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 1: in chief is weak and completely incapacitated. And that is 83 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: why we went from no wars across the globe to 84 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: two wars Ukraine and Gaza, both raging under Joe Biden. 85 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: That's what happens when you you have a week and 86 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: appeasing president. 87 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 2: An update for everyone on the government shutdown here in 88 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 2: the US. We are into two weeks now of this 89 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 2: government's shutdown. We are starting to see it affect people's 90 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 2: lives or seeing healthcare issues with those for example in 91 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 2: San Antonio, I was there today talking about there's a 92 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 2: lot of people there that are saying that the providers 93 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 2: are not able to get the money and the funding 94 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 2: they need. Doctors are frustrated. The Schumer shutdown is really 95 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 2: starting to hurt people in our military, their kids, those 96 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 2: with special needs as well. Your reaction, how much longer 97 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 2: this is going to continue? And do you see any 98 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 2: movement this week? 99 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: Well, we're right now in day twelve of the Schumer 100 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 1: shutdown and the government is shut down because over and 101 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:45,840 Speaker 1: over and over again the Democrats are voting to shut 102 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: the government down. And I will say, you know, it's 103 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 1: actually interesting today on Twitter, fifty three Republicans was trending, 104 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 1: and the reason it was trending was an exchange back 105 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: and forth that I had with Gavin Newsom on the shutdown. 106 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: So Gavin Newsom tweeted out, Wow, that is wild. I 107 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: wonder who has control of the White House, Senate and 108 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 1: the House. And this is one of the Democrat talking 109 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: points as well. This is the Republican's fault because the 110 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: President and the Senate and the House are all in 111 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: Republican control. Here's what I responded on ax. I said, 112 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: Gavin is deliberately lying. To fund the government takes sixty 113 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: votes in the Senate. There are only fifty three Republicans. 114 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: We need at least seven Democrats. We keep voting to 115 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:39,119 Speaker 1: open the government, Dems keep voting to shut it down. 116 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: Gavin Newsom knows this, and he's lying to you. And 117 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: as of right now, that's had one point seven million views. 118 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,279 Speaker 1: It was trending on Twitter. And it's the simple fact 119 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:54,720 Speaker 1: we cannot pass funding for the government without sixty votes 120 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: in the Senate. That means there is nothing Republicans can 121 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,600 Speaker 1: do to fund this on our own. The Democrats all 122 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,799 Speaker 1: know this. We have voted, I think eight times now 123 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: the Republicans have voted to open the government to fund 124 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: the government, and every Democrat but I think three, have 125 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: voted no. And that's why we have a shutdown. Now. 126 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: We're all expected to go back to d C on 127 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: Tuesday of this week and we'll vote again to fund 128 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: the government. I voted to fund the government now, over 129 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: and over and over again. I'll vote again on Tuesday 130 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: to fund the government. And I think it is very 131 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 1: likely right now the Democrats will continue the Schumer shutdown. 132 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 2: Wow. 133 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: And I'll tell you what I think is one of 134 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: the major reasons is coming up on October seventeenth. There 135 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 1: is this big rally in d C, No King's Rally, 136 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: where a bunch of the left wing radicals are coming 137 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: to d C. And what most of my colleagues believe 138 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: is that the Democrat senators are terrified of opening the 139 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:01,679 Speaker 1: government before that rally because they don't want their crazy base, 140 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 1: the same base that almost cost Schumer the job his 141 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: job last time. They don't want their crazy base to 142 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: get angry. And so I think most of us. 143 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 2: So you're telling me the American people right now that 144 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 2: there's a very good chance that the government shutdown will 145 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 2: continue because of a rally date. 146 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: Yep. And that date again is what October seventeenth. 147 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 2: Okay, so the thirteenth fourteenthifte Okay, so we got another 148 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 2: five six days of this just to get to the rally, 149 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 2: and then maybe we'll actually do their job and like 150 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:33,319 Speaker 2: fund the government. 151 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: Look, at some point they're going to do their job 152 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 1: and fund the government. But you know, a bunch of 153 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 1: federal federal employees are about to miss their first paycheck. 154 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: I'll tell you. Ordinarily, soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines would 155 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: lose their first paycheck as well. The Trump Department of 156 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 1: Wars said they're going to move some funds around and 157 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 1: pay our servicemen and women, and Democrats are furious. How 158 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: dare you find a way? Look, I don't know if 159 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: they can do it because it is not easy with 160 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: the funding paused, but the Democrats don't care. And I'll 161 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: tell you one of the great acts of hypocrisy is 162 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,439 Speaker 1: the Democrat congressmen are all paying themselves, or most of them, 163 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: maybe I don't know about all, but so under the 164 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: twenty eighth Amendment to the Constitution, the compensation of a 165 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: member of Congress cannot be reduced during your term of office, 166 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 1: which means during a shutdown, House members and senators get 167 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 1: paid no matter what, even though everyone else their paycheck. 168 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:30,600 Speaker 3: Stop. 169 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 1: Elected members of Congress get their paycheck. Now you can 170 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: say no. So I sent a letter to the Secretary 171 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: of the Senate saying, please hold my paycheck, do not 172 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 1: pay me. I do not want that money deposited my 173 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: account until the government shutdown ends, until our service members 174 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: are being paid. I'm not going to pay myself. But 175 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: you look at these Democrats who are happily shutting the 176 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: government down. They're also taking their own paycheck and saying, gosh, 177 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: I like being paid. And you know they are not 178 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:07,199 Speaker 1: troubled at all if some young corporal serving overseas suddenly 179 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 1: doesn't get his paycheck and can't pay his bills this week. 180 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,359 Speaker 2: Now, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation, 181 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 2: you can go back and listen to the full podcast 182 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 2: from earlier this week. 183 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 1: Now onto story number two. 184 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 2: Speaking of the White House, as you just mentioned, you 185 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:25,559 Speaker 2: were there with many Cabinet members that were in attendance 186 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:29,839 Speaker 2: for a really, I think special moment. You and I 187 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,320 Speaker 2: had the honor and the privilege to go to the 188 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:36,200 Speaker 2: memorial service for Charlie Kirk. What we witnessed today was 189 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 2: something incredible. Donald Trump awarded Charlie Kirk the Medal of 190 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 2: Freedom on what would have been his thirty second birthday 191 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 2: at the White House and his wife, his widow, Erica, 192 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 2: was there to accept this. It was a moving moment 193 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 2: and you were there for all of it. 194 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,959 Speaker 1: So it was truly a beautiful It was a beautiful day. 195 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,320 Speaker 1: It was a beautiful fall day at October at Washington, DC. See, 196 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 1: the sun was out. We were in the Rose Garden, 197 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,560 Speaker 1: and in the Rose garden you had you had a 198 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 1: lot of members of Congress, you had virtually the entire 199 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 1: cabinet came out for it, and Erica Kirk, Charlie's widow, 200 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: was there. The President really, i think did a very 201 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: good job remembering Charlie, speaking speaking from the heart, honoring 202 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: Charlie's legacy, and presenting him with the highest civilian honor 203 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: we have in this country, and in the military context, 204 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: the Medal of Honor is the highest recipient that can 205 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 1: be awarded an individual. In the civilian context, the Medal 206 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: of Freedom, it is the highest honor that can be 207 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: awarded an individual. And to give it to Charlie, it 208 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:46,560 Speaker 1: was bittersweet because Charlie would have been thirty two, He 209 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: was a young man, He had an incredibly bright future. 210 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 1: As you and I have talked about. We both have 211 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: known Charlie a long time. I considered Charlie a very 212 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 1: close friend. Heidie and I met Charlie when he was 213 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: just eighteen years old, when he was a kid, you know, 214 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 1: at the ceremony at the White House, I met Charlie's parents. 215 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: I had not met his parents before, and I had 216 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:11,960 Speaker 1: an opportunity to just just tell both his mom and 217 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 1: dad say, look, look, Hidie and I we love Charlie. 218 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 1: And when we got to know him fourteen years ago, 219 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: his vision then was as clear as it was the 220 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: day he died. His vision of creating a movement to energize, 221 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 1: to mobilize young people, to mobilize young people to love freedom, 222 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 1: to love free enterprise, to love the Constitution, to love America. 223 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,679 Speaker 1: That vision, you could see it. What I met at 224 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 1: me was this tall, lanky, eighteen year old kid. He 225 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:52,599 Speaker 1: was freshouted high school, had not gone to college. And 226 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 1: you gotta remember the context. This is twenty twelve, beginning 227 00:12:56,080 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: of twenty thirteen. Barack Obama had just been reelect The 228 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: Democrats were resurgent at that point. Young people being a 229 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: Democrat at an Obama Democrat was hip and cool. The 230 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 1: idea of energizing a lot of young people to be conservatives, frankly, 231 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 1: sounded looney. It did not sound like an easy task 232 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 1: at all. A lot of people in the Republican Party 233 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 1: said this will never work. But Charlie had a vision. 234 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 1: And I was telling his mom and dad, I said, look, 235 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: his vision was extraordinary. One of the things I said 236 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: to them is I said, look, I'm queer grieving the 237 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: loss of your son. He was extraordinarm So sorry, so 238 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: sorry for your loss. But I said, you know what 239 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: I think, in the last month, it may well be 240 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 1: possible that more people have heard the Gospel than in 241 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:52,960 Speaker 1: any comparable period of our lifetimes. That that memorial service 242 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:57,559 Speaker 1: in Arizona for Charlie was a global event where people 243 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: heard the gospel. And I got to say at at 244 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: Charlie's funeral service when Erica stood up and she talked 245 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: about how when Jesus was hanging on the cross and 246 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: he was looking down at the Roman soldiers who had 247 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: nailed him to the cross, who were in the process 248 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 1: of killing him, and Jesus said, from the cross, Father, 249 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 1: forgive them, for they know not what they do. And 250 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: she talked about how how Charlie really had a mission 251 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 1: for young people, particularly young men, young men who were 252 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 1: often disaffected, disillusion to help them find find their way 253 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: and find find a purpose in life, a meaningful purpose 254 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: that provides real, real satisfaction and real reason uh for living. 255 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: And she talked about that young man who shot Charlie, 256 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 1: that young man, and then she said, and I got 257 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: to say, she was doing this wind up. I knew you, 258 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: knew where she was going. And I to tell you understand, 259 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: you and I were standing next to each other. I 260 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: literally held my breath. I'm like, is she going to 261 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 1: be able to say this? And she stood up with 262 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 1: the eyes of the world upon him and said, that 263 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: young man, the young man who pulled the trigger and 264 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 1: murdered her husband, murdered the father of her children. She said, 265 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: I forgive him. I don't know that There was a 266 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: dry eye in the house. And one of the things 267 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: that is so incredible is millions of people were watching that, 268 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: and listen. If you're a Christian, you understand, just like 269 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what 270 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 1: they do, even as they were killing him. But if 271 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: you're not a Christian, I believe thousands, if not millions 272 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: of people looked at each other and said, how can 273 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 1: she say that? Where does that come from? Where does 274 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: that forgiveness come from? Where does that love come from? 275 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: And I think it was as powerful a testament of 276 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: the Gospel as as as as we have seen in 277 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: a long long time, and and and and it and 278 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: I got to say today the President spoke beautifully. And 279 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 1: by the way, when Erica said I forgive him Ben, 280 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: I hope and pray you or I are never in 281 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 1: that situation. I don't know that those words could come 282 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: out of my mouth. I would want them to, I 283 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: would desperately want them to. But I that the strength 284 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 1: it took for her to say those words I find 285 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: utterly astonishing. And I just I told Charlie's parents, I said, listen, 286 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 1: I so wish Charlie were with us today. But millions 287 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: have heard the Gospel in the last seven weeks because 288 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: of Charlie. And that is one hell of a legacy, 289 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:06,159 Speaker 1: you know. 290 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 2: I think one of the most incredible things that you 291 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 2: just mentioned is the legacy. And one of the things 292 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 2: that the present said today at the White House for 293 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 2: people that didn't hear it, was talking about Charlie Kirk 294 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,440 Speaker 2: being a martyr, and this is what the President said 295 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:19,920 Speaker 2: about that. 296 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 4: He said on the day that he was assassinated. Charlie 297 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:28,680 Speaker 4: Kirk was a martyr for truth and for freedom, and 298 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 4: from Socrates to Think and to Saint Peter, from Abraham 299 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 4: Lincoln to Martin Luther King, those who change history the most, 300 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:42,399 Speaker 4: and he really did have always risked their lives for 301 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:45,439 Speaker 4: causes they were put on earth to defend. He was 302 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 4: put on earth to do exactly what he was doing. 303 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:49,919 Speaker 4: He didn't want to waste time. He would have been 304 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 4: a top student at any college in the country I know, 305 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 4: to college as well. He was smarter than the guys. 306 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 4: He was so smart. But he almost I guess, didn't 307 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 4: have the time. He knew what he wanted to do. 308 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 4: It wasn't like Jae, I want to sit in this 309 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 4: classroom for four years listening to people teach me liberal 310 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 4: principles because they were never going to teach him that anyway. 311 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:11,959 Speaker 4: But he didn't have the time. He really didn't have 312 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,399 Speaker 4: the time. But every time the enemies of goodness and 313 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,439 Speaker 4: virtue tried to silence the voice of righteous and noble 314 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 4: leaders like Charlie, they failed. They seem to fail. Ultimately, 315 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,239 Speaker 4: they look like they're doing well and then they end 316 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 4: up failing because the truth has been unrelenting over the years, 317 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 4: over history, and people like Charlie, it's just they've got 318 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 4: a power that others don't have, and very few people 319 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 4: will ever have. So today, like those martyrs before him, 320 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 4: Charlie's voice, his message, and his legacy are stronger and 321 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:49,360 Speaker 4: greater than ever before. They are greater than ever before. 322 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:52,920 Speaker 2: You know him saying as I said on the day 323 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 2: he was assassinated, Charlie Kirk was a martyr for truth 324 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:59,439 Speaker 2: and for freedom. Yep. And I couldn't agree more. To 325 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 2: compare him as he did to Saint Peter, to Abraham Lincoln, 326 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 2: to Martin Luther King Junior. These are people that change history. 327 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 2: Charlie will be remembered in the same breath with those 328 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 2: types of leaders, and I think that's part of the legacy. 329 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:17,119 Speaker 2: And as you mentioned, not only did Charlie and his 330 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:20,360 Speaker 2: legacy now it is one hundred percent setting I think 331 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:23,199 Speaker 2: young men and young women on fire to be bolder 332 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 2: in their faith, to be better Christians and to seek 333 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:30,199 Speaker 2: the truth of the Bible and the Gospel, and just 334 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 2: what he was able to do in his death is phenomenal. 335 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:37,199 Speaker 2: But also what he was doing to fight for this 336 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,159 Speaker 2: country at the same time, that is going to be 337 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:41,400 Speaker 2: a legacy that's going to live on because so many 338 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 2: people they are going to do it for Charlie. I 339 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 2: think you and I would include ourselves in that as well. 340 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 1: Well. Listen, he was very much. He was a martyr 341 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: for freedom and a martyr for truth. I also told 342 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:57,879 Speaker 1: Charlie's parents, I think more people heard Charlie's words of 343 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: the last four weeks that then her them in the 344 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:04,159 Speaker 1: entire thirty one nearly thirty two years of his life. 345 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:08,640 Speaker 1: That the number of people who went and said, who 346 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: was this Charlie Kirk guy? What did he have to say? 347 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: Who listened to exchanges as he was on college campuses, 348 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 1: as he was engaging with people who disagreed with him, 349 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:20,919 Speaker 1: as he treated them with respect, with dignity. That is 350 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:23,919 Speaker 1: a powerful legacy. I will tell you. One of the 351 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: things that was also striking about the Metal of Freedom 352 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 1: ceremony is it was a continuation of a conversation that 353 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:33,720 Speaker 1: happened at Charlie's funeral ceremony. So at the funeral, Erica 354 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:37,480 Speaker 1: Kirk spoke and I mentioned how she said that that 355 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 1: she forgives the murderer who murdered her husband, and she 356 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: talks about how Jesus teaches us to love our enemies. 357 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 1: And and you know, Trump spoke at the funeral, and 358 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:52,760 Speaker 1: he gave, I think, very strong remarks. But one of 359 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: the things he said is he said that's something he 360 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 1: had a great deal of difficulty doing. That he did 361 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: not love his enemies, that he hated his enemy, and 362 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 1: he liked to fight his enemies. And he kind of 363 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 1: laughed about it, but he said that, and and and 364 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: it was that was a back and forth from Arizona. 365 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:13,399 Speaker 1: Well in the Rose Garden, Trump brought it up again 366 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 1: and and and look, President Trump knew Charlie very well. 367 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: And he said, you know, I know Erica talked about 368 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: how he loved his enemies. But he said, you know, 369 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 1: when I talked to Charlie, he said, I'm not sure 370 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: I saw that. I think he like when he was 371 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 1: in a battle, he would fight fight his enemies. Uh 372 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: and and fight them vigorously. And listen, Charlie was a 373 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: strong man and a passionate man who knew what he believed. 374 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 1: But it was very interesting. Erica spoke after the President 375 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:44,399 Speaker 1: in the Rose Garden, and she gave beautiful remarks. But 376 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: one of the things she said that I think was 377 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:49,400 Speaker 1: directly responding to the President. She said, look, I can 378 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 1: tell you from having been married to him, Charlie prayed 379 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,640 Speaker 1: for his enemies. And she said, I saw that. She said, 380 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: I don't know that anyone else saw that, but she said, 381 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,640 Speaker 1: I saw him, and he prayed for his enemies. And 382 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 1: and President Trump was standing behind her right shoulder, and 383 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 1: she said it it was it was lighthearted, but she 384 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 1: was kind of she was in many ways responding to 385 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: the President. And he he like laughed, He was good natured, 386 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:15,400 Speaker 1: but he was genuinely laughing, and it was a look. 387 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:17,880 Speaker 1: I think it was a good back and forth that 388 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: that that we should be vigorous in what we believe. 389 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:26,159 Speaker 1: We should not not give in uh to to to 390 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: those who who argue for positions that are harmful to America. 391 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 1: We should be full throated in our argument. But but 392 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: I also think that the message that Erica was carrying 393 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:40,399 Speaker 1: forward about it's possible to disagree, and and look, you 394 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 1: go watch the exchanges Charlie had on college campus after 395 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 1: college campus, when when you would have someone come in 396 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:49,399 Speaker 1: and argue for open borders, when you would have someone 397 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: come in and argue for socialism, when you have someone 398 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 1: come in and argue for transgenderism, when you'd have someone 399 00:22:55,800 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 1: come in and argue for for hamas terrorists. Charlie was 400 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:05,679 Speaker 1: vigorous and full throated in disputing them, but he was 401 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 1: not mean spirited about it. He was not I hate you, 402 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 1: he was not you're the enemy, but he would engage 403 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: in a way that said, look, I understand why you're 404 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:22,679 Speaker 1: saying that. Here's why I believe you're mistaken. And I 405 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,360 Speaker 1: think Erica was right that he was able to do 406 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: so from a position of love. Love does not mean agreement. 407 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: Love does not mean saying, I accept the position you're advocating, 408 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 1: even though I believe it is harmful to our country. 409 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: But love means not treating your political adversary as the 410 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: enemy to be destroyed, but instead trying to respond with reason, 411 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: with compassion, trying to move and even if you don't move, 412 00:23:55,920 --> 00:24:00,480 Speaker 1: your immediate interlocutor, those who are observing it. Charlie was 413 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 1: very good at responding in a way that persuaded a 414 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 1: lot of other people, And I thought that back and 415 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:08,360 Speaker 1: forth Tuesday between the president, and Erica was really powerful 416 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:09,360 Speaker 1: as before. 417 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 2: If you want to hear the rest of this conversation 418 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 2: on this topic, you can go back and dow the 419 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 2: podcasts from earlier this week to hear the entire thing. 420 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,400 Speaker 2: I want to get back to the big story number 421 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 2: three of the week you may have missed. So all right, 422 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 2: So our guest with us is Eric Trump, Senator. You 423 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 2: and I were just talking with him about this really 424 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 2: his family being under siege. You talked about these big 425 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:36,359 Speaker 2: boy subpoenas part of that is to financially hurt you. 426 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 2: What did you, guys spend just doing the fighting of 427 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:44,639 Speaker 2: all the lawsuits against you during that four year period. 428 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 2: How much did it cost you? 429 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 3: Roughly four hundred million guys. 430 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:52,640 Speaker 5: I laugh when people I, oh, Trump is profiting off 431 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 5: of government. 432 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 3: I go, wha wait, excuse me. 433 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 5: If you want to come in, I'll break down the 434 00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:00,879 Speaker 5: finances you want to Trump's profit. We spent four one hundred 435 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:04,359 Speaker 5: million dollars to defend ourselves against nonsense, the fact that 436 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 5: we did not have secret servers communicating with the Kremlin, 437 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,959 Speaker 5: the fact that Don wasn't a Russian agent. 438 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:12,480 Speaker 3: Remember you had Adam Schiff. 439 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 5: Out there every single day Donald Trump Junior is a 440 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 5: Russian agent. 441 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 3: Guys. 442 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,439 Speaker 5: If he wasn't, if he wasn't protected by the speech 443 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 5: and debate laws, you would have, honestly, the guy would 444 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 5: have been worth a zero. He would have been living 445 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 5: in a shoe box based on the fact that you 446 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:28,679 Speaker 5: would have sued him for slander and taken everything that 447 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:32,440 Speaker 5: he ever had. It was all made up lies. They 448 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 5: did everything they possibly could to take us down. We 449 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:38,120 Speaker 5: spent over four hundred million dollars between that. You know, Letitia, 450 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:42,479 Speaker 5: you know Alvin braggsy Vance, you know Fanny. I mean, 451 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 5: I could go on and on the raids the Mara alive. 452 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 1: What was the worst to deal with? Between Alvin braggs, 453 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 1: Sye Vance, Leticia, James Jack Smith, who was the worst? 454 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 3: Probably Letitia? Have you want to know the truth? 455 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 5: I mean, it was so corrupt and I don't know 456 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,160 Speaker 5: Alvin Braggby's you had Brshawn, I mean Judge Barshawn's daughter 457 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 5: is like that, the digital fundraiser for the Democratic Party. 458 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 5: And the guy wouldn't recuse himself and literally you'd be 459 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:07,920 Speaker 5: sitting in these courtrooms guys, and I would not leave 460 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:11,160 Speaker 5: my father's side. I sat next to him every single day. 461 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 5: If he was there, I was gonna be there as 462 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:15,119 Speaker 5: a son to support him, you know. And most of 463 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 5: the time, some of these cases I wasn't gagged in 464 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:19,479 Speaker 5: so normally I was the guy in the courthouse steps, 465 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 5: you know, shouting and yelling at the cameras as to 466 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:22,920 Speaker 5: what the hell was actually going on, because that's the 467 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,639 Speaker 5: only way you could communicate a message. But guys, I mean, 468 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:28,399 Speaker 5: you had liberal and I mean liberal reporters who was 469 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,639 Speaker 5: in that courtroom shaking their head saying none of this 470 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:35,200 Speaker 5: makes any sense. I mean, they shut down all of Manhattan, 471 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:38,639 Speaker 5: Lower Manhattan for a hundred thousand dollars payment that my 472 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 5: father didn't even make, made by a lawyer. They indicted 473 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:45,680 Speaker 5: him thirty four times. I mean, you know, al Capone 474 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,119 Speaker 5: had had one fell in the indictment. They indicted my 475 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:50,919 Speaker 5: father thirty four times for one hundred thousand dollars payment, 476 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:53,879 Speaker 5: by the way, by a district attorney who ran on 477 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 5: the premise, you know, of reducing what you know, just 478 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:00,240 Speaker 5: decriminalizing just about anything. You know, you could shoot away 479 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 5: the face in Times Square and it was decriminalized, and 480 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:04,720 Speaker 5: you're gonna let them out, and you know, you're gonna 481 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:06,960 Speaker 5: have community policing and all sorts of nonsense. I mean, 482 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,960 Speaker 5: he ran on the premise of literally emptying Rikers Island, 483 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:12,199 Speaker 5: so you had no criminals in there. Yet you know, 484 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:14,679 Speaker 5: thirty four felonies in six month period of time is 485 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:16,640 Speaker 5: shutting down New York in the FDR drive every day 486 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:17,640 Speaker 5: over one hundred thousand dollars. 487 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 3: I mean, it wasn't believable. 488 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 1: If only your father were mugging people in Times Square, 489 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: then Alvin Bragg would never have prosecuted him. But instead 490 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:30,080 Speaker 1: he committed the unspeakable sin of not only being president 491 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:33,639 Speaker 1: of the United States, but being an extraordinarily successful and 492 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:37,920 Speaker 1: bold president of the United States, which is an unpardonable sin. 493 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: All right, we don't have much much time left, but 494 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 1: I want to take it a little bit lighter and 495 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 1: ask what was it like? Like? Your father is unique. 496 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: I've never in my life have I met anyone remotely 497 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:53,520 Speaker 1: like your father. He and I have spent a lot 498 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:57,440 Speaker 1: of time together. He has extraordinary courage. But before he 499 00:27:57,600 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: was president, what was it like growing up as a 500 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:02,960 Speaker 1: kid with Donald Trump as your father? Like? Like, like, 501 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:04,879 Speaker 1: how what was he like as a dad when you 502 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:05,320 Speaker 1: were ten? 503 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 5: Honestly, the greatest dad you could ever imagine expected big 504 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 5: things from us, right, I mean every day I go 505 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 5: give him kiss before I went to school. Honey, no 506 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 5: drink drinking, no drugs, no smoking, and you better get 507 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 5: good grades. And by the way, never trust anybody. Right 508 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:18,879 Speaker 5: he did once in a while I had that he 509 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:22,159 Speaker 5: never never trust anyone. Hey, that's probably going to be 510 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:26,000 Speaker 5: I said, I probably benefited us pretty well, So amazing guy. 511 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:27,640 Speaker 3: You know, listen, we're spoiled as hell. 512 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:29,199 Speaker 5: And that we lived in you know, Trump Tower, We 513 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:31,000 Speaker 5: had a beautiful roof over our head. We were always 514 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:33,880 Speaker 5: well fed. We we had the best education, but we 515 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 5: were never handed money. We're never handy cash. If we 516 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 5: wanted something. If I wanted a fishing road, congratulations, you're 517 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 5: working for it. I got on our construction sites when 518 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:44,280 Speaker 5: I was eleven years old, doing demo, doing electrical HVAC 519 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 5: you know, running back hose excavators. You know, I grew 520 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:50,480 Speaker 5: up working with my hands on our construction sites with 521 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 5: many of the guys that work for me today. And 522 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 5: and you know what, he wanted us to learn a trait. 523 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 5: He wanted us to learn the value of a dollar. 524 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:58,880 Speaker 5: And by the way, he wanted us to be tired 525 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 5: as hell at the end of the day, you know, 526 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 5: because listen, don't give type A kids or any kid, 527 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 5: but don't give type A kids money or free time, 528 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 5: because bad things happen. And he was an amazing father. 529 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 5: He is an amazing father. And everything we've ever done, 530 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:13,960 Speaker 5: we fought together, whether it's real estate, whether it was 531 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 5: The Apprentice. 532 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 3: I was on that for seven seasons. And then in politics. 533 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 5: I mean when he decided to run, he said to us, 534 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 5: he goes, you know, kids, let's do this. You know, 535 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:23,120 Speaker 5: I was on Megan Kelly. I didn't know what the 536 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:26,360 Speaker 5: hell immigration was. I mean, Senator, this was not my world. 537 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 5: I built, you know, hotels, and all of a sudden, 538 00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 5: I'm in. 539 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 3: The middle of box I a wall, and now you're 540 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:31,960 Speaker 3: on TV. 541 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 5: I've got ninety illegal immigrants around me, and I'm battling 542 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:36,760 Speaker 5: all of them, and I don't know the first damn 543 00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:39,160 Speaker 5: thing about illegal immigration, right. I mean, like, this is 544 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 5: not the world that we came from. But my father's 545 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 5: a remarkable guy. My mother was an amazing powerhouse and strict, 546 00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:50,360 Speaker 5: demanded manners, demanded respect, demanded work ethic and either the 547 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 5: greatest parents you can ever imagine. I spent a lot 548 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 5: of time in underseage talking about you know, being raised 549 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 5: by them, and you know it was unique in so 550 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,160 Speaker 5: many ways. But they they did everything they could in 551 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:02,080 Speaker 5: this strange world that we lived in, uh, to ground 552 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 5: us and make sure we turned out to be hard workers, 553 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 5: normal uh, you know, and didn't have any of these 554 00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 5: kind of Hunter Biden esque problems. I don't have a 555 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:12,000 Speaker 5: laptop from hell, you know, I don't do finger paintings 556 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,160 Speaker 5: selling it to you know, foreign nationals. 557 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 3: All over the world. 558 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 5: You know, never married my you know, my brother's ex wife, like, 559 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 5: never did that kind of stuff. 560 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 3: No drugs, no, you know, no perversion. 561 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 5: I was always a good kid who believed in God 562 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 5: and believed in hard work and you know, lived in honestly. 563 00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 1: Eric, I can't tell you how many times, dozens, if 564 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 1: not hundreds of times, people have commented that one of 565 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 1: the things they admire most about your dad is is 566 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:40,320 Speaker 1: you and your brothers and sisters. And listen, it is 567 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 1: hard for for any successful person to to raise good kids. 568 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: It's challenging. There's a lot of pressure and and you know, I, 569 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:52,640 Speaker 1: I know know your entire family, and I will say 570 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 1: literally people early on throughout the process. They'll comment, well, 571 00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 1: you know, somehow his kids are like like not messed 572 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 1: up and incredibly successful and put together and and I 573 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 1: mean it's all right. Let me ask you. Let's let 574 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: let's say we have some young parents that are listening 575 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 1: to this podcast. Are there any lessons a young parent 576 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:15,000 Speaker 1: by the way, uh, you know Ben, Ben has young kids, 577 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 1: I have teenage Are there any lessons any lessons from 578 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:21,120 Speaker 1: your dad that that young parents should know or lessons 579 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 1: that you've tried to apply. 580 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:27,680 Speaker 5: Yeah, keep them poor and make them start working early. Honestly, 581 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:29,520 Speaker 5: I mean that's what it is. Keep them poor. Don't 582 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 5: don't give type A kids money and don't give them 583 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:35,760 Speaker 5: endless time. That's just a bad recipe, right, And and 584 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:37,480 Speaker 5: you know, I can't tell you, guys how many friends 585 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:39,560 Speaker 5: I had, you know, who were who were peers who 586 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 5: went to school with me, and you know, three quarters 587 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 5: of them ended up in rehab and and a lot 588 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:45,600 Speaker 5: of them went down bad roads. And guess what they 589 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 5: were getting ferraris you know when they're you know, sixteen 590 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 5: years old, Like, what what do you ever want to 591 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 5: aspire to to get? If if that's if that's how 592 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 5: you're being raised? I mean, does it surprise you that 593 00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:57,600 Speaker 5: those people don't have work ethic? Does it surprise you 594 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:00,280 Speaker 5: that they go down bad roads? And my father would 595 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:01,920 Speaker 5: never let that happen to us. And you know, he 596 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:04,400 Speaker 5: made us work our butts off. And believe me, if 597 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 5: I wasn't good at what I did real estate wise, 598 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:08,440 Speaker 5: I would not be in this chair. 599 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 3: I mean, forget about bapotism for a second. It. 600 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 5: You know, if we weren't incredibly capable, Believe me, I 601 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:15,440 Speaker 5: wouldn't be running one of the largest real estate empires 602 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:17,960 Speaker 5: anywhere in the world. And he made us work, and 603 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:19,360 Speaker 5: he made us prove that we were good at what 604 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:21,800 Speaker 5: we do, and we fought every single day, and we're 605 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 5: an incredibly tight family. And he's a remarkable person who's 606 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:27,200 Speaker 5: my best friend. I love him to death, and I'm 607 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 5: so proud of him, especially in a week where he's 608 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 5: accomplished as much as he had. I am so damn 609 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:35,000 Speaker 5: proud of of what he did and what he's accomplished. 610 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:37,560 Speaker 5: And the hell of a journey, guys, it's all worth it. 611 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: As always. 612 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:41,920 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to Verdict with Center, Ted Cruz, 613 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:44,080 Speaker 2: Ben Ferguson with you don't forget to down with my 614 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:46,400 Speaker 2: podcast and you can listen to my podcasts every other 615 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:48,480 Speaker 2: day you're not listening to Verdict, or each day when you. 616 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:49,160 Speaker 1: Listen to Verdict. 617 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 2: Afterwards, I'd love to have you as a listener to 618 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:54,480 Speaker 2: again the Ben Ferguson podcasts, and we will see you 619 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 2: back here on Monday morning.