1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: Let me begin by congratulating the team at NASA and 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: our brave astronauts on the successful launch of Artivists too. 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 1: It was quite something. It would be traveling further than 4 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: any manned rocket has ever flown and will very substantially 5 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: pass the Moon, go around it, and come back home 6 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: from a distance that has never been done before. It's amazing. 7 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: They are on the way, and God bless them, these 8 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: brave people. 9 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:32,160 Speaker 2: You're listening to the forty seven Morning Update with Ben ferguson. 10 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 3: Good Thursday morning. Nice to have you with us on 11 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,839 Speaker 3: the forty seven Morning Update. We've got one big story 12 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 3: for you, and that is President Trump addressing the nation 13 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 3: in prime time talking about where we are when it 14 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 3: comes to the war in Iran, what happens next, and 15 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 3: what are his demands so that we can move on 16 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:53,279 Speaker 3: past this with those in charge in Iran. I've got 17 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 3: it all for you and the highlights of what the 18 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 3: President said. It's a forty seven Morning Update and it 19 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 3: starts right now. Number one, President Trump addressed the nation 20 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 3: in prime time giving an update on Operation Epic Fury 21 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 3: and where things stand after thirty one days of fighting. 22 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 3: The bottom line was pretty clear, according to the President 23 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 3: the latest operation, well, it is a mission that is 24 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 3: not just working, it's dominating. From the very beginning, the 25 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 3: objectives of Operation Epic Fury we're clearly defined, and now 26 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 3: more than a month into the conflict, officials say those 27 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 3: objectives are being executed with overwhelming force and potentially nearing 28 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 3: completion within weeks not months. So let me break down 29 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 3: exactly what that means. The first objective the President talked 30 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 3: about was this to destroy a RAN's missile threat. Now, 31 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 3: this was priority number one, taking out the regimes ballistic 32 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 3: missiles and crippling their ability to produce them. So far, 33 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 3: the results are staggering. Ballistic missile attacks down ninety percent, 34 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 3: Drone attacks also down ninety percent. The US military has 35 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 3: now struck more than eleven thousand targets inside of Iran. 36 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:10,799 Speaker 3: At the same time, American forces have established overwhelming air dominance, 37 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 3: flying deeper into Iranian territory and launching coordinated strike packages 38 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 3: literally every hour, and perhaps most importantly, over sixty six 39 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 3: percent of Iran's missiles, drones, and naval production facilities have 40 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 3: already been damaged or completely destroyed. The second objective was 41 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 3: to eliminate Iran's Navy, and again the numbers whether hard 42 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 3: to ignore. More than one hundred and fifty Iranian vessels 43 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,799 Speaker 3: have been destroyed or sunk, including over forty four mine layers. 44 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 3: In fact, the Iranian Navy has now been assessed as 45 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 3: being what is described as combat ineffective, with roughly ninety 46 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 3: two percent of its largest ships completely wiped out. At 47 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 3: this point, Iran has effectively lost the ability to project 48 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 3: naval power in the region. There are currently no Iranian 49 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 3: vessels operating in major regional waterways. Military officials say this 50 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,360 Speaker 3: is the largest elimination of a navy in a three 51 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 3: week period since World War II, and a key focus 52 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 3: remained securing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most 53 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 3: critical energy choke points in the world. The third objective 54 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 3: was to neutralize Iran's terrace proxies. Groups back by Iran, 55 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 3: long known for destabilizing the region, are now described as 56 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 3: barely putting up resistance. That's a major shift in the 57 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 3: balance of power. And the fourth objective, and this is 58 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 3: the big one, ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. 59 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 3: President Trump made it clear on this point and has 60 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 3: for decades, reiterating it over and over again. In the 61 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 3: last thirty days, Iran will never be allowed to obtain 62 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 3: a nuclear weapon. Now, as for what comes next, this 63 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 3: is where things got even more interesting, as the President 64 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 3: started to lay out why his doctrine is very different 65 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 3: from what we've seen in the past. You start out 66 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 3: talking about Barack Obama giving Iran one point seven billion 67 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 3: in cash. 68 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: And then very importantly, I terminated Barack Hussein Obama is 69 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: a rand nuclear deal, a disaster. Obama gave them one 70 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: point seven billion dollars in cash, green green cash, took 71 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: it out of banks from Virginia, DC and Maryland. All 72 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: the cash they had, flew it by aeroplanes in an 73 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: attempt to buy their respect and loyalty. But it didn't work. 74 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 1: They laughed at our president and went on with their 75 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:45,039 Speaker 1: mission to have a nuclear bomb. His Ran deal would 76 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: have led to a colossal arsenal, massive nuclear weapons for Iran, 77 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: and they would have had them years ago, and they 78 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: would have used them. Would have been a different world. 79 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: There would have been no Middle East and no Israel 80 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 1: right now, in my opinion, the opinion of a lot 81 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 1: of great experts, had I not terminated that terrible deal, 82 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: I was so honored to do it. I was so 83 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: proud to do it. It was so bad right from the beginning. Essentially, 84 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: I did what no other president was willing to do. 85 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: They made mistakes, and I am correcting them. 86 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,840 Speaker 3: The President talking about correcting those major mistakes that were 87 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 3: made by past leaders who knew there was a threat 88 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:28,479 Speaker 3: but refused to act. The President also praised the US 89 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 3: Armed Forces, saying this. 90 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 1: As I stated in my announcement of Operation Epic Fury, 91 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: our objectives are very simple and clear. We are systematically 92 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: dismantling the regime's ability to threaten America or project power 93 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: outside of their borders. That means eliminating Iran's navy, which 94 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 1: is now absolutely destroyed, hurting their air force and their 95 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: missile program at levels never seen before, and annihilating their 96 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 1: defense industrial base. We've done all of it. Their navy 97 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: is gone, their air force is gone, their missiles are 98 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 1: just about used up or beaten. Taken together, these actions 99 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:15,799 Speaker 1: will cripple Iran military, crush their ability to support terrorist proxies, 100 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: and deny them the ability to build a nuclear bomb. 101 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:24,280 Speaker 1: Our armed forces have been extraordinary. There's never been anything 102 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:28,280 Speaker 1: like it militarily. Everyone is talking about it, and tonight 103 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: I'm pleased to say that these core strategic objectives are 104 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:38,359 Speaker 1: nearing completion. As we celebrate this progress, we think especially 105 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 1: of the thirteen American warriors who have laid down their 106 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: lives in this fight to prevent our children from ever 107 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: having to face a nuclear Iran. 108 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 3: Clearly, President Trump understands that the message he has to 109 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 3: explain to not only the US but to the world 110 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,919 Speaker 3: is that it's unacceptable for rand to ever get a 111 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 3: nuclear weapon. There also is another part of this story, though, 112 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 3: that's extremely important, and that is the strait of hormos 113 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:07,840 Speaker 3: and what will happen next. With the President saying this 114 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 3: not only to every American but also to other countries 115 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 3: around the world, including our allies. 116 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 1: The countries of the world that do receive oil through 117 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 1: the hormone strait must take care of that passage. They 118 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: must cherish it. They must grab it and cherish it. 119 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 1: They can do it easily. We will be helpful, but 120 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: they should take the lead in protecting the oil that 121 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 1: they so desperately depend on. So to those countries that 122 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: can't get fuel, many of which refuse to get involved 123 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: in the decapitation of our n we had to do 124 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: it ourselves. I have a suggestion. Number one, buy oil 125 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 1: from the United States of America. We have plenty, We 126 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: have so much. And number two, build up some delayed courage. 127 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: Should have done it before, should have done it with us, 128 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 1: as we asked. Go to the strait and just take it, 129 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: protect it, use it for yourselves. Iran has been essentially decimated. 130 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: The hard part is done, so it should be easy. 131 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: And in any event, when this conflict is over, the 132 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 1: strait will open up naturally. It'll just open up naturally. 133 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: They're going to want to be able to sell oil 134 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: because that's all they have to try and rebuild. It 135 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: will resume the flowing, and the gas prices will rapidly 136 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: come back down. 137 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 3: President Trump also said that the US is prepared economically 138 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 3: to confront the effects of Iran's terror attacks on the 139 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 3: Strait of Hormuz on the oil takers. And this is 140 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 3: what the President said, you can expect. 141 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,319 Speaker 1: Many Americans have been concerned to see the recent rise 142 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: in gasoline prices here at home. This short term increase 143 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: has been entirely the result of the Iranian regime launching 144 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: de range terror attacks against commercial oil tankers and neighboring 145 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:59,440 Speaker 1: countries that have nothing to do with the conflict. This 146 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: is yet more proof that Iran can never be trusted 147 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:05,439 Speaker 1: with nuclear weapons. They will use them, and they will 148 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 1: use them quickly. It would lead to decades of extortion, 149 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 1: economic pain, and instability worse than we can ever imagine. 150 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 1: The United States has never been better prepared economically to 151 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:22,679 Speaker 1: confront this threat. You all know that now. 152 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 3: The President also wanted to make it very clear to 153 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 3: everyone that was watching, that would include the bad guys 154 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 3: in Iran, that America is not done. This also is 155 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 3: very similar to the wording that we've seen used by Israel. 156 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 3: They're not done yet either. One thing does seem to 157 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:42,840 Speaker 3: be clear. We are going to wrap this up within weeks, 158 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:46,839 Speaker 3: not months, And as the President closed things out, this 159 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 3: is what he had to say to the world. 160 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: Yet if during this period of time no deal is made, 161 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: we have our eyes on key targets. If there is 162 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 1: no deal, we are going to hit each and every 163 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 1: one of their electric generating very hard, and probably simultaneously. 164 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 1: We have not hit their oil, even though that's the 165 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 1: easiest target of all because it would not give them 166 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 1: even a small chance of survival or rebuilding. But we 167 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: could hit it and it would be gone. And there's 168 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 1: not a thing they could do about it. They have 169 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: no anti aircraft equipment, Their radar is one hundred percent annihilated. 170 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 1: We are unstoppable as a military force. The nuclear sites 171 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 1: that we obliterated with the B two bombers have been 172 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: hit so hard that it would take months to get 173 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 1: near the nuclear dust, and we have it under intense 174 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: satellite surveillance and control. If we see them make a move, 175 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 1: even a move for it, will hit them with missiles 176 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: very hard. Again, we have all the cards, they have none. 177 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 1: It's very important that we keep this conflict in perspective. 178 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 3: So there you have it in the United States of America, 179 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 3: laying it out thirty one days in Operation Epic Fury. 180 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 3: It's abundantly clear. Despite some in the media pretending otherwise, 181 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 3: this has been a resounding military triumph. The objectives are 182 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 3: clear as well from the start, and the President says 183 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 3: we're executing it with overwhelming force. We expect to wrap 184 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 3: it up in a matter of weeks, not months, and 185 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 3: that is exactly what the President wanted you to hear 186 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 3: from the White House. 187 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to the forty seven Morning Update 188 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 2: with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever 189 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 2: you're listening to this podcast right now and for more 190 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:42,359 Speaker 2: in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson podcast, 191 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 2: and we will see you back here tomorrow