Verdict with Ted Cruz

1. Phone call between President Trump and Governor Walz
President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that Governor Tim Walz called him to discuss cooperation related to Minnesota.
Trump said the call was “very good” and that they were “on a similar wavelength.”
Trump said he would send Tom Homan (former ICE acting director) to work with Minnesota officials.
2. Immigration‑related demands from Trump
Trump outlined several expectations for Minnesota leaders:
Turn over all criminal undocumented immigrants currently held in state/local custody to federal immigration authorities.
Cooperate with ICE by transferring all undocumented individuals arrested locally.
Assist federal officers in locating and detaining undocumented immigrants with criminal histories or outstanding warrants.
3. Broader claims made by Trump
Trump referenced: A $20+ billion welfare fraud investigation in Minnesota.
Ongoing federal scrutiny of Rep. Ilhan Omar concerning her reported wealth.

He linked these issues to unrest and protests occurring in Minnesota.
4. White House press secretary comments
The press secretary emphasized the administration’s stance on: Ending “anarchy and chaos.”
Prioritizing law and order.
Urging Minnesota’s leaders to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

The administration also reiterated support for ending sanctuary policies nationwide.
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2. Minneapolis Situation & ICE Confrontations A. Escalating Conflict
Recent fatal confrontations between civilians and ICE agents in Minneapolis.
Two individuals (not known to be violent criminals) have been killed during encounters.
Host urges toning down rhetoric from both political sides to prevent further escalation.
B. Comparison Between Texas and Minnesota
Texas sees far more ICE arrests but fewer violent confrontations.
Reasons suggested: Texas law enforcement cooperates with ICE.
Minnesota politicians (governor/mayor) allegedly encourage public confrontation with ICE.

C. Violent Protest Structure
Minneapolis protests are organized, funded, and oper­ated similarly to military groups.
Reports mentioned: Surveillance operations against law enforcement
Protesters allegedly sabotaging vehicles and physically attacking officers
Autonomous‑zone style barricades forming in some areas

3. Responsibility & Advice Regarding Police Encounters
Do not escalate encounters with law enforcement.
Entering a protest with a firearm greatly increases danger for everyone involved.
Legal principles discussed: Lethal force is justified if officers reasonably believe there is a threat.
Officers cannot shoot fleeing suspects unless they pose serious immediate danger.

4. Media Narratives & Political Messaging A. Suburban Women as Target Audience
Democrats viewed as shaping narratives (e.g., “ICE shoots mother of three,” “ICE detains 5‑year‑old”) to emotionally influence suburban voters.
Hosts argue some widely publicized stories were misleading or false.
B. Claims of Political Motives
Democrats are using these incidents to distract from: A major Minnesota fraud scandal involving billions of dollars.

Each new confrontation diverts media attention from that scandal.
5. Anticipated Government Shutdown A. Democrat Position
Multiple Democratic leaders publicly oppose funding DHS/ICE at current levels.
Statements from Senators (Schumer, Warren, Murphy) emphasize refusal to pass DHS funding bill without ICE restrictions.
B. Hosts’ Conclusion
They expect a government shutdown, driven by attempts to: Defund or weaken ICE
Appeal to progressive voters
Control political narrative ahead of elections

Shutdown would affect agencies not yet funded (e.g., Defense, Labor, Education, HHS, HUD, DHS).

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1. Oil Prices & National Security
Lower global oil prices weaken hostile regimes like Iran, Russia, and Venezuela by reducing their revenue.
The Trump administration aims for a “sweet spot” oil price ($60–$70/barrel): Low enough to hurt adversaries.
High enough to avoid bankrupting U.S. independent oil producers.

If prices drop into the $40s, it could collapse small oil producers in Texas and the Permian Basin.
2. Venezuela’s Oil Infrastructure
Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, but decades of mismanagement have destroyed its infrastructure.
Estimates from oil executives: Increasing production from 1 million to 3 million barrels/day could take 10 years and require $100B+ in investment.
Even going from 1 million to 2 million/day would take 5–7 years.

Gulf Coast refineries can process Venezuela’s heavy sour crude, but expanded imports would mostly affect Canada and Mexico, not U.S. light-sweet crude producers.
3. Cuba’s Economic Crisis
Cuba historically survived on financial support from: The Soviet Union (until its collapse).
Venezuela under Chávez/Maduro (oil and money).

With Venezuela no longer able to support Cuba, the island is in economic freefall.
Mexico is currently providing oil that helps sustain the Cuban regime.
The Trump administration may pressure Mexico to cut this supply, potentially pushing Cuba toward political collapse.
4. Jack Smith & January 6th Investigation
Smith is accused of leading a politically motivated prosecution against Donald Trump.
He allegedly relied on questionable or disproven testimony, notably from Cassidy Hutchinson.
Hutchinson’s dramatic claims (e.g., Trump lunging for a steering wheel) were not confirmed by eyewitnesses.
Jim Jordan challenged Smith in hearings, accusing him of: Using unreliable witnesses.
Conducting a partisan, anti-Trump investigation.
Targeting large numbers of Republicans with subpoenas.

5. Crime Statistics & Trump Administration Policies
Nationwide murder rates reportedly declined ~20% from 2024 to 2025. Approx. 1,400 fewer murders.

Major cities showing decreases: Chicago: 30%
NYC: 20%
Baltimore: 31%
Oakland: 33%
Washington, D.C.: 31% (after National Guard deployment)

Other violent crimes also declined: Motor vehicle theft: ↓25%
Robbery: ↓18%
Aggravated assault: ↓8%

Law enforcement stats cited:
Violent crime arrests: ↑100%
Gangs disrupted: ↑210%
Fentanyl seized: ↑31%
Missing/abducted children located: ↑22%
Human traffickers arrested: ↑15%
Significant increase in arrests of espionage suspects and fugitives.
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1. Crime Statistics Under the Trump Administration (as claimed in the text)
Murder rates dropped ~20% nationwide from 2024 to 2025.
Cities cited with major decreases: Chicago: –30%
New York City: –20%
Birmingham: –49%
Albuquerque: –32%
Baltimore: –31%
Atlanta: –26%
Oakland: –33%
Washington, D.C.: –31% (after National Guard deployment)

Other crimes that have decreased in 2025: Motor vehicle theft: –25%
Robbery: –18%
Aggravated assaults: –8%

FBI Director’s reported statistics included: Violent crime arrests up 100%
Gang disruptions up 210%
Major increases in fentanyl seizures, child victim rescues, predator arrests, and espionage arrests.

2. Drug Overdose Deaths
A 21% drop in overdose deaths from 2024 to 2025: 2024: ~91,694 deaths
2025: ~72,836 deaths

Approx. 19,000 fewer overdose deaths attributed to: 99% reduction in illegal border crossings
Increased drug‑trafficker interdiction
Border and cartel enforcement operations

3. Media Coverage Criticism
Mainstream media downplays or avoids covering these crime and overdose statistics because they’re positive for Trump.
They argue media outlets attempt to disconnect improvements from administration policies.
4. Accusations Against Democrats
Democrats misreported or reclassified crime statistics to make numbers appear better before elections.
Democratic-led cities or governments artificially adjusted categories of crime.
5. Jack Smith & Abuse-of-Power Allegations
Conducting politically motivated prosecutions of Donald Trump.
Subpoenaing toll/phone records of: Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy
Nine U.S. Senators
Additional House members

Allegedly violating the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause.
Allegedly obtaining non-disclosure orders to hide his subpoenas from targets and the public.
Testifying poorly under questioning by Rep. Jim Jordan and Rep. Brandon Gill.
Accused of: Using unreliable witnesses (e.g., Cassidy Hutchinson)
Making false statements to obtain judicial approvals
Targeting political opponents in ways compared to abuses greater than Watergate.

6. January 6 Committee & Cassidy Hutchinson
Hutchinson is an unreliable witness whose testimony was: Second- or third-hand
Contradicted by Secret Service witnesses
Still heavily relied on (185 times in the Jan. 6 report)

She fabricated stories, including one involving Senator Ted Cruz
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Meet my friends, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton! If you love Verdict, the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show might also be in your audio wheelhouse. Politics, news analysis, and some pop culture and comedy thrown in too.

Here’s a sample episode recapping four takeaways. Give the guys a listen and then follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Church Protest Precedence

The arrest of an organizer tied to the anti‑ICE church disruption in Minnesota, announced by Attorney General Pam Bondi. The hosts react to DOJ confirmation that Nekima Levy-Armstrong (identified by Bondi as a key organizer) was arrested for allegedly coordinating an attack on a church service in St. Paul. Clay and Buck emphasize the speed and clarity of the DOJ’s action, praising the Department of Justice for responding quickly with a charge backed by evidence rather than performative outrage. They contrast the arrest with pre‑arrest media appearances in which the organizer claimed the church protest was “peaceful,” arguing that video evidence flatly contradicts that narrative.

Hour 1 of the program breaks down the legal foundation for the arrest, including laws protecting religious services from disruption. Buck explains that statutes originally designed to protect churches—historically justified by Democrats as safeguards against extremist interference—are now being enforced against left‑wing activists. Clay and Buck argue this represents an “open‑and‑shut” case where probable cause is clear, while cautioning that conviction still depends on a Minneapolis jury.

Black Lives Mattered to Trump

Clay points out one of the most underreported accomplishments of Trump’s second term: a historic drop in violent crime nationwide. Citing newly released data, the hosts highlight that the U.S. murder rate has fallen to its lowest level since 1900, with murders down 21% year‑over‑year, the largest single‑year decline ever recorded. They spotlight staggering city‑level declines, including Washington, D.C. and Omaha, both seeing murders drop by roughly 40%, and argue these results reflect a nationwide return to law‑and‑order policies.

Clay and Buck stress that these statistics carry particular significance for Black communities, noting that reductions in violent crime overwhelmingly translate into lives saved among populations most affected by homicide. Clay argues that Trump has, by policy outcomes rather than rhetoric, done more to save Black lives than any modern president—an assertion they say stands in direct contradiction to activist narratives that oppose enforcement‑focused policing.

FOFO

Multiple Minneapolis church protesters have now been arrested, with Attorney General Pam Bondi announcing additional suspects taken into custody. Clay and Buck focus on reports from CBS News and The Daily Wire that a federal judge refused to sign a criminal complaint allowing Don Lemon to be arrested, despite DOJ efforts. The hosts argue this judicial refusal underscores a growing concern about politicization within the courts, especially when contrasted with how aggressively Trump allies were previously prosecuted. They note that, despite early attempts to downplay the incident, Democrats appear to have abandoned public defense of the protesters due to the overwhelmingly negative optics of storming a church service.

A core discussion in Hour 2 of the program centers on sanctuary city policies and obstruction of immigration enforcement. Clay and Buck explain that Minneapolis leadership—including Mayor Jacob Frey—has openly refused to cooperate with ICE, even in cases involving violent offenders already in custody. The hosts argue this refusal forces federal agents into more visible enforcement actions and directly fuels unrest, while also potentially violating the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. They emphasize that refusing to enforce federal law is not passive resistance but deliberate obstruction.

Mayor Jacob Frey claims ICE operations exist solely to “terrorize” communities. Buck sharply disputes those claims, arguing the mayor is misrepresenting facts and ignoring his own refusal to cooperate with federal authorities. They contrast Frey’s statements with DOJ actions targeting protesters who openly challenged and taunted federal officials, including one individual who dared Attorney General Bondi to arrest him—only to be taken into custody hours later.

Davos Drama

Humor and commentary about California Governor Gavin Newsom’s failed Davos appearance, before welcoming Katie Zacharia, a California political and legal analyst, to unpack Newsom’s national ambitions and the state of Democratic politics on the West Coast. Zacharia explains that Newsom traveled to Davos largely to troll President Donald Trump, only to be politically sidelined as Trump advanced what she describes as a historic Greenland and Arctic security agreement. The discussion frames Newsom as the Democrats’ likely 2028 presidential front‑runner, despite what Zacharia characterizes as weak policy substance and declining credibility outside coastal blue states. Clay and Buck examine polling odds showing Newsom far ahead of other Democratic contenders and debate whether his polished media style could translate into national electability against potential Republican nominees such as J.D. Vance or Marco Rubio.

Hour 3 of the program also explores California’s deep internal struggles, including speculation around potential successors to Newsom such as Eric Swalwell, whom Zacharia argues is politically and legally unviable due to residency issues and extreme policy rhetoric toward ICE. The conversation expands into California’s broader political decline, including discussions of wealth taxes, billionaire flight to states like Florida, high energy costs, and voter identification laws. Zacharia emphasizes that voter ID reform is the most realistic path for Republicans to regain statewide competitiveness in California, calling it an overwhelmingly popular issue even among Democratic voters.

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