Trump, WSJ, & Conservative Icons Clash over Epstein plus Senate Slashes Funding for NPR, PBS in Midnight Vote
The Ben Ferguson Podcast
iHeartPodcasts
4.8 • 5.4K Ratings
🗓️ 18 July 2025
⏱️ 34 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
1. Epstein Files and Trump Controversy
- We open with a heated discussion about the renewed focus on the Jeffrey Epstein files, with calls for transparency.
- Senator Cruz outlines four principles for handling the Epstein case:
- Transparency – Release all information.
- Protect the victims – Especially minors in explicit materials.
- Release it all – No selective disclosure.
- Prosecute predators – Hold all abusers accountable.
- The media is accused of using the Epstein case to sow division within the MAGA movement, particularly targeting Trump allies like Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino.
- A Wall Street Journal article is criticized for allegedly publishing a fake letter from Trump to Epstein. Trump denies its authenticity and threatens legal action.
2. Congress Defunds NPR & PBS
- A major legislative update: Congress passed a bill to defund NPR and PBS, a long-standing conservative goal.
- Cruz and Ferguson argue that these outlets have become left-wing propaganda machines, citing examples of perceived bias and misuse of taxpayer funds.
- Senator Cruz praises the unity among Republicans in the Senate and House to push the measure through, despite internal resistance.
3. Stephen Colbert and the Fall of Late-Night Comedy
- Cruz celebrates the cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”, framing it as a cultural victory for conservatives.
- Colbert is described as a partisan, elitist figure who alienated half the country with anti-Trump rhetoric and COVID-19 vaccine advocacy.
- Cruz reminisces about a time when late-night comedy was bipartisan and fun, contrasting it with what he sees as Colbert’s divisive tone.
- The hosts play clips mocking Colbert’s vaccine-themed musical segments and criticize the influence of pharmaceutical sponsorships.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:05.4 | Welcome. It's so nice to have you with us. |
| 0:07.5 | And I got to tell you, there has been so much about Jeffrey Epstein that I decided, |
| 0:12.9 | Senator Cruz and I were going to have a conversation about this issue. |
| 0:16.8 | And I want to have it for you as we did a dual pod because there's just so much that's breaking, |
| 0:21.6 | including the new threat coming from the president, saying he's going to sue the hell out of |
| 0:26.0 | the Wall Street Journal for a pretty crazy report that has come out. |
| 0:30.3 | And the president says it is a lie. |
| 0:32.8 | So I want you to hear what Senator Ted Cruz and I had to say about all of this. |
| 0:37.0 | Plus, NPR has been defunded how we got there, how it actually happened. |
| 0:43.8 | And then one other thing, Stephen Colbert, the whole show he's ruined to the point where they just canceled it and said the show's gone, not just you, the entire show. Take a listen. |
| 0:55.9 | Well, there's an absolute battle playing out in Washington, D.C., and you've got a battle about |
| 1:00.1 | the Epstein Files, President Trump, the Wall Street Journal, Pam Bondi, Cash Patel, Dan Bongino. |
| 1:06.5 | It is chaos. We're going to do our very best to break down what's going on, what to expect, what's going to happen next. |
| 1:12.7 | We're also going to talk about really important legislation that just passed Congress, past the Senate, defunding PBS, defunding NPR. |
| 1:21.2 | This is a major conservative victory. We've been trying to do this for decades, and we finally got it done. |
| 1:32.2 | And finally, we're going to talk about something that I'm going to confess is just beautiful. |
| 1:35.1 | Stephen Colbert has been fired. |
| 1:36.3 | He's been canceled. |
| 1:39.6 | We're going to break that down, talk about what's going on. |
| 1:41.2 | A lot is happening right now. |
| 1:45.0 | Yeah, before we get all that, I just want to talk to you real quick about an incredible company that I want you to know about. And if you have a cell phone and, |
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