Verdict with Ted Cruz
Premiere Networks
Iran Deal—Don’t Give Billions to Lunatics who want to Kill us plus College Sports bill Gets BIG Bipartisan Vote
In this episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz, Senator Ted Cruz and co-host Ben Ferguson address two major national issues: the recent memorandum of understanding regarding Iran and a new bipartisan bill aimed at stabilizing college athletics. Senator Cruz expresses deep concern over a proposed deal involving Iran, which he argues could funnel up to 300 billion dollars to the Iranian regime. He describes the move as a dangerous policy shift that risks funding global terrorism and potentially enabling the country to develop nuclear weapons. Cruz explains the geopolitical implications of the deal, specifically criticizing provisions that would grant Iran control over the Strait of Hormuz. The discussion then shifts to the state of college sports. Senator Cruz highlights the progress of his new legislation, which recently passed the Senate Commerce Committee with strong bipartisan support. He argues that federal intervention is necessary to resolve the current chaos in collegiate athletics, including issues with the transfer portal and uneven regulations. Cruz emphasizes that the bill is essential to preserving the broader ecosystem of college sports, protecting scholarships for student-athletes, and preventing the collapse of non-revenue programs across the country.
Updated Jun 19, 2026
About This Episode
1. 🇮🇷 Iran Nuclear Deal & Foreign Policy Concerns
Key points:
- Discussion of a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran.
- Strong criticism of a proposal that could channel up to $300 billion into Iran’s economy.
- Concern that funds (regardless of source) could:
- Support terrorism
- Strengthen the Iranian regime (Ayatollah / IRGC)
- Comparison to past U.S. policy:
- Claims that previous funding enabled terrorist activities.
- Argument that:
- Iran cannot be trusted to honor nuclear commitments.
- Providing funding could help Iran develop nuclear weapons.
Additional related issues:
- Unfreezing Iranian assets (estimated $10–30 billion immediately).
- Distrust of Iran’s promises on nuclear restrictions.
- Assertion that U.S. military actions weakened Iran—so rebuilding them financially would be counterproductive.
2. 🌍 Strategic and Economic Concerns (Strait of Hormuz) Key points:
- Concern that the deal would allow Iran to influence/control the Strait of Hormuz.
- Possibility of Iran:
- Charging tolls in the future
- Generating major revenue from global shipping
- Framing of this as:
- A major geopolitical shift
- Comparable to coercive or “pirate-like” behavior
3. 🇮🇱 Middle East Security (Israel, Hezbollah, Hamas) Key points:
- Criticism that the agreement:
- Protects Hezbollah (described as a terrorist organization)
- Concerns about:
- Threats to Israel
- Broader risks to U.S. national security
- Assertion that Iran funds groups like:
- Hamas
- Hezbollah
- Houthis
4. 🏛️ College Sports Reform Legislation (NIL)
Key developments:
- A college sports bill passed Senate committee (19–9 bipartisan vote).
- Aims to address the current “crisis” in college athletics.
Problems identified:
- Transfer portal chaos (frequent athlete transfers)
- Lack of consistent eligibility rules
- Legal challenges disrupting NCAA system
- Financial instability:
- Many programs losing significant money
- Risk of collapse into a “mini-NFL” model (30–50 major programs only)
Potential consequences without reform:
- Elimination of non-revenue sports:
- Track, tennis, Olympic sports, women’s sports
- Loss of opportunities for:
- ~500,000 college athletes
- Negative impact on:
- Scholarships
- Educational access
- Athlete development pipeline (including Olympics)
Bill objectives:
- Preserve smaller and non-elite programs
- Prevent formation of a “super league”
- Stabilize college athletics structure
Support:
- Broad backing from:
- NCAA stakeholders
- Professional sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB)
- Coaches and universities
- Opposition mainly from:
- Big conferences (SEC, Big Ten)
5. 🥊 🚨 Terror Plot Against UFC Event at the White House Key points:
Key details:
- FBI disrupted a planned terrorist attack targeting the event.
- Plot allegedly involved:
- Drones with explosives
- Coordinated sniper attack on evacuees
- The plan aimed for mass casualties.
Arrests and investigation:
- Alleged ringleader identified as:
- An undocumented immigrant from Mexico
- Multiple co-conspirators arrested.
Key takeaway themes:
- Praise for:
- The suspect’s mother (who alerted authorities)
- Law enforcement
- Broader political argument:
- Immigration enforcement tied to national security risks
6. 🇺🇸 Immigration & Security Debate Key points:
- Discussion expands into:
- Risks of illegal immigration
- Concerns about national security vulnerabilities
- Argument that:
- We
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