The Ben Ferguson Podcast

• Venezuela’s Oil Reserves and U.S. Involvement

  • Trump announced that Venezuela would transfer 30–50 million barrels of high-quality oil to the United States.
  • The oil would be sold at market price, with proceeds allegedly controlled by Trump to benefit both Venezuelans and Americans.
  • Venezuela reportedly has $17.3 trillion worth of oil reserves, surpassing the combined global GDP (excluding the U.S. and China).
  ...

• Cilia Flores’ Role: Far from being a symbolic first lady, Flores is a mastermind behind corruption and drug trafficking. She was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury and linked to major criminal activities, including her nephews’ cocaine smuggling.

• Western Hemisphere Strategy: The discussion emphasizes the Monroe Doctrine and its modern interpretation under Trump (“Donroe Doctrine”), asserting U.S. domina...

• Minnesota Governor Tim Walz Drops Out of Reelection

  • Walz announced he will not seek a third term amid a massive alleged Somali daycare and Medicaid fraud scandal.
  • Walz’s decision is a result of political fallout and public distrust, while highlighting his claims that Republican conspiracy theories and right-wing attacks contributed to the situation.
  • Walz is attempting to play the victim and emphasizes the scandal a...

• Trump’s stance on Venezuela’s oil and U.S. role

  • Trump is asserting the U.S. will “run” or strongly direct efforts in Venezuela, with U.S. oil companies going in to rebuild the country’s “broken” oil infrastructure. Trump is quoted saying elections should occur “at the right time” after stabilization.
  • Venezuela’s oil reserves are worth trillions of dollars a...

• Political Hypocrisy

  • Chuck Schumer in 2020 criticized Trump for failing to remove Maduro, juxtaposed with Schumer’s 2026 opposition to Trump’s military action.
  • The narrative portrays Democrats and mainstream media as inconsistent and politically motivated.

• Operation Details

  • The capture is described as a highly complex and daring mission: landing helicopters on Venezuela’s largest military ba...

• Announcement: Trump announced the success via a social media post and later held a press conference at Mar-a-Lago.
• Justification: The reasons include stopping drug trafficking, recovering stolen oil, and addressing fentanyl-related deaths in the U.S.
• Scale of Operation:
  • Over 150 aircraft involved, including bombers, fighters, drones, and helicopters.
  • Integration of multiple U.S. military branches and agencies (Space Comma...

• Event Summary (WATCH: PRESIDENT TRUMP PRESS CON HERE)
  

  • The U.S. military executed a highly complex and precise operation in Caracas, Venezuela, to apprehend Maduro.
  • The mission involved over 150 aircraft, advanced coordination across multiple military branches, and cyber and space operations.
  • The operation was completed without any American casualties, which is emphasized as a major success.

• Geopolitical Conte...

• The Scandal

  • Billions of dollars in fraud tied to childcare and healthcare programs in Minnesota.
  • Facilities licensed for dozens of children reportedly received millions in funding but appeared empty and inactive.

• Governor Tim Walz’s Response

  • Criticized for refusing to address the fraud allegations and for advocating more inclusivity toward the Somali community despite the scandal.
  • Accused of prioritizi...

• Scope of Fraud

  • Fraud schemes involve billions of dollars across programs such as childcare assistance, healthcare billing, nutrition programs, and pandemic relief funds.
  • A major case cited is the Feeding Our Future scandal, which misappropriated $300 million in COVID-19 relief funds intended for child nutrition.

• Investigations and Enforcement

  • The FBI, led by Director Kash Patel, has surged resources to Minne...

1. Alleged Fraud in Minnesota and Governor Tim Walz's Response

• A viral video that exposes widespread fraud involving childcare centers and federal aid programs in Minnesota, linked to the Somali community.
• Governor Tim Walz is criticized for refusing to address media questions and for advocating more inclusivity toward the Somali community despite the allegations.
• The report claims federal agencies, including the Department of...

• Daycare & Autism Centers Fraud

  • Numerous daycare centers and autism facilities have received millions in state funding but have no children enrolled.
  • Example: A daycare shut down for violations reopened under a new name and continued receiving funds.

• Home Healthcare Fraud

  • A single building allegedly housed 14 Somali-owned healthcare companies, all billing the state for services that were never provided.
  • F...

• Gas Prices Declining

  • Gas prices have fallen significantly, with national averages dropping below $3 per gallon and some states seeing prices as low as $2.36.
  • In contrast under Biden (around $5 per gallon in 2022) and frames this is a major success under Trump.

• Affordability Narrative

  • Affordability is presented as a central issue for elections, Democrats are blaming Trump for economic challenges while data sh...

• Inflation Drop

  • Inflation fell unexpectedly to 2.7%, which the author claims validates Trump’s economic strategy.

• Energy Policy Impact

  • Deregulation and expansion of domestic oil and gas production lowered energy costs, reducing transportation and manufacturing expenses across the economy.

• Tariffs and Trade

  • Contrary to predictions of price hikes and supply chain chaos, tariffs pressured fore...

• Government Waste and Reform

  • Musk discusses shocking inefficiencies in the U.S. federal government, such as:
    • Excessive software licenses and media subscriptions (often double the number of employees).
    • Duplicate credit cards and unexplained payments.
    • Fraudulent NGO funding (e.g., billions allegedly misused).
  • He emphasizes that the government is essentially run by computers and that reform requires direct access...

• Fraud and Improper Payments

  • The Government Accountability Office (GAO) conducted investigations revealing major vulnerabilities in ACA enrollment and subsidy systems.
  • Examples include:
    • Approval of fictitious applicants with fake Social Security numbers.
    • Duplicate subsidies tied to the same SSN.
    • Payments for deceased individuals (estimated at $94 million).
    • Brokers exploiting weak verification systems for commissions.
    ...

• Objective of the Plan

  • Lower healthcare costs for Americans.
  • Extend expiring ACA subsidies temporarily while transitioning to a new system.
  • Shift financial benefits from insurance companies to individuals.

• Proposed Measures

  • Two-year extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (originally expanded during COVID-19).
  • Income eligibility cap for subsidies at 700% of the federal poverty line to prevent wealthy Americ...

• Main Allegation:

  • Widespread fraud in Minnesota involving daycare centers, childcare programs, and pandemic relief funds.
  • Fraud allegedly linked to Somali immigrant communities, with claims that stolen funds were sent overseas and possibly tied to terrorist organizations like Al Shabab.

• Federal Response:

  • Trump administration froze $185 million in childcare funds to Minnesota.
  • Actions include:
    • Defend the ...

• Main Allegation: Widespread fraud in Minnesota’s childcare programs, allegedly involving fake daycare centers and misuse of federal funds over the past decade.
• Federal Response:
  • The Trump administration froze $185 million in federal childcare funds to Minnesota.
  • Actions announced by Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill include:
    • Activation of the “Defend the Spend” system requiring receipts or photo ev...

• Fraud Allegations

  • A reported $9+ billion fraud in Minnesota’s Medicaid and childcare programs.
  • Fraud schemes allegedly involved fake daycare centers, autism centers, and home healthcare providers.
  • Claims that funds were diverted to terrorist groups like Al Shabaab.

• Actors and Accountability

  • Somali immigrants are the primary perpetrators.
  • Minnesota politicians (e.g., Governor Tim Walz) for alleged compl...