Morning Wire - RFK Jr & Gabbard Advance & Netanyahu Visit | 2.5.25

Episode Date: February 5, 2025

Kennedy and Gabbard advance to Senate floor votes, Trump holds a meeting with Netanyahu at the White House, and have we turned the page on men competing in women's sports? Get the facts first with Morning Wire. Beam: Go to https://shopbeam.com/WIRE and use code WIRE for up to 40% off. Black Rifle Coffee: Get 20% off your first order or Coffee Club subscription with code DAILYWIRE at https://www.blackriflecoffee.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Tulsi Gabbard and R.FK. Jr. clear a critical hurdle on their past to Senate confirmation. I believe she's committed to strengthening our National Security. I'm Daily Wire, editor-in-chief John Bickley, with Georgia Howe. It's Wednesday, February 5th, and this is Morning Wire.

Trump welcomes Israel's leader to the White House and proposes a major shake-up in the Middle East. The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. And is the contentious chapter of men-in-women sports coming to a close? We should not allow men to play in women's sports. Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know. If you're waking up exhausted, that's no way to start your day. You need Beams Dream Powder, a science-backed, healthy hot cocoa for sleep. Other sleep aids can cause next day groginess. But Dream contains a powerful, all-natural blend of rachy, magnesium, al-thianine,

apigenin, and melatonin to help you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up refreshed. If you want to try Beam's best-selling Dream Powder, get up to 40% off for a limited time when you go to Shop, Theme.com slash wire and use code wire at checkout. That's shop, B-E-A-M-com slash wire and use code wire for up to 40% off. On Tuesday, three of President Trump's most controversial cabinet picks inched closer to confirmation. Meanwhile, the Senate confirmed his choice for Attorney General Pam Bondi last night, 54 to 46. Daily Wire, Senior Editor Cabot Phillips has been on top of all the latest developments and joins us now, hey, Cabot. So let's start with these all-important cabinet confirmation hearings. What's the latest from the Hill? Well, back in November,

when Trump announced his cabinet appointments, a few names jumped out as facing the toughest roads to confirmation, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But on Tuesday, both appointees cleared a major hurdle and now appear well on their way to confirmation. First, Kennedy won approval from the Senate Finance Committee by a 1413 party-line vote. The White House had been concerned that his nomination would be killed by Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who really grilled Kennedy last week on his vaccine skepticism, specifically his past claims that vaccines were related to increased rates of autism and children. But ultimately, Cassidy came around, saying on X, quote, with the serious commitments I've received from the administration, and the opportunity to make progress on the issue we agree on, like healthy foods and a pro-American agenda,

I will vote yes. Cassidy added that the, quote, honest counsel of J.D. Vance helped win him over. Kennedy will now head to the Senate floor for a full vote where he can afford to lose just three Republicans, but so far none have said they'll oppose him. So it appears RFK will be the next health secretary. Then there's Tulsi Gabbard, who also had a strong day yesterday. How did that play up? Right. So like Kennedy Gabbard, could only afford to lose one Republican vote to pass the Senate Intelligence Committee, which seemed like a tall order. Three Republicans on that committee, including Susan Collins, James Langford, and Todd Young had all grilled her during her confirmation.

hearing and expressed major reservations about her appointment to Director of National Intelligence. But all three fell in line Tuesday, allowing her to pass the committee by another nine-eight party-line vote. For his part, Senator Young released a list of assurances that Gabbard had given him, which he said helped win him over, including her promise to go after whistleblowers in the intel community who will legally disclose confidential information, along with commitments to refrain from lobbying President Trump for the pardon of NSA leaker Edward Snowden. Right, lots of viral. clips of her being pressed on Snowden in the hearing. So at this point, we can say that it appears

Trump will get two more nominees in his cabinet. Yeah, the looming confirmations of Gabbard and Kennedy and the relatively easy confirmation late yesterday of Pambandi for Attorney General are further proof of just how united the GOP is right now behind Donald Trump. Over the last 30 years, the average president had three cabinet appointments failed to win confirmation. But if Gabbard and Kennedy get through, that number for Trump will likely be just one. His original pick for Attorney General Matt Gates. Here's how CNN described Trump's cabinet confirmation so far. Trump's picks have been doing better than the average in terms of getting through the United States Senate. Simply put in the word, he's winning. That's a big news for Trump on Capitol Hill.

And we also had some major developments from the White House regarding an executive order on education, correct? Right, a lot to keep up with from the White House. So the Wall Street Journal is reporting that President Trump is preparing an executive order that would dismantle the Department of Education slashing any program. or functions within the department that are not explicitly laid out in the law. The order will also go a step further and reportedly include calls for legislation to abolish the DOE entirely, with federal education funding going directly to states. Since the department's creation under Jimmy Carter, Republicans have been calling for its

abolishment, saying it's unnecessary and makes the education system less efficient and more expensive. But we haven't seen action like this. Here is Trump speaking on the matter yesterday. We spend more per pupil than any other country in the world. and we're ranked at the bottom of the list. We're ranked very badly. And what I want to do is let the states run schools. Ultimately, though, abolition of the DOE must go through Congress,

where 60 votes would be needed in the Senate. So it will be very much an uphill battle. Yeah, steep one for sure. And one final story before you go, this one regarding deportation flights. What are we seeing on that front? So on Tuesday, the Trump administration began sending flights full of illegal immigrants to Guantanamo Bay.

The White House says the base will be. be used for, quote, the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people. Other criminal illegals could also end up in El Salvador. During a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, El Salvadorian President Naïbe Bucali, announced that his country would be willing to accept criminal aliens and even U.S. citizens for a, quote, small fee. It's unclear if Trump will take him up on that offer. But Secretary Rubio said, quote, no country has ever made an offer of friendship such as this.

It's a unique one. Trump's team really hammering out very significant deals. right and left here. Kevin, thanks for reporting. Any time. Hey, guys, producer Brandon here. Black Rifle Coffee helps you wake up each morning feeling dialed in and ready to make the most of your day. And now is your chance to get 20% off your purchase using code DailyWire at black rifle coffee.com.

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our nation's military and first responders. Head over to their site now for 20% off your purchase with Code Daily Wire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Trump yesterday, where the U.S. proposed some radical changes for Gaza. Here with the rundown of the meeting is Daily Wire Deputy Managing Editor Tim Rice, so a very significant meeting here, lots of attention for good reason. First, what did the two leaders talk about? Yeah, good morning, John.

Well, Trump and Netanyahu hit all the notes we expected them to. Unsurprisingly, they discussed the situation in Gaza, particularly the second stage of the ongoing ceasefire agreement. So far, 13 of the 33 hostages slated to be released under the first phase of the deal have been freed. There are 59 hostages still in Gaza, including seven Americans. Trump had previously expressed some concern about the deal, saying he had no assurances that it'll hold. But yesterday, he took a more optimistic tone, praising Netanyahu and expressing confidence that the situation in Gaza will be resolved. But Trump's most talked about remarks will likely be his comments on resettling the Palestinians currently living in Gaza. I would like to see Jordan. I'd like to see Egypt take

some look. The Gaza thing has not worked. It's never worked. And I feel very differently about Gaza than a lot of people. I think they should get a good, fresh, beautiful piece of land. and we get some people to put up the money to build it and make it nice and make it habitable and enjoyable and make it a whole. They don't want to leave, though. How can you say they don't want to leave? I don't know how they could want to stay. It's a demolition site. Trump went even further during the joint press conference the leaders held after their meeting,

saying that he wanted to resettle all Ghazans and have the United States take over the Gaza Strip. We'll own it and be responsible for dismalade. dismantling all of the dangerous, unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area. Unsurprisingly, that statement generated a lot of buzz and we'll be following up on Trump's proposals for sure. Now, we also had some protests as expected in D.C. What did we see on that front? Yeah, things were a little less warm outside the Oval Office, where anti-Israel groups like Americans for Justice in Palestine and the Council on American Islamic Relations organized a protest ahead of the meeting.

They claimed it a statement that Trump risks undermining prospects for peace by supporting Netanyahu's actions in Gaza, but National Security Advisor Mike Waltz pushed back on that idea. Here he is outside the White House yesterday. I think President Trump is looking at this from a humanitarian standpoint. You have these people that are sitting with literally thousands of unexploded ordinance and piles of rubble. At some point, we have to look realistically. How do you rebuild Gaza? What's the timeline? We're talking 10, 15 years.

Now, we got word yesterday that Netanyahu has extended his U.S. visit through Saturday. What else is he going to do while he's here? Well, it's not entirely clear yet, though we're hearing that he extended the visit simply to accommodate all the requests. for meetings from Trump administration officials. It's very likely that he'll meet with Vice President J.D. Vance as early as today. And I wouldn't be surprised if he met with some of his allies in Congress. Again, there's plenty for Netanyahu to talk about from Hamas and Gaza to Syria and Iran and more. Indeed.

And meanwhile, strong signals of solidarity yesterday between Trump and Netanyahu will be tracking the rest of his visit as it goes on. Tim, thanks for reporting. Any time. The Daily Wire has learned that President Trump will sign an exist. executive order later today that's expected to focus on keeping males out of female sports. Here to lay out the details of the measure is Daily Wire reporter Amanda Prestige Giacomo. So Amanda, this was a huge campaign promise for Trump. What do we know at this point about this specific order? Yeah, it was. The order will reportedly ban males to identify as transgender from

participating in girls and women's sports at schools and colleges. Sources believe that Trump could direct his education department to enforce those standards based on Title IX rules, and if schools don't comply, they could be investigated. Trump is expected to sign the order at 3 p.m. Eastern time today, which happens to be the 39th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. He'll be surrounded by advocates who've been fighting for female sports and female spaces. Riley Gaines has confirmed to us that Chilmaine attendance as well. The Daily Wire reported this week that Gaines is slated to speak at a member's lunch for the Republican Study Committee on Wednesday. just hours before Trump is scheduled to sign that order on women's sports.

For those who aren't aware, Gaines swam for the University of Kentucky, and during the 2022 NCAA women's championships, she and other girls were forced to compete against a male swimmer named Leah Thomas. Thomas previously competed as a D1 male swimmer before requesting to switch to the female league. Gaines and Thomas tied for fifth place, but the trophy was given only to Thomas at the award ceremony. Gaines has since dedicated herself to advocating for female sports and athletes, and she even testified before Congress. Here's some audio of that.

It was clear to me, my teammates, and my competitors, that they had reduced everything we had worked our entire lives for down to a photo op to validate the feelings and the identity of a male. We also had to share a locker room and change in front of this six-foot-four, fully intact, naked male. We were not forewarned of this arrangement. We were not asked for our consent, and we did not give our consent to this exposure and to be exploited. Still shocking to hear that testimony.

Now, this was a major issue for Trump on the campaign trail, and he's addressed it in a few ways since taking office. Can you remind us of what he's done so far? Yeah, Trump really hit the ground running here. On day one, he signed an executive order stipulating that it's the official policy of the United States government that there were only two genders. Additionally, Trump signed an order banning taxpayer-funded gender transitions from minors, which has already stopped some hospitals from performing those often irreversible procedures. And just last week, he signed an executive order which seeks to stop federal funding for K-12

schools that teach radical ideologies, including gender ideology. Now, these have been executive actions, but are Republicans in Congress also willing to back them up with legislation? Yeah, that appears to be the plan. The House passed the Protection of Women and Girls Act last month, but the Senate, which is also narrowly controlled by the GOP has yet to vote on the bill. Here's Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville on the Megan Kelly show urging Republicans to get that bill passed or at least get lawmakers on the record. Now, it's time to put up or shut up. If it's not going to pass, we'll do it again,

but we've got to get people on the record because this is something that is very dear to the heart of all parents across this country and is dead wrong. Well, we will be following for sure. Amanda, thanks for reporting. You're welcome. Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back this afternoon with more news you need to know.