All Episodes
Previous Next
Feb. 11, 2025 - Sean Hannity Show
32:10
News Stations Paid For By America? - February 10th, Hour 3
| Copy link to current segment

Time Text
This is an iHeart Podcast.
What smart political talk without the meltdowns?
We got you.
I'm Carol Markovich.
And I'm Mary Catherine Hammond.
We've been around the block in media and we're doing things differently.
Normally is about real conversations.
Thoughtful, try to be funny, grounded, and no panic.
We'll keep you informed and entertained without ruining your day.
Join us every Tuesday and Thursday normally on the iHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.
Stay right here for our final news roundup and information overload.
All right, news roundup and information overload hour.
Here's our toll-free telephone number.
It's 800-941 Sean.
If you want to be a part of the program, I think it was on Friday.
Um I had a scheduled conversation with President Trump.
And uh it was off the record, so I'll keep it off the record, as I always do.
And he said, Oh, by the way, guess who's sitting next to me?
He was on Air Force One.
Yeah, I I know your friends, Miranda Devine from the New York Post.
And also author of The Big Guy, How a President and His Son Sold Out America.
And uh anyway, was with the President uh this weekend, spent a significant amount of time with him, and uh she joins us now to tell us all about it.
How are you, Miranda?
Hi, Sean, great to be with you.
And yes, it was um terrific.
Uh the president was gracious enough to give me an interview and allow me to tag along um and sort of see how a day in the life of Donald Trump goes.
And I can tell you it is so hectic.
He does not stop um, you know, it starts at six AM.
And as he told me, I asked him what's the first thing that goes through your mind when you wake up, and he says, Business.
It's all business.
It's always been all business.
Now it's the business of politics.
And it's true.
He's there to just focus on and think about the country and how he's going to fix the disaster, really the disaster he's been bequeathed by Joe Biden.
He really has been handed a disaster.
So t tell us so at what time of day did you meet up with him and walk us through the day.
I want to hear all about So I was trying to get the interview at some point during Friday um in Washington, but he was so busy that he finally uh said, Look, let's do it on the plane.
So uh if I I tagged along to Palm Beach and uh came into his office very large office there um on the airplane and uh so he gave me a lot of time and in fact missed his lunch.
He's he was having gonna have a steak for lunch and instead he sent it, he said, cut it up into little pieces and send it down to the senators on the plane, um, because if I eat this now, I'm not gonna be able to eat dinner.
So um he he uh he's just terrific and just full of energy, obviously very cagey about certain things.
Uh, you know, um uh he he did uh say that he had spoken to Vladimir Putin on the phone but didn't want to be drawn on um how long for or what they talked about.
Um also uh told me in fact he told me then about the um that he was going to strip the security clearance of Joe Biden as well as Anthony Blinken, the former Secretary of State, who ginned up that fifty-one dirty fifty-one letter um saying I played it earlier in the program just for the record, uh Joe Biden did that to him.
Well, i exactly, but if look, it really isn't a tit for tat.
It uh that gives him extra justification, but it really is the genuine fact that he says that Joe Biden cannot be trusted with classified information because A, uh he's corrupt, and B, uh obviously you you had Robert Hurr,
um the special counsel saying last year that uh Joe Biden was had such a failing memory that he even though uh there was evidence to charge him with the classified documents mishandling, that he wasn't going to do so because he wouldn't no jury would be able to find him guilty because he really wasn't fit to stand trial.
So uh that is not someone you want to give classified information to.
So absolutely justified on every front.
Uh and then of course, um he gave me a list of eight other people he's doing the same thing to, and that is stripping security clearances or if they don't currently have them their ability to get them uh and also to prevent them from um accessing any secure federal facilities, any secure federal buildings.
And so that obviously will have an impact on federal people, like former Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who's getting this treatment, um, as well Jake Sullivan, um, the former NSA uh for Biden, and also um uh at New Yorkers, uh Letitia James and uh Alvin Bragg.
Now um we don't know whether they have security clearances and it's unlikely to be anything more than symbolic as Bob Costello told me it's uh really more a slap in the face and an insult to them than anything practical but their inability to access federal facilities will have an impact on their day to day uh ability to do their job.
Um, you know, for instance they won't be able to meet um the US attorneys in Manhattan and Brooklyn the those US attorneys from the Southern District and the Eastern District of New York will have to come uh to them and meet them which they won't like doing um and uh and they won't be able to access uh you know the MCC um and any of the federal buildings in Foley Square here in um in New York.
Um and the other thing is that uh Donald Trump is really very focused on getting rid of the congestion tax in New York.
Um he's been uh in talks with Cathy Hochel uh he said to me that he wanted to give her the respect of allowing her to go away and come back with you know her her proposals um but he's determined that that will happen and he also says that um there would be no need for any congestion tax.
All it does is um you know people it it's hurts business and she's just trying to force New Yorkers back onto the subway, which they don't want to use because it's dangerous because there are lunatics down there pushing people in front of the subway, setting people on fire.
There's just no no law and order in the subway and people are frightened and so especially women.
Um and so he just says clean it up and you won't need the congestion tax people want to use the subway like we used to.
Well I mean this is all basic common sense.
I I wondered with the energy emergency that he declared whether or not he would have the ability to force New York and Kathy Holkell, the governor of New York into fracking which would be the single best thing that New York could ever do to get out of the mess that they're in and they are in a mess.
Yes, that would be um an amazing thing for um America but for New York's economy um ridiculous that uh under Cuomo that our energy resources were curtailed so much um for you know a city that um needs a lot of power to keep going and is the sort of engine room of the economy of America.
So um I I would hope that he is able to twist her arm and there are many things um that you know that Donald Trump is uh trying to extract from the states many deals and of course he has a big cudgel because there are billions of dollars um that the federal government hands out to the state for transportation and for other things and uh though though that money um he is quite within his rights to turn the tap off.
So they know that so they're going to have to do something to accord with what he wants but more importantly he's just reflecting what the citizens want.
Yeah I I I totally agree with you.
I mean you're you're kind of stuck in New York I'm not anymore, thank God.
And uh one of the best decisions I made and and for all the reasons you're describing I mean they have so I Florida's the the number one state for schools in America.
And as far as safety and law and order and security it's it's unprecedented especially when compared to New York.
You talk about infrastructure in spite of no state income tax the infrastructure in Florida is and all throughout the state is infinitely better than the infrastructure in New York.
I would imagine that exodus is going to continue.
Absolutely I mean it's just a tragedy for New York and it's going to take a lot to recover from because you know once businesses decide that they are upping sticks and moving to another state um it really takes a lot to make them come back.
Um you know I I I think that under Kathy Okel it's impossible.
We're going to need to get New York to wake up.
I mean, maybe New York has to get to a really dark place, uh, really descend into the doldrums like it was back in the eighties before there is any common sense and you get a Rudy Giuliani uh to come in and save the city.
Um and you know, a governor like Lee Zeldin, Lee Zeldin should have won that last election, and if he had and beaten Kathy Hochel, this state would be a big one.
But how many millions of people that otherwise would have voted for Lee Zelden and I'm a fan of Lee Zeldons, um, had long left the state because of their, you know, high taxes, their burdensome regulation, the lack of law and order, terrible schools.
How many people left?
That's right.
And it's a vicious circle, and you you're you're seeing that in California.
You're seeing that in these states.
Uh um America is getting bifurcated between common sense, go ahead, um, successful states like Florida and uh high taxing, high crime, uh really burdensome and difficult to live in states or cities anyway, like New York, and these are the cities that are controlled by Democrats and have been for eons.
You know, New York State has actually got a lot of sensible people in it, but New York City is just uh for the most part controlled by these corrupt and incompetent Democrats who have all they care about is power.
They have this lust for power.
And it means that their party is shriveled up to nothing.
Quick break more with Miranda Devine on the other side.
She spent the day with the president, a day in the life of Donald Trump, uh which means it's chaotic, it is busy and it is efficient.
Anyway, more with Miranda on the other side.
We'll get to your calls coming up.
800, 941 Sean is on number if you want to be a part of the program.
Hey there.
I'm Mary Catherine Hamm.
And I'm Carol Markowitz.
We've been in political media for a long time.
Long enough to know that it's gotten, well, a little insane.
That's why we started normally a podcast for people who are over the hysteria and just want clarity.
We talk about the issues that actually matter to the country without panic, without yelling, and with a healthy dose of humor.
We don't take ourselves too seriously, but we do take the truth seriously.
So if you're into common sense, sanity and some occasional sass.
You're our kind of people.
Catch new episodes of Normally every Tuesday and Thursday.
On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.
We continue now.
Miranda Devine, New York Post, is with us.
She spent an entire day with President Trump, even flying on Air Force One with him.
Did you have an opportunity to talk to him about doge?
Here's what he said to uh Brett Bear in his Super Bowl interview about it.
Strict Elon Musk and his government efficiency team doge from accessing Treasury Department payment and data systems.
They said there was a risk of irreparable harm.
What do you make of that?
And does that slow you down on what you want to do?
No, I disagree with it a hundred percent.
I think it's crazy and uh we have to solve the efficiency problem, we have to solve the fraud waste abuse, all the things that have gone in the government.
You take a look at the USAID, the kind of fraud in there that's well we're talking about hundreds of millions of dollars of money that's going to places where it shouldn't be going where if I read a list you say this is ridiculous, and you've read the same lists and there are many that you haven't even seen.
It's crazy.
It's a big scam.
Now, there's some good money, and we can do that through uh any one of a number.
I think I'd rather give it to Marco Rubio over at the State Department.
Let him take care of the few good ones.
The people look, I ran on this and the people want me to find it.
And I've had a great help with Elon Musk, who's been terrific.
Tom, you say you trust him.
Trust Elon?
Oh, he's not gaining anything.
In fact, I wonder how he can devote the time to it.
He's so into it.
But I told him do that, then I'm gonna tell him very soon, like maybe in twenty-four hours, to go check the Department of Education.
He's gonna find the same thing.
Then I'm gonna go go to the military.
Let's check the military.
We're gonna find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse.
But I campaigned on this, Brett.
And he did.
I mean, did you talk much about that?
Yes, we did quite a bit.
Um he's very, very proud and pleased with what Elon Musk is doing.
And um, in fact, uh, I asked him because I saw Elon Musk with him uh briefly, um, and they have a a really um lovely rapport, and uh it seemed to me to be um, you know, it's sort of father-fun rapport almost.
And we all know Elon Musk had a terrible childhood with a abusive father.
And um, so he really um is working extra hard full free, as Donald Trump told me, um, getting the waste fraud and abuse out of the government, saving already he's up to like I think he's gonna be saving a trillion dollars.
And Donald Trump said on Friday, he actually gave uh Elon Musk permission to add an extra 45 staff to his team.
By the way, none of that team is getting paid, none of his doge team getting paid with taxpayer dollars, they're all being seconded from his businesses like Starlink and the AI and Tesla and so on.
Um, and so uh Donald Trump said that they'll they'll be tackling as he just said then the Pentagon next and other agencies, including potentially the FBI and the CIA.
He said it's the greatest thing that's happened to this country in many years.
They're finding all the waste and fraud and corruption that nobody thought that anybody would ever look for.
And I said to him, why why why why did you know that this would be here?
Why you?
Why were you able to do this and no other president?
And he said, Because I always thought it was corrupt.
He has a feel for that stuff, his nose, he's got a good nose for grifters and corruption.
He said my nose told me it was corrupt.
Um, and he said, for instance, the first when Elon and his team have been looking at USAID, out of a hundred things that they looked at, ninety-eight were bad.
He's Donald Trump said.
And he said, Normally it's the other way, you know, when he he's obviously keeps a lead on things in his own businesses.
He said normally when you do an audit, you find ninety-eight bad things, maybe two that are bad.
This is the other way around, and he's called that horrible.
And he did say Elon Musk possibly sees him as a father figure.
Um, and he just praised him very much.
So I think it's ridiculous that any Democrats are trying to put a wedge between Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
It's not gonna work.
They're gonna try hard.
Doesn't that that's not gonna work?
Uh well, it sounds like a great great experience, and we'll be f uh following up uh reading your columns every day, as we always do, uh, in the New York Post, Miranda Devine.
We always appreciate you being with us.
Thank you.
Thanks very much, Sean.
All right, 25 till the top of the hour this Monday, the freak out over Doge, Elon Musk, and the Department of Government Efficiency.
That that continues.
We're gonna play you the love's meltdown in a second.
Uh look, we're still living with the Harris Biden economy.
That means you gotta save money anywhere you can, and the best way to do it without sacrificing any service is to switch to my cell phone provider, and that's Pure Talk.
And the beauty of pure Pure Talk is they give you the same exact cell towers, the same 5G network, you get the same exact service, you pay about half the price.
And if you're looking for a company, I want a free phone.
Okay, well, they'll they have those programs as well.
Uh, but guess what?
You're not gonna pay the crazy amount of money.
Now, what's amazing is you're gonna get better customer service, the exact same service as ATT Verizon and T Mobile, but you're not gonna pay a hundred dollars a person per month for a wireless bill.
Uh Pure Talk is offering unlimited talk, unlimited text, uh uh 15 gigs of data, mobile hotspot, roaming, only 35 bucks a month.
Now you I mean, it's a it's the best deal out there for the exact same service.
You're crazy not to make the switch.
Just dial pound two fifty, say the keyword save now, pound two fifty, key words save now, do it now.
You save an additional fifty percent off your first month from Pure Talk, America's wireless company.
Um the left freak out over Doge and Elon just it just doesn't end.
Uh in New York, Letitia James suing the Trump administration for giving unauthorized access to private information and cutting federally approved spending.
I mean, this is all of this, as you listen to this madness that we're gonna play not only Letitia James, Congresswoman Omar, Andy Kim, Chris Murphy, Congresswoman Presley, and this meltdown of the left and the media on top of it, because they're just an extension of the radicalized left.
You know, just remember, all of this money is being spent on, you know, international on other countries.
This is not being spent for the American people, even if you were to agree with the madness of how it's being spent, because it's being spent on Green New Deal programs, wokeism, transgenderism, DEI programs, it's being spent on abortion.
It's being spent on LGBTQ plus everything.
And it's hundreds of billions of dollars.
And you know, if this is the hill the left wants to continue to die on, because they keep doubling down on dumb, dumber, and stupid.
The American people, the average American that pays all their taxes and you know, on average makes sixty-six grand a year, does not want their money spent this way.
Anyway, let's let's listen to the left's meltdown here.
We have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for giving unauthorized individuals access to these immensely sensitive records in violation of the law.
President Trump does not have the power to give our private information away to whomever he wants.
And he does not have the power to cut federal spending that Congress approved, much less to do so by giving the richest man in the world the keys to all Americans' most sensitive information.
As Democratic Attorneys General, we are suing to stop this unprecedented and unauthorized attack and to protect your personal information.
As I've said before, no one is above the law, and I will not hesitate to uphold the rule of law and protect New Yorkers.
Thank you.
What we are witnessing is a constitutional crisis.
We are seeing an executive branch that has decided uh that they are no longer going to abide by the Constitution in honoring Congress's role uh in the creation of the agencies in their role in deciding where money is allocated.
Uh and so the only recourse we have since our congressional leadership, the speaker will not um uh stop the executive uh is through the judiciary.
Uh and this is, you know, when you think about the checks and palaces that we have, the courts um are the only recourse we have at at the moment.
Are you prepared to shut down the government to join Democratic colleagues who want to stand in the way of keeping the government out?
Well, you have to look at what the Trump administration is doing right now.
They are simply trying to simply try to simply try to dismantle the government.
So, yes, look, if we have to take steps to be able to hold them accountable, use the leverage that we have to force it.
I cannot support efforts that will continue this lawlessness that we're seeing when it comes to this administration's actions.
And for us to be able to support government funding in that way, only for them to turn it around to dismantle the government, that is not something that should be allowed.
We are at a point where we are basically on the cusp of a constitutional crisis, seeing this administration taking steps that are so clearly illegal.
And until we see a change in that behavior, we should not allow and condone that, nor should we assist in that.
So this this is the modern Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, radicalized left wing in America today.
And this this is the hill they think they're gonna die on, and that is international spending on the most radicalized programs, without me mentioning them or reading them.
I spent most of last week informing you of of how abusive and how corrupt all this spending is.
And if they want to double down on that, double down on illegal immigrants being allowed to stay in the country, including unvetted people, known terrorists in the country, cartel members in the country, gang members in the country, murderers and known rapists in the country, tens and tens of thousands.
If they want to double down on on these ideas, then Donald Trump's popularity, as I mentioned at the beginning of the program, will continue to soar.
And we now see he has a record approval rating for the vast majority of Americans, you know, recognizing number one seventy percent that he's he's he's doing what he promised he would do during his campaign, and sixty percent approving of his program to deport illegal immigrants from the U.S. And 69% of Americans describe Trump as tough.
Uh uh, you know, what adjectives would you want people to use to describe you?
Sixty-three percent describe him as energetic.
Sixty percent say he's focused, fifty-eight percent say he's effective.
You know, sixty-four percent approve of Trump's using U.S. troops at the border.
Um, not bad attributes attributes from a guy who is historically never pulled this well.
Never.
Uh anyway, let's get to uh Larry in the great state of Texas.
Uh God bless Texas.
Larry, what's going on?
Glad you checked in.
Oh, hey, how are you doing?
Um I just want to say Trump is doing an awesome job.
Uh I think he's basically going to give uh America a fresh start.
Uh I think he's also uh you know, he's he's the right president for this time, basically.
Um I don't know what else to say, but you know, I just called in just a I think that I think you're right.
I think th this is a moment in history we have to return to constitutional order.
This is a moment, all the talk we've heard over the decades, Republicans wanting to eliminate waste fraud and abuse.
Now we can do it.
Now we can get it accomplished.
And the president's doing it and doing it at the speed of light.
And it's r it's refreshing.
And you know what?
All of you in this audience, you help make it happen.
Thank you.
You're doing it for yourself, your kids, your grandkids, and for America's future.
And uh I history will judge us well if we cut back the size of government and stop all of this corruption because it's rooted in corruption.
There's a reason Democrats are fighting so hard.
They this is a lot of their radicalism that they've been masking.
They purposely hid all of this information from the American people.
They are lashing out out of anger because they've been exposed, and of course, lashing out at Elon Musk is sleeping on the floor of a building in Washington, DC, you know, as he serves the country for free, and nobody at Doge gets paid a penny.
Anyway, thanks, my friend.
Appreciate it.
Uh God bless Texas.
We mean it.
Uh Dwayne in North Carolina next Sean Hennedy show.
Hi.
Mr. Handy, thank you for watching.
Stand forward.
Thanks for taking my call.
Thank you, my friend.
Glad you called.
I just wanted to say I hope that Mr. Trump and Mr. Uh Musk can lift the lid on the also FEMA waste.
I live in Western North Carolina.
I live in one of the most hardest hit areas during Hurricane Helene.
Uh I am a farmer.
My mom and I, we race cattle.
Um we lost a very important part of our farm being a bridge that uh we have a hard time getting uh assistance with from FEMA still.
I appreciate Mr. Trump, Mr. Vance, um is known for coming to our area and and recognizing us.
Sean Duffy was there today.
They they they I promised the people of North Carolina only because of the conversations I had with Trump that when he was elected, he would he would focus on it, and he's kept his promise, and they are very dialed into to what's happening in where you live in North Carolina.
If they don't fix these bridges, how are you possibly gonna, you know, get your your products, you know.
You said you're you're a rancher.
You know, how are you gonna get your meat to market?
Uh I'm not sure what are you gonna take it on horseback?
I doubt it.
I don't think that's gonna work.
You know, you're gonna use a donkey, that's not gonna work either.
Bicycle, that's not gonna work.
We need to fix the bridges.
The but I will tell you, they're also talking about eliminating FEMA, and I think that would be the best most efficient way to handle it.
And what you then do is you go to the people where you live and the people that you've elected, and you give them the money, and they're gonna be best able to identify where the needs are and and help people like you get back up and running as quickly as possible.
We gotta get these bridges fixed fast.
I mean, we we can't you know wait around two years.
We have filed claims with the state also, though, Mr. Hannity.
And they're not even responding.
The state nor the county.
Um I mean, we are literally, and I hate to blow the top off of this, but we are getting the runaround from federal, state, local authorities.
I've applied there is coalitions out there who uh they help with assistance of like grass seed, fertilized lime, to put hayfield and pastures back together.
They won't respond.
There it is.
A forgotten land around here.
And again, I appreciate uh, you know, Mr. Trump.
Uh Mr. Vance met with some folks that I go to church with that lost eleven folks in one family.
Uh he came here and met with them.
Uh Ms. Nom was here over the weekend, and and I could I could show you some things with FEMA, the waste that is going on in this area, but yet the assistance to the homeowners is none.
Let me let me let me check, you know, let me check what my my sources and they're not going there for no reason.
That their help is definitely coming.
Uh I would have thought by now that there'd be some some level of improvement.
Clearly, what you're saying there's not, and that's gotta be communicated.
And I uh I I have a big m voy big mouth, and I have no problem using it uh because I feel so strongly about the people of North Carolina, and I I want them to you know be taken care of.
That should be you know, that should be our top thing.
Now, the Doge team discovered the FEMA sent fifty-nine million dollars last week to luxury hotels in New York and New York City to house the illegal immigrants.
And suddenly that money violated the law.
It was in gross insubordination of the president's executive order.
That money was uh meant for American disaster relief.
Why isn't that money being sent to you?
Because FEMA is designed exactly for people like you that suffer an you know a natural disaster like Hurricane Holeen, and you know, the people that are in in our country illegally ought not be you know spending more time and taxpayer money in in three four star hotels in New York City.
So, you know, Doge discovered that.
I'm telling you, they're on it.
Uh uh you may not be seeing the results yet, but I know they're on it.
You know, there's there's a reason that you see the president, the vice president, you see the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, the transportation secretary, everybody's all hands on deck.
But obviously it's not enough yet.
So let's get to the bottom.
I'll get to the bottom of it.
Um and we'll report back to you.
Brett in uh Arizona.
Brett, we got about 90 seconds, it's all yours.
Hi, Sean.
Thank you for taking my call.
My uh point is really actually very simple.
Uh beyond just uh discovering these wasteful spending and abuse and crime and fraud, why aren't we taking and hearing about who's putting this money into the bills that um are getting through?
It has to be coming from somebody.
I'd love to see a report card for every representative associated with this spending, particularly with I would too.
But you know what?
You get a pretty good idea.
The people that are screaming bloody murder are the Democrats.
The Democrats, they're the ones, you know, it's it's not Republicans pushing the Green New Deal.
It's not Republicans pushing DEI, they're not pushing, you know, these transgender policies uh and and so on and so forth and DEI.
It's all it's it's this is a democratic pro party initiative, and how radicalized the Democratic parties become.
So that's why they're the loudest voices.
This has become a uh a way that they accumulate power and that is being taken away from them and they're being exposed.
Nobody likes to be exposed.
If you've been involved in corruption, you don't want to be exposed.
And so rather than just admit that the money should have gone to the American people and that they should have been better stewards of our tax dollars, that would be the honorable thing to do.
They just decided to lash out at Elon and President Trump and and talk about a constitutional crisis that is non-existent.
I actually think this is very constitutional, and I think a president that's protecting the American people and their hard-earned tax money deserves to be applauded, not condemned.
And I I feel so strongly about that.
Anyway, Brett, appreciate the call, my friend.
800-941-Shawn if you want to be a part of the programs.
You want smart political talk without the meltdowns?
We got you.
And I'm Carol Markowitz.
And I'm Mary Catherine Hamm.
We've been around the block in media and we're doing things differently.
Normally is about real conversations.
Thoughtful, try to be funny, grounded, and no panic.
We'll keep you informed and entertained without ruining your day.
Join us every Tuesday and Thursday, normally, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
▲
Export Selection