Menu
Sign In Search Podcasts Libraries Charts People & Topics Add Podcast API Blog Pricing
Podcast Image

Bloomberg Talks

Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R) Talks ICE, Self-Driving Cars

04 Feb 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

0.031 - 18.609 Unknown

This message is brought to you by Apple Card. It's a great time to apply for an Apple Card. You'll love earning unlimited daily cash on every purchase. That includes 3% daily cash when you buy the latest iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch at Apple. Through this special referral offer, when you get a new Apple Card, you can earn bonus daily cash.

0

18.949 - 33.356 Unknown

To qualify, you must apply at apple.co slash getdailycash. Apple Card issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City branch. Offer may not be available elsewhere. Terms and limitations apply. Bloomberg Audio Studios.

0

33.817 - 50.289 Joe Mathieu

Podcasts, radio, news. And let's go now to Capitol Hill. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas joins us live. He's chair of the Senate Commerce and Transportation Committee, and he also serves on both the Senate Foreign Relations and Senate Judiciary Committees. Thanks so much for being with us, Senator.

0

51.311 - 52.633 Ted Cruz

Julie, Joe, good to be with you.

0

53.963 - 69.306 Joe Mathieu

I want to begin with an interview that President Trump just had on NBC News regarding ICE enforcement. He said when it comes to Minneapolis, maybe a softer touch is needed, although he says you still need to be tough. What do you think is the right approach right now?

70.282 - 88.543 Ted Cruz

Well, listen, what we're seeing in Minneapolis is tragic. We're seeing angry left-wing protesters who are deliberately confronting law enforcement, are getting violent with law enforcement, are obstructing the efforts of law enforcement to arrest violent criminal illegal aliens. And unfortunately...

88.523 - 106.617 Ted Cruz

We're also seeing the consequences of the overheated rhetoric that we've seen from so many Democrats. As you know, two Americans were shot in interactions with law enforcement. Anytime an American is shot in an interaction with a law enforcement, it's tragedy. But it is a tragedy that is being...

106.597 - 127.035 Ted Cruz

compounded and being encouraged by Democrats who are using language referring to ICE agents as Nazis, referring to them as murderers in a way that is wildly irresponsible, wildly reckless. They are encouraging violence against law enforcement. And I wish everyone would just ratchet down the rhetoric.

127.015 - 142.345 Ted Cruz

And focus on, look, it was not very long ago that there was enormous common ground that violent criminals should be arrested and taken off the street. And sadly, Minneapolis is now a clash over that basic proposition.

Chapter 2: What recent controversies surrounding ICE enforcement are discussed?

255.44 - 272.076 Ted Cruz

They are threatening their families. And by the way, you have Democrat politicians calling on these law enforcement officers to be doxed. Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of Democrats in the House, stood up and said, go and unmask them and identify them and go after them. That is... wildly reckless.

0

272.096 - 297.861 Ted Cruz

You know, I was in Dallas several months ago when one deranged leftist opened fire trying to kill ICE agents with a rifle because he had listened to the anti-ICE rhetoric from the radical left. This is dangerous and this is violent. And listen, these law enforcement officers are just trying to protect their families and protect their kids from the violence being fomented by the extreme left.

0

297.841 - 303.143 Julie Fine

Well, I just wonder what you think of the president's comment then, Senator. What does he mean by softer touch?

0

303.815 - 326.231 Ted Cruz

Well, I think it's exactly what I just said, which is ratcheting down the rhetoric. I think that's important for us to try to take some of the anger. You know, it is an unhealthy dynamic in our country that the two sides are filled with so much rage and just yell at each other. We need to be able to talk to each other and try to find some modicum of common ground.

0

326.271 - 328.675 Ted Cruz

That hadn't happened in a long time, unfortunately.

330.173 - 339.586 Joe Mathieu

Senator, though, when you say ratcheting down the rhetoric, are you saying that you believe it's all Democrats that have brought on this problem? I mean, aren't both sides somewhat to blame, do you think?

Chapter 3: How does Senator Cruz view the situation in Minneapolis regarding law enforcement?

340.367 - 361.075 Ted Cruz

Look, I've encouraged everyone to ratchet down the rhetoric. And for example, the two shootings that happened, any time you have an officer involved shooting, there's an investigation. That's standard practice. That is a natural step to occur. That should occur here. And I think anyone who jumped to conclusions about what happened We should wait and see the evidence.

0

361.095 - 385.389 Ted Cruz

You saw Democrats go on TV and scream that ICE agents are murderers and they're just shooting people for no reason. That is wildly reckless. And there should be an investigation. That happens as a matter of course. I'll also note one thing that the DHS Secretary Kristi Noem did that I very much agree with is she announced that they're going to be putting body cameras on ICE agents.

0

385.409 - 404.46 Ted Cruz

I think that is a very positive development. I don't think body cameras are the friends of the extreme left Democrats and the irresponsible claims they're making. And I think the body cameras, A, they protect citizens when you're interacting with law enforcement, but they protect law enforcement. And so I think that's a very positive development.

0

405.335 - 428.305 Julie Fine

Senator, I'd like to ask you about an important hearing that you held today with regard to autonomous driving and a piece of legislation that you're pursuing to do away with the patchwork of rules on the state level and actually come up with a national framework. We heard from Mauricio Pena, an executive at Waymo, the Alphabet-owned autonomous driving company. Here's what we heard.

0

429.331 - 449.21 Unknown

in over 100 million miles, our data shows that we are 10 times less likely to be involved in a serious injury collision as compared to human drivers in the cities where we operate. And data also shows that we're 12 times less likely to be involved in a pedestrian injury collision in the cities where we operate. So I think we're making a difference already.

451.332 - 458.038 Julie Fine

Were you compelled by the presentations today from Waymo and from Tesla, Senator? Would you get into a self-driving car tonight?

458.44 - 485.028 Ted Cruz

I absolutely would get in a self-driving car. And I got to say, there are very few policy areas where we can have as dramatic and direct an impact saving lives as dealing with autonomous vehicles. You know, every year about 40,000 Americans are killed in car crashes. And 94% of those come from human error. They come from drunk drivers or distracted drivers. You get people texting and driving.

485.068 - 502.69 Ted Cruz

You get people, their kids are yelling at them in the back. All sorts of things. People falling asleep because they're really tired. And autonomous vehicles, we're seeing that they are dramatically improving safety. On top of that, there's a whole other element of keeping our kids safe. Look, unfortunately,

502.67 - 522.23 Ted Cruz

You know, all of us who are parents, who have teenagers or young adults, you know, sometimes kids go out and do something stupid. Sometimes they have a few too many drinks, and sometimes kids foolishly get behind the wheel, and it can be the last decision they ever make. I think AVs provide a real source of safety to keep our kids safe, to keep our grandkids safe.

Chapter 4: What changes does Senator Cruz believe ICE should consider?

695.793 - 700.279 Stephanie Flanders

Listen to new episodes every Wednesday and follow Trumponomics wherever you listen.

0
Comments

There are no comments yet.

Please log in to write the first comment.