Sep 4, 2026 · 49 min
Cruz links Thomas biography to debates over extremism and espionage
#1 NYT Bestseller, plus Al Sayed Embraces 9/11 Truthers & China CAUGHT in Massive Espionage
The episode moves from Clarence Thomas’s jurisprudence to contested political associations and alleged Chinese intelligence operations targeting U.S. military interests.
- 1Ted Cruz presents Going Further as a biography of Clarence Thomas shaped by debates over race, abortion, guns, and property rights.
- 2Cruz and Ben Ferguson scrutinize Abdul El-Sayed’s conference associations and public statements about 9/11.
- 3The discussion portrays alleged Chinese espionage as a broad campaign using shipping networks, recruited agents, and military intelligence targets.
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The hosts analyze Abdul El-Sayed’s interview condemning 9/11 while criticizing subsequent U.S. wars, alongside earlier statements they say minimized the attacks.
The brief
Ted Cruz discusses Going Further, his number-one New York Times bestselling biography of Justice Clarence Thomas, including Thomas’s life, jurisprudence, and views on race, abortion, guns, and property rights.
The hosts then examine Abdul El-Sayed’s planned appearance at a conference featuring 9/11 conspiracy theorists, along with his past statements and deleted posts about the attacks.
An interview clip becomes the focal point: El-Sayed condemns 9/11 while criticizing the wars that followed, which Cruz and Ferguson portray as a moderation of earlier views.
The final segment turns to alleged Chinese espionage, including concealed equipment on commercial ships, efforts to collect information near U.S. military sites, and recruited agents.
The discussion culminates in American citizen Thomas Palkin II’s guilty plea to acting for China, before widening into a debate over long-term strategic competition.
Books & mentions
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