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--:-- John Bickley: Welcome to Morning Wire. I'm John Bickley, editor-in-chief of The Daily Wire, and I'm joined by my co-host Georgia Howe. It's Monday, December 9th.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for waking up with us, John.
--:-- John Bickley: Today, we've got a lot to cover. Donald Trump travels to France and projects strength on the world stage as chaos rages abroad. We'll talk about how he was received by world leaders and if he's already making progress on his priorities.
--:-- Georgia Howe: That's right, John. And in other news, the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria appears to be over after an Islamist rebel faction conquered large swaths of the country. We'll talk to our reporter Tim Pierce about what this means for the country and the region.
--:-- John Bickley: And finally, the Daniel Penny trial enters its fifth day of deliberations following a surprise decision from the judge. We'll break down what happened and what it means for the case.
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--:-- John Bickley: Welcome back to Morning Wire. We're joined now by Cabot Phillips, senior editor at The Daily Wire. Cabot, thanks for being here.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Thanks, John.
--:-- John Bickley: So, let's start with Trump's visit to France. What did we see there?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yeah, Joe Biden might be the sitting president, but it was Donald Trump who represented the U.S. in Paris this weekend, where the Notre Dame Cathedral reopened five years after suffering severe fire damage. Foreign leaders from around the world descended on France to celebrate, but really all eyes were on Donald Trump, who first met one-on-one with France President Emmanuel Macron.
--:-- John Bickley: And what was the tone of that meeting?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: The two had a, we'll call it, combative relationship during Trump's first term. Macron blasted his leadership as, quote, brain dead, while Trump called him, quote, nasty and said France would be speaking German today if not for the U.S. But amid rising anti-liberal sentiment in France and Trump's threats to implement tariffs on French goods, Macron adopted a much more gracious deferential tone this go-round.
--:-- Georgia Howe: That's interesting. And what about the meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Right, a potentially very significant meeting there. Well, first, remember, Zelensky has, for the last few years, said he would not accept any peace deal with Putin and would continue fighting until Russian forces had been expelled from Ukraine entirely. That message was backed by President Biden, who vowed to provide weapons and financial aid for as long as necessary to aid the war effort. Trump had a very different approach, saying he would force both sides to the negotiating table.
--:-- John Bickley: And what came of that meeting?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: And within just a few days of our elections, Zelensky changed his tune. He agreed to work with Trump to find a diplomatic solution that would end the war. And on Saturday, the two reportedly discussed what the end to that war would look like. Afterwards, Zelensky said, quote, President Trump is as always resolute. We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. Peace through strength is possible.
--:-- Georgia Howe: So, it seems like some progress was made there.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: That's right. And coming back stateside, President Trump also sat for a high-profile interview on Meet the Press. What did we hear there?
--:-- John Bickley: Yeah, this was Trump's first sit-down interview since winning a second term, and it offered insights into his day-one priorities. He reiterated his intent to impose tariffs on countries that he says have been taking advantage of the U.S. He said he would implement border policies the Biden White House rescinded and clean out those in the federal government who've weaponized the justice system for political gains.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And what about his plans for pardons?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yeah, Trump again stated his intention to pardon thousands of Americans convicted and imprisoned on charges related to January 6th. I'm gonna be acting very quickly. Within your first 100 days, first day? First day. First day? Yeah, I'm looking for these pardons. These people have been there, how long is it? Three or four years? By the way, they've been in there for years, and they're in a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn't even be allowed to be open.
--:-- John Bickley: And what about the reaction to his comments on retribution?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Retribution will be through success. If we can make this country's success That would be my greatest. That would be such a great achievement. Bring it back. So six weeks to go before inauguration, Donald Trump promising success will be his retribution.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for reporting, Cabot.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Anytime.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, let's talk about the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Tim Pierce, our reporter, is here to break it down. Tim, thanks for being here.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Thanks, John.
--:-- John Bickley: So, what's happening in Syria?
--:-- Tim Pierce: The regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria appears to be over after an Islamist rebel faction conquered large swaths of the country. The chaotic downfall of Assad has left the U and its allies in the region wondering what next.
--:-- Georgia Howe: That's right. And where is Assad now?
--:-- Tim Pierce: He's in exile in Moscow. The Russians have granted asylum to him and his family. As far as his regime in Syria, it looks like it's done. Militants led by the terror group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, took over Syria's capital Damascus over the weekend. Assad's forces barely put up a fight.
--:-- John Bickley: And who's in charge in Syria now?
--:-- Tim Pierce: HTS is led by a man known as Abu Muhammad al-Golani. In recent years, he has tried to sell himself as a freedom fighter and a moderate dedicated to protecting minority rights. But there's good reason to doubt Golani's intentions. His group, HTS, evolved from the terror group Nusrfran, that was the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And how's the West reacting to this?
--:-- Tim Pierce: Western leaders were generally glad to see Assad go. Assad's regime was notorious for gassing and torturing its own people, But many are also apprehensive about what comes next. Israel especially, since it shares a border with Syria.
--:-- John Bickley: And what about President-elect Trump's comments on the situation?
--:-- Tim Pierce: Yeah, President-elect Trump said over the weekend that whatever happens in Syria, the U.S. should stay out of it. He also suggested that Syria's fall is a sign of Russia's weakness and that President Putin should start peace talks.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for reporting, Tim.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Glad to be on.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, let's talk about the Daniel Penny trial. Amanda Presta, our reporter, is here to break it down. Amanda, thanks for being here.
--:-- Amanda Presta: Thanks, John.
--:-- John Bickley: So, what's happening in the trial?
--:-- Amanda Presta: The jury in the Daniel Penny trial entered its fifth day of deliberations following a surprise decision from the judge. The judge dismissed the top charge, second-degree manslaughter, and the jury will now only be deliberating on the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And what's the reaction been to this decision?
--:-- Amanda Presta: Penny's team argues that dismissing a harder charge in the middle of jury deliberations sets a dangerous precedent for prosecutors in the future. This means they can overcharge defendants, knowing that they can still maneuver at the last minute if deliberations don't seem to be going their way.
--:-- John Bickley: And what about the mood around this case in New York City?
--:-- Amanda Presta: There have been a dozen or so racial activist protesters who've screamed things like murderer and guilty at Penny as he's walked into court. We saw a push early on in the media and then by the prosecution during the trial to make this case about race since Penny is white and Neely was black. Though we should underscore that there's no evidence of that at all.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And what about the supporters of Penny's outside the courthouse?
--:-- Amanda Presta: There are supporters of Penny's outside the courthouse, too. Increasing crime from repeat offenders, especially on the subway, and the mental health crisis have become unavoidable and overwhelming for a lot of New Yorkers.
--:-- John Bickley: Thanks for reporting, Amanda.
--:-- Amanda Presta: You're welcome.
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--:-- John Bickley: Welcome back to Morning Wire. We're joined now by our producer, Brandon.
--:-- Brandon: Hey, guys.
--:-- John Bickley: Thanks for being here, Brandon.
--:-- Brandon: Thanks for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: So, let's talk about Z-Biotics. It's the world's first genetically engineered probiotic drink designed to help you feel your best the morning after celebrating. With all the holiday parties and family gatherings ahead, Zbiotics is here to keep you present for every moment that matters. Visit zbiotics.com slash wire to get 15% off your first order with code wire, plus it comes with a 100% money-back guarantee.
--:-- Brandon: That's right. And if you're interested in learning more about Z-Biotics, you can visit their website or use the code WIRE for 15% off your first order.
--:-- John Bickley: Thanks for being here, Brandon.
--:-- Brandon: Thanks for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: And that's a wrap for today's show. Thanks for waking up with us, and we'll be back later this afternoon with more news you need to know.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time on Morning Wire.
--:-- John Bickley: Goodbye.
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