00:00So in 2028, do you think that it's going to be a battle between free enterprise America and communism, I
00:11mean, big government communism?
00:13I think that's a very real battle. By the way, it's one of the reasons I'm so excited about the
00:17Trump accounts. That may be of everything I've done in the Senate, it may be the most consequential. What I
00:23like most about the Trump accounts is we're creating a whole new generation of capitalists.
00:28Our kids have skin in the game and are going to become the owners of the biggest employers in America.
00:34That changes your view. Ownership is fundamentally transformational.
00:40That's right. Home ownership, too.
00:42Yeah, sure. Absolutely.
00:43And so in 2028, you would be pretty well placed as the son of Cuba, like Marco Rubio, and a
00:52pragmatic sort of non-interventionist to run.
00:57As I said, I think there will be plenty of time to have that conversation, but the time to have
01:01it is after the midterms, not before.
01:03But do you think it's going to be just an anointment of one individual?
01:07I think we are going to have a full and vigorous primary and discussion.
01:11Do you?
01:12Look, I think the voters are going to decide who are we and what do we believe. And that matters.
01:17And President Trump is a unique historical figure.
01:22I'm going to say right now, there is no Donald Trump on the horizon to succeed.
01:26And he quite likes competition. I mean, he'd be an apprentice. I could imagine that he would think that it
01:31would be healthy to have that kind of may the best man win.
01:35I could certainly see that.
01:37So how many people do you think will be running in 2028 in the primary?
01:40I have.
01:41Like, could it be another 17 or?
01:43I doubt it, but we'll see. Look, I think we will have a, I believe in the political process. I
01:50think the democratic process is a good way to decide who we are, what we believe. It's a good way
01:58to vet people. What's your record? What have you done? And, you know, it's one thing. People say things on
02:04the campaign trail. You actually look at their actual record of what have you accomplished.
02:08And that has a way of helping people make choices.
02:13So last question. Did you learn anything in 2016, any mistakes that you made or watching the way Donald Trump
02:20won, that you would be able to apply or give advice to someone in 2028 about what to do next
02:26time?
02:27Listen, as I said, I think Donald Trump is unique and no one's going to replicate what he did. But
02:34there's no doubt he understood communicating directly with the American people going around the gatekeepers.
02:44Have you done that?
02:45Look, I certainly try to. And, you know, all of us, if you're not learning, you've got something wrong with
02:51you.
02:51You've got a podcast that I listen to. It's good.
02:54Good, good. I enjoy doing it. We do it three days a week and Verdict with Ted Cruz. We've got
03:01millions of listeners.
03:02So it's, look, and obviously we're doing your podcast. It's such a great way to communicate and to get around
03:08gatekeepers.
03:10And by the way, that's also the reason I wrote this book is to communicate directly.
03:15I mean, as you noted, it's the number one bestseller on the New York Times list right now.
03:18I would encourage folks, go to Amazon, go buy it. It's a fun read. Buy it and give it as
03:27a gift to your kids or grandkids.
03:28The reason I wrote it is this is a time that is so divided, that is so angry, that there's
03:35a shortage of role models.
03:36And I think Clarence Thomas is an extraordinary role model.
03:41I think you would be very hard pressed to find a better role model than him.
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