In this gripping episode of Washington Watch, Jody Heiss ventures into the heart of poignant national concerns. Beginning with a tragic incident on Bourbon Street, Heiss discusses the aftermath of an act of terrorism and the startling reality facing communities in New Orleans. The conversation transitions to the political sphere, focusing on the imminent Congressional vote for House Speaker, where political fervor threatens to disrupt legislative progress.
SPEAKER 02 :
from the heart of our nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and soundbites into conversations with our nation’s leaders and newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview. Sitting in for Tony is today’s host, Jody Heiss.
SPEAKER 05 :
Welcome to this Thursday edition of Washington Watch. I’m Jody Heiss, the Senior Vice President here at the Family Research Council and President of FRC Action. An honor to be filling in today for Tony. But let me take this opportunity real quickly to be the first, at least from my side, to say Happy New Year to you. I hope you had a fantastic Christmas and so far off to a great new year. We’ve got a lot coming your way today on Washington Watch. Let me give you some of the highlights. To begin with, what started as a New Year’s Day celebration on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street became a horrible scene yesterday.
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Today at approximately 3.15 a.m. Central Standard Time, an individual drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing at least 10 individuals and injuring dozens more.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, that was FBI Assistant Special Agent Alethea Duncan speaking yesterday to the press. And since then, there have been four more deaths reported and more details have emerged, including the suspect’s ties to ISIS.
SPEAKER 19 :
First and foremost, let me be very clear about this point. This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act. He originally planned to harm his family and friends, but was concerned the news headlines would not focus on the, quote, war between the believers and the disbelievers, end quote. Additionally, he stated he had joined ISIS before this summer
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, that was FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Rea earlier today. I’ll be joined here in just a couple of moments by former FBI Special Agent Jonathan Gilliam to discuss what else has emerged from the investigation into yesterday’s attack. And later in the program, Tony will also be sharing some of his thoughts on the response to yesterday morning’s attack. And he was also in the studio earlier this afternoon, and we’ll be bringing that to you. He is now, by the way, just for you to know, headed to an inaugural ceremony in Baton Rouge, and he is involved in leading prayer and so forth in that. So he and I will be going back a little bit today as I’ll be bringing a portion of the program, and then he’ll be bringing some that he recorded a little bit earlier today. And he also interviewed Carolyn Glick on some reports that Iran is now preparing to spend millions of dollars and send millions of dollars to Hezbollah in order to bolster that terrorist organization. Folks, the saga in Israel just continues to unfold, and you’ll be hearing more about that a little later on in the program. And then tomorrow at noon, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote for who is going to be the speaker in the 119th Congress. Well… We already have at least one Republican House member who is saying he is not going to be voting for current House Speaker Mike Johnson. That means it’s only going to take one more person in the GOP to potentially throw a wrench in the plans to quickly deliver the America First agenda to the American people.
SPEAKER 04 :
We can’t get anything done unless we have a speaker, including certifying President Trump’s election on January 6th. So to waste time over a nonsensical intramural food fight is a joke. And I think my colleagues, if they didn’t learn anything from the 118th Congress, it should be that we absolutely do not need a fight over the speakership.
SPEAKER 05 :
That was Congressman Mike Lawler of New York this past Sunday on ABC’s This Week. So much at stake as they come into tomorrow’s vote. And I’ll be joined a little bit later in the program with Congresswoman Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma. to discuss that vote and what the obstacles may be. So as usual, we’ve got a lot to come your way. If you happen to miss any portion of it, the website, of course, is TonyPerkins.com. And let me just say this, as we enter into this special pivotal, pivotal year for our country, Family Resource Council invites you to join our New Year’s resolution to stand. with us for faith, family, and freedom. All of this is inspired by Ephesians 6.13, but we commit to continue shining the light of Christ and defending biblical truth across our nation, and we invite you to join us in that task. You can do so by simply texting the word SHINE, S-H-I-N-E, text the word SHINE, to 67742, and then join us and pledge to pray for our nation, for our leaders, and for the restoration of godly values that we so desperately need to return to. All right, so from there, let’s see if we can move into our first topic for today. We had a number of people who were killed, now 14 is the number, and dozens of others when the driver of the pickup truck plowed through a crowd in New Orleans celebration, what was to be a New Year’s celebration. It all happened Wednesday morning. The suspect has been identified as Shamsa Din Jabbar. Jabbar is a 42-year-old Army veteran from Texas who reportedly joined ISIS sometime before the summer of last year. What else do we know about this individual and this whole scenario that’s being considered now an act of terrorism? Well, joining me now to discuss this to begin with is Jay Johnson. He is our pastor, if you will. That’s what we all call him at Family Research Council, and he’s right in the hub of things there in Louisiana. Jay, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thank you for joining us.
SPEAKER 11 :
Thanks, Jody. And thanks for remembering the people of New Orleans.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, so let’s go down this path from a more spiritual perspective, which is the perspective that you are holding up for all of us. First of all, is there any more details that you have from the ground that you can share with us? And then beyond that, what is the spiritual climate from people that you’ve been talking to there?
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, as far as information, I’m not aware of any of it. You know, I serve as a volunteer chaplain with the Louisiana State Police, and the state police have been on the ground as well as all other law enforcement agencies. And, you know, I think the thing that’s needed right now is a lot of prayer for them, a lot of encouragement. You know, just… bringing in and just encouraging the people. A lot of folks are just in shock. Those that were down in the quarter area, I visited with a lady a little while ago that her 21-year-old had just left that part of Canal Street, and she was just thanking the Lord, and we just had a moment of prayer together, and You know, there’s a ministry in Louisiana, Texas area called Oilfield Christian Fellowship. I have some really close friends that are part of that because they’re in the oil industry. I’ve had the opportunity to minister with different ones of them. And, you know, the people, one of the men, faithful man, his grandson was one of those killed, a bright young student who was a… Princeton graduate. New Orleans is a small town that’s really highly connected. It’s my hometown. It’s a place where I was born and raised. We’re not that far separated from people. There’s been a lot of services because of the strong influence of the Catholic community. community, so there’s been a lot of services. A young man that went to Archbishop Hannon High School, you know, they were having a service for him today because, you know, he was one of those killed.
SPEAKER 05 :
Jay, let me stop you if I can. Sure. We’ve only got a few moments. If I can, thank you for that. Just hang on, but I want to bring in Joel Pollack with Breitbart News. He’s Joel, thank you for joining us. We appreciate you coming on here.
SPEAKER 12 :
Thank you, and thank you for your words as well, Pastor.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, let me toss it back over to you. We were just talking with Jay Johnston, but do you have any further information as this investigation is continuing to unfold?
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, The question everybody is asking is whether it is connected to the explosion outside the Trump Tower in Las Vegas, which happened later that same morning. And there is some breaking news there, which is that local law enforcement officials in Las Vegas have said that the driver shot himself in the head before the explosions happened in the Cybertruck. That is what they are saying from their forensic analysis. So it does look like a suicide attempt, and that rules out the possibility that he was a victim of an accident or perhaps lured to the hotel by somebody who detonated what was in the back of the truck. It does look like a deliberate, planned, dramatic suicide. We don’t know if it had a political motive, although obviously the symbolism of the Trump Tower and Elon Musk’s Cybertruck is hard to look away from, but that’s the latest that we know.
SPEAKER 05 :
Wow. That is indeed breaking news. Now, my understanding, Joel, is this individual also was an active duty member of the U.S. Army Elite Special Forces. Is that accurate information?
SPEAKER 12 :
Yes. He is a Green Beret, won two bronze stars, served multiple tours overseas, highly decorated. There was no reason that we know of any way to suspect that he might do something like this.
SPEAKER 05 :
Okay, so there’s a potential connect between New Orleans and what happened there in Las Vegas. Is anything yet to be uncovered that would suggest that there were other targets?
SPEAKER 12 :
That’s a great question. We don’t know. And we also, again, don’t know if there’s a connection. But the fear is, I think, among a lot of people that as we get closer to Inauguration Day, with President Trump already having been the target of an attempted assassination twice, really, and one that nearly ended his life, there’s a fear that we could see more of these types of events leading up to the inauguration. So I do think we will see tighter security around public events, tighter security around the president-elect, probably tighter security around Elon Musk and other people close to Trump.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I mean… I think you hit it right on. So with that, obviously with the two attempted assassination attempts against the former president, some are already saying this is yet another example of federal authorities taking their eye off the ball. Is this yet another wake-up call that we better get our act together when it comes to securing these individuals?
SPEAKER 12 :
It really is. And also, there will be questions about why the FBI said that the New Orleans attack was not a terrorist attack in the hours after it happened. And of course, it turned out to be. And there’s been a lot of criticism of President-elect Trump’s nominee to leave the FBI, Kash Patel, because he has stated that he wants to pursue dramatic reforms at the FBI. This is going to make his case stronger. Because it’s one thing if the question is really about ideology and whether the FBI is simply going after particular political targets and so forth. But if the FBI is not showing the ordinary competence that we expect of the agency— Real quickly, Joel, just a matter of seconds here.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, he’s going to have a— Listen, Joel Pollack with Breitbart News. Thank you so much for joining us. Friends, after the break, we’re going to be talking about tomorrow’s vote for the Speaker of the House. Stay tuned. More Washington Watch ahead.
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During these challenging times for our nation, Family Research Council continues to serve as a watchman on the wall for faith, family, and freedom. And together, thanks to your support, we’re making an eternal impact. 2024 has been another year of shining the light for biblical truth in Washington, D.C. This fall, over 1,000 spiritually active, governance-engaged conservatives gathered for the Pray, Vote, Stand Summit to pray for our nation and ensure that the issues impacting sage cons were understood and advanced. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins marked a major milestone this year, its 900th episode, and added the Washington Watch News Desk, a new production that presents the top news each day from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand published 2,000 articles of news, commentary, and podcasts in 2024, garnering over 5 million views. FRC’s outlet for news and commentary continues to pursue the truth on the issues that matter most to you and your family. And with the launch of the Stand Firm app, you can listen to, watch, and read our content in one simple place. Pray for current issues, stay rooted in the scriptures, and engage the political sphere with a community of believers on our new platform. In 2024, FRC shaped public policy and culture, organizing the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance, where members of Congress and Christian leaders came together to seek God’s intervention in America. In May, FRC called upon believers to pray for and stand with Israel by dedicating a portion of their worship services to pray for Israel’s peace, prosperity and protection. With Pray, Vote, Stand Decision 2024, FRC and Real Life Network led a powerful evening of election night coverage to analyze the election results and pray that our nation would turn back to God. We also filmed a transformative educational course, God and Government. Launching in January 2025, this series will explore the biblical and historical foundations of our government, empowering you to stand confidently in your role as a citizen of heaven and earth. Family Research Council thanks you for partnering with us for another year of standing for faith, family, and freedom.
SPEAKER 10 :
Looking to grow closer to God in the new year? FRC’s Stand on the Word spiral-bound journal is here to help. Dive deeper into Scripture with thought-provoking questions, note-taking space, and context for each book and author. This second edition, covering Isaiah 2 Revelation, will guide you in tracking your journey through God’s Word while deepening your faith in Christ. Order now at frc.org slash store or text journal to 67742. Perfect for you and your loved ones.
SPEAKER 05 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Great to have you joining us today. And happy, happy New Year to you. All right, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote tomorrow at noon for who is going to hold the Speaker’s gavel in this upcoming 119th Congress. And while President-elect Trump has endorsed current Speaker Mike Johnson for that position, not all Republicans have expressed support for him. and in fact there’s one congressman thomas massey of kentucky has already said that he will not be voting for the speaker so what that means as i count is all 218 remaining republicans are required if the entire house of 434 members vote so what’s the likelihood of that happening And what are the obstacles to overcome to get to that magic number of 218? Well, with me now to discuss this and more is Congresswoman Stephanie Bice. She serves on three different House committees, including the Appropriations Committee, as well as the House Administration Committee. She represents the 5th Congressional District of Oklahoma. Congresswoman Bice, welcome to Washington Watch. Great to have you with us.
SPEAKER 06 :
Thank you so much, Shodi. It’s great to see you and Happy New Year.
SPEAKER 05 :
Happy New Year to you as well, and great to see you again. All right, so, boy, a lot of plates spinning. A lot’s going on right now. What have you been hearing from Capitol Hill regarding the vote tomorrow?
SPEAKER 06 :
You know, I think first and foremost, it’s really important to recognize that Mike Johnson was chosen for this role. He was chosen in November by acclamation in our conference meeting then, and the vast majority of the conference continues to support him. As was mentioned, there are certainly a couple of holdouts here, but I think the reality is we have a very small majority. You know, as we’ve looking at three seats right now, and that does pose a challenge. But Mike Johnson has done really yeoman’s work to try to make sure that he is listening to the conference, hearing their concerns, and trying to move forward. We have to remember that the American people gave us a mandate in November, and that is to change the direction of this country. And so to elect a speaker is our first responsibility so that we can get on with it. President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda, which is getting this country back on track. And I’m looking forward to getting that done tomorrow.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah. And when you take into consideration, I was just pondering this earlier with what’s happened in Louisiana and the terrorist attacks there, as well as just Congress in general to carry out the agenda that you just described. There’s some potential enormous risk of Congress is not being able to actively engage if something worse were to happen. So give me your take on that. What is it going to take for Speaker Johnson to get reelected?
SPEAKER 06 :
Look, I think that he has made an effort to talk to every member that has concerns. Many of them over the last couple of days have come out in support of the speaker, including Warren Davidson, who I think was maybe considering not supporting him last month. So I think that it’s just incremental progress, listening to their concerns, addressing some of the issues, And I think that President-elect Trump is also part of this conversation, having him reach out to the members that may have concerns and getting them to a point that they can be supportive. But I go back to, we have a small majority, and we have to get started with this new administration on day one. We cannot drag this out. It’s not good for the country. It’s not good for the institution. And it really puts us behind when we’re trying to get this America First agenda started.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah. And speaking of dragging this, the country through this, I mean, we all watched as this similar thing transpired with previous Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Does this in any way now compare with what happened to Speaker McCarthy, in your opinion?
SPEAKER 06 :
No, it really doesn’t, Jody. I think that was a very unique situation. There was one individual in particular that I think wanted to see Kevin McCarthy removed from the speakership and ended up convincing other folks that it was the right decision to remove him. But I really don’t think that this compares. It is not a removal of a speaker necessarily. It’s an election of a speaker. And although I feel confident that we’re going to get this done tomorrow, It wouldn’t surprise me if it maybe takes a round or two of votes to get there. But again, I think that we can’t delay this. There is a lot of important work that needs to be done, and it’s going to be incumbent upon us to make sure we get it done quickly.
SPEAKER 05 :
So your take is that it will happen, though? You’re going into this feeling pretty optimistic that Speaker Johnson will be reelected?
SPEAKER 06 :
Like, this is bigger than Mike Johnson. This is about the country. And certainly I know that the speaker has done all he can do and continues to work on those members that may be questioning whether or not he’s the right choice. But he was chosen for this. I mean, if you think back to the removal of Kevin McCarthy in September of last year, you know, we went through several rounds of other candidates for Speaker. And Mike Johnson came out ahead. He prevailed. And I think it’s because people recognized he has a faith that I don’t think anybody in Congress would question. He didn’t ask for this job. In many ways, I think he was anointed to be the one to try to bring this conference together, to move us in the right direction, and to get important work done. And certainly there are differences of opinion on how certain processes have played out, and I respect and appreciate that. But in the end, we have to make sure that we’re doing what we can to secure the border, to get our economy back on track, and to make sure that the American people recognize we’re there to work. not to fight amongst ourselves.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well said. Congresswoman Bice, let me ask you one more question. We’ve only got about a minute or so. But as we speak right now, the White House is actually hosting a ceremony for recipients of the Presidential Citizens Medals, which is the second highest civilian medal in the U.S. But among those receiving the awards are members of the January 6th committee, including Chairman Bernie Sanders or Thompson, I mean, and Liz Cheney.
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, I think it’s odd, and it’s also unacceptable, frankly. That committee was a sham committee, in my opinion. It was politically motivated. I mean, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a committee have a hearing during prime time. It was more theater, and really… more than anything, trying to disparage President Trump. And I think the American people saw through that with this election. They recognize that President Biden is not doing what he should be doing to keep this country moving forward. And they rejected that. And so to see this continued partisanship is pretty disappointing, maybe not surprising, but disappointing.
SPEAKER 05 :
Congresswoman Stephanie Bice from Oklahoma, thank you so much. You got a lot going on in Washington. We’re deeply appreciative of you joining us on Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 06 :
Thanks, Jody. Have a great day.
SPEAKER 05 :
You too. All right, friends, coming up here in just a moment after the break, Tony Perkins is going to be bringing some more Washington Watch your way. Stay tuned. We’ll be back.
SPEAKER 08 :
So if you like to think and you like to pray, FRC is the place for you.
SPEAKER 07 :
I think it is the best program out there.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, I’ve absolutely loved my experience interning at FRC.
SPEAKER 07 :
They really are making waves out in the political world and doing it from the light of the Lord.
SPEAKER 08 :
It’s really humbling for me as a college student who has been involved in the life movement for only a couple of years to be able to witness it alongside of some of the people who have spent their entire lives fighting. A huge thing that sets FRC’s internship apart from others is they are looking for what they can pour into you instead of what they can get out of you.
SPEAKER 07 :
I have talked to so many of my friends who have interned. other places and they’re responding to emails or taking phone calls and doing things like that, but here we get real hands-on experience and get to talk to important people and do important things that we get to see the impact of.
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The throne of Jesus Christ is unchallenged. His name was never on the ballot to begin with, and it’s never gonna be on the ballot. He’s the King of Kings, and he’s the Lord of Lords, and nothing’s gonna change that. And so our mission stays the same, preach the gospel, make disciples, get ready for heaven. In the meantime, that we’re to advance the concerns of the kingdom of God here on earth.
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America has entered a critical and vulnerable period from now until January the 20th. Join Family Research Council for Operation Prayer Shield, a 10-week prayer initiative for our nation. From now until January 20th, our country faces global challenges, a transition of leadership, and a lame duck session of Congress. This season calls for heightened spiritual vigilance, discernment, and prayer. Text the word SHIELD to 67742 to join us. You’ll have access to prayer points, scripture, prayer calls, text SHIELD to 67742. Unite with us and pray for our nation. Welcome back to Washington Watch. Good to have you with us on this Thursday. I’m Tony Perkins. Good to see you. All right. Earlier today, officials held a press conference in New Orleans with an update on the investigation into yesterday’s terrorist attack. FBI Director, FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Rea was very succinct in how he described yesterday’s attack.
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First and foremost, let me be very clear about this point. This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, there is evil in this world, a form of evil that, quite frankly, we’re unable to contain. And I know there’s a lot of information out there. In fact, there’s going to continue to be information coming forward in the coming days that might connect this with the events in Las Vegas. You know, a lot of it’s speculation at this point. So let’s just look at some of the facts. Shamsuddin Jabbar. This is the guy who perpetrated, the 42-year-old man who perpetrated the terrorist attack in New Orleans. He was born in Texas. He didn’t come from another country. He was born in Texas. He was an army veteran. He didn’t come across the border. And so while we still need to close the border, that would not have stopped him. He converted to Islam and was radicalized by ISIS. So, so far, no evidence that he traveled outside the country for this radicalization. Now, he did have weapons, but the instrument of mass destruction was a rented truck. So more gun control laws would not have helped in this situation. So maybe we should ask them other questions. What is allowing Americans to be radicalized by this religious ideology? Now, could it be that there is a vacuum that we’ve created in our society that’s being filled by this radical ideology of Islam? Have we driven Christianity with its morality from our nation, paving the way for heinous acts like this? Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry called me in the wake of this tragic event and asked me to initiate a prayer effort. And so we put out a call to pastors and to others to be praying. In fact, I would invite you to join. We’re just expanding our Operation Prayer Shield. And if you’d like to join us in this effort, we’ve got prayer points specifically targeted for this. Text PRAY, P-R-A-Y, to 67742. And it’s not just for Louisiana. It’s for the nation. And as I think about this, I think of Psalm 127.1. It says, unless the Lord builds the house, those who labor, labor in vain. Those who build it, labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. You know, we need the hand of God’s protection on our cities and on our state. And that only comes when we pray and we seek God, we turn to him, we obey his word. Now, someone say, well, you know, that’s nice. You know, that’s what you religious people talk about. Let me just, for those that might just be listening for the first time, let me give you a little bit of my background. I was a police officer in Louisiana. I was, I’m a Marine veteran. I also worked in anti-terrorism. And so I know a little bit about the terrorist, about the mindset, what they do and how they do it. And I also know that those who are intent on attacking and killing in a free society, it’s very difficult to stop them. In fact, if we want total security, we’ve got a couple of choices here. Either we can turn to God and seek his hand of protection, or we can turn over to the government our freedoms and our rights, because that’s what it would take. when you look at situations like what happened in New Orleans. And the governor, Governor Jeff Landrieu, rightfully called for prayer. And so we’re joining in a joint effort to pray for Louisiana, for the victims, for the law enforcement. In fact, this evening, the Sugar Bowl will be taking place, and we want to pray over the protection of New Orleans and those that are gathered for that event. But There are days ahead where there are going to be challenges as the next administration comes in. This nation is going to continue to be a target for evil and for acts like this. And so we need to pray. We need to pray that the Lord would have his hand of protection upon this country once again. So I want to invite you to join us. Join the governor and I in this joint effort to pray. Text the word pray to 67742. And we’re planning to have a special event Sunday evening. We’re still working out the details on that. But if you text PRAY to 67742, I will send you that information when that is all finalized. But here are the prayer points. We need to pray for the families and the victims. Pray for healing and comfort and support for all of those who were directly affected by this attack. And there are many. Pray for law enforcement and first responders. It’s very stressful to deal with what they are dealing with. And pray for wisdom and protection and success in preventing further acts of terror. Pray for our state and our national leaders. Pray that God would guide them to make wise decisions to ensure peace and security and not push out the very thing we need, and that is God. And that’s what we need to pray for, spiritual renewal. Pray for hearts to turn toward the Lord, seeking his guidance and his presence in our communities and therefore his protection. And pray for unity and healing. Pray for the nation to stand together against evil, finding hope and solidarity through faith in God and compassion for others. You know, we can sit back and we can watch the news and we can become anxious. And fearful, we can pray and we can turn to God. Yes, we need law enforcement. I’m all about law enforcement. But ultimately, it’s going to take the hand of God protecting this nation. So join us in this prayer effort. Text PRAY, P-R-A-Y, to 67742. And join us in praying for our nation, praying for Louisiana, praying for the future. All right, after the break, I’m going to be joined by Carolyn Glick from the Jewish News Syndicate to talk about the latest news coming out of the Middle East. This is another issue that’s going to be affected by the incoming administration, something we need to be praying into. So stick around. On the other side of the break, Carolyn joins me from Israel with more on what is happening in the Middle East. So don’t go away. More Washington Watch straight ahead. Hello, I’m Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council here in Washington, D.C. Behind me is one of the most recognizable buildings in all the world, the U.S. Capitol. What does it stand for? Well, most people say government. But do you know the Bible talks about four institutions of government? Do you know what they are? And do we have a republic or a democracy? Well, what do you say? Also, what about this thing, separation of church and state? Does that mean Christians shouldn’t be involved in government? Guess what? We address those issues and more in our new God and Government course. I invite you to join us to see what the historical record and the Bible has to say about government. Join us for God and Government.
SPEAKER 18 :
Let’s not be discouraged. Don’t lose heart. Don’t lose the faith. Stand now strong because the Lord has given us the great privilege of living in a time when our choices matter, when our lives matter, when our courage matters. So let’s stand together and save this great country. God bless the United States of America.
SPEAKER 13 :
The American Republic has a freedom like no other. It has roots in the scriptures far more than any other heritage. And if we as followers of Jesus and conservatives don’t defend it, who will?
SPEAKER 14 :
Neutrality is not an option. There are many Christians who believe that if we just keep our heads down, if we just don’t say the wrong thing, that somehow we will come out of this unscathed. You’re naive if you think that, because what they want from us is not our silence. What they want from us is our submission.
SPEAKER 17 :
Part of the dilemma of Christianity in our generation is that we’ve relied a little too much on human wisdom and human reasoning, human strength, human resource, and we’ve relied too little on the power of God and God’s ability to open doors that we can’t open and do things that we can’t even hope to begin to do.
SPEAKER 09 :
This may not be an easy task, But we are living in a moment of challenge, but also a great opportunity. And we know always that we are not alone, that His Spirit empowers us and protects us, and that He can do the unimaginable. Dobbs, after all, was never supposed to happen.
SPEAKER 03 :
Father, we thank you. You have entrusted us with this moment in history, and I pray that we would be found faithful, and that as a result of our faithfulness to you, that thousands, millions would come into the kingdom as they would experience the forgiveness of sin and the new life that is found only in Jesus Christ. Amen. This is Washington Watch, and I am Tony Perkins. Good to have you with us on this Thursday. Our word for today comes from Isaiah 46. Bell bows down, Nebo stoops. Their idols were on their beast and on their cattle. The carriages were heavily loaded, a burden to the weary beast. They stoop, they bow down. Together they could not deliver the burden, but they themselves have gone into captivity.” As the Babylonians were conquered, their idols, far from providing protection, had to be carried away by the people into captivity. Rather than being a refuge, these false gods became an additional burden. In contrast, the Lord upholds and carries his people. Verse 3 says, Listen to me, O house of Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been upheld by me from birth, who have been carried from the womb.” Even to your old age, I am he. And even to gray hairs, I will carry you. I have made and I will bear. Even I will carry and will deliver you. Instead of us carrying lifeless idols, the living God carries us. Let go of the idols of this world. Anything we lean on instead of God and let the God of creation carry us. To find out more about our journey through the Bible, text BIBLE to 67742. That’s BIBLE to 67742. Yesterday, day 453 of the Israeli Hamas war, Israel’s defense minister said Israel’s defense forces will intensify its activities against the terrorist nest in Gaza until the release of the hostages and the elimination of Hamas. Now, his remarks come as senior Israeli officials say additional actions in Gaza will be possible starting on January the 20th when U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will take office. And on Tuesday night, New Year’s Eve, President-elect Trump reiterated his warning to Hamas, saying they better let the hostages come back soon. We’ll this month see some major developments in the Middle East on top of what we’ve already seen. Joining me now to discuss this and more is Carolyn Glick. She’s a senior contributing editor at the Jewish News Syndicate and host of Carolyn Glick Show on JNS. Carolyn, thanks so much for joining us and Happy New Year.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thanks. Happy New Year to you, too.
SPEAKER 03 :
So Israel has been making significant gains despite the Biden administration’s efforts. We talked about this when I was over in Israel just a couple of weeks ago, how the tables have turned in the last eight months. And it seems to be even building more as we see President-elect Donald Trump pledging that on the first day of office, he will release all the weapons shipments currently delayed under Biden. So is Israel in a much stronger position? Do they feel emboldened as we look at the incoming administration?
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, we do have 18 days left with Biden, and we are under an effective arms embargo for the next 18 days. So that’s one aspect of it. There’s also a fear that was reported this evening that Biden is intending to have a third country produce New Zealand, apparently, or Slovenia. put forward an anti-Israel resolution at the UN Security Council that will demand that Israel remove its forces from the buffer zone in Syria or Lebanon or both and end its combat operations in Gaza. And that would tie the hands of the Trump administration, much as the Obama administration did with a similar resolution or anti-Israel resolution that it passed in December of 2016 before its first term in office began. So what we’re looking at here is fear that they’ll use these 18 days to undermine Trump and his ability to move forward with his own Middle East policy and to further damage Israel’s standing in the international arena. But other than that, Israel is moving forward because we are at war and we can’t just put it aside because we have 18 days left of Biden.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, it appears that Israel is doing just that, making additional moves both to the north and to the south, moving on Hezbollah, moving in areas of Syria as well as Hamas. What are the latest in terms of the reports that we’re getting from the IDF?
SPEAKER 01 :
Israel today operated in Lebanon during the ceasefire, taking out Hezbollah missile launchers. And what Israel’s found is that neither the Lebanese armed forces, which is supposed to deploy in Hezbollah’s positions and push Hezbollah forces out of south Lebanon, they’re not doing it. And the people who are supposed to be adjudicating the implementation of the ceasefire, namely the United States and France, first and foremost, are not doing it. doing anything. When Israel submits complaints to them, they’re supposed to pass them on to the Lebanese government for handling, and the Lebanese government manifestly is doing nothing. So the ceasefire is basically broken down already, and Israel is assessing now that it’s not going to be able to remove its forces from Lebanon in a month when the temporary 60-day ceasefire is over. And in Syria, Israel is building fortifications on the peak of the Hermon mountain ridge, that Israel was able to take control over. with the fall of the Assad regime and in other areas that are athwart the border with Israel to protect Israeli border towns in the Golan Heights and other installations in the Golan Heights. So these are the things that Israel is doing now. And in Gaza, they’re expanding their operations from the town of Jabalia in northern Gaza into Gaza City to flush out and destroy the Hamas fighters that are still operating in those areas. So, yeah, Israel continues to fight on three fronts right now.
SPEAKER 03 :
Now, as they continue this fight and they’re fighting proxies for Iran, Iran reports were Iran was shipping millions of dollars to Hezbollah this week. What do we know about that?
SPEAKER 01 :
So we know right now that there is a civilian aircraft that has landed at Beirut International Airport. That’s an area, by the way, the target, the international airport in Beirut. that the Biden administration prohibited Israel from taking action against, even though it’s the chief, aside from Syria under Assad, it’s the chief supply line for Hezbollah from Iran. And so Iran, again, is trying to supply Hezbollah, this time with money. And Israel warned… about it. And right now, the latest report that came out was that the Lebanese authorities are saying that they’re not going to be able to remove their cargo from the airplane. We’ll see how long that lasts, probably until they think that people’s backs are turned. But we’ll have to see.
SPEAKER 03 :
So leading into the holidays, in fact, I mentioned earlier when I was over there a couple of weeks ago and you joined me, there was a lot of buzz over a hostage deal that it was very close. There was an anticipation. Pretty much everyone was tight lipped. Where’s that stand? What’s happening?
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, it looks like people weren’t tight lipped enough. And Hamas decided that it was Israel that was most keen to get the deal closed. And the Biden administration was putting a lot of pressure on Israel, both through internal political pressure on the government and also otherwise. And so they just said, never mind, you know, we want a complete cessation of the war. And they reneged on their promise to hand over 32 live hostages. They said that 12 of them would be dead. And then they said that they don’t even know where all the hostages are. So that whole negotiation, it’s still sort of going on. Prime Minister Netanyahu sent lower working teams to Doha from the Mossad and the Shin Bet and from the IDF. But the talk has sort of dissipated about an imminent deal, and now the sense is that nothing is going to happen until after Trump is in office.
SPEAKER 03 :
President Trump has said the hostages better be released. I mean, that’s a pretty strong statement. I mean, it’s if, this, or. What possibly could President Trump do in terms of bringing about the release of those hostages from the Israeli perspective?
SPEAKER 01 :
I don’t think anybody anticipates a Delta force to be operating in Gaza. They certainly can’t do work that’s any better than the IDF can do in that theater of war. But I think it’s more a concept of Trump applying serious pressure and taking direct action against Hamas’s state sponsors, whether it’s Iran or Qatar or or Egypt that are all in their own way sponsoring Hamas and enabling them to continue to hold the hostages. So I think that what we’d be looking here at, the sort of thing that Trump would be very helpful in doing in terms of the hostages and their plight, is to demand that Egypt open up the international border, that they’ve been blocking Gazans from leaving through the terminal into Egypt. And that would be one way of alleviating some of the suffering of civilians that aren’t involved in the fighting. But beyond that, I think that he could put a lot of pressure on them in terms of IMF loans. to put more pressure on Hamas. I think Qatar is the main Arab state sponsor of Hamas, and they can have a lot of pressure be put on them, including by threatening to remove or actually removing Al Udeid air base from Doha. And I think Iran, most importantly, which is the main sponsor of Hamas in Gaza, that the Biden administration, I mean, sorry, the Trump administration can work with Israel in destroying Iran’s nuclear installations and in overthrowing the regime.
SPEAKER 03 :
Could it also be that the Trump administration, unlike the Biden administration, is not going to coddle Hamas as they’re complaining about humanitarian supplies and stuff coming in? That they’re going to say, look, that’s your problem. You’re the one that started this and you could solve it overnight.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, I think thanks for reminding me of that because that’s really the most direct way that they can do it is because the reason that Hamas has survived so long is because the Biden administration has insisted all along that Israel feed and water them, that Israel provide unlimited basically food and water and medicines to Hamas to control, which they sell and they obviously give it first to themselves and their supporters and they sell at outrageous fees. to everybody in Gaza that they want to. And that’s how they’ve maintained their control over the Gaza population and the areas that they are present in and throughout Gaza. It’s all because of the United States. It’s entirely Biden administration’s doing that Hamas remains a force in Gaza. They would have been destroyed long ago if the Biden administration hadn’t blocked Israel from doing what it had initially intended to do, which was place a total siege on Gaza, nothing in, nothing out, which is what Israel’s announced policy was on October 7th.
SPEAKER 03 :
Not to get too far off track, but just from a standpoint of a historical perspective, and correct me if I’m wrong, but Allied forces did not feed the German public when Germany was on the ropes and they were trying to destroy the Nazi regime.
SPEAKER 01 :
No, they didn’t. You’re absolutely right. And in fact, what President Biden said to Prime Minister Netanyahu outrageously at the outset of the war is you shouldn’t take an example from what we did in World War II. We were wrong. And that was a pretty outrageous statement for him to make, both in terms of the way that he described disrespected all of the brave men who fought in World War Two but also and won it, but also because it was bad advice, which is mainly what Biden has provided with Israel with for the past year and three months. So, yes, it’s the way of war. It’s the best way of war. It’s the safest way of war. It causes the least suffering because it causes the early capitulation of the enemy. and releases the people who live around the enemy from harm, because once he capitulates, then their suffering will be over. But that isn’t what happened. And today, when you look at the destruction that is Gaza, which is just one big demolition site, you have to realize that this is because entirely or very largely as a consequence of the fact that the Biden administration required Israel to maintain Hamas’s regime through the unlimited supply of food and water and medicines and other things to Gaza for the past year and three months.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, I’m a student of history and warfare. In fact, that policy that Biden talks about is what pretty much the United States has adopted since the Korean War. We fought containment wars, not wars to win. Israel, the IDF, remains the one really Western power, if you will, that that fights to win. because they have to win in that neighborhood. And I think we could stand to learn a lot from Israel. Speaking of the prime minister, you mentioned the prime minister had been tracking his health situation. How is he doing?
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, thank you very much for asking. So Prime Minister Netanyahu had prostate surgery on Sunday, and he was hospitalized until this evening. It’s 10 at night in Israel. And so he was released to go home this evening, finally. And his doctors say that he’s doing very well, and his prognosis is very positive. So it means that our prayers have been answered. So far, so good, thank God.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, we are praying for him. I pray for him daily. I admire his leadership, and I pray for his leadership there in Israel. I did notice that he got out of his hospital bed to go to the Knesset to vote on a budget measure that passed by one vote.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, it was a boss move. But it was against the expressed orders or positions of his doctors. But he is prime minister and duty comes first. And so he did, in fact, leave the hospital to go to the Knesset and vote and went back to the hospital afterwards. So it was a big deal in Israel that that happened. But yeah.
SPEAKER 03 :
I’m sure he didn’t go back for the hospital food. Final question for you. We’ve got about 30 seconds left, Carolyn. How can our viewers and listeners here in the United States be praying for Israel right now?
SPEAKER 01 :
I think that we have to pray for victory in Israel and for the protection of our soldiers and, of course, for the rescue of our hostages. and the full recovery of our wounded warriors and solace and consolation for the families of the fallen.
SPEAKER 03 :
Carolyn, always great to see you. Thanks so much for taking time to join us tonight.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you very much. God bless you.
SPEAKER 03 :
Carolyn Glick from Israel. And I would encourage you to pray for Israel and pray for all the people of that region, even the Palestinians, the innocent ones. Look, we want this issue to come to a conclusion rapidly. Everyone will benefit from that, the entire world. And it requires leadership. And we need it here in the United States. And we pray for the leadership there in Israel under the prime minister. All right, out of time for today. Thanks so much for joining us. Text PRAYER to 67742 and join us in our prayer effort. Until next time, I leave you with the encouraging words the Apostle Paul found in Ephesians 6. You know what it says, just keep standing.
SPEAKER 02 :
Washington Watch with Tony Perkins is brought to you by Family Research Council and is entirely listener supported. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information on anything you heard today or to find out how you can partner with us in our ongoing efforts to promote faith, family, and freedom, visit TonyPerkins.com.
