Join us in this episode of Washington Watch as we dive deep into recent developments in the Middle East. President Trump announces a pivotal ceasefire agreement with the Houthis, halting US strikes in Yemen. We explore what this means for regional stability and its implications on US-Israel relations and ongoing negotiations with Iran. Gain insights from Congressman Keith Self as he unravels the complexity of these international relationships and the potential ripple effects across the globe.
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. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts now.
SPEAKER 14 :
The Houthis have announced that they are not, or they’ve announced to us at least, that they don’t want to fight anymore. They just don’t want to fight, and we will honor that. I will accept their word, and we are going to stop the bombing of the Houthis, effective immediately.
SPEAKER 15 :
That was President Donald Trump earlier today. Welcome to this May 6th edition of Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us. We begin with developments in the Middle East. President Trump announced an agreement with the Houthis that reportedly covers only their attacks on U.S. ships, not their attacks on Israel. We’ll talk with Texas Congressman Keith Self, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Meanwhile, as the U.S. and Iran prepare for a fourth round of talks related to Iran’s nuclear program, the regime in Tehran announced an upgrade to its ballistic missiles capable, they claim, of penetrating air defense systems. Iran has warned that if war breaks out with the U.S. or Israel, they will target American military installations across the Middle East. The question is, is the region cooling down or heating up? We’ll break it down later here on Washington Watch. President Trump on Monday signed an executive order banning federal funding for gain-of-function research conducted in foreign countries. This type of research, which enhances the transmission or potency of viruses, has been widely reported as a possible factor in the COVID-19 outbreak linked to the lab in Wuhan, China. We’ll talk with Congressman Nathaniel Moran, a member of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, about the implications of the order, as well as ongoing concerns about activities related to the Chinese Communist Party here in the United States. In Alabama, Attorney General Steve Marshall scored a major win for the state’s law that protects minors from the so-called gender-affirming experimental drugs and irreversible surgeries. He’ll join us later with the details of that victory. And while I was in Israel last week, I sat down with Pastor Gary Hamrick of Cornerstone Chapel to talk about the biblical and historical significance of Judea and Samaria.
SPEAKER 03 :
They’re uncovering things all the time that prove this is the ancient place of the Jewish people. But unfortunately, in the media today, and the common narrative is they want to try to erase the history of the land so that other people can lay claim to it. And that’s just ideologically, philosophically, and biblically wrong.
SPEAKER 15 :
I’ll share more of that conversation later in the program. And don’t forget, Session 12 of our God and Government series is now available, How to Make a Godly Appeal to Leaders. In the session, I walk you through biblical principles about how to make a respectful and effective appeal to those in authority. It’s available exclusively on the StandFirm app. If you don’t yet have the app, but you want access to the God and Government course, well, text COURSE, to 67742. That’s course to 67742. And I’ll send you a link. Well, as I mentioned earlier today, President Trump announced that the U.S. would stop its strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. According to the president, the terror group capitulated and announced their intention to stop attacking ships in the Red Sea. President Trump said the U.S. would honor that statement by halting attacks. But how does this impact the greater war between Israel and the surrounding terror groups? How might this impact U.S. negotiations with Iran? Well, here to discuss this and much more, Congressman Keith Self, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He represents the 3rd Congressional District of Texas. Congressman Self, welcome back to Washington Watch. Always good to see you. Good to see you, Tony.
SPEAKER 04 :
Thank you.
SPEAKER 15 :
Let’s start with this announcement by the Houthis. They’re ceasing their attacks on U.S. shipping. As a result, the president says we will not bomb them any further. What do you make of that?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, it’s good news certainly for commercial shipping, and I hope that it’s all U.S. commercial shipping so they don’t have to go around Africa. But you’ve laid it out here. It’s good news for us. We can stop the attacks. I do hope that they are good to their word. President Trump will always pursue peace, and if they are willing to transact business with President Trump, he’s willing to stop the bombing. Of course, Israel, they recently just fired at the Tel Aviv airport. So Israel turned around and attacked the biggest port. in Yemen. So that does not solve the Israeli-Houthis conflict. And I suspect that will continue, because the Houthis are a proxy of Iran. Iran is starting to kind of distance themselves from the Houthis. But I suspect their conflict with Israel will continue.
SPEAKER 15 :
According to comments from Secretary of State Marco Rubio today, that our emphasis there in Yemen was about shipping. Was our activity totally unrelated to Israel, or were we kind of working in tandem with Israel?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, it’s two different things. The Houthis were basically, they’ve stopped shipping, and all the ships have to go around Africa. That’s one thing. The Houthis-Israel conflict is entirely Iran-dominated, and they are attacking as a proxy of Iran. So they’re two different things, and that’s why I think that the Israeli-Houthi conflict will continue. Now, if the Houthis have capitulated and they mean to stop fighting because Israel is hurting them, they certainly hurt the port last night, if they truly have capitulated, we’ll find out in the coming days. I tend to believe that they have capitulated to the U.S. attacks because we were hurting them, make no doubt about it.
SPEAKER 15 :
Were our strikes be more lethal than those that Israel was carrying out on Yemen?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, we were attacking their military capability. Israel just attacked their port. So two different avenues of approach there. And I believe that they probably, they’re suffering, their military capability is suffering because of the U.S. attacks. So I think that’s probably why they have this pause, this ceasefire. Now, if they truly capitulated, it’s one thing. But if they’re simply getting a pause from the U.S. so that they can rearm, refit Israel, That’s a different matter.
SPEAKER 15 :
All right. Let’s talk about Iran. The Houthis, as you pointed out, they’re a proxy for Iran. The United States going into its fourth round of discussions over Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but at the same time, Iran announcing that they have upgraded their ballistic missiles in that they’re able to evade air defense systems. And they’ve said that if Israel or the United States attack, they will target U.S. installations in the Middle East.
SPEAKER 04 :
Right. They’re in the fourth rounds of talk. And President Trump, again, will try for peace with Iran. But one of the tenets of Islam is they are allowed to lie. They are allowed to be deceptive to the West. That is a tenet of Islam. So I believe that we need to trust if we want to go to a fourth round in Oman this weekend. We need to verify. We need to make sure that we continue to monitor what Iran is doing. Actions speak louder than words when it comes to Iran. I just encourage the United States and all of our allies to be very careful dealing with Iran, because the Middle East is a dynamic situation right now. Lots going on in the Middle East. Let’s trust for another round, but let’s verify. And remember, Tony, President Trump has said he will only accept the total dismantlement of the Iran nuclear program.
SPEAKER 15 :
I was in Israel last week, Congressman, and speaking with a number of Israeli leaders, and there’s concern even about the fact that there’s negotiations. As you just pointed out, they know that neighborhood quite well. You served over in Israel. You worked alongside the IDF. You know the Middle East, and as you just pointed out, it is a tenet of Islam to be able to deceive. What might the Trump administration, I mean, how long can they go along with these conversations before the clock runs out and Iran has the capabilities of moving forward?
SPEAKER 04 :
I personally think the clock will run out because when you look at the Iranian priorities, first is regime survival. Second is the nuclear program. And third priority to Iran is their support for terrorism. I’ve already said they’re distancing themselves from the Houthis, but they will not give up their nuclear program. I do not think they can give up their nuclear program. The Israelis are so concerned because they’ve got a certain amount of uranium that is refined to 60 percent. When you go from 60 percent to 90 percent, which is nuclear weapons grade uranium, it’s a very short step. That’s why the Israelis are so concerned, because they could be there in a week or two weeks. It’s a very short step. It sounds like 30 percent, but it’s very easily and quickly done.
SPEAKER 15 :
Do the Iranians have the capability of delivering that nuclear material?
SPEAKER 04 :
That’s a great question, because any missile has three parts. It has the nuclear warhead, its material. It’s got the warhead mated to the missile, and then it’s got the missile itself. You’ve got the guidance system. So all of that plays together. So they have not tested that. We know they have not tested a complete missile setup. And so would they then test something? Or would they go cold turkey, putting together a nuclear missile with a nuclear warhead guidance system and missile and fire it with no testing? That’s a great question that we don’t know. Would they go without testing a complete missile setup?
SPEAKER 15 :
All right, Congressman Kieself, as you just pointed out, I’m with you. I do not think that they’re going to give up their nuclear program. I don’t think they’re… religious ideology allows them to do that and I think also the regime has to hold on to it to maintain power over the Iranian people So what then are the alternatives?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well President Trump one more time will always go for peace But I think that he is serious when he says I will only accept Dismantlement of the Iranian nuclear program. What does that mean? I don’t know. I know the Israelis would want to attack the Iranian nuclear facilities before they reach the bomb stage, but they also need U.S. support in order to do that. So that is another part of the matrix that we simply don’t know how it’s going to work out. But I take President Trump at his word as well. He will only accept the dismantlement.
SPEAKER 15 :
So Israel, in the meantime, is expanding its military operations in Gaza, making it very clear that Hamas has to go. It looks like they are on a course to resolve the issue in Gaza and bring this war to a close.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, I think Netanyahu has decided that they cannot continue to wait out Hamas’ return of the hostages. They have to take a stand. So he’s given them until the 15th, I understand, to resolve the hostage situation. This is an easy fix. Hamas should release the hostages, both alive and dead, the bodies. And this is an easy fix, except the ceasefire for the people of Gaza. I don’t believe they will, because I believe that, just as we said about Iran, if they ever give up the hostages, they know that they are done. Israel will finish them off, clean out Gaza. And so this is another standoff that we see in the Middle East, very common in the Middle East. I don’t know how it will be resolved, but I don’t believe Hamas will yield to the Israeli demand on the 15th.
SPEAKER 15 :
Congressman Keith Self, we just have a little over a minute left, and I greatly appreciate your insights on foreign policy. That’s why I have you on the program to talk about these issues. Given your perch on the House Foreign Affairs Committee looking across the landscape globally, are we right to be looking at the Middle East as the most volatile right now, or are there other things we should be watching?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, Tony, you and I agree on the world view. The world’s attention might be diverted for short periods of time to China, to Russia, to Ukraine, wherever. But world attention will never leave the Middle East totally. It is the center of what’s happening around the world. You and I believe that, and I believe that to be true. No, it will always be volatile. It’s been going on for millennia now. It will continue to go on. We cannot make the Middle East to look like America. It is the Middle East. It’s been the Middle East since the beginning of time. It will continue to be, yes, volatile.
SPEAKER 15 :
And all the more reason to be praying. Congressman Keith Self, always great to see you. Thanks so much again for joining us today. Thank you, Tony. And folks, I would encourage you to be praying. Pray for the Trump administration to make sure they’re making the right policy decisions as it pertains to Israel and the Middle East. Don’t go away.
SPEAKER 11 :
Family Research Council is committed to advancing faith, family, and freedom from the East Coast to the West. So FRC is going to Southern California for this year’s Pray, Vote, Stand Summit, October 17th and 18th at Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills. Join us for this powerful gathering of Christians desiring cultural renewal and spiritual revival. The Pray, Vote, Stand Summit brings together Christian leaders, issue experts, and government officials for a time of prayer, inspiration, and action. Together, we will seek God’s guidance for our nation and engage in meaningful discussions on the intersection of faith, government, and culture. If the spiritual foundations and the cultural walls of our nation are to be rebuilt, we all have a role to play. May we each find our place on the wall as we build for biblical truth. Register now at PrayVoteStand.org. That’s PrayVoteStand.org.
SPEAKER 07 :
Download the new Stand Firm app for Apple and Android phones today and join a wonderful community of fellow believers. We’ve created a special place for you to access news from a biblical perspective, read and listen to daily devotionals, pray for current events and more. Share the Stand Firm app with your friends, family and church members and stand firm everywhere you go.
SPEAKER 15 :
Hello, I’m Tony Perkins, president of 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 you know, the Bible talks about four institutions of government. 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 12 :
Looking for a trusted source of news that shares your Christian values? Turn to The Washington Stand, your ultimate destination for informed, faith-centered reporting. Our dedicated team goes beyond the headlines, delivering stories that matter most to believers. From breaking events to cultural insights, we provide clear, compassionate coverage through a biblical lens. Discover news you can trust at The Washington Stand, where faith and facts meet every day.
SPEAKER 15 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us on this Tuesday. President Trump yesterday signed an executive order banning federal funding of gain of research, gain of function research in foreign countries. Now, gain of function research is the primary source behind the lab leak theory regarding the origins of COVID-19. The Wuhan Institute of Virology had received gain of function research funding from the U.S. in the past. Here to discuss this and more is Congressman Nathaniel Morin, who serves on the House Select Committee on the CCP, the Ethics Committee, and the Committee on the Ways and Means. He represents the 1st Congressional District of Texas. Congressman, welcome back to Washington Watch. Good to see you.
SPEAKER 10 :
Hi, Tony. Great to be with you tonight.
SPEAKER 15 :
Before we get into the Chinese Communist Party and this gain of function research, we understand the Ways and Means Committee met this morning to discuss the one big, beautiful bill. What’s the latest on that?
SPEAKER 10 :
Tony, we’ve been meeting for months now as a committee to go through provision by provision those things that we need to consider to meet the goals of President Trump as he promised in the 2024 campaign, also to extend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and to find additional ways to begin to renew and restore our economy and get more growth going, reduce taxation in our families and our farmers to bring liberty back to Americans across the board, from the top to the bottom. We want to make sure that taxation remains low and growth remains high.
SPEAKER 15 :
So are we making progress? Are we getting closer?
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, we’re making progress. I think we’re talking about days, not weeks, before we’re able to come forward with a bill that we can then have a markup on and then combine with the bills that came out of the other committees of jurisdiction pursuant to the budget resolution that was passed several weeks ago that then we can package up and send over to the Senate.
SPEAKER 15 :
All right, Congressman Moran, let’s talk about China and the Chinese Communist Party. But let’s talk about the gain-of-function research, the prohibition, the executive order that President Trump signed yesterday. How significant is this?
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, it’s critical for us to do this because we don’t want to repeat the mistakes of the past. It’s abhorrent to think about the fact that our money here, American taxpayer money, actually found its way to the Wuhan lab and helped to support some of the research that then ultimately led to what we dealt with with the coronavirus pandemic. This gain of function research is is some serious stuff. We need to have transparency and accountability, and we need to know where our dollars are going. And frankly, we need to make sure that our adversaries and those that are not taking care of the research the way they should are not getting American taxpayer dollars.
SPEAKER 15 :
Why in the first place would we be giving money to the Chinese Communist Party to do this type of research, which we know could be weaponized?
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, that’s the critical question. Why indeed did that happen in the first place? It should have never happened, and we should never let it happen again, and that’s why we appreciate President Trump taking such a strong stance on this. We’ve got to follow up legislatively and make sure that we put this kind of thing into statute so that it’s not just an executive order that can be undone in four years with an administration that might be more friendly to our adversaries. We don’t want to see that happen. We want to make sure that we get it codified so that it’s permanent.
SPEAKER 15 :
Is this one of those items because it is a budgetary item that could be handled in reconciliation knowing that it’s unlikely to get 60 votes in the Senate?
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, there sure is. We want to make sure that we are treading lightly when it comes to policy. We’re not involved in policymaking when it comes to reconciliation. Reconciliation is a matter of dollars and cents and reconciling our revenues with our expenditure. And so the Committee of Jurisdiction will have to take up whether or not they think this fits within that. But we also certainly have to be keenly aware of what the parliamentarian and the Senate might do as well under the Byrd rule. So I’m certain that the committees of jurisdiction are looking at this particular executive order to determine whether or not it should or could actually make it in reconciliation. Time will tell in the next couple weeks.
SPEAKER 15 :
You serve on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. Constantly we’re seeing information coming out of their activities to infiltrate American society institutions. Last week, the Washington Free Beacon unveiled records of the CCP-linked donations to UC Berkeley. What… Are they backing off at all under the Trump administration or do we still see them with their tentacles in American institutions trying to influence policy and the culture?
SPEAKER 10 :
Oh, they’re certainly trying to do that. When you look at UC Berkeley and well over half a million dollars just in 2022 and 23 that we see from that report. But frankly, if you go back to 1981 until now, about $57 billion to educational institutions flowing in from adversarial countries around the world into our research institutions. Well, that’s concerning because when China and other adversaries have their money in our universities, particularly in our research institutions, what happens is they have access to those systems, to those data. They get the intellectual property resulting from a lot of that research. They get their people over here to be part of that research. And so we see the hands and the tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party all over the place. And unfortunately, colleges and universities that are looking for funding sources sometimes turn a blind eye to the reality of what’s happening in their own campuses as a result of the desire to chase the money. Isn’t that a national security issue? It absolutely is a national security issue. That’s why the Congress passed the Deterrent Act earlier this year to strengthen Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, which is the requirement for INSTITUTIONS TO REPORT DONATIONS OVER $250,000 OR INVESTMENTS OVER $250,000, BUT THE DETERRENT ACT GOES FURTHER. IT SAYS, HEY, WE’RE GOING TO MOVE THAT TO $50,000 FOR ANY FOREIGN investment into our higher education system and we’re going to move it to zero dollars if you get anything above zero dollars from a foreign entity of concern you have to report that and oh by the way there’s not any good teeth in section 117 right now currently as it exists the deterrent act adds those teeth and says if you don’t follow the reporting requirements if you’re not transparent Then there’s going to be fines and potentially loss of Title IV funding for those colleges and universities that do not report those things in a timely manner and in a full manner, which has been happening.
SPEAKER 15 :
We just got about 30 seconds left, but the president announcing he’s going to extend the TikTok deadline again. Should we be concerned about TikTok?
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, we really should be concerned about TikTok. We need to see a total divestment from the Chinese Communist Party ownership. That’s really the only solution. That’s what the statute calls for, and that’s what I expect to see happen.
SPEAKER 15 :
All right. Congressman, always great to see you. Appreciate you joining us today.
SPEAKER 10 :
Thanks, Tony.
SPEAKER 15 :
Congressman Nathaniel Moran from Texas. All right, don’t go away. We’re going to talk to the Attorney General of Alabama next about a victory in that state regarding the protection of minors. Don’t go away.
SPEAKER 06 :
At Family Research Council, we believe religious freedom is a fundamental human right that all governments must protect. That’s why FRC President Tony Perkins went to Capitol Hill to testify on behalf of persecuted Christians in Nigeria. Islamist terror groups target Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria with brutal violence. Representative Chris Smith, who chaired the hearing, said 55,000 people have been killed and 21,000 abducted in the last five years alone. The congressman also stressed that 89% of Christians in the world who are martyred are from Nigeria.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yet the government of Nigeria has failed to make progress against religiously motivated persecution of Christians despite religious freedom being enshrined as an essential human right in their constitution.
SPEAKER 06 :
Tony Perkins called for the United States to send an unmistakable message.
SPEAKER 15 :
This is systematic religious violence. Nigeria must be redesignated a country of particular concern. The Biden administration’s removal of this designation was a reckless mistake that emboldened the very terrorists who are slaughtering Christians.
SPEAKER 06 :
Redesignating Nigeria will enable the U.S. government to pressure Nigerian leaders to protect vulnerable Christians.
SPEAKER 15 :
These are not just numbers. These are fathers, their mothers, their children, their families.
SPEAKER 06 :
Bishop Wilfred Anagabe risked his life to speak out, sharing firsthand accounts of the danger faced in his church district in central Nigeria.
SPEAKER 01 :
We live in fear because at any point it can be our turn to be killed, but to remain silent is to die twice. So I have chosen to speak.
SPEAKER 06 :
FRC is calling on President Trump to act now to promote religious freedom around the globe and speak up on behalf of Christians in Nigeria.
SPEAKER 15 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Good to have you with us. Late last week, the state of Alabama emerged victorious in its legal battle to protect children from harmful so-called sex change procedures. The state’s Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act was challenged three years ago by left-wing groups that wanted these dangerous procedures to be lawful for minors. But now the case is officially dropped, and Alabama’s law is safe. So why did the opponents retreat? Well, here to discuss this, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who was defending the law against the opponents. Attorney General Marshall, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 05 :
Tony, always good to be with you. Thank you.
SPEAKER 15 :
All right. So we have a little over half the states in the nation have a law similar to this now in place. Some of them still fighting legal challenges. What was at the heart of the challenge to this law protecting minors from these experimental drugs and surgeries?
SPEAKER 05 :
Tony, what we saw, and it’s not just in Alabama, but across the country, this argument that parents had the right to be able to make a decision of this gender affirming care, which we now know is a complete fraud for their kids, used the Equal Protection Clause as a basis for arguing that states had exceeded their authority. And, in fact, we all are now awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision in the Tennessee case to be able to see what the court weighs in and says what’s the appropriate standard of review. The great thing for Alabama, and I think it’s good news across the country and the world, is we’ve seen the plaintiffs abandon their challenge in our state and recognize that not only were we making sure that we were protecting kids, but there’s no legal basis for which these plaintiffs can prevail in cases like this.
SPEAKER 15 :
I want to get to that in a moment, but I want to go back to one of the things that came up repeatedly in other states, like in Missouri with the attorney general there, Andrew Bailey, discussing with us that these medical so-called professionals would tell parents, look, you can have a live son or a dead daughter and pressure them. So there really wasn’t a choice that parents were making as it pertains to these surgeries and treatments.
SPEAKER 05 :
No, absolutely. And in fact, Tony, one of the cornerstones of our medical system is this idea of informed consent. And one of the things that we were able to uncover as a result of the discovery that we obtained in our case is that even at the international level, this organization called WPATH, which establishes these so-called standards of care, that their doctors and internal documentation and chats acknowledge we can’t explain this to parents. We don’t have sufficient evidence to be able to show them studies of how what we’re doing is right. And if we can’t engage parents with informed consents about medicines and surgeries on kids, then we’ve completely lost what medicine is truly about.
SPEAKER 15 :
Seven years ago, General, this was a freight train just barreling down the track, and anyone who dared try to get in front of it was just run over. But we’ve seen the tide turn. Education. the fact that we’ve had state attorneys general like yourself that have challenged the attacks against state laws, Arkansas being the first one, we worked there to get a law through. What is your sense in the reason that this case was, this challenge was dropped? And as you made reference to, is this indicative of a broader impact that the resistance to this ideology?
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, Tony, it’s clear that it wasn’t because they lacked the resources, because as you well know, many of the left-leaning transgender pushing groups across the country have funded this litigation. Look, even in Alabama, we had the entire weight of the federal government against us during the Biden administration. But They didn’t give up because they didn’t have the resources to pursue the claim. What we had the opportunity to be able to do in Alabama is to uncover the truth. We exposed the scandal and we showed the world what was taking place with our kids. And that’s the reason why I believe these plaintiffs have raised the flag of surrender and have gone about their own business. You know, I think this is an exciting time. And look, I commend you as well for being able to take the time to highlight what Europe has known for quite some time. And what our country is now realizing is the harm that we were doing to kids.
SPEAKER 15 :
General, the way I interpret this with them backing off and basically, as you said, waving the white flag is this is not bode well for them, I think, in the Supreme Court. I think they see this trending away from them because if they thought they could kind of use this as, you know, kind of we were at a tipping point, they would have continued to pursue their legal challenge.
SPEAKER 05 :
No, absolutely. In fact, one of the surprising things, frankly, of the timing was they didn’t at least wait to see what the Supreme Court would rule, because the Tennessee case is not going to be definitive. It’s not going to rule conclusively that states have the opportunity to do it. It would just be, what’s that standard of review for the courts when they examine these laws? I think the fact that they have dismissed their case in Alabama, where we have the most robust record in which we have put out in the public domain to be able to show the absolute medical and legal fraud that was occurring here, should demonstrate the fallacy of the arguments of the plaintiffs thus far and how much states are doing to be able to protect kids, particularly in the 26 states that have already weighed in with laws like Alabama’s.
SPEAKER 15 :
You know, General Marshall, what my takeaway from this is, is when the emperor has no clothes, go ahead and say you got a naked emperor because people were afraid to say anything. This was this was, you know, kind of running running in tandem with the cancel culture. So people were fearful of the just speaking truth.
SPEAKER 05 :
Now, and look, we were losing these cases to begin with, and it was part of the strategy of the left is that when we don’t allow for judges, even conservative judges, to understand the truth behind how these so-called standards of care were developed, when the judges don’t have an understanding that you have Rachel Levine reaching out from the Biden administration, telling medical communities to be able to remove the age restrictions on surgeries for kids because you’re hurting our political transgender agenda. Right. Now that that’s revealed, now that we know the truth, it’s clear why we’re going to ultimately win these cases.
SPEAKER 15 :
Well, General Marshall, I want to commend you for fighting that good fight and taking that stand on behalf of the children there in Alabama and, by extension, around the country. So thanks for joining us today.
SPEAKER 05 :
It’s been a privilege. Thank you.
SPEAKER 15 :
All right, General Marshall, Attorney General Marshall from Alabama. All right, don’t go away. We’re going to be back with more Washington Watch right after this.
SPEAKER 11 :
Are you ready to transform your trials into triumphs? Dive into the book of Daniel with FRC’s new study guide, Daniel, Visions and Valor, perfect for those seeking courage and wisdom from one of the Bible’s most faithful figures. This 13-day journey is ideal for small groups or individual study as part of our ongoing Stand on the Word Bible reading plan. It’s a timeless resource ready to deepen your engagement with Scripture. Explore how Daniel’s life and God-given visions offer a blueprint for navigating challenges. Each day includes Scriptures, reflection questions, and space for notes to enhance your understanding and application. Available in digital and physical formats, order your copy of Daniel, Visions and Valor today and start your journey of transformation. To order, text the word DANIEL to 67742. That’s DANIEL to 67742.
SPEAKER 13 :
What is God’s role in government? What does the separation of church and state really mean? And how does morality shape a nation? President John Adams said our Constitution was made only for moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. Join Family Research Council for God and Government, a powerful 13-part series that equips you with biblical truth to engage in today’s most pressing debates. From the Ten Commandments in Classrooms to the Immigration Crisis of America, we’ll uncover the foundations of our nation’s history and why it’s relevant for today. Defend God’s plan for government because faith and freedom were never meant to be separate. New episodes available each Monday. To view the series on the Stand Firm app, text COURSE to 67742.
SPEAKER 08 :
How should Christians think about the thorny issues shaping our culture? How should Christians address deceitful ideas like transgenderism, critical theory, or assisted suicide? How can Christians navigate raising children in a broken culture, the war on gender roles, or rebuilding our once great nation? Outstanding is a podcast from The Washington Stand dedicated to these critical conversations. Outstanding seeks to tear down what our corrupt culture lifts up with an aim to take every thought and every idea captive to the obedience of Christ. Whether policies or partisan politics, whether conflict in America or conflict abroad, join us and our guests as we examine the headlines through the lens of Scripture. and explore how Christians can faithfully exalt Christ in all of life. Follow Outstanding on your favorite podcast app and look for new episodes each week.
SPEAKER 15 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Well, our word for today comes from Daniel 7, where Daniel receives a vision of four earthly kingdoms that will rise and fall before being replaced by the everlasting reign of the Messiah. Quote, I saw in the night visions and behold, with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. Daniel 7, 13 and 14. Though the vision initially troubled Daniel, its message is one of hope and certainty. He went on in verses 17, “…these four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth, but the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever and ever.” The rise and fall of empires may shake the earth, but they do not shake the throne of God. In the end, it’s not the kings of this world who prevail, but the people of God who will reign with him forever. Don’t lose sight of what’s coming. God’s kingdom is not temporary. It’s eternal. For more on our journey through the Bible, text Bible to 67742. Well, during my visit to Israel last week, I led a delegation of Christian leaders, pastors and other leaders, and we are looking in Judea and Samaria. And among the leaders who joined me was Pastor Gary Hamrick of Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Virginia. I sat down and had a conversation with him, and I want to share it with you now. Pastor Gary, thanks so much for sitting down with me as we kind of wrap up this week in Israel. Well, thanks for inviting me on the trip. It’s been a wonderful trip. Thank you, Tony. So we talk about Judea and Samaria. That’s what the media and others for the last 60 plus years have described as the West Bank. Yeah. But it’s the heart of the Bible land.
SPEAKER 03 :
Right. Why should we care about that? but we should care about it because it has to do with national identity. This is a war of ideology and it’s a war of religion too. It’s really interesting when you think about how this is a battle for control, but what we know from the Bible is that the title deed to this land has been given to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to the Jewish people, and yet you have Muslims who were also fighting for control of the same land claiming that they had it first. But what’s interesting to me is in the most sacred book to the Muslims, the Quran, Jerusalem is not mentioned one time, not a single time. In the Bible, Jerusalem is mentioned by name more than 800 times. That’s not even different words that describe Jerusalem like Mount Zion. or the city of Salem. More than 800 times Jerusalem is mentioned. So God makes it clear in his word, this is his land. He’s deeded it to the Jewish people. And when our culture uses terminology like the West Bank to describe just the western part of the Jordan River, they’re trying to rob us of the truth of the narrative, which is this is God’s land and it belongs to God’s people.
SPEAKER 15 :
And I want to go into that in a moment because that ties into some of the sites that we saw. I want to go back, Pastor Gary Hamrick, Cornerstone Chapel, Leesburg, Virginia, Calvary Chapel Church. You’ve been to Israel many, many times. But you went to some places this time you’ve not been before. Yeah.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, before the Intifada of 2000, I came to Shiloh one time, and I have never been to the patriarchs and matriarchs, the tombs of the patriarchs and matriarchs in Hebron. We just went down through an excavation tunnel of an archaeological dig that still is not open to the public that leads to the Pool of Siloam. So much here that, I mean, you could spend years here and rediscover the land of the Bible. It feels like…
SPEAKER 15 :
You know, we packed a lot into five days. But I wanna go back to the, you talk about the title deed. Abraham came to this land from Ur of Chaldees. He was called by God to come. He said, I’ll show you where to go. We went to that first spot. We stood there where God made a promise to him. He built an altar and the Lord said, you know, I will bless you, make you a blessing to the nations. Those who bless you will be blessed. Those who curse you will be cursed. That was a promise by God. that promise is still in effect.
SPEAKER 03 :
It sure is. And it’s a pretty simple promise. You know, he who touches Israel touches the apple of God’s eye. And he who watches over Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. So God’s heart is here. His imprint is here. Everything points to the Lord. And so, yeah, it’s critical that we maintain and recognize the sovereignty of Israel over this land. Some people say, well, that’s a great Bible story. But, you know, so what? So God made that promise. Is there any evidence that that’s true? Oh, there’s evidence all around us. I love it when archaeology catches up to the Bible. They’re uncovering things all the time that prove this is the ancient place of the Jewish people. But unfortunately in the media today and the common narrative is they want to try to erase the history of the land so that other people can lay claim to it. And that’s just ideologically, philosophically, and biblically wrong.
SPEAKER 15 :
We went to, there’s really three places we went to that are significant. We went to the ancient, oversaw the ancient city of Shechem. We couldn’t go in because that is an Arab city, a Palestinian city. It also is the place where the tomb of Joseph is. A place that actually Jacob purchased the land. It’s recorded in scripture. We went to Hebron. That is where the cave of Machpelah was. That’s where Abraham bought that. That was actually the first parcel bought to bury Sarah. Then we went to the Temple Mount. Now most people don’t realize this, but the Temple Mount is in what is called the West Bank. I mean, that’s beyond the green line. I know this is getting a little technical going back to the partition. But what, I mean, this Jerusalem? I mean, that doesn’t belong to the Jewish people? Yeah, it’s Yerushalayim. By the way, let me go back and just mention the reason we went there is that David bought the threshing floor and I think you spoke to that.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s right, yeah, 2 Samuel 24 where it speaks about how David, filled with some pride in the moment, wanted to count the fighting men of his army and in that way that dishonored God because God wants to always be the power and strength behind Israel’s army, behind any army for that matter. And when David counted the fighting men, he sinned against the Lord and so he was given three choices. He was given the choice of seven years of famine, three months of being chased by his enemies with a sword, three days of plague. He chose the least amount of days and 70,000 died from plague. But what stopped it is that he then purchased the threshing floor of Aranao, which is the Temple Mount today. And he purchased it to sacrifice, to atone for his sin in that place. And here we are now since David, about 3,000 years later. And this is still that place where David purchased this land. And Aaron now was willing to give it to him in the scriptures and saw him as the king. My Lord, I’ll give it to you. And he said, no, I will not give unto the Lord that which costs me nothing. So he purchased this land. It’s purchased property.
SPEAKER 15 :
And that’s recorded in Scripture specifically. Now talk for a moment about the Temple Mount, Mount Moriah. There’s a thread of redemption that runs along that mountain range.
SPEAKER 03 :
What’s beautiful is this whole mountain range of Moriah is where Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac. which then the Lord intervened and he didn’t have to sacrifice his son. It was a test of his obedience and it was accredited to him as righteousness. Then you have in the same thread of Mount Moriah the temple that was purchased, the ground of Arenal, the threshing floor, where the temple of God stood. for hundreds of years until the Romans destroyed it. You go up a little bit further outside of the city on that same stretch of Mount Moriah is the place of the skull, Calvary, where Jesus was crucified. It’s a story of redemption all around us.
SPEAKER 15 :
You can’t make it up.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 15 :
I mean, you see that, this location, which Scripture, as we read the Bible now, as Americans, we kind of think America is the center of the world. Right. But this is the center of God’s story. This is where it all began, in this region of the world, and this is where the future is. That’s right. So let’s talk a little bit, Pastor Gary Hamrick, about Today, people say, okay, all right, well, I get the biblical thing. But this is modern-day Israel. This is not the same Jewish state that we are, the Jewish people we saw before. This is modern Israel. So it has nothing to do with the promises of the past.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, you know, it is true that today in Israel there are a lot of secular Jews. I mean, they have in many ways drifted from their biblical roots in the same way that America is a very secular culture. So there’s a lot of secularism here in Israel. But what happens in the culture never changes or invalidates what God has promised. And God promised this land to the Jewish people. In his discipline of them, they have been dispersed at different times in human history. But he’s brought them back into the land, 1948. In fact, we’re right now recording this on Independence Day. 77 years ago. 77 years ago. And God fulfilled Ezekiel’s prophecy about dry bones becoming life again. And so his hand is still on this land. Irrespective of how secular the culture might become, the people of God are going to return to the Lord. It’s going to be a glorious day. And in the meantime, we’re praying for the peace of Jerusalem because we know the Lord’s going to come again. And we want as many to be saved and trust Jesus as Savior.
SPEAKER 15 :
Correct me if I’m wrong. That’s kind of a dangerous thing to say to a pastor. But this is how I see it. I don’t know God’s timeline. In fact, Jesus told his disciples when they asked him, when’s this all going to happen? We were just over there the other day where he had that discourse with his disciples. He said, look, he didn’t even really… answer that question. He said, just don’t worry about that. Don’t be deceived. And here are the signs. And so we’re looking for the seasons. So I don’t know the timeline. I don’t know when it’s going to happen. But I do know that God’s ultimate plan is for this land will be occupied. The Jewish people will be drawn back. We read that.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s right.
SPEAKER 15 :
Ezekiel, Jeremiah, they’re coming back to this land. We see that unfolding since before, but in intensity since 1948. And actually since October 7th, there’s been an uptick. Amazingly, even though they’re at war, we have more people coming over. So we don’t know God’s timeline, but we know where God is ultimately going, right? Yeah. Should we not be moving in the same direction God’s moving?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, what’s there to correct in what you just said? I have no correction to that. Of course, yeah, we should be moving in the way that God moves. And God has promised that Jesus is going to return to this land. He’s not done with the Jewish people either. Romans 11, Paul talks about… how there is this window right now that God has not rejected the Jewish people, but for such a time as until the full number of Gentiles come in. So this is a window for Gentiles to get saved. But then he adds in Romans 11, and so all Israel will be saved. Now that doesn’t mean that every Israeli is going to believe in Jesus. But it does mean that there’s going to be a great revival. I don’t want to get too much into the weeds, but there’s going to be a tribulation period. Two-thirds of the Jews are going to suffer during the tribulation period. But the third that comes through the fire, all Israel will be saved. So great salvation is still going to happen in this land. Jesus is coming again, and God’s not done with Israel.
SPEAKER 15 :
What about those who say, and this is a prominent theological holding that’s gaining some ground in the evangelical world. You know, the church has replaced Israel. These promises to Israel are now to new Israel, the church. The promises to those Jewish people now flow to the church.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, well, you used a word that qualifies this. It’s called replacement theology, and it’s just completely erroneous because you’d have to cut out all of Romans 11. You have to cut out a lot of prophecy of the Old Testament, too, to say that the church has replaced Israel. The church has not replaced Israel. The promises of God are extended to the Gentiles, but he’s not done with Israel. And so we continue to pray for them. The church has not replaced Israel.
SPEAKER 15 :
We’re grafted in, as Paul said. We’re the beneficiaries of the promises made to the Jewish people. Pastor Gary, how should evangelical Christians, Bible-believing Christians, I’m going to qualify it, Bible-believing Christians approach Israel? Because I think some people think that we give them a pass on everything. And I’ve sat across from the Prime Minister and said, we don’t agree with everything you do. I mean, I don’t agree with my own government. But I support you and your right to be in this land.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah. Yeah, I mean the bottom line for evangelical Bible believing Christians is he who blesses Israel is blessed, he who curses Israel is cursed. I mean that’s just the bottom line and I totally agree with you. We don’t agree with every policy of Israel, we don’t agree with every policy of America. But we have to honor God’s ultimate design and plan and love for the Jewish people So we pray for them, we love them, we support Israel because we know that God’s not done here and his plans are still intact.
SPEAKER 15 :
Okay, I’m going to get a little more out on the edge. We’ve just got a couple minutes left. So I’m going to throw this out there and you tell me if I’m wrong on this. Many people say that Israel, they need America. I believe America needs Israel because when you look at what we’ve done as a nation, going back to 60 years ago, we kicked God out of our schools, which is really the core of our public square, remove God, the Bible, and we’ve increasingly done so. My view, Pastor Gary, is that America has remained a blessed nation because we’ve stood with Israel.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, I totally agree with you. And I think on the flip side, too, I think a danger for the Israelis is to think they need America. I mean, I’m happy that we right now have an administration that’s very supportive of Israel.
SPEAKER 15 :
It’s almost idolatry. It can be.
SPEAKER 03 :
It could be if they lean too heavily on America. It can be. And I don’t want them to forget that, in fact, we were meeting with… Ambassador now Minister Dermer the other day and you added a fourth thing to why he believes Israel has survived and you put in the equation of you got to say God has been the one to help you as a nation. And he came back and he said, well, I’m saying that’s foundational. That was just a given. Yeah, it was a given. We should state it. It is so true, though. They can’t become as dependent on America. They have to be really fully dependent on the Lord.
SPEAKER 15 :
All right, I’m gonna give you the final 30 seconds here, Pastor Gary. How should evangelicals in America be praying for Israel?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I mean it straight out of Scripture, pray for the peace of Jerusalem. I think that that’s always a good practice. We know that ultimate peace will not come until the Prince of Peace comes, until Jesus comes. But I pray for the peace in terms of conflict and I pray for peace in terms of peace of heart because I want the Jewish people to know the Jewish Messiah, to know Jesus HaMashiach, to know Jesus the Messiah. So when I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, it’s not just peace from conflict. It’s internal peace that comes through knowing Jesus, and I think that’s a good way to pray. Pastor Gary Hamrick. Thanks, Tony. Thanks for being with us. Appreciate it.
SPEAKER 15 :
And, folks, thank you for being with us as well. And with that, I leave you once again with the encouraging words of the Apostle Paul, found in Ephesians 6, where he says, You’ve done everything you can do when you’ve prayed, prepared, and taken your stand. By all means, 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.
