Casey Harper, Managing Editor for Broadcast at The Washington Stand and Host of the “Outstanding” podcast, Josh Hawley, U.S. Senator from Missouri, Brigadier General (res.) Amir Avivi, Founder and Chairman of Israels’ Defense and Security Forum
SPEAKER 19 :
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 13 :
Whether UAPs represent adversarial technology, natural phenomena, or something beyond current human understanding, Congress has a responsibility to investigate. If these objects are foreign in origin, then they pose a direct threat to our national security. And if they represent something unknown, they demand rigorous scientific inquiry, not ridicule, not secrecy, and not silence.
SPEAKER 08 :
That was Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, chair of the task force on the declassification of federal secrets, opening a hearing this morning on unidentified anomalous phenomena, better known as UAPs, the modern term for UFOs. Welcome to this September 9th edition of Washington Watch. I’m your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for joining us. We’re going to get more on the UAP hearing in just a moment. But first, Israeli forces carried out a bold strike against Hamas leadership inside Qatar earlier today. Retired Israeli Brigadier General Amir al-Vivi will join me here in studio to unpack the significance of that operation. Plus, an Associated Press investigation shows how American tech companies have, for decades, played a key role in building China’s surveillance state. We’ll discuss the implications with Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. Montana Senator Steve Daines will also stop by to talk about a possible rules change to break through the Democratic obstruction of more than 150 Trump administration nominees awaiting confirmation votes. And we’ll also get his take on the latest in the Russia-Ukraine war. And finally, with government now protecting rather than attacking religious freedom, how should Christians seize this moment? We’ll talk with Joel Penton, founder and CEO of LifeWise Academy. All of that and more coming up. Well, as I mentioned earlier today, Israel struck Hamas leadership inside Qatar. The airstrikes targeted a Hamas compound in Doha, a city long used by the group as a refuge and a base for negotiations. This decisive action marks a significant escalation as Israel works to dismantle Hamas’s leadership wherever they’re hiding. Now, this comes as international tensions continue to rise against Israel. Spain has imposed sanctions on Israel, apparently seeking to punish the Jewish state for defending itself. Washington Stand reporter Casey Harper joins us now with more on this story. Casey. Hey, Tony. Israel’s bold move to attack Hamas leaders in Qatar this morning surprised leaders of many countries in the region. This is kind of a new development. What details do we have so far?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, that’s right. This is an uncharted territory for Israel, which carried out a precision airstrike on a Hamas compound in Doha, Qatar today. And this compound has been used by Hamas to shelter its leadership, coordinate its activities, which includes those key negotiations over ceasefires. Now, according to Israeli officials, the strike targeted those top Hamas leaders, including Khalil al-Hayah. He’s a senior member of the organization who’s played a crucial role in the ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas. They’ve gone nowhere, facilitated by Qatar and Egypt. So, the attack comes as part of Israel’s ongoing efforts to eliminate Hamas. And Qatar, which has been hosting Hamas, you know, it’s been sort of a neutral territory, they condemned the strike, calling it a violation of international law. However, Israel sees this as necessary. It’s part of the fight against terrorism, especially as Hamas continues to target civilians, holds onto hostages, and carry out violent attacks. You know, with these global mediation efforts seeming to fail, Israel is sending a message that they’re going to find Hamas wherever they are, Tony.
SPEAKER 08 :
As we discussed yesterday, Israel is facing increasing international pressure, the latest with Spain and France. Spain has sanctioned Israel. What do we know about these sanctions?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, Tony, Spain’s taken a hard line against Israel. They’ve put sanctions aimed at halting, for instance, arms shipments, military support to the Jewish state. They have some very important ports to do that. And this move comes after the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, he condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, and he used that word everyone is throwing around these days, which is genocide. And this is also after Spain recognized a Palestinian state earlier this year, and they recalled their ambassador from Tel Aviv, which is a symbolic move. It really shows how much of Europe and Western Europe in particular is escalating.
SPEAKER 02 :
I believe that when you have a fair approach, you can make things done. When you are only influenced by Hamas propaganda, like the Spanish government, you only cause damages and destabilization in the Middle East. I think that also for the sake of peace, it is very important to continue with this path of countries like Germany, like Italy, like Croatia, which understand that peace will be achieved in a bilateral context and not by decisions in Paris or Madrid.
SPEAKER 03 :
Now, in response to Spain’s actions, Tony, Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, he didn’t hold back. He called the Spanish actions and the sanctions anti-Semitic and said they were politically motivated. He also strongly criticized Spain for siding with Hamas, pointing out the deadly attacks on civilians. which continue. And France wasn’t left out either. Of course, they recognized the Palestinian state this year and said that if Tel Aviv does not end its operations in Gaza, they’re going to follow through with that. They made that threat. So, a diplomatic fallout in Europe. It comes as Israel is pushing into Gaza City. They’ve ordered a full evacuation of that area and saying, quote, a mighty hurricane is coming if Hamas does not release these hostages, Tony.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, the situation in Gaza, it remains very volatile, and Israel’s military actions continue to intensify. We’re going to be following these developments closely as we also pray for Israel. As I mentioned later in the program, we’re going to be joined by Brigadier General Amir Avivi, the founder and chairman of Israel’s Defense and Security Forum. Casey, I want to switch gears. This is an interesting one. Today, there was a hearing on Capitol Hill that has certainly brought the issue of UAPs into sharper focus. What can you tell us about some of the key points that lawmakers were pushing in terms of government transparency and what reactions have we seen so far from the Defense Department and these intelligence agencies, which have been at the, really, RECEIVED A LOT OF CRITICISM FOR NOT BEING TRANSPARENT.
SPEAKER 03 :
YEAH, THERE’S A LOT WE CAN SAY ABOUT UAPS, TONY, AND NOT ALL OF IT CREDIBLE, BUT WHAT ARE THE HARD THINGS THAT COULD COME UP IN THE HEARING AND HAVE COME UP IN THE HEARING TODAY? TRANSPARENCY IS THE KEY WORD HERE. THE LAWMAKERS AT THIS HEARING ARE STRESSING THAT UAPS, WE DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE, AND FROM CASE TO CASE THEY CAN BE DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT THERE’S NOT TRANSPARENCY AND SERIOUS INVESTIGATION AND OPENNESS WITH CONGRESS ON THE ISSUE. THAT’S WHAT LAWMAKERS ARE SAYING. They’re particularly focused on holding the DOD, as you mentioned, and the intelligence agencies accountable, and they call it a lack of cooperation.
SPEAKER 13 :
Today, I want to state clearly that this is not science fiction or creating speculation. This is about national security, government accountability, and the American people’s right to the truth. I have spoken now to a number of whistleblowers from the military, to include the infamous Eglin Air Force Base incident that occurred when myself and former Representative Matt Gaetz, as well as Representative Burchett, followed up on a lead from multiple active duty Air Force pilot whistleblowers that alleged that the United States Air Force was covering up UAP activity at Eglin Air Force Base.
SPEAKER 03 :
The representatives are urging these bodies to stop withholding information, especially the videos, reports, the data that has been collected from UAP incidents. And they say the American public deserve answers, that keeping secrets on this issue, it erodes public trust and actually national security. So as for the DOD and intelligence agencies, Tony, there’s not much been reaction to the hearing yet. We’ll see what comes out of it. But the committee is frustrated with what they call limited cooperation. They argue that secrecy and slow responses continue to be a big hurdle in their investigation.
SPEAKER 08 :
Thanks, Casey. Appreciate it. I want to take a closer look at the UAP hearing. Joining me now by phone to discuss this is Congressman Eric Burleson, a member of the committee. He represents the 7th Congressional District of Missouri. Congressman Burleson, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for stepping out and joining us by phone.
SPEAKER 04 :
Oh, absolutely anything.
SPEAKER 08 :
So let’s talk about the subject of today’s hearing was restoring public trust through UAP transparency and whistleblower protection. Purpose of today’s meeting and what was accomplished in this hearing?
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, you know, I think that as someone who’s on the Oversight Committee, it’s becoming increasingly frustrating that to find out that there are and get reports that there are rogue agencies that are not accountable to Congress. They don’t disclose what they’re spending their money on. They don’t disclose what they’re working on to Congress. And we keep repeatedly getting that. We have had offices of inspector general, both for the Department of Defense and for the intelligence community come forward and tell us that that is true, that they did an investigation and determined that they’re not cooperating with the law. And regardless of what you think about this topic, whether you believe in aliens from another planet, which I don’t believe in, or regardless of what you think, the reality is our government is holding information from us. And what are we going to do about it? And for me, I think that it really strikes at the core of, are we a constitutional republic or are we not? Who’s in charge here? Who owns this government? I think the people own the government, not the other way around. That’s why I am engaged with this. And it’s not just about the UAP topic. It’s really also about all of the secrets that this government continues to keep that may not have anything to do with our security.
SPEAKER 08 :
there is but there’s like a lot of evidence to suggest something is going on with these unidentified anomalous phenomena i mean there’s something there but the government apparently thinks there’s something there because they’re not telling us about it yeah they aren’t and um which is remarkable because to me the topic of whether or not we are alone is not for this u.s government to keep or any government to keep a secret right it’s
SPEAKER 04 :
It is a universal idea. It’s something that humanity has a right to, to that knowledge. Now, if the U.S. government wants to make secret a technology that they’ve derived from their interactions with these UAPs, I think that that is potentially a valid thing for them to keep secret. But it’s not okay to keep secret technology. and to try to stop anything from coming out related to just the alien topic in general. Again, I don’t believe that there are aliens.
SPEAKER 08 :
Take it to the broader topic. You talk about secrets that the United States government holds. in the wake of COVID and what the government did there. There’s very little trust in our federal government. So I would think it’s in the interest of our government to have transparency and to be forthright with information that they have, whether it’s valid, it’s valid findings or not. We ought to have what they have.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, you’re absolutely right. And the American people saw what happened with COVID And they’re also watching right now what’s happening with the Epstein. Right, exactly. Why does this government seem to think that the American people don’t deserve to know the truth about Jeffrey Epstein? And when you have the witnesses coming forward and testifying saying that we need to be subpoenaing the CIA, right, that’s something that’s really disturbing. So this government holds on to way too many secrets. And at the end of the day, this government belongs to the American people, whether it’s the Epstein list or what happened during COVID or this UAP topic or whether it was the JFK assassination. The one area of success that I think that we’ve been able to achieve because of President Trump and because Congress passed in the 90s the JFK Disclosure Act, we are now seeing documents being released. that the CIA never wanted released. They make the CIA look really awful about what they did or didn’t do during the assassination.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, Congressman, we’re out of time, but I hope more information is forthcoming on a slew of topics that the American people have the right to know about. Senator Burleson, thanks again for joining us. Always great to talk with you, my friend.
SPEAKER 04 :
Thank you, Tony.
SPEAKER 08 :
Appreciate you. All right. Stay with us on the other side of the break. Senator Josh Hawley joins us. So don’t go away.
SPEAKER 10 :
Three years ago, the Supreme Court issued its historic Dobbs decision, a ruling that overturned Roe versus Wade, which for nearly 50 years imposed abortion on demand, silencing voters and bypassing the democratic process across the country. The Dobbs decision was a huge step forward against abortion, but it didn’t outright ban it. It returned the power to the people. Now, 29 states have laws on the books protecting life. However, there’s a catch. Abortion numbers since Dobbs have actually gone up with an increase of 12% since 2020, climbing from 930,000 to over 1 million in each of the most recent years. So how can this be? The answer is simple, the abortion drug. Today, over 60% of U.S. abortions involve abortion drugs, many of these without medical oversight. In 2021, the Biden administration quietly removed bare minimum longstanding safety protocols for the abortion drug that have existed for 20 years to protect women from life threatening risks and ensuring informed consent. The Biden DOJ then declared that they would not enforce the Comstock Act, which prevents the mailing of anything that causes an abortion. This is not only illegal, but also dangerous. A study shows nearly 11% of women who take the abortion drug end up in the emergency room with serious complications. Unless the Trump administration reverses these reckless Biden-era policies, pro-life laws will remain largely symbolic. Without a full review and repeal of Mifepristone, unborn lives will remain in grave danger and pregnant mothers will remain at risk. Let’s stand for life and end this mail-order abortion drug pipeline. Sign the petition urging the Trump administration to take action at frc.org slash stop chemical abortion.
SPEAKER 15 :
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory. Family Research Council invites you to join our Stand on the Word Bible reading plan as we reflect upon the life of Jesus, the Word who dwelt among us. Come with us and discover the glory of the Word. Read the Gospels and witness the life-changing story of Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection. Come read how Jesus transformed the lives of common people and how those same people transformed the known world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Come with us for 10 to 15 minutes a day and read the entire New Testament before the new year. Find our Bible reading plan in daily devotionals from Tony Perkins at frc.org slash Bible. Join us and stand on the word.
SPEAKER 08 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us on this Tuesday. The Associated Press published a report today on their investigation on China’s surveillance state. They found that it has been American tech companies to a large degree that have designed and built China’s digital cage over the past quarter of a century. Billions of dollars of U.S. technology essentially being used to keep Chinese citizens under lock and key. Now, the problem is China is exporting this technology to be used elsewhere by tyrannical governments. Wow. Joining me now to discuss this is U.S. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, who serves on three Senate committees, including the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. He joins us by phone. Senator Hawley, thanks so much for joining us today.
SPEAKER 05 :
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER 08 :
I’ll have to say this is pretty disturbing. I know you have long been concerned about what some of the tech companies are doing in terms of collecting information on the United States, on U.S. citizens, but I mean, this is pretty significant here.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, it’s hugely significant. It’s hugely alarming. It ought to be a wake-up call for every American. And frankly, I mean, it’s really a betrayal of what we believe in, Tony, for our own companies, you know, these so-called American companies to be helping the worst purveyor of evil in the world right now from a state perspective that’s china to help them enslave their own citizens suppress religious liberty in china that’s what these technologies are being used for let’s make no mistake about it and our companies are making billions of dollars by doing this is that what this is about lying to us about it is that what this is about it’s about profit It is. Absolutely it is. It’s about profit 100%. It’s why they come before Congress, take the oath, and lie to the American people and say, oh, no, we’re not helping China. Listen, we had a whistleblower from Facebook, top Facebook executive Sarah Wynn Williams, who testified just a couple of months ago. that Facebook was deeply involved in China, helping China with its AI technology, helping them with their surveillance technology. We’re talking about not Chinese companies they were helping, helping the Chinese government and military. Exactly. Today’s reporting confirms it. And this is just, it is sickening.
SPEAKER 08 :
So, Senator, this ties into some recent polling we’ve seen where more and more Americans actually do not think capitalism works. They are being drawn to this idea of socialism. My argument, Senator, is this, is that capitalism works when it’s anchored to morality, but when it’s driven by profit, this is the type of things that we get. And yes, I can see why people are turning against capitalism if this is all we have to offer.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, if all we’re going to guide ourselves by, if our load starts, it’s going to be, how can I make a profit no matter what? No matter what corners I cut, no matter who I steal, cheat, lie to, then, yeah, you’re going to get this kind of behavior. But you’re exactly right, Tony. That’s never been how we practiced capitalism in the United States of America or not how we’ve aspired to. We’ve said, no, capitalism is supposed to be about lifting up families, communities, churches. And let’s be honest, it’s because of the Christian influence that’s been true. It’s because we’ve had a free market that has been based on principles rooted in the gospel. And as that erodes, you’re seeing this kind of predatory behavior from the biggest corporations in the world.
SPEAKER 08 :
So to be very clear, I support free markets. I support capitalism tethered to morality. which historically has been the case. Obviously, there’s been many instances in the history of our country where they got untethered, but we brought them back. But this is the outcome, enslaving people over their religious convictions, over their minority status, simply to make a dollar.
SPEAKER 05 :
And look what they’re doing at home, Tony, at the exact same time. They are stealing the innocence of our children by allowing chatbots to engage in sexually explicit conversations with 8- and 9-year-olds. That’s Facebook that I’m talking about. They’re trying to addict our children to the worst kind of content on their platforms. All about making a buck, all about making their money. Exactly. With no thought to the consequences. You’re exactly right.
SPEAKER 08 :
So, Senator Hawley, we’ve identified the problem. What’s the solution? I mean, part of it is the moral condition of America. And that’s what each of us have to do in sharing our faith and standing up and being bold about our faith. But there’s a role for government here, too, is there not?
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, absolutely, because the thing that we call the law, which structures our markets and structures our economy and makes capitalism possible, the laws reflect our shared values. In this case, our shared biblically rooted values like thou shalt not steal. You shall not cause harm to children. Think about what Jesus said about those who cause harm to children. I mean, it would be better for them to be thrown into the sea. So this is something I think that these tech executives ought to listen to. What’s that mean practically? It means that we need to say that it ought to be illegal in this country to allow chatbots to have sexually explicit conversations with eight-year-olds. It ought to be illegal in this country to sell technology that is surveillance technology to a police state like China when you know what they’re using it for. I mean this is just about putting common sense guardrails in place that protect what we believe in.
SPEAKER 08 :
Senator, often times, though, the government really kind of sets the standard, the benchmark. Last week, a House Select Committee on China released a groundbreaking investigation, and they reported that they found more than $2.5 billion in taxpayer money was used during the Biden administration to conduct research with defense entities backed by the Chinese Communist Party. Why would our government be doing that?
SPEAKER 05 :
No, it’s really sickening, and we do it in all kinds of ways, Tony. The government does. Here’s something else that the government does commonly. We give government contracts to private entities, groups like the McKinsey Company, for example, consultants who advise the Defense Department on important sensitive topics and projects, and then turn around and advise the Chinese military, the Communist Party and the military, on their projects. And we pay them. We pay them going and coming. It’s ludicrous. To your point, it sets a standard, and the standard is the wrong one. The standard is too low. It sends the wrong message. We’ve got to clean up our own house, and that starts with the U.S. government, what’s going on at DOD, and then we’ve got to set a standard for our companies, which is that, you know what? Yeah, we’re going to ask you to protect our children. Don’t destroy our children. Don’t compromise our liberties. Don’t destroy what makes us Americans.
SPEAKER 08 :
Senator Hawley, we just have about a minute left. My argument would be We’re in the best position to do this now. We have a Republican president who is inclined toward this. We have a Republican House, slim majority. We have a majority, although not a operating majority and the super majority in the Senate. Is this not the time to address these issues?
SPEAKER 05 :
100 percent. If not now, when? You know, if not for this issue, for what issue? I mean, this is absolutely the time to do it to protect what we believe in, our national security, to protect our families and our children. But importantly, Tony, what you and I were just talking about, we shouldn’t be afraid to say this as Christians. We need to protect the values and principles that make us Americans. It is right that our law should reflect those principles. And boy, it doesn’t get any more important than protecting liberty, protecting kids.
SPEAKER 08 :
You’re absolutely right. Senator Josh Hawley, always great to have you on the program. Thanks so much for joining us today.
SPEAKER 05 :
Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER 08 :
All right, coming up next, we’re going to look more at what Israel did today, taking out Hamas’s leadership. That’s next. Don’t go away.
SPEAKER 03 :
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SPEAKER 08 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for tuning in. The website, tonyperkins.com. Better yet, download the Stand Firm app and you can have access to Washington Watch no matter where you go. And you’ll get news and commentary from a biblical perspective from the Washington Stand. Again, that’s in the App Store, the Stand Firm app. Earlier today, Israel launched an airstrike targeting Hamas leaders who were gathered in Qatar, reportedly to discuss a ceasefire proposal. In a statement, the office of Israel’s prime minister described the Hamas leaders as, quote, the top terrorist chieftains of Hamas, end quote. And they said the strike was a wholly independent Israeli operation. Now, this comes two days after President Donald Trump gave what he declared was his last warning to Hamas to accept his terms. How significant is this latest development? Well, joining me now in studio to discuss this, Brigadier General Amir Avivi, who retired from the Israeli Defense Forces in 2017 with more than 30 years of military counterterrorism and national security experience today. He is the founder and chairman of Israel’s Defense and Security Forum. General, welcome to Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you very much.
SPEAKER 08 :
Now, the organization that you head now is an organization of conservative Israeli military officers. And so there’s about 60,000 of those military officers that share the viewpoint that Israel needs to be strong if they’re going to be safe.
SPEAKER 01 :
Definitely. We believe that national security is first and foremost about national values. It’s our deep connection to Judaism, to Zionism, to the land of Israel. We need to reside along different civil borders and be able to defend ourselves by ourselves.
SPEAKER 08 :
That sets up our conversation here, because I first want to ask you about how significant was this strike today, taking out Hamas chief leaders in Qatar?
SPEAKER 01 :
So at the beginning of the war, we set a very clear goal of war that says eradicating Hamas as a governmental and military entity. And the guys in Qatar, these terrible terrorists, they were the government of Hamas. So this is part of the goal, really, to eradicate Hamas as a governmental entity. They initiated the 7th of October massacre. They commanded it, and now they’re paying the price.
SPEAKER 08 :
So this should expedite, when you look at command and control, if they’ve been controlling the operations there in Gaza, this should expedite the finality of what’s been happening in Gaza. And now with this last bold initiative to eliminate Hamas in Gaza City, should this not come to a conclusion fairly soon?
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, I think that in the coming months there will be a decisive win in the Gaza Strip, which will enable us to destroy Hamas and bring back our hostages. Hamas has only two strongholds remaining, the city of Gaza and some areas in the central camps. The city of Gaza is really the governmental center of Hamas. This is the main brigade of Hamas that is left. And going into Gaza City and destroying this stronghold will bring Israel very close to to a decisive win in Gaza. And the surrender of Hamas will enable us also to get all our 48 remaining hostages back home.
SPEAKER 08 :
General Avivie, I want to go back to what you said about your organization that brings these Israeli officers together who have a strong voice in Israel. They’re highly respected by the people, but there’s a connection to the land. Judea and Samaria, we talk about that a lot in this program. Eighty percent of what we read about in the Bible occurred in Judea and Samaria. You cannot understand the Jewish identity without understanding Judea and Samaria. Yet this is what the United Kingdom, what France, what Spain and other countries are going to go to New York later this month and advocate for a two-state solution. We know now, after 17 years of Hamas governing in Gaza, that is not a solution. What is the solution?
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, you know, the land of Israel, all of it, from the sea to the Jordan Valley, as they like to say here, from the river to the sea, all of the land of Israel, all its width is 45 miles. And for this 45 miles, which is not even a city, The vast majority of the area is the mountains of Judea and Samaria. So you have the mountains, and then you have the Jordan Valley, and you have this small coastal area where many of the Israeli cities are. Israel cannot be viable, cannot exist, spiritually, spiritually, or physically. without the mountains of Judea and Samaria. This is the one place where all our history is, and it’s not by chance. It’s because you cannot live in this land if you are not on the mountains.
SPEAKER 08 :
So is that why the international community is wanting to separate the Jewish people from that land?
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, I mean, they want to bring us back to a nine-mile-width area, like a small concentration camp where they’ll put all the Jews, and we’ll be defenseless. And, you know, we were kicked out of our land four times.
SPEAKER 08 :
So if those who are advocating for the so-called two-state solution to confine the Jewish people to that narrow strip, they’re actually against the Jewish people.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah. I mean, they’re basically promoting an idea that will destroy completely the state of Israel. And this is something we cannot accept. We all want solutions, you know. But first, you don’t give up your identity to solve a problem. We are the Jewish people. We are the people of Israel. This is the land of Israel. It’s our land. We are the indigenous people of this land. This is our ancestral land. And, yes, we want to coexist. We want to find a solution for some kind of self-governance in the areas where you have Arabs living in cities, you know, in Judea and Samaria. And I think there are solutions, definitely.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, we’ve got less than a minute left, General, but many of the Arab leaders in Judea and Samaria, like in Hebron, for instance, they want to come under the Israeli government in a form of emirates.
SPEAKER 01 :
Exactly. So, really, the solution for Gaza and for Judea and Samaria are city-states, are emirates run by the local clans. The families. The families. Which is the history of that region. Definitely. This is the way the Arab society is built. They detest the Palestinian Authority. They want them gone, and they want to cooperate with Israel, enjoy economy, prosperity. And the absence of corruption. Definitely.
SPEAKER 08 :
General, I want to thank you for joining us. Thank you for coming in studio, and we appreciate you sharing your insights with us.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you very much.
SPEAKER 08 :
All right, folks, more reason to pray for our friends in Israel, for the peace of Israel and for Jerusalem. All right, don’t go away. More Washington Watch straight ahead.
SPEAKER 14 :
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SPEAKER 11 :
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 08 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Again, thanks for tuning in. The website, tonyperkins.com. All right, the Brave Old Stand Summit is just around the corner, taking place October the 17th and 18th at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in California. If you register now and use the code FALL, F-A-L-L, you’ll save $30 on your summit package. Now, this special discount offer is good through Friday, so you need to do this quickly. To find out more and to register, visit PrayVoteStand.org. That’s PrayVoteStand.org. You can see the speakers that we have invited and listed there at the website. Our word for today comes from James 3. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. JAMES DOESN’T PULL ANY PUNCHES. THERE IS NO ROOM FOR COMPETITION IN GOD’S KINGDOM. ENVY IS CRAVING WHAT OTHERS HAVE, DRIVEN BY PRIDE AND THE DESIRE TO ELEVATE OURSELVES RATHER THAN CHRIST. JAMES MAKES IT CLEAR, THIS SPIRIT IS NOT FROM GOD. IT IS WORLDLY, FLESHLY, EVEN DEMONIC. HE THEN WARNS OF ITS CONSEQUENCES. VERSE 16, FOR WHERE ENVY AND SELF-SEEKING EXIST, CONFUSION AND EVERY EVIL THING ARE THERE. Self-seeking opens the door to chaos and sin. In contrast, we’re called to pursue heaven’s wisdom. Verse 17 says, but the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. To find out more about our journey through the Bible, text Bible to 67742. That’s Bible to 67742. Yesterday at the hearing of the White House’s Religious Liberty Commission, President Trump announced that the Department of Education will soon issue new guidance protecting the right to prayer in public schools. Total protection, according to the president. Let me tell you, it’s a welcome announcement and it should be celebrated. But it’s not a finish line. It’s a starting line. The Trump administration, and I hope you understand what they’re doing, they’re opening a door. They can’t solve all these problems. They can’t take faith into the schools, but they can allow it by protecting our rights as Christians. And so the Trump administration is opening a door that the church should go through enthusiastically with boldness. And thankfully, there are already groups out there who have been working their way into schools across the nation, including that of my next guest. Joining me now to discuss this is Joel Penton, founder and CEO of LifeWise Academy, a nonprofit that provides Bible education to public school students during the school hours with parental permission. Joel, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining me. Tony, thanks for having me again. So this is pretty exciting to me, Joel. The president is helping to create an environment that is welcoming of faith and not hostile to it. But the church, this is not a time to sit back and become complacent. I think we should be compelled to get behind ministries like yours and start other ministries to get into our schools.
SPEAKER 16 :
That’s exactly right. This is an exciting time. It definitely feels as though the pendulum is swinging back. We reach some sort of extreme of marginalizing the things of God, of pulling God out of, you know, the lives of public school students. And I think that we as a society are seeing how detrimental that has become. And so now is the time to say, hey, let’s reintroduce students to the gospel. Let’s see the word of God go to work.
SPEAKER 08 :
Now, you talk about the pendulum swinging. It can swing back the other direction. So I think there’s a sense of urgency that we need to act now. I agree with you. I think culturally people are realizing the path we’ve gone down has not been working. However, the policies of the federal government have changed. a big influence on the direction that, in this case, schools go. And that could change in just a few years. So now is the time to act. So tell us about the growth of LifeWise Academy and the doors that are opening to you and the steps that you’re taking to go through them.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yes, well, thank you. The growth really has been incredible. We are just trying to keep up. As you mentioned, we provide Bible education to public school students during school hours. It’s under a little known practice called Released Time Religious Instruction, the Supreme Court. has ruled that it’s constitutional for students to be excused during school hours to attend religious classes as long as it’s off school property, privately funded, and students have parental permission. We launched our ministry just six years ago. Our goal was to serve 25 schools by 2025. And Tony, we are already confirmed for this school year to be in over 1,100 schools across 34 states. People all over the country, when they find out it’s possible, to teach the Bible during school hours. They’re raising their hands and saying, I want this in my community.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, we’ve talked about this before. This is something Family Research Council was involved in many years ago in California, of all places. What’s been interesting is we’ve worked with you on this and helped expand it in the various states, is that the blue states were more aggressive in this than the red states. And that’s where we’re now turning our attention to those politically conservative states that have ignored this opportunity that the Supreme Court said was available back in the 50s.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yes, it’s really interesting that some of the states that have the strongest laws protecting this religious freedom would be those states that you would least expect it. You know, the state of New York, the state of Wisconsin, some of these other states. And as you said, in just recent years, I mean, there are several states, in fact, seven states in the last 18 months that have passed bills. that establish that this is a right to families. If a family wants release time religious instruction for their children, the school can’t say no, they need to allow it.
SPEAKER 08 :
All right, so what way, in what ways can people, can our viewers and listeners help?
SPEAKER 16 :
Yes, well, we would love for everyone listening to find out what’s happening in your community. If you go to our website, lifewise.org, you can look up any school district in the nation and you can see what’s the status. Are there other people in my community interested? Maybe there’s already a program up and running. Maybe it’s in process. Perhaps you would be the first one to raise your hand and say that I want this in my community. In fact, that is step one. We have what we call a community interest list where you can find your school district, sign your name, simply saying, I want this in my community. Once we have 50 signatures, we then go through the process of starting a local chapter.
SPEAKER 08 :
So there’s different things that people can do depending on where they’re at. If you’re in a state that doesn’t have this, begin to pray, begin to work with others. Maybe your church, another organization might want to partner with Joel and his team. Maybe you have it. And you just need to take it to, it’s law in your state, and you just need to take it to your school board or your principal and see it. So there’s different things. Give that website again so people know where to go, Joel.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yes, it is lifewise.org. You can see videos. You can look at resources. But before you leave, click the button that says find your school and look up your local school district. And Tony, I just want to say thank you so much for all of your support. Much of this growth and success that we’ve seen in the spread of this ministry is because of people like yourself spreading the word and lending a helping hand.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, we’re excited about it and the opportunity that’s before us. And as I said, the Trump administration is opening doors, but the church has to go through them. We have to take this truth to children, and we have the opportunity. Joel, thanks so much for joining us. Look forward to seeing you real soon. Yes, thank you. Folks, I do encourage you to check out the website. And if you missed it, go to TonyPerkins.com. But look to see what’s happening in your community. You might say, well, I don’t have kids in the public schools. Doesn’t matter. The opportunity is there to serve those kids who are in our public schools. All right. I want to turn now to the U.S. Senate, where Republican leaders are moving closer to implementing a rules change to break through the logjam of executive branch nominees that Democrats have really kind of created with their slow walking. We have over 150 Trump administration nominees waiting for confirmation votes. Joining me now to discuss this and much more is U.S. Senator Steve Daines from Montana. He serves on four committees, including the Finance Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee. He’s also a part of the leadership team. Senator, thanks so much for joining us today. Glad to join you, Tony. All right. Before we get into the activities of the Senate, rules changes and those types of things, I want to get your take on Israel’s strike against Hamas in Qatar today.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, let’s not forget, Tony, why is Israel in this position in the first place? It goes back to October 7th, 2023, nearly two years ago, where 1,200 innocent Israelis were slaughtered by Hamas terrorists, 300 hostages taken. This is a war started by Hamas, and this war is gonna end on Israel’s terms. So they, as you know, will go to great lengths to eradicate Hamas. There will never be true peace, Tony, between Gaza and Israel until Hamas is eradicated. And so they’re going after the command and control, including leadership. And we’ve got to give Israel, in my opinion, the space and the latitude that it needs to do to protect itself.
SPEAKER 08 :
Right. And I think the Trump administration is doing that. Even the president on Sunday issuing his last warning didn’t give a time frame to it. But Israel’s actions would suggest to me that the fuse is pretty short. All right. Let’s go back to Senate rules. I know this is kind of in the weeds, but it’s quite significant when you have so many of the nominees from the Trump administration just kind of hanging out there in limbo. Give us the latest on this.
SPEAKER 07 :
Tony, the Senate began as an institution in 1789. That’s 236 years ago. Never before in the history of the U.S. Senate have we seen this kind of obstruction. And it’s coming from Chuck Schumer and the Democrats. If you go back in the more recent history, in the last… 20, 30 years, typically more than 90% of nominees that come to the Senate are approved by a voice vote or unanimous consent. That’s how you speed up some of these very slow and arguably archaic processes in the Senate. And then under Trump 45, it used to be 90% or more. It dropped to about 65%. The Democrats were trying to obstruct Trump. Well, when we took control of the Senate under Joe Biden’s presidency, and then when they had control of the Senate They didn’t have 60 votes. We would then slow down the process for the Democrats. But it was like maybe 60 percent of the votes were by unanimous consent. So still a reasonable number. Tony, it’s been zero percent now since President Trump took office. Unprecedented. We are going to move forward with changing a precedent, which basically is a rule change that allows us to do this consistently. In other words, in groups of 20, 30, 40, 50, upwards of 100 if you wanted to, at one time. That will speed the process up. And, Tony, assuming we prevail in this change, of course, in the next 10 days, I think we’ll have all of President Trump’s nominees cleared. The backlog of about 150 should be cleared by the end of the month.
SPEAKER 08 :
Now, Senator Daines, I’ve been around for a while, going back to when George W. Bush was president and there was a rule change regarding judicial nominees. And at the time, it was always described as like the nuclear option. You know, we’re going to change these rules. And so this has been by the Democrats calling this the nuclear option. And Chuck Schumer, who you mentioned, said that if the Republicans go nuclear, it’s going to be a decision that they will regret. Is that just saber-rattling?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, I think it’s overstating the reality of what’s really happening. Tony, if we prevail, which I think we will, on this basic change in the rule and the precedent, all it will do is restore the Senate to back the way it used to operate, which is through more unanimous consent.
SPEAKER 08 :
It operated that way by gentleman’s agreement, if you will. I mean, it was just cordiality. Not every nominee is political or controversial, but they’ve made it that way. That’s my take.
SPEAKER 07 :
Absolutely. And this is all about part of their Trump derangement syndrome. It’s their resistance opposing everything President Trump’s trying to do. They’re frustrated, and they’re expressing that frustration, and their liberal base is telling them to fight, Well, this is the way they are fighting here is by obstructing the U.S. Senate. It’s not fair to the nominees because you want good people to serve in government. And if you pick a good person, they have to come out of probably they’re active in a different job. How can they stand around and wait for a year for the Senate to act? They can’t.
SPEAKER 08 :
I don’t think people understand that. I mean, they’re not able to work. Many of these people are just kind of hanging in limbo with no income or anything, just waiting for this confirmation process. And as you said, it’s become political. I think even if Mother Teresa had been nominated under this arrangement, she would have not gotten through. She would have been locked. Mother Teresa would not make it through the Senate today. I mean, it’s amazing. All right. We just got a couple minutes left. Senator Daines, you started the pro-life caucus in the Senate when you were elected to the Senate, which we greatly appreciate. I want to go last week’s Senate Finance Committee hearing. You were there on Thursday. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was testifying. You brought up the abortion drug, Mifeprestone, during the hearing. Were you satisfied with the answers that you got?
SPEAKER 07 :
There’s still a lot more work to do, Tony. Here’s the point. We all know, first of all, mefapristone is a life ender for a baby. But it’s also harmful to women. And that was the point we were striving to make. There’s new data now that shows, with some over 800,000 data points based on an insurance claim data, that mefapristone’s actual adverse effects are 22 times worse than what the FDA put on the label. We’re just calling out the fact this is a significant threat to women, the health of women. And we want the FDA to go back and review the data and to change the labeling to require a doctor to prescribe. They’ve got these COVID era now. rules that say no doctor needs to actually see the patient in person. We say go back to doctors seeing patients and put the warning on the label.
SPEAKER 08 :
They’ve rolled that back for other medical procedures where you have to have in-person visitation, but not this. Also, I think you raised the issue of these pills being sent through the mail, undermining the pro-life laws of so many states across the country. And this could be undone overnight. I mean, this is a Biden era policy and it could be undone. I hope the outcome soon is positive, but I do want to thank you for continuing to raise the issue and for championing the unborn and the family there in the United States Senate. Senator, we’re out of time, but always great to see you. Thanks so much for joining us today. Thanks for having me, Tony. And folks, again, need you to weigh in on this. Text the word LIFE to 67742 so we can stand with senators like Senator Daines and get the administration to do the right thing on life. Out of time for today, but I want to thank you for joining us. And until next time, I leave you with the words of the Apostle Paul, where he says, when you’ve done everything you can do, when you’ve prayed, when you’ve prepared, and when you’ve taken your stand, by all means, keep standing.
SPEAKER 19 :
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 Tony Perkins dot com.
