Join Washington Watch’s host Tony Perkins in a timely conversation that bridges faith and policy at the intersections of power and prayer. This episode navigates the ongoing shifts in American religious freedom, offering insights into the FBI’s response to violence at rallies advocating for Christian values. Meanwhile, state-level changes highlight a new era of empowerment as more strides are made towards religious liberty in education. Internationally, Tony delves into Middle Eastern affairs with expert Greg Roman, focusing on Iran’s nuclear challenges. Amid these discussions, Perkins offers a personal challenge – the 21-Day Family Bible Challenge – urging listeners to
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From the heart of our nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and sound bites into conversations with our nation’s leaders and newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview, Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts now.
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Did you warn Prime Minister Netanyahu against taking some sort of actions that could disrupt the talks there? in a phone call last week?
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Well, I’d like to be honest. Yes, I did. It’s not a warning. I said, I don’t think it’s appropriate.
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What exactly did you tell him?
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I just said, I don’t think it’s appropriate. We’re having very good discussions with him. And I said, I don’t think it’s appropriate right now.
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That was President Donald Trump earlier today confirming he advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Welcome to this May 28th edition of Washington Watch. I’m Tony Perkins. Thanks for tuning in. Well, coming up, we’ll unpack the president’s remarks on Iran with Greg Roman, executive director of the Middle East Forum. And religious freedom is becoming a flashpoint in Seattle. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has asked for an investigation into violence aimed at last weekend’s Don’t Mess With Our Kids rally. Seattle’s mayor blamed the violence on the fact that the Christians organized a rally in Seattle. Congressman Mark Harris, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, will join us to discuss the DOJ’s apparent pivot from prosecuting believers to actually protecting their rights. And a pro-life win in Missouri. The state Supreme Court ruled that last year’s abortion industry amendment is not a blank check for abortionists. State Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who argued and won the case, will bring the details. Also, former Arkansas State Senator Jason Raper, the president of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, stops by to preview their upcoming convention and how you can get involved. And if you’re looking for a summer family activity, I’ve got one for you. Join FRC’s 21-day Family Bible Challenge through the Gospel of Matthew beginning June the 11th. It’s a part of our Stand on the Word program. reading plan. We have reading plans for the 21 days, a study guide, discussion questions, kid-friendly activities. And you can read the Bible in less than 30 minutes. It takes you maybe 30 minutes to watch a sitcom. You can do it in even less time. So start the summer right, spending time with the Son. Text MATTHEW to 67742. That’s MATTHEW to 67742 to be a part of the challenge. Well, before we bring in Congressman Mark Harris, I want to go to Joshua Arnold, senior writer for The Washington Stand. Joshua has been tracking the events in Seattle. Joshua, thanks for joining us. Now, there was another rally and another confrontation yesterday in Seattle in response to what happened over the weekend, as I understand it, kind of in response to the mayor blaming the Christians for being the catalyst for the violence. Bring us up to date.
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That’s right. On Saturday, they were dueling a rally and a counter-protest, hundreds on either side. Twenty-three members of the counter-protest were arrested for violence against police officers, and that continued on Tuesday. There was a protest outside the city hall based on the mayor’s blatant siding with the LGBT activists who confronted cops. And that happened again. Eight more people were arrested for assault on cops. The mayor had blamed the Christians, saying that they provoked the confrontation by holding their rally at this LGBT-themed park in this LGBT-themed neighborhood, which The fact that something like that exists is kind of appalling in itself. But it’s actually the city’s fault. They initially requested a permit for somewhere else, which the city denied, which forced them to move to this location. So the city’s hostility against this Christian group that wants to protect their kids began even before Saturday’s rally.
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Joshua, a final question for you, just to gain clarity here. The confrontation with the police, this was not the Christians who held the rally. These were the counter-protesters, am I correct?
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Yes, this was confrontations between the counter-protesters that were supporting the LGBT agenda. They confronted police. There were lots of police presence at both events. The police kept the two sides separate. They said, you can both have your protests. You just have to stay apart. And still there was violence because the pro LGBT crowd was trying to push or attack or throw things at police officers.
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Joshua, has the mayor backed off of his anti-Christian comments at all?
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I have seen nothing from the mayor about this. He is running for reelection in the fall, and his opponent is actually attacking him for not supporting the LGBT community enough. So he’s taking political heat in Seattle from the other side, which just shows you how far this city has gone to the left.
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Wow, amazing. Joshua Arnold, thanks so much for joining us. And folks, by the way, you can keep up with us through the Washington Stand, which is the FRC news feed, news and commentary from a biblical perspective. You can find it all at the Stand Firm app. Go to the App Store and download the Stand Firm app. Well, as I mentioned, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced yesterday that the FBI is investigating this targeted violence against religious groups in Seattle. This is a big change. What we’re seeing here is under the Biden administration, People of faith were being prosecuted. Now their rights are being protected. This is a shift, and it’s coming from the Department of Justice. Here to talk about this is Congressman Mark Harris of North Carolina. He serves on three House committees, including the Judiciary Committee, where this has been a topic of focus. Congressman Harris, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 11 :
Tony, thank you. It’s great to be with you this afternoon.
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I mean, this is a sea change we’re talking about where we have the Department of Justice no longer prosecuting Christians, but actually protecting their rights.
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Well, actually, you’re correct. And I think it should be a sigh of relief among believers across this country that justice is returning. to the United States. Listen, this was a mess. I mean, when you have parents that are simply willing to stand up, holding a rally to say, don’t mess with our kids, people have had enough. But then, thank God, the police were there protecting them in the midst of this rally so that when the other side shows up and turns it completely violent, 23 people were arrested from what I understand. And yet I’m so grateful that you’ve got a Justice Department and an FBI deputy director and Don Bongino, Dan Bongino, who is saying we are going to investigate this activity that is really targeting and becoming an anti-Christian movement.
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Well, we also, and your committee has been a part of this, the FBI also announcing that it’s reopening some investigations from the Biden era, including cocaine in the White House that was found, the Dobbs decision leak. What does this tell us about the Trump Department of Justice as they’re reopening these cases? What might they find?
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Well, I think as they get into it, they’re going to let the facts lead the investigation. All too often, it seemed like their Justice Department had become nothing more than just an institution involved in lawfare. Now you have an institution where the Justice Department is going to truly investigate things that need to be investigated and let the facts lead that investigation, not just targeting one particular side or the other. And I think these are important things, looking at just even the pipe bomb that was placed on January 5th of 2021, and outside the DNC and RNC, as well as the other two that you mentioned with the cocaine found there in the White House. All of these are things that Americans would like to to get to the bottom of it and let’s get some answers. And that’s what this Justice Department seems to be focused on.
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You know, this is different than the first Trump administration that just kind of moved on, didn’t look back. You know, you had Hillary Clinton and her bathroom server. You know, people were saying, hey, why doesn’t the Trump administration investigate that? They just kind of moved on. They’re not doing that this time. They’re going back to see where the law was violated and if prosecution is appropriate. What role is Congress? You serve on the Judiciary Committee. You have oversight of the Department of Justice. What role is Congress playing in this?
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Well, I think we’re going to be following these things that the FBI is announcing, that the Justice Department is announcing, things that they’re going to be looking into. And I would expect that we’ll be hearing about some hearings that our Judiciary Committee will be holding, bringing some people in, asking some questions. One of the things that we said early on that we wanted to do with the new administration was allow some of these new cabinet members, once they’ve gotten into place, to be able to come and let us know what they have found. And I think that that’s going to be important as these days go on for us to begin to really just uncover what’s been going on in that previous administration.
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Mark, you also serve on the Education Committee, and a lot of stuff happening at the state level when it comes to education. Just yesterday, Texas becoming the second or third state. I think Arkansas also has passed a provision that allows for the Ten Commandments to be posted in the classrooms. While there’s a lot of focus at the national level, we’re seeing some, I think, very significant changes that are taking place and being advanced at the state level.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, I think that’s important, Tony. And I think this White House and I think this Congress really and truly are on the same page in wanting to allow our states to continue to be empowered, to do what they are led to do. And I think that what we’re going to be doing at the federal level is continuing to give them that ability. And I think that we’re going to stand strong behind it. And so I think it’s, as you said, even when we started in this particular segment, that there is a sea change that’s taking place in Washington. And that’s another great example, empowering the states to be able to do what they need to do.
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And while we celebrate the policies that are coming out of Washington, of course, many of them executive orders, although hopeful that we’re going to see many of them codified in the one big, beautiful bill, because that rolls in a lot. But what we’re seeing at the state level, and I just hope people grab this. We’re going to talk about this a little bit later when we have Jason Rayford on. But the change at the state level, it’s more of a coming to fruition of what’s been happening at the states for many, many years. And it runs much deeper and less likely to change in four years as opposed to what we see at the federal level.
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Agreed. Because what you have happening at the state level, We really believe that government that is closest to home is the most effective government. And I think that when people are having their state legislators that they live next door to, that they interact with at church, at the grocery store, at the gas station, wherever life leads them, I believe you’re going to have leaders there that are stepping up to the plate. They’re seeing the change that is happening. And instead of having the federal government step in and put a thumb on them, we’re going to allow these states to continue to function and continue to work effectively.
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All right. Congressman Mark Harris, final question for you. Uh, you have been a pastor for almost three decades, uh, still serve as a pastor. What’s more challenging working with Congress or a business meeting at church?
SPEAKER 11 :
Boy, that’s a hard question to answer. I, I think in both cases, you’re still herding cats. And, uh, No doubt that it’s a challenge in Congress, but I find both of them to be very fulfilling in the work that I’m blessed to be a part of.
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Well, we’re proud of you and grateful for you being there in Congress and the work that you’ve done for many years and the Lord’s hands clearly upon you. Thanks so much for joining us today, Mark. Thank you for all you do, Tony. Keep it up. All right. Congressman Mark Harris of North Carolina. For those that don’t know, Mark used to work at the Family Research Council. He was a vice president for our church ministries. And we actually came into the political arena through one of our pastors conferences, our Watchman on the Wall Pastors Conference. That’s what kind of got him on this journey many years ago. Now he’s serving in Congress, doing a great job there. All right. Still more Washington Watch to come. We’re going to shift a little bit to the states. We’re going to be talking to the attorney general of the state of Missouri. A big court decision yesterday out of the state Supreme Court that says the abortion industry doesn’t have a blank check after the amendment, state amendment passed last year about abortion. All right. Don’t go away. More Washington Watch straight ahead. Hello, I’m Tony Perkins, and we’re here in Jerusalem, the city of King David. And I’m excited to announce the launch of our Family Bible Challenge to read through the Gospel of Matthew. Now, this 21-day challenge begins on June the 11th, and it’s a part of our Stand on the Word Bible reading plan. It’s in bite-sized readings. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes a day, and we provide a toolbox full of resources to help you along the journey, including a study guide titled, Matthew, the King and His Kingdom. We also provide downloadable resources such as age appropriate questions to engage children. And we have a variety of family friendly projects as well as this, listen, a coloring book, coloring pages about the life of Jesus for the younger kids and your grandkids. Think about it. What could be a better summer activity than to go on a journey through the life of Jesus as a family? Just think what God could do in the lives of your loved ones as they read Matthew. Unforgettable stories about the greater son of David, Jesus the Messiah. I hope you’ll join us for our family Bible challenge beginning June the 11th. Text the word Matthew to 67742. I hope you’ll join us. Thank you.
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In a time when Washington seems clouded by compromise, a bold group of lawmakers are standing firm in defense of the values which our nation was built upon. At FRC Actions 100% Awards, 171 members of Congress were honored for voting 100% in line with policies that promote faith, family, and freedom.
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Faith and family made our country, it’s the foundation that made our country not only great, but good.
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The values that make America, faith, family, hard work, personal responsibility. I mean, that to me is the heart of FRC and grateful for everything that they do.
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It’s very important for us to have organizations such as FRC. First of all, I think it keeps us grounded, in addition to which the issues that you champion are issues that we should all be championing.
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FRC is very, very good at honing in on those things that really affect Christians’ lives. Also, working with members of Congress, too, to make sure that those values are instilled in the legislation that we create.
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Having the Family Research Council to guide us is critically important to being able to do the right thing consistently.
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These lawmakers have drawn the line, not just in policy, but in principle. This is more than politics. This is conviction in action. Visit frcaction.org for more information on how you too can make a difference.
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Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us on this Wednesday. All right. Yesterday, the Missouri Supreme Court issued a crucial, albeit temporary, win for the rule of law for women’s health and the unborn. Now, after the state’s Amendment 3 created a so-called constitutional right to abortion last November, you remember we talked about it. We were up there in Missouri. trying to keep that from happening. Well, it happened. And it was, of course, funded by the abortion industry. Well, Planned Parenthood and their cohorts filed a lawsuit to enjoin Missouri’s restrictions and regulations on abortion. Basically, they wanted a blank check. They didn’t want any oversight. They wanted to be able to do whatever they wanted to do. Well, a circuit court injunction earlier this year blocked enforcement of key health and safety regulations at these abortion facilities. All right. This is something we’ve talked about before, like abortion clinic regulation acts. I authored one of the first many years ago when I was in the Louisiana legislature. Well, the Missouri government, led by Attorney General Andrew Bailey, pushed back, saying, wait a minute, no, no, no, we have a right to protect our citizens. And so they pursued this all the way up to the state Supreme Court, and they gained a victory yesterday. Here to discuss this, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey. He joins us by phone. He’s on the road in the state of Missouri. General Bailey, welcome back to Washington Watch.
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Hey, Tony, thank you so much for having me.
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All right, did I lay out the background there good enough?
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Yeah, absolutely. Look, at the end of the day, I’m never going to stop fighting to protect life and to protect the health and safety of women. And Planned Parenthood at this point is starting to look more like a criminal enterprise than any kind of legitimate health care entity. Let’s put this in context. We said all along that Amendment 3 was bad because it was not only going to result in the death of innocent children— but potentially harm to women as well. And as soon as Amendment 3 passed, Planned Parenthood marched to court and said that there shouldn’t have to be ultrasounds anymore, that the abortion providers shouldn’t have to have complication plans. In other words, they didn’t have to have any plan to prevent hemorrhaging or sepsis of their quote-unquote patients, that their facilities didn’t have to be licensed, that they didn’t need to sterilize their equipment, and that they didn’t have to get informed consent voluntarily from the women before they performed these abortions. These are pernicious and dangerous positions that Planned Parenthood has taken in court, and they convinced the judge in Kansas City that they were correct, that Amendment 3 wiped all of that out. I’m proud to say that yesterday we got that action reversed by the Missouri Supreme Court. Now, it might be a temporary win, but we’re going to take a moment to celebrate because this effectively shuts down the abortion clinics in the state of Missouri for the time being.
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But it’s also encouraging from a standpoint of as this plays out, if the court, if the Supreme Court there in the state of Missouri felt like Amendment 3 eliminated all right of the state to oversee the abortion industry, they wouldn’t have ruled as they did yesterday.
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I think you’re right. I mean, one of the elements in analyzing whether or not a preliminary injunction is appropriate is the plaintiff’s likelihood of success on the marriage. And what the Supreme Court said was that the lower court did not apply that proper standard. The lower court said, well, any likelihood, any chance of success on the marriage is sufficient. And that is not legally accurate. So the Supreme Court said, go back, use a sharper pencil. I think that at the end of the day, I like your analysis about the rule of law because I said all along the Supreme Court of Missouri interprets statutes by giving the words they’re plain and ordinary meaning. But Amendment 3 was especially dangerous because when it comes to initiative petitions, adopted by the people, the court applies a broader interpretive methodology and gives the words their full possible, endlessly possible meaning. And so that’s why the drafters of Amendment 3 specifically chose vague and ambiguous language so they could trot out this parade of horribles post-passage of Amendment 3 to undermine the state’s ability to guarantee health and safety for women.
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So what’s the next step here in this legal fight?
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Well, we’re back at the trial court level in Jackson County. That’s Kansas City, Missouri, and we’re fighting. The Planned Parenthood has already said they’re going to file a new motion for preliminary injunction, and they anticipate being able to obtain that injunction. We’re going to fight them. I mean, at the end of the day, the Supreme Court has said you’ve got to apply the right legal standard. I think that’s a higher burden for the plaintiffs to meet, so we’re going to get another round at this, and look, In the interim, the other thing that has happened since the passage of Amendment 3 to now is that our General Assembly passed what’s called Senate Bill 22 that gives the state, the Attorney General, the ability to appeal from the grant of a preliminary injunction. This is the first time in state history we’ve had that authority. We have it at the federal level. We don’t have it at the state level. And so even if Planned Parenthood is able to convince this judge a second time that doctors at abortion clinics don’t have to sterilize instruments or be licensed or that the facilities don’t have to have complication plans to prevent against emerging and sepsis of women. Even if they’re able to convince the trial court judge of that, again, we will appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court. We now have that legal authority because of the passage of Senate Bill 22.
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And General Bailey, you touched on this, but we talked about this extensively back when this amendment was being considered by voters. The way it was worded was going to allow the courts to define much of that, what that amendment meant and how it would be applied. That’s why this legal battle right out of the chute is so important, because this will establish precedent, will it not?
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It will, Tony, but there’s another factor at play here, and that’s the fact that our General Assembly members passed a joint resolution to put a repeal and replacement of Amendment 3 back on the ballot in front of the people. And so this court case is exhibit A as to why Amendment 3 is bad. The current status quo is bad and dangerous. And so the harder Planned Parenthood leans into this, the stronger our case goes to take to the people of the state. to repeal and replace Amendment 3 and restore the respect for life in the state of Missouri and the protection for women’s health care.
SPEAKER 09 :
So when will that be on the ballot?
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We’re waiting to hear the default date would be in 2026. The governor has the ability to issue a writ of election to move that date. And I believe he addressed that at a press conference now that he’s analyzing when he feels that that vote might be most suitable to take place. But I’ll tell you, between then and now, I will not stop fighting to prevent the criminal enterprise of Planned Parenthood from killing babies and harming women in the state of Missouri. And this court case is going to be front and center, front lines in that fight.
SPEAKER 09 :
Because in this process, you’ll be able to bring out more evidence of what Planned Parenthood has been involved in. So, I mean, that’s going to be out there for the public to see, will it not?
SPEAKER 07 :
That’s exactly right. And we intend to put all of that evidence in front of the public. Again, the people of the state of Missouri were defrauded by the purveyors of Amendment 3. They sold people on this idea that you have a constitutional right to kill innocent children. and that there should be no limitations on it. What they didn’t explain is that it would eliminate all health and safety regulations in the state of Missouri. So, again, that’s why this court case becomes the front line, and this fight is going to be really imperative for us to keep our foot on the gas pedal over the next 6, 12, 18 months.
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Well, General Bailey, thanks for fighting the good fight, and we hope you keep us posted. All right, folks, don’t go away. We’re back with more Washington Watch on the other side of this break.
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The Center for Biblical Worldview’s all-day workshops delves into the formation of a worldview, what it is, how it’s formed, when it’s formed, what that means to them personally and their churches and communities.
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My hope for people when they come to these worldview workshops is that they will come away better equipped to engage the people and the ideas that they’re living with and around. And our goal is to give people more confidence in the gospel and the fact that what God said to us actually is true, actually is the path to happiness and human flourishing for all of us, but also more confidence in their ability to have these conversations and help lead other people to the truth.
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for Bible-believing Christians to know what God’s Word says on these issues and to learn how they can apply it to their lives. And we believe that the more Christians that we equip, that’s how we’ll change the nation.
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Hey, fam, listen, Pastor Sammy here at Lighthouse Church, and I cannot tell you how equipping, how empowering, how… incredibly educating this conference has been. And so I just want to encourage anybody that either has not been part of or is thinking about hosting this event, certainly to pastors, leaders, even CEOs for that matter. This conference is lights out. Stand behind it myself. I can’t commend it enough. We’re going to be talking about this for some time to come.
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The culture is kind of squeezing in on us as God’s people, forcing those of us with biblical views to change those views or to suppress those views. It’s forcing us to engage with issues that we’ve never had to engage with. And so what this teaches us is what those issues are, what the Bible says about those issues, and then how we can critically engage our culture on these things in a way that is committed to biblical principle.
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Visit frc.org slash worldview for more information.
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This is Washington Watch. Thanks for tuning in and making us part of your day. If you’ve not yet downloaded the Stand Firm app, let me encourage you, get the Stand Firm app. There’s so much there. Not only can you have access to Washington Watch, you’ll have access to our news and commentary from a biblical perspective, the Washington Stand, and you can start every day with my devotional, Stand on the Word. Plus, we have lots of special videos features on there from time to time as well. So anyway, get the Stand Firm app. If you don’t know how to get to the App Store, just text APP to 67742. That’s APP to 67742, and I’ll send you a link. All right, I touched on this yesterday in my conversation with the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, Dan Patrick. And while there are Great things happening at the federal level. I’m encouraged by what has been happening under this administration. But I’m also, in fact, I’m probably more encouraged by what has been happening and continues to happen at the state level in many states. And we were talking about this just a few moments ago with Congressman Mark Harris. What is happening at the national level is good. It’s encouraging. But I’m very concerned what could happen three years from now. But what’s happening at the states has been happening for—it’s been really kind of a season of sowing for many years, and now it’s coming to fruition. You know, Christians are not just a blip on the political radar screen. They’ve become giants. a shaping influence in state legislatures across the country. And the National Association of Christian Lawmakers is actually out there helping those Christian lawmakers cross-pollinate ideas and have kind of a band of brothers, if you will, to stand together and to encourage one another as they contend for the faith in the political arena. And here to share more about this is the founder and president of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, a good friend, Jason Raybert. He’s also the founder of Holy Ghost Ministries, the American History and Heritage Foundation. Jason, welcome to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 10 :
It’s great to be with you, Tony. And I just want to say thank you for all that you do and all that FRC does. And thanks for serving on our advisory board at NACL.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, glad to do it because, as I told you a number of years ago when you started, it was something that was needed because we need a place. Many of those other state legislative groups have kind of backed away from dealing with the heart and soul issues, the moral issues. I mean, America can’t be great until it’s good, and we’ve got to address those issues. You’re doing that. In fact, you’ve got a conference coming up, and that’s going to be a big part of the focus. Tell us about it.
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Well, we’re excited about it. In fact, people that would like to learn more about it and still have some time to register can come, can go to christianlawmakers.com. There’s an events tab there. They just press that events tab and it’ll take them to the registration. This is actually the ninth national in-person conference that the NACL has had since we formed in August of 2020. And so we unite local, state, and federal elected officials together who are interested in being salt and light in their communities and in policy and in government in the United States of America. It’s been a wonderful thing to see develop over the last few years, Tony. And so this will be our 2025 National Policy Conference. It is at Liberty University. I want to say thank you so much to Liberty for giving us a home for this policy conference the last three years. And so currently, we literally have people coming in from all over the country. The last time I looked at the registration, we had folks registered from nearly 30 states now. We also have some foreign dignitaries from the state of Israel, as well as the Netherlands and Romania. Believe it or not, Tony, people are reaching out to the NACL and saying, will you help us form an NACL entity in our own country? And so these people are coming as well. And the entity will be meeting. We’re going to be honoring some people. There will be some great speakers like Todd Starnes, John Solomon of Just the News, And we’ll have Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith of Indiana will be there. That’s a pastor that became a politician and now a leader in government. And we’ll also have Senator Brian Birdwell of Texas. Fantastic story and testimony of a man that survived the 9-11 attack. at the Pentagon, where he was burned terribly, and then went on to serve the state of Texas. And of course, U.S. Senator Tom Cotton will be honored on Friday. He’ll be presented the American Patriot Award for Christian Honor and Courage, and then Bishop E.W. Jackson will get a lifetime award. Now, on the policy that you’re talking about there, Tony, there’s going to be a meeting of the different committees. And as you mentioned, the NACL is the only faith-based that arena know about ALEC, NCSL, CSG, NCOOL, and others. But the NACL actually allows our members to talk about issues in the country and do it from a biblical worldview. So they’re going to be talking about a lot of policies that we’ve seen successfully passed that the NACL had modeled legislation on. We’ll be talking about Ten Commandments posters, even Ten Commandments monuments. I’m happy to report you may be the first show I’ve got to say this on, but we’re currently helping. Tarrant County, Texas has voted to put up a brand new Ten Commandments monument, and we’re helping through the American History and Heritage Foundation to put up that monument. And then we have people wanting to help these states that have approved posters. You know, it’s your home state of Louisiana that led in that, Tony, with Representative Dodie Horton. It’s actually one of our vice chairs for the state of Louisiana. We’ll also be talking about religious release time education. Very important concept. LifeWise Academy will be there talking about that. We will have an abortion panel talking about all the abortion amendments, just like you’re talking about in Missouri. And there is a plethora, if you will. I literally cannot name them all on your show. But one of the most important things, too, is that we will have Sasan Hassan, who is the Minister of Public Diplomacy from the Embassy of Israel, to talk about the horrible event. It was her staff member that got murdered the other day. So we hope people will come, be a part of this. It’s a great opportunity to network and engage with leaders.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, we’ll certainly encourage people to do that. Folks, check out the website. Don’t go away. We’re back after this.
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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. Early bird discount ends May 31st. Register now at PrayVoteStand.org. That’s PrayVoteStand.org.
SPEAKER 16 :
Jennifer, it’s so exciting to be here with you today talking about our new book, Embracing God’s Design. Who is actually going to benefit from reading this book in your view?
SPEAKER 23 :
There are so many different audiences that can benefit. The first one are counselors themselves, because we have some material in there where we really address the gender dysphoria diagnosis and what is wrong with it. We have information for people who are wanting to go back to embracing God’s design for their life.
SPEAKER 16 :
This is really magical to have the therapist and the individual who suffered come together and write about why this is happening and why we’re seeing this.
SPEAKER 23 :
And we brought all of that experience to the table. We want to see people walking in the fullness of who God has called them to be and not a false identity.
SPEAKER 16 :
Order today at embracethedesign.com.
SPEAKER 21 :
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 09 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us. Have I mentioned to you the 21 Day Bible Challenge that we’re doing? I think I have. Let me just encourage you, if you’re even thinking about it, to go ahead and take the challenge and join us. If I had time, in fact, maybe I’ll do this at some point, I could spend the entire program just kind of reading the emails, the cards, the letters that people have sent in over the years that have done the two-year Bible journey, how it’s transformed relationships, how it’s impacted family dynamics, even marriages, healed marriages, and children. I’ve gotten cards from children saying, wow, this has done so much for my family that we come together and we read the Bible together. So we’re doing this 21-day challenge just to kind of introduce people to it. It’s just 21 days. You can do anything for 21 days. You can almost hold your breath that long. So why not take the challenge? Invite your children, your grandchildren. Maybe they’re grown. That’s fine. Do it as a family, an extended family. Here’s what you need to do. Just text the word Matthew to 67742, and I’ll send you a link. That’s Matthew to 67742. It begins June the 11th, so go ahead and text it now. Well, speaking of the word, today’s word comes from Ezra 10. Israel has confessed the sin of intermarriage that blurred their witness among the nations. In the crisis, the people say this. Let us make a covenant with our God to send away these wives and children, and let it be done according to the law. Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. Be strong and act. Well, notice where the eyes turn when they say it’s your responsibility. They don’t appeal to Artaxerxes for a royal decree. They look to Ezra, the priest, to lead in repentance and reformation. Political structures remain untouched, but the hearts are being reshaped by the word that he had been teaching. You know, we often assume transformation must start with the government. Scripture flips the sequence. When the people of God allow Scripture to confront their compromise, guess what? Public life eventually follows. Revival is seeded, not legislated. So the church’s prophetic task is plain. Keep declaring God’s standards, even when they expose our own failings. and model quick obedience. When pulpits are faithful and homes respond, nations feel the ripple. True reform still begins as it did in Ezra’s day, with open Bibles and humbled hearts. To find out more about our journey through the Bible, text BIBLE to 67742. Earlier today, President Trump, responding to a reporter’s question, said he had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities. Now, this revelation is pretty significant. What impact might it have on the negotiations between the U.S. in Iran and the balance of power in the Middle East? Here to discuss this, Greg Roman, the executive director of the Middle East Forum, a think tank which focuses on protecting American interest and values in the Middle East. He previously served as the political advisor to the deputy foreign minister of Israel and worked for the Israeli Ministry of Defense. Greg, welcome to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us.
SPEAKER 22 :
Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER 09 :
So let me just ask you, the acknowledgement that the president asked Benjamin Netanyahu not to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, what does that say?
SPEAKER 22 :
Well, I think that he’s still trying to give the Iranians time to have a deal. But you need to be able to look at the exact words that he said between his acknowledgement he asked Bibi to delay any strike and what he said at the end. He gives six conditions. One is full inspections. Two is the ability to destroy Iranian nuclear infrastructure. Three, is getting rid of enrichment capabilities. Four, he does not trust the Iranians, but he has to verify all the instances. Five, anything could change within a day with one phone call. And six, that he’s not asking or ordering the prime minister of Israel to not strike Iran. He’s engaging in honest dialogue with him. So with these six things, maybe there’s a delay here, but I still have the opinion, as I wrote in a few pieces over the last few weeks, that Iran is not going to stop their march towards a nuclear weapon. And unfortunately, I think that in the end they’re going to try to hoodwink the president, but the president in and of itself will not allow the Iranians to dupe him into signing a deal which will not be under those conditions.
SPEAKER 09 :
You know, the president has repeatedly laid out that criteria that you put forth. My sense is and in my conversations with those in Israel that they’re getting a little antsy, that they realize the window that was open because in part because of their Their actions they took earlier in the year against Iran, weakening their air defense systems, that window’s there for now, but it won’t be there for long until they’re able to either – move forward with their nuclear plan or protect it?
SPEAKER 22 :
Is that an accurate read? It’s accurate, and there’s also some disturbing news coming out of a report from Middle East Forum fellow Ben Weinthal that was just published about an hour ago before this broadcast began, which is that Austrian intelligence and its Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the equivalent of the American FBI, released a report on Monday evening to the Austrian parliament quoting that the Iranian intelligence forces, in order to assert and enforce its regional political power and ambitions, are striving for comprehensive rearmament, this is the key part, with nuclear weapons to make the regime immune to attack and to expand and consolidate its dominance in the Middle East and beyond. This is not an American intelligence saying. This is a European intelligence agency, which backs other reports which came out from the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency last week, which said, quote, Iran is almost certainly not producing nuclear weapons, but Iran has undertaken activities in recent years that better position them to produce them. These actions reduce the time required to produce a weapon to one week. So if this is what the Austrians are saying, if this is what the DIA is saying, you can imagine the superior capabilities of Israeli intelligence and what they’re seeing, which is probably a transparent effort within Iranian nuclear circles to go forward and develop the bomb.
SPEAKER 09 :
And so that’s why we see Israel wanting to move now rather than later.
SPEAKER 22 :
Right. And I think that the visit by Mossad head David Barnea and also Israeli minister of strategic affairs Ron Dermer to Washington, D.C. this week is to convey Israeli intelligence findings and the necessity to explain to American officials that the window is closing. And just like the Israelis acted in 1981 on the Iraqi nuclear project and in 2007 against the Syrian nuclear project, without U.S. permission, without U.S. buy-in, we may be getting to the point right now that they may act to defend their interests and go after the Iranian program. The U.S. was angry at those two points in 81 and in 2007 with Israeli actions, but a few years later they ended up thanking the Israelis for taking out the attack and doing it unilaterally.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, and I mean, this is an existential threat, as we’ve been hearing repeatedly for Israel. It absolutely is. All right, Greg Roman, I want to move on to another topic. I want to play a clip. Same press conference today where the president made a comment about his recent trip to the Middle East. Clip number three, please.
SPEAKER 04 :
I went to Saudi Arabia. Qatar, and UAE. And we brought back $5.1 trillion. I picked up $5.1 trillion. And, by the way, got a beautiful, big, magnificent, free airplane for the United States Air Force, okay? Very proud of that, too.
SPEAKER 09 :
You know, that trip earlier this month was both extraordinary and concerning for many who track terrorism and the Middle East. You know, for example, I want to focus on Qatar. They’re engaged in really kind of an influence funding operation here in the United States, very similar to that that we see coming out of China, giving money to education institutions, think tanks, the media, and former policymakers, just to name a few. Is there legitimate reason to be concerned about what Cutter’s doing?
SPEAKER 22 :
There is, 100%. It goes beyond politics and their attempt to influence the White House. If you look at every aspect of American life, things that we hold near and dear on Main Street, if you will, whether it’s our K-12 public schools, our private education, higher education, businesses, investment funds, sports teams, our best scientists, engineers, even school boards and state legislatures, the Qataris are trying to manipulate and buy America wholesale. by putting money into efforts with this $1.2 trillion investment that they made. But it’s different from the Saudis and from the Emiratis. The Saudis and the Emiratis seek partnership with the United States. Qatar seeks financial dominance over the United States in order to advance its pernicious agenda. And I think that it really has to be clear that along with this amount of money they’re trying to put into the U.S. economy, which is potentially beneficial for the United States. It comes with strings attached. But the Qataris need to realize that there are U.S. mechanisms, both in government and also in the private sector, which will hold them accountable. So if they want to deploy their capital to the United States, the U.S.’ ‘s response should be, that’s fine, but you’ve got to play by our rules, not by your agenda.
SPEAKER 09 :
You know, maybe this is simplistic, Greg, but as I look at this, I think back 25, 30 years ago when there was debate over China getting most favored nation status. It’s very similar. We’re talking about business. We’re talking about doing economic transactions with these countries that somehow we’re going to change them. It didn’t work with China. And I would say that Qatar, in their connection with terrorism, I mean, they’re almost like the mob. They create a problem and then they say, we’re going to solve it if you give us enough money. I mean, they’re a big backer of Hamas. In fact, some of Hamas’s leadership is hiding out in Qatar. Is that a correct read?
SPEAKER 22 :
It’s not just Hamas. They were hosting Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. before 9-11 when he was planning the attacks against the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. They bribed Hezbollah. They acted as the main conduit for foreign remittances to Iran during the maximum pressure campaign of President Trump from 2018, even until today. They host the Chinese currency exchange. for all Middle East oil, allowing Iranian energy to find an exit ramp to avoid U.S. sanctions. They’re not just the arsonist and the firefighter. They’re also the 6 p.m. news who shows all their spectacles for the world to watch. And they have to be held to account. But the thing that’s different with them versus China is that if we want to be able to have a strong U.S. response to their pernicious activity, then I think it will require a misstep by them. And I think President Trump is aware of this. I think he sees the Capitol as something that could be to the U.S.’ ‘s net advantage. But I also think that, as he did in 2017 when he called them a state sponsor of terror on the Rose Garden, on the White House lawn, we might be getting to that point soon, in terms of if they do one misstep, if they have one action which is against American national security interests, President Trump will come down with a hammer and allow that to be the anvil as well.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, let me just ask you, going back to his statement in the Rose Garden, what’s changed since then?
SPEAKER 22 :
Well, I think that the Qataris realized that their activities up through 2017 were not just earning the ire of the United States, but also of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other Gulf countries, which led to the GCC blockade of Qatar in 2017 through about the beginning of 2020. Now they’ve been trying to play it quick and fast. They’ve been moving away from some of their spot, their overt sponsorship of extreme organizations. And they’ve tried to do it now behind the scenes. But at the end of the day, they’re raising that threat is still the same. They’re still acting as a maligned force against the United States. in the region. And I think with the cards that they’re trying to deal in terms of balancing their interests with American interests, there were some things that they did to capitulate to U.S. demands. But on the long run, they’re just waiting until another president comes in, and they’re going to plague lip service to President Trump, all at the same time when their Arab news outlets are actually lambasting the United States, are criticizing the presidency, and are making extremely anti-American and anti-Semitic statements on a daily basis. It just has to be brought to the president’s attention. And I think at the point that it does, the switch will flip.
SPEAKER 09 :
You mentioned this in passing as an illustration that they cover the 6 o’clock news. They actually are the primary funder behind Al Jazeera’s, are they not?
SPEAKER 22 :
The owner, not just the funder. I mean, Al Jazeera is Qatari state television, and they’ve been labeled as a foreign agent by the Department of Justice, yet failed to register, not listening to the DOJ’s edicts. This is what I’m saying. There’s too many irons in the fire that they have. And there’s too many opportunities for them to make a mistake. And I’m just waiting for the day that all the research we’ve been doing on them, all of the cataloging of their influence activities, their legal influence activities will come to a boil. And at that point, I think the president will realize that the straw that broke the camel’s back was their attempt to buy America without America getting anything in return.
SPEAKER 09 :
So where does the one big, beautiful jet come in?
SPEAKER 22 :
I think that that was an offer by the Qatari Ministry of Defense to give a plane to the U.S. Air Force. At the end of the day, I think when congressional appropriators look at it, it’ll actually cost more money to take the plane apart. and to rebuild it than it will to wait until 2027 when those two Boeing Air Force Ones are supposed to be ready. It was more of just a grand gesture, but I think at the end of the day, it’s going to be a hollow attempt to try to buy U.S. favor. And when they actually see the issues with the plane, how much it’s going to cost the taxpayer, President Trump will probably walk that back.
SPEAKER 09 :
What about – we just got about two minutes left. Qatar, as you pointed out, in a class by themselves. Saudi Arabia not too far behind. Now, UAE is much different. I’ve been there. I’ve met with the crown prince there. I think they have – they’re a little more open to religious freedom there. Saudi Arabia doesn’t have the first church there. Qatar, very similar. So there’s – Human rights are two really significant issues when you look at Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
SPEAKER 22 :
Right. And I think Saudi Arabia, though, is moving in the right direction, wherein Qatar has just arrested someone who was trying to make a march for religious freedom to be able to practice Christianity. And there was another instance of someone practicing Judaism or put in jail because of the Qataris’ actions. The Saudis, albeit they’re taking baby steps, are trying to move in the direction of creating zones in the country where there can be religious freedom, where individuals can consume libation. where you can have a little bit more of equality between men and women there. But you have to recognize, at the end of the day, though, the king who comes from that long, long history of Fatah al-Assad going all the way back to the 30s and 40s is still in control. And right now, Mohammed bin Salman can only do what his family will allow him to do. But I think at the point that MBS becomes king, we’ll see more of a gingerly pace in the way in which reform takes place in Saudi Arabia. But they are moving in the right direction. It’s just a little bit slower than the rest of the region.
SPEAKER 09 :
Greg Roman, great conversation. Thanks so much for joining us. I’m sure we’ll be talking again real soon.
SPEAKER 22 :
Thanks, Tony. It was good to see you again.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right. Interesting stuff. And again, as believers, we need to be watching what’s happening around the world. The center of the world is not the United States. It’s really kind of the Middle East. Read your Bible. You can see that. All right, folks, out of time for today, but I want to thank you for joining us. Do take the 21-day Bible Challenge. Text MATTHEW to 67742 and join us. All right, until next time, I leave you with the encouraging words of the Apostle Paul, found in Ephesians 6, where he says, when you’ve done everything you can do, when you’ve prayed, prepared, and taken your stand.
SPEAKER 03 :
By all means, keep standing. 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.
