In today’s episode of Washington Watch, host Tony Perkins takes you through the labyrinth of global politics, where key headlines are dissected and discussed from a biblical worldview. We examine the current standoffs in both U.S. government funding and the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire, delving into the complexities behind blocked defense appropriations and disputed ceasefire agreements. Joining us are seasoned reporters and analysts who help unpack the truth beyond the soundbites. Discover the back-and-forth between party lines on fiscal matters and the looming specter of international conflicts that shape our world today.
SPEAKER 04 :
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 08 :
We thought if they don’t want to fund the government via continuing resolution, we’ll give them the chance to fund the government a different way by attempting to move forward with regular order appropriations bills. And once again, the answer was no. Democrats just voted to block the fiscal year 2026 defense appropriations bill.
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That was Senate Majority Leader John Thune once again expressing frustration as Democrats blocked the defense appropriations bill while the government shutdown enters day 16. Welcome to this October 16th edition of Washington Watch. I’m your host, Tony Perkins, and we’re broadcasting live from the Real Life Studios in Chino Hills, California, the site of this year’s PrayVoteStand Summit. Thanks so much for tuning in. By the way, there’s still time to register and join us for tomorrow and Saturday’s summit. Just go to PrayVoteStand.org. That’s PrayVoteStand.org to find out more and to register. edition of Washington Watch, the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire is already showing cracks. Hamas says it has returned all the deceased hostages that it can access, while Israel insists more remain captive in violation of the deal. Daniel Cohen, host of The Daniel Cohen Show on The Real Life Network, joins us with the latest from Israel. Well, the Israeli flags were flown at half-staff today to mark October 7th, Remembrance Day, observed on the Hebrew anniversary of the attack. The future of the negotiated peace deal may hinge on the return of the 19 deceased hostages Hamas has yet to turn over to Israel authorities, and whether or not Hamas will disarm. Joining me now is Washington Stand reporter Casey Harper, who’s been following today’s top stories. Casey, what’s the latest out of Israel?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, thanks, Tony. State ceremonies, as you said, were held across the country to mark this grim two-year anniversary. And speaking at an event in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel will complete its war aims and warned that its enemies will pay a heavy price. In that clip Netanyahu says, whoever raises their hand on us already knows that they will pay a very heavy price for their aggression. We are determined to complete the victory that will affect our lives for many years. This two-year conflict, Tony, has cost nearly 1,000 Israeli soldiers and left more than 6,000 wounded. Meanwhile, President Trump posted on True Social a stern warning to Hamas, saying that they must stop the killings or, quote, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them. Reports are also emerging that Hamas has been executing suspected collaborators inside of Gaza, Tony.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, Casey, it’s interesting. We see the price that Israelis have paid. But Hamas has also caused tens of thousands of deaths of Palestinians there in Gaza. And they’re continuing by executing themselves. Well, President Trump is now focusing his efforts to end the war in Ukraine. What’s the latest on that front?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, big developments today, Tony. President Trump announced a surprise agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold another summit like the one in Alaska, but this time in Budapest, all aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
SPEAKER 14 :
I thought it was a very good phone call. I thought very productive. But I’ll be meeting with President Putin, and we’ll make a determination. Tomorrow I’m meeting with President Zelensky, and I’ll be telling him about the call. I mean, we have a problem. They don’t get along too well, those two.
SPEAKER 03 :
You could say that. But this announcement comes just before Trump’s scheduled meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy tomorrow. And Zelenskyy is still pushing for more military aid, including those controversial long-range Tomahawk missiles. But the phone call between Trump and Putin today was described as productive. But the future of increased U.S. support to Ukraine remains uncertain. Now, meanwhile, the conflict is intensifying in Ukraine, with Russia launching hundreds of drones and missiles targeting in particular Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, while Ukraine strikes back at Russian facilities, Tony.
SPEAKER 07 :
Very interesting. We’ll have to see what happens on that front. Obviously, President Trump is somewhat on a roll, so maybe he can bring peace to that region as well. Casey, today, 16th day of the government shutdown. What’s the latest? Any crack in the door that we might see government open back up?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, Tony, if there is a crack, it’s too small for me to see. Senate Democrats, they blocked that Republican-backed defense funding bill you mentioned that was meant to pay the troops as we’re here in day 16 of the government shutdown. Now, that bill in particular, it needed a procedural vote to allow the addition of other funding measures, but Democrats refused to participate in that without guarantees on what else would be included.
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And we’re not going to pay $1.5 trillion ransom… to get Democrats to reopen government operations. That’s right, Mr. President, $1.5 trillion. That’s what Democrats are demanding.
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That was Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who’s wanting to attach bills for transportation, health, and housing. But Democrats, of course, led by Chuck Schumer, are demanding clear agreements beforehand, citing deep mistrust between the parties. So with no deal in sight, lawmakers remain deadlocked, prolonging the shutdown and uncertainty over government funding. And of course, Tony, one of the most protracted sticking points continues to be the extension of those Obamacare subsidies.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, let’s talk about that for just a moment, Casey, because that was the $1.5 trillion that Senator Thune was making reference to. These Obamacare subsidies were supposed to be short term. They were a part of the Inflation Reduction Act that passed under the Biden administration that were in the COVID era. And it was designed to be simply temporary. They’re supposed to expire the end of this year. but now they’re wanting to extend them. What’s behind this when it comes to the Democrats pushing for this?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, so I think, you know, it’s the Democrats are looking for a place to take a stand and they think they found it. And it comes at an interesting time as Senator Josh Hawley has introduced a new bill to stop taxpayer-backed health plans from covering those very things, abortions, and gender transition procedures for kids in Obamacare, though they will deny that’s even happening. It is, of course. And Hawley’s legislation, it will close those loopholes and that still allow coverage in some states with a few exceptions. And Hawley has a message that a lot on the right are echoing, which is it’s time to protect kids and uphold Christian values in health care.
SPEAKER 07 :
It’s going to be very interesting to watch because there’s issues on two layers here. Number one, as we talked about, the extension of these COVID era subsidies, which really, I think, are designed to prop up a failed system, Obamacare, the ACA. But also, as you pointed out, which Senator Hawley is zeroing in on, is the underlying issue of the funding for abortion and gender care, gender transitions that is in the Obamacare legislation. Casey, this is obviously a very important issue for the Family Research Council, and we’re working to convince Congress to eliminate these subsidies and these underlying programs that fund abortion. Thanks so much, Casey. I’m sure we’re going to talk to you a bit later in the program, but thanks so much for bringing us up to date on the headlines for today. Folks, again, I want to remind you that coming up this weekend at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Southern California is the PrayVoteStand Summit. To find out more and to register, you can go to PrayVoteStand.org. I want to go back to discuss the latest on the government shutdown from a congressional perspective and see if we’re seeing any movement in getting the government up and running again. Joining me now to discuss this and more is Congressman Randy Weber. He serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and co-chairs the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism. He represents the 14th Congressional District of Texas. Congressman Weber, thanks so much for joining us. Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thank you, Tony. We appreciate all y’all do. Thank you. Before we get into a conversation about the shutdown, which really hasn’t changed a whole lot, I want to get your reaction to the news coming out today that President Trump may meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, I tell you what, if you look at President Trump’s record, he’s been doing great things around the world, and people have started listening to him. Will Vladimir Putin do it? Your guess is as good as mine. I tell you what, the president is doing some really good stuff. I’m glad to see him continue to make that effort and, dare I say, put pressure on the Russians. I’m glad to see them meeting, Tony.
SPEAKER 07 :
Do you think it was the threat of giving the Patriot missiles to, I’m sorry, the Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine? Ukraine.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, not only that, but of course, European Union, as you know, and NATO is on board now. And so maybe that will build, maybe that threat added to it. so that Putin would think, hey, this guy is serious. Of course, if he’s watching what’s going on over the Middle East, he knows that Trump is serious. I just don’t know how crazy Vladimir Putin really is.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, let’s turn now to the government shutdown, Randy. What’s the latest you’re hearing? I mean, earlier today, the Senate Democrats blocked the annual full-year defense appropriations bill. I mean, this is a bipartisan piece of legislation that always passes. What’s going on?
SPEAKER 11 :
Tony, well, here’s what’s going on. Our great president, as we just talked about, is making a lot of changes around the world. People are sitting up and listening to him. knowing that there’s a new sheriff in town. It’s not what I call O’Biden, because I think he’s Obama’s third term, in the office anymore. It’s Donald Trump, and he means what he says. So I think what the Democrats are doing is they don’t… Tony, even though they have voted three times in the past for this level of spending, I’m not saying that spending is not out of control because… I got involved when Reagan ran for relation to 83 as a Republican back then. We had a saying that there’s too much waste, fraud and abuse, right, coming out of Congress. It’s still that way. And now finally, to this point, we have a chance to make a difference. But the Democrats don’t want to do that, Tony, because it would give President Trump more credibility. They don’t want him to have the option to sign that bill into law.
SPEAKER 07 :
Also, where the Democrats have chosen to take a stand over these premium subsidies for Obamacare, which were designed really to prop it up, are they fearful, you think, that it implodes and therefore they have to keep propping it up?
SPEAKER 11 :
I think they are. And remember, too, Tony, I know you’ve been paying attention. You guys do a really great job. We love Washington Watch. But remember this, too. The Democrats have been saying the Republicans are trying to destroy Medicaid. No, we’re not. We’re taking out all the people of Medicaid that don’t deserve to be on Medicaid, young single male adults of age, of course, that should be out getting a job and not sitting on their, you know, what’s at home drawing Medicaid. And then we’ve got illegals that are drawing Medicaid. These are the ones that we’re focused on, and the Democrats can’t stand it.
SPEAKER 07 :
Randy, we just have about a little over a minute left. I’m going to turn for a moment to Israel. You’ve been there recently, obviously major developments there this week. But the president telling Hamas, if you don’t lay down your arms, if you’re killing others, you’re going to get killed yourself. How do you see this playing out?
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, let’s watch it and see. I’m glad he did. Now, you probably know this. A sniper, a Hamas sniper, was it yesterday, I think? I think it was the day before yesterday, shot and killed an Israeli soldier, even though that disagreement in principle had been reached on the front end. Still, one of our great Israeli IDFs lost his life because Hamas are killers. And that’s the point here. If you read their charter from back in when it was 1984 or 5, I think, they literally say their job is to kill all Jews and destroy the state of Israel. I don’t think they can be trusted. I hope and pray we don’t have to shed American blood over there, but Israel is our greatest neighbor and ally. And so we’ll see what happens, what Hamas does going forward.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, certainly something to continue to pray about. Congressman Randy Weber, always great to see you. Thanks so much for joining us today. Thank you, Tony. Appreciate you guys. All right. And folks, I do want to encourage you to continue to pray. There’s a plan in place, but will it hold? There’s a long history, and it’s spiritual and biblical. We need to be praying into it. All right, don’t go away. We’re back after this.
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Tomorrow, like-minded Christ followers from across the country will gather at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Southern California for Family Research Council’s Pray, Vote, Stand Summit. If ever there were a time we needed God to move in our nation, it is now. The Pray, Vote, Stand Summit brings together Christian leaders, issue experts, and government officials for a time of prayer, inspiration, and action. A sample of topics include chemical abortion and the future of the pro-life movement, the search for peace as Israel struggles against the world, and how to engage artificial intelligence from a biblical perspective. We encourage you to join us October 17th and 18th for a powerful gathering as we seek cultural renewal and spiritual revival. Register now at PrayVoteStand.org or stream the summit on the Real Life Network and the Stand Firm app.
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For over 4,000 years, the Jewish people have had legal, historical, and biblical ties to the land of Israel, especially the heartland of Israel, Judea and Samaria, which much of the world still calls the West Bank. To Israelis, Judea and Samaria is far more than a name. It’s the center of their ancestral homeland where nearly 80% of the Bible’s events took place. Abraham purchased property in Hebron, Jacob in Shechem, Joshua made an altar on Mount Ebal and led the Israelites into a covenant before God. On Mount Gerizim, overlooking Shechem, Jesus talked to the Samaritan woman at the well about worshiping neither on Mount Gerizim nor in Jerusalem, but in spirit and in truth. Judea and Samaria is nearly a quarter of Israel’s current land mass, not a small strip of land on the Jordan River, but a vital and strategic part of the nation’s identity. The October 7th massacre, launched from Gaza, shattered the illusion that giving away territory brings peace. Gaza, which was once seen as the cornerstone of a two-state solution, became a launchpad for terror. Today, only 21 percent of Israelis support a Palestinian state. Trust in a two-state solution has all but collapsed. The Middle East is changing. Iran’s grip is weakening. New alliances are forming. But Western countries and some U.S. officials still chase the mirage of a two-state solution. History speaks clearly. The 2005 Gaza withdrawal, backed by the U.S., led not to peace, but to a terrorist regime. Judea and Samaria are 24 times larger than Gaza, deeply woven into Israel’s geographic and spiritual fabric. To surrender them would not bring peace. It would invite conflict and existential danger. Family Research Council stands with Israel’s rightful claim to sovereignty. It’s time for America to do the same for history, for justice, and for lasting security in the Middle East. Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us here on this Thursday as we broadcast from the studios of Real Life Network in Southern California in preparation for the PrayVoteStand Summit, which begins tomorrow here at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills. To find out more, go to PrayVoteStand.org. That’s PrayVoteStand.org. There’s still time. to make it. Yesterday, we were talking with Congressman Riley Moore of West Virginia, and we got to the end of the conversation regarding his call, which coincides with the calls of many others, to have Nigeria designated as a country of particular concern by the Trump administration. Back during the previous Trump administration, when I was serving as chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, we petitioned the State Department, then run by Mike Pompeo, and they declared for the first time after many years of the USURF calling for the State Department to designate Nigeria is a country of particular concern, which means there are certain tools that the federal government can use, financial tools, diplomatic tools, to draw attention to their really persecution of religious minorities, in this case Christians. In fact, Nigeria is, if you’re a Christian, the most dangerous place in the world to be living. So there is mounting pressure for the Trump administration to once again declare Nigeria as a country of particular concern. about Nigeria and China is the Vice President of Policy at the Family Research Council, Travis Weber. Travis, welcome to Southern California.
SPEAKER 17 :
Thank you, Tony. It’s good to be with you.
SPEAKER 07 :
I know that you’ve been tracking all of this very, very closely. What’s the latest on what appears to be a building momentum by non-governmental organizations for the Trump administration to reestablish this designation? That’s correct.
SPEAKER 17 :
You know, Tony, we’re really encouraged by the status of things. And what I mean by that is we see more and more members of Congress speaking out about this. You reference Congress some more. We’ve had Ted Cruz and Chris Smith introduce bills on this issue. Other members are tweeting, putting public statements out. You know, Ted Budd was asking us about it the other week. We have a crescendo building. Senator from
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in North Carolina.
SPEAKER 17 :
That’s exactly right. And so we’re doing our part to do what we can to get the word out, as well as talking to the administration about this.
SPEAKER 07 :
So give our viewers, unless there’s a little insight into the situation there.
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah, so it’s Africa’s most populous country. it is almost evenly split between Christians and Muslims. And when you consider the continent, as we think about the Islamist push from the north spreading south in Africa, Africa is the world’s most populated Christian continent, too. 742 million Christians on the continent.
SPEAKER 07 :
Africa is the tender… By the way, it’s also very… conservative orthodoxy, from an orthodox standpoint. In fact, that’s what kept the Methodist Church together for so long was the African Methodist Church.
SPEAKER 17 :
Right. So the African Christians are often holding the line on the biblical values globally these days, right? In addition, you have communities of Christians being attacked and killed. As you mentioned, more Christians, they’re killed. Anywhere else in the world, it’s tragic. It’s tragic. So what we’re trying to do is raise the awareness of this issue in Washington,
SPEAKER 07 :
Correct me if I’m wrong, Travis, but in this situation what you have is a government Very similar to India. The government’s not doing it, but it is turning a blind eye to it.
SPEAKER 17 :
Looking the other way, and they want to escape attention on this. They were very upset when Ted Cruz introduced his bill because the media over there started talking about Cruz being concerned about the Nigerian government’s failure to do enough. And they responded to that. So that tells us they don’t like the attention. And as you mentioned, the CPC designation, that’s what that does. That’s part of what that designation does. It puts them on the list. They have to then talk to our government to say, what do we have to do to get off this list?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, didn’t we testify, I testified before a subcommittee on the House side, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on Nigeria. And I think one of the witnesses that was from Nigeria faced some backlash when he went home.
SPEAKER 17 :
He absolutely did. This is a high-ranking leader in the Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria. facing reaction from his own government for coming to the United States and testifying. So just like in China, you know, it’s perhaps more extreme in China, but you see the governments of these places do not want to spotlight put on them. But Tony, you know, as you testified to at that hearing, as members engaged you and the other witnesses, we saw attention being put on this area of of accountability and justice. And what the government has to do is ensure security is brought to these areas. These attacks, you know, are different in some ways, but they are religiously divisive in the country.
SPEAKER 07 :
And so these Christian communities need to protect. It could very quickly become a humanitarian crisis as being the most populist country. Christians begin to flee that area, it’s going to destabilize the region. We just have a couple minutes left. Let’s go to another situation that’s much different. This persecution is coming at the hands of government, and we’re talking about China.
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah, so the Chinese Communist Party clearly concerned about the strength and impact of the church in China, in this case the underground church, and specifically Zion Church, a very significant influential network of churches who folks, some may recall, stood up under COVID and continue to practice and exercise their religious freedom. They’ve now received repercussion at the hands of the government there with a number of leaders arrested, tamed across cities, across their entire network, and that’s now spread to other networks. Thankfully, this is getting attention in Washington. Secretary Rubio put out a statement. We’re doing our part to raise this with the administration and Capitol Hill as well.
SPEAKER 07 :
Now, we talk about China a lot on this program because China is just, quite frankly, a bad actor, and religious persecution is one of the things that they do well. They do a lot of surveillance of their citizens. So what makes this different?
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah, so Tony, I think it’s significant in that it is a detention of, I don’t want to say the most, but let me just say a very significant leader and group of leaders in the underground church, which could number at a minimum 60 million, possibly up to 100 million or more believers in China. So this could have a massive effect on the other leaders and churches in the underground church as well.
SPEAKER 07 :
And part of the charges against him was unauthorized communications from them actually broadcasting their messages?
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah, but it’s tough to tell what the government, you know, they will state a charge will be for X reason.
SPEAKER 07 :
Something we take for granted here in this country, that you would have your sermons, you know, you would broadcast your Sunday morning service on the web. Right.
SPEAKER 17 :
And it’s likely the government knew about what was happening before, but chose now to make their move. And we don’t know all the reasons for that, but we see it coming at a time in which the world’s attention is focused on the Middle East. Perhaps they’re concerned about the rising influence of the church.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right, we just have about 30 seconds left. Is this something we’re going to be praying about this weekend at the Pray, Vote, Stand Summit?
SPEAKER 17 :
Absolutely. We need to pray and call the U.S. Church to intercede on behalf of their brothers and sisters all around the world. Tony, because as you’ve commented before, the church in a society is the source of blessing for that society as the church makes its voice and its presence known.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, what we prioritize at home, we will promote abroad. Very important. Thank you, Travis, for joining us. All right, coming up, Los Angeles County has declared a state of emergency. But are they looking at what the real emergency is here in California? We’re going to discuss that next here on Washington Watch. So don’t go away. More straight ahead.
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The family is the oldest, most tested and most reliable unit of society. It is divinely created and sustained. And yet there are those who are always tampering with its values and structure. That’s why we need organizations like the Family Research Council that can effectively defend and strengthen the family.
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Family Research Council began over 40 years ago, like all great movements of God, with prayer. Today, rooted in the heart of the nation’s capital, FRC continues to champion faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview.
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FRC is one of those bright lights that helps us focus on true north. And I shudder to think, had they not been here, that it could have been worse, worse, worse.
SPEAKER 02 :
The Family Research Council is key. It’s one of a handful of groups that I think will determine whether our children live in a country that enjoyed all of the freedom and all the opportunity that we enjoyed in this great land.
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It’s just a wonderful parachurch organization that doesn’t seek to take the place of the church, but it seeks to assist the family and the church as we try to move forward successfully, not in a defensive mode, but in an offensive mode as we seek to live our lives according to the Holy Scriptures.
SPEAKER 01 :
FRC is not going to be whooped. You know, we’re going to fight. We’re going to take a stand. And again, we don’t retreat.
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You will never see in front of this building here in Washington, D.C., a white flag flying. We will never step back. We will never surrender. And we will never be silent. Back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for tuning in. Make sure you have the Stand Firm app. Go to the App Store and get the Stand Firm app. As I mentioned, it all starts tomorrow here at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills. And guess what? The left is all stirred up, and for good reason, because we’re coming together to pray, equip believers to vote biblically, and to stand for truth, no matter what. So if you live in Southern California, there’s still time to register and join us in person. Now, if you’re not in the area, you can still be a part of this event. If you have the StandFirm app, at least most of the event, go to the App Store and get the StandFirm app or go to PrayVoteStand.org to register and to find out more. Well, earlier this week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to declare a local state of emergency in response to federal immigration enforcement operations in America’s most populous county. One member of the progressive-dominated board said that the emergency proclamation allows the county to use every tool available to support and stabilize our communities, she said. We will not stand by while fear and chaos spread, she went on to say. Well, there is certainly an emergency here in California, but it’s not because of immigration enforcement. because of the attack on parental rights. Joining me now to discuss this is Jonathan Keller. He is the president and CEO of the California Family Council, which is the family policy council here in California that accomplishes at the state level what the Family Research Council does on the national level. Jonathan, great to see you.
SPEAKER 16 :
Thanks, Tony. Always good to be with you and the listeners.
SPEAKER 07 :
And you’re going to be a part of this weekend. I know you guys have been helping us get the word out, so we appreciate that. Appreciate the great work you do here in California. You’ve got a a big hill to climb here in California. We do.
SPEAKER 16 :
Let’s talk about 495. Yeah, so AB495 is really, I think, one of the most concerning pieces of legislation that we’ve seen come out of the Capitol in Sacramento in quite some time. We always see a little bit of craziness. We have some truly I think, beyond the pale legislators up there. In this case, actually, this kind of came out of left field, as much of what happens in Sacramento does. It’s a freshman legislator, not one of the usual suspects who has been attacking parental rights for so long. But in this case, they used this really clever Trojan horse. As you mentioned, it deals with immigration. The idea behind this bill, the best case you could make for it is they’re trying to pitch it as a way to protect parents and protect children from the dangers of ICE and the dangers of the Trump administration who are carelessly and heartlessly deporting parents. But in reality, what this is doing is creating a massive loophole for non-parents, for even non-relatives to go in and potentially take control, take authority away from parents even start making educational and medical decisions for minor children, not only without parental involvement, but without even parental knowledge or consent.
SPEAKER 07 :
let’s say that their motives were pure, that they were, well, I say pure, at least their intentions were what they said they were, to simply address this issue of immigration. This, as you know, Jonathan, having been in the process for a while, there are always unintended consequences, especially when you rush something through like this. So even if the intent was, as they stated, simply to address the issue of children that may be connected to parents being deported. There are unintended consequences here that they’ve refused to deal with.
SPEAKER 16 :
That’s really the concern, Tony. I mean, again, I think every parent out there would want their own children if something happened to them. If, God forbid, my wife and I were in a car accident, of course we would want our two young sons to be placed with the next of kin, our family members. That’s not what this is about. This bill is so much broader than this. Despite the fact that they have tried to amend it and revise it in the 11th hour to say, well, This is going to apply to anyone who is deported, detained, or deployed. They’re trying to actually, if you can believe it, loop in families in the military and say, well, this is a way to try to protect even children of military families. Again, that’s not what this is about at war.
SPEAKER 07 :
We have provisions to do that now. We don’t need that. So this could I mean, this state where you have a governor that promotes gender transition surgeries for minors advertising nationwide for minors to come here for abortions. That’s the kind of stuff we’re potentially talking about.
SPEAKER 16 :
Oh, absolutely. And the real concern, again, about this, the caretaker authorization affidavit that we’re dealing with here. Under the new version of this, it is going to allow a non, or I should say a family member, I use scare quotes, because the family member authorization includes anybody that is up to a fifth degree of kinship to be able to come in, sign this, and say, yeah, I’m authorized to make medical or educational decisions for this child. Does not require an attorney to… No notarization, not even a parental signature. And And Tony, I want to say, you know this as a former legislator and being in D.C. for so long, one of the really insidious bait and switch they did on this. Some people might see the news reports that said, well, no, no, they removed the section that says no parental signature is required. That’s true, but they did not insert a section that says a parental signature is required. So it’s this very clever, again, Trojan horse to make it seem like they’re protecting parents, but it’s a real danger. But it’s now law. Governor Newsom signed it. Yeah. And this is something that is going to immediately start to affect families. And I would strongly encourage everybody. You guys have done yeoman’s work on this, and we’ve been able to, of course, pastor with a partner with Pastor Jack and the folks here at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, I encourage all parents to revise their existing caretaking arrangements. I encourage you to go look at your emergency contact list if your kids are in public school. Make sure that it is clear in writing, you, your spouse, your family, Only people you designate should be authorized to make any decisions for your child.
SPEAKER 07 :
By the way, we’re going to be talking about that this weekend here at the PrayVoteStand Summit. So we need to encourage people to come and be a part of that, find out what they can do to protect their children. But the other aspect is what happens in California, unfortunately, doesn’t always stay here.
SPEAKER 1 :
100%.
SPEAKER 07 :
This is coming to a blue state near you. That’s right. Jonathan Keller, thanks so much for joining us. Look forward to having you here this weekend. Thanks. All right, folks, you heard it. Man, we got to be prepared. So I hope you will join us for the Pray, Vote, Stand Summit here at Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills. All right, don’t go away. We’re coming back. Daniel Cohen joins me here on Washington Watch right after the break.
SPEAKER 10 :
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 and daily devotionals from Tony Perkins at frc.org slash Bible. Join us and stand on the word.
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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.
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All right. Welcome back to Washington Watch as we broadcast from the Real Life Network studios in Chino Hills, California. And guess what? It all starts tomorrow, as I mentioned, right here at Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills. And the left is stirred up. In fact, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Southern Impoverished Law Center, I should say, putting out notifications that we’re gathering here. You know what? They should be stirred up because we’re coming together to pray. And you know what? When God’s people pray, things happen. We’re also going to equip believers to vote biblically, and we’re going to encourage them and equip them to stand for truth, no matter what comes our way. Here’s the reality. We’re not going to shrink back into the shadows, and we’re not going to go away and be silent. So if you live here in Southern California, there is still time to register and join us in person. If you’re not in the area, you can still be a part of most of the event through the StandFirm app. Go to Prevotestand.org to register or download the StandFirm app to join us virtually. Well, our word for today comes from Romans chapter 5. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance character in and character hope. You know what? When we’re reconciled to God through faith in Christ, look at the benefits that flow into our lives. We have peace with God. We’re no longer his enemies, but his children, secure in his love and forgiveness. We have access to God’s grace, the door to his favor. We have the hope of heaven. Knowing our eternal destination gives us purpose and joy on this journey we call life. We also have joy, even in tribulation. Anchored in God’s promises, we can endure hardships with confidence, knowing he is shaping our character and strengthening our faith. What Satan means for harm, God uses for good, to produce perseverance, proven character, and a steadfast hope that never disappoints. To join us in our journey through the Bible, text BIBLE to 67742. That’s BIBLE to 67742. All right, as we’ve been talking about at the beginning of the program, the delicate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is looking more and more fragile, with phase one of the peace plan already suggesting Hamas will not fully comply with the terms of the agreement. Hamas says it has handed over the bodies of all the deceased hostages that they can get access to, but Israel believes the terror group still has more that it can easily release and are thus violating the agreement. Meanwhile, reports of Hamas members executing collaborators and so-called traitors, as they call them, in Gaza has prompted President Trump to issue this warning. Quote, if Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them, end quote. So is the measured peace in Gaza in jeopardy? Joining me now to discuss this is Daniel Cohen, host of The Daniel Cohen Show, which recently launched on the Real Life Network. Daniel. Hey, Tony. Good to be with you. How are you? Thanks for joining us in your studio.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, might as well. Your studio now, huh? That’s right.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, it’s great to have you. Great to be partners with the Real Life Network. They’re hosting us here. And plus, Washington Watch is on the Real Life Network as well.
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Yeah. You know, there’s something really important. of what President Trump just said, and it was the very last sentence. Thank you for your attention to this matter. When President Trump says that, that is Trump’s way of saying I’m not bluffing, I’m not kidding around, that I mean it. And if nothing else, we’ve seen that President Trump means it. Yeah, Prime Minister Netanyahu even today has said that they know exactly how many hostages are left, how many of these they return to, more bodies overnight. The final female hostage, the body of the final female hostage has been returned. There are 19 left, is what we understand, to American. And everyone’s asking the question, so what about these other 19? Why have they not been returned? Is it because they don’t know what state, the condition of the bodies? Or have they been so badly brutalized? I don’t know what the right word is. Is that why they haven’t been returned? But to me, I believe Hamas has already reneged. They’ve already broken the agreements of the ceasefire. And it seems like President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, look, it’s conditional. And so phase one is holding. We got the living hostages back. Where does it go from here? These are really important moments right now. I encourage everybody, please be praying, praying for Israel and praying, of course, always for the peace of Jerusalem.
SPEAKER 07 :
I mean, Israel, number one, their intelligence is great. They pretty much know what’s been happening on the ground over there. They have human intelligence and other forms of intelligence as well. But they also have very good forensics. And Hamas knows that Israel will be able to determine what happened to those hostages.
SPEAKER 06 :
Absolutely the best. You know, Tony, today the IDF actually shared a photo of Yaya Sinwar, who masterminded the October 7th terror attack. It was one year ago tomorrow that Israel eliminated him. And so they re-shared a photo today, a photo that’s never been seen before, Yaya Sinwar. It just reinforces the fact that Israel knows. There’s the long arm of justice, the long arm of the Lamina. It took time to find Yaya Sinwar, but they can find anybody that they want to find. And so, you know, Israel’s powerful. Israel, and by the way, all credit to President Trump on this, Tony. You know, I say President Trump is more popular in Israel than Prime Minister Netanyahu. He is. His approval rating in Israel is something like 250%. I mean, everyone there, right, left, middle, doesn’t matter, love President Trump because he delivered. And Israel’s been waiting two years for this moment of delivery.
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They wanted to get the hostages home. But you and I were talking earlier, there’s a lot of celebration here. and rightfully so for these hostages that have been released, that have been held in unspeakable conditions for the last two years. I’ve met and you’ve met with some of the hostages that have been released during the course of these last two years, families of hostage members. but those that their loved ones are not coming home.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, yeah. There’s been a lot of focus on the 20, the living hostages, and there’s been euphoria. There has been pure elation, pure joy, but it seems like it’s always tempered. And that’s a really important point that you just made, and a lot of the media and a lot of the world have missed as everyone’s moving forward and celebrating rightfully the living hostages, but there are families that are receiving dead bodies. Some aren’t receiving any bodies. Some are being told they don’t know where the bodies are. And so there’s still a deep amount of grief and pain. Israel is still a nation in trauma. And it’s not the kind of pain that is going to be healed overnight or even in a few weeks. It’s going to take months, but at least I feel like we’re on the road, but we shouldn’t forget about the dead hostages and those families.
SPEAKER 07 :
I would also say in the Jewish tradition, the burial of someone is… I don’t want to say more significant, but a lot more is placed on it in the Jewish tradition than here in the United States.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, I mean, in Israel, we celebrate life. Am Yisrael Chai. The nation of Israel lives. That’s what Am Yisrael Chai means. When someone dies, you sit Shiva. There’s a period of mourning, all right? And we know that. Israel celebrates life, which is why Israel… had to empty out its prisons. I mean, Israel gave out, what, almost 2,000? And some of these people are Osama bin Laden types. These weren’t people that broke a window or got into a minor fender bender. These are people who were convicted, who were behind bars because they committed terrorists. Exactly. They committed acts of terror. It just goes to prove, you know, have you seen, Tony, the way that Hamas has handed over some of these dead bodies? Wrapped in a plastic tarp, thrown out of an SUV, sitting on the ground. There’s no value of life. There’s no respect. So there’s no respect for the living or the dead. And it couldn’t highlight larger the difference between Israel and Gaza.
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It prevents many of these families from closure that they’ve been longing for. You brought up something I want to talk about for just a moment. The nearly 2,000 criminals, terrorists, that were released, they went to Ramallah. Ramallah is not in Gaza. Ramallah is in Judea and Samaria.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, thank you. You’re right for saying it that way.
SPEAKER 07 :
Because this poses another threat to Israel.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yes, there was a terror attack. They’re ongoing, and they happen so often. They don’t get reported in the Western media every day. There was a shooting outside of Modine, two guys on a motorcycle. And it was less than 24 hours since Israel emptied out their prisons. And so it didn’t take long. I don’t know if those events are connected. I don’t know if they’re feeling more emboldened. But look, Hamas has been weakened. Hezbollah has been weakened. Iran, they’ve all been weakened. Everybody who’s gone to war with Israel, who has, I should tell everybody in case they don’t know this, Israel has never attacked an Arab neighbor. Did you know that? Since 1948 when Israel was reconstituted, Israel makes up four-tenths of 1% of the Middle East. Israel has only ever responded after being attacked. And by the way, the attack that took place when Israel took out the Iranian nuclear facilities in June, That wasn’t Israel going on the offensive. That was Israel responding to October 7th and responding. Israel’s mighty, and it’s because it’s God’s covenant nation. When will they learn, right? Like, when will they learn? You mess with God’s covenant people, it’s not going to end well, and it’s the pattern that’s been repeated over and over.
SPEAKER 07 :
So let’s talk about that for a moment, because this war in Gaza was with Hamas, right? These terrorists have been released into Judea and Samaria, which is under Palestinian control, the Palestinian Authority. Are we propping up or positioning another conflict?
SPEAKER 06 :
Look, this is the question. I mean, we hear President Trump talking about peace, and now the mother of all Middle East peace deals, hopefully expansion of the Abraham Accords is coming. There’s a peace, but it’s a fragile peace. It always has been. But we know what the Bible says. So when we hear even President Trump say, we hope it lasts forever and ever. Well, we all hope. But we know that there won’t be a permanent peace until Jesus comes back. There won’t be a permanent peace until Yeshua, until the Messiah comes back, and he makes everything right. So I’m celebrating my friends, my family, my neighbors. Everyone has been so deeply and profoundly affected by October 7th, Tony. Our family best friends where we live just outside of Tel Aviv, Our family best friends had five cousins kidnapped on October 7. You have to understand, this isn’t a, oh, I know a guy, or I worked with a guy. Everyone has been deeply affected. By the way, of those five, those cousins, two were murdered right away, an 80-year-old with a heart condition, a 13-year-old that was on the spectrum with autism. Two children, they were released in November right after the October 7th invasion. And then their father wasn’t released until something like a year later. And so it affects everyone deeply and personally. I just want you to know Israel is still very much a nation in trauma.
SPEAKER 07 :
And they will be for some time. But this also speaks to this peace agreement. There’s been… Almost 20 conflicts in the 75 years that Israel has been around. And in the last two decades, I think about 10 conflicts, mostly with Hamas. And there’s been peace agreements and truces each time, but they’ve been very fragile. So I think we have to go in understanding, number one, the history of the land and the people, that they’ve always had hostile neighbors. So vigilance is required. Israel wants closure. I mean, this is the longest, most protracted engagement that they’ve had. Everybody’s been touched by it, as you mentioned. But they also know that peace is very fragile. And you hear that in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s statements. We’re not settling for peace until we have peace.
SPEAKER 06 :
Can I take it to the Bible, Tony, is that okay? I think on this show that’s fine, right? You can do that here. Look, I want to take it even to the United States, right? Because this is a moment to be bold. This is a moment to speak up, okay? This weekend, you were just mentioning before you welcomed me, the protesters that are going to be right outside here at Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills. And what are they saying on Saturday? What are they saying this weekend? That there are no kings. Well, that’s not true. There’s one king. It’s Yeshua. It’s Jesus. There’s one king, and he’s on the throne. And it’s important that Christians speak up. I live in Israel, and I understand the vitriol, the hatred that Hamas has been able, the antisemitism, that they’ve been able, this frenzy that they’ve been able to whip up around the world. It’s important. If you’re a Christian, if you understand the Genesis 12, the concept, It’s also Numbers 24.9. I will bless those who bless you. I don’t think living in Israel, we can’t afford to just let anyone go. When someone, where there’s low-hanging fruit, I want to reach out to them. That’s what the Daniel Cohen Show, the Real Life Network, we speak boldly. We say this is what the Bible says. You want to be blessed? This is how you’re blessed. Thank you, Tony, for how powerfully you’ve always spoken up for Israel. How many times have we met in Israel? Two, three times since I’ve known you. I appreciate that. Revelation 21. Revelation 21, 8, it’s talking about the new Jerusalem and who we will see in the new Jerusalem. Number one, who will we not see? The very first character attribute, it says the cowardly. Cowards. Those who are vile, the murderers, the this, the that. Cowards. This is a moment. Now, what am I saying? I’m not saying commit acts of violence. I’m saying speak up. Use whatever platform, wherever you’re at. The Lord brought my family to Israel. You, using your platform, speak up just to tell the truth about Israel. And if you’ve been, when I tell anybody who’s come to Israel, when you go back, I deputize them. And I say, when you go home, tell everyone what you saw.
SPEAKER 07 :
Let me ask you about that for just a moment. I’ve been there five times since October the 7th. Wow. This is my sense. You tell me if I’m wrong or not because you’re there all the time. But because evangelicals, Bible-believing Christians have stood, not just with Israel, but with the Jewish people as this wave of anti-Semitism has really… encompass the globe. Is that speaking to the Jewish people?
SPEAKER 06 :
The Jewish heart en masse, if I can paint with a broad brush, has been ripped, ripped open after October 7th. We have seen people in our congregation that we go to Excuse me. We’re seeing Jewish people come to faith in Yeshua. We’ve seen people make professions. I’ve seen other Jewish friends of mine being baptized in the Jordan. And so I just think this is an incredible moment right now. This is an incredible moment for the church. This is an incredible moment for you, if you have a Jewish friend, a neighbor, or someone that you work with. But to speak up again, to be bold. I mean, think about it. Again, back to this weekend. We’re Christian nationalists. We’re spewing hate. Hey, if falling on our knees after Charlie Kirk is assassinated, if trying to commune with the Holy Spirit, if trying to find that peace from the God of comfort, from the Holy Spirit, the great comforter, if that makes me a Christian nationalist, I will wear that badge proudly. I will wear that badge with honor. Call me a Christian nationalist if instead of resorting to violence, I resort to prayer. And I pray for the peace of Jerusalem. And I pray for my neighbors, especially my Jewish friends.
SPEAKER 07 :
And our enemies. And our enemies. We’ll be praying for those that are out in the streets tomorrow. We just have about 30 seconds left. Daniel, would you pray for us? Pray for the summit. Pray for the Jewish people. Pray for this moment for Christians to be bold. Sure. Thank you, Lord.
SPEAKER 06 :
It says, blessed are the peacemakers. And that’s the first thing that came to my heart when Tony asked me to pray, Lord. So we just speak that out boldly. We speak that out over Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills. Pray, vote, stand. Three very important concepts, Lord. We pray. I hope we wear out our knees. Everyone, either watching online or here in person in Chino Hills, Lord, that we would just fall on our knees in prayer and say, Lord, we surrender. We surrender to you. We surrender to your plan. You have a plan. Your ways are not our ways. You’re a good, good father. You love us. And, Lord, I pray for a salvation, even for just one, one of these Antifa-like type, these leftist, Lord, whoever shows up, Lord, I pray that they would be hit by the gospel and they would know the truth and they would be saved in Yeshua’s name.
SPEAKER 07 :
Thank you, Daniel. Folks, thanks for joining us. PrayVoteStand.org.
SPEAKER 04 :
Washington Watch with Tony Perkins is brought to you by Family Research Council. To support our efforts to advance faith, family, and freedom, please text GIVE to 67742. That’s GIVE to 67742. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information, please visit TonyPerkins.com.
