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Dive into the pressing issues surrounding the protest in Iran as violence escalates, leaving over 500 dead and drawing international concern. Explore the dynamic reactions from global leaders, including recent statements from President Trump and Israel’s strategic moves. Gain insight into how internet blackouts are impacting the flow of information and the dire situation on the ground, with an eye on humanitarian implications and potential future actions.
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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 soundbites 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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I think they just want peace. They want to have freedom. The protestors are after freedom. Iran has not allowed freedom for a long time. And the protestors, I don’t think they’re trying to appease me. They’re trying to get somebody to help them. They’re under siege. And now it looks like they’re being shot, which is a very bad thing.
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That was President Donald Trump on the deadly protest in Iran and the strong actions the U.S. is considering. Welcome to this January 12th edition of Washington Watch. I’m your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for tuning in. Well, coming up, Iran is in crisis with over 500 dead and thousands arrested, and the country is under an Internet blackout. Dr. Hormez Shariat of Iran Alive Ministries will discuss the latest of what is happening in Iran. In January, here at home, is Sanctity of Human Life Month. And next week, tens of thousands of Americans will head to Washington for the March for Life. Even after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the fight for life continues. Dr. Albert Moeller will join us to discuss that later. Well, the protest in Iran is turned deadly, with cities leaving, with protests in cities resulting in over 500 people being dead, thousands arrested, and authorities have imposed a near total Internet blackout trying to keep information from exiting the country. Security forces have cracked down with force, and the situation is drawing international attention. President Trump warns the U.S. is weighing very strong options if the violence continues. Joining me now is Washington Stand reporter Casey Harper, who has been tracking this event today. Casey, what steps could the U.S. take? What’s the president proposing? And what’s Israel’s reaction?
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, thanks, Tony. I mean, Iran has become so volatile at this point that any moves that President Trump takes could destabilize the region to a tipping point. Now, what are those options he has? Well, of course, he has military strikes, which he’s considering. Those could be very targeted or more widespread. There’s also cyber attacks where they can work in the infrastructure. There’s talks with Elon Musk about providing internet to the region to allow some other information to get in, because right now, because of the internet blackout you mentioned, it’s pretty much just propaganda all the time. Of course, sanctions, which is something that Iran is very familiar with. But President Trump said he’s also in contact with the Iranian opposition and that Tehran has reached out to talk. Here’s what President Trump had to say.
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There seem to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed. These are violent. If you call them leaders, I don’t know if they’re leaders or just they rule through violence. But we’re looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it. And we’re looking at some very strong options. We’ll make a determination.
SPEAKER 10 :
Now, meanwhile, Israel is supporting pressuring Iran, but they’re also worried about regional escalation, something that Turkey has also expressed concern about, though Turkey, as you know, Tony, usually doesn’t share interests with the U.S. and Israel.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, Casey, I would agree. Turkey’s involvement is concerning as they seek to leverage instability in that region. So I would watch them very carefully. I think it’s one thing it’s important to point out. Iran has a very vibrant Christian community which has faced brutal persecution that has only increased in recent years. And I think one of the things we can do here at home, we’re going to talk more about this in a bit, but I think we need to be praying for Christians and the innocent civilians that are suffering. We’re going to talk to Dr. Hormoz Shariat a little bit later. So, Casey, let’s move on to another part of the world. that seems to be filled with unrest. Venezuela, Cuba have also been on the president’s radar. What’s the latest in terms of the discussion of U.S. policy toward those countries?
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, Tony, this is something the Washington stand has been covering. And you have to think that Cuba is looking at this situation very differently since the deposition of Venezuela’s Maduro. And with that backdrop and that context, President Trump has warned Cuba, hey, you’re not going to keep getting that Venezuelan oil. that you’ve grown used to, or that Venezuelan money, because Cuba’s so isolated, they’ve relied on Venezuela for many years, and Trump is calling on Cuban leaders to make a deal. Now, the Cuban president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, they denied that there’s any kind of ongoing talks with Washington, and they also pushed back on what they perceived as threats from President Trump. And of course, this all comes against this new backdrop in the region, Tony, now that Venezuela’s deposition of Maduro has changed the game south of our border.
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All right. Let’s switch gears here very quickly. Let’s talk about Minnesota. Federal agents fired tear gas to disperse bystanders near an immigration enforcement scene just blocks from where the one was fatally shot last week. How is the city responding as the Trump administration, Homeland Security, is sending more federal agents and the Justice Department is actually ramping up the fraud investigation?
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, that’s right, Tony. So the Minneapolis mayor has been very clear from the beginning. He doesn’t want ICE in the city. He blames ICE for the chaos. He says they’re sowing chaos in the streets by being there. And we’re definitely seeing some chaos. Federal officers, in fact, used tear gas today to break up protests, which are not just in Minneapolis by the thousands, but around the country. But the Trump administration is really doubling down. They’re sending more and more federal agents to the streets to secure the situation. It’s kind of a cycle where the protests of the officers lead to more officers because of security concerns. And as you mentioned, that fraud that in Minneapolis that started all this is now getting significant federal scrutiny as there’s a new federal department to investigate the fraud, not just in Minnesota, but around the country, Tony.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, I don’t think that’s going to go away anytime soon. Casey, thanks so much for bringing us an update. Thanks, Tony. Appreciate it. All right, I want to turn back to the situation in Iran and get an assessment from someone who has been tracking this very closely with those on the ground. Joining me now is Dr. Hormoz Shariat, the founder and president of Iran Alive Ministries, a Christian ministry. ministry that uses satellite broadcasting and the internet to reach Iranians with the gospel. Dr. Shariat, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, thank you, Tony, for inviting me to share what’s happening.
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Well, give us the latest. What are you hearing from inside of Iran?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, What is happening is what is expected from the government of Iran. They have done the same thing. The government of Iran, this is not their first time. The same scenario, but this one is different. Scenarios like this, people come on streets protesting, And first a little bit they tolerate, then they turn off internet. The moment they turn off internet means they’re gonna start killing, which they have. And arresting people. After people are dispersed from fear into their homes, then they start executing those they have arrested this is what’s happening but this time it’s different people of iran are not backing off they’re being killed but they’re not backing off they are saying this is the end we want results and they are asking president trump would you come and help us but even though thousands may be killed but the people of iran at the point that they’re saying there is no point of return we want the government of iran to be changed and we don’t mind giving our lives. Let me share a story. I saw this young man on the streets telling the police, the army in front of him saying, hey, kill me. I’m young but I never lived I don’t have a life so go ahead and kill me that’s a sign of a desperation that people who don’t mind being killed I had another person tell me I wanted to content I was contemplating to to do suicide in my home then I said why should I kill myself in my home just go on streets fight these people and if I get killed I get killed at least I die for a cause so People are so desperate. That’s why they’re so brave. There’s no hope. There’s no future. And many of them don’t mind dying.
SPEAKER 05 :
You know, some of this, Dr. Chariot, reminds me of what brought down the Iron Curtain, where we had some of those who were willing to die for freedom. I think of Czechoslovakia and some of those countries where they just said, you know, we’re not going away. We’re not dispersing. We’re not giving up. And the president, President Donald Trump, has made statements that he’s watching stronger statements than we’ve ever seen from the United States president in terms of taking action. I have to think that that is encouraging and bolstering the citizens of Iran to stand up for their freedom.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, all of us hope that he will do that. People of Iran are begging Trump. As you may know, Americans are very popular. Iranians love America, and they love Trump. They call Trump Uncle Trump. Uncle Trump, come and help us. And Trump has a historical opportunity to make history in Iran. He could be, in the history of Iran, be written as a hero who came to help the people of Iran be free. And in the Western world, society, his name could go down as somebody who turned an enemy of United States into a friend. So this is time in history. This is history in making. And we as Christian, either we can just stand back and watch the history being made, or we can get involved and make history.
SPEAKER 05 :
I want to ask you in just a moment what we can do as Christians here in the United States. But first, give our viewers and listeners a little bit of a better understanding of what’s inside Iran under that regime. Most people see Iran as the regime, this Islamic regime, but that’s not reflective of the Iranian people.
SPEAKER 08 :
Totally. The people of Iran are totally different, separate in every way from the Iranian government. There is such a gap that whatever the Iranian government is for, the people are against. So when the Iranian government say death to America, death to Israel, the people of Iran say oh they must be good people if our government is against them so iranians love israel they love united states and they want freedom and they want freedom american style they look up to america they think it’s a perfect country we live here we know it’s not perfect but they think it’s perfect they the moment iran is free there will be a great relationship between iran and israel and iran and united states but people of iran are ready to normalize their relationship with the rest of the world they’re sick and tired of being oppressed being abused all the resources the oil money being used against them and for the foreign goals of their government they’re poor You know, Tony, Iran is one of the richest countries in the world on the paper because of the gas and oil. But practically, the people of Iran are one of the poorest in the world. 55 to 60 percent are under the poverty line. So here is the government abusing the resources, abusing the people, killing, and people are fed up. They said, not this time. We will not go back home.
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How strong is the church? How strong is a presence of believers there in Iran?
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We have been working at underground church for the last 25 years, you know, broadcast with our 24-7 broadcast. We go over the heads of the mullahs with our signal into people’s homes, in the privacy of their homes. We share the gospel and we encourage the believers. Through these days, we have every day, we have a live broadcast. We go into people’s homes. and not only bring people to Christ, but we are leading our underground churches to go out and be salt and light and have many stories of how Christians are on the streets. Some of them have been killed, arrested and wounded. We know that. But Christians are on the streets helping people, sharing the gospel. One person just called a couple of days ago. He said, I just came to Christ. I said, how did you come to Christ? He said, I was wounded on the streets of Tehran. I was running. towards my home because I cannot go to hospital. If I go to the hospital, hospital authorities are going to turn me in. So I was going home and one person pulled me into his home to help me and he brought a surgeon brought a neighbor who knew how to do this, and he helped me to take the bullet off of my leg. And then they shared the gospel with me. I realized there are Christians who are helping me. So I came to Christ last night in that home. So Christians Christians are active, they know their job is to be salt and light, and Christians are on the streets of Iran, of Tehran, helping everybody and sharing the gospel. Dr. Shariat, we’re going to have to leave it there. Folks, stick with us.
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The book of Hebrews says that the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Stand on the Word is Family Research Council’s journey through the living and active Word of God. Follow the plan with us. Spend 10 to 15 minutes a day reading God’s Word, and over the course of two years, discover that the Bible is one big story, a story of many words pointing to the Word, the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, because the Word is alive, and His name is Jesus. Find our Bible reading plan and daily devotionals from Tony Perkins at frc.org slash Bible. Join us as we stand on the word.
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At Family Research Council, we believe religious freedom is a fundamental human right that all governments must protect. For years, Islamist militants in Nigeria have targeted Christians and other religious minority groups with brutal violence. Since 2009, 52,000 Christians have been slaughtered. A staggering 89% of Christian martyrs in the world today are from Nigeria. The first Trump administration declared Nigeria a country of particular concern, a designation reserved for countries whose governments engage in or tolerate religious freedom violations. However, this designation of Nigeria was quickly reversed by the Biden administration. Following consistent calls from FRC President Tony Perkins and other religious leaders across the U.S., President Donald Trump has responded.
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Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed. I am hereby making Nigeria a country of particular concern.
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This is a huge step forward for the protection of Christians in Nigeria, as well as religious freedom across the world. While this opens the door for the US government to pressure Nigerian leaders to protect vulnerable Christians, it is only the beginning. We must continue to pray diligently, work strategically, and stand firm for the protection of religious liberty across the globe.
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Looking for a trusted source of news that shares your Christian values? Turn to The Washington Stand, your ultimate destination for informed, faith-centered reporting. Our dedicated team goes beyond the headlines, delivering stories that matter most to believers. From breaking events to cultural insights, we provide clear, compassionate coverage through a biblical lens. Discover news you can trust at The Washington Stand, where faith and facts meet every day.
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All right, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for tuning in. Sorry, we ran out of time in that last segment. I want to give out the website of Dr. Shariat, IranAlive.org, IranAlive.org. You can find out more information about the work that they’re doing to share the gospel in Iran and get their updates on what’s happening there and prayer points. We need to be praying for the people of Iran, for believers. And as he was just describing, that story there at the end, how they’re witnessing and sharing both in word and in action. Very critical time. We need to pray for our administration that they take the right steps going forward. Again, that’s IranAlive.org. I’m sure we’ll have Dr. Shariat on more as this unfolds. Yesterday evening, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell accused the Trump administration of threatening a criminal indictment as a consequence of not setting interest rates the way President Trump has wanted. Well, the grand jury subpoenas that the Justice Department served on Friday are reportedly over Powell’s testimony before the Senate Banking Committee last June. The Fed chair says that this is unprecedented action and it’s not about his testimony. Listen to this clip.
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The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president. This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions, or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation.
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You know, some said some say the Federal Reserve is outdated. Does it need to go or does it still play a very much needed role in the U.S. economy? Joining me now to discuss is Joel Griffith, senior fellow at Advancing American Freedom. Joel, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us.
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Thanks for having me on. Really appreciate it.
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Joe, I want to talk about the role of the Federal Reserve and whether or not it’s still needed or if it’s antiquated. But first, just give our viewers and listeners a little background on this back and forth between President Trump and Chairman Powell.
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Well, sure. All over the past year, actually even prior to this last election, President Trump repeatedly made it clear that he believes the Federal Reserve has kept interest rates too high for too long. And since stepping into the Oval Office in his second term, the president has repeatedly cajoled the Fed chair, along with other board members, trying to get them to lower rates. So they’ve had an ongoing disagreement. The president has made it clear he wants interest rates far lower, and the Federal Reserve Board has not fully obliged those wishes. This spat has been ongoing. Of course, what was very unexpected was that the Department of Justice over the weekend would threaten the Federal Reserve with a bogus indictment. that really makes the world think that we are turning a bit into a banana republic. This is a politicized indictment, and from what I can tell, it has no legal foundation.
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By design, the Federal Reserve is independent. And you heard that clip from Chairman Powell, you know, whether or not they’re going to make decisions that affect monetary policy based upon the facts of trying to regulate the economy, increase maximum employment while we have stable prices or it becomes political. I mean, that’s why you have that separation, is it not?
SPEAKER 04 :
Oh, absolutely. And look, the only thing worse than a fiat currency that is not backed by something like gold or silver is a fiat currency in which the politicians can determine how much to print. We already have an inflation problem. We saw just a few years ago after we saw Congress increase spending during COVID and following COVID, we saw what happens when the printing presses at the Fed become out of control. You end up with high inflation. And this wasn’t just President Biden’s fault or President Trump’s fault. It was both presidents and both parties that pushed for the spending. And it was the Federal Reserve that allowed itself to become politicized. And the Fed ended up printing up a lot of money to buy up government debt. And that spurred inflation. That was bad enough. What we don’t want is the Fed to lose all independence and to rely on President Trump or any other president or any other politician to begin dictating short-term interest rates. We know what happens. We can look at what’s happening right now in Turkey with their central bank. And of course, even far worse examples in places like Venezuela and Zimbabwe, where the politicians have complete control over the money supply, you end up with very high inflation risks and uncertainty.
SPEAKER 05 :
One of the concerns that the political class has over the high interest rates, for instance, here in the United States, I mean, that costs us a trillion dollars every year to pay the debt, to pay the interest on our debt. And with a lower interest rate, they feel like the debt payments will be lower. I mean, that’s certainly one thing. But is that slowing down economic growth that this administration is hoping to see through their policies?
SPEAKER 04 :
What was slowing down economic growth is overspending, even without the borrowing. The more the government spends, the more demand it places on our economic resource. We ended up diverting resources from the private sector and from what we as citizens and businesses want to engage in, and we divert that to the government. Now, where inflation becomes a risk is when you have so much government borrowing that there’s not enough excess capital in the market to lend to the government. And that’s where governments end up resorting to having their central banks print the money, either to directly inject that into the economy or to take the newly printed cash and to buy up the government debt, which has the same effect. You end up with money increasing at a faster pace and economic growth. That’s the danger that we face.
SPEAKER 05 :
We just have about a minute and a half left. We’re not going to I mean, I’d love to see us go back to the gold standard. Not going to happen. So we only have two choices. You have an independent Federal Reserve that regulates the monetary system, the interest rates, or, as you just described, you let the politicians control it. I mean, what other options are there?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, we could have Congress get involved and give the Fed more guidelines on how to operate. But one of the reasons why our housing prices are out of control is that you had the Fed attempting to artificially lower interest rates on mortgages. And we saw the Fed buy trillions of dollars worth of mortgages over the past several years. That has directly impacted home prices. Unfortunately, I’m not confident Congress is going to restrict the Fed’s ability because we saw the administration just this past week encouraging mortgages. more buying of government bond or sorry more buying of mortgage bonds and of course trying to force interest rates down both of those actions would cause home prices to increase even further so right now what we have we have a fiat system best case scenario is that we keep the control of that fiat money supply out of the hands of senators congress people and either president from any party that requires an independent federal reserve correct That is correct. We want the Fed making these decisions without political pressure. That would be encouraging them to make short term political gains that would cost all of us dearly in the long run.
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All right, Joe Griffith, thanks so much for joining us. Appreciate your insights. Thank you, sir. All right, folks, stick with us on the other side of the break. We’re going to be joined by the secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner. So don’t go away.
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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 US 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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Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for tuning in. Let me encourage you, if you’ve not yet downloaded the Stand Firm app, go to the App Store and download the Stand Firm app. That is the Family Research Council Stand Firm app. It is your connection to Washington Watch. No matter where you go, you’ll see Washington Watch. You also can get our news and commentary from a biblical perspective, the Washington Stand and my daily Bible devotional. It is the Stand. Stand on the word. And you can find that at the Stand Firm app. All right. The massive fraud scandal in Minnesota that captured the media’s attention has spurred action across the Trump administration. Of course, that was the underlying fraud that brought the Homeland Security up there that’s created what we see as this conflict. It’s interesting you compare the Trump administration to the Biden administration. You might recall this. The Biden administration, after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, They wanted a whole-of-government approach to trying to advance abortion. And they figured out several ways to do it. The Trump administration really has a whole-of-government response to this corruption and this fraud that’s taking place in Minnesota. And what we’re finding out is like an onion. It’s layer upon layer. Well, last week, the administration announced the creation of a new division in the Justice Department for national fraud enforcement because it apparently goes beyond the boundaries of the borders of Minnesota. And the Agriculture Department announced in suspension of federal financial awards to Minnesota and Minneapolis. Well, last month, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, sent federal employees into Minneapolis and St. Paul to conduct their own investigation. And what have they found out? Well, joining me now to, we’re going to, in just a moment, we’re going to join by the Secretary of Department of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner, to give us an update on what he, what his department has discovered there in Minneapolis and Minnesota. And we now have him. Secretary Turner, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us.
SPEAKER 01 :
All right. Thank you, Tony. So good to be with you, sir. Always. Happy New Year.
SPEAKER 05 :
Happy New Year to you as well. Now, we were just talking about the investigation that you’ve launched into Minneapolis and into St. Paul. I realize the investigation is going to take some time, but what can you tell us about your department’s efforts on this and what you’ve found so far?
SPEAKER 01 :
Yes, sir. Tony, thank you. So we have boots on the ground in Minnesota. And through our fraud prevention, we have found that there is likely over $84 million in eligible assistance that was given to the state of Minnesota during the Biden administration, including almost $500,000 in improper assistance to over 500 dead tenants. And so you think about that, Tony. over $84 million of hard-working taxpayer money that was shelled out during the Biden administration in improper assistance and serving over 500 dead people with almost $500,000 of assistance. This is a lack of stewardship. It’s gross negligence. But I’m grateful at this time that our team on the ground has found these improper payments, and we will hold those accountable that are responsible for this.
SPEAKER 05 :
Secretary Turner, when you look at this combined with what was happening in the daycare, this looks like it’s coordinated. It looks like this is a criminal conspiracy. It doesn’t just look like people taking advantage of another government program that doesn’t have the proper oversight.
SPEAKER 01 :
No, it is. It seems like it is coordinated. And every stone that’s been unturned shows us really the negligence and turning a blind eye and a lack of financial controls and really the lack of caring about the American people and taxpayer money that goes to fund these programs in Minnesota and other places around the country. And so I know under President Trump, uh attorney general bondi the vice president who now has announced a new associate attorney general to go after fraud waste and abuse in our country i’m so glad that we have this opportunity to be transparent before the american people and and root out this fraud and bring those to justice who have uh really criminalized the programs that were meant to help american people in need
SPEAKER 05 :
What is the connection between this fraud and abuse of taxpayer money and illegal immigration?
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, as you know, over 12 million people came across our border, illegal migrants, illegal aliens came across unchecked, which has really caused the housing supply in our country to be squeezed. It’s caused the cost of housing to go up nearly 100 percent of the rental demand in states like New York and California is due. to illegal immigration. And so this has been a great burden on our country. But I’m thankful to the president, to Secretary Noem, Mr. Holman, and others that have secured our border. Just here at HUD, we found that over 59% of illegal alien families use one or more of our welfare programs here in America, costing about $42 billion a year. And so with that, we have to turn the faucet off and use American taxpayer money to serve the American people and American people only. And we are very intentional and focused on that at HUD as it pertains to housing and the programs that come out of our agency.
SPEAKER 05 :
Secretary, we just have about 45 seconds left. You’ve been partnering with the faith community and churches to address homelessness nationwide. Very quickly, tell us about that.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yes, sir. You know, we want to allow and bring the faith based organizations back to the table as it pertains to serving our homeless neighbors. During the Biden administration, they really were, quote unquote, stiff armed and could not come to the table to compete for our continuum of CARE COMPETITIVE GRANT. SO NOW WE WANT TO OPEN THAT BACK UP. FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OUR CALLING AND OTHERS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE REALLY THE ONES WITH BOOTS ON THE GROUND SERVING OUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS. AND WE DON’T WANT TO JUST HOUSE PEOPLE, TONY. WE WANT TO HOUSE THEM, TREAT THE ROOT CAUSE, GET THEM TRANSFORMED AND BACK TO A LIFE OF INDEPENDENCE.
SPEAKER 05 :
Secretary Turner, always great to see you, my friend. I know you’ve got a special project coming up for the 250th. We’ll get you back on to talk about that. Thanks for joining us, folks. Stick with us. We’re back with more after this.
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Should a Christian support Israel? That question has become one of the most emotionally charged issues of our time, both in the world and within the church. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins offers a clear biblical and prophetic answer. In his latest book, he examines Israel’s past, present, and future through the lens of scripture, revealing why support for Israel is not rooted in politics, partisanship, or cultural sentiment, but in the unchanging promises of God. Drawing from Genesis to Revelation, Tony Perkins demonstrates that the ultimate rationale for a Christian’s support for Israel is spiritual. Should a Christian support Israel invites believers to see beyond headlines and ideologies, returning to the foundation of God’s Word to understand His heart for His chosen people and the blessings that flow when we stand with what He has established forever. Text the word Israel to 67742 for more information.
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What is God’s role in government? What does the separation of church and state really mean? And how does morality shape a nation? President John Adams said our Constitution was made only for moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. Join Family Research Council for God and Government, a powerful series that explores the connection between biblical principles and the American government, equipping you with truth to engage in today’s most pressing debates. We’ll uncover the foundations of our nation’s history and why it’s relevant for today. Join us to defend God’s plan for government because faith and freedom were never meant to be separate. You can view the course at prayvotestand.org slash God and government or on the Stand Firm app.
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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 05 :
Welcome back. I’m Tony Perkins, your host, and you are tuned in to Washington Watch. Jody Heiss, who fills in for me on Friday, put this out to you on Friday, and I want to thank many of you who responded. But we’re going to talk about this in just a moment. We’ve been discussing it over the last week, and that is the Hyde Amendment. You know, for nearly 50 years, the Hyde Amendment has kept you as a taxpayer from being forced to participate with abortions. with your tax dollars. That protection is under renewed threat. And House Speaker Mike Johnson, I’ve talked to him about this many times. In fact, he was on my weekend program saying we are protecting it. We are going to protect it. Senate Leader John Thune, they’re standing to defend this longstanding policy that prevents federal government money from being used to force taxpayers to do something that they see as morally wrong, and that is abortion. This is one of those issues that is overwhelming in terms of support, this barrier between taxpayers and abortion. But again, we’re going to talk about this, but the president said, you know, we’ve got to be flexible on Hyde. Well, I beg to disagree. We need to be resolute on, number one, ending abortion, but number two, protecting taxpayers from being forced to participate in it. So I want to ask you to text the word Hyde. That’s H-Y-D-E. That was Henry Hyde, the author. Hyde, H-Y-E-D to 67742. That’s 67742, the word Hyde. You’ll get a link. Sign the petition. Thousands have already signed it. I ask you to sign it. We’re going to take it just to bolster the House speaker and the Senate leader in standing for the Hyde Amendment. All right, our word for today comes from Genesis, Chapter 27, where a campaign of deception unfolds in the struggle for Isaac’s blessing. Verse three, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow and go to the field and hunt game for me and make me savory food such as I love and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die. Well, when Rebecca overheard Isaac’s instructions to Esau, the firstborn, she devised a plan to secure the blessing for Jacob instead. Exploiting Isaac’s failing eyesight, she orchestrated the deception and Isaac unknowingly pronounced the blessing over Jacob. When Esau returned, the truth came crashing down. When Esau heard, verse 34, the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said, Bless me also, my father. But he said, your brother came with the seed and has taken away your blessing. Now, we’re tempted to ask, what’s the big deal? Why fight over a spoken blessing? Well, Scripture reminds us that words carry weight. The words we speak over the lives of our children shape their very future. To join us on our journey through the Bible, text Bible to 67742. That’s Bible to 67742. To join us each and every day for a study of the Scripture. Well, as mentioned earlier in the program, January is Sanctity of Human Life Month. And next week, tens of thousands will once again converge on Washington, D.C., for the annual March for Life. While the Supreme Court’s infamous Roe v. Wade decision was relegated to the dustbin of history three and a half years ago, the attack on life continues. Join me now to discuss this, Dr. Albert Moeller, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and host of The Briefing. He’s also editor of World Opinions and author of several books, including the most recent, Prophet, Priest and King, The Three Offices of Christ. Dr. Moeller, welcome back to Washington Watch and Happy New Year.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, Happy New Year to you, Tony, and it’s always good to be with you.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, it’s great, great to hear your voice. Let’s talk about this. You and I have been around for a while, and so we’ve seen how the battle for life, the sanctity of life has evolved over the years. How would you summarize where we are now and compare it to where we’ve been in the past. When we started on this march to defend life, you know, 48 years ago when most of the Baptists joined the effort. Thank God for the Catholics who were there first. But we’ve seen progress. But where are we today?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I appreciate the fact that you go back to the battle where it really started in terms of modern American history and the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973. It caught us by surprise. And as you well know, it caught evangelicals in a very awkward position. And as a matter of fact, many evangelicals had not thought the issue through, so had to think fast. And so in the period from 1973 until 1980, you’ve got a consolidating pro-life understanding. And at the same time, the Republican Party becomes very well identified with the pro-life cause. Ronald Reagan even writes a book about it. And so you had the two parties go in two different directions, and the issue of life is such a clear distinction that it’s interesting that one of the things that happened is you had Congressman Henry Hyde, along with others, but he took the lead in coming up with a measure that at the very least would prevent American taxpayers from paying for abortion with taxpayer money. And so, as you know, it was really initiated in 1976, had to go through several political battles. But by 1980, it was pretty much in shape. And, you know, it passed with vast bipartisan support, because even when you had a pro-abortion party and the Democrats became avidly more pro-abortion every cycle, the fact is that even Joe Biden, until a political gun was put to his head in terms of gaining the nomination for the 2000 race. Even Joe Biden had voted for the Hyde Amendment every single time it had come up. And so we’re now in a position in which the Democrats are radically more abortion than ever. And you’re exactly right to point to President Trump’s comment when he said that Republicans have to be flexible on this issue. You know, we can be flexible on many things, but on this issue, I’m sorry, there’s no flexibility.
SPEAKER 05 :
What’s interesting about this, as you pointed out, Henry Hyde, who I had the privilege of knowing before he passed away, this was kind of the only common ground on this issue that was carved out. It was like an area where people could meet and say, all right, I disagree with you over this issue, but… I agree that we shouldn’t force people to participate in. And that was the standard this year marks 50 years. Now, we did see Hillary Clinton, you know, clamoring back, you know, when she was running for president, that we need to get rid of the Hyde Amendment. And then, as you pointed out, Biden changing his position on it. But the Republicans had etched this into cement into their party platform until that platform was ripped up in this last go around. I mean, this is shocking. And I think in part the president just doesn’t understand the history of this and how hard fought a battle this has been.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, when you see the president’s comments, you’re going to have to be flexible on this. I think it underscores again that sometimes the president of the United States just does not understand. Donald Trump, as president, doesn’t understand the importance of principle in the pro-life defense. And so much of politics is just purely transactional. And we’re talking about marginal tax rates or zoning laws, any number of things. There can be flexibility. But when it comes to the difference between life and death, we’ve got no ground to be flexible. My hope is… that the president made that comment in a way that was basically about time. But time’s running out, and we have no flexibility on this issue. And, you know, Tony, I’m going to put myself on the line here, and I think you’ll join with me. If the Republican Party, if the Trump administration ever backs off of Hyde, then Republicans are going to lose pro-life credibility for a generation and deserve to do so. This can’t happen.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, I would say, Dr. Mueller, that they will become a minority party. Because this is the issue that brought me off the streets as a police officer into the political arena. In fact, my building is filled with men and women who work here who came to Washington because of this issue, because of the sanctity of human life. And I think when you look at the ranks of Republican voters, they’re aligned with the party because the party is aligned with their values.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, I believe you and I were in a meeting together about 20 years ago when there was some wavering, there was some signaling coming from some Republicans. And several of us made the statement, look, if the Democratic Party is more pro-life than the Republican Party, you’re looking at future Democrats. Now, there’s actually no danger, sadly, of that happening. But the point is, the Republican Party is not my first commitment. And my first commitment is to the sanctity of human life. If the Republican Party stands for that, I’m going to stand with the Republican Party. And frankly, you know, unreservedly and rather unbrokenly with a lot of energy. But the moment pro-life Christians understand that the Republican Party is backing off this issue, you’re going to discover an awful lot of missing bumper stickers and an awful lot of missing voters by the millions.
SPEAKER 05 :
Here’s the good news is that this was the president making a statement that, again, I think, as you pointed out, he doesn’t clearly understand this. I mean, he’s he’s new to the ranks of politics. He doesn’t understand how this issue has been a an issue that pro-lifers coalesced with the Republican Party, as you talked about Ronald Reagan picking it up. And in fact, it’s been in the party platform since, I think, 1980. It’s been in the party platform. This has been the position. You know, I can tell you from my conversations with those who were in the room when he said that there was shock, I do not believe that there is any movement by the rank and file Republican elected leaders to move away from this issue. Although I would say this. It’s always important when those types of things are said that the pro-life community, the evangelical community, the Catholic community responds and say, all right, you may have misspoken, but I want you to hear me very clearly.
SPEAKER 03 :
That is a red line for us. It’s one of the reasons I appreciate what you’re doing right now. You’re raising this issue. And that, of course, is a way of speaking to our own folks, but it’s also a way of signaling to the White House. You know, President Trump became famous as a businessman and famously for his book, The Art of the Deal. And you know what? He understands how to make a deal. He also has to understand a deal breaker. And we have to make very clear that this is a deal breaker. that the affection that conservative pro-lifers have for the Trump administration is actually dependent upon his holding the line on the Hyde Amendment and, frankly, on related pro-life issues. And here’s the thing. You know, I think since his inauguration to his second term, the president has actually taken some incredibly bold and important action. He needs to hold by these very actions he’s taken. He’s actually taken some very constructive actions related to Hyde Amendment and to federal funding issues related to abortion. Mr. President? Stay on track.
SPEAKER 05 :
So let me I got to ask you an important question, Dr. Mueller, because, you know, when we talk about this and our listeners and viewers are saying, well, how can you say this about what the president said when you say that he does good things and you support him? How can you say that he does things that are bad? I mean, I think we have to, number one, go back to what you said about our allegiance is not to a party or to a politician. It is to the kingdom of God and to his word. We can applaud and encourage those who do the right thing. At the same time, when they make a mistake, we need to tell them this is unacceptable because the standard by which we operate is transcendent truth, the Word of God. And that doesn’t change no matter what party you’re in.
SPEAKER 03 :
Tony, I’ll age myself. I’ll simply say that in the battles we had in the 80s, some of those battles were inside the Reagan administration. Sometimes it meant evangelicals holding the Reagan administration’s feet to the fire on this. And this is the way politics works, and you know it as well as anyone on planet Earth. And we just need our folks to understand that politics means eternal vigilance on the issues that are unshakable and unnegotiable. And this is one of them.
SPEAKER 05 :
It is the church walking in and understanding its prophetic role in society. When I say prophetic, that is proclaiming the Word of God and its truth, whether it is, you know, received or not, whether it’s welcomed or not. That’s our role. We’re to be the moral conscience. That is, I mean, that’s why we have separation of church and state. We want the two separate so that we can speak into it the truth and not be influenced by its policies.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, I like the way you put that. Let me put it this way. I think we should fear the future of conservatism in which conservatives and the conservative base are our friends and allies. If they only speak the truth to the other side, we’re in big trouble. Yeah. We’re only consistent if we speak the truth to our side and to our tribe and make it stick. If we are about principle, which we are, then we’ve got to live by that principle. And you know what? We’ve got to say out loud where the lines are. And I’m so thankful for you drawing a clear line here at FRC because this is a very clear line. And you know what? It’s also important we just point to the history. Republicans have been united on this since 1976. We have had amazing electoral victories and political victories since 1976. I believe that Republican consensus on this and commitment is one of the reasons why Republicans have been successful. I think to abandon Hyde is not only, first of all, just morally abhorrent. Secondly, it’s politically disastrous.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right, right. We just have about a minute left, Dr. Mueller, but I want to throw into this. We’ll have to continue the conversation elsewhere. We’re talking about Hyde. But the abortion drug, which federal policy is allowing it to be mailed into states, is another issue that we have to address.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s right. And I think there’s some progress in terms of people inside the administration speaking very clearly to this. But I think this is going to end up in the courts. And we really need to get the ball rolling on this. And so I think one of the things you’re doing effectively is we just need to tell Americans, look, All the victory that came with the Dobbs decision in 2022 is being subverted and undone through uncontrolled mails in the mail, postal deliveries of the abortion pill. And what a sad, tragic irony that we would win at the Supreme Court and lose at the mailbox. This has to be stopped.
SPEAKER 05 :
Prior to the overturn of Roe, 933,000 abortions per year. After the overturn of Roe, it’s jumped to 1.1 million. Why? Because of the abortion pill. That’s right.
SPEAKER 03 :
The abortion pill has made it easy. And, you know, you and I have been in this battle for a long time. And to think that it comes down to a pill, the culture of death in a pill, Americans need to be infuriated and outraged about this.
SPEAKER 05 :
Dr. Al Mohler, always great to see you, my friend. Thanks so much for joining us.
SPEAKER 03 :
Glad to be in the battle with you, Tony. God bless you.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, brother. Folks, a lot to pray about. We need to be praying. We need to be voting and we need to be standing for the truth. Until next time, keep standing.
SPEAKER 13 :
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.
