In this thought-provoking episode of Washington Watch, Tony Perkins dives into pivotal issues facing our nation and beyond, examining recent developments with a biblical lens. The U.S. Supreme Court has recently heard two key cases that have could impact the future of women’s sports and gender policies. With special guests including Jonathan Scruggs and Casey Harper, the episode unpacks the legal arguments, societal implications, and what it means for equality and religious beliefs.
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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.
SPEAKER 16 :
I can’t believe we’d even go to the Supreme Court. I mean, could you imagine 20 years ago talking about men playing in women’s sports? They’d think you’re crazy. Or transgender for everybody? If you said there will be no mutilation on children, that’s one of my standard lines. We will not allow the mutilation of a child. Can you imagine having to say that 15 years ago? People would say, is that guy crazy? Of course we won’t. But we’re living in a different time. It’s a crazy time we’re living in.
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That was President Donald Trump earlier today discussing a key case that was before the U.S. Supreme Court today. Welcome to this January 13th edition of Washington Watch. I’m your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for tuning in. Well, coming up, today the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two transgender cases that could result in landmark decisions. The two cases, one from West Virginia and the other from Idaho, will shape the future of women’s sports. Jonathan Scruggs, president of Alliance Defending Freedom, will join us to explain what’s at stake and why these rulings matter for female athletes. Plus, Americans are being called to pray and repent tomorrow at noon in response to domestic unrest and international conflict. Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, will join us to discuss this urgent call and share how believers can respond in faith during this nationwide time of prayer. Well, today, the nine justices of the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two major cases, one from West Virginia and the other from Idaho. They could have major implications for the future of women’s sports nationwide. Now, at the heart of the debate, is a basic belief grounded in both faith and science that God created men and women as biologically distinct. Now, supporters of these laws saying protecting women’s sports honors that design and preserves fairness, safety, and equal opportunity for female athletes. Court is now being asked to decide whether states can uphold these protections in their state laws. Joining me now is Washington Stand reporter Casey Harper, who has been tracking this story and is outside the Supreme Court. Casey, give us an overview of how today’s case, the oral arguments went.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, that’s right, Tony. I’m here outside the Supreme Court where earlier today protesters on both sides gathered to make their voice heard on a case that really could set major precedent for the transgender issue, transgender athletes in school sports around the country. So the supporters in the case today, you know, they argue that this law makes inherent physical advantages that boys have over girls lead to unfairness for young girls. Here’s what the West Virginia attorney had to say.
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West Virginia schools can no longer designate teams by looking to biological sex. Instead, schools must place students on sports teams based on their self-identified gender. But that idea turns Title IX, a law Congress passed to protect educational opportunities for girls, into a law that actually denies those opportunities for girls.
SPEAKER 09 :
So, Tony, this case is really the culmination of a long-standing, ongoing transgender athlete debate. The defenders of the transgender athletes say that this is just about basic fairness for the girls, but the defenders of the West Virginia and Idaho laws say, hey, this is actually about fairness for the girls who we know have been injured by transgender male athletes, who have had their records taken, and who have often lost places and opportunities to compete. This case, we should expect a ruling in the summer, Tony.
SPEAKER 03 :
We’re going to talk more about that a little bit later with Jonathan Scruggs of Alliance Defending Freedom, who was arguing the case today Alliance Defending Freedom was. All right, Casey, let’s switch gears. Let’s talk about the situation in Minnesota. What’s the latest out of Minneapolis?
SPEAKER 09 :
That’s right, Tony. So Minneapolis is seeing protests continue in the city as we’re also seeing around the country. But Keith Ellison in Minneapolis is actually suing the Department of Homeland Security over this. Here’s what he had to say.
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We asked the courts to end the DHS unlawful behavior in our state. The intimidation, the threats, the violence. We asked the courts to end the tactics on our places of worship, our schools, our courts, our marketplaces.
SPEAKER 09 :
And so Tony, these these protests are coming after. Of course the. fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis at the hands of an ICE officer amid ongoing deportation efforts, not just in Minneapolis, but around the country. And it all started, as you know, with that investigation into massive $9 billion at least that we know of worth the fraud in Minnesota, in Minneapolis, which is under investigation now by the federal government. A lot of issues overlapping, culminating in ongoing protests, and I don’t think that it’s going away anytime soon.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah. Well, again, we’ve talked about this before, and I guess we’ll continue to track it, but it’s just a symptom of the lawlessness that we’ve seen in many of these blue states for a number of years. Let’s switch gears to the situation in Iran. President Trump is urging Iranians to keep protesting, saying help is on the way as Iran’s government intensifies its deadly crackdown. What’s the latest information we have out of Iran?
SPEAKER 09 :
Yes, so President Trump called on Iranian protesters to continue their demonstrations, even spoke of the US coming to help. But what do we know to your question about going on inside the country? Unfortunately, we have at least the death toll right now is at least about 2000 protesters have been killed by the Iranian government. We also have reports of mass arrests within the country, and that’s likely what helped prompt President Trump to make these threats. He’s also announced new tariffs on countries doing business with Iran, and he’s not ruled out that further military action. At least for now, despite the US pressure and the ongoing protests, the Iranian government is holding, but the situation is changing day by day, Tony.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right. Thank you, Casey. Appreciate the update there from the US Supreme Court. Well, yesterday on our show, Dr. Hormez Shariat shared firsthand insight into what Christians are experiencing there in Iran. And we’re going to talk more about the situation in Iran a little bit later and how we really need to be praying for that country when we’re joined by Texas Congressman Keith Self, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The House received a classified briefing yesterday evening on the situation in Iran. So we’ll hope to find out a little bit more about that later. Well, tomorrow morning, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, and Labor and Pension, known as the HELP Committee, will be holding a hearing on exposing the dangers of chemical abortion drugs. And later in the afternoon, I’ll actually be joining Senator Lindsey Graham, a couple of state attorneys general, as well as pro-life lawmakers from both the House and the Senate for a press conference on that issue as well. So tomorrow is going to be a big day for a very important topic, this issue of the abortion drug. that is being mailed in to the states. I’ve talked about this on the program a number of times. This is a happening because of a policy put in place by the biden administration after the overturn of roe they were they had all of government approach you might remember that term designed to how they could circumvent the overturn of roe v wade allowing states then to pass pro-life laws which about a dozen states have you know they have ironclad laws protecting the unborn and their mothers Well, what’s happened is that abortion rates in the country have actually increased. That’s right. They’ve increased since the overturn of Roe. Now you say, well, that doesn’t make sense. They should have declined. They should have. But what’s happened is that Planned Parenthood, you know, we saw in the big one big beautiful bill. The closing, well, at least the one year defunding of Planned Parenthood. And then you heard they were closing all of their businesses or closing a number of their clinics. Well, nothing was happening in those clinics. They have, like Amazon, they’ve shifted their business model. They’re actually mailing these abortion drugs in. And so over 70% of abortions are now done through abortion drugs. That’s right. And these states that have pro-life laws are having those laws circumvented. Prior to the overturn of the road, 933,000 abortions, Today, 1.1 million. Joining me now to discuss this, Congressman Marlon Stutzman, who serves on the House Budget Committee as well as the Financial Services Committee. He represents the Third Congressional District of Indiana. He joins us just off the House floor. The House is in a series of votes on a number of workplace measures, including one extremely important bill that is being voted on right now, H.R. 4593, saving homeowners from overregulation with Exceptional Rinsing Act, or the Shower Act. revising the definition of showerheads. Congressman Stutzman, welcome back to Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 14 :
Tony, always great to be with you. Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I hope we’re getting the right kind of showerheads.
SPEAKER 14 :
You know, sometimes you just think that things like this can’t be made up that Congress would have to deal with. But it shows you what has happened over time, that we just have so much government in Washington, D.C., to the point that agencies have to get involved with our showerheads. And Representative Fry, Russell Fry, a great friend from South Carolina, has a bill to not allow the government to be getting that much involved. And so, of course, the Democrats are fighting us on this. But we just feel that it’s right that the federal government doesn’t have to be involved to that extent, and that there should be definitions that are common sense. When it comes to water usage, of course, that’s what the big issue is, the underlying issue.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, taxpayers certainly have taken a bath at the hands of the federal government, but now we’re talking about showers. All right, let’s talk about Mifeprestone, the abortion drug. You’re going to be joining us tomorrow on this press conference over in the Senate side. Talk about the importance of this and why it matters.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, well, you know, of course, we’re all elated and so thankful that President Trump, of course, nominated conservatives to the bench and that Roe versus Wade was overturned. And, you know, now what we’ve seen, and again, you know, Tony, we know that the abortion industry will never stop. They will never stop. And they’re always going to find another way to aborting babies in America. And this is another way that they’ve done it through the abortion pills and through you know, easier regulations through, of course, the Biden administration. And, you know, and that’s what it’s just so sad that, you know, here we had this great win, letting the states making decisions and we’re winning at the state level. Not every state, of course, like California, New York and Illinois. But, you know, a lot of the conservative states have strong pro-life legislation. But this abortion pill is one that we have got to address. In fact, we’re seeing now more babies being murdered because of the abortion pill than what we’ve seen in the past. And this is something that I think, unfortunately, Tony, I think the abortion pill makes it almost easier in a lot of cases. People just take a pill and that’s it. And we need to address this from… a standpoint of, you know, just ethics and the character of our country, that this is something that we’re not going to allow.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, they make it sound simple, but we now have a rise in health complications, women who are dying and ending up in the emergency room because they’ve been misled on the effects of this abortion pill. I mean, we just have about a minute left, Congressman Stutzman, but this is something that the Trump administration, the FDA could change overnight.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, and I think that’s what’s important for us in the pro-life movement and the conservative movement, those of us in Congress and the partnerships and coalitions that we have to just address this. And that’s part of the reason with the press conference to bring attention to this matter. The FDA can move, and they can – again, President Trump is so willing – to do executive orders, and the administration can move. We can do these things in the House and in the Senate. It’s much more difficult, but at least the precedent could be set through the administration. I hope that that’s the message that is sent. We want to be partners with the administration when it comes to pro-life policy, and so tomorrow is one of those days that we are going to be talking about an issue that we should be passing through Congress. We are, of course, going to attempt to, I’m sure Democrats are going to try to object at some point. Maybe we can get it done in a reconciliation package. It’ll be difficult with the rules around that in the Senate. But we could definitely, of course, move just simply through the FDA. And I hope that that’s what will be heard tomorrow.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, Congressman Marlon Stutzman, I’ll see you tomorrow on Capitol Hill. All right, folks, stick with us. We’re back with more Washington Watch right after this.
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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 U.S. 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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Welcome back to Washington. Watch the website, TonyPerkins.com. Be sure and check that out. All right. As we mentioned at the top of the program earlier today, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a pair of cases involving biological males competing in female sports, one out of Idaho and the other out of West Virginia. Presently, 27 states have laws protecting fairness in female sports. Where’s the rest of them? I mean, it’s obvious men and women are different. So how did today’s oral arguments go? Joining me now to discuss this, Jonathan Scruggs, senior counsel and vice president of litigation strategy at Alliance Defending Freedom, which has been involved in both the West Virginia case and the Idaho case. Jonathan, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us. You know, thanks so much for having me, Tony. All right. So the reports that I’ve read sounded like a majority of the justices were like scratching their heads. Why are we talking about this? It sounds like the arguments today went in the favor of women’s sports.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, they did. As you noted, the issue before the court was whether states can preserve women’s sports for women. And the answer to that question is obviously yes. Men shouldn’t be in women’s sports. I think the most shocking thing I heard at the entire oral argument, and I was there, was the ACLU was asked, what is the meaning of sex? And they couldn’t provide a definition. They couldn’t say what sex meant, and they couldn’t say what a woman was. And if you don’t know what sex is, how do you know what sex discrimination is? And so the ACLU’s argument effectively was erasing women from women’s sports. And if you can’t define what a woman is, that means anyone can claim to be a woman and can attempt to go on a women’s sports team, can go in a women’s shower or women’s locker room, and that means women and girls get harmed. So I think that was the most shocking thing I heard of the argument, and I think the justices were seen through that fog and were going to hopefully side with the states of Idaho and West Virginia to protect women’s sports.
SPEAKER 03 :
I’m a little concerned, Jonathan, if you’re a lawyer that is arguing before the nation’s highest court and you can’t define what a woman is, I think someone needs to check your credentials.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, and it’s a sad state that this is where the ACLU is, right? It doesn’t take a PhD or a law degree to answer these questions. You know, men and women are different, as you noted, and we should preserve and protect women’s sport, preserve them for women. And if you don’t do that, then women get hurt. In West Virginia alone, in this case, The male athlete beat over 400 different girls 1100 times and took away 57 medals. How many girls have to get harmed? How many girls have to get replaced on the podium before we wake up and see that it harms women? If we erase the female category, we have to protect women’s sports.
SPEAKER 03 :
It’s just it’s. Nonsensical, but it is what we’re dealing with. So let’s talk about, as I kind of read through the transcripts, it sounded as if the kind of the liberal members of the court were hoping to prod the conservative members into a very narrow kind of focus on this that might just deal with these two states as opposed to a decision that will have implications nationwide. I don’t see how you deal with this without addressing the overall issue nationally.
SPEAKER 11 :
That’s right. I mean, that’s why, and it goes to that, I think, I believe it was Justice Alito asked the question, how do you define sex? That’s the key issue. Because if you define it correctly, everything follows from that. And so if you answer the question like the ACLU did and says, I can’t give you a definition, it is nonsensical it doesn’t make any sense at all and the sports analogy i think i’d use is you know if you know you’re losing all you do is you try to extend the game right and that’s what the aclu is trying to do here they’re trying to extend the game uh but in the meantime women and girls are getting hurt and that’s what happens
SPEAKER 03 :
They’re trying to extend the game, hoping that they get a court that will side with their nonsensical position is probably what they’re trying to do because they know the momentum is not in their favor right now because we have an administration that is calling this out. We’ve got a court that is sticking to the Constitution and not creating new law. Talk about the relationship to the Title IX decision. Some references were made to that. That was another big case that the court dealt with earlier that opened the door to some of this.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, I think you might be referring to the Bostock case, which was under Title VII. And so that case involved employment. And employment is a totally different situation. It violates Title VII if you try to sex-separate McDonald’s. But it doesn’t violate Title IX if you need to sex-separate sports. That’s just common sense. Because biology matters in sports. It doesn’t matter in other employment situations.
SPEAKER 03 :
But it does in a way. So, I mean, I think I mean, I think I see their concern, Jonathan, because if if there’s a concern in the locker room where you’re mixing these sexes and forcing people and I know there’s a safety issue, I know there’s a competition issue, but there’s there’s other issues here as well. I mean, so their concern is once you agree that women are different in sports, you’re going to agree that they’re different in the stall next to you in the bathroom and McDonald’s or whatever. So I think I see their concern because you can’t contain common sense and truth.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, I agree with that, and that’s why Title IX is not just about sports, but it is about distinctions in showers and locker rooms and things like that, and those matter. Title IX, the way to read Title IX is you essentially ask, does sex matter? And there are situations where everyone agrees it does, like in athletics, like in showers, like in locker rooms. Women should be protected in those situations. It’s okay to recognize real differences.
SPEAKER 03 :
Right. So the court will this will they’ll be taking they’ve taken the oral arguments. They’ll be looking at this. So this will be one of the decisions that will come out probably in June or July. Right.
SPEAKER 11 :
That’s right. And the key one thing key to remember is this case might not decide every issue just because the Supreme Court says that red states can do the right thing. What about with female athletes in the blue states? We’ve got to protect them, too. And those are cases going on in the lower court right now. that ADF is litigating.
SPEAKER 03 :
Let me ask you about that, Jonathan. We just have about a minute left. If the court rules, is the ruling most likely just allowing states to protect women and women’s sports so that the blue states can still do crazy stuff? Then you’re going to have these associations making decisions like we’re not going to compete in this state because this state is putting women at risk. I mean, this long term doesn’t seem like that’s workable.
SPEAKER 11 :
I think you’re exactly right. And yes, the court here in this case is going to decide whether states may do the right thing. But there’s other cases, like I said, that Alliance Defending Freedom is litigating that are vital to protecting women’s sports. Title IX does not just allow states to protect women. It requires them to do so. We need to protect girls and women in these other states and across the country.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, Jonathan, thanks for joining us today. As always, appreciate the great work that Alliance Defending Freedom does. Good to see you. All right, something else to add to your prayer list. We need to be praying for the court as they will gather later this week. Generally speaking, that’s what they do after they hear the oral arguments. And most of them will make their decision. They won’t be released until June or July, but we need to be praying for them. Speaking of prayer, Franklin Graham calling the nation to pray. He joins me next to talk about this call to prayer and repentance. 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 as we talk about a part of what we’re doing here at Washington Watch is giving you news and information from a biblical perspective to inform you on what’s happening what you need to do about it, and most importantly, how to pray. You hear me talk about that a lot. We need to pray. When you look at what’s happening in our nation, what is happening around the world, the unrest here at home, the uncertainty abroad, we need to be praying. We need to be praying. And that’s what Americans across the nation are going to do tomorrow at noon. And it’s being led by our good friend Franklin Graham. He joins me now as he’s calling the nation to pray, to repent, and to seek God. Joining us now, Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Franklin, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you, Tony, for having me.
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You know, we often talk about the work of Samaritan’s Purse and, you know, you’re always responding to the disasters, but here is a crisis, a spiritual crisis our nation is facing at this moment, and it’s quite evident.
SPEAKER 01 :
Tony, it is. And I think when you see the riots that are taking place on the streets against our law enforcement, and you see people out there agitating, and so many people are falling for this, and we need to pray. But I believe more than anything, we need to not only pray, but we need to repent, and repent of our sins individually, But repent of our sins as a nation. I think of the sins of our country, Tony, the abortion, transgender issues. The Supreme Court is going to be ruling soon on men and women’s locker rooms and bathrooms and those kind of spaces. 15 years ago, 10 years ago, this would have never even been a thought in anybody’s mind. But we see abortion and these things that have come into our society that we treat as normal. And this grieves God. It grieves the heart of God. And I believe we need to repent of those sins and ask God’s forgiveness. And we need to pray for our leaders. Tony, I think of the president. The crises that are in the world, Iran, Gaza, Ukraine, Venezuela. I mean, just you go around the world or just about wherever. You want to put your finger on the map. There’s an issue, a crisis that needs some of the president’s attention. And I don’t see how he does it. But we need to pray for him and all those around him. Marco Rubio, our secretary of state. And there’s so many right now, especially I just think of all of our law enforcement officers out there. that are being pelted with snowballs and people are cursing. And they’re trying to remove people in this country who came in illegally under the Biden administration, but who came in illegally, who many of them are criminals. And they’re protecting our communities, but it’s like our communities are blind to the truth and don’t understand the truth. And so that’s why I think we need prayer, Tony. There’s no hope except God.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I appreciate the call to prayer because I think, Franklin, there’s a risk of looking at what’s happening on the surface in Minneapolis and the rioting and the resistance to law enforcement. And see, that is the problem. That’s a symptom of a much deeper problem, as you’ve pointed out. I mean, there’s lawlessness that has been unleashed on this country, on our culture. And it goes back to a rejection of God’s truth. And the repentance is not repenting to the government. It’s repenting to God that we’ve deviated from his ways.
SPEAKER 01 :
Exactly right, Tony, and that’s so true. But that’s why I believe the only hope for America is God. It’s not President Trump, and I think people expect him to solve all the problems and ills of our country. But our country, there’s a moral issue here, a spiritual issue, and only God can solve these issues, and we need God. And I believe if we call on God, And this is just, this call to prayer is for 12 noon. And it’s not 12 noon Eastern, it’s just 12 noon. So wherever you are when it’s 12 noon, just stop, whatever you’re doing, and pray. Remember to pray for the president specifically, director of Homeland Security, military, I think of Hegseth, what a responsibility he has. But to pray for our leaders. But then let’s pray for people like Iran, the Iranian people that are suffering so much right now. And we need to pray for them. As well as not just Iran, but Venezuela. The people of Venezuela have suffered for so many years under Maduro and Chavez before him. These people have just been beaten down. They’ve been robbed and left along the ditch of life’s road in poverty there. We need to pray for them. So if a person could just take a few minutes tomorrow at noon and just pray. I believe God hears prayer. I believe in prayer. God answers prayer. And this is a time for people that believe in prayer to stand together and let’s call upon the name of the Lord and ask for help.
SPEAKER 03 :
A wave of prayer across the nation at noon tomorrow. And I encourage you folks just to… Mark your calendar. Go ahead and set it in your phone, an alarm to remind you to pray at noon tomorrow. Franklin Graham, always great to see you, my friend. Thanks so much for taking time to join us today. And we’ll be joining you tomorrow at noon in prayer.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you, Tony. God bless you, sir.
SPEAKER 03 :
Folks, I do encourage you. We talk about solving problems. Let’s be a part of the solution. Let’s pray. Let’s not just be commentators on the chaos. Let’s pray for God’s solutions. And that is, you know, he says, repent, turn back to him and see if he doesn’t hear our prayers and pour out a blessing on this nation. Tomorrow, 12 noon, pray for America, pray for believers around the world. All right, don’t go away. We’re going to be right back with more Washington Watch 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 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.
SPEAKER 08 :
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 godandgovernment 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 03 :
This is Washington Watch. I’m Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for tuning in and being a part of Washington Watch. The website, TonyPerkins.com. Lots of resources there for you. Even more resources at the Stand Firm app. If you’ve not yet downloaded the Stand Firm app, go to the App Store, get the Stand Firm app. That way you have access to Washington Watch. You’ll get the Washington Stand, our news and commentary from a biblical perspective. along with a lot of other tools to be an engaged, informed citizen, as well as the daily devotional stand on the word. By the way, as we were talking with Franklin about tomorrow having the nation at noon praying, repenting, seeking God’s direction for our leaders. Coming up February the 4th, go ahead and mark your calendars for this. We have the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance. It’ll be at the Museum of the Bible. It will be live streamed. You’ll be able to find it on the Stand Firm app. It’ll be a gathering of we’re going to do something a little different this year. Dr. Jim Garlow and I have been doing this for the last four years. I think this may be the fifth year. This year, going into the 250th anniversary, we’re going to have state leaders coming from all 50 states that are going to be praying for the states. And we’re going to pray for those states in the order they came into the union. And the goal here is to… bring back to awareness and memory the biblical foundation of our nation and where those states stood. And it’s amazing when you look at their founding documents of those states, as well as the nation, their references to God, the biblical foundations of our country. And that’s what we’re going to be praying into and repenting from departing from that truth. So mark your calendar, February the 4th. All right, our word for today comes from Genesis chapter 30. And it came to pass when Rachel had born Joseph that Jacob said to Laban, send me away that I may go to my own place and to my country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you and let me go for you know my service which I have done for you. And Laban said to him, please stay if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake. So why did Laban want Jacob to stay? Did he want more time with the grandkids? No, I think it was a clear understanding that his prosperity was tied to the blessing of God that was resting upon Jacob. Even though Laban did not walk faithfully with the Lord, he benefited from being near someone who did. You know, we often talk about collateral damage, the unintended harm experienced by those not directly involved in a decision or an action. But this passage reveals the opposite truth, collateral benefit. When God’s people live in obedience, faithfulness and integrity, the blessing of God overflows to those around them. Never underestimate the impact of walking faithfully with the Lord. Your obedience may be the very means by which others experience God’s blessing, sometimes without even realizing it. To find out more about our journey through the Bible, text BIBLE to 67742. That’s BIBLE to 67742. All right, as we were just mentioned briefly with Franklin Graham about praying for Iran, that situation has intensified. Hundreds of protesters who have taken to the streets of Iran have reportedly been killed, with some estimates reaching toward the 2,000 mark. As the Iranian regime cracks down on unrest, President Trump announced yesterday that countries doing business with Iran will face a 25 percent tariff from the United States. The president has also said military options are on the table. So what is the administration’s red line? The administration briefed members of Congress on the situation yesterday. Joining me now to discuss this, Congressman Keith Self, who serves on several House committees, including the Foreign Affairs Committee. He also served our country for 25 years in the Army before retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He represents the 3rd Congressional District of Texas. Congressman Self, welcome back to Washington Watch. Happy New Year. Thanks so much for joining us.
SPEAKER 15 :
Thank you for having me, Tony.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right. One of our guests yesterday had talked about how people in Iran are willing to die for change in their country. The situation appears to be quite desperate when we look at what sources of information we’ve gotten. It’s been somewhat limited as there’s been a blackout. What do you know? What has the administration shared with you that you can share with us?
SPEAKER 15 :
Well, I won’t get into anything classified, but yes, we have hundreds dead, if not thousands. But they’ve not yet reached the tipping point. This is a contest of the wills. The people of Iran against the government of Iran, the regime of Iran, the Ayatollah and his henchmen. So this is where we stand today. The people of Iran have decided that this may be the time, and I hope they have the will to persevere. There’s such a thing as a tipping point, Tony. We’ve not yet reached the tipping point here where one of the two sides is going to prevail over the other. So I encourage the people of Iran to continue the fight because it is worth it. The sacrifice is worth it going forward for the nation of Iran.
SPEAKER 03 :
Congressman Self, is there a difference with this protest, with these demonstrations that are taking place now, juxtaposed to what we’ve seen in the last few years, a couple years ago when we saw the protest in Iran?
SPEAKER 15 :
Well, the first thing is the weakness of the regime. Not only the 12-day war, but the devastation to their nuclear program, to the sanctions have started to bite. Look, the protests are all about the economy. They’re not about the nuclear program or anything else. They’re about the economy. So the economy is in pretty much dire straits. So that’s why it started. So there are no quick fixes for this protest. In the past, the regime has been stronger. Now the regime is weaker internationally and domestic because of the prices, because of the inflation. So I think there are some calculable differences now because of the weakness of the regime.
SPEAKER 03 :
The president over the weekend I guess it was on Sunday said that they were watching the administration was watching and if protesters were killed they would get hit and they would get hit hard. Is there a red line for the Trump administration on this that if the regime crosses that they will act.
SPEAKER 15 :
Well, I certainly can’t speak for the administration because I’m not in the inner circle. But I believe there is. And if they continue to imprison more than 10,000, if they continue to kill upwards of several thousand or more, if the brutality increases, and they’ve now started to execute people. So if that brutality ramps up, if the numbers ramp up, I think the president, because of what he said, and he’s a president that does what he says, I think that he will be, he will act. Now, there’s a couple of things. Will it be kinetic? Will it be cyber? He’s got some options available to him. But I suspect if his red line is crossed, he will act.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, Congressman, you talk about really a test of the wills. We were talking with Dr. Hormuz Shariat yesterday with Iran Alive. And they’re in constant communication. They have a ministry there in Iran. And they said, you know, the young people in particular are just desperate. They have nothing to live for, so they might as well die for something. And I mean, when you have a population that’s at that point that they have no reason to continue living under your repressive regime and if they’re going to die, they’d rather die for something that might lead to hope. The regime has a real problem on its hand, I would think.
SPEAKER 15 :
Absolutely. That’s exactly when heroic actions take place, when there is no hope, when it is desperate. So I expect that we will start to see some heroic actions by the young people of Iran. And make no mistake about it, Iran is pretty young population-wise. So they do have, I think, a center of mass that can make a difference in these protests. But yes, that’s when heroic actions take place.
SPEAKER 03 :
Now, there’s often been concerns about regime change in the Middle East because oftentimes a bad situation goes into a worse situation because, you know, we’ve seen these dictators that have been removed only to have a worse scenario. But Iran has a rich history of being a friend of the United States. And so there’s a foundation there that makes it a little bit different than some of the other Middle Eastern countries.
SPEAKER 15 :
Well, there is. And Tony, let’s go back. Look, President Jimmy Carter is personally responsible for the Ayatollah. He put the Ayatollah in place, the original Ayatollah Khomeini, because he thought he would be better on human rights. What a mistake. The nation of Iran, the Iranian people have suffered for 45 plus years now. personally because of Jimmy Carter. And now they are trying to fix it on their own. And we’ll see if President Trump steps in. But history, yes, they are a very proud nation. They don’t refer to themselves. They do refer to themselves as Persians. They want to be known as Persians, as a separate culture.
SPEAKER 03 :
What type of ally might we have there. I mean we’ve got a great relationship with with Israel but Iran could be under the right leadership. Another ally for the United States and the Middle East.
SPEAKER 15 :
Well, absolutely. They are Shia Muslims as opposed to Sunni Muslims. Now, we tend to think of Shia as the more active, but actually it’s the Wahhabis under Sunni Islam that are the most dangerous. So I believe that what you say could be true. If they reestablish Persian culture and Shia Islam under a benevolent regime of some sort, and I’m not going to get into nation building, if they can do that, what you say might be true.
SPEAKER 03 :
Speaking to history, going back to that point of desperation, that tipping point, the fall of the Berlin Wall when when the when the Eastern Europe was opened up it really came to that that tipping point where we saw those who wanted freedom and they understood what was available to them on the other side of the wall. They were willing to face whatever to bring it about. And It was a test of wills, and there came that tipping point. Of course, you know, Ronald Reagan played a key role in that when he challenged Gorbachev to tear down the wall. And so the West speaking into those desiring freedom has a powerful impact.
SPEAKER 15 :
We should, and we should be broadcasting in as we can. The Starlink, they’ve shut down the Internet. They’ve shut down all communications. They were allowing outgoing communications. that and do what we can to get a message in as we can. But it’s difficult because the regime has shut down much of the international and domestic communications. But do what we can to continue to encourage the people of Iran.
SPEAKER 03 :
How long do you think this this test of wills goes on. How long before we reach a tipping point.
SPEAKER 15 :
That is a great question Tony and it won’t be. brutality of the regime and depending on President Trump’s decision. This won’t take long.
SPEAKER 03 :
Let me let me. We lost you there for just a moment. You froze. I want to go back because I want to make sure our viewers and listeners hear all of what you had to say in terms of how long might we be. They be at this before we see a breakthrough.
SPEAKER 15 :
Yeah, I don’t think it’ll be long, Tony. I think either the brutality of the regime will overwhelm them or President Trump will intervene to help. I don’t know how that’s going to play out, but it won’t be long before we see action. What, you know, I…
SPEAKER 03 :
I’m just going to ask you this question, because when we see what’s happening and you have the the intel and a lot of it’s classified, you can’t share. But there’s a spiritual battle that’s raging globally and we see it in that region of the world. How can how can our viewers and listeners be praying right now?
SPEAKER 15 :
Well, you need to be praying for the Iranian people because this takes a lot of courage, what they are trying to do, what they are doing, what they’re trying to facilitate. So pray for them. Find ways to support them. We need to be praying for the United States, for our president, because we are, at the end of the day, the sole superpower still, the spiritual leader. And I realize we have our own spiritual problems, Tony, but we send missionaries. We need to be supporting the Iranian people in their efforts against the regime.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, Congressman Keith Self, always great to see you, my friend. Thanks so much for taking time to join us today.
SPEAKER 15 :
Thank you, Tony.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, this hopefully will fuel your prayer tomorrow at noon as you join with thousands, hopefully millions of Americans who will be praying for our nation and praying for believers around the world. As we were just talking with Congressman Keith Self, Iran is at, I believe, very close to that tipping point. And I was glad he said, you know, he’s not going to get into nation building. We don’t have to rebuild the nation. We let the people do that. But we can inspire them to courage, to boldness as they yearn for freedom and pray for them and pray for this point, this tipping point to come quickly before more lives are lost. But this is You know, it’s very interesting. You look back at just what has happened in the last two and a half years, how the Middle East, the whole landscape has has shifted dramatically after the October 7th attack on Israel by Hamas from from Gaza. And just how it’s just it’s just been amazing to watch how quickly the world can change, how quickly things can change. Well, I would say fall into place when we look at the Bible and what the Lord, what the Bible says is going to be happening before the Lord’s return. I think we see a lot of that falling into place and we need to be praying. We need to be praying for boldness to share the gospel. You know, we need to be talking to people about their eternal destination. and sharing with them the love of Jesus Christ and the hope that is found only in the gospel and praying for believers. I was just communicating with a friend this morning who’s in Nigeria. You know, he said that the suffering is immense there, and we’re going to have him on the program next week when he returns. But we need to be praying for our brothers and sisters around the world. that are suffering because they identify with Jesus Christ. And then we’ve got a lot of things to pray about here at home as well. Praying against the spirit of lawlessness that has been unleashed on this country. And it’s not just one side or the other. You know, we are a country that, as John Adams said, our government was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other. We need to return to that foundation of biblical truth that this nation was built upon by our founders. What a great opportunity we have in the 250th anniversary of this country to return to that understanding that if America is to be great, It has to first be good. That only comes about when we return to God and do it his way. So I encourage you to join us, not only praying tomorrow at noon, join us February the 4th to pray, but pray each and every day for our nation, for our leaders. Pray that their hearts would be softened before God and directed by him. All right, thanks so much for joining us today. We’re out of time, but 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.
