Skip to content 11/12/2026 The Consequences of Recent Elections Become Clearer as We Move into the Final Months of 2026 Nov 12 · 59 min ...more
11/12/2026 The Consequences of Recent Elections Become Clearer as We Move into the Final Months of 2026
November 12, 2026 · 59 min
Iran continues ballistic missile program, amid talks between the Turkish and new Iranian President; National intelligence concerns raised over the extramarital affair of the Nvidia CEO; Texas’ chief justice-elect vows to sideline judges who don’t perform same-sex marriages; Nigerian efforts to protect Christians.
Series Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Video
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November 12, 2026 · 59 min · Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Video
Iran continues ballistic missile program, amid talks between the Turkish and new Iranian President; National intelligence concerns raised over the extramarital affair of the Nvidia CEO; Texas’ chief justice-elect vows to sideline judges who don’t perform same-sex marriages; Nigerian efforts to protect Christians. ...more Show the full description Show less Iran continues ballistic missile program, amid talks between the Turkish and new Iranian President; National intelligence concerns raised over the extramarital affair of the Nvidia CEO; Texas’ chief justice-elect vows to sideline judges who don’t perform same-sex marriages; Nigerian efforts to protect Christians.
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In this video 0:00 Headlines on Political Shifts and National Security Scandals18:54 Iran's Missile Production and Diplomatic Challenges38:24 NVIDIA Scandal and the AI Race with China59:00 Religious Liberty Threats in Texas Supreme Court59:01 Persecution of Christians in NigeriaComments No comments yet. Start the conversation.
Headlines on Political Shifts and National Security Scandals 0:00 Hello. I'm Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council and host of Washington Watch. Thanks for tuning in. Every day, we offer a biblical perspective on the news as well as insightful interviews with elected0:12 leaders, newsmakers, and culture experts. We have a great program planned for you today, but first, get up to speed on the top headlines with Washington Stan's news brief.0:27 Welcome to the Washington Stan news brief. I'm Casey Harper bringing you today's big stories. Another senate seat for the Democrats. Mississippi has been a red state for decades, but not anymore. Late Wednesday,0:38 Democratic challenger Scott Colom was declared the victor over incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde Smith.0:45 All I did was have the courage to imagine a night like this. I had the courage to believe in Mississippi. I had the0:57 courage to understand that we can show the country that Mississippi matters.1:03 Democrats now leave Republicans fifty five to forty four in the senate. That keeps them below the sixty vote threshold, but it does allow them to lose a few votes and still keep a simple majority.1:14 I have always believed that public service is about something much bigger than any one person or any one election. It is about the people we serve, the values we hold dear, and the
1:26 future we leave for our children and grandchildren. And while my time in the United States Senate may be coming to an end, my love for Mississippi and my determination to stand up for what is
1:38 right never will.
1:40 The one remaining seat is in Alaska where the race is still too close to call. One other news, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Wong has been ousted as CEO amidst pressure and scandal. The embattled
1:52 founder and CEO who founded the company and grew it to a four trillion dollar valuation recently admitted he had an affair. Reports indicate the woman may have been a Chinese spy. NVIDIA is a lead chipmaker
2:03 for artificial intelligence. They're on the cutting edge in the AI race against China. For that reason, there are strict controls on what tech and chips may be passed on or sold to China. Of course, all this has raised
2:15 questions about whether NVIDIA was compromised, whether tech was funneled to the Chinese, and how much Wang knew. NVIDIA is investigating as is the Department of Justice. President Trump said that the FBI
2:27 is looking into it.
2:29 He's an amazing guy. I just hope it's, I hope there's no problem. If there is a problem, we'll let you know about it, but I hope there's no problem. I believe he's suffering greatly. I read his statement, and I believe
2:41 he's suffering greatly, more so because of his family, his wife who he loves, and his family, but he is definitely suffering.
2:51 House minority leader, Hakim Jeffries, said Congress would be investigating as well.
2:55 It was the right thing to do. Now we have to get to the bottom of whether America's national security has been compromised.
3:03 Jeffrey said that in the new Democrat led congress, the Ford affairs and house intel committees would be leading the effort. This is just one of several investigations expected when Democrats take power in January. Wong
3:14 has agreed to testify before congress.
3:17 There certainly are more questions than answers. We had a classified briefing earlier this week. It was focused primarily on a situation in Iran.
3:30 We need a classified briefing made available to members of congress as it relates to the NVIDIA situation and to the extent that our national security has been compromised.
3:42 The American people deserve answers, and we're gonna work to make sure that happens.
3:49 The scandal has big implications for the economy. NVIDIA stocks took a tumble after the news broke, but much of the stock market is now propped up by AI companies, which project huge future earnings and have also
4:01 taken much of the investment capital in recent years. Before our last story, eight people were killed when an apartment building in Brooklyn collapsed on Wednesday.
4:11 We do not know how many people are still in the collapse zone, and this will be a prolonged operation. Its cause is under investigation.
4:21 Nearly twenty people, including three firefighters, were injured. The three story building tumbled into the next door construction site where excavation work was underway. Authorities said it would take days of searching
4:32 to make sure no one else is trapped underneath the rubble. Well, that is today's news. I'm Casey Harper. You can find out more at the Washington stand. As for us, we're back next time with more stories that
4:44 matter.
4:52 From the heart of our nation's capital in Washington DC, bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and sound bites into conversations with our nation's
5:03 leaders and newsmakers, all from a biblical world view. Sitting in for Tony is today's host, Jody Heiss.
5:10 The CPC designation was a wake up call for Nigeria and an urgent call to action to protect religious believers. This is only a first step. CPC is the beginning. It's not the
5:22 end, and it is a very, very dynamic process.
5:27 That was congressman Chris Smith speaking earlier today at a congressional hearing on the ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Welcome to this November twelfth edition of Washington
5:39 Watch. I'm your host, Jody Heiss, filling in today for Tony Perkins. Thank you for being on board with us. We've got a lot coming your way on today's program. We'll begin with this. A year after Nigeria
5:51 was designated a country of particular concern for religious freedom, Christians continue to face deadly attacks. Congressman Chris Smith, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee
6:03 on Africa, will be joining me a little bit later to discuss today's congressional hearing. He'll also explore what more can be done to stop the violence against Christians in Nigeria.
6:15 This is literally a matter of life and death for many believers in Nigeria. This issue definitely deserves our our full attention and our prayers.
6:27 Then later on Iran is reportedly still capable of producing around fifty ballistic missiles a month. So how does this complicate our military strategy, and what could it mean
6:39 for our efforts to try to reach a peace deal? Doctor Michael Rubin of the Middle East Forum will be joining me to unfold some very important information on the war with
6:51 Iran. And Nvidia, the CEO, Jensen Huang, has resigned. He did so following reports of a relationship that supposedly he was having with a
7:03 woman who some suspect is a Chinese spy. So what could this mean for the artificial intelligence race between America and China? Retired US army lieutenant
7:14 colonel Bob McGinnis will answer that question. He'll also stress the dire need for accountability in the AI industry. And then
7:26 newly elected chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court says that she plans to end protection for judges who refuse to perform same sex weddings due to their religious
7:38 convictions. Kelly Shackleford, who's president of First Liberty Institute, will sound the alarm for religious freedom. Imagine the shocking effect this could have on religious
7:50 liberties in Texas and beyond. By this declared notification from the chief justice, are Democrats potentially highlighting their agenda toward people of faith
8:02 now that they control the governor's office of Texas and the state legislature there? And could this spread to other states or even worse to the entire nation? Well, we'll find out. Answer to those questions that the
8:14 program unfolds today. So all that and much more is coming straight ahead
8:24 on this edition of Washington Watch.
8:26 Let's begin with news from Silicon Valley where NVIDIA's Ceo Jensen Huang resigned today following a turbulent week for the company. His departure
8:38 raises questions about the future of the Ai chipmaker and what it can mean for the Ai race between America and China. And joining us now with the latest updates is Washington
8:50 stand reporter Casey Harper. Casey, bring us the latest on this. What's happening with NVIDIA?
8:58 Yeah. Thanks, Jody. Well, Huang's resignation is big news, and it follows reports of two extramarital affairs, and we're seeing even allegations of a possible third. Now what... The one woman that you mentioned is really
9:08 standing out is a woman who's suspected of having ties to Chinese intelligence operations. Now we do know that the NVIDIA CFO will serve as the interim CEO as the company searches for a permanent
9:20 replacement. This is also under, multiple investigations. But NVIDIA is a very important company. They're central to America's AI competition with China, and Wang's departure raises a lot of questions about US chip
9:32 export policies, the company's ties to Boeing, and whether there's gonna be a crackdown there. Now as a result of all this, as I said, one of these investigations is gonna come out of congress. In fact, here's what
9:43 minority leader Hakeem Jeffries said about this earlier today.
9:47 There certainly are more questions than answers.
9:51 We had
9:51 a classified briefing earlier this week. It was focused primarily on a situation in Iran. We need a classified briefing made available to members of
10:03 congress as it relates to the NVIDIA situation. And to the extent that our national security has been compromised, the American people deserve answers, and
10:15 we're gonna work to make sure that happens.
10:18 AI companies, Jody, are reportedly bracing for changes to federal policy. They fear that this scandal could lead to Washington tightening restrictions even further.
10:29 Alright, Casey. Thank you so much for getting us kicked off today. We appreciate it a great deal. Let's turn now our attention to the Middle East and some new developments that are coming out of Iran. And joining me
10:41 now for a more in-depth discussion and analysis of the situation is doctor Michael Rubin. He's director of policy, analysis at the Middle East Forum. Doctor Rubin, welcome back to
10:52 Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
10:55 Hey. Thanks for having me, Jody.
10:58 Alright, let's start with president trump's comments that America does not need a deal with Iran. I'm sure you saw that. Is this somehow signaling that the administration is walking away
11:10 from diplomacy, do you think? Or is this some sort of further negotiating strategy?
11:16 Well, JD, I'm I'm Jody. With with, Trump, you never actually know. He he relishes in being unpredictable, but let's face it. I mean, if there's a silver lining to the fact
11:28 that the midterms are now over, it's that Trump doesn't feel beholden to anyone anymore. Many Democrats will say, hey. We just need to end this war, and the gas prices will come
11:40 back. But they forget that Iran has a say in that as well, and the Iranians aren't simply gonna go back to their barracks. So what Donald Trump may be signaling is he's not going to,
11:52 go into a dynamic where the Iranians simply run down the clock, but he will be willing to negotiate if there's actually a good and meaningful deal on the table.
12:03 Do you think that's possible? I mean, we've seen so many of these, she loves me, she loves me not scenarios where they're ready to deal and talk, and then all of a sudden, they say they're not going
12:15 to talk. I mean, where where does this really stand? Can you trust them at all?
12:19 No. Jody, you can. And when you actually look at the Persian language discussions inside Iran, they openly talk about this. The vice president of Iran has said
12:31 in in Persian on Iranian television that the policy of Iran for the next two years is gonna be neither war nor peace, meaning they're not gonna come to any sort of deal. They're gonna hit some ships,
12:43 then they're gonna go back to their barracks, do it again. Because from an Iranian perspective, especially hearing some of the rhetoric coming both out of some democratic circles, but also some isolationist
12:54 circles, they believe that if they can just hold on for two more years, that they will get a much better deal from whomever the next president is. In some ways, I'd liken this to what happened in December
13:07 two thousand nine when president Obama spoke at West Point and told the Taliban that there would be an end limit on US engagement in Afghanistan. All that did, it didn't bring peace. It just convinced the Taliban
13:19 that all they needed to do was survive and run down the clock. The Iranians are playing the same game.
13:24 Yep. Good point there. And you mentioned the Strait of Hormuz. Let me ask you about that. Obviously, that remains a major sticking point in all of this. On the one side, you have the US blockading Iranian
13:36 ports. On the other side, you have Iran reportedly targeting tankers. So how sustainable is that situation there in the strait?
13:47 Well, you know, what the Iranians don't like people talking about is the fact that they actually need to import gasoline because their economy has been so corrupt, they can't actually refine it themselves. And
13:59 so the the idea of the blockade is to prevent Iran from not only exporting oil, but from importing the gasoline it needs to function. The the,
14:11 where where Iran fills the gap, however, is with some of its land borders, with Turkmenistan, whom the United States recently sanctioned, with Iraq, where they feel that they have a second
14:22 wind, these Iranian backed militias, and also to some extent with Azerbaijan and Turkey, which are nominally our allies, but tend to play a double game.
14:33 So what is this? We we talked a little bit about this before coming on the program, but reportedly Iran is now producing some fifty ballistic missiles a month. I'd like
14:45 your take on that. First of all, is it true and right along with that? If so, how in the world are they doing it? I mean, we've been told that they've been decimated. How are they doing this?
14:56 Well, you know, you can decimate factories, but when it comes to assembly lines with ballistic missiles, once you have the know how, it's possible to, reconstruct those factories, and especially when many
15:08 of those factories are underground. One of the ideas which I wish that the United States would dismiss, our diplomats would dismiss, is this notion that we will have diplomacy with
15:20 Iran because, of course, the Iranian regime wants what's best for their people. Just like with the North Korean regime, the regime doesn't really care about its people. If they did, the Iranians wouldn't have massacred
15:32 forty thousand Iranians in two days back in January of twenty twenty six. The fact of the matter is the Iranians have increasingly little money, but what money they are utilizing
15:43 is shown in their determination to strike at the world. And fifty ballistic missiles a month, they can do that, and that's the danger. If they don't look at diplomacy as how to get to
15:55 yes, but they look at it as an asymmetric warfare strategy to run down the clock, then we're in trouble.
16:02 Yeah. And, obviously, the more time they have, the more missiles they can build. So, evidently, they've unveiled a new underground missile city as it's being referred to. Does that suggest
16:14 that, their military infrastructure is far from destroyed?
16:20 Well, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps isn't destroyed, although some of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, especially their economic output, is destroyed. The fact of the
16:32 matter is that if we're gonna negotiate with the Iranians, and, ultimately, I don't think that will be successful, we also need to be mindful that if you're gonna negotiate with someone in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard
16:44 Corps, and you've got four or five different factions in the Revolutionary Guards, it's not enough just to simply sit in Pakistan or Turkey or Qatar and have these conversations. You also gotta kill the other guys who
16:55 want to undermine the Iranians from the inside and... Or want to undermine negotiations from the inside. And, unfortunately, we don't seem to have that comprehensive strategy in place.
17:06 The Turkish president, last question, Erdogan met with the Iranian, president today at the UN Climate Change Conference. And, apparently, they discussed regional
17:18 tensions and diplomatic efforts and so forth. But do we really know what they talked about? Are there any further details of their discussion?
17:27 You know, there was some ad libbing about how the environment is a casualty of conflict. But, you know, if that were the case, maybe the Iranians would wanna stop imprisoning and killing their environmentalist. But
17:39 the other issue is the Turks were talking about the need for peace and how maybe Erdogan can mediate. But here's another thing, Jody. We've got to get out of this notion that we can have
17:50 mediators like Qatar, like Pakistan, and like Turkey who want to see us lose. We should never go into a mediation with a mediator that wants to see death to
18:02 America.
18:04 Yeah. I'll tell you it's quite a web, and it's difficult to weave your way through it. And I just wanna thank you so much, doctor Michael Rubin, director of policy analysis at the
18:16 Middle East Forum. Always great to talk with you, sir. We appreciate it. It's always having you on Washington Watch. Alright. Has America's AI secrets been compromised?
18:29 That is a huge, huge question. One that must be answered and, we now are staring at this scandal. How in the world does
18:40 NVIDIA and the scandal there impact the AI race between America and China? Well, stay tuned. We'll discuss it next.Show more
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