Skip to content 9/16/2025 Revealing Challenging Truths is Necessary to Winning Hearts and Minds Sep 16 · 59 min ...more
9/16/2025 Revealing Challenging Truths is Necessary to Winning Hearts and Minds
September 16, 2025 · 59 min
Taking an honest look at how crime increases when fathers are absent, exposing religious persecution in Syria and how the U.N. is undermining Israel ahead of the Abraham Accord Anniversary.
Series Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Video September 16, 2025 · 59 min · Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Video
Taking an honest look at how crime increases when fathers are absent, exposing religious persecution in Syria and how the U.N. is undermining Israel ahead of the Abraham Accord Anniversary. ...more Show the full description Show less Taking an honest look at how crime increases when fathers are absent, exposing religious persecution in Syria and how the U.N. is undermining Israel ahead of the Abraham Accord Anniversary.
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In this video 0:00 Global Conflicts and Humanitarian Crises2:08 Addressing Urban Violence and Family Breakdown10:11 Religious Persecution and Global Advocacy17:26 Israel's Struggle for Security and Sovereignty29:40 Faith, Advocacy, and the Call to Action
1:27 The reality of it is we still have 48 hostages. We still have a Hamas that is not only holding 48 hostages, they're holding Gaza hostage and they're using civilians as human shields. There's still a
1:39 dangerous element that are and as long as that they exist, as long as they're around, there will be no peace in this region because they are not agents of peace. They are agents of barbarism. And it's still a fundamental
1:49 fact that the people of Gaza deserve a better future. A future which is not possible until the hostages are all released and Hamas no longer exists. All these fundamentals still exist. They all still have to be
2:01 addressed. And that's what we're gonna remain focused on as we engage with our allies in the gulf is how can we continue to work together to address those 3 things.
Addressing Urban Violence and Family Breakdown
2:11 Now Rubio will join president Trump on his diplomatic visit to United Kingdom. In other news, president Donald Trump signed a presidential memo ordering the National Guard to deploy to Memphis.
2:22 Memphis consistently ranks as 1 of the most violent cities in the nation. Crime plummeted in Washington DC after the National Guard and federal law enforcement filled the streets there. But Democrats have pushed back on
2:33 Trump's move, including the city's Democratic mayor. However, Tennessee's Republican governor Bill Lee welcomed the help.
2:41 We are very hopeful and excited about the prospect of moving that city forward. I've been in LA for 7 years. I'm tired of crime holding the great city of Memphis back.
2:53 Trump said
2:54 during the news conference that sending the National Guard to Chicago was still on the table, but indicated that other cities could be receiving National Guard units as well. Now in other news, the US military blew up
3:05 another vessel, which they said the Venezuelan gang, Trende Aragua, was using to ship people and drugs into the US. The White House shared this video of that strike online. President Trump said this
3:17 is the third vessel to be destroyed since Tranderagua was designated a terrorist organization. He also warned that Venezuela should stop sending gang members and, quote, people from prison to the United
3:29 States. And for our last story, the suspect in Charlie Kirk's assassination now faces 7 formal charges, including aggravated murder. Utah County Attorney General Jeff
3:40 Gray spoke at a press conference this afternoon where he said the state will seek the death penalty and called Kirk's death an American tragedy with political motive. Gray said the shooter became increasingly
3:52 pro gay and pro trans. He also revealed a conversation the suspect had with his transgender roommate where the shooter said he killed Kirk because Kirk was hateful. The FBI
4:04 investigation into any possible coconspirators continues as the White House and the Trump administration have pledged to crack down on left wing groups that may be facilitating this and other violence.
4:17 And those are today's stories. I'm Casey Harper. You can dive deeper with the Washington stand at washington stand dot com. Better yet, download the Stand Firm mobile app where you can watch this and other news and find
4:29 great family research council online. Up next is Washington Watch with Tony Perkins, and we are back tomorrow with more stories that matter.
4:50 From the heart of our nation's capital in Washington, DC, bringing compelling interviews, insightful
5:08 and a presidential memorandum to establish the Memphis Safe Task Force, and it's very important because of the crime that's going on, not only in Memphis, in many cities, and we're gonna
5:20 take care of all of them. Step by step, just like we did in DC, we have virtually no crime in DC right now.
5:28 How is president Donald Trump announcing the launch of the Memphis safe task force modeled after the recent federal surge here in Washington DC as a part of a broader effort to tackle crime. Welcome to the
5:40 September sixteenth edition of Washington Watch. I'm your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for tuning in. Well, coming up, as president Trump launches a new federal task force to combat violent crime in Memphis, many
5:51 community leaders point to a deeper issue at the heart of the crisis, the breakdown of the family. We'll take a closer look, and we'll talk with Tennessee congressman John Rose. Violence has surged in
6:02 Syria since the fall of the Assad regime with Christians and other religious minorities facing heightened risk. Indiana congressman Marlon Stutzman was among the first US lawmakers to visit Damascus after the
6:14 fall of Assad and meet with the rebel commander who is now the leader of Syria, Ahmad Asharar. Congressman Stutzman will join us later. And with the September thirtieth funding
6:26 deadline approaching its deja vu on Capitol Hill, another budget fight looms. Congressman Andy Harris will join me shortly to discuss efforts to extend funding. All of that
6:38 today, coming up also Israel launched a major ground operation in Gaza City against Hamas. CBN news, Middle East News Bureau chief Chris Mitchell will bring
6:50 us the latest from Israel. Alright. We begin with the safety of America's cities, demonstrating an ongoing push to
7:02 restore law and order and safeguard families. President Donald Trump yesterday announced the Memphis Safe Task Force, uniting federal agencies, the National Guard, and local law enforcement to
7:13 address rising violence and to make neighborhoods safer. Joining me now is Washington stand reporter, Casey Harper. Casey, what actions is, president Trump
7:25 taking to address the urban violence in Memphis, and how does this initiative reflect his broader effort to protect the American family and safeguard neighborhoods?
7:34 Yeah. Thanks, Tony. President Donald Trump established that task force yesterday at the White House. The president says this effort is part of a broader initiative to protect families and restore law and order in
7:44 America's cities. Of course, this same effort is modeled after the successful federal law enforcement surge in Washington DC, which included the National Guard, FBI, ICE, and Department of
7:56 Homeland Security, as well as the US Marshals Service, they're expected to also go to Memphis. They'll be working in partnership with the National Guard and local law enforcement. Attorney general Pam Bondi will
8:06 reportedly lead the operation.
8:08 This task force will be a replica of our extraordinarily successful efforts here, and, you'll see it's a lot of the same thing, although the numbers here are really something. They're really bad. Now we did
8:20 send FBI in about 4 months ago to work, and it brought some of the numbers down. And they did a great job, but we're sending in the big force now.
8:29 That clip was president Trump making the federal case for support in the city, Tony.
8:34 Now, Casey, we we've discussed, before that people desire security. You you've talked you and I have talked about that. But but while these surges against crime are welcomed, they
8:45 are only dealing with the symptoms. So we have to address the root cause of the crime.
8:52 That's absolutely right, Tony. So a major factor contributing to Memphis' high crime rate is the breakdown of the family, as you said. According to a 23 20 13 study published by Marriage and Religion Research Institute,
9:04 only 17 percent of teenagers in Memphis have been raised by both of their married biological parents. That's 1 of the lowest rates in the nation. And this lack of family stability is strongly linked to higher rates of
9:16 poverty, school failure, and violent crime. So strengthening the family unit, it's not just a cultural priority, but it's a practical solution to reduce crime and improve opportunity for the next generation.
9:27 You know, that that should not surprise us. I mean, scripture is very clear that parents are central to the education of their children. I mean, scripture says Proverbs, train up a child in the way that he should go, and
9:39 when he is old, he will not depart from it. I mean, the evidence is overwhelming. Strong families raise strong children, strong children build strong communities. And here at the Family Research Council, we
9:51 champion the family built on a biblical foundation. We're gonna talk a little bit more about that later with Tennessee Congressman John Rose, here in the program. Casey, I I wanna, switch gears a little bit. What's the
10:02 latest in the investigation into the assassination of Charlie Kirk?
10:05 Yeah. That's right, Tony. So there's a Sunday funeral planned for Charlie Kirk in Arizona. As far as the investigation, Utah officials held a press conference today where they announced 7 formal charges, which include
Religious Persecution and Global Advocacy
10:16 includes aggravated murder. That's an important charge because they have also announced that they are gonna seek the death penalty in this case. They'll need that aggravated murder charge. They released many details,
10:26 although not all of them. The prosecutor said that he want he doesn't wanna taint the future jury pool pool and wants to do justice to the suspected shooter. But we do know have confirmation of many of the rumors and
10:37 initial reports that the shooter had become increasingly, pro trans, pro gay, and anti Charlie Kirk saying he was spreading hate. And it really did come down to a political and spiritual motive here,
10:49 Tony.
10:50 Alright. Well, thanks for that update, Casey. I I wanna turn quickly to the Middle East. Israel launched a large offensive in Gaza City today. This follows secretary of state Marco Rubio, his visit to
11:02 Israel where he reiterated American support for Israel's war against Hamas. Now today, he's in Doha meeting with officials in Qatar. Casey, what's the purpose of secretary Rubio's
11:13 stop there in, Qatar?
11:15 Yeah. Rubio's visit to Doha comes at a pivotal moment as Israel is escalating its military operations against Hamas in Gaza. Now Rubio's discussion with Qatar's leadership there is focused on finalizing a robust
11:27 defense agreement between the US and Qatar highlighting the need for that stronger security cooperation in the region. Rubio, of course, has been a vocal support of Israel's right to defend itself and this trip just
11:39 underscores and strengthens that commitment and alliance between the US and Israel.
11:45 Alright. Thanks, Casey. Later in the show, CBN Middle East Bureau chief Chris Mitchell will join us from Israel with more details on the situation in Israel and Gaza. Casey, final story. What what
11:57 actions are Christians in America taking to bring the issue of violence against Christian minorities in the Middle East to the attention of secretary Rubio?
12:05 Well, Family Research Council led a coalition urging the US government, specifically, addressing Rubio, who as we just said is in the Middle East. And they wanted to take immediate action to protect religious minorities
12:17 in Syria. So leaders of FRC and other Christian organizations are calling for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor between Hader and Ceuta to ensure Druze and Christian communities that they can move safely
12:29 and receive direct aid bypassing Damascus. So with Rubio in the on the ground of the region, this is a critical opportunity for the US to reinforce its commitment to these vulnerable communities, Tony.
12:40 Alright. Thank you, Casey. We'll we'll, we're gonna discuss this issue in more detail later with, congressman Marlon Stutzman. But first, I wanna go further into the spending fight that congress is now in the thick of.
12:53 Joining me now to, to give us the latest on this is congressman Andy Harris, who's the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus and a member of the House Appropriations Committee. He represents the first congressional
13:03 district of Maryland. Doctor Harris, welcome back to Washington Watch. I know you're just leaving the floor from vote, so I appreciate you, joining us. Give us the latest.
13:13 Sure. So I think, what we're gonna do is tomorrow, we're gonna vote on what we call the rule to bring a bill to the floor that will extend, government funding, a a void of shutdown till November twentieth. Of course, we
13:24 you know, that partially kicks the can down the road, but allows us to give, the appropriations process 1 more chance, before we, decide to just continue with continuing resolutions, which, again, Tony, I don't
13:36 mind because, they don't increase spending. They keep spending level. And, of course, when your your inflation is between 2 and a half and 3 percent, you actually have a 2 and a half to 3 percent cut in actual size of
13:47 government if you keep the spending level.
13:49 Now there were some elements, in those CRs. I think the the COVID set asides, those are are all of the bad policies still in there that were under the Biden administration? How are we gonna deal
14:01 with that?
14:03 Well, look. This this administration is just not following you know, again, they're not gonna follow the some of the, prescriptions in the, in the previous, Biden budgets. It will keep those funding level.
14:14 There was talk that we were going to, somehow include, and, you know, Chuck Schumer has has mentioned that he wants, COVID era, Obamacare subsidies, enhanced subsidies included in this bill. The house
14:26 bill is not gonna include it. I don't think, that he's gonna have the juice to get it added in the senate. Again, between now and November twentieth, maybe he, gets the juice to do it. He doesn't have it now. Again,
14:38 these COVID era policies, these COVID era era giveaways really to insurance companies really should just go away.
14:46 Alright. You've been around a while, doctor Harris. November 20 first, backdrop Thanksgiving. I mean, is there gonna be pressure exerted there? I mean, that's what we've seen in the past.
14:58 Everybody wants to get out of town, and so pressure is applied, to adopt something that may not be the best.
15:05 Well, I I think the real pressure would be if we if we had put this off until the week before Christmas because then you're getting out of town for a couple weeks. It's the holiday. It's the end of the year. You don't
15:15 wanna spoil anybody's Christmas, with with a even a short government shutdown. I think November twentieth is is alright. Is it is it as good as
15:24 I had hoped for? No.
15:25 I'd hoped that it'd it'd be just into October, a few weeks into October, see if we get the appropriations process going. I think by then, we'll figure out it really won't be able to be get going. But November twentieth
15:36 is alright. It's not as as bad as December, the end of December. And the speaker has gone publicly and said, in the past and currently, he really doesn't want an end of your omnibus bill, which is really what we're
15:46 afraid of because that always involves increased spending.
15:49 Now the speaker has repeatedly said that he wants to get back to normal order when it comes to appropriations. And you you said, you know, give me this gives you time to do some of the appropriations. The house has been
16:00 doing that. The house has advanced. I think you've already approved 3. You may have done more by now. But the White House is actually wanting to continue with CRs. They feel like that's a better way because they don't
16:11 have to negotiate with Democrats.
16:13 That's absolutely right. So the house has actually passed all 12 bills through committee, 5 bills through the floor. The senate has not done the same. They have passed 3 bills through the floor. We are attempting to
16:23 negotiate those bills. 1 of those bills is mine. It's the agriculture bill. The other one's military construction and the and the veterans administration, and the third 1, the legislative branch ones. But, we are gonna
16:33 attempt to negotiate those, but those are the 3 so once that process is done, we'll see if we can do any more. I think by the end of November, it'll
16:45 become obvious we can't do any more.
16:47 But it is important that congress get back gets back to doing appropriations bills. I mean, we have really haven't seen that for almost 20 years where this regular
16:59 process of of congress advancing these 12 appropriations bills because policy is included in those appropriations.
17:07 That's absolutely right. But I but I tell
17:09 you, Tony, when they wrote the law that set out the process, it's been over it's been about 50 years. And the size of the federal government and the scope of the federal government and the amount of money appropriated by
17:19 the federal government has greatly increased since then. So I think it's time that we look at 2 year appropriations like some states do. Perhaps every year appropriate for defense because defense has to be, you
Israel's Struggle for Security and Sovereignty
17:31 know, up to the minute, up to the moment, expenditures. But for everything else, we probably ought to go to 2 year cycles. It it's gonna take us that long to spend the time requisite on each of these departments, to make
17:42 sure that we're we're doing the job right, not just doing the job fast.
17:45 So is there some internal discussion about changing the budgetary process?
17:50 There has been for about 10 years. And I think that, you know, at some point, people are just gonna finally decide this process is not working. You know, this year, we even haven't haven't even passed, you know, the
18:00 budget bill that's been called for, which is supposed to, prescribe to the house what the level of spending is gonna be for the for this, year, fiscal year 26. We haven't even passed that. So there is no aspect of the
18:12 budget control act from the seventies that we are adhering to. The, you know, the president was late getting his budget because, again, these budgets are huge.
18:20 Yeah.
18:20 They're big. And realistically, look, we're humans. We we just can't deal. We don't have the bandwidth to deal with things that size. So I think it's about time we go to, again, 2 year budgeting. Look. If we have to make
18:31 them if we have to make changes, small course corrections, we can do it in a smaller bill, but we're set for 2 years.
18:37 I I I that sounds like a a very reasonable approach. Something has to be done to get congress back in control of the purse strings. Congressman Andy Harris, always great to see you. Folks, stick around. John Rose joins
18:48 us next.
18:50 3 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
19:02 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
19:14 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 percent since 20 20,
19:26 climbing from 930000 to over 1000000 in each of the most recent years. So how can this be? The answer is simple. The abortion drug. Today, over
19:37 60 percent of US abortions involve abortion drugs, many of these without medical oversight. In 20 21, the Biden administration quietly removed bare minimum long standing
19:49 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
20:01 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 percent of
20:12 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
20:24 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.
20:36 Let's stand
20:51 In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory.
21:03 Family Research Council invites you to join our stand on the word bible reading plan as we reflect upon the life of Jesus, the word who dwelt among us. Come with us
21:15 and discover the glory of the word. Read the gospels and witness the life changing story of Jesus, his life, death, and resurrection. Come read how Jesus transformed the lives of
21:27 common people and how those same people transform the known world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Come with us for 10 to 15 minutes a day and read the entire New Testament before the new
21:38 year. Find our Bible reading plan and daily devotionals from Tony Perkins at f r c dot org slash bible. Join us and stand on the word.
21:52 Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for, joining us. Alright. Coming up next month, October the seventeenth, eighteenth is the pray vote stand summit at, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in
22:04 Southern California. If you'd like to find out more about joining us, and I invite you to join us, go to pray vote stand dot o r g. Pray vote stand dot o r g to register and to find out more. Well,
22:16 yesterday, as a part of his administration's crackdown on crime as we were talking about earlier, president Trump signed a memorandum establishing a task force to tackle violent crime in Memphis, Tennessee. According to
22:27 FBI data, Memphis had the highest violent crime rate in the country last year. Memphis also had the highest property crime rate and the third highest murder rate in the US. So how will the
22:39 Memphis safe task force restore law and order in the city? And will it be taking pages from the Trump administration's actions in DC? Joining me now to discuss this, congressman John Rose who represents the sixth
22:49 congressional district of Tennessee. Congressman Rose, welcome to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
22:55 Thank you, mister Perkins, for having me on today.
22:58 So for 30 years, Democrats have controlled Memphis. How's it going?
23:04 Well, I think by the measure certainly of crime and other other areas of civic measurement, it's not going well. Democrats, as you say, have controlled every level of Memphis government for
23:16 30 years, and I think we have to give them a failing grade and particularly when it comes to the safety and security of Memphians, and the desirability of the Bluff City given the crime problem that we see
23:28 there.
23:28 And congressman, a number of years ago in our marriage and religion research institute here at the Family Research Council that which is now, spun off and it's an independent organization, studied what was called
23:40 the belonging index. And what they found in Memphis was that only 17 percent of children under the age of 18 had actually grown up in a home with the a mom
23:52 and dad that they were biologically related to. That was 1 of the lowest in the country. We saw that in, Baltimore. We we've seen it in other cities that have had violent crime issues.
24:04 So, while many applaud this effort to address the immediate symptoms, there are some underlying issues here that have to be addressed as well.
24:14 Absolutely. And I think you're right to point, to the to the fundamental, you know, foundations of Western civilization and Christian faith. We've seen that
24:26 degraded in Memphis, too many fatherless children, growing up in homes where they're not getting the influence of a 2 parent household. For those of us who experienced that growing up, we
24:38 know how powerful that can be in helping you to found, find yourself and to have a a basis for understanding the world and and knowing your place in it. And that's a problem in Memphis,
24:50 Tennessee, and it's 1 that, frankly, I think as the president correctly observed last week, a lot of that is around faith
24:59 Right.
24:59 And having a religious, understanding of your place in the world. And when, the faith of this country is not where it should be and, faith in Memphis is not where it
25:11 should be, then Memphis is not going to thrive. And so the longer term solutions in Memphis are not about stopping crime, that they're about changing the hearts and minds
25:20 of Memphis. So so so congressman Rose, let me talk about it because you I know you you have, concerns about all of the state of Tennessee. Even though you represent 1 district, you're
25:32 focused, as well on the entire state. So I I think what the president is doing, like he did here in DC, by stabilizing the environment, by containing crime and
25:44 reducing it, it's kind of a reset. But you've got when that reset comes, you've got to come in quickly. What are some of the things that, you know, non governmental organizations like the faith community,
25:56 churches, and others can do in the state of Tennessee, particularly, specifically speaking about Memphis as this reset is gonna take place?
26:06 Sure. Well, I think, you know, as is true for the nation, I think it's equally true for Memphis or more so. We need a revival of faith in Memphis, Tennessee and a revival of the values that are fundamental
26:18 to, the Christian faith. And until we have that, you know, the founders correctly observed that, democracy, the republic could only survive if we had a moral
26:30 people. And I think you see that, on display in in places like Memphis, Tennessee where we've seen society degrade.
26:39 We've seen
26:39 morality brought into question. And I think, for those who advocate for, you know, a world where faith is less important, they need to take heed of what
26:51 happens in places like Memphis when you see those institutions decline.
26:56 And and it seems like what we've seen in Memphis, in other cities, they're not alone. You have you know, crime gets out of hand, and so the leaders just kind of let it go. I mean, you look at in in in
27:08 20 22, Shelby County overhauled its bail system at behalf of the district attorney instituting this secured, cash bail only as a last resort. So I mean, basically, just,
27:20 you know, saying, hey. Hey. We're gonna let you go. I mean, you can't refuse to enforce the law and expect people to abide by the law.
27:30 That's right. And I think, there's too, too much misunderstanding about criminal justice in this country. I think we saw it, proven long ago that kind of a broken windows
27:42 policy when it comes to to crime is what works. Certainly, any parent of young children knows that if you, if you don't raise them up correctly, if you don't teach them when they're
27:53 young, then you're gonna pay a heavy price for that later on. And and so it's human nature that we're always testing boundaries. And if we're gonna live together in a civil society, then we've got to have laws, and those
28:05 laws have to be enforced. And we can't look at macro measures of, you know, who are committing the crimes and somehow conclude that, justice is not being equally dispensed
28:18 when, you know, the crimes are not being equally committed. And so we've got to have a law and order in Memphis, Tennessee, and the people of Memphis ultimately have to decide how they want to
28:30 live. Do they want to live in a crime ridden town where safety is not available and where their children can't grow up with the security of being able to go outside and play in their lawns,
28:43 without fear of of being shot? And if that's the world they want, then that's the world they've gotten from 30 years of poor choices with respect to their lives.
28:51 I would, venture to say, congressman Rose, having been a police officer in inner city of Baton Rouge, that has had its own share of crime problems, that there are a lot of grandmothers there that
29:03 want safer streets. They want a place for their grandkids that they're many of them are raising to be able to walk on the streets and be safe. They need the help. I think this is a part of the help to to
29:15 reset. But as you pointed out, the faith community and others have to step in to to win hearts and minds. So I think it's it's an all hands on deck, approach if we really want to turn the situation
29:27 around in this country. Congressman, we're out of time. I wanna thank you for joining us. Appreciate your insights and your work on Capitol Hill.
29:36 Thank you for having me on. It's a great honor and privilege to serve the people of Tennessee.Show more
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