Skip to content 5/6/2025 The U.S. and Israel Seek to Repair Borders and Sovereignty from Foreign Threats and Entanglements May 6 · 59 min ...more
5/6/2025 The U.S. and Israel Seek to Repair Borders and Sovereignty from Foreign Threats and Entanglements
May 6, 2025 · 59 min
Today: Israel’s response to Houthis’ attack, China’s tentacles in U.S. education and culture, protecting minors from gender transition, and Israel’s claim to sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.
Series Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Video
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May 6, 2025 · 59 min · Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Video
Today: Israel’s response to Houthis’ attack, China’s tentacles in U.S. education and culture, protecting minors from gender transition, and Israel’s claim to sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. ...more Show the full description Show less Today: Israel’s response to Houthis’ attack, China’s tentacles in U.S. education and culture, protecting minors from gender transition, and Israel’s claim to sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.
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In this video 0:00 Global and Domestic Policy Shifts18:40 Religious Freedom and Cultural Engagement
Global and Domestic Policy Shifts 0:06 Good afternoon. I'm Victoria Marshall and welcome to the Washington Watch news desk. President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday ending federal funding of gain of function research in0:18 countries of concern like China or Iran. Many analysts believe the COVID 19 pandemic originated from a US funded lab in Wuhan, China conducting gain of function research.0:30 This is this is a historic day. The, the conduct of this dangerous gain of function research, which aims at taking pathogens and making them more virulent, more transmissible in humans,0:42 many scientists believe is responsible for the COVID pandemic. The, the conduct of this feature does not protect us against pandemics, as some people might say. It doesn't protect us against0:54 other other nations. What it what it does is it there's always a a danger that in doing this research, it might leak out just by accident even, and cause a pandemic.1:06 That was National Institute of Health director Jay Bhattacharya. Trump's order also gives American research facilities the ability to end the federal funding of other US biological research they1:18 deem could pose a threat to public health. Health secretary Robert f Kennedy junior is praising the move. Here's what he told Fox News last night.1:26 As you pointed out, gain of function studies, the kind of science that is designed to make, microbes and pathogens more virulent, more transmissible, and more deadly.1:38 It was in this country. They started doing it in 19 47, the military and the intelligence agencies, in order to develop bioweapons. Those experiments resulted in the COVID
1:50 19 pandemic and beginning in 20 19. So president Trump today moved to shut down this kind of research in this country and to stop funding it abroad.
2:01 And in other Trump administration news, president Trump announced today that the US has reached a truce with the Houthis in Yemen. He said the US would suspend its air strikes against the Iranian backed militants
2:13 over their promise to no longer target ships in the Red Sea.
2:18 The Houthis have announced that they are not or they've been announced to us at least that they don't wanna fight anymore. They just don't wanna fight, and, we will honor that. And we
2:30 will, we will stop the bombings. And, they have capitulated. But more importantly, they, we will take their word.
2:41 They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore, and that's what the purpose of what we were doing. So that's just news. We just found out about that.
2:50 The US has struck more than 1000 Houthi targets in the last 50 days since its operation against the terrorist group started. The Houthis began bombing US military and commercial ships in the Red Sea
3:02 in retaliation for the war in Gaza.
3:04 This was always a freedom of navigation mission. These guys, these are, you know, band of individuals with advanced weaponry that were threatening global shipping. And the job was to get that to stop. And, if it's going
3:15 to stop, then we can stop. And, so, it's I think it's an important development.
3:20 That was secretary of state Marco Rubio in the oval office earlier today. This announcement by the Trump administration comes as Trump plans to visit the Middle East next week. Israel has set Trump's visit as the
3:32 deadline for a new hostage and ceasefire deal with Hamas. If no deal is reached, the Israeli military will start a massive ground operation to level Gaza and gradually reoccupy the region.
3:44 Israel also plans to relocate Gaza's entire population of 2000000 people to a single humanitarian area. Moving our attention back to the US, the Trump administration is defending
3:56 federal regulations allowing the abortion pill to be available to women through telehealth and mail. 3 GOP led states, Idaho, Kansas, and Missouri are suing the Food and Drug Administration over a
4:07 provision that allows abortion pill, nifepristone, to be prescribed via telehealth and sent by mail. They say the FDA rules allowing the pills to be mailed across state lines violates their
4:19 laws banning the use of the pills. In response to the lawsuit, the Trump DOJ said that the 3 states lacked standing to sue and asked the judge overseeing the case to throw it out. Missouri
4:31 senator Josh Hawley wrote on x that the DOJ is making a serious mistake. And those are today's headlines. I'm Victoria Marshall. Up next is Washington Watch with Tony
4:43 Perkins. We'll see you tomorrow.
4:52 From the heart of our nation's capital
5:05 biblical world view. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts
5:10 now. The Houthis have announced that they are not or they've been announced to us at least that they don't wanna fight anymore. They just don't wanna fight, and, we will honor that. I will accept their
5:21 word, and, we are going to stop the bombing of the Houthis, effective immediately.
5:29 That was president Donald Trump earlier today. Welcome to this May sixteenth, May sixth edition of Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us. We begin with developments in the Middle East. President Trump announced
5:40 an agreement with the Houthis that reportedly covers only their attacks on US ships, not their attacks on Israel. We'll talk with Texas congressman Keith Self, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Meanwhile,
5:52 as the US and Iran prepare for a fourth round of talks related to Iran's nuclear program, the regime in Tehran announced an upgrade to its ballistic missiles capable, they claim, of
6:03 penetrating air defense systems. Iran has warned that if war breaks out with the US or Israel, they will target American military installations across the Middle East. Question is, is the region cooling down or
6:15 heating up? We'll break it down later here on Washington Watch. President Trump on Monday signed an executive order banning federal funding for gain of function research conducted in foreign countries. This type of
6:27 research, which enhances the transmission or potency of viruses, has been widely reported as a possible factor in the COVID 19 outbreak linked to the lab in Wuhan, China. We'll talk with congressman
6:38 Nathaniel Moran, a member of the select committee on the Chinese Communist Party, about the implications of the order as well as ongoing concerns about activities related to the Chinese Communist Party here
6:50 in the United States. In Alabama, attorney general Steve Marshall scored a major win for the state's law that protects minors from the so called gender affirming experimental drugs and irreversible
7:02 surgeries. He'll join us later with the details of that victory. And And while I was in Israel last week, I sat down with pastor Gary Hamrick of Cornerstone Chapel to talk about the biblical and historical significance
7:14 of Judea and Samaria.
7:16 They're uncovering things all the time that that prove this is the ancient place of the Jewish people and but unfortunately, in in the media today and the common narrative is they wanna try to erase the history
7:28 of the land so that other people can lay claim to it. And that's just ideologically, philosophically, and biblically wrong.
7:36 I'll share more of that conversation later in the program. And don't forget, session 12 of our God in Government series is now available, how to make a godly appeal to leaders. In this session, I walk you
7:48 through biblical principles about how to make a respectful and effective appeal to those in authority. It's available exclusively on the Stand Firm app. If you don't yet have the app but you want access to the God and
8:00 Government course, well, text course to 6 7 7 4 2. That's course to 6 7 7 4 2, and I'll send you a link. Well, as I mentioned earlier today, president Trump announced that the US would stop
8:12 its strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. According to the president, the terror group capitulated and announced their intention to stop attacking ships in the Red Sea. President Trump said the US would honor that
8:24 statement by halting attacks. But how does this impact the greater war between Israel and the surrounding terror groups? How might this impact US negotiations with Iran? Well, here to discuss this and much
8:35 more, congressman Keith Self, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He represents the third congressional district of Texas. Congressman Self, welcome back to Washington Watch. Always good to see you.
8:47 Good to see you, Tony. Thank you.
8:49 Let's start with this announcement by the Houthis. They're ceasing their attacks on US shipping. As a result, the president says we will not, bomb them any further. What do you make of that?
9:01 Well, it's good news certainly for commercial shipping, and I hope that it's all US commercial shipping so they don't have to go around Africa. But, but you've you've laid it out here. It's
9:13 good news for us. We can stop the attacks. I do hope that they are good to their word. President Trump will always pursue peace, and if they are willing to, transact business with president Trump,
9:25 he's willing to stop the bombing. Of course, Israel, they recently just fired at the Tel Aviv airport. So Israel turned around and and attacked the biggest port,
9:37 in Yemen. So, we have not that does not solve the Israeli, Houthis, conflict, and I suspect that will continue, because the Houthis are proxy of
9:49 Iran. Iran is starting to, kinda distance themselves from the Houthis, but I suspect their, their conflict with Israel will continue.
9:58 According to comments from secretary of state Marco Rubio today that that our emphasis there in Yemen was about shipping. Was our activity totally unrelated to Israel, or were
10:09 we kind of working in tandem with Israel?
10:13 Well, it's 2 different things. The Houthis were, basically, they've stopped shipping, and all the ships have to go around Africa. That's 1 thing. The Houthis Israel, conflict
10:25 is entirely Iran dominated, and they are attacking as a proxy of Iran. So they're 2 different things, and, that's why I think that the Israeli Houthi conflict will
10:36 continue. Now, if the Houthis have capitulated, and they mean to stop fighting because Israel is hurting them, they certainly hurt the port last night. If they
10:48 true truly have capitulated, we'll find out in the coming days. I tend to believe that they have, capitulated to the US attacks because we were hurting them. Make no doubt about
11:00 it.
11:01 So were our strikes be, more lethal than those that Israel was carrying out on Yemen?
11:09 Well, we were attacking their their, military capability. Israel just attacked their port. So 2 different, 2 different avenues of approach there, and and I believe that they
11:20 probably, they're suffering. Their military capability is suffering because of the US attacks. So I think that's probably why they had this, this pause, of this ceasefire. Now if they truly
11:32 capitulated, it's 1 thing, but if they're simply getting a pause from the US so that they can rearm, refit, that's a different matter.
11:40 Alright. Let's talk about Iran, the Houthis, as you pointed out, they're a proxy for Iran. The United States going into its fourth round of discussions over Iran's nuclear, capabilities,
11:52 but at the same time, Iran announcing that they have upgraded their ballistic missiles, and that they're able to evade air defense systems. And they've, said that if Israel or the
12:04 United States attack, they they will target US installations in the Middle East.
12:09 Right. They're in the fourth rounds of talk, and president Trump, again, will try for peace with Iran. But 1 of the tenants of Islam is they are allowed to lie. They are allowed to be deceptive to,
12:22 to the West. That is a tenant of Islam. So I believe that we need to trust if we want to go to a fourth round in Oman this weekend, we need to verify. We need to make
12:34 sure that we continue to monitor what Iran is doing. Actions speak louder than words when it comes to Iran. I just encourage the United States and all of our allies to be very
12:46 careful dealing with Iran because the Middle East is a dynamic situation right now. Lots going on in the Middle East. Let's trust for another round, but let's verify. And remember,
12:57 Tony, president Trump has said he will only accept the total dismantlement of the Iran nuclear program.
13:05 I was in, Israel last week, congressman, and and speaking with a number of, Israeli leaders. And and there's concern even about the fact that there's negotiations as as you just
13:17 pointed out, they know that neighborhood quite well. You served over in Israel. You, worked alongside the IDF. You know the Middle East, and as you just pointed out, that it is a tenant of Islam to be able
13:28 to deceive. What might the the the Trump administration I mean, how long can they go in these along with these conversations before the
13:40 clock runs out and Iran has the capabilities of moving forward?
13:45 Well, I personally think the clock will run out because when you look at the Iranian priorities, first is regime survival. Second is the nuclear program, and third priority to Iran is
13:57 their support for terrorism. I've already said they're distancing themselves from the Houthis, but they will not give up their nuclear program. I do not think they can give up their nuclear program. The Israelis are
14:09 so concerned because they've got a a a certain amount of uranium that is refined to 60 percent. When you go from 60 percent to 90 percent, which is nuclear weapons grade uranium, it's a
14:21 very short step. That's why the Israelis are so concerned because they could be there in a week or 2 weeks. It's a very short step. It sounds like 30 percent, but it's very easily and quickly done.
14:34 Do the Iranians have the capability of delivering the that nuclear material?
14:41 That's a great question because any missile has 3 parts. It has the nuclear warhead, it's, material. It's got the warhead mated to the, missile, and then it's got the missile itself.
14:53 You've got the guidance system. So all of that plays together. So they have not tested that. We know they have not tested that, a complete missile setup. And so would they then
15:05 test something, or would they then go cold turkey putting together a nuclear missile with a nuclear warhead guidance system and missile and fire it with no testing? That would be, that was that's a
15:17 the great question that we don't know. Would they go without testing a complete missile setup?
15:23 Alright. Congressman Kiesl, as you just pointed out, I I'm with you. I do not think that they're gonna give up their nuclear program. I I don't think their, religious ideology
15:35 allows them to do that, and I think also the regime has to hold on to it to maintain power over the Iranian people. So what then are the alternatives?
15:46 Well, president Trump, 1 more time, will always go for peace. But I think that he is serious when he says I will only accept dismantlement of the Iranian nuclear program. What does that
15:58 mean? I don't know. I know the Israelis, would want to attack the Iranian nuclear facilities before they reach the bomb stage, but they also
16:10 need US support in order to do that. So that is another part of the matrix that we simply don't know how it's gonna work out. But I take president were Trump at his word as well. He will only
16:22 accept the dismantlement.
16:24 So Israel, in the meantime, is expanding its military operations in in in Gaza, making it very clear that Hamas has to go. It looks like they
16:36 are on a course, to resolve the issue in Gaza and bring this war to a close.
16:44 Yeah. I think Netanyahu has decided that they cannot continue to wait out Hamas' return of the hostages. They have to take a stand. So he he's given them until the fifteenth, I understand, to resolve the
16:55 hostage, situation. This is an easy fix. Hamas should release the hostages, both alive and dead, the bodies, and this is an easy fix, except the ceasefire for the people
17:07 of Gaza. I don't believe they will because I believe that, just as we said about Iran, if they ever give up the hostages, they know that they are done. Israel will finish them off, clean out Gaza, and, so
17:19 this is another standoff that we see in the Middle East. Very common in the Middle East. I don't know how it will be resolved, but I don't believe Hamas will yield to the Israeli demand on the fifteenth.
17:31 Congressman Keith Self, we just have a little over a minute left. And and and I greatly appreciate your insights on foreign policy. That's why I have you on the program to talk about these issues. Given your, your
17:43 perch, on the House Foreign Affairs Committee looking across the landscape globally, are are we right to be looking at the Middle East as the most volatile right now, or are there other things we should be watching?
17:55 Well, Tony, you and I agree of the world view. The world's attention might be diverted for short periods of time to China, to Russia, to Ukraine, wherever. But world attention will never leave
18:07 the Middle East totally. It is the center of what's happening around the world. You and I believe that, and I believe that to be true. No. It will always be volatile. It's been going on for
18:19 millennia now. It will continue to go on. We cannot make, the Middle East to look like America. It is the Middle East. It's been the Middle East since the beginning of time. It will continue to be, yes,
18:31 volatile.
18:32 And, all the more reason to be praying. Congressman Keith Self, always great to see you. Thanks so much again for joining us today.
18:39 Thank you, Tony.Show more
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