Skip to content 1/9/2026 Amid International and Domestic Uncertainty, We Take a Look at Everything from a Biblical Perspective Jan 10 · 59 min ...more
1/9/2026 Amid International and Domestic Uncertainty, We Take a Look at Everything from a Biblical Perspective
January 10, 2026 · 59 min
Looking at protests, Obamacare subsidies, the future of Greenland, and President Trump’s new Assistant Attorney General position to investigate fraud and abuse, from a Biblical worldview.
Series Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Video
Family Research Council is serving in the kingdom of God by championing faith, family, & freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview.
January 10, 2026 · 59 min · Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Video
Looking at protests, Obamacare subsidies, the future of Greenland, and President Trump’s new Assistant Attorney General position to investigate fraud and abuse, from a Biblical worldview. ...more Show the full description Show less Looking at protests, Obamacare subsidies, the future of Greenland, and President Trump’s new Assistant Attorney General position to investigate fraud and abuse, from a Biblical worldview.
Series Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Video Support this leader Liking this video? Support this ministry.
Support this leader
Liking this video? Support this ministry.
Give
Support this leader Liking this video? Support this ministry.
In this video 0:00 Global Unrest and US Foreign Policy Highlights4:40 Domestic Policy Debates and Protests12:26 Insights on Iran, Venezuela, and Greenland from Experts29:24 Fraud Scandals, Supreme Court, and Biblical Worldview
Global Unrest and US Foreign Policy Highlights 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 elected0:11 leaders, newsmakers, and culture experts. We have have a great program planned for you today. But first, get up to speed on the top headlines with Washington Stan's news brief.0:26 Welcome to the Washington Stan news brief. I'm Casey Harper bringing you today's big stories. Videos uploaded to social media on Thursday showed hundreds of people marching in the streets of Tehran amid0:38 anti government protests.1:03 These remarkable images have been triggered by frustration with the country's economy, rampant inflation, and the Islamic dictator ruling the nation, supreme leader Ali Khamenei. On Friday,1:15 Iran was largely cut off from the outside world after authorities blocked the internet and flights into the country were canceled. In Iran now, only state propaganda is playing on repeat.1:27 The Iranian leader told protesters to disband. But president Donald Trump has warned Iran, if they harm protesters, the US is ready to defend them. It's unclear what that would look like.1:39 Though a majority Muslim country, oil tanker in the Caribbean. That's the fifth1:51 vessel the US has oil tanker in the Caribbean. That's the fifth vessel the US has taken in the blockade of Venezuelan oil.
2:03 While the US continues its blockade, President Trump did announce on Truth Social that he canceled a second wave of attacks on Venezuela. He did note though that the military presence near the country
2:15 would remain in place. The president also met with top executives in the oil industry today who he says will invest 100000000000 dollars in developing Venezuelan oil.
2:27 Now this all comes after senate Democrats and 5 senate Republicans voted yesterday to require president Trump to get congressional approval before taking more action in Venezuela. Now that
2:38 likely won't become law, but it's a bipartisan message from congress as president Trump recently said the US involvement in Venezuela could take, quote, years. President Trump also said he would
2:50 meet next week with Venezuelan opposition leader, Marine Maria Corina Machado. A US diplomatic team arrived in Venezuela today as some Venezuelan officials also came to the US.
3:02 A landmark moment in diplomatic relations for the 2 nations. But who will govern Venezuela and what the US's role will be long term remains unclear.
3:14 Meanwhile, protests continue around the US after the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by an ICE officer. Anti ICE protests are not new. But since the shooting, they're back with renewed
3:26 fervor. The White House and Department of Homeland Security defended the ICE agent while Democrats said the shooting wasn't justified. Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey is among the Democrats who are
3:38 blaming ICE. Frey held a press conference where he took issue with federal law enforcement allegedly blocking Minnesota officials from the investigation.
3:47 By the way, we're not even talking just about full control here. We're talking about being at the table. We're talking about an investigation that includes the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. And for those that may say
3:58 that we have a predetermined outcome, we are not the ones that are conducting the investigation. The investigation would be conducted by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. They are well equipped
4:10 to do it. They have a long track record of doing thorough investigations. And by the way, coming to results that both saw culpability and a lack thereof.
4:21 More video of the shooting has come out even today, and the investigation is still ongoing. And that is today's news. I'm Casey Harper. You can dive deeper at the Washington Stand, which is Family Research Council's
4:33 outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. And we are back next time with more stories that matter.
Domestic Policy Debates and Protests
4:52 From the heart of our nation's capital in Washington DC, bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and sound bites into conversations with our nation's leaders and
5:03 newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview. Sitting in for Tony is today's host, Jody Heiss.
5:10 And by the way, we don't want Russia or China going to Greenland, which if we don't take Greenland, you're gonna have Russia or China as your next door neighbor. That's not gonna happen.
5:21 Well, that was president Trump earlier today responding to a reporter's question about his desire to acquire the territory of Greenland. Welcome to this January ninth edition of
5:33 Washington Watch. I am Jody Heiss, your Friday host. Thank you so much for joining us. Alright. Some of the highlights that we'll be covering for you today. Top representatives to the US
5:45 from Denmark and Greenland reportedly met with White House officials yesterday. And next week, US secretary of state Marco Rubio is expected to meet with foreign ministers from
5:56 Denmark and Greenland for further discussions. We'll be getting a read on this situation a little bit later in the program when former US ambassador to Denmark, Carla Sands,
6:08 joins me. Plus, doctor David Clawson will be joining me later in the program to discuss the upcoming US Supreme Court hearing on female sports. We'll be reviewing West Virginia's
6:20 law protecting female athletes from competing against biological males and what all this could mean both for fairness and for family values.
6:37 Well, House Democrats yesterday advanced an Obamacare subsidy expansion, and they did so with the aid, I might add, of 17 Republicans. They did that despite
6:49 objections from GOP leadership. Republicans are warning that this measure locks in unlimited pandemic era spending as well as increases significantly the deficit.
7:01 The bill passed, though, 2 30 to 1 96. So what is it going to, face when it reaches the senate? Well, joining me now is Washington stand
7:13 reporter, Casey Harper, who's been tracking today's stories as well as this 1. Casey, where does where does this leave all the negotiations? What what are Republicans
7:25 saying is, the this deadline is rapidly approaching right now?
7:29 Yeah. Thanks, Jody. You're exactly right that we have this bump in COVID era spending that you would think would be COVID era, but now could potentially become the new normal. Republicans argue that continuing those
7:39 subsidies benefits higher income Americans. Now the congressional budget office estimates that the plan would cost more than 80000000000 dollars over 10 years. Here's what representative Chris Smith had to
7:51 say about it.
7:52 The Hyde Amendment was not, I say again, not included when the ACA was enacted in 2010, nor was it included when president Biden significantly expanded subsidies during COVID. It has gotten so bad, Mr.
8:04 Speaker, that according to a 20 25 article by the Kaiser Foundation, 12 states, including my own state of New Jersey, absolutely require all plans of the ACA
8:16 marketplace to cover abortion on demand. We permit abortion till birth in my state as do many others. That's all covered by Obamacare.
8:25 Well, GOP lawmakers, including Chris Smith, who you just heard passionately, say that the subsidies can be used for plans that include abortion and transgender medical procedures. On the other hand, Senate Republicans,
8:37 they want something and are pushing for something that's a shorter extension with income caps and stricter coverage limits. Jody?
8:46 We will certainly be watching this as it goes to the senate and see what happens over there. Transitioning a little bit, Casey, there's protests as we all are watching, taking place in Minneapolis. All this after
8:58 an ICE agent shot a woman, and there's similar unrest in, in Portland and other places after there after a border patrol intervene. What's the latest that, we're seeing,
9:09 Casey, right now as this wave of protests are spreading across the country?
9:14 Yeah. That's right, Jody. We have seen protests across the country, Minneapolis, Portland, other cities, including just down the street, from here at the White House. And this is all intensified. These protests have been
9:24 going on, but it's intensified after the ICE shooting with hundreds and hundreds demonstrating particularly near federal buildings. Now in Portland, as you mentioned, a border patrol agent shot 2 people in an in an
9:36 incident. Officials say involved a potential vehicle attack. So another vehicle attack here, and we know there's been a surge of vehicle attacks against ICE officers as well. The Trump administration, for their part,
9:48 they emphasized that these operations and these agents being in these cities are enforcing immigration laws and protecting communities after a wave of illegal immigration under the Biden administration. Now the protest
9:59 in Minneapolis, all started with this, you know, big fraud investigation, which has now led to surge in ICE. But there's more and more focus because of this on fraud, including an
10:11 investigation into COVID era tax fraud, which in this clip here, treasury secretary Scott Besant commented on earlier today.
10:19 First, we have followed the money and identified the money service businesses that may have transferred taxpayer funds overseas. Our team at FinCEN has just
10:31 provided formal notification to these businesses that they are under investigation.
10:38 You know, the Trump administration also announced the DOJ led national fraud division to investigate and prosecute fraud affecting federal programs, which, Jody, you know, for your time in congress and an oversight, is
10:50 much more common than people may realize.
10:53 Yeah. It really is. And, you know, it's encouraging to see that some attention is being highlighted with all this. The light is coming on. Casey, if I can switch gears, of course, we have protests as you just referenced,
11:05 taking place in America. But on the international front, Iran also is witnessing massive anti government protests there, and authorities there have even shut down the Internet. And,
11:17 it looks like demonstrators are challenging the Islamic, Shia regime. Can you give us a little more information as to what's unfolding there?
11:26 Sure, Jody. It's pretty amazing what's happening in Iran right now. As you mentioned, Internet shut off, a lot of phone services shut off, flights not coming into the country anymore as protests have erupted across major
11:36 cities with demonstrators confronting security forces and defying the regime. So what do we know? We know at least 62 people including security personnel and protesters and sadly, believe reports say
11:48 some children have been killed in the unrest. But this unrest, it highlights this growing anger at Iran's oppressive regime, the poor economy, and its continued hostility towards Israel and the west.
12:00 Jody?
12:02 Well, Casey, so much happening both here and around the world. As always, thank you so much for keeping us abreast as, what's what's taking place. We appreciate it. Alright. I wanna continue the discussion now on what's
12:14 happening in Iran and get a perspective from Capitol Hill. And joining me now to talk about this and more is congressman Keith Self. He serves on several house committees, including the foreign affairs committee.
Insights on Iran, Venezuela, and Greenland from Experts
12:26 He also served our country faithfully for some 25 years in the army before retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He represents the third congressional district of the great state of
12:38 Texas. Congressman Self, welcome back to Washington Watch. Always great to have you.
12:42 Great to be here, Jody. Thank you.
12:45 Well, listen. Before I get going, I I just wanna let you know I was virtually in your district literally up until just a day before yesterday visiting family, our daughter and grandkids, all of them, and I just love the
12:57 state of Texas. Said, your district is wonderful. They're fortunate to have you. And, it's always great to be there. But let me first start, if I can, with just your overall assessments as to all the
13:09 protests that have been taking place in Iran. What what are you hearing?
13:13 Well, I think this could be real. You know, they've tried before several times over several years, but this 1 looks real. There are unconfirmed reports that they've taken at least 1
13:25 city, that at least 1 general has joined, that they have burned the grave of the original Ayatollah Khomeini. So I think this could be real.
13:37 And I spoke to an Iranian American group just weeks ago literally and and told them that when the Iranian people are willing to accept the sacrifice that it will take to make a
13:49 change, then we'll see the change. This could look real to me. So I am very encouraged that the Iranian people have had enough. They're ready to move on from the theocracy
14:01 under which they suffer today.
14:04 Looking real, that is a great description of it, and, I think that hits it right on the head. You know, on the other hand of that, Congressman, we have the Iranian regime, signaling at least that
14:15 security forces are going to crack down on all these protests and protesters. In fact, the chief of justice there is vowing punishment to these people, decisive punishment, maximum
14:27 punishment, with no legal leniency. What do you make of all that?
14:32 Well, we also hear reports that they're bringing in outsiders such as Hezbollah and other people to do their dirty work. So I think they realize maybe they shouldn't use the IRGC for
14:44 instance, the army, the police to actually, kill their own citizens. So in my mind, that could be another encouraging sign that they realize they don't wanna see
14:55 Iranians killing Iranians.
14:59 Yeah. Interesting take there. And then we have on this end, president Trump has warned, Tehran, the the regime that, if they kill some of these protesters, Americas are gonna come to
15:10 their rescue. Do do you think Iran has learned at least or, at least skittish based on what happened last year when America intervened and did something
15:22 about their nuclear program? Or they, do they really understand that this president means business?
15:29 Well, they should. President Trump has proven time and time again. When he says something, he's gonna do it.
15:37 Well, it's gonna be very interesting to you. Do do you see how, from your perspective, has Iran just how weak have they become since all of the war with Israel, Hamas,
15:49 that started a couple years ago and the US intervention, several months ago, just how weak have they become?
15:58 Well, they've lost, their proxies. The Hezbollah, Hamas, they've lost those. They've lost the Shia nations over to the to the Mediterranean,
16:09 Iraq and others. They've lost so much. Their economy is in shambles. The sanctions are actually, hitting them. Russia is actually building Iranian
16:21 drones rather than bringing them from Iran. Some of the European sanctions, when I asked them to put sanctions on the Iranian airlines, they did. So I believe
16:33 they are far weaker than they used to be, because of a plethora of things that have happened to them over the last few years. So, yes. I think they are weaker. Now they they there are 2 things that
16:45 are important to them. First of all, is the survival of the regime. So they may crack down. They may want to crack down. And their nuclear program, those are the 2 reasons that they have,
16:57 to go hard on all of this. So I don't think this is over. We need to be careful. Yes. They're weaker. Yes. They could be willing to crack down as hard as they have to. It's up to the Iranian people though
17:09 to make the decision of how hard they are going to fight.
17:14 Right. Switching gears real quickly, the senate, yesterday advanced a resolution, saying that the hostilities in Venezuela cannot go forward without authorization by congress.
17:26 What's your take on that resolution and the overall work of president Trump in Venezuela?
17:32 Well, that was a precise operation, the magnitude of which we have not we've never seen. The integration, the combination of national assets down to the ground assets was
17:44 truly amazing. But, I don't think this is gonna stop president Trump, because I think he's on solid ground. Look, the US Marines have patrolled many of the South American, capitals over the
17:56 years. The Monroe Doctrine has been around since our nation was founded. Teddy Roosevelt added to it. The Don Rowe Doctrine, as president Trump is calling it, has a long
18:08 and very traditional history in America. This is our hemisphere and we intend and he intends, to to make sure that it stays our hemisphere. I don't think the senate
18:19 is gonna do anything. I think they're messaging. I think they're beating their chest, but I don't think that goes anywhere. President Trump, I think, is on solid ground to bring a legal criminal out of
18:31 Venezuela to stand trial in the United States.
18:35 Thank you, takers, congressman Keith Self. Always an honor to have you on Washington Watch with us. Thank you. Alright, friends. Coming up, we'll turn our attention to Minnesota from the protest to the fraud. Stay
18:47 tuned. We'll be back.
18:54 The book of Hebrews says that the word of God is living and active, sharper than any 2 edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the
19:06 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
19:18 to 15 minutes a day reading God's word. And over the course of 2 years, discover that the Bible is 1 big story. A story of many words pointing to the word. The
19:29 1 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
19:41 at f r c dot o r g slash bible. Join us as we stand on the word.
19:52 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
20:04 other religious minority groups with brutal violence. Since 2009, 52000 Christians have been slaughtered. A staggering 89 percent of Christian martyrs in the world today are from
20:16 Nigeria. The first Trump administration declared Nigeria a country country of particular concern, a designation reserved for countries whose governments engage in or tolerate religious freedom violations.
20:29 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 US, president
20:41 Donald Trump has responded.
20:43 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.
20:55 This is a huge step forward for the protection of Christians in Nigeria as well as religious freedom across the world. While this opens the door for the US government to government to pressure Nigerian leaders to protect
21:06 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.
21:20 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,
21:32 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
21:44 stand, where faith and facts meet every day.
21:55 Good afternoon. Welcome back to Watch and Watch. I'm Jody Heiss, your Friday host. Thank you so much for tuning in. Alright. Yesterday, vice president JD Vance reiterated
22:08 the Trump administration's interesting Greenland. You probably have watched some of this. He's highlighting how the territory is important, not just to America's missile defense, but the entire world's. He
22:20 also noted the interest in the territory from the bad actors who are out there.
22:26 We know that there are hostile adversaries that have shown a lot of interest in that particular territory, that particular slice of the world. So what we're asking our European friends to do is to take the security of
22:37 that land mass more seriously because if they're not, the United States is gonna have to do something about it.
22:43 Well, some top representatives to the US from both Denmark and Greenland reportedly met with the White House yesterday, some officials. And and then next week, US secretary of state Marco
22:55 Rubio is expected to meet with the foreign ministers from Denmark and Greenland for further discussions. So how might all of this unfold? Well, joining me now is
23:07 Carla Sands, who served during the first Trump administration as a US ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark, including Greenland and the Faroe Islands. She is currently chair
23:19 of the foreign policy initiative and distinguished fell senior fellow for energy policy, America First Policy Institute. Ambassador Sands, welcome to Washington Watch. Appreciate you joining
23:31 us.
23:32 I'm so happy to be with you, Jody. Thanks for having me.
23:35 Well, it is our honor in every way. First of all, what do you make of the Trump administration's assessment of Greenland overall?
23:44 Well, I think that it's it's an unfinished business from the first Trump administration back in 20 19. President Trump and I discussed these issues in the Oval Office. There's no question that
23:56 Greenland is unsecure. And I met with the Danish ambassador yesterday and the Greenlandic representative. He's not allowed to be called an ambassador because they're, you know, subjects more or
24:08 less of Denmark, but they want to go independent. Nobody's talking about 2 important facts, Jody. 1 is Greenland is going independent, whether Denmark likes it or not.
24:20 They've stated it publicly. They've voted on it. And so when they go independent, they don't have the capacity to defend themselves or develop themselves. It's going to be 1 of probably 3 nations that can do
24:31 that. The US, China, maybe Russia, maybe not. So looking at the facts like president Trump does, he's assessed that it's important for the US to secure Greenland. Number 2
24:43 is Denmark keeps talking about NATO and invoking NATO and what a tragedy it would be if the US seized Greenland. I'm not saying that president Trump's going to seize Greenland, but what I am saying
24:55 is Denmark, yes, they always talk about article 5. The US will come to the defense of their allies, and all the allies will come to our defense. But they don't talk about article 3, which comes before
25:07 article 5. In article 3 of the NATO treaty, the nady NATO charter says that every allied nation, every member has to be able to defend their territory. Denmark will
25:19 never be able to defend Greenland. It's a little over 5000000 people. Greenland is the world's largest island. It's a third the size of the continental US. They don't have the money or the capacity to defend
25:31 it. So it is undefended today. It's not our job to go in and be mercenaries and defend another country's territory. So president Trump, I think, is spot on, and we'll see how these
25:42 negotiations go with secretary Rubio next week with the Danes.
25:48 Very, very interesting. So, what what are what are the possible ways that the US could acquire, if that's the right word, Greenland? What what what's the most likely and maybe the least
26:00 like least likely scenarios?
26:04 Okay. That's a fair question, Jody. Number 1, Denmark sends about 600000000 dollars in welfare payments to Greenland, but don't get afraid about that. Don't be scared because they get a lot back. They've taken a
26:16 lot out of the ground. There's riches in the ground. There's riches in the sea around Greenland. So there's money to be made by American companies, but Greenland will need some financial support in order for us to to
26:27 have this special relationship. So I think it's a matter of money. It's a matter of development. They don't even have a road between 2 towns there. There is 0, development except for mostly
26:39 what the US military built, ports, airports, whatever roads, this most of the structures, they were built by the US military. When we occupy Greenland
26:51 from the from World War 2 until we were there until the mid nineties after the fall of the Berlin Wall. So it'll take money and then probably the right of Greenlanders to have self governance.
27:03 They want to be masters of their own gov their own government. And so
27:07 there
27:07 are associations that we can have, like a COFA. It's a free association that Greenland would have its own government, but we would do some development. We would absolutely defend it, and therefore, it
27:19 would be secure.
27:22 Well, I know you have no way of knowing for sure, but I'd like to have a just kind of your opinion. How do you see all of this playing out? I mean, is there a way for the Trump administration's aims
27:34 and goals, which I think most of us would totally agree with? Are there other ways that those could be, filled, those goals could be filled without
27:45 acquiring Greenland? What what do you think ultimately is gonna happen here?
27:50 Well, so first, I didn't fill I didn't finish answering your your last question because you asked me what do you think is the least likely scenario. Well, in spite of the fact that Denmark's prime minister said any
28:02 American activity in Greenland, we're gonna shoot first and ask questions later. Sounds like Texas to me. I think that it is very unlikely that we go and invade Greenland, but I don't take anything off
28:14 the table because president Trump hasn't, of course. But but I think, the other scenarios, well, I mean, I don't know how else to get it done. I don't think by the time president
28:25 Trump leaves office, he's gonna leave Greenland unsecure and the Danes, those arrogant Danes, they're arrogant. Here they are. 5 and a half million people with the economy, the side of size of Colorado,
28:38 and they're saying, we want to own this asset even though they can't afford to own it. It's like when you own something and you have to sell it because it's just too expensive. That's what this situation is. So I I don't
28:49 know how else to I don't know how else to it's sort of a box, and there aren't that many options in my opinion.
28:57 Well, it's all gonna be interesting. I think all of us are gonna be watching keenly the meeting that, Rubio has next week. That's going to be an extremely important
29:09 meeting that takes place, and we will see what comes out of that. Hopefully we'll be talking to you further about all this as it unfolds in the weeks and months to come. Thank you so much. Former US ambassador of Kingdom
29:20 of Denmark, Carla Sands. Thank you. Alright, friends. Stay tuned. We've got much more coming your way. Of course, as, we've all been watching this week, so much is happeningShow more
Comments No comments yet. Start the conversation.
Tony Perkins93.9K followers
Comments
Keep it kind. Comments are public.