Skip to content 6/26/2025 Understanding: the Impact of Obergefell, Dobbs and Other Court Cases; the China-Iran Relationship Jun 26 · 59 min ...more
6/26/2025 Understanding: the Impact of Obergefell, Dobbs and Other Court Cases; the China-Iran Relationship
June 26, 2025 · 59 min
China’s ties with a nuclear-stunted Iran; Fidelity month, natural marriage, and 10 years post Obergefell; scrutinizing abortion pills; SCOTUS hurts Planned Parenthood funding; Taking a “Byrd Bath.”
Series Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Video
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June 26, 2025 · 59 min · Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Video
China’s ties with a nuclear-stunted Iran; Fidelity month, natural marriage, and 10 years post Obergefell; scrutinizing abortion pills; SCOTUS hurts Planned Parenthood funding; Taking a “Byrd Bath.” ...more Show the full description Show less China’s ties with a nuclear-stunted Iran; Fidelity month, natural marriage, and 10 years post Obergefell; scrutinizing abortion pills; SCOTUS hurts Planned Parenthood funding; Taking a “Byrd Bath.”
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In this video 0:00 Political and Military Updates4:43 Cultural and Spiritual Reflections18:33 The Role of Faith in Society38:34 Legislative and Judicial DevelopmentsComments No comments yet. Start the conversation.
Political and Military Updates 0:05 Welcome to the Washington Watch News Desk. I'm Sarah Holliday with today's top stories. President Donald Trump's big beautiful bill has hit a few more snags. The senate parliamentarian0:18 Elizabeth McDonough rejected a proposal to cut welfare benefits for illegal immigrants. A move Kentucky senator Rand Paul blasted in an interview with Breitbart.0:29 So we have basically an unelected, you know, person works in the senate, has now decided that she can, decide for the country that we can't eliminate welfare for illegal aliens, which is, to me,0:41 insane that we allow that to happen. But that's the world we live in at this point. This is what we've been going through for the last week. Basically, people have been elected to represent entire states, senators from0:53 both parties, go and beseech her on bended knee, and they say, please, please, please include my policy in the bill. And then she gets to decide. It's just this amazing power1:05 where she is the sole decider on this, and she's never been elected to anything.1:10 Paul argued the provision could have saved taxpayer dollars, hundreds of billions, if not billions. Nonetheless, McDonough's decision stands. With the senate pushing for a vote by1:22 July fourth, the clock is ticking. Now, we turn to the Middle East where US air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities have sparked both military and1:33
1:45 obliterated Iran's nuclear ambitions. However, CNN obtained a leaked draft defense report and suggested the strikes only delayed Iran's program, not destroyed
1:57 it. Defense secretary Pete Hegseth said the outlet manipulated the leak.
2:02 There are so many aspects of what our brave men and women did that by because of the hatred of this press corps are undermined because your people are trying to leak and spin that
2:14 it wasn't successful. It's irresponsible. And time and time again, classified information is leaked or peddled for political purposes to try to make the president look bad. And what's really happening is you're
2:25 undermining the success of incredible b 2 pilots and incredible f 35 pilots and incredible refuelers and incredible air defenders who accomplished their mission.
2:35 Press secretary Caroline Levitt also chimed in. Despite agenda driven leaks by the fake news media aimed at undermining this incredible accomplishment achieved by president Trump and our brave fighter
2:47 pilots, there is broad consensus emerging already that Iran's nuclear capabilities were indeed destroyed. Trump now wants to limit congress's access to
2:58 classified intelligence on cap net, the system for briefing lawmakers. This move has some democrats fuming. On the other hand, House Speaker Mike Johnson told Axios there'll be
3:10 a price to pay after classified documents were not only leaked but offered for view by Democrats. Turning to a breaking update from the US Supreme Court,
3:22 SCOTUS voted 6 to 3 to allow South Carolina to exclude Planned Parenthood from Medicaid programs. This decision stems from the case Medina versus Planned Parenthood South Atlantic
3:34 and it empowers states to prioritize how they want to spend taxpayer dollars. South Carolina governor Henry McMaster called the decision a victory for the state's pro life values. Supporters say
3:46 this is 1 step toward defunding abortion providers nationwide. In another major story, the FBI has launched criminal investigations into 3
3:58 prominent children's hospitals in Boston, Los Angeles, and Colorado. The charge that they defied federal statute by performing female mutilation under the guise of so
4:10 called gender affirming care. Allegedly, these hospitals violated the law by offering sex change surgeries for minors. Children's Hospital Los Angeles has already shuttered its trans
4:22 youth health center citing funding risks. And this investigation comes after attorney general Pam Bondi already said the administration is determined to protect children from life altering
4:33 procedures. And those are today's headlines. I'm Sarah Holliday. Up next is Washington Watch with Tony Perkins. We're back tomorrow with more stories that matter.
Cultural and Spiritual Reflections
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
5:04 newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts now.
5:10 Reality is you wanna call it destroyed, you wanna call it defeated, you wanna call it obliterated, choose your word. This was an historically successful attack,
5:20 and we should celebrate it
5:21 as Americans. And it gives us a chance to have peace, chance to have a deal, and an opportunity to prevent a nuclear Iran.
5:29 That was secretary of defense Pete Hegseth earlier today discussing the US bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities and taking the media to task. Welcome to this June 20 sixth edition of Washington
5:41 Watch. I'm your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for tuning in. Well, coming up, we'll take a closer look at what's ahead for Iran and the Middle East and the role China may be playing with Illinois congressman
5:53 Darren LaHood, a member of the House Intelligence Committee. And as June draws to a close, so does pride month. And without the government and corporations force feeding the American public, it it's becoming clear the
6:04 public has, little appetite for all of that. That's raising new questions on the left, including about the future of court imposed same sex marriage. Today marks the tenth anniversary since the Obergefell
6:16 decision, which opened a cultural Pandora's box, men and women's sports, men and women's restrooms, and the sexual indoctrination of elementary school children, just to name a few.
6:28 Doctor Ben Carson will join me to unpack the cultural consequences of this ruling and how we might respond. And Planned Parenthood's president Alexis McGill Johnson
6:39 responded earlier today to a major Supreme Court decision.
6:44 This case, just like the current congressional effort to defund Planned Parenthood, is about lawmakers who want to impose their personal beliefs on everyone else. This time, it's about the court
6:56 determining patients' rights.
6:58 Miguel Johnson was responding to a court issued ruling this morning that said South Carolina can exclude Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid program. Planned Parenthood obviously worried
7:10 that the ruling will embolden other pro life states to cut off taxpayer funding to the nation's largest abortion provider. Well, let's pray that's exactly what happens. We'll talk about it later on this edition
7:22 of Washington Watch. Also joining me today, FRC's Travis Weber and Suzanne Bowdy, editorial director and senior writer at the Washington Stand, will discuss the 1 big beautiful bill. The senate's giving the bill somewhat
7:34 of a makeover. Will the house recognize it when it comes back? We'll talk about that as well. All of that and a bit more coming up on this edition of Washington Watch. But before we begin, as the week and
7:46 our fiscal year draws to a close, there's still time to double your support for Washington Watch and the Family Research Council. For over 40 years, Family Research Council has stood firm in our nation's capital
7:58 defending faith, family, and freedom from a biblical perspective. And thanks to a generous matching challenge, every gift that is given this week will be doubled. So to make your gift, we have folks
8:09 standing by to take your call. 802 2 5 4 0 0 8. That's 802 2 5 4 0 0 8 to talk to 1 of our team members. Stand with us, and together, let's
8:21 be a voice for truth. Well, as I mentioned during a press conference this morning, defense secretary Pete Hegseth further defended America's targeted strikes on Iranian nuclear
8:33 facilities. He and joint chiefs of staff chairman Dan Kane presented new information on the extent of the damage. Secretary also towards the legacy media for hoping the strikes, quote,
8:45 maybe weren't effective and trying to play them against president Trump. Here to discuss this, congressman Darren LaHood, who serves on the house permanent select committee on intelligence, he represents the sixteenth
8:56 congressional district of Illinois. Congressman LaHood, welcome back to Washington Watch. Always good to see you.
9:02 Good to be with you, Tony.
9:03 So I I know the house is scheduled for its own, briefing tomorrow, from the White House on the extent of the damage done. But what are you hearing so far,
9:15 and would you call this a success?
9:19 I would absolutely call it a success. The intelligence committee on the house side has been meeting throughout this week, in in our classified briefings in the SCIP, and going over that. I can't get into the details
9:31 on that. But as, CIA director Ratcliffe said yesterday, what president Trump, did severely damage the Iranian nuclear program. That was, also,
9:43 put forth today at the press conference that you referenced with general Kane and also with, defense secretary Hasek. This was a successful mission. And but let's back up a little bit. President Trump
9:55 gave the Iranians an opportunity to come to the table. Over a 60 day window, his envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with the Iranians, told them they need to come forth with a plan on how they, get rid of their nuclear
10:07 program. That didn't happen. And on day 61, of course, the Israelis moved in and, did what they did in a very successful way, and that was followed by the, bunker bombs that,
10:19 again, severely damaged, and decommissioned the nuclear program in Iran, which is, which was a calculated risk. There's no doubt about it. But I'm glad president Trump made that decision,
10:31 after careful thought with a lot of smart bright people in his, in in his cabinet, and and, ultimately, this is gonna make the Middle East safer, America safer, and the world.
10:43 There's been some question about the rich enriched uranium, that was at about 60 percent. They gotta go to 90 to be weaponized to use for nuclear grade weapons. That some of
10:55 that was removed and hidden prior to the the strikes. What do we know about that?
11:01 Well, I don't think we know the full extent of that. I'm I'm skeptical that, that that that was done appropriately,
11:09 but
11:09 I don't think we'll know for a little bit of time here. Again, the strategic and tactical mission of what we did with these bombs hit their targets. As you know, these bunker bombs go down 20 or 30
11:21 stories. Tony. We're the only ones in the world that have this capability. And and, again, they severely damage, using the words of the CIA director, the nuclear program, and,
11:33 and I think it's a success.
11:35 The the attack combined with what the Israelis did has also set back, Iran in their conventional warfare as well with their missiles.
11:45 No doubt about it. Iran is in a very weakened position because of, what the US and the Israelis have been able to do. But you just think about, what the Trump administration has done since they came in,
11:57 Tony. You know, they Iran had all these proxies throughout the Middle East, the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in southern
12:04 Lebanon, the Shia proxies in Iraq. Assad was, also 1
12:04 of their backers of also 1 of their backers of terrorism. In in many ways, those have all been eliminated. We're still dealing with the Houthis, but it has been a concerted
12:16 effort, both the Israelis and the United States to weaken Iran, and that's the position they're in. In the end, the the religious zealots and the mullahs in Iran, they made a decision they'd rather have
12:28 a bomb than peace, and this is the result, of what happened, over the last 12 days here.
12:35 I I think we would be, it would be difficult to find another period in time in history where we've seen so much transformation in the Middle East. Now the the dust hasn't settled. We don't know what the
12:46 future looks like, but certainly the landscape the geopolitical landscape has shifted in the Middle East. The the key is going forward. Can the
12:59 can there really sustain can peace be
13:01 sustained with a Islamic regime that
13:01 you just made
13:01 reference to still in
13:11 Iranian mulas have been running, the the theocracy in Iran state sponsor of terrorism, everything they've been involved with. I'm skeptical, and I'm dubious. I don't I
13:23 I I wish this would deter them from continuing to go down the path that they've already gone down. But as you know, Tony, they continue to not abide by any international norms, or or be compliant with,
13:36 anything that's been put forth before. We'll see. This should send the ultimate deterrence. I hope this causes them to come to the table and wanna negotiate and denuclearize. We can only hope, but I think we couldn't
13:48 have sent a stronger message than we did over the last several days.
13:51 Congressman LaHood, I would certainly agree to that. I I I wanna kind of shift a bit, still related. You're a member of the house select committee on the Chinese Communist Party. Now many would say, alright.
14:03 So what does that have to do with Iran? It has a lot to do with Iran because China has been holding up Iran and supplying it with funds to be able to move forward with what
14:15 it's been doing.
14:17 Well, you're exactly right, Tony. And I I don't think we focused on this enough. And and I don't say this to scare people, but China has a plan to replace the United States, and they're working at it every single day
14:29 from a national security standpoint, a diplomatic standpoint, an economic standpoint, technological standpoint. And them supporting countries like Iran buying much of their energy, has helped,
14:41 fuel and fund Iran and the mullahs there. And, you know, that, again, has not been covered enough, but that that's the reality. And on the intelligence committee and also on
14:53 the select committee on China, we we've been focused on this, but I think it's gotta be raised to a whole another level. And I know the secretary of defense talked a little bit about it today, and president Trump is
15:04 aware of this, but we can't let, China off the hook on this. We gotta continue to press them to stop supporting Iran the way that they have.
15:14 I mean, my, my sources in, in Israel, their intel suggests that Iran was able to rebuild the missile fuel sites, the solid missile fuel sites
15:27 that they destroyed back in October of last year in large part because of Chinese money that was, flooding in to support Iran?
15:35 Well, you need resources and you need money. And, I mean, that's the 1 thing they have is, energy sources there, natural gas and oil, and, the Chinese continue to buy it, along with other rogue nations.
15:48 And we that needs to be, again, prioritized and put at the top of our list, to we can't allow Iran to continue to have that funding source moving forward. And I think as we
16:00 think about the trade negotiations that are ongoing with China, this has to be a a part of those, and I think, it will be highlighted, from a national security standpoint. The
16:12 last point that I will make on this, Tony, is I think the national security team that president Trump has put in place is definitely much more focused on China and the Indo Pacific region, whether that's secretary Rubio,
16:23 whether that's vice president Vance, whether that's director Ratcliffe, whether that's director Patel, and others focused on China as a threat, and and hopefully that will, sink in as we
16:35 continue the negotiations with China.
16:37 Well, I I do wanna bring up 1 1 more point on on China, and they're they're the largest purchaser of, Iranian oil. And and the president earlier this week suggesting that, sanctions might
16:49 be loosened to allow China to, to continue to buy oil from Iran. I mean, how how would you see sanctions continuing to be a tool to keep Iran in line?
17:02 Well, I I would not, be of that opinion of allowing to that we should loosen sanctions. Again, Iran has shown no track record of being compliant
17:14 of of working in a way, has been trustworthy. Now if Iran came forward and said, we wanna negotiate, we wanna recognize Israel, we wanna be a good actress in the Middle East,
17:26 then I think that's a different story. We've heard none of that and seen none of that. We've seen just the opposite. Tony, I don't know if you saw this this past week, but, you know, the the level of propaganda and
17:37 misinformation that the Iranian state television has put on, they had a parade saying that they had won the war.
17:42 Right. Right. And they're executing people, openly, to send fear among those who would challenge the regime. I I do what you you said something that I think is really, really important. That could be
17:54 a acid test, if you will, of whether or not they truly, are gonna give up their nuclear plan and wanna be a part of the broader global community, and that is recognizing the right of Israel to
18:06 exist. They have not done that. I would be hard pressed to see them do it.
18:12 Well, we'll see. Again, there there's a number of things that they can do to show that they are good actors. I I that has not been a way that anybody would describe them moving forward, but there
18:23 is a pathway for them to move forward, and we'll see if those negotiations continue. And and we can hope for that. Yes.
18:31 But
18:31 I think we have to be skeptical and dubious.Show more
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