Andy Miller is president of Wesley Biblical Seminary in Mississippi

>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Hello, my name is Andy Miller and I'm the president of Wesley Biblical Seminary based in Ridgeland, Mississippi. We are developing trusted leaders for faithful churches, and we do that based on the authority of scripture and in the reality that Christians can be transformed. We do that also through bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. We'd love for you to learn more about Wesley Biblical Seminary at WBS Edu, where we're developing trusted leaders for faithful churches.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Welcome to Today's Issues, offering a Christian response to the issues of the day. Here's your host, Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association.

>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, good morning everybody, and welcome to Today's Issues. That's the name of this show on the American Family Radio Network on this Monday, July 14, 2025. I hope you had a nice weekend. And, we are ready for. I hope you're prepared for another. Another week of bad news, ladies and gentlemen. No, we got some good news too. It's always a mix, right? But, joining me in studios, Ed Vitagliano. Good morning, Brother Ed.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, that was my coarse and irritating laughter in the back when I said bad news. Yeah. Welcome to another week of bad news.

>> Tim Wildmon: Sarcastic laugh there. and Fred Jackson. Good morning, Fred.

>> Fred Jackson: Good morning. I, I'm the one that has to deliver this.

>> Tim Wildmon: I know. We, we have our, what we call show prep meeting, which is, yes, ladies and gentlemen, we do prepare for this hour and a half, each morning about 8:15 or 8:30 here at our offices. And we always, I always say, can we have some good news? You know, and we will have some good news. But, unfortunately the fallen world that we live in, bad things happen and we have to talk about them and report them.

Nine people died when Massachusetts assisted living facility caught fire last night

but, and we got a very sad, incident, I say incident, situation, out of.

>> Fred Jackson: Fall, River, Massachusetts. I think it's about 50 miles from Boston. there's an assisted living facility there called Gabriel house. At about 9:50 last night, firefighters responded, to a call there. and when they got there, this facility was in flames. And if you go to afn.net, you will see a picture of this facility because plays into this story because it's about a three story building. This building was in flames. When firefighters got there, there were people even hanging out of windows saying, help me, help me. by the time they got the fire under control, nine of the residents there, were dead. And there are about 30 that are still being treated. We don't know what caused this fire. Yet, but you know, these, these assisted living facilities and it isn't always senior citizens that live in these areas, sometimes it's disabled people. So we're not sure how that all breaks down in this particular place. But very tragic story. and firefighters did their very best, but the fire was well established by the time they got there around 10 o' clock last night.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And I'm looking at a story from AFN, uh.uh net, American Family News, AFN.net good story covering this there, there were about 50 firefighters that responded and said including 30 who are off duty. So this was one of those things that was kind of an all hands on deck and they did the best that they could and some of those who were rescued I guess taken to different hospitals. but sometimes like you said, a fire that's well established, it's unsafe for firefighters to go in and it's a terrible, terrible way to die. Especially if some of these people who perished, you know, were, you know, confused, didn't know what was happening. But well, tough thing.

>> Tim Wildmon: Listen, also what complicated the matter I'm sure was multi layer.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Building, I mean multi, multi story building. You know what I'm saying?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: And a lot of these folks, I mean we're all familiar with assisted living, places and, and for the most part the people can get around but they're older and they're not, they can't move fast. But there are some that have to have walkers and.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. So you're not going to have your full staff.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Trying to help people get out. If there's a lot of smoke, people, even if you're young, it's easy to get confused about where you're, where you're located and people might get into closets. It's just, it's a terrible thing.

>> Tim Wildmon: You know, what our country is going to face. Of course this is true of Canada too, Fred. and other, other carts. Our country is going to face a big issue and is facing now, but going to, in the next 10 to 20 years care for the elderly is going to be a massive challenge.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Problem. And I'm not looking at you guys because you're elderly. I'm looking at you guys because you're 10 years away from being called that.

>> Ed Vitagliano: but I Wish I was 10 years away from being called that.

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, you're called elderly but you know what I'm saying? what I'm saying, like the other day I was reading about a nursing home facility like being, going Bankrupt. Well, okay, what happens then? You know, you got, let's say you got 100 people in a nursing facility that goes bankrupt.

>> Ed Vitagliano: You, what do you do something with them?

>> Tim Wildmon: Most of the times if you have an apartment or you have something, you, you can evict people, but you can't evict.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, you will, there'll be no place.

>> Tim Wildmon: To take care if the, if the bank. Yeah. What happens?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Family members have to find alternatives.

>> Tim Wildmon: So, so how, you know, how do you guard against that, going. Happening, you know, going bankrupt? Because oftentimes these places are run by companies.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: You know what I'm saying?

>> Ed Vitagliano: and it's a business.

>> Tim Wildmon: It's a business and the business goes under. Then what do you do with the citizens, the people who are in there? And they can't, they can't easily, move out. They don't know where to go, what to do. I'm just saying it's going to be a. Those, not just the bankruptcy that was worst case scenario. But I'm talking about just care for people who are, is going to become a real.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Because our population is aging, aging. The aging. the aged group is growing in size because subsequent generations. And like you said, this is true around the west, it is true in China, people have stopped having sufficient number of kids to make the elderly age bracket no different than any other age bracket.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right.

>> Ed Vitagliano: So.

Fall river fire in Massachusetts leaves nine dead and 30 injured

>> Tim Wildmon: All right, well, this is a very sad story out of Massachusetts. you say, Fred.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Fall river fire, killing nine people at a, senior, injured. Yes, 30 injured.

>> Ed Vitagliano: More information. By the way, if you check out American Family News afn.net you can find that story there.

>> Tim Wildmon: All right, go ahead.

Suspect opens fire on Kentucky church, killing two women and injuring several others

>> Fred Jackson: Also on American Family News, another sad story. And this is from yesterday in Lexington, Kentucky. a suspect, killed two women at a Kentucky church after a shooting. A state trooper. Let me try to unfold the story a little bit. Yesterday morning a state trooper at the Lexington's airport, for some reason was suspicious of a car, took down the license tag, license plate. Somebody call, brought up a warning. He confronted the guy driving this car. The guy opened fire on the state trooper. The trooper was injured. He's undergone treatment for that wound. The guy takes off. He carjacked another car, takes off and heads toward a church, Richmond Road Baptist Church. And again if you go to afn.net, you'll see a picture of this church. It's a little church in the country. And this guy, enters the church. What we do know now at this point, he was looking for the mother of his three children. And what the Associated Press and other media are reporting at this hour is he confronted a couple of women, I think they were downstairs getting a meal ready or something like that. And he asked where his wife was, where this woman was. They told this man, she is not here. And he replied, well, somebody has to die today. And he opened fire. And in doing that he killed a 72 year old woman and, and a 32 year old woman and injured several others. I'm not sure how the police were alerted to this. Tracked this guy to the church and they took this guy out, they shot and they killed him. So, like I say, a very small church. The way the press is describing it, kind of a lot of family members at this church, very close knit congregation but. But apparently he was looking for the mother of his three children. They weren't there. this guy, now deceased as I mentioned, was well known to police. In fact, one report says he was due in court today for another charge. but just opened fire. He was apparently said, I can't kill the mother of my children, I'm going to kill somebody.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And then the police, again the story on American Family News, this church was about 16 miles away from where the trooper was shot, I guess that was you said, at the airport. And they were able to track his vehicle, I don't know, maybe with a drone or a helicopter or what have you. But they were able to because they must have arrived at the church pretty quickly after he had opened fire and then. And he, and he was killed as well.

>> Tim Wildmon: So it wasn't a, He didn't go into the church looking to kill Christians. No.

>> Fred Jackson: There's no indication of that.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right. Yet. Right. It was a situation, what do you call it, a domestic dispute, so to speak. Well, I don't that's probably not the way to say it. It was a. He was looking for his wife or his ex wife.

>> Fred Jackson: Well, the mother. This being described as the mother of his three children.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. So he was angry at her for some reason. For some reason he was, You know, had a gun and kind of. Well, he shot Out. Yeah. You said a. How you shoot a highway patrolman, you're going to have. Yeah, everybody's going to be after you.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: So that they chased him down but got there too late to save those ladies. you know, Ed, most churches now have security teams.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. Now this was a small church, so maybe they weren't able to have that. But A lot of churches, especially of any, any size, have people trained. And in our state, where our headquarters is located, Mississippi, the headquarters of American Family Radio and American Family association, you know, you have protections if you have a church security team, as long as they have been sufficiently trained. So people are undergoing training. And there are, you know, always people in red states especially who have concealed carry or enhanced carry licenses. And then they do additional training for.

>> Tim Wildmon: But, you know, style intruders. But, you know, even so with security, teams and training, there are some things you can't stop.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: You just can't. And if some, if you got a small country church, they don't have two guys out front doing a body check of everybody that comes in. So somebody runs in and you know what I'm saying?

>> Ed Vitagliano: and anytime people, even with security team, anytime you open fire in a church, Bystanders.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Send bystanders.

>> Tim Wildmon: Who's shooting who.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: You got a question?

>> Ed Vitagliano: It's, It's a terrible, it's. Look, it's just a terrible, it's a terrible thing that we have to have security teams and churches. I know, this is a fairly recent development over the last 10 or 20 years, but it's life right now.

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, any place that you have people that are sitting ducks.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: You know, you got to, have, you got to think about security.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, let me just give you an example. Okay? Now I have an enhanced carry, and carry a weapon.

>> Tim Wildmon: Is it enhanced?

>> Ed Vitagliano: It's, it's enhanced carry, license the.

>> Tim Wildmon: Weapons, not tell people what that means.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay.

Fred Jackson: There's concealed carry and enhanced carry in Kentucky

>> Tim Wildmon: So as opposed to just a carry weapon.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. So there's concealed carry and, and this differs from state to state and enhanced carry. I, had to go through a, eight hour course and training to get that. But my daughter and I went to the movies, Saturday. Okay. And the movie theater, I'm not going to name it. It's, you know, right. They have the right to do. You can't carry your weapon inside. Okay. And that, that kind of bothered me because you go into that movie theater, you are a sitting duck. And you know, and you just. And my mind thinks that way. Now when we go into the movie theater, I look to check for where the exits are and how would we get out. And there's only one way into that, to that particular theater. And we were up, you know, halfway up where we were seated and there's no exit in the back. So you, you start thinking about being sitting ducks. And it's terrible that you have to think about that, but.

>> Fred Jackson: Mm.

>> Tim Wildmon: But you know what? You could just as easily go out in the parking lot, be shot at. You know, that's true. I'm just saying you can't escape everything, Right? you can, you can, but you can be as safe as I do agree with armed security at a church, because, I mean, in today's world. Yeah. And many, many place. Well, even a movie theater is going to have a security guard and they're going to have a uniformed security guard. now, that person couldn't necessarily stop. There's no metal detectors. That person couldn't necessarily. But it is a physical, it is a visible, physical, psychological deterrent to people who might want to get violent.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. I left my weapon in the car because they had a put. They was posted, no weapons inside.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right.

>> Ed Vitagliano: But someone who's going to come in and commit a crime is not going to follow the rule.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right, Right. That's true. So, anyway, so that happened in Kentucky. That's in Lexington. Lexington area.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes, sir. Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: all right. You're listening to the radio program, Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Tim, Ed. And, and, Steve Paisley, George. All will be along later, but Fred Jackson in with us. Fred's news director for American Family News, Next story. Fred?

130 people confirmed dead, 160 still missing following Texas flooding last week

>> Fred Jackson: Well, let's, give an update on what's happening with the recovery going on in Texas due to the horrific flooding there just over a week ago now. They had to pause the search on the weekend because they had more heavy rain in the area. at the moment, they're saying about 130 people, have died and, about.

>> Tim Wildmon: Haven't been found.

>> Fred Jackson: No, there's 160 people still missing. There's 130 people counted for confirmed. Confirmed dead. Okay.

>> Tim Wildmon: 160 people still missing.

>> Fred Jackson: That's what they're saying this morning? Yes, sir.

>> Tim Wildmon: That is stunning. I don't know how I missed that, but 160. Well, it's that chances of people being alive at this point or, what not. They're not, they're not any chances, I, I would think.

>> Fred Jackson: Remember last week, the lieutenant governor was, Was saying there was a number to call because maybe some people left the area before that flood occurred, didn't think about maybe calling somebody to say because their names were on a list for a cabin or whatever the case may be. But also, we have to remind people the stretch of this Guadalupe river impacted by this is 40, 50 miles long. And most people, I think, listening right now, have seen pictures of the level of debris. Looks like a War zone. Huge trees toppled over, houses, cars, you know, all piled on top of one another. So it is going to take literally, these search teams are going foot by foot trying to get through this debris to discover if perhaps there is a body there. And they're asking people, not to try to dig through the mud themselves because there may be bodies there. So it is a gruesome task for these search teams right now, and it's going to take a long time.

>> Ed Vitagliano: They're talking about not even digging through the silt around their own homes.

>> Fred Jackson: Correct.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Because people want to clean up after it, but they don't want to make sure that they're not, bodies.

The death toll from flooding in Texas could reach 300, possibly over 300

I was looking up largest, death toll in the US by flooding. And I listen this some horrific, floods. The deadliest flood in U.S. history was the 1900 Galveston Hurricane, which resulted in approximately 8,000 deaths. And the Great Flood of 1862 resulted in an estimated 4,000 plus deaths. Because I was. I was curious as to. If you add those who are confirmed dead with those who are still missing, you're getting up to 300 and probably over. But apparently that is, not, here. Hurricane Katrina, nearly 1400 fatalities. So there have been some real disasters, like this.

>> Tim Wildmon: Where does that river flow to? What's its destination?

>> Fred Jackson: I think the Gulf of America. I'm not sure if it gets down that far.

>> Tim Wildmon: what happens? Can you look that up?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I can't.

>> Tim Wildmon: I'm just curious because, I know.

>> Fred Jackson: Some of the, like San Antonio's deep down there in. In Texas, in Southern Texas. And there. Some of the impact of the flooding was even that far south. Mm.

>> Ed Vitagliano: M. Where does the Guadalupe river start and finish?

>> Tim Wildmon: Ed, you're slow, man.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, it's. I'm going by the.

>> Fred Jackson: The speed of our faster.

>> Tim Wildmon: A.I.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. the Guadalupe. Guadalupe river proper flows southeast for 230 miles, eventually draining into San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. What in the world's Gulf of America now? So that's where it drains into San Antonio Bay. The Gulf of America. In the Gulf of America. M. Into the Gulf.

>> Tim Wildmon: All right, that's very sad, tragic story. I. We're all thinking the same thing. Where are they going to recover these bodies? You know what I'm saying?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: At what point?

>> Fred Jackson: And some may never be recovered.

>> Tim Wildmon: They may never.

>> Fred Jackson: I know the intention. You know, Governor Abbott has says we're going to keep searching, going to keep searching. But because this river dumps into the Gulf of America, there may be bodies.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That I didn't think about that. Yeah. They may get, get swept all the way out. Listen, it's, it's one thing for you, for parents, to have lost children, but then you do want some closure. It's.

>> Tim Wildmon: That's what I'm saying. Yeah, I agree. You want to know, you want to know. You'd want to find your.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. And bury him with the family.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right. That kind of thing.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Cemetery.

>> Tim Wildmon: Know that they're accounted for. Yeah, you know, but, yeah, San Antonio Bay on the Gulf Coast. Oh, okay, I'm seeing that now. I never knew. So you're talking about. It runs all the way down through South Texas, to Victoria, Texas. We have listeners in Victoria into the bay there. So. But, anyway, yeah, Carville, that's the town that keeps getting mentioned. That's kind of where they're not too far from where the river starts. The river starts. you're listening to today's issues on American Family Radio. Why don't we do this, fellas?

We're going to talk Ukraine and Russia because as we sit here

Let's take a short time out right here. We'll do, take our break a little early and come back. And, I don't know, Fred, you got some more negative news for us? Because I could sure use plenty.

>> Fred Jackson: We're going to talk Ukraine and Russia because as we sit here, President Trump is meeting with the UN Secretary General, Mark Ruta, and they are announcing the next measures that Trump wants to take, with regards to that horrific Ukraine, Russia war, including a threat of more tariffs, from President Trump against Russia. So we can talk about that.

>> Tim Wildmon: Tariffs against two Russia. So we got more tariff talk.

>> Fred Jackson: More tariff talk.

>> Tim Wildmon: It's been a while.

>> Fred Jackson: Well, actually I should say sanctions. Sanctions.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. Well, we can make it a tariff. We'll work some tariff talk in.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I hadn't slapped anything in a while. Slap a tariff somewhere.

>> Tim Wildmon: We'll be back momentarily.

Over 60% of abortions happen through the abortion pill

>> Ed Vitagliano: This June 24th marks three years since Roe versus Wade was overturned. But here's what you may not know. Abortion numbers have surged to a 10 year high. The battleground has shifted from the courtroom to our homes. Today, over 60% of abortions happen through the abortion pill. Taken in silence, often alone. Preborn network clinics are standing in the gap, meeting women in their most desperate hour. And here's what they're seeing. Young mothers, terrified and misled, are delivering their babies and tiny, perfectly formed, onto bathroom floors. These precious babies, once called just tissue, now lie lifeless. 11% of these women who take the abortion pill will suffer serious health complications. Countless others carry emotional scars for a lifetime. When you give to PreBorn. You're not just saving a baby. You're saving a mother, too.

>> Ed Vitagliano: You.

>> Ed Vitagliano: You're giving her hope, financial support, and the truth. PreBorn has already rescued over 350,000 babies, but there are so many more who need our help. Your tax deductible gift makes this mission possible. To donate now, dial £250 and say the keyword baby. That's £250, baby. Or go to preborn.com afr that's preborn.com.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Afr.

>> Jeff Chamblee: This is today's issues. Email your comments to commentsafr.net Past broadcasts of today's Issues are available for listening and viewing in the [email protected] now back to more of, Today's Issues.

American Family Radio is going to Israel in March of 2026

>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, welcome back, everybody, to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Tim, Ed, and Fred. And let me, make an announcement. you've probably heard our spots here if you listen to American Family Radio, but we are going to the Holy Land for our next tour in March. I'm talking March of 2026. We're going to Israel. And, that trip is halfway full already. So if you want to go with us to the Holy Land in March and you want to know, well, Tim, how much does it cost? Where are we going? What are the, what's the itinerary? you know, all those things. Here's where you need to go. W I l D M M O N group dot com. Wildmon Group, Wildmon group dot com W I l D M M O N group dot com. If you type Wildmon Group. I can't, I can't guarantee you where you go. Okay? So don't call me and say I, went to there and I was offended. Okay? So I don't know Wildmon M o n M O N W I l D m o n group dot com. That's where our information is on our Israel trip. 2026. Again, we're halfway full and, we'll probably fill up, I'm guessing by September, maybe October. but just, wanted to let people be aware if they want to check that out. you're listening to Today's Issues on afr. Fred, Ed and Tim.

President Trump says he's giving Putin 50 days to agree on Ukraine ceasefire

And you said you got, the big news today out of Washington is President Trump's announcement.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, they're sitting in the Oval Office right now by the a. I mean, President Trump, obviously, and UN Secretary General Mark Ruti, and, a couple of things that Trump has said already. as we just mentioned before the break, Trump is saying he's giving Putin 50 days for at least a ceasefire or they're going to be a very, and I'm quoting here, very severe tariffs on Russia if no Ukraine cease fire deal within 50 days. Now, the reason he has the UN Secretary General there also is that apparently he has announced that, the United States will sell, not give, will sell weapons, to various NATO countries who in turn will give those weapons to Ukraine. So, Trump made it very clear, last night when he got back from his weekend off that he made it very clear in talking to reporters. He said, we're not giving these weapons. We're going to make money from this, but it'll be up to those NATO countries to give these and we're going.

>> Tim Wildmon: To launder weapons, I guess.

>> Fred Jackson: So Patriot missiles, part of the package that is going to end up in Ukraine. Now, Trump says he's, you know, frustrated with Putin, very disappointed in Putin. you know, you know, you know, the spectrum of conversation Trump has had about Putin, you know, I kind of like him, but now the meter goes to I don't like him, Very.

>> Tim Wildmon: Disappointed in him and issue believe Trump on Russia anymore. And this comes from a guy who is loved most. All of what President Trump's done is as the CEO of our country. So, but I don't, I don't believe what Trump says on Russia.

>> Tim Wildmon: I don't know what he believes about Russia because he's all over the map on it. Is it, Am I?

>> Ed Vitagliano: To be honest, I think what has happened here is that first of all, President Trump thought he would be able to get reasonable people talking about Putin and Zelensky together. Remember he said 24 hours I haven't solved, if I'm elected. He thought that both sides wanted to end the fighting, but just didn't have an exit ramp off the war highway. He was going to facilitate a ceasefire and, and how, however that was going to play out. But, I think what he has discovered is that Putin wants all of Ukraine. That's the way it looks. He wants all of Ukraine. And he has played President Trump, right, pretending to be interested in perhaps making some kind of a deal all, ah, while he's prepped this latest assault into Ukraine. And now President Trump is angry at Putin because today he is, because he's been played. Well, that's true. so we'll have to wait and see what Putin does. You know, will Putin say, hey, listen, okay, let's, we're going to declare a ceasefire, troops will stop and then Putin Gets, you know, more ammo. You know, logistics, clear cleaned up, and then he pushes again into Ukraine. I don't know.

>> Tim Wildmon: What about just. Okay. What I'm think what I'm about to say is just. I'm just shooting from the hip. You ready? I'm ready. So I know I'm shooting from the hip by shooting from the hip. I mean, I hadn't thought about it, the consequences of what I'm about to say. Okay, so I'm just theorizing here. Right, we do that. Let's get a whiteboard up and start with blank ideas here.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely.

>> Tim Wildmon: What if Trump were to say, listen, I don't really care what happens to Ukraine. To be honest with you, it's not our country. we don't owe them anything, and they can't beat Russia. I'm sorry, but, we're not getting involved at all, period.

Ed Biden: Trump's comments on Ukraine are upsetting some hardcore MAGA supporters

Next question. Common. Next question. And that way, it would end it. Okay. I think he's upsetting a lot of the hardcore MAGA people right now. Do you know any of these people, Ed?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I know some.

>> Tim Wildmon: You do know some?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, I do.

>> Tim Wildmon: I do know some.

>> Ed Vitagliano: You do? Also, they fab family members, Ed, and they're, And they're pretty much the same age.

>> Tim Wildmon: And I have family members, too, and my family members. Talk to your family members?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, on a regular basis.

>> Tim Wildmon: And they're. They're to the right of you and me.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, yes, I absolutely know this.

>> Tim Wildmon: You're a moderate, Ed, in your family.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I didn't. I never thought I was a moderate. Butter. I am.

>> Tim Wildmon: Anyway, the. The mat. The America first, MAGA crowd. I don't. I don't say that disparagingly, because in many ways I'm a part of it. Right, okay. but I differ some. But, they, they would say any assistance to the Ukraine is a betrayal. Trump's promise not to get us into any foreign wars. And he doesn't. And they would say he doesn't. They would say, Trump doesn't need to do this, doesn't need to commit anything to Ukraine. and, by doing so, you're. You're, You're. You risk the. You risk the, What do you call it? mission creep, so to speak.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: Where we say we're staying out, but yet here, we do this here, and then we do this here, and we incrementally get ourselves drawn into the war and have to ultimately act on a direct basis. That's the. And I understand that. but I think If Trump would just say, I don't, I'm sorry, they're on their own, if NATO can help them if they want. But we're, we don't really care. That wouldn't be the right way to say it. We don't really, we don't feel any responsibility to help out the Ukraine situation. I'm sorry, they're going through what they're going through, but that's their problem, not ours. What if you said that.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and let me just, just, just, just add just one thing to what you said, because some people may say, well, how in the world we're just selling weapons? How in the world could there be mission.

>> Tim Wildmon: Are we selling weapons or defensive weapons? Well, Patriot missiles that he's talking about is to shoot down.

>> Ed Vitagliano: If we sell weapons to NATO countries that are offensive weapons, okay, then, and then they give them to Ukraine. They're coming from us, but not directly to Ukraine. But here's, here's how mission creep could happen is we're just, okay, let's say we're just selling, you know, longer range offensive missiles, cruise missiles, what have you to, and we're taking them over to Poland or some other country, and then Poland is going to sell them to Ukraine and Russia says, well, you know what, the weapons that Ukraine's using against us are at a, an air base in Poland. We're attacking the air base and then they attack us, planes that have brought the weapons over there or us. It's a NATO country and it's a NATO country and boom, we're in a war. Okay? That's how mission creep could happen. So, listen, there is a spectrum of views on this. There are serious and dedicated isolationists who say the US should pull out of our protective agreements with South Korea, with Taiwan, with Japan, with Israel, and and stay out of all these things because 20 years, and this is where I, what I get from talking to younger men who, 20 years in Afghanistan and Iraq and they say, and then what happened? Okay, we lost Afghanistan and we had that blunder on the Biden, on the part of the Biden administration. Ah, when they, with withdrawing, no more, that, no more spilled American blood overseas for interventionism. Okay? Then you come across a little bit on the spectrum and there are people who don't say, well, abandon our allies. No, we want to keep these alliances, Taiwan, Israel, etc. But we don't want to get involved in any more European wars, so stay out of it. Stay out of Ukraine. And then you move over a little bit. And you have people who say, well, we can't be completely isolationist. And the Ukrainians are getting the stuffing beat out of them. Okay. That's just a, euphemism for dying, and we can at least sell them weapons. And then there are those who say, where do you.

>> Tim Wildmon: What do you say?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I personally am in favor with selling weapons as a way to, as a fulcrum, to apply pressure to Russia.

>> Tim Wildmon: Somebody's right and wrong here.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I don't know if there's a right or wrong answer. I do not want, the US to be involved in a war between NATO and Russia, in which case China would probably take advantage of that and attack Taiwan. North Korea might attack South Korea.

>> Tim Wildmon: Who knows? Russia has nukes, too.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, they do. You don't really want to have that escalate. I'm not sure what the right answer is. I don't think complete isolationism is the right thing for the US to do, but I don't think we can completely stay out of what's happening in Ukraine.

>> Tim Wildmon: What do you think?

>> Fred Jackson: Well, the danger is if you don't stop Putin now, what next? but he's been.

>> Tim Wildmon: But the Russians have been pathetic in. If you believe their press clippings.

The US President Trump has said the US will give weapons to NATO countries

Before they took the field, they were supposed to be the New England Patriots, gonna take on the. I don't know, whoever they wound up being.

>> Ed Vitagliano: The Dallas Cowboys.

>> Tim Wildmon: That hurts it.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I know I probably shouldn't be making light.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, we got a lot of Cowboys fans out there, and that was hurtful and unnecessary, too.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: but anyway, you know what I'm saying. Yeah, the mighty Russian military was supposed to quash, the Ukrainians in a matter of weeks and take over the whole country. That was what everybody thought would happen, and it didn't happen. Here we are three years later or whatever, and they're still in the quagmire that is the Russians with the Ukrainians. Ukrainians have fought valiantly, whatever you may think of them, as an. As a vast underdog. And they've been. A lot of. It's been kind of guerrilla warfare where they use drones, to, very effectively, to beat back, so to speak, the Russian army. The Russians, have called in the. The poor North Korean soldiers to come over there and be field fodder, for, the. Those. Those stories about that. The Korean. The North Korean soldiers. They don't know what they're doing because they have no real life experience in any kind of combat. They've only been trained you know, right. To do basically, what do you call it? Goose steps to. I don't know if they do that or not. Anyway, they're, they're a show army, for, for the dictator over there. And then, and then, and then I read a story the other day where Mexicans are being, recruited to go to Ukraine to. Excuse me, to go to Russia under the guise of being given a job.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: A nice paying job. So they get duped into that. I'm not kidding. Right. About this. And then they get over there and then they throw, then they get thrown into the army, Mexicans, you know, thrown into the Russian army to go to the front line to fight in Ukraine. But I'm saying, Russia is having, having real problems now. Putin, what's. Putin's up the ante, so to speak. He has, started firing into Kiev.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes, he has.

>> Tim Wildmon: Directly. And killing. We're not talking about combatants, we're talking about innocent. By innocent, I mean non combatants, civilians. Civilians in key. The capital city of the Ukraine. it would be like if Ukraine started just bombing Moscow, you know, indiscriminately. So it's, it's a mess. And people's lives have been shattered and Russians and the Ukrainians, but everybody thought this would have been over a long, long time ago, and here it isn't. And if, but if Trump gives. If Trump, approves. So you're saying it's. It's going to be, as I use the word, laundered. That's a criminal word, I guess. But you're saying it's going. The US President Trump has said, correct me if I'm wrong, Fred, that the US Is going to give weapons to NATO countries.

>> Fred Jackson: Sell, sell, sell. He made that.

>> Tim Wildmon: And then, and then, and then he's told Zelensky, I guess Trump has told. They'll be delivered to you that way. Is that right?

>> Fred Jackson: Well, what he's saying is that NATO has made the commitment then to the weapons they buy from the United States. They are going to turn them over to Zelensky and the Ukrainians.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's why. It sounds like laundering. Yes, to your point. Because it sounds like the US Is saying, well, we didn't. Why didn't give weapons to Ukraine?

>> Tim Wildmon: Why is Trump doing this? Why don't you just sell it? Why don't you just give, sell or give it to Ukrainians outright?

>> Fred Jackson: Well, I think for one, thing that Trump wants to say, I'm not giving money away. Biden kept writing checks all the Time, he just wrote checks to the Ukraine. Okay, so this way he can say, no, we've stopped spending money on Ukraine. We're selling weapons to NATO. And NATO, Remember the NATO countries just a few weeks ago, agree to increase the amount of money that they are putting into, their military effort. I think it went from 1.5 or 2% to 5%. I think that's the way it was.

>> Tim Wildmon: Except for Spain.

>> Fred Jackson: Except for.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I think Spain said, we ain't doing it.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Already broke.

>> Fred Jackson: It's already part of the package. Here's the one thing. You know, Trump is giving Putin 50 days to respond. That's two months. Why would it take 2m. You know, Russia can continue bombing Kiev and these, These communities for another two months. Trump says, okay, I'm okay with that, but by the end of 50 days, I want a ceasefire.

>> Tim Wildmon: Listen, once you get into.

Keith Blankenship: Why does Trump give Putin 50 days to bomb Ukraine

Again, I am, yes, I am being critical of President Trump on the, in this regard. So. But he's not an infallible man. because some people get mad when you criticize President Trump. he doesn't know what he believes about this. he's vacillated. He's all over the map. He's in a. So he's in a sort of a. I think he's just going with his gut. because remember, he, like you said, he said, hey, I. This is a, ah, I have this solved in 24 hours, wasn't it? Or something like that.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, 24 hours. 24 hours during the campaign.

>> Tim Wildmon: And he got in. And now he's being played by Putin. You said play. That's what you said.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I think it's clear that's what Putin's doing.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. And he doesn't like that. He doesn't. Trump doesn't like being played. But.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And by played, I don't mean that President Trump is, Is stupid. I'm saying he. President Trump was operating in good faith trying to get Vladimir, Putin to operate in good faith, to get something. And Putin was pretending like he was operating in good faith, but wasn't.

>> Fred Jackson: So.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right. But, But I'm afraid so. Why does trump give him 50 days to bomb Keith? I, don't. I don't understand the rationale there. I just think. Listen, I just talk about the morality of this whole. We can move on to another. I'm not talking about the morality of this whole issue. So, I'm, gonna put the morality of it aside. Okay. Whether you should try to help defend innocent people from being slaughtered. Is that a moral issue? That Americans need to care about. If it's happening on the other side of the world, maybe there's no right and wrong answer.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And if we say yes, do we go outside of Ukraine and do the same?

>> Tim Wildmon: That's right. It's a, it's not an easy answer. It's not an easy question to answer. however, I would say Trump would do a lot better by just saying what I said earlier. Listen, I'm sorry Ukraine's being bombed, but it ain't our fight. And, we wish him the best. Next question. Or that would be. That would be his best bet other than doing what he's doing right now.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Or if you think Putin is not operating in good faith, then I say I'm giving, Vladimir Putin two weeks or I say a week to decide if he wants to come to the negotiating table. And if not, we are slapping,

>> Tim Wildmon: Tariffs, and they don't care about that. It's Russia. the Russians have already endured every financial, but I'm saying waiting 50 days, what is it? Where does that come from?

>> Ed Vitagliano: It's not even a slap on the wrist.

>> Tim Wildmon: That's what I'm saying. That's why I don't know if he knows what he believes in reality about this, talking about Trump. And so I don't know, it just, it seems like to me it'd be clearer to say we're not going to get involved. And, that's, that's the end of that. It's not an eight old country. Sorry. I'm sorry. These two countries are at war, but it's not our fight. Yeah, he would probably do better than that, than what he's doing right now. Seems to me he's kind of setting himself. Of course he can reverse on a dime.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: he's good at that. Yeah.

Fred: I think we clarified the situation at all

All right. You're listening to today's issues. did we have to clarify the situation at all, do you think, right there, you know, it's happening in the.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I think we did explain why. It's complicated.

>> Fred Jackson: I think if he wanted to walk the line a little bit, he could say, well, here I'm making this great deal with NATO today. We're selling weapon, we're making all kinds of money, we're going to sell weapons to NATO and we're going to leave the fight up to NATO and Ukraine against Putin.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: But this 50 day ceasefire, I'm going to. That's not going to go anywhere.

>> Tim Wildmon: No, no, because as I say, the Russians have already endured all the economic squeeze you can Put on them.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Ed Vitagliano: You know what it is?

>> Tim Wildmon: And you know what? I think Western Europe's buying oil from Putin, aren't they?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I don't know.

>> Tim Wildmon: I think they're buying oil from.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, they had, they have been, you know, natural gas and, and, other energy products.

>> Tim Wildmon: So they're kind of fueling what I.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Was, what I was going to say is if you give Russia 50 days, it almost sounds like in parentheses, right? Putin. If you're going to finish it, you got 50 days, right?

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: Finish wiping them out. You got 50 days. I don't know. You're listening to it today. Who's, Marco, Rubio. He's the one that has to worry about all this, right? Secretary of State. Every day he gets up wondering, what's my boss going to say today? all right, you're listening to today's issue. Next story.

>> Fred Jackson: Fred.

Tim Carney: California Democrats are condemning ICE raids on California pot farm

All right, well, you probably have seen pictures of these ICE raid on the California pot farm.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yes, we did, Ed.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I thought, I thought they were picking strawberries.

>> Tim Wildmon: That's a song. Picking strawberries.

>> Fred Jackson: These are mighty powerful strawberries.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, yes.

>> Fred Jackson: so anyway, it's California strawberries are.

>> Tim Wildmon: Kind of like mushrooms.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes. Anyway, there's the raid there last, last week, late last week. And you had more than 300 arrested. what ISIS saying, illegal immigrants into this country. And there are more than a dozen kids, minors they're calling them, and the Biden administrator. Pardon me, the Trump administration is saying, that these kids perhaps were trafficked kids. In other words, they were on this farm, being forced to work on this farm as kids. Jessica Vaughn of the center for Immigration Studies, she talked about the raid and the fact that the Biden administration was essentially labor trafficking in children, allowing these children to be used. Cut number four.

>> Dr. Jessica Peck: This is, completely inappropriate and illegal. under the Biden administration, hundreds of thousands of kids who crossed the border illegally, were allowed to stay in the United States. And it became an incentive for smugglers and others to bring these kids in to work in slave like conditions. not only at places like this marijuana grow facility, but at factories and car parts plants, other locations all over the country. And, the Biden administration was basically facilitating this kind of labor trafficking where these kids ended up in slave like conditions. And now the Trump administration is, actively trying to find and rescue these kids who were taken advantage of and often abused.

>> Fred Jackson: Now, no surprise, I guess the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, basically is condemning, the Trump administration ICE for these raids being carried out. They say you're scaring all of these people in California. In fact, LA Mayor Karen Bass says, we're going to help, and give money to these illegals because they're really afraid to leave their houses now. So we're going to restart a program we had in place during COVID and we're going to give money to these people so they can hide themselves in their houses and they don't have to go out and buy groceries. Here's, LA Mayor Karen Bass. Cut to.

>> Speaker H: We also are going to have reinstitution, ah, of the Angeleno card, something that Mayor Garcetti started during COVID that will actually provide cash assistance to people because, you know, you have people who don't want to leave their homes who are not going to work and, and they are in need of cash. We're organizing, food deliveries. I mean, there's all sorts of things that we are having to do now to protect people from the federal government.

>> Fred Jackson: Now, there are some Democrats out there that say, you know, the last election that Trump won, one of the big reasons he won is that he was willing to take a tough stand, secure, our border and deport these illegals. But then you have California Democrats like Bass and Newsom who say, no, we're going to stand with the illegals.

>> Tim Wildmon: This is just a difference of opinion, very consequential. But, the Republicans, for the most part, believe in law and order. And if you're going to come to America, you come legally. Otherwise, if you come illegally, you can be deported. And furthermore, President Trump amped up everything by saying, not only can you be deported, we're going to find out who's here, especially the criminals, and we're going to find them and apprehend them and deport them or put them in prison or something like. But the Democrats philosophically don't believe in deportation. Okay. They really don't believe in borders. So I'm kind of torn on this one. I'm kind of like, hey, California wants to welcome the world over there and pay for it all. Let him go for it.

>> Ed Vitagliano: but the problem is they don't. They. You can go into California, but you don't have to stay there. That. I think that's why the.

>> Tim Wildmon: I know, but we're trying to help clean up California's problem by we, the United States federal government. But then you say, well, yeah, because California is a state. Yeah, they're part of the union. And to your point, you could, go to California and live there and, and then go anywhere else you wanted to in the country? I guess. Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I just think the Democratic Party is making a hu. Huge, huge miscalculation. And this is. To your point, Tim, you just sit there and you go, okay, well, let them. Let them make this. This huge political mistake, because there. There is no upside, in. Within your constituency, I don't think, for the Democratic Party, except for a small percentage of your voters, to sticking it out. On this issue of illegal immigration, you have Bass, Mayor Bass, saying, we're going to give food to illegals to protect them from the federal government. You probably have other members of your.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Voting constituents who are American citizens saying, listen, we're struggling.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Why aren't you giving us food? You're giving it. You're spending money on illegals, and you're not spending money on us. I think that's just going to drive more people away from the Democratic Party. I think this is moronic for them to stand on this issue, but that's where they're.

>> Tim Wildmon: It was a big. It was a big issue in the, election last fall, and the American people overall made it clear they want law and order on the borders.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yep. And in their cities.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yes. We'll be back momentarily. Stay with us. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.

Tim and Ed talk with Fred on top news headlines of the day including a discussion on how President Trump meets with UN Secretary General regarding Russia and Ukraine war.