We've got breaking news, Iran's currency crashes ahead of economic D-Day. Keeping you informed and engaged now more than ever. This is Sekulow. We want to hear from you. Share and post your comments or call 1-800-684-3110.
And now, your host, Logan Sekulow. Welcome to Sekulow. It's Monday, August 24th. Will Haynes is in the studio. We got some breaking news coming up.
Cece Hil is going to be joining us with an update on Pastor Saul, but this has to do with the ongoing war in Iran. And you may have thought many times that we were headed towards some sort of resolution, some sort of deal. President Trump threatened what he is calling the economic D-Day today. There'll be more announcements on that. But even in anticipation of that, we have seen a massive crash in the economy.
Now, a lot of you may be going, I thought probably the economy was crashed in Iran already.
So we're going to break that down a little bit, what it means. And also, how things are going there to begin with. Because in your head, again, you may be picturing things much differently than where they are. At the same time, they put out a new AI-generated video threatening. Again, I'm putting a bounty this time on the bounty.
On Baron Trump, obviously the youngest son of President Trump, who again is in college now. You know, this is an adult person now. We're not talking about a small kid at this point, but you gotta remember: this is what's happening here. We saw that last time, that they were ten teased towards it. And now, months later, one of these really horrific, threatening videos has come out now, again, targeting one of President Trump's children.
So If tensions in Iran were not high to begin with, Let's see where they are now. Phone lines are open for you at 1-800-68-430-110. I do think we need to take a little bit of a step back and talk about these economic sanctions, what this could look like, but really where things are in Iran to where they could. Have this sort of downfall economically. That's right.
So we're expecting the Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessant, to speak at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, announcing a new round of sanctions. He wrote an opinion piece, an op-ed in the Financial Times, calling it an economic D-Day for Iran. We don't know the specifics of it, but we know that it will be aimed at the countries that have remaining ties, business ties, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. And it says that it will be even third parties that maybe are an intermediary in some of these transactions could also get swept up into this.
Because of that, we're seeing Iran's currency hit a record low in anticipation of this announcement by the Secretary of the Treasury, where it has dropped to 2.02 million. Iranian real to one US dollar. It was, they have a central bank rate that no one pays. They pay the market rate that has it pegged at one and a half million real to the dollar, but it has gone market rate down to one or 2.02 million real to one dollar. And there's a lot of inflation that the people of Iran are dealing with as well as a result of this economic collapse.
Ahead of this announcement, President Trump actually just posted on Truth Social: Iran is completely collapsing. Of course, talking economically at this point, but already, look, there are ramifications. Will said other countries like the UAE announced that it was going to suspend trade. Understand, those are big deals. When Iran, a big country, and the UAE essentially ends up siding with the United States in many ways, saying, hey, we've decided we are no longer going to be a trade partner or sourcing anything or importing anything.
That is taking a huge hit. To this region.
So maybe this is a new way to begin an end of this war. Although it feels like when these threats start rising, Again, against now, directly calling for bounties against the family of the President of the United States. Very scary. It doesn't feel like that sends you to The end of something feels like you are just fanning the flames. We'll continue this conversation when we get back.
What do you think? 1-800-684-3110. 1-800-684-3110 to have your voice heard on the air today. Also, We're kicking off something special this week here. It's Back to school week.
That's right for a lot of kids across the country.
Some of you have been in school already, but a lot of them are headed back this week and next week. And we are going to tell you all about the ACLJ's work to protect your students' rights and of course your parental rights. When your kids re-enter those hallways, let's chat about it. We get back at more. Maybe you got a question about that, by the way.
If you have a child or grandchild, 1-800-684-31-10. We'll be right back in just a moment. Of course, support the work of the ACLJ. Your gift is double during back to school week.
So do it today at aclj.org. I want to hear from you. Phone lines are open at 1-800-684-3110. The United States threatened an economic D-Day on Iran, and with just that threat alone, it seems like that has come to fruition.
So, when there have been a lot of threats that have come from the Trump administration that you feel like have been empty threats, this one is a threat that has direct consequences. And those consequences have reflected very, very clearly in the GDP of their entire. It's a collapsing economy. I mean, really, when you look at it, it's pretty horrible to see where it stands right now. And again, a lot of this is because the United States is going to put in what we believe, and we're going to know in a few hours, some sanctions on countries dealing with Iran that still have relationships, second or third party dealing with Iran, so much so that got ahead of it.
The UAE got ahead of it and said, you know what, we're just going to go ahead and pull our work, our import, our export with Iran. Iran, and that of course starts things spiraling. Of course, we've done similar situations in Russia. We have those relationships in Cuba where we do not do business with them and we're not allowed to do business with them. Look, I think a lot can be discussed about that, whether that's a good thing or a bad thing in terms of sort of our rights as Americans.
But that is truthfully where we are right now. And of course, we are trying to come up with some sort of, and when I say we, I mean what I would assume to be the United States of America, the current administration, to begin and end. To this war in Iran, and every time it feels like the heat just gets hotter. This is what happened. also is President Trump's son.
was just threatened directly. Put a bounty on his head for $10 million. Uh this is uh Barry Trump. We knew that this is something they had teased before, but now we've seen the videos that have been released, and they're, you know, they're horrifying. And I'm sure it's scary if you're him or if you're a.
Uh you know there's parent. But this is the reality that we're living in. But we'll know more about these economic sanctions soon. But even beyond that, it's already taking a huge, huge effect. That's right.
And when you look at this, also you may be thinking, okay, well, what Partners, what trade partners with Iran are already not sanctioned? The fact that the UAE just cut ties with Iran is a big deal, and here's why. The UAE, you would think, okay. Then they weren't a part of this conflict, right? If they were still doing trade.
No, they were.
So it took this long, even since the end of February when this conflict started, till today for them to say, enough is enough. We're going to stop trading. They, after just one month of the conflict, From the end of February to the first of April, They had gotten 438 ballistic missiles fired at them from Iran, 2,000 drones, and 19 cruise missiles. That was in that first month of the war. And the numbers will obviously be even higher if you go to today.
But it took from February into February, beginning of March, until now for them to finally have enough.
So, a lot of these Gulf countries. That are actively a part of this because Iran has been firing at them, a lot of them are still doing business with Iran.
So that goes to show that even if it seems like, oh, all of their neighbors are have turned against them. Not necessarily. And a lot of those, like the UAE, They may have sanctions now. That could stop them from doing a lot of the business they do with the United States if they don't cut off ties like the UAE.
So I think it's important.
Sometimes, when we think about the conflict, you think it's very this binary choice of if you are in a fight with Iran, you're also not doing business with Iran. That's not necessarily the case. And the proof right there is the UAE, the fact that they had been on the receiving end of a lot of artillery from the Iranians and yet were still doing business.
So what does this look like? We don't know the details yet of what the Treasury Secretary will be doing, but we know that sanctions have worked before. A lot of us think, okay, shouldn't their economy already be crippled? It is to some extent. But I think these third parties that are even giving it the little bit of a lifeline they still have.
Could now be a turning point, not just for the regime, but you see the people that are dealing with things such as rice up 60%. Prices of beef. up more than 150%. They are saying that their GDP will contract more than 5%.
So, this is a dire situation for the Islamic Republic on the economic front. And if their trading partners dissolve, even if they're firing missiles at them, a lot of them are still trading with them, then they have no more lifelines. Then they are completely isolated. And that is when you could see either an overthrow or something different. You're already starting to see.
Conflicting patterns here because we know how the IRGC has been running this, but you have the President of Iran. saying that we should return to the Memorandum of Understanding. Trying to get ahead of these sanctions. Who is it that said that? This is the Iranian President.
So, and we know that it gets a little confusing because who's the President, who's running things, who are part of the republic, who are part of the traditional Iranian government. It gets a little heady. And when the negotiating partners have been, to the most degree, either at some points, the parliamentary leaders as well as the President, and other points, it's been the IRGC. That division internally has not gone away. And the fact that we're having the President of Iran call for a return to the memorandum of understanding, we haven't heard anything like that from the IRGC.
And that is the strongest kinetic force that the Iranians have.
So it'll be interesting to see how that plays out. Is he getting ahead of himself, the President? Is he going to get himself into trouble with the IRGC? All of these things are unknowns. I do agree.
With a lot of people that are saying, how have we not crippled them thus far? How have we not gotten here? And I think that's a very valid question. I think this didn't have to continue on if we had these tools in our tool belt. to get to this point When the Iranians don't seem like they want to give up, the IRGC has really, really hunkered down and is fighting back in this.
If it's not going to be all kinetic and military force, which as of right now is kind of in a gray area, it's not really a ceasefire, but we haven't, we're not actively targeting places in Iran. But at the same time, if they are. It's just hard to remember that that is where we are. Right. Because in my head, I kind of reverted back to: are we just currently inactive?
Not just a disagreement. Are we going to act war?
Well, and we had those two, that week or so pattern of where we went back to strikes. That's where it's getting, I think, some tiresomeness, even with those that support this. Is that when we see the way that the military's just been put in a holding pattern? And some of those, they're trying to make the big stories about those on the Abraham Lincoln, the aircraft carrier, in not great situations, not great able to get the supplies and things, the resupplying of the ship. They've been on there more than 200 days.
I know that there is a plan for them to be relieved soon, but that's not. Good for morale. You have to see all of this as a broad picture that if we can take them out, we should take them out. If we're not going to, this holding pattern isn't necessarily good for anyone, including our service members that are in the middle. I want to hear from you.
We have a bunch of lines open right now. And in the next segment, we're going to play a special video about our new back to school week. I want you to see that, some of the work the ACLJ is doing. But it's a good time to go ahead and get on hold. 1-800-684-31-10.
Where do you think we stand with this situation in Iran when you hear these kinds of talks, when you hear about an economic D-Day, when you hear about threats to the President Trump's family? What do you feel as an American citizen? And where is your, I want to give kind of finger on the pulse on where you are. Today, with the war in Iran, give me a call 1-800-684-3110. Also, If you have any questions, Cece Howell is going to be joining us coming up in the back half of the show.
She's obviously a senior attorney here at the ACLJ talking about an update with Pastor Saul, but in China. But also if you have a student We know that things can get a little rough, especially here at the beginning of the year. You're dealing with a lot of new teachers, new administration. Maybe they don't even know. Their own rules.
Maybe they don't even know their own laws in terms of representing and supporting and being able to be there for students of faith. If you have a question or comment about that, we can take that on the air. We can also connect you with a CLJ attorney. Give me a call at 1-800. 6843110.
It is back to school week. I want to make sure the ACLJ1, the first things we ever did. was supporting students' rights. Students' rights to worship, students' rights to pray. We're going to break down what that looks like and some of those successes that we've had.
In recent history, because sometimes you got to revisit these things. We deal with these cases every single year. Every new school year, we are in court. And I would love for that not to be the case. But frankly, it is specifically, like I said, when you're dealing with sometimes.
Teachers and school boards, sometimes we don't have to go to court. We could just simply remind them of what the rules are. Remind them of what the law says. Because you have a lot of young teachers Who have never had to experience this? They've heard the word separation of church and state, they don't even understand what it means.
But the ACLJ is there to support your rights as parents and as to support the rights of students. We've been there since the beginning. We're going to continue to fight this. I really feel like it is one of our callings. Go to aclj.org right now/slash school is back to school week supporting students' rights.
Again, when school officials punish prayer or treat the Bible like it's contraband, your ACLJ is always there to fight back. Your kids don't check their constitutional rights. at the door of the school. We have to defend the future of our Society. We need to defend our kids today.
Help them be strong. At the ACLJ, we're fighting each day to make sure school hallways is a place where religious liberty. can still be respected. And it's that season of life. It's that time of year.
I know you're having to deal with it as a parent, but no, your kids are going to have to deal with it too. Go to aclj.org, have your gift doubled. We'll be right back. Welcome back. to secula we got some phone lines filled up Are still open 1-800-684-30110.
A lot of you are chiming in, asking about the situation in the war in Iran. Do you have time to take one of these calls and then play the video? We can try. Let's go to Phil. in New York.
Hopefully you'll inspire more people to call. Phil, go ahead. Yes, thank you very much for taking my call. Don't get me wrong when I say this, I despise the Iranian regime. But I think at the moment they're being very clever.
I think what they're all about is to make the price of gas and home heating oil as high as possible in order to influence the November elections. If something doesn't happen pretty soon, home heating oil is going to be about five fifty a gallon. Yeah, Phil, I mean, look, I think you can look at Iran and and We don't ever need to understate when these countries, you got to stand the size of the country of Iran, the economic power of Iran. As much as they are bad to their people, it doesn't mean they have no money.
So for them to have this sort of economic concern is real.
Now, Phil, it sounds like you would know more than me on the price of home heating oil, but it sounds like things are headed that direction.
Well, I think to Phil's point, I think at some point they may have had that as a goal. I do think that they are in a very bad spot to necessarily be like, let's just influence the congressional election in the United States.
So I think that that could be a part of it, but I really think the reality is they are trying to hold on to maintain power going forward. They are trying not to give up the ability to run the country, the Islamic Republic of Iran. Thanks for calling, Phil. We appreciate it. Look, I want to play a special video presentation.
Phone lines are open. I guess a bunch of the calls did not make it.
So we got four lines open, 1-800. 684-3110. We had a full make of calls. I was real proud of my pitch there, Will. But here we are: four empty phone lines.
Fill them up for me: 1-800-684-3110. I do want to play a special video presentation. It's our first and back-to-school week, so I want you to take a look. I don't even know if this needs any setup. This is the work of the ACLJ in action.
So take a look. Every August, millions of students walk back through the doors of their schools. New classes, new teammates, new opportunities. And every year in classrooms, on football fields, at graduations, students face the same question. Do I have the right to pray here?
Last season track, we usually warm up a little bit before. The actual events start, we kind of warm up separate. People go their separate ways. We'll do like hurdle stretches, we'll stretch for about like five minutes on there, and after that, we'll do like run outs. This time, we actually did something different.
We had never done it before, and All of us, including distance, sprinters, throwers, we all came together. This girl asked us, she was like, hey, you want to pray? Everyone, they like gather in a big circle. We held hands. And then the other senior, she started praying.
And then as soon as we finished praying, we looked up and then we saw our coach. He was looking really angry at us. We all walked over there and then he's like yelling angry at us, saying like, don't ever do that from me again. I had no idea what he just yelled about. I thought somebody did something, like put a mat on wrong.
And saying like, you're not allowed to do that. He said he never wants to see that again.
So then I turned to my friend. What is he yelling about? And she goes, she was yelling at us for praying. I'm like, hey guys, how did the meat go? And I saw their faces, so I was like, uh-oh, it didn't go well.
I was wondering why. and immediately The response was He yelled at us. He wouldn't let us pray. Getting yelled at for praying, that really changed the atmosphere of everything. Did these students have a right to pray for a track meet?
The answer is yes. The Constitution doesn't ask students to leave their faith at the schoolhouse gate. The First Amendment protects it. In the classroom at the flagpole, and yes, on the track. And so we're trying to explain to them about their rights, understanding your constitutional rights, he can't stop you from praying.
He can't, you know, so we're going through all those things. And that's when we decided we were going to step in. Two of my teammates actually put up a pose. talking about how what we were saying we're lying and that everything we're doing is just because we hate them and things like that. I really felt bad.
and that I would we would never do something like that to hurt them. And uh Sorry. We were um Yeah. There was a we really did, um Care about them. And that really just hurt.
That that they felt that, um, That way. They they they hated us so much. God did put it on my heart to call the ACLJ. We sat down with the girls and said, hey, we want to make this call. How do you feel about it?
And they were like Okay, sounds good.
Sounds like this is the help that we need. And we went through the different things that could happen. A student has a right to pray before a test, to bow their head at lunch, even kneel in Thanksgiving after a touchdown. No matter who's watching. That's not a loophole, that's the law.
But every year students are told otherwise. They're told to stop, to sit down, told their faith is a problem to be managed instead of a right to be protected. At the ACLJ, we don't let that stand. We've defended students' rights to pray in the classroom, at commencement, and on the track because the Constitution doesn't shrink at the schoolhouse door. I said we can try just the letter at first to let them know: hey, Allow them to pray.
They ignored that letter. They didn't even acknowledge it and didn't respond in the time that was given. And so, but we had to experience.
some of that ignoring, which was unfortunate, but We that's why we called because of that.
So when they filed the suit I guess the school really realized, uh-oh, they're serious. And then that's when we started hearing back. The school ended up resolving it with the lawyers saying that we're gonna put it in our handbooks, we're gonna fix everything up. We're going to let him know that that was wrong. That they need to straighten it up with not just him, but with the staff to do an apology for everybody and things like that to really make us feel like we were okay praying again.
They sent an apology to like everyone who was on the team and like they said they posted on like their website saying like they're all for like student prayer. It was kind of scary, the whole situation, but we were really happy. That we knew we were doing what God wanted us to do. And so, just to see those things kind of play out the way they did. and having, you know, putting on your heart to contact the ACLJ and praying about it, what we should do next, and seeing everything just kind of flow and.
workout, at the end of it all, it just came out beautiful. This back to school week we're standing with every student who wants to walk into class or onto the track without hiding who they are. Because the right to pray isn't a privilege granted by a school board, it's a God-given right reinforced through the Constitution. If you believe your child's rights are being violated in school, Visit aclj.org slash help. Today.
In that video, showing the work of the ACLJ with those students, we're gonna showcase a lot of this during this back to school week, some of the cases that we can highlight, some of the great victories we've had for students. But one thing I also want you to see in that video was the parents talking about that discussion between the parents and the child. of whether or not they wanted to pursue this legal action. You saw how emotional they were about it. But also, that's a big discussion.
That's a big question within the families. You know, is this something we want to bring on ourselves?
Sometimes it feels like maybe it's just easier to look the other way and ignore it. It takes a lot of courage to stand up for your rights. And to call the ACLJ. And that's exactly what our brave students do when they and their parents reach out to stand up and fight for what's right, for not just their rights, but every student in their school. It often feels in the public school system that they have all the cards.
And simply, it's not the case. Be a part of the ACLJ today. It's back to school week. Go to ACLJ.org and have all your gifts doubled during our impact match. That's right.
$5 becomes $10. Do it today at ACLJ.org. We'll talk more about it when we get back in the second half hour of Sekulow. Keeping you informed and engaged now more than ever. This is Secular.
And now your host, Logan Secular. Welcome back to Sekulow. Phone lines are open for you. Got about four lines open at 1-800-684-3110. 1-800-684-3110.
When we get back in the next segment, you're going to hear from Cece Highle, one of our ACLJ attorneys. Again, if you have a question, Even regarding It's back to school week. We've been celebrating that this week, kicking it off today. Question regarding your student or your even if your grandchild or whatever it may be, students' rights. for them to practice their religious Convictions in the way that they see fit, in the way that's appropriate within the school system.
The ACLJ has a lot of information for you. Our legal team has a lot of information for you. And if we need to. the ACLJ can get involved. on your behalf.
Of course, you can do that at aclj.org/slash help. If you ever need legal help, it's a great way to find out if it's within scope. The ACLJ will do it. And we do it at no cost, by the way. We do it at no cost because people like you support the work.
So I understand that's how that system gets in play. We have the best lawyers, we got the best media team, they get paid well, and they get paid well because people like you support the work of the ACLJ.
So we appreciate every dollar that comes in because this is how we're able to support often these students. who would not have the financial or legal means to do this. Who may, like Will said, just be too nervous. They don't want to go up against their school board. We understand that that can be tough or go up against their school system.
There are ramifications in that. We get it. You don't want your kid targeted. But the ACLJ can do it politely. And kindly.
A dill We need to not be so polite or kind. Yeah. Take it. where it needs to go. We'll have special videos running all week.
For back to school week. Also We've been talking about Iran and the economic sanctions that have been coming upon Iran. And we're going to keep that discussion going as well, as we know within a few hours we will know the specifics of what's happening. But we also do know that there has been direct impact To the threat of these sanctions, including countries like the UAE backing out of any sort of financial or economic dealing with Iran that has caused their essentially their dollar to stumble greatly. And then in the next segment, CeCe Hil is going to be joining us.
We've been updated. If you've been following for years now, The case involving, and when I say in case, I mean beyond the legal side of this. The world of Pastor Saw, the pastor in China who is a legal resident of the United States of America, but has been stuck in China now after serving his prison sentence for essentially witnessing. But at this point, He cannot return home to America. They refuse to it.
We need the United States government to get involved. And there's a way you're going to be able to get involved too. And you've already been doing it.
So stay tuned for that.
Well, and also remember: as we look at what's going on with the issue in Iran, with this sanctions coming up, I said earlier: the President of Iran yesterday is saying, hey, let's go back to the memorandum of understanding. At the same time, you're having state media in Iran broadcast a new video. We talked about the one where they threaten Melania and where she shops in New York and all of these things a few weeks ago.
Now, this is one targeting Baron Trump, and it shows imagery. We'll put it up on screen where they're trying to say, look. We are constantly monitoring him. It's a rendering of him at university. And they have an image as well of him playing Xbox, and they say.
We's fully monitored. And we can take him out, and there's a $10 million bounty that they're claiming that they have for him.
So that's where you also see the divide as well. Where How do you negotiate? At the same time, the President's saying, let's go back to the memorandum of understanding. At the other side of that, you have probably the IRGC putting out threats not just to cabinet members, not just to officials in the Trump administration. But civilians.
The son of the President who's uh in college. That's not very negotiable. This isn't a talking point that we can get over in a memorandum of understanding. That's making it personal and very real. That's right.
Phone lines are open for you, and I do want to hear from you. As Cece Howell is going to be joining us in the next segment, we can talk about this. We're going to talk about an update from Pastor Saul, and of course. Supporting your students' rights this week during back to school week. We're going to keep talking about it, folks.
Hey, because look, it's been a big month for August for us. I'm not gonna lie, you guys have done some amazing things. for the ACLJ team. And once we get through August, we have to take a little break from these big fundraising drives. You get to take a break, we get to take a break, but only.
If we hit our goals, so be a part of it today. That's at aclj.org, or scan that QR code you see on the screen right now. It's back to school week where your donations are matched and doubled. Welcome back. Phone lines are still open for you at 1-800-684-30110.
If you are on hold right now, I know for calls that have been on hold, they've been on hold for quite a while already. I will get to you.
So don't go anywhere. But in the next segment, I will make sure we get to you, if not later, in this segment. I wanted to take a minute here to tell you an update. On the situation involving Pastor Sa in China, you've heard us talking about this now for the better part of a decade. Uh served his prison sentence.
We thought he was free to go, not allowed to leave the country. And since then, again, he is a father, a grandfather at this point. Not allowed to return to America and is now battling for his life with aggressive forms of cancer. Uh We are calling. for him to be able to return home to his family.
Because at this point, there may not be a lot of time. But the ACLJ team is not giving up, and Cece Hil's joining us. Cece, why don't you give us an update of obviously everyone knows where we were, but where we are now. Yeah, so I can give an update even as of today. The issue is simply that China will not issue Pastor Sa his passport so that he can come back to the United States.
Just like you said, Logan, when he got out of prison and served his entire wrongful seven-year sentence, you know, we all thought, great, we've succeeded, and he's alive and he will come home to the United States. But no, so this Article 14 admin law literally allows China to withhold issuing him his passport for up to three years, but it's not a requirement. They could have issued it six months after he was released.
So in September of 2024, they could have issued his passport, but they just have not and will not.
So he made an application in April, and it was a humanitarian request, and no response.
So I had him go today to the exit entry administration office and Fill out another application, another online application, because I said, let's just see. By law, they have to tell you why they're denying it.
So he fills it all out, he gets called up. And when he submits his application, he is told that I am sorry, you are not eligible to submit an application for a passport until March of 2027. And again, I said, you have to, I'm demanding that I have that in writing, just give that in writing. And they won't. They won't give him anything in writing documenting that they are withholding his passport.
All they do is tell him orally.
So this is an easy situation. She is coming to the United States September 24th to meet with Trump. We know President Trump was very successful asking Xi to release Pastor Jin, who was a Chinese pastor. Again, Pastor John Saw is a United States lawful permanent resident and has been for almost 40 years. He has U.S.
wife and two U.S. children and now a United States citizen grandchild.
So he needs to be released. He has stage four cancer, and I was just updated that now he has a different cancer. And I'm going to, it's a ductile edema. Mm-hmm. Carcinoma.
So it's very aggressive, and he needs to get back to the United States. It's not a political concession. Trump has been so successful at getting Americans back, and we are so thankful for him. And Xi has shown that he has compassion and he will comply and have justice in his veins.
So we are asking, this is a perfect example for Trump to be the United States leader that he is and ask for Pastor Saw's release back to the United States immediately before President Xi visits September 24th. And hopefully President Xi will comply before September 24th. And right now. I want everyone listening. If you're on radio, Salem News Channel, YouTube, Rumble, go to ACLJ.org/slash CAO.
A-C-L-J.org slash C-A-O. That's how you spell Pastor Saw's name, C-A-O. Go there now. and sign the petition. We're at 332,291 signatures as we are live right now.
We want to get to 350, but we're sending it today. Yeah, we are sending it to you today. If you're listening, if you're on radio, if you're watching, we can get to that 350. If you go sign this, we want to show the State Department. And the the White House, the President.
That there is a large group of Americans that are saying it's time to bring him home. It makes it this when you work within the US government, just like you work with any government, the bureaucracies, you have to show that it means something. Yes, that's right. Because they've got a lot on their plate, especially ahead of this summit. If we can make this a priority.
Yes. The last thing. that the President of China wants When he comes here on September 24th, Is there to be a friction point? Right. An issue.
He is coming to the United States and wants this to be a smooth situation so that he can get what he wants by coming here and having this summit with the President of the United States. Yes. The last thing he wants. Is some administrative bureaucracy somewhere in China. The President of China does not know about Pastor Saw, I would wager.
But we need to make sure he does. Absolutely. And how do we do that? By working with our government and making sure they raise this issue so that he can come home. And this isn't an issue for President Xi Jinping in September of this year.
Right, absolutely. We want to be that embarrassment. We want President Xi to say, oh my gosh, this is so easy for me to get off my plate. I don't want to have to address this with President Trump during my visit. And so, everything we can do to make sure that President Trump knows, again, we know this is his priority.
He's done it for us with our clients before. It is his priority to get Americans out of foreign countries when they are trapped. And this is a U.S. lawful permanent resident for almost 40 years that is trapped in China for no reason. There is no legal reason.
There is no. Any reason at all. He's not a threat. There's no reason to not let him come back to the United States to be reunited with his family. And I would say, too, don't just sign the petition.
Yes, sign that petition and share it with everyone. We want the whole world to know about Pastor Saw. But also, call your United States representative, call your United States Senator, and tell them, please, please push President Trump for Pastor Saw's release. Please do that before President Xi's visit, September 24th. I'm getting excited because it's urgent.
This is a man's life on the line, and we just need to bring it to the attention of President Trump. Yeah, we just have to get it, not just in front of him, because, of course, a lot of things we can get in front of the President. That's not a problem. It's just making sure that this is something that they feel is worthwhile.
So, you know what? We got to make some noise.
So, as Cece said, share all of this with your friends. Share all of it. Tell your pastor to go in front of the church and talk about it. That this is something that they can get involved in as well. A petition is one thing, and certainly keep signing.
We'll keep updating those numbers. Get involved at aclj.org. There's a lot of ways you can do it. But most importantly, tell people about it. If you're involved on local news, if there's a way that you could get the word out there at all, maybe your community group, whatever it may be, look, we'll send somebody from the ACLJ to talk to you, just tell you, and send you the resources you need to get your voice out there.
Just go to aclj.org and reach out. There are many ways that we can support this because, as Cece said, even before, when it was yes, we had to keep him alive. Physically alive during his prison sentence, which was creating quite a storm about that. To make sure, not only was he going to be, if he had to serve the time, to make sure that he served his time and got out safely.
Well, that was a mission accomplished.
However, This is an even quicker one that has to get done because, as Cece said, the prognosis is not great. We want to make sure he can get home if he can. See his family. be a part of whatever he can be a part of.
Well, he still can. And of course, prayer for him as well. Pray for not only Pastor Saw, for his family, because beyond all of this, we know that that is the most powerful of our options. But don't stop there. Get involved in any way you can.
Well, I also want to bring up the fact that we've talked about this, you know, the time difference that China has with the United States and with our legal team pushing this. Cece and I connected last night late because I was up. reading things for the broadcast today and got an email from her because she was up working with Pastor Saw in China during the day. They're 13 hours ahead from where we are right here in the United States. And that shows the amount of work, the time, the sleepless nights that Cece has put in for, as Logan said, the better part of a decade with this one client.
And Cece runs the entire international operation and has fought hard for Pastor Brunson, Pastor Nairn. Countless individuals that are imprisoned or jailed or trapped because of their ministry and their faith. That it's not just a part of your workday, it becomes a part of your life. Because you have to deal with the realities of the clock. And that's exactly what you do.
That is exactly why you are sitting here talking about this today is because you were up late last night working on it. Yes, and I will work all day and I will work all night again because, again, if you cannot tell, I am very passionate. I think we have a very good opportunity to get him home right now. But we need everyone engaged and everyone caring and everyone helping the ACLJ to get Pastor Saw's issue and case known. All right, so how can they do that?
Let's make sure, let's give them at least one point where they can go to. Is it going to the website? Is it signing? Yep. I think you can go to aclj.org/slash C-A-O.
ACLJ.org/slash C-A-O, sign that petition and share it everywhere you can. That's right.
Do that today. Again, go to aclj.org, be a part of the team here today, and of course, support this. We have 332,000 plus signatures on this, and we will continue to let it grow until he is back home.
So, sign it, share it, get involved. We've got one more segment coming up for today. I want to hear from you, even on these issues, even if it's a message of support and prayer. 1-800-684-3110. Girl, hold, I'm going to get to you.
Don't worry, don't go anywhere. 1-800-684-3110. We'll be right back. with more on Secula. Welcome back to Sekulow.
We're going to take some calls, and some phone lines are open. You can be a part of them at 1-800-684-3110. It is back to school week, and we know a lot of you have questions related to that very topic. What you can do for not only your kids, your grandkids, or maybe you're a teacher. Look, there's a lot of different ways.
The ACLJ can get involved. In the work that involves our students, but also, again, like I said, our teachers, those of you that work in the school, you may have questions. We've had teachers who've wanted to pray, you know, even in their car, and we're told they couldn't. And we have represented so many of them. We have had students who have had to read things that they thought were profane out loud in school, and we've been able to protect them.
There's a lot of ways the ACLJ team can get involved. And so if it's related to school, know the ACLJ will be there to support your rights. 1-800-684-3110 to call in as well. Will's got something. And I also want to give an update on if you are going to aclj.org slash CAO to sign that petition.
The way that it is structured right now, some people are getting a different image than we put up as well as a different count. That is the correct petition. All of that is going into the same batch, but some people may see 9,900, 9,900 on their counter. Same petition. It's just the where it's pulling the number from is different at this time.
We'll try to get that remedied for everyone, but it's all going to the same place. We do have over 332,000. I didn't want anyone that went to that. You see 332,000.
Some people on our team received the other page when they pulled it up. And I just wanted to make sure that no one's concerned and don't miss out on signing that just because it looks different than the number we were giving on the broadcast.
So aclj.org slash CAO. Which, by the way, that's how we say Pastor Saw. But it is print it is spelled CAO.
So I want to make sure people understand that when they're going, Why am I going to CAO? You may not have ever seen it in text. That's how it is spelt. Let's go to the first call of the day, or at least of this segment, Ronald in South Carolina. Go ahead.
Yes, thanks. Take my call. And about Iran, during Trump's first President Trump's first administration, he laid heavy sanctions on Iran, and they literally had them under control. And also with the Abrahamic Accord, in which it was just between Israel and United Arab Emirates, and then all of a sudden the Gulf Nations wanting to join in and everything, and you allowed them to come in. But Iran was just on the outside looking in.
But when Biden came in and literally executive ordered undid everything that Trump had done and everything, and now we're stuck with this mess here. America is stuck with it, the Middle East is stuck with it, the world is stuck with it with the consequences. Of what Biden had done. Ronald, I think you're exactly correct. And I think it's very important to remind people, and thank you so much for that laying that out.
Remember, we now know what it looks like also if you just let Iran be. and keep them in a sanctions box. It will work. It will work for a long time. Until someone comes in, like the next President, like Joe Biden did.
What did he start doing? Uh issuing waivers. Sanctions waivers. tens of billions of dollars. that he was allowing the Iranians to receive.
And what happened? It was very quiet for the four years that President Trump was in office. The first time. Then you have the Biden administration. Sanctions waivers a different kind of foreign policy under the Jake Sullivans of the world.
And what did they do? They planned October 7th with Hamas. They built up their ballistic missile arsenal. They did all of the nefarious things they could do When the economic pipeline was turned back on, thanks to the Biden administration and the failed foreign policy we saw from them.
So Ronald is correct. It can work. And President Trump knows the way to do it properly with Iran and keep them quiet. But here's the one exception. As soon as that term ends.
The next President can do a lot of damage. To an angered Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, who's been kept in this financial sanctions prison. For four years. They're going to come out swinging. And that's exactly what we saw under the Biden administration.
That's why it does make me nervous that it's just more sanctions regime because until. You change the regime in Iran, you're going to get another President that lets it happen again.
Well, we got to call related to that. Let's take that. Let's go to Leon, who's calling in California. Leon, you're on the air. Yeah, hey, a long time supporter.
And my my thing, when you ask what what we think of the war, I think it's going the same way as Vietnam. The people just don't have a heart in America to understand it's not President Trump, it's the people. He he wants to finish a job, but just like Vietnam, politics gets him away. Yes, Leon, I think you're correct to some degree that politics is getting in the way. I will say one thing, though.
Vietnam lasted 20 years. We are nowhere near close to the amount of time to make a judgment call of whether or not it's going to end up that way. But I agree. You're starting to see people, as you mentioned in the call, Screener, we have to have the backbone to finish the job. I think this administration does, but I also think President Trump doesn't want to be in war.
But now you're starting to have all the other voices in the room start to enhance the conversation in a way that could lend to a political quagmire that you see, such as a Vietnam-type. Yeah, I think he actually does, maybe, unlike some Presidents, he really, I think, does actually care about his legacy. And what he's going to leave behind as any sort of issues. And I think having an open war is something that he probably does not want. To have.
Now, of course, he could come up with ways around that. Every President has had to deal with that really most of our lifetime. But I do think that is an issue that President Trump is thinking about. And look, it should be. We've all had issues with some of the decisions that are made in this war in Iran.
But That's not to be said that there haven't been some movement. Today, I at least can say, unlike a lot of these, we are seeing some changes. You see the economic restrictions actually impacting the future here. At the same time, you have them threatening President Sun.
So, again, not necessarily good faith negotiations by any means, but at least it's something. At least there is a movement here. We'll get into more of that tomorrow as we'll learn more that comes out of this press conference that will happen in a few hours. That being said. Put that to the side for a second.
The ACLJ team's hard at work. You heard Cece Howell. You sure heard how passionate she was about the situation with Pastor Saul. That's something she's been working on, as Will and I have both said, better part of a decade. All nights.
You were dealing with time differences. And she's not alone, by the way. You you hear her on this show. You see my brother on the show. But you don't see the vast legal team.
You know, we have some kind of spokespeople that show up. You'll see them from time to time. There's a vast legal team. That is working all hours of the night. To make sure that there are some that see simple, like a student who.
Who wants to bring their Bible to school? Or some that are literally life and death all over the world? Both are important. Both come without a bill. Because you support.
So as we wrap up today's show, kicking off this Monday. We're gonna be heading into a busy, busy time ahead. Help us finish this month very strong. Help send our kids back to school. with the protection they deserve.
I'm going to ask you to go to aclj.org. and make a donation of any kind today. Whenever you do that You're standing for the liberty and the freedoms of our kids. the school hallways that they roam each and every day, often without us. But where their religious liberty still needs to be protected.
We need your support. Go to aclj.org right now. We will not let prayer, the Bible. We'll not let it be punished. Go to aclj.org.
Have your donation match today. We'll talk to you tomorrow.
