Podcast Summary

The Briefing with Albert Mohler
Host: R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Episode: Monday, February 2, 2026
Theme: Cultural and Political Events Through a Christian Worldview

Episode Overview

In this episode, Albert Mohler provides a Christian worldview analysis of two major stories:

1. The controversial political protest and invasion of an evangelical church service in Minnesota, focusing on the involvement of ex-CNN host Don Lemon and subsequent federal charges.
2. President Trump’s appointment of Kevin M. Warsh as the new chairman of the Federal Reserve and the significance of this move for U.S. monetary policy and constitutional principles.

Mohler connects these stories to issues of religious liberty, constitutional rights, media integrity, cultural trends, and broader worldviews affecting the American landscape.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Political Protest at Evangelical Church in St. Paul, Minnesota

[00:00–38:51]

The Incident

• On January 18, 2026, a group of 20–40 leftist activists invaded City Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, during its Sunday morning worship, protesting supposedly due to the presence of a church elder who serves as acting field director for ICE.
• Extensive video exists, making the incident highly visible and quickly controversial.

Legal and Moral Analysis

• Mohler explains there is no constitutional right to invade and disrupt worship for political protest:

  "There is no constitutional right to go into a place of worship and interrupt it for your political protest, period." – Mohler [02:00]

• The federal FACE Act (originally to protect abortion clinics) also covers religious worship spaces; federal authorities are pursuing criminal charges.

Don Lemon’s Involvement

• Don Lemon (former CNN host, now independent media), claimed journalist immunity, asserting he was merely covering the event.

• The New York Times headline: "Don Lemon Released without Bond over Minnesota Protest Charge."

• Federal indictment alleges Lemon was not merely observing, but actively conspiring and orchestrating:

  "It was clear that Don Lemon wasn’t just a journalist following a story, he was part of the story. It was also abundantly clear that he intended to be part of the story." – Mohler [08:22]

• Specific indictment language (paraphrased and quoted by Mohler):

  • Defendants engaged in a "coordinated takeover style attack," committing acts of "oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction." [13:10]

Notable Quotes and Behavior

• Don Lemon allegedly advised co-conspirators on secrecy and strategy:

  “We can't say too much. We don't want to give it up.” – Don Lemon [21:44]

• Alleged actions included physically obstructing worship, intimidating congregants, and traumatizing children:

  “Young children were left to wonder, as one child put it, if their parents were going to die.” – Mohler (quoting indictment) [15:56] “One of the co-defendants screamed at children, ‘Do you know your parents are Nazis? They are going to burn in hell.’” – Mohler [27:10]

• Lemon also prominently challenged and pressed the pastor during the incident, at one point claiming,

  "Please don't push me." – Don Lemon [28:42]
  (after physically positioning himself near the pastor and being touched)

Journalistic Ethics and Legal Precedent

• Mohler notes the thin line between reporting, sympathizing, and being an active participant:

  "There's a very thin line between reporting on something, being sympathetic to the ones you're covering, and becoming an active co-conspirator." – Mohler [20:33]

Christian and Societal Implications

• Mohler expresses gratitude for the faithfulness of the church and laments the likely trauma of affected children.

• Warns the evangelical church not to move on too quickly:

  "Eventually, if every single church is doing its job, it is at least likely to face something like this at some point sometime in the future." – Mohler [36:00]

• Calls for preparedness, solidarity, and vigilance:

  "We need to keep this very much in mind and not let this pass from our attention." – Mohler [37:15]

• Notes the promptness with which mainstream media frames such events as oppression of protest rights—reminding listeners that media always approaches such events through a worldview lens.

2. President Trump’s Appointment of Kevin M. Warsh as Federal Reserve Chairman

[38:52–53:15]

The Announcement and Background

• President Trump appointed Kevin M. Warsh, a respected economist, as new Fed chair to replace Jerome Powell in May.
• Warsh has Stanford and Harvard credentials, Federal Reserve experience, and is considered competent in economic crisis management.

The Economics and Politics of Interest Rates

• Presidents typically favor lower interest rates for economic expansion; Trump is especially outspoken in his desire for the Fed to act accordingly.
• Mohler recaps the significance of the federal funds rate, which serves as the base for other interest rates impacting national economic activity.

Role and Independence of the Fed

• Fed was created to be insulated from direct presidential control—part of America’s administrative state, not an executive agency.
• Many conservatives have long distrusted the Fed, and question its constitutional authority:

  “The Constitution has... the legislative branch and then the executive branch and the judicial branch. It doesn’t have a Federal Reserve branch.” – Mohler [46:19]

Warsh’s Prospects and the Challenge of Control

• Financial insiders welcome Warsh’s expertise; he understands both conservative and Trumpian concerns.
• However, Mohler underlines the inherent independence of the Fed: once confirmed by the Senate, the chair is nearly untouchable during the term—potentially frustrating for presidents seeking influence.

Broader Worldview and Debt Crisis

• Mohler invokes Benjamin Applebaum’s summary of America’s ballooning debt:

  “If you owe the bank $100, that’s your problem, but if you owe the bank $100 million, that’s the bank’s problem.” [53:00]

• Warns Americans to understand the consequences and power of the administrative state and its unelected agencies.

3. Closing Personal Reflection

[53:16–end]

• Mohler ends with a light-hearted personal note, sharing that mothers contacted him to critique his prior word choice on air—a reminder of the influence of mothers and the importance of careful language for younger listeners:

  “I don’t care how old a man is. When you hear a mom raise an issue like this, he’s 12 again.” – Mohler [54:30]
  “Sorry, Mom.” [54:57]

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• “There is no constitutional right to go into a place of worship and interrupt it for your political protest, period.” – Mohler [02:00]

• “It was clear that Don Lemon wasn’t just a journalist following a story, he was part of the story.” – Mohler [08:22]

• “Coordinated takeover style attack, acts of oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction.” – Quoting indictment [13:10]

• “Young children were left to wonder, as one child put it, if their parents were going to die.” – Mohler [15:56]

• “We can’t say too much. We don’t want to give it up.” – Don Lemon (alleged) [21:44]

• “There’s a very thin line between reporting on something, being sympathetic to the ones you’re covering, and becoming an active co-conspirator.” – Mohler [20:33]

• “Eventually, if every single church is doing its job, it is at least likely to face something like this at some point sometime in the future.” – Mohler [36:00]

• “The Constitution has... the legislative branch and then the executive branch and the judicial branch. It doesn’t have a Federal Reserve branch.” – Mohler [46:19]

• “If you owe the bank $100, that’s your problem, but if you owe the bank $100 million, that’s the bank’s problem.” – Benjamin Applebaum, quoted by Mohler [53:00]

• “I don’t care how old a man is. When you hear a mom raise an issue like this, he’s 12 again.” – Mohler [54:30]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Church protest incident and Don Lemon’s role: [00:00–38:51]
• Legal and constitutional implications: [12:45–31:00]
• Reflections for the evangelical church: [36:00–38:51]
• Federal Reserve chairman appointment & analysis: [38:52–53:15]
• Closing reflection on language and motherhood: [53:16–end]

Tone

• Serious, analytical, and urgent regarding threats to religious liberty and the church.
• Didactic in economic and civic discussion, seeking to inform and equip listeners.
• Warm and self-deprecating in final personal remarks.

This episode is a call for vigilance, faithfulness, and shrewdness—for churches under pressure and for citizens navigating a shifting public order.