2.24.26 The State of the Union address, Iran’s internal and external pressure, U.S. military buildup near Iran, and ministering through war in Ukraine

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It

Date: February 24, 2026
Episode: The State of the Union address, Iran’s internal and external pressure, U.S. military buildup near Iran, and ministering through war in Ukraine

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Overview

This episode explores four central topics with globally significant impact:

• President Trump’s State of the Union address amid political division and pressing policy debates
• Renewed U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, internal protests in Iran, and a significant U.S. military buildup in the Middle East
• The risks, strategy, and international angle of potential U.S.-Iran conflict
• Personal stories from Ukraine after four years of war, highlighting courageous ministry efforts

Listeners are also treated to commentary on the increasing tendency for political leaders—especially President Trump—to personalize attacks against institutions, notably the Supreme Court.

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Key Segments and Insights

1. President Trump’s State of the Union Address

[06:33 - 10:04]

Major Discussion Points:

• Public Opinion: New polls cite a 39% approval rating for President Trump, unchanged from similar moments in his first term ([06:45]).
• Policy Focus:
  • The public wants the speech to address the economy, inflation, cost of living, and immigration ([06:53]).
  • Republicans urge a focus on domestic policy to improve electoral prospects.
  • Immigration and deportations remain divisive, with 58% believing deportations have gone too far ([07:12]).
• Partisan Division in Congress:
  • Democrats plan visible protests or plan to skip the address ([09:18]).
  • House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries instructs members to maintain decorum:
    “The two options that are in front of us in our House is to either attend with silent defiance or to not attend and send a message to Donald Trump in that fashion.” — Hakeem Jeffries ([09:18])

Memorable Quotes:

• “Everyone in this room... were the victims of politicians who put the comfort of foreign criminals before the safety of American citizens.” — President Trump ([07:42])
• “It's going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about.” — President Trump ([10:01])

Political Backdrop:

• The speech happens during a partial government shutdown (TSA, FEMA working without pay) and following a Supreme Court decision that ended Trump’s emergency tariff powers ([08:29]).

2. Iran: Internal Uprising and External Threats

[10:11 - 15:31]

Internal Pressures:

• Renewed Protests: Triggered by the 40-day mourning period after a brutal January crackdown—protesters still demand regime change ([11:03]).
• Regime Reaction: The Iranian government is harsher in response, particularly as U.S. forces mass nearby.

External Pressures:

• U.S. Military Buildup: The U.S. presence in the Persian Gulf is the largest in over 20 years ([12:05], [16:23]).
• Prospects for Regime Change:
  • Outsider-led regime change is unlikely; internal dynamics and the Supreme Leader’s health loom large ([12:54]).
  • “The solution is gonna have to come from within Iran, and it's going to probably to come from within the Iranian regime. The supreme leader of the country is 86 going on 87. He will pass from the scene. There will be others...who will move forward.” — Barbara Slavin ([12:54])

Risks and Hopes:

• Regime change could invite further chaos or even civil war; any path forward is fraught with uncertainty ([13:40]).
• Best-case outlook is a gradual, internally-driven change, possibly with a less-hostile military-led regime ([14:16]).
• Advice for U.S. Policy:
  • “To take military action without a clear goal, without a full appreciation of the potential consequences would be very, very irresponsible.” — Barbara Slavin ([14:56])

3. U.S. Military Buildup and Prospects of War with Iran

[16:01 - 21:33]

American Assets:

• Approximately 50% of the U.S. deployable Navy and Air Force are now in or near the Middle East ([16:23]).

Options for President Trump:

• Diplomatic: Ongoing, though expectations are low ([17:30]).
• Military: Ranges from limited precision strikes (nuclear sites, defense industry, IRGC leadership) to a multi-week joint operation with Israel ([18:09]).

Iranian Retaliation:

• Iran has extensive capacity to retaliate with drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, and will likely target both U.S. forces and Israel ([19:43]).
• “They will 100% launch at our bases and likely some of their weapons will get through... They’ll hit Israel as well.” — Mark Montgomery ([19:43])

Role of Russia and China:

• Limited to “transactional” support and signaling; unlikely direct military intervention ([20:50]).
• “There is an axis of authoritarians... but they’re not there to participate in any military way.” — Mark Montgomery ([20:50])

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4. Being the Church in Wartime Ukraine

[23:38 - 29:48]

Story of Pastor Yaroslav in Romny:

• Staying Amidst Danger: Pastor Yaroslav remained even as Russians targeted pastors and as most leaders fled ([24:17]).
• Evacuation Dilemmas: He helped many escape, but some elderly and vulnerable congregants couldn’t leave:
  “If I can't evacuate all people from the church and from my town, I can't leave it because this is my responsibility.” — Yaroslav ([26:10])
• Personal Sacrifice and Faith:
  • Yaroslav’s wife chose to stay by his side:
    “She said, ‘I'm your wife and if you choose to stay here and serve for the people of the church, I will stay with you. I will not leave you.’” ([25:33])
  • The couple and their flock endured the siege together, sharing food and living communally in the church. They relied on faith and help from outside Christian groups ([27:49]).
• Hostility and Perseverance: The war continues, and as an evangelical, much of the town still regards Yaroslav with suspicion:
  “As for me, when I will come to heaven, I want to see Jesus Christ, who will say, I know him.” — Yaroslav ([29:17])

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5. Commentary: Presidential Attacks on the Supreme Court

[29:54 - 33:55]

The Issue:

• After the Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s emergency tariffs (6-3 decision), Trump sharply criticized not just the decision, but the justices themselves—including his own appointees.

Key Quotes:

• “Those justices, they're just being fools and lapdogs. They're very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution.” — President Trump, as quoted by commentator Cal Thomas ([31:14])
• “They are invited [to the State of the Union]. Barely. Barely. Three are happily invited. No, no, they're barely. They're barely invited. Honestly, I couldn't care less if they come.” — President Trump ([32:16])

Analysis:

• Cal Thomas notes the coarsening tone from the presidency towards the judiciary and laments the retreat from dignified disagreement:
  • “There was a time when presidents defended their authority vigorously while preserving the dignity of their office... Today, public discourse sounds different—more coarse, more personal, more juvenile.” ([32:24])
  • “Strong leadership does not require coarse language or personal insult. I would argue it requires the exact opposite.” ([33:38])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Time | Speaker | Quote | |---------|----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 09:18 | Hakeem Jeffries | “The two options that are in front of us in our House is to either attend with silent defiance or to not attend and send a message to Donald Trump in that fashion.” | | 10:01 | President Trump | “It's going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about.” | | 12:54 | Barbara Slavin | “The solution is gonna have to come from within Iran...” | | 14:56 | Barbara Slavin | “To take military action without a clear goal... would be very, very irresponsible.” | | 19:43 | Mark Montgomery | “They will 100% launch at our bases and likely some of their weapons will get through...” | | 25:33 | Yaroslav (Pastor) | “But she said, I'm your wife and if you choose to stay here and serve for the people of the church, I will stay with you.” | | 29:17 | Yaroslav (Pastor) | “As for me, when I will come to the heaven, I want to see Jesus Christ, who will say, I know him.” | | 31:14 | President Trump (as quoted by Thomas) | “Those justices, they're just being fools and lapdogs. They're very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution.” | | 32:24 | Cal Thomas | “Today, public discourse sounds different—more coarse, more personal, more juvenile.” |

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Segment Timestamps

• State of the Union Preview: 06:33 – 10:04
• Iran: Protests, Regime Change Prospects: 10:11 – 15:31
• U.S. Military and Strategic Options: 16:01 – 21:33
• Ukraine War Pastoral Story: 23:38 – 29:48
• Supreme Court Commentary: 29:54 – 33:55

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Closing Thoughts

This rich, multifaceted episode tackles frontline global issues from the halls of Congress and Middle East flashpoints to a besieged Ukrainian town, all in the context of news analysis grounded in faith and principle. For listeners, it offers a nuanced look at leadership, the hazards of rash foreign policy, personal faithfulness under fire, and the deepening divisions shaping American public life today.

Transcript

[Mary Reichert]

Good morning. The U.S. and Iran prepare to talk the talk and maybe walk the walk.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

If the US Attacks us, that is

[Kent Covington]

the act of aggression. What we do in response is the

[Mary Reichert]

act of self defense.

[Nick Eicher]

Also today, President Trump prepares his first State of the Union of his second term, facing the same political headwinds he faced in his first later. Ukraine marks the beginning of year five of war today. A pastor who stayed to tend to.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

This is a time when we need to serve people more than anyone else.

[Nick Eicher]

And world commentator Cal Thomas on the president's penchant for personal attack.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Tuesday, February 24th. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Good morning.

[Mary Reichert]

Up next, Kent Covington with today's news.

[Kent Covington]

Many Americans in the Northeast are hard at work this morning with snow shovels in hand. That includes in Brooklyn where one resident said he was getting his morning workout in on the sidewalk.

[Mark Montgomery]

Well, the snow is wet and heavy. I'm out of breath.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

I might have broken the sweat.

[Mark Montgomery]

It's like a warm up for the

[Kent Covington]

day that comes after a historic winter storm pummeled numerous states, closing schools and businesses and snarling travel. New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani this

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

has been a full force winter weather response operation with 2600 sanitation workers deployed

[Mark Montgomery]

on every 12 hour shift and over

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

2300 plows including 700 salt spreaders mobilized citywide.

[Kent Covington]

The storm dumped more than 30 inches of snow on Providence, Rhode island and some areas saw wind gusts of up to 80 miles per hour. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

[Mary Reichert]

We saw upwards of 2 inches an hour for several hours and met the official criteria for a blizzard as deemed by the National Weather Service.

[Kent Covington]

Officials declared emergencies from Delaware to Massachusetts and hundreds of thousands of people are still without heat or lights with downed power lines across the region. A spokesman for the US Embassy in Israel says recent comments made by US Ambassador Mike Huckabee were taken out of context. Huckabee is facing criticism over remarks he made during an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Last week. Carlson questioned Huckabee about his views on Israel's borders and whether they should revert to his interpretation of the borders God promised to Abraham in the book of Genesis.

[Nick Eicher]

You're saying that's the original deed.

[Cal Thomas]

It would be fine if they took it all, but I don't think that's what we're talking about here today.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

What would be fine?

[Kent Covington]

That sparked outrage from some Arab and Muslim communities who say those borders would include parts of modern day Jordan, Syria, Iraq and others. But Huckabee went on to say that Israel has no desire to seize those regions and that in fact, over the years, Israel has voluntarily withdrawn from some territories it previously held. British police have arrested former ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson in a misconduct probe stemming from his ties with Jeffrey Epstein. Police are investigating Mandelson over documents suggesting he passed sensitive government information to Epstein roughly 15 years ago. He does not face any allegations of sexual misconduct. More than 70 people were reportedly killed in Mexico's attempt to capture a notorious cartel leader and in the aftermath of his death. World's Kristen Flavin has more Authorities say

[Carolina Lumeta]

Mexican special forces over the weekend tried

[Barbara Slavin]

to capture the head of the Jalisco New Generation cartel, Nemesio Oceguera Cervantes, also known as El Mencho. Cartel members have responded with widespread violence, blocking roads and setting fire to vehicles. And the Associated Press, citing unnamed officials, reports that at least 73 people have been killed. More than 30 of them were cartel members, along with at least 25 members of the Mexican National Guard. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is known for trafficking fentanyl and other drugs into the US and for staging brazen attacks against Mexican government officials.

[Carolina Lumeta]

For World I'm Kristen Flavin.

[Kent Covington]

Meantime, the US Government is urging Americans in parts of western and central Mexico to shelter in place amid the cartel violence. The US Embassy and consulates are telling citizens in cities like Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, Tijuana and Miho can to stay indoors and avoid travel until conditions improve. Actor Bo Yeti, who is currently in Mexico, remarked, it's unnerving, especially the day before.

[Mark Montgomery]

You could see pillows of smoke going into the air and it really was something you'd seen in a war movie.

[Kent Covington]

US Government staff in several locations are also sheltering in place. Republican Senator John Cornyn said Monday, we're

[Cal Thomas]

in communication with the State Department to try to make sure we can get our people back safely. But it's no secret that Mexico has long been controlled by the cartels and corruption that is facilitated by the government.

[Kent Covington]

Officials also stressed that US Citizens should keep tabs on official advisories. Meantime, some popular resort areas, including Cancun, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen are reported to be returning to normal operations and flights are resuming at affected airports, though disruptions remain possible. I'm Kent Covington and straight ahead, what to expect from President Trump's State of the Union address tonight. Plus the possibilities that may lie ahead for Iran. This is the world and everything in it.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Tuesday, the 24th of February. You're listening to World Radio and we're so glad you've joined us today. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. First up on the WORLD and everything in it, the State of the Union. Tonight, President Trump will address a joint session of Congress. He will highlight his wins and concerns from the last year and look ahead. We will have reaction tomorrow on Washington Wednesday, but right now, a look at what to expect tonight. World's Carolina Lumeta has the story.

[Carolina Lumeta]

As President Trump prepares to address the nation. Several news networks released polls on Monday evening gauging Americans view of his performance so far. Here's ABC News.

[Barbara Slavin]

Our new poll out today shows the

[Mary Reichert]

president's approval rating stands at just 39%. That means 60% of Americans disapprove of the president's job currently in office right now.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Added together, these ratings roughly match the same point in Trump's first term. That November, Democrats won majorities in the midterm elections this year. Republicans have asked Trump to focus more on the economy and issues at home to shore up support ahead of the elections. According to a CNN poll, 57% of Americans want to see the president discuss the economy and the cost of living. They also want to hear about immigration. The ABC poll found that 58% of Americans think the Trump administration has gone too far with its immigration deportation efforts. The White House is hoping to turn attention to the victims of illegal immigration instead.

[Cal Thomas]

We gathered here today for a truly

[Carolina Lumeta]

solemn On Monday, the White House hosted the families of people murdered by illegal immigrants during the Biden administration.

[Cal Thomas]

Everyone in this room not only suffered an infinite loss, they were the victims of politicians who put the comfort of foreign criminals before the safety of American citizens and American patriots.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Tariffs are also top of mind in Washington this week following a decision from the Supreme Court to strike down the president's emergency tariffs enacted last year. On Friday, Trump called the court partisan and un American by ruling his tariffs unconstitutional. And he insisted tariffs aren't going away. He invoked new global tariffs under a different authority, but Congress must codify them within 150 days.

[Cal Thomas]

All we're doing is we're going through a little bit more complicated process. Not complicated very much, but a little more complicated than what we had. We'll be able to take in tariffs, more tariffs.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Tonight's address also comes amid a partial government shutdown. Since Congress has not passed funding for the Department of Homeland Security security, Democrats have demanded reforms to the administration's immigration operations and talks with the White House have not resulted in any agreement. In the meantime, agencies such as TSA and FEMA are working without pay. The chamber will not be at full capacity as some Democrats continue to make their displeasure with the president known. Last year, when President Trump addressed a joint session of Congress to cast his vision for his second term, you inherited

[Cal Thomas]

a total mess from the previous administration. Do a good job.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Democrat members booed, shouted or waved signs that said lies. One member was even escorted out of the room by U.S. marshals. This year, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told his members to maintain decorum.

[Mark Montgomery]

The two options that are in front

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

of us in our House is to either attend with silent defiance or to

[Mark Montgomery]

not attend and send a message to Donald Trump in that fashion.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Several members are opting for the latter by appearing at alternate events. Senators Adam Schiff, Chris Murphy and others are speaking at the National Press Club tonight for an event called State of the Swamp. Left leaning organizations are also hosting the People's State of the Union on the National Mall tonight. Those who do attend the president's address or watch are likely to be in for a long night. Between the economy, immigration, foreign policy and tariffs, the president has a lot of ground to cover and he knows it.

[Cal Thomas]

It's going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Reporting for world, I'm Carolina Lumeta in Washington.

[Mary Reichert]

Coming up next on THE WORLD and everything in it, pressuring Iran. More nuclear talks between the US And Iran are set to take place on Thursday. Meanwhile, the US has amassed what some say is the biggest military buildup in the Middle east in more than two decades in and protests against the regime of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei have started again, weeks after his government brutally crushed an uprising in January.

[Nick Eicher]

Joining us now is Barbara Slavin. She is a distinguished fellow at the Stimson center in Washington and a lecturer in international affairs at George Washington University.

[Mary Reichert]

Ms. Slavin, good morning.

[Barbara Slavin]

Good morning.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, there are confirmed reports that protests started again in the last few days. Many of them happened during memorials that marked 40 days since the January protesters were killed. What are protesters saying now?

[Barbara Slavin]

The demand is the same. I think 80% or more of the Iranian people would love to get rid of the system of government they've had for the last 47 years. But of course, this is all easier said than done, as we saw in January when protests were put down absolutely brutally. And I have no doubt that the regime would do the same to these protests, although I think they're Letting people let off a little bit of steam. As you mentioned, 40 days is a mourning period in Iran. And so it was expected that people would protest again 40 days after the last protests. Also, college campuses have reopened and college students historically have protested in Iran.

[Mary Reichert]

So we have external pressures and internal pressures. Now reports are saying that the regime, as we mentioned, killed anywhere from several thousand to tens of thousands of protesters, unarmed people at that. Describe for us the risks these protesters now face. Anything different than January because of the

[Barbara Slavin]

external pressures, the enormous military power that has been assembled next to Iran in the Persian Gulf by the United States, I think the regime feels even more obligated to be very, very harsh with internal protests because it knows its vulnerabilities. That said, during the protests in January and now, we've not seen cracks in the regime or in its repressive forces. And so those who hope that somehow this government is going to magically go away, even if the United States attacks, I think should be cautious in those estimations.

[Mary Reichert]

You know, President Trump promised just last month that help was on the way. Is there a path to regime change that doesn't involve outside help? And how much do you think the military buildup has emboldened the protesters to come out again?

[Barbara Slavin]

You know, that's a really hard question to answer. Again, the solution is gonna have to come from within Iran, and it's going to probably to come from within the Iranian regime. The supreme leader of the country is 86, going on 87. He will pass from the scene. There will be others in the military and within the clerical ranks who will move forward. And one of the things I hope the United States is trying to do is to identify people within the regime that it might be able to work with, perhaps similar to what it did with Venezuela. This is more realistic than expecting that the son of the Shah is going to return triumphant and the whole country will fall down before him. That is very unlikely. Most people think there is likely to be some sort of military regime based on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that might be less hostile to the United States and a little bit more tolerant of the Iranian people. There's also the possibility of chaos, civil war, something like what we've seen in Syria or Sudan, with external actors trying to pick winners and losers. So it's not a happy prospect. And we should be very clear eyed about the potential downsides of regime change as well as the potential benefits.

[Mary Reichert]

Final question here, Barbara. What do you see as the best case scenario for the people of Iran as far as how this situation ends?

[Barbara Slavin]

Well, I think an agreement that relieves some of the onerous economic sanctions that allows people to breathe, that supports the currency so people can afford to show their views about various subjects would be good. And then obviously internal change within Iran that is accepted by the system because they cannot go on like this in perpetuity. Opposed to the views of 80% of the population.

[Mary Reichert]

Is there anything that you really want to get in here that I didn't give you the opportunity to answer a question?

[Barbara Slavin]

Yeah, I don't think President Trump should feel that he has to take military action just because he's assembled a so called armada. To take military action without a clear goal, without a full appreciation of the potential consequences would be very, very irresponsible. And he is our commander in chief and he has to take these decisions of war and peace very, very seriously.

[Mary Reichert]

Barbara Slavin is a distinguished fellow at the Stimson center in Washington and a lecturer in international affairs at George Washington University. Barbara, thank you so much. Appreciate it. You're welcome.

[Barbara Slavin]

Thank you very much for asking. I appreciate it.

[Nick Eicher]

President Trump says he's still considering whether to take military action in Iran, but the administration does appear to be ready for his orders. That's based on the additional military assets that have been moved into the Middle east. At least 16 ships, including two carrier strike groups, more than 100 fighter jets and refueling aircraft and missile defense systems. They are now part of the American military presence there.

[Mary Reichert]

Joining us now is retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery. He previously commanded a carrier strike group in the Pacific and now is senior director of the center for Cyber and Information Technology at the foundation for Defense of Democracies. Mark, good morning.

[Mark Montgomery]

Good morning. Hi, Mary.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, tell us more about the buildup. How big is it?

[Mark Montgomery]

Well, you have to look at it as how much of our deployable goodry. So when we say we have roughly just under 300 ships at any one time, only about 100 are at sea and about 80 are on deployment that is away from home port a significant amount of time. And so, you know, this represents about 50% of the ships that are on deployment, even maybe even higher for the maritime, for the aircraft, a little harder to estimate that way. But it's probably about 50% of the deployable capability we have. And I should mention we also have, you know, we have a bomber force in the U.S. you know, B2, B1 and B52, all of which are starting to cut over some level of, of their bandwidth to this mission. But that doesn't really burn right against cause they're in their home airfield. So, you know, I'd say roughly these are very rough numbers, but around 50% of like our deployable assets are now in the Middle East.

[Mary Reichert]

So it's a lot. In other words, can you walk us through the main options President Trump is considering? Diplomacy and sanctions or potential military measures and the implications of each?

[Mark Montgomery]

Sure. So I mean, he is still conducting negotiations with Steve Witkoff, his Swiss army knife of negotiations. Not sure to what end those will achieve. The Iranians are pretty professional negotiators who, you know, are not known to be getting cornered in negotiations and certainly not by someone like Witkoff who has marginal experience in the region. But I'm sure the President is still interested in hearing how they're going. He then has a series of options on the military side and you know, that are pretty scalable from like a very precise, targeted, very short one or two or three day campaign to, you know, several weeks on campaign independently or bilaterally with our Israeli allies. You know, the short version one is just to pick one of the two or three target sets. And I would break the target sets up into three broad areas. One would be re hitting the nuclear enterprise, you know, and completing the job. The second kind of a more likely one is hitting their defense industrial base. And then finally he could order hit hits on the IRGC senior leadership, that's Iran Revolutionary Guard Corporation or senior leadership who are the most aggressive and authoritarian of the military elements, our security elements inside Iran. Or you could hit a mix of all those lines of effort and that's the multi week or two week long or three week long campaign best executed alongside our Israeli allies. And it has both the most risk and will cause the most damage. Mm.

[Mary Reichert]

Let's talk the potential of retaliation. Iran's foreign minister told CBS News that hitting American bases in the region was a possibility. If the US does launch a strike,

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

if the US Attacks us, that is

[Kent Covington]

the act of aggression. What we do in response is the

[Mary Reichert]

act of self defense. So my question to you is what do we know really about Iran's capabilities to retaliate?

[Mark Montgomery]

They have extensive capabilities of retaliation, cruise missile, ballistic missile, short range and interranged ballistic missiles and drones. And they will use all of them. They did. In responding to the killing of the IRG commander Suleimani by President Trump back in 2020. They conducted strikes against the US bases that they could reach. So yes, they will 100% launch at our bases and likely some of their weapons will get through. Not many, but you know, a handful. They'll hit Israel as Well, Israel and the United States have Arrow Thaad. Those are long range missile defense systems, the ships off the coast in the eastern Mediterranean, what's called the SM3 and SM6 missiles. So we'll shoot down a lot of the incoming Iranian stuff, but some will get through.

[Mary Reichert]

Okay, final question here. We've heard reports of Iran doing joint military exercises with China and Russia. So what do we know about their support for Iran if the US Launches strikes?

[Mark Montgomery]

Certainly there is an axis of authoritarians of China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and they maintain a very transactional relationship in military areas and economic areas and cyber technology areas. You know, they're not there to participate in any military way, shape or form form. They're there to, you know, for kind of diplomatic and signaling purposes. An interesting marker on this was last year's 12 Day War where Russia and China were nowhere to be found when Iran was kind of getting pounded hard by Israel and then Israel and the United States. So it there's limits to that relationship.

[Mary Reichert]

Mark Montgomery is a retired rear admiral in the US Navy and a senior fellow at the foundation for Defense of Democracies. Mark, thanks so much.

[Mark Montgomery]

Thank you for having me.

[Kent Covington]

Additional support comes from Ridge Haven Camp in North Carolina and Iowa summer camp. Registration open [e-mail] from the Joshua program at St. Dunstan's Academy in the Blue Ridge Mountains, work, prayer and adventure for young men, st.dunstansacademy.org and from planted Gap year where young adults combine Bible classes, hands on farming and outdoor adventure. [e-mail].

[Nick Eicher]

To catch a thief, police in Thailand had to get creative. An elusive burglar in Bangkok had broken into a commander's home three times, stealing tens of thousands of dollars in valuables. Now this guy was very good at spotting a tail. He so much as sensed the cop, he just ran. So officers tried to something different. They stopped tailing him and became one. They took on the disguise of one of those red and gold lion costumes, you know, the kind that just snake through lunar New Year parades. They danced, they swayed, they inched ever closer. Then at just the right moment, the lead officer snaps the paper mache head back. Police spill out, tackle the suspect and cuff him. Now he may have been good at spotting a tail. He just didn't expect that tail to wag. It's the world and everything in it. Today is Tuesday, February 24th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Nick Eich.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichard. Coming next on THE World and Everything in it. A pastor who stayed. Today marks four years since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine. When Moscow's forces crossed the border in 2022, many local pastors fled and did not return. But today, the story of a pastor who stayed even as Russian forces advanced on his town.

[Nick Eicher]

Here now is world correspondent Caleb Weldy with a story on an evangelical church in Romney just 60 miles from the front.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

Yury Slav Yurushchenko knows he's a special target.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

History said that from 2014, the first people who was killed by Russian soldiers, it was, it was pastors and their children.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

Still, the morning of the 2022 invasion, the first thing the pastor did was drive towards Russia. Yaroslav's brothers, their wives and their children live just 20 miles from the Russian border in a town called Sumy to Romny.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

And when we go out from sumy, like maybe 10 or 15 kilometers, my friends called me from Sumy and said that Russian troops are in Sumy and they fighting inside the town.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

The Russians were presumably 10 minutes behind the them. Pastor Yaroslav brought his brothers to Romney just 60 miles west of Sumy. He needed to get them and 32 members of his church further west.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

We call all our church members and say them what to do and say them that you have time to evacuate right now.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

Yuroslav's wife Ira spent hours that morning trying to withdraw cash from an ATM to pay for gas and anything else the church members might need because we

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

understand that this is a time when we need to serve people more than anyone else.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

Amid the sound of more explosions, Yarislav asks his wife Ira to evacuate too.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

But she said, I'm your wife and if you choose to stay here and serve for the people of the church, I will stay with you. I will not leave you.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

He said this remains the most powerful moment in their relationship.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

And in that moment I feel like big warmth inside of me because I know that she will not leave me alone. We will be together in good or bad situation, in peace or in war. We are together and she is with me.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

Eight members of the congregation decide to stay in Romney. Their decision had implications.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

If I can't evacuate all people from the church and from my town, I can't leave it because this is my responsibility.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

But Yaroslav says their decision was understandable, that it was incredibly stressful and hard to make big decisions in that moment. Plus, several of the church members were older and had only ever lived in

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

Romni to find new place, to find new people without friends on the western Ukraine. So you can come on the place you don't know with no money to the people you don't know. You even don't know will someone receive you or not? Will someone help you or not?

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

That first night in Romney, in every direction around Yaroslav and Ira, the sky was lit up orange from fires and explosions. The couple decided it'd be safer to move into the church. It had thicker walls and was further for the main Road. By 7 the next morning it was clear the window to leave and had closed.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

There was 28 tanks, eight helicopters.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

By 10 the town was surrounded.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

They put checkpoints there and there and

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

news spread fast about the checkpoints.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

They just killing people on the checkpoints. Just stop them and kill them. Even on this point that I will show you right now. They stopped a taxi and killed the driver without reason. Just, just, just kill him.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

With the town locked down, the food they'd stored up was the food they had. But then people began asking for the food and spreading the word. The pastor was sharing, but Pastor Yaroslav says it wasn't really a question whether or not they'd share.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

We believe that God will provide us in every situation. That's why we share with them all.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

We have five people also move into the church with them.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

We lived in one in only in one room altogether because it was safety. It was emotionally easy because you understand that some people are around you and also because we have cameras on our church and the screen in this room so we can see outside what is happening.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

But food is running out. Three weeks in they're down to a few pounds of flour and some buckwheat. They have no idea that while they pray, a church hundreds of miles west of them is filling jars with ready to eat borscht and meat and buckwheat. They also don't know. A Christian man has decided to try to get through the Russian checkpoints to deliver the food.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

So we eat everything and the next day first humanitarian aid came to our church.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

It'd be another month before troops liberated Romney and still today the war continues outside Yaroslav's doorstep. Many of the 400 pound drones headed for Kyiv fly low over his house. Also, much of his own town is hostile to him because he's an evangelical. The Soviets saw evangelicals as a dangerous cult and many people in Romney still believe them. The weekend I'm there, there's machine gun fire out the window at night and Sunday morning explosions during church.

[Yaroslav (Pastor)]

As for me, when I will come to the heaven, I want to see Jesus Christ, who will say, I know him.

[Reporter (possibly Caleb Weldy or another field reporter)]

Until then, Pastor Yoroslav says his job is to stay at his post. For world, I'm Caleb Weldy.

[Nick Eicher]

Good morning. This is the world and everything in it. From from listener supported World Radio. I'm Nick Iker.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichard. Up next, barbs for the bench. After that 63 Supreme Court case against President Trump's emergency tariffs that we reported extensively yesterday, the president did weigh in. He turned his fire not only at the opinion. He reserved special scorn for two of the justices he appointed. World commentator Cal Thomas says disagreement is one thing. What followed was something else.

[Cal Thomas]

Presidents have disagreed with Supreme Court decisions before. They've criticized the reasoning, warned of consequences. They've urged Congress to step in. But after a 6 to 3 ruling last Friday against his emergency tariff authority, including three conservative justices he appointed, President Trump went further. He went after the justices themselves. Listen, they also are a frankly disgrace to our nation. Those justices, they're just being fools and lapdogs. They're very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution. Consider the last four words, disloyal to the Constitution. The irony is difficult to ignore. The majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts cited the Constitution directly, specifically the separation of powers. The court said Congress, not the president, holds the authority to impose tariffs under the emergency statute he invokes. Reasonable people can differ with that interpretation. Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented. They were forceful. They predicted the result would leave a mess, even that it lacked common sense. But their argument was about doctrine and consequences, not about the motives of their colleagues. They didn't degrade the other justices. The president did and then some. He went beyond questioning the majority justice's judgment. He personalized it.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Are you surprised in particular by their decision today? Do you regret nominating them?

[Cal Thomas]

I don't want to say whether or not I regret. I think their decision was terrible. Yeah.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Mr. President,

[Cal Thomas]

I think it's an embarrassment to their families. You want to know the truth? The two of them? Yeah. Later, when asked whether the justices would still be invited to his State of the Union address tonight, the president added this.

[Mary Reichert]

Are they still invited to your State

[Cal Thomas]

of the Union next week?

[Mary Reichert]

And will you still speak with them?

[Cal Thomas]

They are invited. Barely. Barely. Three are happily invited. No, no, they're barely. They're barely invited. Honestly, I couldn't care less if they come. Okay. There was a time when presidents defended their authority vigorously while preserving the dignity of their office. They press their case they challenged the ruling. They respected the institution even when they believed it was wrong. Today, public discourse sounds different, more coarse, more personal, more juvenile. There is already enough contempt in our culture. Films are saturated with it. Social media amplifies it. Cable news rewards it. Do we really need the presidency to contribute to the decline? Some defend this tone as authenticity. They say bluntness signals strength. Perhaps. But presidents are not merely political combatants. They're representatives of the nation. They set a tone and model a standard. Tariffs themselves are not the central issue here. One can argue that many countries impose baseline tariffs on US Goods. One can argue Congress should revisit trade law. One can even argue the court ruling was mistaken. But none of that requires calling justices fools. None of it requires questioning their patriotism. None of it requires suggesting they're an embarrassment to their families. Strong leadership does not require coarse language or personal insult. I would argue it requires the exact opposite. For World I'm Cal Thomas.

[Nick Eicher]

Tomorrow, reaction to the State of the Union address tonight. Hunter Baker will be along for Washington Wednesday and a South Carolina couple teaching teens how to overcome social anxiety. That and more tomorrow. Hello, I'm Nick Iker.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichardt. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The Bible says, have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love, according to your abundant mercy. Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I for I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Verses 1 through 4 of Psalm 51 go now in grace and peace.