Sekulow

Guest (Male): Today on Sekulow, a report of a new Iranian threat against President Trump deepens the Air Force One mystery. 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, Jay Sekulow.
Jay Sekulow: Welcome to Sekulow. It's a Friday, and I will be joined momentarily by Logan Sekulow in studio. A lot of moving parts around here this morning at the ACLJ, but this is a big story that came out. It was an exclusive from the Wall Street Journal that dropped last night. We're going to talk about it because I think it adds a layer to the whole mystery that's been going on around the plane change with the Air Force One transiting back to the United States after the NATO summit in Turkey. There's a lot of information coming out and a lot of questions from reporters. Why did we change planes? Why are we on the old Air Force One? Why did you make us lower our shades before we took off? Now we're finding out that Israel warned the United States that they had intel, which they gave over to the US, that there is a fresh Iranian plan to assassinate President Trump. We know that he has been a target by the Iranians since the death of Qasem Soleimani. They vowed revenge against him, against our colleague Mike Pompeo, and many other former Trump administration officials from the first term. They were targeting them. We also know that this sort of a plan with the new leadership in Iran would also directly violate the memorandum of understanding. It gives us a little bit more understanding of why the President seemed so dissatisfied and displeased with the Iranians in Turkey a few days ago when he had said, "Why, Mr. President, did you say they were great, easier to work with, much more rational, and now you're saying that they're horrible?" He said, "I got to know them." Well, maybe he also got to know that they are still planning on taking him out. That is still an objective of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Not that it seems like it matters at this point, but remember these leaders had signed on in the memorandum of understanding to point two that says the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran undertake to respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to refrain from interfering in each other's internal affairs. I think trying to assassinate the President of the United States of America would be a little bit in conflict with that point two with the MOU. So, when the President says in his mind it's dead, I think we have a little bit more understanding why now. We are going to talk in the next segment about that mystery surrounding Air Force One when you layer it with this new plan that we're learning of Iran still wanting to assassinate the President of the United States. Maybe there was a plane change for a reason. We're going to get to that, but I also want to hear from you. Does it surprise you that as far as they had come in the talks, this was still an objective of the Iranians to kill the President of the United States of America? Give me a call. 1-800-684-3110. We are wrapping up Independence Week here at the ACLJ. We had a wonderful celebration over the weekend celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, of the Declaration of Independence. We are in this match where every dollar you donate to the ACLJ during this match is doubled. During Independence Week, we have this special offer and it ends after this week. So if you are interested, get in now. For gifts of $250 or above, you can get an ACLJ cooler bag and commemorative coin that says "Let Freedom Ring 1776 to 2026, America 250" and has the ACLJ very nicely designed piece to remember this historic birthday of the United States. We cannot do the work here without you at the ACLJ, so go to ACLJ.org/USA. Donate today. Every gift is doubled. But for 250 or more, you can claim that cooler bag and coin. It's a one-time offer, gone after today.
Guest (Male): This week our great nation celebrated its 250th birthday. This is our Independence Week. Freedom is precious, but it is not free. It can never be taken for granted. The ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—the American dream—can be lost in a generation if we don't fight to secure it. Our liberty was declared 250 years ago, and for more than 35 of those, the ACLJ has been here fighting against those that seek to challenge, undermine, and even strip us of our God-given rights. Freedom must be protected always, and that's why we need you right now. When you go to ACLJ.org/USA, your tax-deductible gift will be doubled to help us preserve our American freedom. But that's not all. The first 100 members to give $250 or more will receive an America 250 cooler bag and a limited edition ACLJ America 250 challenge coin. It's our thanks to you to help celebrate freedom as we fight to protect it for generations to come. Go to ACLJ.org/USA.
Jay Sekulow: We've witnessed monumental legal victories, from defending the 14th Amendment and protecting our sacred American right to vote, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and standing up for the religious liberty of our kids and seniors. But even with the many historic wins we've achieved, the battle is far from over. The attacks on our constitutionally protected rights persist. Countless unborn babies remain in jeopardy, and across the globe, innocent Christians are being targeted and killed across this country and around the world. This fight isn't just the ACLJ's, it's all of ours. It belongs to every American who wants to preserve the values and beliefs on which this nation was founded. None of the victories we've won would have been possible without the unwavering support of ACLJ members and ACLJ champions. It's been an honor to fight for you all these years. Join us in fighting for freedom. Have your donation doubled at ACLJ.org/freedom.
Jay Sekulow: Welcome back to Sekulow. joined by Logan. I switched seats. It's musical chair Friday.
Logan Sekulow: Yeah, I said, "Get out of chair one!" That's how I do that. I say you can't sit there.
Jay Sekulow: The tension between us during a break when he's like, "Get out of my seat," it's wild, folks. You wouldn't believe it. But here we are. 1-800-684-3110 to get on the air today. It looks like the top story we were talking about is this threat. The threat on President Trump's life is something that he seems to have to deal with after multiple assassination attempts and everything that we see in the news right now. Currently, the Tyler Robinson hearing is happening. You'd think it would be something that would come off a bit more serious, but the way President Trump talks about it does feel weirdly disarming. But maybe that is dealing with the fact that you have to understand that the reality is that you are threat number one in the world.
Jay Sekulow: That's right. And I think we should play this. This is actually bite two from our list, where a reporter was directly asking about a threat to Air Force One. Remember, they flew over on the new Air Force One. That is the one that was widely showcased at the America 250. It did a flyover. It has the red, white, and blue color scheme, which is a departure from the kind of baby blue color scheme that is historically with Air Force One. They switch planes all the time. There's more than one of the old-style Air Force Ones. There's always a backup in case of something happening. It's less noticeable when the colors are the same on the plane. This is a different aircraft than they flew over on and it's clear for everyone to see that you're walking onto an older model. It went down to an older model 747 instead of the new one, and the livery of it—the paint scheme—is completely different. So, it caused reporters to ask questions about it, and specifically, the border of Iran and Turkey. They are neighbors. So, the Iranians had a much closer strike point if they were to want to try and do something against the President of the United States. It's a lot closer than him being in Europe. So, here's what the question was because, remember, they switched planes. There was some question about putting the shades down. I've been on commercial flights all the time where they ask you to lower your shades, whether it's a nighttime flight and they're wanting people to be able to sleep, or sometimes the heat. There's all sorts of different things.
Logan Sekulow: I understand why it would be alarming. But here's what we have. Bite two, where he's asked directly about a threat from Iran against Air Force One just yesterday.
Donald Trump: I have a threat all the time. I'm number one on their list, before you. But if I go, you go, right? So perhaps someday you want to change professions.
Jay Sekulow: So once again, there is the President saying, "I'm number one on their list," and saying, "If I go, you go," making a joke with the reporters that are clearly nervous. It's probably an unsettling conversation.
Logan Sekulow: I'm sure every time you're especially in international areas, not just flying over the country, but anytime you get on the airplane—I'm not a great flyer, anytime I get on an airplane in general, I'm always concerned—but getting on an airplane with the President of the United States in an active war that's happening right now, when he just called a bunch of people who he had a cease-fire with scum and was going after them and all of those things happening, clearly, you know that you're taking an extra step of risk.
Jay Sekulow: Well, and here's what we know now. The Israelis have intelligence they shared with the United States that there is a fresh Iranian plot to kill the President of the United States. That is their goal. It has been their goal. He even said, "I'm their number one target." There was a sense that that had quieted down with the MOU with new leadership, that they were not for any reason whatsoever that they would still be wanting to carry that out. It is clear that that seems that is still an objective of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Maybe that is partially why we heard his language change in Turkey when he said it wasn't just the strikes against the shipping vessels, but also this new intelligence report that they are still actively trying to target the President of the United States. That to me leads more to him saying that the MOU—the memorandum of understanding and the cease-fire—is dead because it violates the very second point that we will respect the sovereignty of each other's nations. I think it also tells us that if they're still going after the President, when you think historically of President Trump, he gave them an opportunity. But maybe a regime change isn't so far off the table as we may have thought. They are still targeting him. They are still going after him. Then you hear this language where he all of a sudden says they're scum. He says they're the worst humans, all of these things. They say, "Well, you were praising them." He said, "Well, then I got to know them." His view, whether he had this view the whole time and was giving them the benefit of the doubt or playing out this discussion, is clearly publicly changed on the leadership in Iran. Now, there was also a Truth Social post this morning where he said the Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue talks. We agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them in no uncertain terms the cease-fire is over. Thank you for your attention to this matter. So the President is even willing to let Iranian delegations still meet with our negotiators, with Jared Kushner, with Steve Witkoff. I doubt we'll see the Vice President necessarily unless for some reason there is a change in tone. I doubt he will join those talks again. But he is saying, "Yeah, you can try and salvage this all you want, but that doesn't mean we are withholding firing back at you and taking out targets if we have intelligence that we need to strike."
Logan Sekulow: The way President Trump talks, as I said, can make it feel a bit less serious. But look, remember this is a man who has already survived multiple assassination attempts. We are talking about these kind of things in the news right now and, obviously, the Charlie Kirk assassination. It's nothing to joke about. Though President Trump may be trying to disarm them a little bit, disarm the press even by saying, "Haha, you know, I'm number one on the list. Maybe you're getting a different profession if you didn't," somewhat that's just again, joking, but it's also dealing with a reality of a time at war. We have seen this now many times and let's not joke around too much about it and understand the press is concerned, and I understand that. I want to hear from you though, what do you think? 1-800-684-3110. I think in general, we need to just be making sure not just we're praying for President Trump or praying for our leaders, but praying for everybody. Praying for this country that we will be able to get through everything safely and have a protected country, protected leadership. The security succeeds in the fact that this all gets played out in front of you. It's not unlike what I've said with the war. The back-and-forth of the war, when it gets played out in front of you in the press, it changes the way your mind comprehends all of this. Let's go, 1-800-684-3110. Give me a call. 1-800-684-3110. Again, support the work of the ACLJ. Last day of Independence Week, be a part of it at ACLJ.org.
Jay Sekulow: We've witnessed monumental legal victories, from defending the 14th Amendment and protecting our sacred American right to vote, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and standing up for the religious liberty of our kids and seniors. But even with the many historic wins we've achieved, the battle is far from over. The attacks on our constitutionally protected rights persist. Countless unborn babies remain in jeopardy, and across the globe, innocent Christians are being targeted and killed across this country and around the world. This fight isn't just the ACLJ's, it's all of ours. It belongs to every American who wants to preserve the values and beliefs on which this nation was founded. None of the victories we've won would have been possible without the unwavering support of ACLJ members and ACLJ champions. It's been an honor to fight for you all these years. Join us in fighting for freedom. Have your donation doubled at ACLJ.org/freedom.
Guest (Male): This week our great nation celebrated its 250th birthday. This is our Independence Week. Freedom is precious, but it is not free. It can never be taken for granted. The ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—the American dream—can be lost in a generation if we don't fight to secure it. Our liberty was declared 250 years ago, and for more than 35 of those, the ACLJ has been here fighting against those that seek to challenge, undermine, and even strip us of our God-given rights. Freedom must be protected always, and that's why we need you right now. When you go to ACLJ.org/USA, your tax-deductible gift will be doubled to help us preserve our American freedom. But that's not all. The first 100 members to give $250 or more will receive an America 250 cooler bag and a limited edition ACLJ America 250 challenge coin. It's our thanks to you to help celebrate freedom as we fight to protect it for generations to come. Go to ACLJ.org/USA.
Jay Sekulow: Welcome back to Sekulow. We're going to be taking your calls in this segment at 1-800-684-3110. We also have a special video presentation we're going to run in just a moment. Before we do that, I want to take D. She kind of reiterated what I was even saying in the last segment. D in California, go ahead.
Guest (Female): Yes, as a Christian, I'm very concerned. I think we as Christians need to really pray not just for President Trump, but his family, our Vice President and his family, all the administration and their families. Because this kind of group in Iran, they don't care who they go after. So that being said, while I was on hold, I thought of another thing I share with people. I don't know that President Trump is a modern-day Job, but when you think of the story of Job and what all he and his family went through and what President Trump and his family have gone through, it makes you wonder.
Logan Sekulow: Well, D, I think that the reason biblical stories resonate for millennia—for thousands of years—is because they have direct correlation a lot of times of what's happening in our world. They get told over and over again because you can take something from them. You can apply them to your life. So I assume that's even what you're saying. I think we can all do that for a lot of the stories from the Bible. That being said, D, look, I want you to be very understanding and very clear. This is why this hits home a little bit for us. Everyone in this studio has had these threats happen to them. Yeah, they may not be getting those directly from the Ayatollah and the internet, the way the press works, the way the vitriol has come. You're talking about real security risks for any of us that even are just public figures in the smallest of scale. I ask you to not only pray for the protection of our country, pray for the protection of our families as well, because I'll pray for your family. Because you're even taking a risk by just calling. This is the craziest part of the world we live in. You're just calling in, giving me your first name, you're in your state, and there could be someone listening who is unhinged who decides that that is enough—the fact that you said we should call and pray for President Trump or you connected it to a biblical story.
Jay Sekulow: Well, and even when it comes to the Iranian threat, we've had Secretary Pompeo on this set. You've seen that. That's no hidden secret that he's been in our office, and we've seen the protocols and protections that have to go into his travel because he has a direct threat against his life by the Iranians. But I think this ties actually very well because we can pray for our leaders. Even if we don't agree with them, even if it is Joe Biden in office or if it were Kamala Harris, you should be praying for your leadership. You should be praying that God will influence their life and that they will be making wise decisions for this country that they are in leadership over. Not even that it'll be the right policy decisions that you agree with, but they will have wisdom to shepherd this country forward. And I think that's why this video's important because we, during this Independence Week, we are talking about protecting the foundations of this country and fighting for this country. And that's exactly what this video leads into. So I'm just going to play it and we'll talk to you on the other side, but take a look at what our team put together for you.
Guest (Male): As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, there's plenty of patriotic pride in the red, white, and blue. There's also a lot of negativity around America. There are questions like, "Are we united? Are we exceptional? Are we worth defending?" Yet despite all of America's faults, flaws, and blemishes, there remains one undeniable fact. The world needs America. The world needs America's ideals that were first endowed by our creator, recognized in the Constitution, protected by our soldiers, and preserved by its citizens. You don't need to go far beyond America's borders to understand the forces aligned against us. When America is weak, we've seen what kind of evil can propagate. Those forces need Americans like you to get distracted and become disengaged because America's force for good in the world can only be sustained if we stay in the fight. Otherwise, some brand of evil will slowly take our place of influence. We live in a democratic republic and we need to defend the values of this republic. So it's worth defending that Constitution today. Sometimes it's easy and popular to criticize the wars America has fought, question the values behind the sacrifices made by our soldiers. But if you were to ask them, they'd tell you they didn't fight for a political party, a policy, or for the latest trend to spike in the polls. They fought to preserve the American ideal and its place in the world. If you live in this country, then support it, regardless of who the politicians are. I would like people to look at this place and say this is gorgeous. Why not support it? Well, I come from a family of veterans. My grandfather served in World War I, my dad in Korea, Vietnam, and it's worth celebrating the freedoms that we have because of what people like them, ordinary people, have done. They truly are heroes. Definitely would encourage them to join the services whether it's Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, or going into the Coast Guard. Any of these services that do great things for our country and be a part of the solution and enjoy what we have and do what you can to make our country better. You see, the truth about America was recognized and written at its founding, to form a more perfect union. America wasn't perfect 250 years ago, and it's still not perfect now. That's why the ACLJ defends your rights, like freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and freedom to work, so that those same rights are protected and perfected for future generations. Whether it's defending your right to vote for the candidate of your choice or defending the right of a girl in middle school who just wants to talk about Jesus, the ACLJ is working to make our union more perfect. Because if we lose the American ideals here at home, the light of those ideals projected into a dark world will also go out. It's what we work for and pray to preserve for another 250 years.
Logan Sekulow: And that, of course, is why we are also celebrating America 250 this week. And look, I just got out of another interview as well and we even said we like to celebrate America as patriotic Americans all year long every day we can. However, it did feel like the celebrations wrapped up, we all moved on and back to the normal chaos of being an American right now in 2026. But that's why we wanted to celebrate this entire week with Independence Week. And I encourage you, as we wrap up this first half hour, we've got a second half hour of the show coming up. I want you to be a part of it. You can call in at 1-800-684-3110. But if you lose us here, maybe you need to join us later on, or maybe you're not watching live, maybe you're watching archived. I encourage you to go to ACLJ.org. It's our last day of Independence Week. I believe this offer will last throughout the weekend though. If you go to ACLJ.org/USA, get the ACLJ cooler bag and the ACLJ challenge coin, America 250 challenge coin, as a special gift from us to you for any gift over $250. But any gift at all, by the way, is matched. That means there's an ACLJ supporter, ACLJ champion, ready to unlock their donation. It's been a huge week for us and we need your support to continue these fights. And today again is that last chance to get that special offer, but really, have your gift doubled of any kind, regardless of the cooler bag and the coin. Those are great. I'm excited we were able to offer those things as special gifts. But we keep this show on the air. We keep ourselves in the courtrooms. None of that happens without you and your support because you know we don't put any of this behind a paywall. We don't put any of it behind a bunch of sponsors and advertising. It is only because you donate and support the work of the ACLJ. We create this at the top tier, highest level of production, the highest level of legal authority, only because of you. That's at ACLJ.org. Be a part of it today. Three lines are open. Second half hour coming up. We take less than a minute break if you're watching online. That's at ACLJ.org. Be right back.
Guest (Male): This week our great nation celebrated her 250th birthday. This is our Independence Week. Freedom is precious. Freedom must be protected always. That's why we need you. Right now when you go to ACLJ.org/USA, your tax-deductible gift will be doubled to help us preserve our American freedom, to help us celebrate freedom as we fight to protect it for generations to come. Go to ACLJ.org/USA today.