An Alleged Drug Boat Strike, the Annunciation Catholic School Shooting, and the Rise of Violence in America

The Bulletin

Christianity Today

News, News Commentary, Society & Culture, Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.4 • 586 Ratings

🗓️ 9 September 2025

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week on The Bulletin, Mike Cosper sits down with Elizabeth Neumann, former Homeland Security official and chief strategy officer at Moonshot, to discuss two recent acts of violence – the Trump administration’s strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat and the school shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. They discuss the rise in politically violent rhetoric and its outworkings in our communities and halls of power. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Elizabeth Neumann is a national security expert who has served across three presidential administrations: on the inaugural staff of the White House Homeland Security Council under President George W. Bush, as an advisor to the office of the director of national intelligence during the Obama Administration, and as the Department of Homeland Security’s deputy chief of staff and assistant secretary for counterterrorism and threat prevention in the Trump administration. Neumann is also a national security contributor for ABC News, board chair for the National Immigration Forum, a fellow of the fourth class of the Civil Society Fellowship of The Aspen Institute, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor in chief) and Mike Cosper (director, CT Media). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more. The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more. “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today Producer: Clarissa Moll Associate Producer: Alexa Burke Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This paid message is from Pew Research Center.
0:03.5	The U.S. Census doesn't track religion, but Pew Research Center's religious landscape study does.
0:09.3	Since 2007, it's provided a comprehensive look at the ever-changing role of faith in America.
0:15.0	With responses from more than 35,000 Americans, the religious landscape study provides authoritative data on religious beliefs,
0:22.5	practices, and identities across all 50 states.
0:25.7	To explore how faith shapes your community, visit pewresearch.org slash RLS.
0:32.2	The way you get to an authoritarian regime is you watch the abuse of power be carried out against other people.
0:40.3	And you go, oh, that's a shame. And then all of a sudden, you're the only one left. And because
0:44.1	you didn't stand up for those guys, there's nobody to come save you.
0:51.5	From Christianity today, you're listening to The Bulletin, a podcast about the people, events, and issues that are shaping our world.
0:58.7	I'm Clarissa Mall, producer and moderator of the Bulletin.
1:02.9	One in four Americans believe that violence is justified to achieve a political aim, says Elizabeth Newman,
1:09.4	former Homeland Security official and author of Kingdom of
1:12.7	Rage. And if you look at the week's headlines, that might not come as much surprise. The Trump
1:18.7	administration just struck an alleged Venezuelan drugboat in the Caribbean, and a school shooting at
1:24.3	Annunciation School in Minneapolis, means a community now begins their year
1:28.6	in grief. Two entirely different incidents, both motivated by politics in some way, to claim
1:35.3	lives. Today, Mike Cosper sits down with Elizabeth Newman to discuss these two stories,
1:41.3	the rise in politically violent rhetoric and its outworkings in our communities
1:45.7	and halls of power. And if violence in our world has you feeling powerless, this episode may
1:52.5	surprise you. There's something you can do about it. Enjoy the conversation. Elizabeth Newman, welcome back to the bulletin.
2:02.5	Thanks for having me, Mike.
	...

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