--:-- [Theme music fades out]
--:-- Georgia Howe: Welcome to Morning Wire, I'm Georgia Howe.
--:-- John Bickley: And I'm John Bickley, Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Wire.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Today, the Senate enshrined same-sex marriage in the United States. We'll explore why this vote happened now and what it means for freedom of religion.
--:-- John Bickley: That's right, Georgia. We'll also dive into a new report that reveals former President Trump's motive for holding onto classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. And we'll discuss a missile strike in Poland that's put the Russia-Ukraine war back in the spotlight.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Let's start with the Senate vote. On Wednesday, the Senate voted 62 to 37 in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that enshrines same-sex marriage into law.
--:-- Megan Basham: Hi, I'm Megan Basham, Daily Wire culture reporter.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Megan, can you explain what this bill does and what it means for religious liberty?
--:-- Megan Basham: Gay marriage has been legal since the Obergefell decision in 2015, but this bill fortifies that. It was passed because LGBT activists were concerned that the Dobbs decision might open the door to peel back some of those marriage rights.
--:-- John Bickley: Critics of the bill say it erodes religious liberty, allowing the government to take away tax-exempt status from religious organizations and block them from receiving federal grants.
--:-- Megan Basham: That's right. Critics say the bill will give activists the authority to harass people in institutions of faith who disagree with them on the question of marriage.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A bipartisan group of senators made changes to the bill, but critics say those protections are vague and won't do much to address concerns about religious liberty.
--:-- Megan Basham: That's right. The bill easily cleared the 60-vote threshold on Wednesday, with 12 Republican senators joining the Democrats in passing it.
--:-- John Bickley: That's a significant margin, considering that gay marriage was opposed by the majority of Americans just a decade ago.
--:-- Megan Basham: Exactly. And it's not just politicians who are changing their tune. Even some of the staunchest holdouts have come out in favor of this bill.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for reporting on this, Megan.
--:-- Megan Basham: Thanks for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, let's move on to the story about former President Trump and the classified documents. A new report reveals that Trump's motive for holding onto those documents was not nefarious, but rather nostalgic.
--:-- David Marcus: Hi, I'm David Marcus, Daily Wire contributor.
--:-- John Bickley: David, can you explain what this report says and how it might impact the investigation into Trump's handling of classified documents?
--:-- David Marcus: According to the Washington Post, Trump wanted to keep the documents as mementos or trophies. It's a far cry from the idea that he was trying to undermine democracy.
--:-- Georgia Howe: But does intent matter here? If Trump wasn't planning to use the classified material for his personal advantage, is he off the hook for being in possession of them?
--:-- David Marcus: No, mishandling classified material can be criminal regardless of intent. But if this reporting is accurate, it might not affect a jury's decision.
--:-- John Bickley: And what about the fact that some of these documents were very sensitive, dealing with Iran's missile program and the nuclear capabilities of foreign nations?
--:-- David Marcus: That does seem to contradict the idea that these were just keepsakes. But it's also worth noting that Trump's advisors often had to tell him that he couldn't do things that presidents aren't allowed to do.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for joining us, David.
--:-- David Marcus: Thanks for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, let's talk about the missile strike in Poland. Contradictory reports about the strike have escalated tensions over Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.
--:-- Victoria Coates: Hi, I'm Victoria Coates, Senior Fellow of International Affairs and National Security at Heritage.
--:-- John Bickley: Victoria, can you explain what we know about the missile strike in Poland and how it might impact the situation in Ukraine?
--:-- Victoria Coates: There are conflicting reports about the source of the strike, but it's clear that Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has led to a lot of instability in the region.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And how has NATO responded to the developments this week?
--:-- Victoria Coates: NATO has been extremely united and stalwart throughout this situation. But it's also worth noting that the U.S. has authorized $54 billion in military and non-military aid for Ukraine since March.
--:-- John Bickley: And what about the level of funding for the U.S. role in this war? Is it unprecedented?
--:-- Victoria Coates: Yes, it is. And the American people need to ask the administration for a strategy for victory in this war.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for joining us, Victoria.
--:-- Victoria Coates: Thanks for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: That's all the time we have for today. Thanks for listening to Morning Wire.
--:-- Georgia Howe: If you love our show and you stand with our mission, please consider subscribing, leaving us a five-star rating, and sharing our podcast with a friend.
--:-- John Bickley: And don't forget to check out our sponsor, Birch Gold, for a free info kit on diversifying into gold tax-free.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back this afternoon with more of the news you need to know.
--:-- John Bickley: And don't forget to text WIRE to 989898 to get a free info kit on diversifying into gold tax-free.
--:-- [Theme music fades in]
