Pentagon Chief Compares Trump Critics in Media to Enemies of Jesus
Kyiv • UNN
Pete Hegseth criticized journalists for negativity and held a prayer at the Pentagon with quotes from a movie. Pope Leo XIV condemned the manipulation of religion for war.
US War Minister Pete Hegseth sharply criticized the media during a Pentagon briefing, comparing some journalists to biblical opponents of Jesus Christ. This is reported by Reuters, writes UNN.
Details
Hegseth stated that some journalists who criticize President Donald Trump act like the Pharisees from the Bible.
I was sitting in church and I thought: our press is just like these Pharisees
According to him, such media "only look for the negative" and "are set to deny."
Religious rhetoric amid war
The comments came amid the US and Israel's war against Iran, as well as the escalation of the public conflict between Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV.
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In recent days, American officials have actively used religious vocabulary in their statements, in particular calling certain events a "miracle."
Controversial prayer
Earlier, Hegseth also held a prayer event at the Pentagon, where he read a text adapted from the movie "Pulp Fiction." This caused a stir on social media.
His spokesman stated that the prayer was based on a biblical passage from Ezekiel and accusations of incorrect quoting were "fake news."
Experts note that the Trump administration is distinguished by particularly harsh religious rhetoric in political and military matters.
After Hegseth's speech, Pope Leo XIV issued a statement condemning the use of religion to justify war: "Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God."