President Donald Trump and other US officials described the rescue of an American pilot in Iran as an "Easter miracle" on Sunday, presenting the operation in religious terms that portrayed the war as a just cause and blessed by God, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
In the past, administrations have typically sent postcard-style Easter greetings, and critics said the officials' messages this time blurred the line between faith and politics, invoking religion to justify the war and shape the behavior of the military.
"The rescue was an Easter miracle," Trump said on NBC's broadcast, and some cabinet members followed suit with messages of their own.
In another message that used religion in a different way, Trump threatened on social media to strike power plants and bridges, and called on Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz, "you crazy bastards", or face "life in hell", and ended with the phrase "Praise be to Allah".
In a social media post, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant invoked the symbolism of Easter, the day Jesus rose from the dead.
"The Easter miracle is considered the greatest victory in history," Besant said in "Ex". "So it is fitting that on this most sacred of Christian days, a brave American soldier should be rescued from behind enemy lines in one of the greatest search and rescue missions in military history."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote "God is good" on his personal "Ex" profile. yesterday, reposting a post on Trump's social media about the success of the rescue mission in Iran.
"Axios", citing an interview with Trump and an unidentified US defense official, reported that this was the phrase the rescued officer uttered on the radio after he ejected from the plane.
But Trump's mixing of religious references with threats of military action drew criticism on Sunday, Reuters noted.
Former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, in an op-ed in "Ex", accused Trump of betraying Christian values. She said Christians in the administration should "seek peace" rather than "escalate war", and pointed out that Jesus' teachings emphasize forgiveness and love, including for enemies.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also condemned Trump's remarks, saying in a statement that "his mockery of Islam and his threats to attack civilian infrastructure" were reckless and dangerous.
CAIR said the casual use of the phrase "Praise be to Allah" in the context of threats of violence reflects a willingness to weaponize religious language while showing contempt for Muslims and their beliefs, Reuters reported.