According to a report by Reuters on Thursday, April 16, 2026, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has drawn controversy after invoking biblical references to criticise sections of the media, comparing some journalists to religious figures he said opposed Jesus Christ.
Speaking during a Pentagon briefing on Thursday, Hegseth referenced a sermon he had recently heard, in which the Pharisees—Jewish religious leaders in the New Testament were described as plotting against Jesus despite witnessing his actions.
Quoting the sermon, he said the Pharisees “went out and immediately held counsel against him, how to destroy him,” adding that he saw parallels with what he described as negative media coverage of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
“I sat there in church and I thought, our press are just like these Pharisees,” Hegseth said, addressing reporters present at the briefing. He clarified that his remarks were directed at what he termed the “legacy, Trump-hating press,” rather than all journalists.
According to the defence secretary, such media outlets tend to scrutinise actions with the intention of highlighting faults rather than acknowledging positive developments.
“The Pharisees scrutinised every good act in order to find a violation. Only looking for the negative. The hardened hearts of our press are calibrated only to impugn,” he added.
Hegseth’s remarks come amid heightened tensions between the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born leader of the Catholic Church, who has been critical of the war.
The dispute has intensified in recent days, with Trump sharing social media posts featuring religious imagery, including depictions of himself alongside Jesus Christ. The move has drawn mixed reactions from the public and religious leaders.
Hegseth, whose Christian faith has been a prominent aspect of his public profile, has increasingly incorporated religious language into official remarks. Both he and Trump recently described the Easter Sunday rescue of a downed U.S. airman in Iran as a “miracle.”
At a prayer service last month, the defence secretary also prayed for U.S. troops to be able to carry out what he described as “overwhelming violence of action” against adversaries.
While references to religion in times of war are not new in American political history, analysts say the current administration’s rhetoric stands out for its direct and emphatic tone. John Fea, a history professor at Messiah University, noted that previous administrations have invoked faith, but often in more measured ways.
The controversy has further strained relations with the Vatican. Shortly after the Pentagon briefing, Pope Leo posted a message on X warning against the misuse of religion for political or military purposes.
“Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain,” the pope wrote, in what observers see as a pointed response to recent developments……See More
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