Through the Static

By Hannah Saunders

Starting on Saturday, U.S. servicemembers from all military branches picked up their phones and called the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) to inform the nonprofit that unit commanders told them the War on Iran is a plan of God’s, and that Trump was “anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth,” according to a filed complaint. 

MRFF, a nonprofit that works to ensure military servicemembers receive all rights under the Constitution, including religious freedom, issued a briefing on March 3 and stated that these calls came in from over 50 military sites. According to its website, MRFF affirms that “No member of the United States Armed Forces may be compelled in any way to witness or engage in any religious exercise.” 

In the brief, MRFF shared a statement from a noncommissioned officer client that was written on behalf of themself and 15 unit members, which said:

“This morning our commander opened up the combat readiness status briefing by urging us to not be “afraid” as to what is happening with our combat operations in Iran right now. He urged us to tell our troops that this was “all part of God’s divine plan” and he specifically referenced numerous citations of the Book of Revelation referring to Armageddon and the imminent return of Jesus Christ. He said that “President Trump has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth.” 

The battle of Armageddon is the final war between God and human governments. Psalm 2:2 states that “these governments and their supporters oppose God even now by refusing to submit to his rulership,” and according to Daniel 2:44, “the battle of Armageddon will bring human rulership to an end.” Armageddon is said to encompass the entire world, according to the Book of Revelation. 

The largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group in the country, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), also issued a public statement, denouncing the “holy war rhetoric,” noting how every American should feel unsettled by this speech brought forth by Hegseth, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and military commanders.

“We are not surprised to see Benjamin Netanyahu once again using the biblical story of Amalek— which claims that God commanded the Israelites to murder every man, woman, child and animal in a pagan nation that attacked them— to justify Israel’s mass murder of civilians in Iran, just as it did in Gaza. It is even more unacceptable for U.S. officials and military commanders to embrace similarly dangerous rhetoric, which risks turning this illegal and deadly war into a religious war,” CAIR said. 

Trump’s second administrative team has worked to integrate Christianity into government, disregarding the Constitution’s clause that guarantees the separation of church and state. Last February, Trump established the White House Faith Office, and Hegseth regularly holds prayer services at the Pentagon. During Christmastime, he invited Rev. Franklin Graham, CEO and president of Samaritan’s Purse, to speak. 

While MAGA and Trump lovers are seemingly supportive of this war, with protesters in Bellevue spotted over the weekend waving Israeli and Iranian flags, over a hundred people turned out to Pike Place Market on February 28 to protest the war and the continued destruction and death the U.S. and Israel is inflicting. 

On March 1, Trump provided an update on “Operation Epic Fury,” and stated that “Three U.S. military service members have been killed in action,” and “sadly, there will likely be more before it ends– that’s the way it is.” Social media users are now demanding that Trump’s 19-year-old son, Barron, be sent to war.

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