Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth went for a peculiar comparison at Monday's press conference on the rescue of downed pilots in Iran, comparing the operation to bring them home to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
"Shot down on Good Friday, hidden in a cave, a crevice all of Saturday and rescued on Sunday," said Hegseth. "Flown out of Iran as the sun was rising on Easter Sunday, a pilot reborn all home and accounted for, a nation rejoicing." He then proclaimed that, "God is good."
The clear comparison to the Easter story of Christ's resurrection drew swift criticism from commenters on social media.
"Is Hegseth comparing the downed pilot's crash and rescue to Jesus's death and resurrection? Am I having a stroke?" wrote USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke.
"Oh noooo," wrote Allison Gill of "Mueller, She Wrote." "Hegseth is comparing the airman to Jesus because he was shot down on Good Friday, hid in a cave on Saturday, and was pulled into the sky on Easter Sunday. Uggghhhhhhh."
"OMG! Pete Hegseth is unbelievable!" wrote radio host Rick McCain." He's going to try to compare the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to a rescued airman. How hypocritical. The man knows no shame!"
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), a Marine combat veteran, had a different criticism of the whole affair.
"Trump's Defense Secretary, CIA Director, and top general are at the podium praising Trump like he flew the mission himself," wrote Moulton. "He simply rubber-stamped the rescue that should have never needed to happen in the first place. The bravery and admiration belongs to the troops and pilots who volunteered, flew into the line of fire, and brought each other home. Trump got them into this mess. That's his legacy here."
This comes just a few days after Trump's spiritual adviser compared him publicly to Jesus, triggering a similar wave of backlash.