Trump has previously linked his political role to faith, saying at his 2025 inauguration that he believed God saved him from an assassination attempt during the 2024 campaign “for a reason”.3 min readApr 6, 2026 05:22 AM IST First published on: Apr 6, 2026 at 05:22 AM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookPresident Donald Trump speaks about the Iran war from the Cross Hall of the White House. (Photo: AP)US President Donald Trump and senior US officials described the rescue of an American airman in Iran as an “Easter miracle” on Sunday, linking the military operation to religious language, according to Reuters.In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump said, “The rescue was an Easter miracle,” a message echoed by members of his cabinet after the operation.In a separate social media post, Trump combined religious phrasing with threats of military action, warning Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face consequences. He ended the message with the phrase “Praise be to Allah”.pic.twitter.com/hjaounz3yh— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 5, 2026US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also referred to Easter, saying on X: “The Easter miracle is considered the greatest victory in history. And so, it is fitting on this holiest of Christian days that a brave American warrior was rescued from behind enemy lines.”Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reposted Trump’s message and wrote “God is good” on his personal account. Axios reported that the same phrase was used by the rescued airman over the radio after ejecting from his aircraft.God is good.— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) April 5, 2026Criticism over faith and policyThe use of religious language in connection with military action drew criticism from political figures and advocacy groups.Republican former representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said on X that the approach did not reflect Christian values, arguing that leaders should focus on peace rather than escalation. She said the teachings of Jesus emphasise forgiveness and love, including towards enemies.On Easter morning, this is what President Trump posted.Everyone in his administration that claims to be a Christian needs to fall on their knees and beg forgiveness from God and stop worshipping the President and intervene in Trump’s madness.I know all of you and him and he… pic.twitter.com/DgR74YjPQf— Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (@FmrRepMTG) April 5, 2026Also read How US special forces pulled off ‘daring’ operation to rescue American airman in IranThe Council on American-Islamic Relations criticised Trump’s comments, saying his remarks were “reckless and dangerous”. It said the use of “Praise be to Allah” alongside threats showed a willingness to use religious language in a way that disrespects Muslims.Story continues below this adLast month, a group of Democratic lawmakers asked the Pentagon’s inspector general, Platte Moring, to investigate reports that some officials had justified the Iran war using “biblical end-time prophecies”.In a letter, they wrote: “We must ensure that military operations are guided by facts and the law, not end-times prophecy and extreme religious beliefs.”Trump has previously linked his political role to faith, saying at his 2025 inauguration that he believed God saved him from an assassination attempt during the 2024 campaign “for a reason”.Iran’s leadership also uses religious language in its messaging, often describing the United States as the “Great Satan” and referring to fallen fighters as martyrs.AdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Live BlogUS, Israel, Iran War Live Updates: IRGC Navy says Strait of Hormuz will ‘never return to its former state’ for US, Israel25 minutes agoDubai Iran War News Live Updates: Trump’s deadline for Iran to open Strait of Hormuz is Tuesday evening, says report52 minutes agoChetak Screen Awards 2026 LIVE Updates: Dhurandhar sweeps with 14 awards; Homebound bags Best Film award; Yami Gautam, Ranveer Singh named Best Actors3 hours agoRCB vs CSK HIGHLIGHTS, IPL 2026: RCB continue dominance as Chennai suffer 43-run loss at Chinnaswamy5 hours agoAssembly Elections 2026 Live Updates: Modi calls TMC ‘ruthless’, flags corruption, infiltration at Bengal rally7 hours ago