Hegseth compares reporters to biblical foes of Jesus

TL;DR

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth compared reporters to biblical Pharisees plotting against Jesus during a Pentagon briefing on the Iran war.
He specified the "legacy, Trump-hating press" for their negative coverage, saying their hearts are hardened like the Pharisees who sought violations.
The remarks highlight the Trump administration's stark use of Christian rhetoric amid media tensions and a feud with Pope Leo.

The story at a glance

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a Bible passage in opening remarks at a Pentagon briefing to liken parts of the media to Pharisees, the Jewish adversaries of Jesus who plotted "how to destroy him." The comments countered negative coverage of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and came amid President Donald Trump's feud with Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pontiff and a war critic. This is reported now as Hegseth faces ongoing legal battles over Pentagon press access.

Key points

Hegseth drew from a Sunday sermon on Pharisees who, despite witnessing Jesus heal a man, held counsel to destroy him, saying their hearts were hardened against good acts.
He told reporters: not all press, but the "legacy, Trump-hating press" scrutinizes only negatives and is "calibrated only to impugn."
Context includes Trump posting social media images of Jesus embracing him as a Jesus-like figure, escalating the Trump-Pope Leo rift.
Hegseth and Trump have used Christian terms for the war, like calling an Easter Sunday rescue of a downed U.S. airman a "miracle."
Last month, Hegseth prayed at a service for troops to deliver "overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy."
Hegseth is in a legal fight over a Pentagon credentialing policy ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge; the Pentagon is appealing.
History professor John Fea noted U.S. leaders have invoked Christianity in wars, but the Trump team stands out for its "stark, unequivocal" language.

Details and context

Hegseth's Christianity has been central to his time leading the Pentagon. His briefing remarks fit a pattern where he and Trump frame the Iran war in religious terms, countering what they see as biased media focus on negatives.[[1]](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hegseth-invokes-bible-compare-reporters-enemies-jesus-2026-04-16/)[[2]](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hegseth-invokes-bible-compare-reporters-enemies-jesus-2026-04-16)

Pope Leo responded on X less than an hour later, posting: "Woe to those who manipulate religion... dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth." This builds on his prior criticism of the war.[[1]](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hegseth-invokes-bible-compare-reporters-enemies-jesus-2026-04-16/)

Key quotes

Hegseth: "I sat there in church and I thought, our press are just like these Pharisees," adding he wasn't referring to everyone, just "the legacy, Trump-hating press."[[1]](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hegseth-invokes-bible-compare-reporters-enemies-jesus-2026-04-16/)
Hegseth: "The Pharisees scrutinized 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."[[1]](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hegseth-invokes-bible-compare-reporters-enemies-jesus-2026-04-16/)
Pope Leo on X: "Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth."[[1]](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hegseth-invokes-bible-compare-reporters-enemies-jesus-2026-04-16/)

Why it matters

The episode underscores deepening rifts between the Trump administration, the media, and religious leaders like Pope Leo over the Iran war's framing. It signals concrete media access limits at the Pentagon via the appealed credentialing policy, affecting war reporting for journalists and the public. Watch the legal appeal's outcome and any further religious rhetoric from officials amid ongoing conflict.