Donald Trump has said he believes God supports the U.S. as it wages war in Iran after the heroic rescue of U.S. airmen downed in enemy territory.
The president and his top officials invoked God while discussing the operation during a White House press conference on Monday.
“God doesn’t like what’s happening,” Trump told the media.
“God was watching us,” he declared. “We were in Easter territory, I guess, but God was watching us.”
Trump and other top officials have repeatedly made religious statements and brought up God since the U.S. began bombing Iran more than a month ago.
Later in his Monday press conference, the president was asked about invoking God, and Trump claimed God was on his side.
“You said glory be to God in this conflict. Do you believe that God supports the United States actions in Iran?” the reporter asked.
“I do because God is good,” Trump said. “God wants to see people taken care of.”
“God doesn’t like what’s happening,” Trump argued. “I don’t like what’s happening. Everyone says I enjoy—I don’t enjoy this."
It came as Trump, 79, has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran back to the Stone Age and dismissed accusations that he’s been threatening to commit war crimes as he warns the U.S. would target Iran’s power plants and bridges.
In his jaw-dropping expletive-laden post on Easter Sunday, Trump demanded Iran agree to open the Strait of Hormuz or face “living in Hell.”
The president has given until Tuesday night for Iran to agree as the U.S. continues to carry out strikes.
“The entire country could be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump said on Monday.
“We can bomb the hell out of them. We can knock them out for a loop.”
Asked directly if the war was winding down or he would escalate on Monday, Trump said, “I don’t know,” and he indicated it depended on whether an agreement was reached with Iran.
After Trump claimed he believed God supported the U.S. in its war against Iran, he went on to repeat his exaggerated ramble about how he had actually ended eight wars since returning to office and bragged about being praised by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Maria Machado.
