CNN host Jake Tapper delivers a monologue on what he calls the “spring of sacrilege” by the Trump administration. <\/p>\n
JAKE TAPPER, CNN: That headline, however, on the war was far from the most attention-grabbing remark in this briefing. Instead, the former Weekend FOX & Friends co-host invoked the Pharisees, quote, the so-called and self-appointed elites of their time, there to witness, to write everything down, to report, who, quote, even though they witnessed a literal miracle, it didn’t matter, they were only there to explain away the goodness in pursuit of their agenda. Our press are just like these Pharisees. SECRETARY OF WAR PETE HEGSETH: Not all of you, not all of you, but the legacy Trump hating press. Your politically motivated animus for President Trump nearly completely blinds you from the brilliance of our American warriors. The Pharisees scrutinized every good act in order to find a violation.<\/i> TAPPER: No one’s doubting the warriors. I think the skepticism is of the leaders of the warriors. Hagsath there likening the news media to the Pharisees, opponents of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. So in Hagsath’s analogy, doubting Donald Trump is like doubting Jesus Christ, covering the war on Iran with skepticism of Trump’s claims and Hagsath’s claims, many of which have to be kind, not proven accurate, is I suppose the same thing as doubting the miracles of Jesus. What a warped view of what the news media is supposed to do and what a view he seems to have of this war. And frankly, what better way to cap off a spring of sacrilege by the Trump team? To recap, late last month during a religious service at the Pentagon, Hagsath recited a prayer for the troops that he said originated from a military chaplain. HEGSETH: Give them wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.<\/i> TAPPER: Overwhelming violence. A few days later, Pope Leo appeared to rebuke those remarks saying, quote, God ignores the prayers of leaders who wage war and have hands full of blood. Then came Easter Sunday with Trump’s profane truth social post, quote, open the fucking straits, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in hell. Just watch, unquote. He also said with apparent sarcasm, praise be to Allah. And somewhat predictably, a few days later, Trump went after the pope in a long truth social rant, attacking the pontiff for not being tough enough on crime, among other criticisms. Then the vice president, a convert to Catholicism, he weighed in yesterday, saying this. VICE PRESIDENT J.D. VANCE: I think that it’s important, in the same way that it’s important for the vice president of the United States to be careful when I talk about matters of public policy, I think it’s very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.<\/i> TAPPER: So while J.D. Vance, who said that Haitians were eating their dogs and cats, apparently fancies himself a theologian who has the standing to reprimand the pontiff, Trump also seems to fancy himself a medical professional. That was his excuse, at least, for posting this AI-generated image of himself as Jesus Christ. After an avalanche of backlash, much of it from his supporters, Trump took down the post, claiming he thought it merely had depicted him as a doctor. And as if that wasn’t enough, the president later posted another AI-generated image of Jesus with his arms draped around the president. A lot of evangelical Christians and conservative leaders who normally support President Trump called him out on some of this. Today, the pope got another word in, saying the world is being, quote, ravaged by a handful of tyrants, unquote, who spend billions of dollars on war. POPE LEO XIV: Jesus told us, blessed are the peacemakers, but woe to those who manipulate religion in the very name of God for their own military, economic or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n