Dallas, Texas — First Baptist Church senior pastor Robert Jeffress defended President Donald Trump’s foreign policy and argued that Trump has a “better understanding” of the Bible than Pope Leo XIV when it comes to war and government authority.
Speaking Saturday on Fox News, Jeffress said the president’s approach to Iran was biblically justified, citing Romans 13 and the government’s responsibility to protect citizens from “evil-doers.” His comments followed criticism from Pope Leo XIV, who described U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites as “alarming news” and previously criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policies as “extremely disrespectful.”
Jeffress drew a sharp distinction between the church and the state, saying the church’s role is to point people toward faith in Jesus Christ, while government must protect citizens from harm. That argument aligns with a long-running evangelical defense of strong military and border policies, even when those policies conflict with Catholic social teaching or Vatican diplomacy.
The dispute has widened as Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently met with Vatican officials for more than 45 minutes in what was described as “cordial talks” aimed at reducing tensions.
Jeffress’s remarks show that some of Trump’s evangelical allies are not backing away from the theological defense of his presidency.
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