Erik Uden 🚩
Under Pete Hegseth, War Minister, U.S. troops were told the war in Iran is for “Armageddon” the return of Jesus Christ. He's telling people this war is all part of God's divine plan and that Trump was advised by God to start it.
Mar 3 at 3:35pmWeb
Show threadErik Uden 🚩Mar 3

Leaked E-Mail where Pete Hegseth, War Minister of the United States of America claims the war on Iran is preparation for the return of Jesus.

NCO Email to MRFF (As redacted by MRFF):

From: (Active Duty Military NCO and MRFF Client’s email address withheld)
Subject: Unit combat readiness briefing and Armageddon
Date: March 2, 2026 at 1:02:53 PM MST
To: Information Weinstein <[email protected]>

Mr. Weinstein thank you for taking my calls and the calls of some of my colleagues as to what happened earlier this morning with our combat unit.

Please protect my identity and the identities of those I’m speaking for as we discussed.

Our unit is not currently in the combat zone AOR regarding the Iranian attacks but we are in a “Ready-Support” function where we could be deployed there at any moment to join and augment the combat operations as participants.

I am a (NCO rank withheld) in our unit. This morning our commander opened up the combat readiness status briefing by urging us to not be “afraid” as to what is happening with our combat operations in Iran right now. He urged us to tell our troops that this was “all part of God’s divine plan” and he specifically referenced numerous citations out of the Book of Revelation referring to Armageddon and the imminent return of Jesus Christ. He said that “President Trump has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth”. He had a big grin on his face when he said all of this which made his message seem even more crazy. Our commander would probably be described as a “Christian First” supporter. He has been this way for a very long time and makes it clear that he desires all of us under him to become just like him as a Christian. But what he did this morning was so toxic and over the line that it shocked many of us in attendance at the ops readiness briefing. Besides myself I am reaching out to MRFF on behalf of 15 fellow troops. I know you asked me about the religious views of our group who has requested help from the MRFF. I can only tell you that I am Christian and at least 10 of the others are also Christians. One of the others is Jewish and one is Muslim. I don’t know the religious or non-religious status for the other three at this time.

I and my fellow troops know that it is completely wrong to have to suffer through what our commander said today. It’s not just the separation of church and state as we discussed Mr. Weinstein. It’s the fact that our commander feels as though he is fully supported and justified by the entire (combat unit’s name withheld) chain of command to inflict his Armageddon views of our attack on Iran on those of us beneath him in the chain of command.

I hope by sending this email to you that this will help expose these wrong actions which destroy morale and unit cohesion and are in violation of the oaths we swore to support the constitution.

Source:
https://jonathanlarsen.substack.com/p/us-troops-were-told-iran-war-is-for

U.S. Troops Were Told Iran War Is for “Armageddon,” Return of Jesus

Advocacy group reports commanders giving similar messages at more than 30 installations in every branch of the military

Jonathan Larsen’s Substack
Show threadDoomsdaysCWMar 3
@ErikUden You mean a HOLY WAR? smh
Show threadAndy DeardenMar 3
@ErikUden I am concerned that this story is not being carried by MRFF on their own website. Do we have a stronger fact-checked source than one substack account?
Show threadJaeMar 3
@AndyDearden @ErikUden It's on the MRFF home page: https://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/2026/03/mrff-inundated-with-complaints-of-gleeful-commanders-telling-troops-iran-war-is-part-of-gods-divine-plan-to-usher-in-the-return-of-jesus-christ/
MRFF Inundated with Complaints of Gleeful Commanders Telling Troops Iran War is “Part of God’s Divine Plan” to Usher in the Return of Jesus Christ

“This morning our commander opened up the combat readiness status briefing by urging us to not be “afraid” as to what is happening with our combat operations in Iran right now. He urged us to tell our troops that this was “all part of God’s divine plan” and he specifically referenced numerous citations out of

Military Religious Freedom Foundation
Show threadMiq 💚Mar 3
@ErikUden 🤯🤮
Show threadJaeMar 3
@ErikUden I suppose if we're going to be pedantic, it's not actually *Hegseth* who is being quoted as making that claim (though it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if it's what he actually thinks, and he's clearly responsible for encouraging such claims)
Show threadNullMar 4
@considermycat @ErikUden We should be pedantic. I have no love for Hegseth or the other ghouls; but the editorializing just gives people an excuse to ignore what’s happening, and what’s happening is fucked up enough on its own.

If you want to accuse him of anything, accuse him of creating an environment where people feel comfortable doing this. That’s a totally fair assertion. There’s too much damning truth available to need to resort to misinformation, misdirection, or lies.
Show threadCjutyMar 3
@ErikUden so what they are saying is that this is their holy war, their kind of djihad if you will.
Show threadConsensus TullyalityMar 3

@the_cjuty why use that word when Christians already have their own name for it?

and just like those other ones, this crusade will fail too.

Show threadCjutyMar 3
@tully because the word djihad is highly loaded. It's a play on the stereotype of muslims in western cultures.
Show threadConsensus TullyalityMar 3
@the_cjuty mmhmm
Show threadgwsMar 3
@the_cjuty yeehaw'd
Show threadResistor McResistanceFaceMar 3

@ErikUden

I am 5 US wars old:

*Cold War (the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War)

*War on Drugs (80's South America, revisted 2026)

*War on terror (the War in Afghanistan, Middle East, Africa, Wisconsin, Portland)

*Oil chugs (iraq Wars, Venezuela and Pirates of the High Seas

*Jesus's War (Where ever the fuck a pedophile decides is news worthy enough)

None of them have ever been won

Show threadSusan CalvinMar 3
@mlbellar @ErikUden there's a lot of CIA wars missing from that list!
Show threadResistor McResistanceFaceMar 3

@Susan_calvin @ErikUden

"oh, we're in there" - those sneaky bastards at the CIA

Show threadHugh Young-BishMar 3
@ErikUden
So you're at war because of a horror fantasy spun out of the 1900-year-old bad trip of a religious fanatic who slept in a cave where a crack in a rock gave out subterranean psychedelic gases.
Show threadRegMar 3

@ErikUden

Maybe the USA is a envious of the middle ages and wants to experience it first hand?

Show threadKnut 🏳️‍🌈 🇳🇴🧸Mar 3
@ErikUden It's sad because it's true. Fundies are weird. Like, it's almost like a bad child who is destroying things to get Daddy's attention. That is honestly their logic with things. Be bad so Jesus will come and whip the liberals. Makes total sense. I don't fucking get it. But this isn't the first time I've heard of this.
Show threadblackRAT Mar 3
@ErikUden
for some reason I read "War Criminal of the United States"
Show threadoldfartjmb says FREE PALESTINEMar 3

@ErikUden

It makes me sick.

Show threadChris TurnbowMar 3

@ErikUden

this is not terrifying at all, nope

Show threadCrystal_Fish_CavesMar 3

@ErikUden oh holy fucking christ. Can we start requiring our representatives in government take a CIVICS CLASS and can READ the constitution? SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE HEGSETH YOU DRUNKEN MORON

AND if you violate your OATH or LIE ON YOUR CONFIRMATION you are immediately sent to CECOT no returns no exceptions. Hegseth Cash Noem and TRUMP go first

Show threadscheichsbeutelMar 3

@ErikUden I read that yesterday, but thought it was so weird and ridiculous that I didn't believe it.

Lesson learned: Nothing is so profoundly stupid that you couldn't expect it from Trump's gang.

Show threadLeather Cub Andrew AûMar 5
@ErikUden he's the Secretary of Warcrimes!!! To the Hague with him... or Nuremberg trials
Show threadErik Uden 🚩Mar 3
Always these religious fundamentalists in the middle east smh
Show threadBernd HerdMar 3

@ErikUden What?!

So you have a link?

Show threadSven ScholzMar 3

@herdsoft Z.B. hier https://www.fr.de/politik/us-soldaten-beschweren-sich-ueber-irre-kriegsbegruendung-trump-von-jesus-gesalbt-zr-94195671.html

@ErikUden

Trump „von Jesus gesalbt“: US-Soldaten beschweren sich über irre Kriegsbegründung

US-Militärführer predigen in Briefings die biblische Endzeit und verkaufen den Konflikt als göttlichen Auftrag für die Rückkehr des Messias.

Show threadBernd HerdMar 3

@svenscholz @ErikUden Vielen Dank für den Link.

Das ist so ekelhaft. Quasi wie IS.

Richard Dawkins hat ja schon vor Jahrzehnten gewarnt, dass religiöser Fundamentalismus gefährlich ist. Nicht nur muslimischer Fundamentalismus.

Show threadwall-eMar 3

@ErikUden then we know where this ends.

In that ideology Israel has to be fully established with control over "Judea and Samaria" (basically all of the Westbank), as a prerequisite for the second coming.

Show threaddehadeMar 3
@ErikUden
and he is just Secretary of the Department of Defense, though - quite less biblically.
Show threadThomas WassermannMar 3
@ErikUden
Nun dagegen erscheint das dunkle Mittelalter leuchtend hell ...
Wobei derzeit fast weltweit auf einen bloßen Weltuntergang (Erde und u.a. Menschen) hingearbeitet zu werden scheint ...
Show threadJohn MaxwellMar 3
@ErikUden Secretary of Defense. Shithead doesn't get to pick his title.
Show threadKenny ParkMar 3

@ErikUden I'm not well versed (ahem!) in biblical prophesy, but if a global war is necessary for Armageddon, which is Jesus's ticket back to Earth, I'm not convinced the Prince of Peace will say, upon arrival, "First of all, thanks to instigators of that global war for setting up Armageddon so nicely!"

I rather think He'll be… _displeased_ with them?

Show threadKenny ParkMar 3

Or, to put it another way, the Fire dept. says, "We're not coming to your house unless it's on fire."

So you set fire to your house, and when they turn up, you expect them to thank you.

Show threadSolithaMar 3

@KennyPark If I recall the Bible correctly, the part I hang up on is, you know how people keep trying to predict the Rapture?

The Bible, I think, is very clear that no one may predict when the end times will happen. Makes sense. You're supposed to just live a good life, not convert at the last moment.

So how would one believe that one can *force* it to happen when desired?

Modern-day American evangelicals just make no sense at all.

Show threadKenny ParkMar 3

@solitha It's certainly a pretty unimpressive prophesy if folk just follow the instructions.

(Then again, I _will_ be genuinely surprised if Jesus appears.)

Show threadSolithaMar 3

@KennyPark I'm with you on that.

However, if the Bible has anything correct about him, and he did show up... it would be pretty entertaining.

Show threadEdgeMar 3

@ErikUden

All I see with this is Stephen King's "The Dead Zone" as I have with Trump since he landed on the national stage.

Show threadAnthonyMar 3
@[email protected] Source please? There's a lot of misinformation that rhymes with this flying around. I have no love of Hegseth but I'd like confirmed sources.
Show threadSolithaMar 3

@abucci So far the only source I've seen is some dude's Substack.

I'd really like better sourcing, myself.

@ErikUden

Show threadErik Uden 🚩Mar 3

@solitha @abucci you can search for it online, there's many outlets talking about it

https://www.fr.de/politik/us-soldaten-beschweren-sich-ueber-irre-kriegsbegruendung-trump-von-jesus-gesalbt-zr-94195671.html

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/troops-being-told-to-prepare-for-armageddon-in-iran_n_69a6ffe3e4b076ac5d63c82c/amp

Trump „von Jesus gesalbt“: US-Soldaten beschweren sich über irre Kriegsbegründung

US-Militärführer predigen in Briefings die biblische Endzeit und verkaufen den Konflikt als göttlichen Auftrag für die Rückkehr des Messias.

Show threadSolithaMar 3

@ErikUden Ah, thank you. I'm too ignorant for the non-English, but good to see corroboration.

Actually... not good at all. Bad. Really bad.

@abucci

Show threadAnthonyMar 3
@[email protected] @[email protected] Thank you.
Show threadWattana's Place of BrainrotMar 3
@ErikUden i always knew trump and his goons are insane but i DID NOT expect this level of insanity
Show threadMaxMar 3
@ErikUden hm, according to that mail it was not Hegseth who said that but the direct commander of that NCO … 🤷
Show threadRobin BartonMar 3
@ErikUden Well thank goodness the usa military is not like Iran where theological nutter run things
Show threadjonathankoren™Mar 3

@ErikUden

Reminds me of this quote from
“American Apocalypse: A History of Modern Evangelicalism” by Matthew Avery Sutton

Show threadNaClKnight 🧂⚔️🥊Mar 3
@jonathankoren @ErikUden Calling the French Protestants to ask what the fuck the American president was talking about is hilarious and bleak
Show threadjonathankoren™Mar 3

@NaClKnight @ErikUden I remember in high school when some apostolic or something girl went off talking about the rapture and end times and I, someone that attended catholic mass and CCD weekly, was like “what the fuck are you talking about?”

But don’t call evangelicals an apocalyptic cult based on fanfic. Don’t you fucking dare.

Show threadVolineMar 4

@jonathankoren @ErikUden

Went through my copy of Sutton's book. The first part is in there (page 370). But not the bellow part. Could that be from somewhere else?

Show threadjonathankoren™Mar 4
@Voline @ErikUden good question. I had the meme longer and only verified the quote with the first part. Didn’t even enter my mind that the second part wasn’t part of it
Show threadVolineMar 4

@jonathankoren @ErikUden

It's like someone disappearing the punchline in a good joke. Noooo

Show threadjonathankoren™Mar 4
@ErikUden
Maybe today’s comments didn’t happen.
https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/before-you-share-that-story-about
Before you share that story about how troops were told the Iran War is for "Armageddon," read this

The narrative is dramatic. The sourcing is thin. And skepticism matters, especially on something this serious.

Friendly Atheist
Show threadbeeMar 3
@ErikUden Die Stelle mit den falschen Propheten kommt bekanntlich nur in linkswoken Bibelausgaben vor
Show threadMichael BuschMar 3

@ErikUden

The email you provided is _ not _ from Pete Hegseth. It is attributed to an unnamed unit commander.

That matters because removing Hegseth alone would not solve the long-standing problem of this particular variety of apocalyptic white American Christianity in the US military.

Compare to the problems the same contingent caused when Bush 43 was POTUS.

(And Hegseth is Secretary of Defense, not "Secretary of War". It is important to not indulge his pretending otherwise.)

Show threadMacCruiskeenMar 3
@michael_w_busch @ErikUden Yes, though Hegseth has been deliberately pruning the officer corps to encourage this sort of thing and get rid of anyone who might object.
Show threadMichael BuschMar 3

@maccruiskeen @ErikUden

I have not found documentation of Hegseth personally subscribing to "the rapture" as a concept.

But he is a most definitely a Christian supremacist omnibigot who needs to be removed from the government before he kills more people than he already has.

Show threadMacCruiskeenMar 3
@michael_w_busch @ErikUden I suppose it is unfair of me to ascribe to him a specific belief even if it is completely consistent with what we know about him, the people he associates with, and the policies he's implemented. It's something that likely requires a higher level of coherent thought than he seems to be capable of.
Show threadGraham CMar 3
@ErikUden god talking to trump: yeah nah don't worry about putting all your paedophile mates in gaol. Start a war with Iran instead so we can get this party started.
Show threadKim Possible Mar 3
@ErikUden