Pete Hegseth pointed to striking similarities between the recent rescue of a downed American pilot in Iran and the biblical account of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Speaking during a White House press briefing on Monday alongside Donald Trump and other officials, Hegseth detailed the operation that led to the recovery of two U.S. pilots.
He explained that one of the pilots, despite being injured, managed to survive in mountainous terrain for several days before being extracted by U.S. forces operating behind enemy lines during Easter weekend.
Recalling the timeline, Hegseth said, “Shot down on a Friday, Good Friday,” and added, “Hidden in a cave, a crevice, all of Saturday. And rescued on Sunday. Flown out of Iran as the sun was rising on Easter Sunday.”
He continued, “A pilot reborn, all home and accounted for, a nation rejoicing. God is good. … We leave no man behind, and that is not luck. It is the result of unmatched training, superior technology, and unbreakable warrior ethos, and sheer American grit.”
Hegseth also noted that the pilot’s first signal to rescuers via emergency transponder was “God is good,” emphasizing that “in that moment of isolation and danger, his faith and fighting spirit shown through.”
At the same time, diplomatic developments unfolded as the United States and Iran reached a last-minute cease-fire agreement on Tuesday evening, just ahead of a deadline set by Trump for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump subsequently announced a temporary suspension of military operations, outlining a two-week cease-fire period aimed at allowing further negotiations.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said in a statement that Iran would halt its “defensive operation” and permit safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks in coordination with its armed forces.
