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Amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, evangelical Christian rhetoric is increasingly appearing in US government messaging. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth even has the words "Deus Vult" – Latin for "God wills it" – tattooed on his bicep, a phrase associated with the Crusades.

One scholar says the current administration is legitimizing the attack on Iran in religious terms, as it is believed that strengthening Israel could "hasten the arrival of the Day of Judgment."

Critics warn that blending religious rhetoric with military action may legitimize violence, deepen global tensions, and erode the long-standing separation of church and state.

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Concerns grow over evangelical rhetoric in US messaging on Iran conflict