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Christian Pastor Says ‘God Has Given Trump Authority to Take Out Kim Jong Un’ Just After Promoting ‘Countdown to the Apocalypse’

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Robert Jeffress Says He Supports ‘Assassination, Capital Punishment or Evil Punishment to Quell the Actions of Evildoers Like Kim Jong Un’

Texas Christian evangelical Robert Jeffress, an advisor to the President on matters of faith, Tuesday afternoon applauded Donald Trump‘s astonishingly violent rhetoric toward North Korea. “In the case of North Korea, God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong Un,” the megachurch pastor told The Washington Post.

“When it comes to how we should deal with evil doers, the Bible, in the book of Romans, is very clear: God has endowed rulers full power to use whatever means necessary — including war — to stop evil,” said Jeffress, who is both a Fox News contributor and, separately, hosts a syndicated religious TV show.

Romans 13 “gives the government to the authority to do whatever, whether it’s assassination, capital punishment or evil punishment to quell the actions of evildoers like Kim Jong Un,” Jeffress, who leads the 12,000 member First Baptist Church in Dallas, told the Post.

What Jeffress might not haver mentioned is just 12 hours earlier, he was advertising his “Countdown to the Apocalypse” series on his “Pathway to Victory” TV show. That show is broadcast across the nation and in 28 foreign countries. Jeffress also authored a book titled Countdown to the Apocalypse in 2015.

Pastor Jeffress’ 30-second commercial, which he posted to Twitter, opens with a wall of images including an LGBT pride flag, an ISIS flag, a photo of New York City’s Twin Towers in flames on 9/11, NYC police cars, a hand-written sign that says, “Education is a right! student debt is a crime!!” and other images which the evangelical pastor apparently thinks are signs of the apocalypse.

“We live in shocking times,” Jeffress in the voiceover of his ad says. “In our own country, moral confusion abounds. Could we be living in the end times?” he posits.

He says in his “Countdown to the Apocalypse” show, “we’re learning how to interpret current events in light of Biblical prophesy.”Â

In the background, an iconic image – taken in celebration of gay rights and same-sex marriage – of the White House lit in rainbow colors, a sign opposing “Christian fascists,” and more.

Is Jeffress is ginning up violent rhetoric and egging on the president to engage North Korea, possibly in nuclear war, in an effort to help his ratings?

Jeffress is closely linked to this White House. Hours before Trump was sworn in, Jeffress held a pre-inauguration private prayer service for the Trump and Pence families, and about 300 invited guests. He’s also served on Trump’s evangelical advisory board.

Jeffress has a long history of making anti-Muslim, anti-gay, anti-Mormon, and anti-Catholic remarks. He also has weighed in regularly on the nation’s politics, espousing a hate-filled far right wing viewpoint.

Just two days before the 2012 election, Jeffress said, “I am not saying that President Obama is the Antichrist, I am not saying that at all. One reason I know he’s not the Antichrist is the Antichrist is going to have much higher poll numbers when he comes. President Obama is not the Antichrist. But what I am saying is this: the course he is choosing to lead our nation is paving the way for the future reign of the Antichrist.”Â

Four years earlier, in 2008, Jeffress delivered a controversial sermon (audio here) titled, “Gay Is Not OK,” which featured this condemnation: “What they [homosexuals] do is filthy. It is so degrading that it is beyond description. And it is their filthy behavior that explains why they are so much more prone to disease.”

That same year, the Dallas Observer reported that Jeffress “said Mormon Mitt Romney was a member of a ‘cult’ and who, in September, said that ‘Christians are uniquely favored by God, [while] Mormons, Hindus and Muslims worship a false god.’ And in the 1990s, he said that homosexuality causes ‘the deaths of tens of thousands every year through AIDS.’ He’s super-tolerant. Then again, Jeffress has done quite a bit for the gay community: In 1998, while he was pastor at the First Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, he protested the library’s carrying such titles as Heather Has Two Mommies and Daddy’s Roommate, which only served to make them more popular.”Â

Just two weeks before the Supreme Court handed down its 2015 ruling on Obergefell, finding the Constitution does allow same-sex couples the right to marry, Jeffress appeared on Fox News, invoking the Holocaust, and tying it to supposed persecution of Christians.

“Christians,” Jeffress falsely told Sean Hannity, are “losing their business because they believe in traditional marriage.”

“This isn’t imaginary,” Jeffress said. “It’s real. And sure, it doesn’t rise to the level of having your head chopped off by ISIS in the Middle East, but it’s all the same attitude that allows for those attacks.”

“I want to remind people that, you know, the Nazis weren’t able to take the Jews to the crematoriums, immediately,” Jeffress said, without a moment of remorse. “The German people wouldn’t have allowed for it. Instead, the Nazis had to change public opinion. They marginalized the Jewish people, disparaged them, and make them objects of contempt.”

Hannity interrupted, to ensure Jeffress really thought “Christians are being marginalized the way Jews in Germany were?”

“Absolutely. They are being marginalized right now,” Jeffress insisted. “Treated as objects of contempt by the media and once that happens then the taking away of further rights will be very easy.”

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Fox News Host Suggests Trump ‘Force’ Court to Throw Him in Jail – by Quoting Him

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The Fox News host who targeted a juror serving on Donald Trump’s criminal New York trial is now suggesting the ex-president should violate his gag order and “force” the court to throw him in jail, by quoting the Fox News host.

Jesse Watters came under fire earlier this week for profiling juror number two, sharing possibly identifying information published by a myriad of reporters but then using that information to pass judgment on her ability to serve.

“I’m not so sure about juror number two,” Watters concluded on Fox News.

Jurors, at the judge’s direction, were to remain anonymous, for their protection and the protection of the trial.

The judge excused her, after she said she felt she was not able to be impartial because friends and family were calling her asking if she had been chosen to serve on the Trump trial, after the media blitz.

New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan admonished the press for reporting the information, but some news outlets appeared to ignore his warning.

Watters on Wednesday “did a segment with a jury consultant, revealing details about people who had been seated on the jury and questioning whether some were ‘stealth liberals’ who would be out to convict Trump,” the Associated Press reported.

READ MORE: Gaetz: ‘Corrupt’ Republicans Could ‘Take a Bribe’ and Throw House to Dems, Blocking Trump Run

Trump later posted Watters’ quote on his Truth Social platform, leading some, including New York prosecutors, to ask the judge to cite him for allegedly breaking his gag order.

Judge Merchan ordered Trump to not mention witnesses, jurors, prosecutors, court staff, or the family members of prosecutors and court staff, CNN has reported.

New York prosecutors told Juge Merchan Trump has violated the gag order at least ten times.

“Prosecutor Christopher Conroy described the ‘most disturbing’ example as a social media message Trump posted on Wednesday evening quoting a Fox News host as saying, ‘They are catching undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge in order to get on the Trump Jury,'” Politico reports.

That host was Jesse Watters.

RELATED: ‘Afraid and Intimidated’: Trump Trial Juror Targeted by Fox News Dismissed

Friday afternoon, Watters appeared to egg Trump on, urging the ex-president to violate the gag order.

“I would make them put me in jail,” Watters said on Fox News. “I would have a tweet about something perhaps I said on ‘The Five’ or ‘Jesse Watters Primetime,’ and I would force them to throw me in jail.”

Watch Watters’ remark below or at this link.

 

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Gaetz: ‘Corrupt’ Republicans Could ‘Take a Bribe’ and Throw House to Dems, Blocking Trump Run

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U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) says some of his fellow House Republicans would “take a bribe” to throw the razor-thin GOP majority to the Democrats if a far-right faction calls up a motion to oust Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, allowing Democrats to hand the gavel to the Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries. he warned if that happens, Democrats would immediately declare Trump ineligible to be President, pack the U.S. Supreme Court, and pass numerous laws like the American Rescue Plan.

“I do believe in a one seat majority there could be one or two or three of my colleagues who would take a bribe in one form or another in order to deprive the Republicans of a majority at all,” Gaetz said Friday on his podcast (video below.)

He added, “the risk that one or two of my corrupt Republican colleagues might take a bribe, take a walk, feign an ailment and flip this thing to the Democrats is a risk that is too high for me at this time.”

Gaetz’s fellow far-right Florida Republican member of Congress, Anna Paulina Luna, told listeners, “I heard that when, if and when the motion vacate is introduced, that there will be immediate resignations of a couple of more moderate members of Congress. And in the event that that happens, that ultimately means it does go to a Democrat speaker.”

RELATED: Jeffries Vows Democrats Will Ensure Ukraine Aid Passes as Johnson Defectors Grow

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) last month filed a “motion to vacate,” which she can use at any time to force a vote to oust the GOP Speaker, Mike Johnson. U.S. Rep. Tim Massie (R-KY) and just today, U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) has signed on as co-sponsors.

Congressman Gaetz told listeners if Democrats do take the House through a force vote to remove Johnson, Democrats would “be declaring Donald Trump an insurrectionist and setting up a barrier to him being able to become the president United States.”

“That’ll be their leadoff hitter, and then the chaser to that shot will be a massive spending package that looks a lot more like the American Rescue Plan. They will blow past every concept of every cap ever imagined. You’ll be looking at Universal Basic Income, you could be looking at packing the Supreme Court.”

Watch a short clip of Gaetz’s remarks below or at this link.

READ MORE: ‘Stop Bringing Up Nazis and Hitler’: Marjorie Taylor Greene Smacked Down by Democrats

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Jeffries Vows Democrats Will Ensure Ukraine Aid Passes as Johnson Defectors Grow

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Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries vowed Friday the majority of Democrats will support Republicans’ Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and Gaza foreign aid legislation as Republican Speaker Mike Johnson lost support of another member of his conference to a faction determined to oust him.

“Democrats will provide a majority of our majority as it relates to funding Israel, humanitarian assistance, Ukraine, and our allies in the Indo Pacific,” Minority Leader Jeffries said. “It remains to be seen what Republicans will do in terms of meeting the national security needs of the American people, but it was important for House Democrats to ensure that the national security bills are going to be considered.”

Despite Republicans having a one-vote majority, more Democrats on Friday voted to move the critical and long-awaited foreign aid bills forward than did Republicans.

READ MORE: ‘Stop Bringing Up Nazis and Hitler’: Marjorie Taylor Greene Smacked Down by Democrats

The 316-94 vote included 165 Democrats and 151 Republicans voting yes, and 55 Republicans and 39 Democrats voting no.

Axios’ Juliegrace Brufke posted the list of Republicans voting against their party’s legislation.

Calling it a “rare” moment in modern congressional history to have to rely on opposition party votes to pass legislation, BBC News reports Speaker Johnson’s “hold on power is tenuous, and the legislators who oppose him – and his bid to provide aid to Ukraine – occupy some key positions within the House’s power structure.”

Amid the procedural vote to move the foreign aid funding bills forward, U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, a far-right Republican of Arizona, announced he is joining Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), and Congressman Tim Massie (R-KY) in formally announcing their will vote to oust Speaker Johnson.

Gosar, like Greene, is reportedly a Christian nationalist. In 2022 CNN reported his “lengthy ties to White nationalists, [a] pro-Nazi blogger and far-right fringe received little pushback for years.”

RELATED: ‘Repercussions’: Democrats and Republicans Stand Against ‘Pro-Putin’ House GOP Faction

“We’ve been very honest in our assessment of the situation from the beginning,” Jeffries on Friday also declared. “At the appropriate time as House Democrats, we will have a conversation about how to deal with any hypothetical motion to vacate.”

“Moscow Marjorie Taylor Greene, Massie, and Gosar are quite a group. But central to our conversation is to make sure that the national security legislation in totality is passed by the House of Representatives.”

Watch the videos above or at this link.

 

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