Dr. Robert Jeffress said, "The Bible gives President Trump the moral authority to use whatever force necessary including assassination, or even war to take out an evildoer like Kim Jong-un".
Robert Jeffress, head of the First Baptist Dallas megachurch, told CBN on Tuesday that a biblical passage in Romans allows rulers to use "whatever means necessary ― including war ― to stop evil".
North Korea and President Trump lashed out at each other within hours on Tuesday, in both cases threatening to hit the other side with a barrage of "fire".
Jeffress's bold statement comes just after the president said Tuesday North Korea "will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen" if Kim Jong Un makes any more threats against the United States.
North Korea has revealed plans to fire four missiles at United States territory Guam this month as it gears up for all-out war with the US.
During his stay at his Bedminster, N.J., golf club on August 8, President Trump said North Korea "will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen" if they continue making nuclear "threats".
Trump's Spiritual Adviser Authorizes Him to Smite North Korea
Over the past two years, Jeffress said, Trump has been "very measured, very thoughtful in every response". They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
The start of the bible passage reads, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities", arguing that government has power because God established it. "I believe we're all going to be forced to soon if North Korea isn't dealt with decisively", he said.
Jeffress, who serves on Trump's evangelical advisory panel and has been a guest in the White House, has a long history of intolerant rants directed against gays, Muslims, Catholics, Mormons and more. I used to have a huge file folder of all the insane, colorful things that the North Koreans would say, and the names that they would call our American presidents. In a sermon, he said: "You see, God is not against building walls". That verse, though, applies to individuals - not governments, according to Jeffress.
This isn't the first time Jeffress has made controversial statements. He has said in the past that former President Barack Obama paved the way for the antichrist and drew wide attention for calling Mormonism a cult during the 2012 Republican primaries.
Jeffress also praised Trump for his "very measured" and "thoughtful" approach to the presidency since taking office on January 20.
But whether or not Trump ultimately deals with North Korea as "decisively" as Jeffress would wish is nearly irrelevant to the import of Jeffress's words.
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