In the 14th century, the Ghost of Avignon was born when kings realized they didn’t need to defeat God, they just needed to control his representative on Earth, kidnapping the Papacy turning it into a tool in their hands. Fast forward to 2026 where the halls of the Pentagon are reportedly echoing with that same medieval ambition. While the White House broadcasts curated scenes of piety and “anointed” leadership, a much darker diplomatic game is afoot: a move to trade international law and global faith for imperial will.
The US government has always maintained the rhetoric of being a Christian state even comparing their wars to the crusades trying to link them to religious history and being the “defenders of Christianity”. This phenomenon has been spotted more frequently with president Trump in the oval office. During a national march in January, Trump said in a recorded message that he is “bringing back faith, bringing back God”. This is no separate speech, as Trump has often used religion in his campaigns. However, the religious and ideological problems started to blatantly appear after the start of the war on Iran on February 28th. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation in the US has stated that it has received more than 200 complaints from the various military branches of the army that commanders have been briefing soldiers that the war against Iran is “all part of God’s divine plan” and that “President Trump has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth.” Simultaneously, on the political field, on March 5th, we were broadcasted a video of around 20 pastors in the oval office, laying hands on President Trump, asking for “grace and protection” over the President as he led the nation back to being “one nation under God.” While broadcasting this public display of “piety”, the administration was simultaneously dismantling the moral framework of the faith, ignoring the Pope’s pleas for peace. In addition, during the White House Easter prayers at the Easter lunch on April 1st, Trump’s spiritual advisor Paula White compares him to Jesus Christ saying “Mr. President, no one has paid the price like you have paid the price. It almost cost you your life. You were betrayed and arrested and falsely accused. It’s a familiar pattern that our Lord and Savior showed us.” Adding that because of Jesus’ victory over death, Trump will be victorious in all that he does. During an event made to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the President’s legal and political struggles were compared to the Passion of Christ, and blasphemous statements comparing a convicted sexual abuser to Jesus Christ. Furthermore, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has stated during an interview with CBS that “God is there protecting those troops” who are “fighting religious fanatics who seek a nuclear capability in order for some religious Armageddon”, despite the US being the ones talking about starting the end of times even talking about killing a whole civilization.
Moreover, the administration’s sheet titled “President Donald J. Trump Eradicates Anti-Christian Bias”, serves as the ultimate document of pretense. While it presents the White House as a sanctuary for the faithful, it functions as a tool for nationalizing a universal religion as the state starts to decide what is “Anti-Christian” instead of the Church.
This “protection” is revealed as a marketing mask when contrasted with the chilling reports from the Pentagon this April. While the Task Force publicly “defends” believers, the government tried to secretly pressure the head of the Church. Reports stated that in January, senior U.S. defense officials summoned a top Vatican diplomat to the Pentagon to warn him that the US has military dominance to do what it pleases and that the Church had better take its side. Vatican officials have also stated that the officials hinted about the Avignon Papacy.
The Avignon Papacy was a period in the 14th century that happened after conflict between the Papacy and the French Monarchy, culminating in the death of Pope Boniface VIII after his arrest and maltreatment by the French. After his death, the French monarchy used physical intimidation and political pressure to force the Papacy to Avignon. By installing a French Pope and surrounding him with French cardinals, the King effectively turned the Church into a diplomatic tool of the state. This period, explained in Jhon Julius Norwich’s book “The Popes”, led to assigning 7 French popes that were tools of the French monarchy. After it, came a period when multiple popes, elected and living in Rome, and anti-popes, chosen by the crown and living in Avignon, reigned, and finally, a time where 3 popes existed at the same time.
Hinting at this dark period of time where religious leaders were forced to become puppets in the hands of political ones serving their goals through their highly respected position reveals the importance of religion in this ideological war against Iran and the intent of US control over the only international body that still arguably has genuine moral authority. These dark ambitions have been rejected by the pope during his speeches where he condemns the “unjust war” and reminds that “attacks on civilian infrastructure are against international law…and the sign of the hatred, the division, the destruction the human being is capable of”, inviting citizens to contact their political leaders and congressmen to work for peace not war. Pope Leo XIV had already asked world leaders during sermons to drop the “desire to dominate others”, condemning “the imperialist occupation of the world” and stating that God rejects wars and cannot be used to justify them. That he rejects the prayers of those who wage wars saying: “Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood.”
Throughout history, Popes held the power to excommunicate leaders for blasphemy and heresy, effectively ending their political legitimacy. While the modern world is more secular, the Vatican remains the only international body that commands the spiritual and moral allegiance of over a billion people. If the conflict continues to escalate and the “Ghost of Avignon” is pursued, which path will the Vatican take to solve it?
Edited by Amin Kharrat and Nisreen Yassine