“ I am confident that the Lord is at work here, ” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said of President Donald Trump’s policy toward Israel during an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network on Thursday. | Amir Cohen/Pool via AP Foreign Policy Pompeo says ‘it’s possible’ Trump was sent to save the Jewish people

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday said “it’s possible” that President Donald Trump was sent to protect the Jewish people from the threat of Iran.

During an interview with Pompeo broadcast on the Christian Broadcasting Network, Middle East bureau chief Chris Mitchell noted that Wednesday and Thursday marked the celebration of Purim, which is derived from the story of Queen Esther, who in the Hebrew Bible was married to a Persian king and saved thousands of Jews from being killed.


“Could it be that President Trump right now has been sort of raised for such a time as this, just like Queen Esther, to help save the Jewish people from the Iranian menace?” Mitchell asked Pompeo.

“As a Christian, I certainly believe that’s possible,” Pompeo, who was visiting Israel, replied.

“It was remarkable — so we were down in the tunnels where we could see 3,000 years ago, and 2,000 years ago — if I have the history just right — to see the remarkable history of the faith in this place and the work that our administration’s done to make sure that this democracy in the Middle East, that this Jewish state remains,” he said.

“I am confident that the Lord is at work here,” Pompeo concluded.

The comments came after Trump announced the U.S. will recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights region, which was part of Syria until the Six-Day War in 1967.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called the United States’ recognition a “Purim miracle,” the CBN reported.

Trump’s administration has made relations with Israel a priority, and even moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. In addition, the Trump administration has increased harsh rhetoric on Iran, which Israel perceives as a fundamental threat.