Dare we say a war of words?

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Monday during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that the fight against the Islamic State is “just a war of narratives.”

President Barack Obama’s spokesman echoed the president’s habit of lifting up Muslim-Americans when terrorism strikes in the Unites States while discussing the bombing in New York on Saturday, which may have been the result of a lone wolf attack.

“We can also work to lift up the voices of prominent, patriotic Muslims in the United States, there are millions of them,” Earnest said in speaking of the administration’s efforts to shut down the outlets ISIS uses to reach followers. “They can speak to the poisonous, empty, bankrupt mythology that is being propagated by ISIL.”

He then relegated the deadly war against ISIS to little more than a battle of words.

“In some ways this is actually just a war of narratives,” Earnest said. “And so we want to make sure we’re getting out our counter-narrative against ISIL, and we’re having some progress.”

Needless to say, the push back was immediate, as seen on social media. As one user noted: “New defense strategy; sticks and stones may break our bones – your bombs and machetes won’t hurt us! That’ll show em!”

Here’s a sampling of responses from Twitter:

@Mediaite To quote Bush 43, If you're not with us, you're with the terrorist! So, wheres the Muslim leaders? — Jeffery Clark (@hms0813) September 19, 2016

@BretBaier @realDonaldTrump

We have a bunch of FOOLS running this country who could care less about our safety & It is time to CHANGE that! — Susan Reaney (@SSReaney) September 19, 2016

@BretBaier Narratives don’t set off Bombs or blow themselves up! Be so glad to see the end of this Admin.! Need intelligence & loyalty 2 USA — Concerned Mom (@JanetPursley) September 19, 2016

@BretBaier @realDonaldTrump The WH is more worried about Donald Trump than they are terrorism. — Reed (@blackfishbird) September 19, 2016

@BretBaier @realDonaldTrump All Trump has been saying is VET them! Although Every Muslim is NOT a terrorist, every terrorist IS a Muslim! — Faststart1000 (@Faststart1000) September 19, 2016

@BretBaier @realDonaldTrump Actually it’s a demonstration of idiocy of the WH narrative! Regardless of WH opinion, WE ARE NOT STUPID! — Concerned Mom (@JanetPursley) September 19, 2016

I wonder if the families of those killed and hurt by ISIS around the world think that we are in a war of narratives? @BarackObama — Ryan Karow (@RyanKarow21) September 19, 2016

If defeating ISIS is just a war of ‘narratives’ as claimed by the Obama White House, where are all of the assault dictionaries? #DefeatISIS — American Bubba (@American_Bubba) September 19, 2016

Do the pictures from the Mid-East look like we are having a war of “narratives” with ISIS? Who does the White House think they are fooling? — Judy McGuffey (@JudyMcGuffey) September 19, 2016

@PressSec. Josh Earnest says war with ISIS is a war of narratives. Better throw my scrabble game away before it blows my house up — America Sucks (@americasux1776) September 19, 2016

. The W. H. Can’t be that stupid. Really People are dieing in this

“War on Words” Mhttps://t.co/aGmgd1wVQN — get’ on TRUMP TRAIN (@go4marshall) September 19, 2016