A Tennessee pastor has sparked controversy after calling for violence against Elon Musk in a fiery anti-government sermon.
Rev. Steve Caudle told the congregation Greater Second Missionary Baptist Church of Chattanooga on Sunday that ‘we live in a world that is violent,’ referencing the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine – before shifting focus to DOGE’s efforts to eliminate federal spending.
‘Fact of the matter is, we live in a world that is violent. You don’t believe me, all you have to do is turn on the television set this afternoon and you’ll see Gaza, where every building has been leveled by bombs, and then shooting and killing,’ Caudle said.
‘Children bleeding out. All you have to do is look at what’s going on in the Ukraine, and it’s the same thing,’ he added.
He then warned that the U.S. could soon face similar turmoil: ‘In this nation, I’m worried that we are on the verge of bloodshed. This is an attempt to take us back to a day that we do not want to go and we will not go. Therefore, there will be conflict.’
Turning his attention to billionaire Elon Musk, Caudle accused him—acting as a special government employee—of using DOGE to ‘force’ his way into the Treasury and ‘threaten’ to steal Americans’ personal data and Social Security benefits.
‘No one likes violence, but sometimes violence is necessary. When Elon Musk forces his way into the U.S. Treasury and threatens to steal your personal information and your Social Security check, there is a possibility of violence,’ Caudle warned.
‘Sometimes the devil will act so ugly that you have no other choice but to get violent and fight.’
Musk responded to Caudle’s remarks in a post on X on Monday, writing, ‘This tells me that he is trying to hide MASSIVE fraud.’
Other people who watched the clip online slammed the man of faith.
One user wrote: ‘This is all a lie and he claims to be a pastor. Shame on him and anyone who believes these lies without taking the time to learn the truth. I’m suspicious he’s getting money.’
Another added: ‘A “pastor” calling for conflict and violence from the Pulpit is absolutely non-Christian behavior.’
While a third said: ‘I’ve never attended a church where pastor has called for violence. I would have walked out.’
Caudle is not the only clergy member who has faced backlash for speaking out against political figures.
President Donald Trump was once confronted with a pointed sermon from Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde, who used the National Prayer Service to call on him to show ‘mercy’ to immigrants and transgender children.
‘I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country that are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives,’ Budde, 65, said, addressing Trump directly.
She also urged compassion for undocumented immigrants: ‘The people who pick our crops, and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants, and work the night shifts in hospitals—they might not be citizens or have the proper documentation.
‘The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.’
Trump, seated in the front row next to First Lady Melania Trump, remained stoic during the sermon but later fired back in a post on Truth Social hours after Budge admitted to CNN that she used the religious event to deliver a political lecture.
‘The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard-line Trump hater,’ he wrote.
‘Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!’
The post came as Budde’s sermon sparked widespread backlash from conservatives, with Republican Congressman Mike Collins going as far as calling for the radical bishop to be ‘added to the deportation list.’
Following Budde’s speech, questions arose about her background and why she was chosen to deliver the sermon.
Budde has long championed progressive causes through her ministry. On her diocesan website, she describes herself as ‘an advocate and organizer in support of justice concerns, including racial equity, gun violence prevention, immigration reform, the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons, and the care of creation.’
She also has a history of criticizing President Trump throughout his first term.
One notable instance occurred when Trump stood outside an Episcopal church holding a Bible after law enforcement cleared protesters from Lafayette Square near the White House during the Black Lives Matter demonstrations.
At the time, Budde condemned his actions as ‘antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything that we as a church stand for.’
She continued to speak out against Trump in 2020 while attending an outdoor Black Lives Matter protest during the coronavirus pandemic, wearing a mask.
‘I’ve given up speaking to President Trump. We need to replace President Trump,’ she stated.
