The chief leader of all Catholic chaplains serving in the United States Armed Forces has raised questions about the morality of U.S. military operations surrounding Iran. He stated, “In light of just war theory—this does not meet the required criteria.”
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, head of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, said in an interview with CBS News that Iran “was a threat due to nuclear weapons,” but initiating war against such a theocratic state means “responding before the threat has actually materialized.” The interview was recorded for broadcast on Sunday.
Just war theory is a philosophical and legal framework rooted in the theological thinking of Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas. Its purpose is to determine when it is morally acceptable to go to war and how war should be conducted.
According to this theory, war must be a last resort; it is only justified to correct serious injustice. It must also involve legitimate authority, right intention, and proportional measures aimed at establishing peace.
Broglio told CBS, “The Lord Jesus certainly preached peace, and I believe war should always be the last resort. I am not making a definitive judgment, because I do not know all the facts. However, it seems difficult to present this war as something that could receive God’s support.”
Broglio’s remarks may further deepen internal political divisions in the United States over the justification of the Iran war, particularly among religious groups, many of whom support President Donald Trump. The Trump administration argues that Iran’s history of supporting terrorism, its missile program, and its production of highly enriched uranium justify military action.
On the other hand, Democrats have described the conflict as a “war of choice” by Trump and have accused him of bypassing congressional authorization.
As the war drags on, it is also affecting public opinion in the United States. A recent poll by YouGov and The Economist shows President Trump’s approval rating has dropped to 35 percent.
In a pre-recorded interview for CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Broglio was asked about remarks made by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had called on Americans to “kneel daily” and pray in the name of Jesus Christ for military victory.
Broglio responded, “That seems somewhat problematic,” noting that Jesus spoke of peace and regarded war as a last resort.
However, he softened his stance by adding, “They may have information that led them to believe this was the only path.”
Broglio also said he feels aligned with the position of Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born Catholic pope in history, “who has been calling for negotiations to end the war.”
Pope Leo has already urged Trump and other world leaders to find ways to reduce violence in the Middle East and to seek an “off-ramp” from the conflict with Iran.
In a prayer service on Thursday, the pope said that the Christian mission has at times been “distorted by a desire for domination, which is completely contrary to the path of Jesus Christ.”
Broglio said he advises Catholic service members “to minimize harm as much as possible and to try to protect innocent lives.” He noted that the structure of conscientious objection in the U.S. military is such that “you cannot object to a specific war or specific action; you can only say, ‘I am opposed to war.’”
He added, “The question may be whether generals or admirals have any opportunity to say, ‘Can we look at this differently?’”
Finally, he noted, “After speaking with some of them, it seems they too are experiencing similar doubts.”
Iran conflict does not meet ‘just war’ criteria: US military archbishop
