Tennessee Baptist preacher says there will be 'violence' over DOGE's Treasury access

In a sermon delivered on Sunday, Reverend Dr. Steve Caudle, the pastor of Chattanooga, Tennessee’s Greater Second Missionary Baptist Church said that "sometimes violence is necessary," citing the example of when "Elon Musk forces his way" into the US Treasury and "threatens to steal" personal information from Americans.

"In this nation, I am worried that we are on the verge of bloodshed," he said. "This is an attempt to take us back to a day that we do not want to go and will not go. Therefore, there will be conflict. I pray that the peace of God will win out and overcome the madness that is attempting to take over this nation. And I will say to you, beloved, no one likes violence, but sometimes violence is necessary.

"When Elon Musk forces his way into the United States Treasury and threatens to steal your personal information and your social security check, there is the possibility of violence. Sometimes, the devil will act so ugly that you have no other choice but to get violent and fight," he said.

Caudle continued on, posing a hypothetical question from a member of the congregation, saying, "Well, someone might say, now reverend, you know, you shouldn't be talking about violence. This isn't the Christian thing to do." He replied to himself, quoting Matthew 11:12 in part, "Well, I will say, why not talk this way because Jesus did. Jesus said in this key verse, didn't he? The kingdom of heaven suffers, what, violence, and the who, the ‘violent take it by force.’ The kingdom of God is a war zone. It is a battlefield. You did know this, right?"

In response to the clip on Caudle's sermon, Musk wrote, "They are afraid that their fraud will be discovered."

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has received backlash after it was granted access to the US Treasury’s federal payment system to monitor and limit government spending.

Since being granted access, a judge temporarily halted DOGE’s access to the system after New York attorney General Letitia James and 18 other Democrat state attorneys general launched a lawsuit after funds were paused to climate change programs.