Mike Pompeo says it's 'certainly' possible that Trump may be the modern-day savior of the Jewish people

Ronen Zvulun/Reuters

President Donald Trump, near an Israeli flag at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem May 23, 2017.

• Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it is "certainly" possible that President Donald Trump may be the modern-day savior of the Jewish people.
• Speaking to the Christian Broadcasting Network in Jerusalem on Thursday, Pompeo said Trump may be poised to defend against forces that want to "eradicate the Jewish people" in the Middle East.
• The interview with CBN fell on Purim, a Jewish holiday which references the saving of the Jewish people during the ancient Persian Empire and is marked by costumes and celebrations.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it is "certainly" possible that President Donald Trump may be the modern-day savior of the Jewish people.

Speaking to the Christian Broadcasting Network in Jerusalem on Thursday, Pompeo said Trump may be poised to defend against forces that want to "eradicate the Jewish people" in the Middle East.

The interview with CBN fell on Purim, a Jewish holiday which references the saving of the Jewish people during the ancient Persian Empire and is marked by costumes and celebrations.

WIktor Szymanowicz/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Jewish children take part in the annual holiday of Purim on the streets of Stamford Hill in London on 21 March, 2019.

Referencing Queen Esther, who according to Jewish scripture convinced the king of Persia not to massacre the Jewish people , CBN's Middle East Bureau Chief Chris Mitchell asked Pompeo if there were similarities between her and President Trump.

"Could it be that President Trump right now has been raised [up] for such a time, just like Queen Esther, to help save the Jewish people from an Iranian menace?"

"As a Christian I certainly believe that's possible," Pompeo responded. "I am confident that the lord is at work here."

Since the beginning of his presidency, Trump's policies have been tough on Iran and favorable to the Jewish state of Israel.

Last year, Trump withdrew from the Iranian nuclear agreement, a move which garnered international backlash. Trump also reimposed a number of sanctions on Iran which have hit the country's economy hard.

Meanwhile, Trump officially moved the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a symbolic move which critics say emboldens Israeli claims to Jerusalem while minimizing Palestinian claims.

Trump on Thursday also said it was time for the US to recognize the Golan Heights, one of the globe's most disputed territories, as part of Israel.