U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared on a TV news channel with a cross drawn on his forehead. Rubio is well known as a devout evangelical Christian.
On Wednesday, Rubio appeared in a news segment on Fox News with conservative television presenter Sean Hannity. Throughout the interview, a black cross was visible on his forehead.
Ash Wednesday marked the start of Lent, an important period in the Christian calendar that prepares believers for Easter. During this time, the faithful apply ashes to their foreheads to symbolize repentance and reflection. They confess their sins and spend the 40 days leading up to Easter meditating on Christ’s suffering. On Ash Wednesday, clergy members mark crosses on believers’ foreheads, which they typically wear throughout the day.
This is not the first time Rubio has appeared with an ash cross while serving as a politician during Lentn. His choice to keep the cross visible during his TV appearance reflects his desire to emphasize his faith.
However, it is uncommon for politicians to appear on TV interviews this way, which has sparked some controversy. Concerns are growing, particularly about the strong influence of Christian fundamentalism among Trump administration officials.
In a related incident, former Fox News host and current Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth revealed a tattoo of the phrase “Deus Vult” (God wills it), which is associated with Christian extremism. This slogan was used as a battle cry during the medieval Crusades.
During the interview, Rubio also reiterated the Trump administration’s position that the Ukraine—Russia conflict should be resolved quickly.