It’s not every day you hear about a Cabinet Secretary getting Jesus out of the basement, but here we are. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy—yes, that Sean Duffy, former congressman, Real World alum, and all-around straight shooter—just did something refreshingly bold in a time when most government officials seem more worried about hurt feelings than honoring history. He’s putting “Christ on the Water,” a World War II-era painting of Jesus aiding stranded sailors, back where it belongs: on the wall in a prominent spot at the Merchant Marine Academy, not hidden like some contraband relic in the boiler room.
Why was it in the basement to begin with? Well, because someone, somewhere, decided that a painting of Jesus—who, let’s not forget, has been a cultural fixture of Western civilization for over two millennia—was just a little too much for modern America. Enter the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, the same group that sees the Constitution as a battering ram for any public display of faith unless it’s been triple-sanitized by lawyers and wrapped in trigger warnings. They sent in a complaint, and quicker than you could say “founding principles,” the Biden administration caved. Boom. Painting gets the boot.
This is where the story usually ends, right? Quiet capitulation, another historic piece whitewashed out of public view in the name of “inclusivity.” But not this time. Duffy, bless him, took a stand. He listened to the midshipmen who told him the painting mattered. He did his homework, talked to leadership at the academy, and made a decision grounded in historical respect and basic common sense. The result? A full-circle moment that feels like a rare win for tradition, faith, and—wait for it—actual leadership.
Let’s be honest: if this painting depicted a pagan sea god, a rainbow-colored Neptune, or a floating Che Guevara, it would’ve been heralded as a cultural milestone. But because it’s Jesus—gasp!—and because it depicts a Christian message of hope and resilience in the middle of a war-torn sea, suddenly it’s a constitutional emergency. The selective outrage would be laughable if it weren’t so predictable.
We are moving Jesus out of the basement at the Merchant Marine Academy!
To all the midshipmen: this painting is going back where it belongs. pic.twitter.com/bJ9c0FUr4e
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) May 15, 2025
And the reaction? Well, it’s almost a caricature. Mikey Weinstein, head of the perpetually offended Military Religious Freedom Foundation, declared this move would start “World War Eight.” (Did we skip a few in there?) He called Duffy a “piece of s***” because, of course, when you run out of arguments, insults are the next best thing. Nothing says “guardian of religious neutrality” like throwing profanities at someone who wants to honor a painting that’s literally been hanging quietly for nearly 80 years without causing the Republic to collapse.
Meanwhile, Senator Ted Cruz stepped in like the Constitution professor Biden wishes he had, pointing out that there’s no legitimate constitutional reason to exile the painting. In fact, protecting expressions of faith—especially ones tied so deeply to America’s wartime history—is exactly what the First Amendment is supposed to protect, not eliminate.
This isn’t about forcing religion on anyone. It’s about preserving historical artifacts and recognizing the reality that faith has always played a role in the military and the founding of our country, whether through chaplains, hymns, or, yes, paintings of Jesus guiding sailors. If someone’s worldview is shattered by a piece of art hanging in a conference room, maybe they’re not cut out for the rigors of defending this country anyway.
The @USMMAO Christ on the Water painting is a beautiful reminder of the power of faith when we need it most.
While we work on getting the piece out of the academy’s basement and back in a place of prominence, I figured there was no better place to hang a copy than right here at… pic.twitter.com/zrhtS6JRmw
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) May 7, 2025
So kudos to Secretary Duffy for doing what far too many in this administration won’t: stand up, speak plainly, and respect the traditions that have defined American strength and resilience for generations. He didn’t hide behind bureaucracy or let some anonymous complaint dictate the erasure of heritage. He acted. He moved Jesus out of the basement—and in today’s climate, that’s nothing short of a miracle.
