Playback speed:
Trump, the Super Bowl Ad, and the Return to True Leadership
The recent Super Bowl ad featuring the U.S. Secret Service, produced by Michael Bay and shared by President Trump, is more than just a recruiting effort—it’s a signal of a cultural shift. After years of military recruitment campaigns focusing on social messaging rather than strength, this ad—along with a resurgence of warfighter-focused Army promotions—marks a return to the idea that strength, discipline, and courage are virtues, not liabilities.
In this pivotal moment, where national security and cultural battles collide, we are reminded of a timeless truth: every once in a while, the lion must remind the jackals who he is. Whether in warfare, leadership, or the preservation of America’s founding values, strength must not be abandoned. Instead, it must be reclaimed.
Benny Johnson’s breakdown of these ads highlights how the tides are turning. The Army and Secret Service are refocusing on their true mission: defending the nation. This shift isn’t just political—it’s a necessary correction, aligning with both biblical principles of righteous leadership and the constitutional responsibility to provide for the common defense.
Now, as the cultural battle intensifies, it is time for leaders, warriors, and citizens alike to stand firm, reject weakness, and embrace the strength needed to secure America’s future.
The Lion Must Rise: A Biblical and Constitutional Perspective on Strength and Leadership
In every generation, there comes a moment when the strong must rise to defend what is right. The imagery of the lion in the video—calm yet watchful, patient yet unyielding—reflects a deep truth found in both the Bible and the founding principles of America. The lion, though surrounded by hyenas, does not react immediately. He waits, biding his time, until the moment comes when he must remind the jackals who he is. This is not just a metaphor for military strength but for the broader need to reclaim courage, discipline, and righteous leadership in an era that seems determined to weaken them.
Strength and Leadership in Biblical Terms
The Bible repeatedly calls for strong, bold leadership, not passivity in the face of opposition. Proverbs 28:1 declares, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” This verse speaks to the virtue of righteous strength—standing firm, unafraid, even when surrounded by those who mock, deceive, or attack. Just as the lion does not bow to the hyenas, those who walk in truth must not bow to societal pressures that seek to dilute strength in favor of compromise.
Throughout scripture, men of God were called to lead with strength and righteousness. Joshua, standing on the edge of the Promised Land, was commanded by God, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9). Leadership requires resolve. It requires an understanding that compromise with wickedness leads to destruction, but standing firm in truth leads to victory.
Today, we are witnessing a crisis in leadership. Too many who should be warriors—whether in the military, government, or even the church—are choosing appeasement over boldness, comfort over conviction. This weakening of the backbone of our institutions has left them vulnerable to forces that do not seek justice but submission. The call for stronger, more focused leadership is not about violence or arrogance but about standing for what is right, protecting the innocent, and ensuring justice prevails.
The Constitutional Mandate for Strength
From the very foundation of America, strength and moral courage were at the heart of leadership. The Founding Fathers understood that freedom is never free—it must be protected by those willing to bear the burden of defending it. George Washington, a man known for his unwavering commitment to duty, once stated, “To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.” Strength, when properly wielded, is not about aggression but about deterrence. It is about ensuring that evil does not advance unchecked.
The U.S. Constitution entrusts the federal government with the responsibility to provide for the common defense, recognizing that a strong military is essential to the survival of the Republic. However, in recent years, there has been a troubling shift—a movement that prioritizes social engineering over combat readiness, ideology over discipline. The military’s core mission is simple: to protect the nation, to deter threats, and, if necessary, to fight and win wars. When recruitment efforts focus on diversity quotas instead of tactical excellence, when soldiers are trained to focus on sensitivity training rather than strength training, we see the unraveling of an institution that was never meant to be politicized.
The recent resurgence of military recruitment ads emphasizing strength, discipline, and warfighting capability is a step in the right direction. These ads signal a long-overdue return to the understanding that the military is not a social experiment—it is a fighting force. The concept that “strong men are harder to kill” is not just a slogan; it is a reality proven throughout history. A military that trains for toughness, rather than ideological conformity, is a military that wins.
The Role of Masculinity in National and Spiritual Strength
Another crucial theme in this cultural shift is the return to masculinity as a virtue, not a problem to be solved. The Bible speaks highly of men who stand firm, who protect, who lead with wisdom and strength. Jesus Himself, while full of grace and truth, was no weakling. He overturned the tables in the temple, rebuked the Pharisees with boldness, and laid down His life not out of helplessness but out of divine purpose.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” The erosion of strong, principled manhood has led to the collapse of moral order in society. When fathers abandon their families, when leaders refuse to speak the truth out of fear, when warriors are told to lay down their arms in favor of passive acceptance, the very fabric of civilization begins to fray.
Masculinity, properly understood, is about responsibility, courage, and the willingness to sacrifice for others. It is about standing in the gap when danger arises. It is about training, preparing, and being ready—not just physically but mentally and spiritually. The military’s return to embracing toughness is a reflection of a broader need in culture. We need strong men who are unafraid to lead, who are willing to stand up for truth, and who refuse to be silenced by cultural pressures.
The Battle Against Deception and Weakness
In Isaiah 5:20, we find a chilling warning: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness.” We live in an age where deception is rampant, where weakness is praised, and where those who stand for truth are labeled as extremists. But the reality remains—without strength, without resolve, without warriors ready to stand in the gap, nations fall.
It is not enough to simply hope that things will improve. There must be a conscious effort to reject the lies that seek to weaken us and embrace the truth that calls us to action. This means supporting leaders who stand firm, rejecting policies that undermine the nation’s strength, and raising a generation that understands the value of discipline, honor, and faith.
Conclusion: The Lion Must Roar
There comes a time when the lion must rise. A time when those who have been pushed, mocked, and surrounded must stand up and remind the world who they are. This is not a call to reckless aggression, but to righteous boldness. It is a reminder that strength, when guided by wisdom and justice, is a force for good.
Biblically and constitutionally, the call for a return to strength, discipline, and leadership is not just a passing trend—it is a necessity. The world does not become safer when the strong are silenced. It does not become more just when the warriors lay down their arms. The road ahead is clear: we must stand, we must fight for what is right, and we must never be afraid to show the world who we are.
Because the time comes, the lion must remind the jackals who he is.
