SerpApi.Org
The U.S. Department of War released recruiting ads under the slogan "Send Me" that were immediately criticized on social media after President Trump flew to receive the remains of four Air Force members who died fighting Iran.
The ad campaign, which features overtly religious messaging and imagery, was heavily promoted at events such as the UFC’s Freedom 250, links the long-standing military idea of answering the call of duty to the phrase "Here am I, Send Me." On X, user PatriotTakes noted that “Send me” is a reference to Isaiah 6:8, about the prophet Isaiah becoming God’s messenger.”
He added that “The implication here is that the military under Trump and Hegseth is fulfilling God’s mission.” Many suggested the "Send Me" campaign reflects a broader cultural and policy shift under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
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One user responded, “The war mongering coming from the defense department leadership is absolutely disgusting! People should be ashamed of yourselves! The military is not to be toyed with. These are absolute professionals, not f-----g G.I. Joe! Be better.”
Another added, “To die? You people are lunatics and warmongering cowards. Send your own sons and daughters. Let’s see how fast this discussion changes. Absolute clown behavior.”
The phrase “send me” can be traced back to a Bible verse often cited as a powerful example of stepping up to answer a calling. The full quote says, "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me,” from Isaiah 6:8.
While chaplains and service members have drawn on the verse throughout American history, it became especially popular as an unofficial motto and ethos within U.S. Special Operations units in the mid-to-late 20th century. The military’s adoption of the phrase was further cemented by its use in elite units such as the U.S. Army Rangers, Delta Force, and Air Force Pararescuemen (PJs).
That ethos gained prominence after the daring 1970 Son Tay POW rescue mission in North Vietnam, an operation whose spirit is often tied to this specific call to duty.
The phrase later reached a wider audience when President Biden quoted it in 2021 while honoring fallen U.S. service members in Kabul, Afghanistan.
In 1996, Bill Clinton’s secretary of defense, William Perry, quoted Isaiah 6:8 while closing his West Point commencement address: “At this critical point in our history, your Nation has asked, ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?’ And today you have answered, ‘Here am I. Send me.’”
Seven years later, one of Perry’s successors, Donald Rumsfeld, reportedly added that verse and others to intelligence reports during the Iraq War.
The phrase was also widely used during World War I and World War II, and one researcher found a mention of “send me” in a military context as far back as 1898, during the Spanish-American War.
Biden’s use of the phrase was also criticized. One professor wrote in 2021 after Biden used it, “Fair is fair. If I saw this coming out of Trump's mouth I'd call it #ChristianNationalism. Connecting military service & sacrifice with serving God is pretty textbook. I'm grateful to those who serve, but these sorts of statements pridefully imply they're God's representatives.”
