Archbishop Timothy Broglio, head of the Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services of the United States, told CBS News in an interview set to air Sunday that while Iran "posed a nuclear threat," waging war against the country represents "neutralizing the threat before it actually materializes." The just war theory is a philosophical and legal framework, rooted in the theology of saints Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, designed to help assess when initiating war is morally justified, or jus ad bellum, and how war should be conducted, or jus in bello. This theory stipulates that war is a last resort, undertaken only to correct a serious injustice, and requires legitimate authority, right intention, and proportionality to achieve peace. "Certainly the Lord Jesus brought a message of peace and also—I think war is always a last resort. I’m not making a judgment on it because I really don’t know. But I think it’s hard to present this war as something that would be supported by the Lord," Broglio told CBS. Broglio’s remarks are likely to further deepen political divisions over the war’s justification, especially among religious citizens who otherwise support Donald Trump. The Trump White House administration argues that Iran’s history of sponsoring terrorism, along with its missile program and production of highly enriched uranium, justifies this action. Democrats, however, have labeled this conflict a "war of choice" and accused Trump of bypassing legislative approval. As the war drags on, recent public opinion polls conducted by YouGov and The Economist show Trump’s approval rating at 35%. During the pre-taped interview for Face the Nation, Broglio was asked about his view on the rhetoric of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who called on Americans to pray "every day, on their knees" for military victory "in the name of Jesus Christ." Broglio said that is "a little problematic" because Jesus preached peace and spoke of war as a last resort. Nevertheless, he softened his stance by adding: "Perhaps they have information that led them to think that was the only choice they had." Broglio said he aligns with Pope Leo, the first pope in history born in the U.S., "who calls for negotiations." Pope Leo has indeed urged Trump and other leaders to find ways to reduce violence in the Middle East—and to find an "exit" from the war with Iran. In a homily during Mass on Thursday, the pope said the Christian mission has often been "distorted by a desire for domination, completely foreign to the path of Jesus Christ." Broglio said he advises Catholic soldiers to "inflict as little harm as possible—and try to preserve innocent lives." He noted that the way conscientious objection is defined in the U.S. military is such that "you cannot object to a particular war or a specific action. You can only object to 'war as such.'" "The question might be whether generals or admirals would have the room to perhaps say: 'Can we look at this in a different way?'" he said. "But, after speaking with some of them, they too are faced with the same dilemma."