Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Thursday that he was moving a historic painting of Jesus back to a “place of prominence” at the Merchant Marine Academy after the Biden administration relegated it to the basement, he told The Daily Wire.
Duffy said in a video addressed to midshipmen that the World War II-era painting “Christ on the Water,” which depicts Jesus Christ appearing to sailors adrift at sea, would be returning to its original location at the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. The Biden administration moved the painting from its decades-old location to the basement in 2023 after a complaint that its presence violated the Constitution.
“We are moving Jesus out of the basement. To all the great midshipmen at the Merchant Marine Academy, you let me know how important this painting was to all of you,” Duffy said in the video, which was shared with The Daily Wire. “Now, we all know it was taken out of a place of prominence and put in down in the basement.”
Duffy, whose Maritime Administration operates the academy, said he was working with leadership at the institution to facilitate the move.
“I worked with the Academy, and because this is such a historic painting, I’m announcing that through that work with the academy, this painting is going to go from the basement back to its place of prominence. It will be a moment to celebrate,” the devout Catholic said.
“Christ on the Water” by Lt. Hunter Wood, USMS
“Christ on the Water” was completed in 1944 by artist Hunter Wood, who joined the Coast Guard just 10 days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Wood saw action in North Africa before working on a Coast Guard Combat Artist Unit. In 1947, his painting was installed at the Merchant Marine Academy’s Wiley Hall Elliot See Room. It was displayed at that location for almost 80 years, when the Biden administration moved it because of a complaint from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
Duffy said that the painting will be returned to its original location the Elliot See Room. Last month, he received a vigorous round of applause from midshipmen at the Merchant Marine Academy after he called for they painting to be restore to its original location.
“Can we bring Jesus up from the basement?” Duffy said. “Let’s not put Jesus in the basement! Let’s get Him out! Let’s bring Him up!”
Mikey Weinstein, of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, has promised to start “World War Eight” if the painting is moved, calling Duffy a “piece of s***” for advocating for the move. Weinstein claims that displaying the painting violates the Constitution and forces Christianity on students.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) sent a letter last week to Duffy, praising him for the plans to move the painting and noting that there were no Constitutional reasons to keep the painting out of public view. Cruz said returning the painting would be an important step to protecting America’s religious heritage.
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Thursday that he was moving a historic painting of Jesus back to a “place of prominence” at the Merchant Marine Academy after the Biden administration relegated it to the basement, he told The Daily Wire.
Duffy said in a video addressed to midshipmen that the World War II-era painting “Christ on the Water,” which depicts Jesus Christ appearing to sailors adrift at sea, would be returning to its original location at the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. The Biden administration moved the painting from its decades-old location to the basement in 2023 after a complaint that its presence violated the Constitution.
“We are moving Jesus out of the basement. To all the great midshipmen at the Merchant Marine Academy, you let me know how important this painting was to all of you,” Duffy said in the video, which was shared with The Daily Wire. “Now, we all know it was taken out of a place of prominence and put in down in the basement.”
Duffy, whose Maritime Administration operates the academy, said he was working with leadership at the institution to facilitate the move.
“I worked with the Academy, and because this is such a historic painting, I’m announcing that through that work with the academy, this painting is going to go from the basement back to its place of prominence. It will be a moment to celebrate,” the devout Catholic said.
“Christ on the Water” by Lt. Hunter Wood, USMS
“Christ on the Water” was completed in 1944 by artist Hunter Wood, who joined the Coast Guard just 10 days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Wood saw action in North Africa before working on a Coast Guard Combat Artist Unit. In 1947, his painting was installed at the Merchant Marine Academy’s Wiley Hall Elliot See Room. It was displayed at that location for almost 80 years, when the Biden administration moved it because of a complaint from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
Duffy said that the painting will be returned to its original location the Elliot See Room. Last month, he received a vigorous round of applause from midshipmen at the Merchant Marine Academy after he called for they painting to be restore to its original location.
“Can we bring Jesus up from the basement?” Duffy said. “Let’s not put Jesus in the basement! Let’s get Him out! Let’s bring Him up!”
Mikey Weinstein, of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, has promised to start “World War Eight” if the painting is moved, calling Duffy a “piece of s***” for advocating for the move. Weinstein claims that displaying the painting violates the Constitution and forces Christianity on students.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) sent a letter last week to Duffy, praising him for the plans to move the painting and noting that there were no Constitutional reasons to keep the painting out of public view. Cruz said returning the painting would be an important step to protecting America’s religious heritage.
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