A man who says he sent a box of manure to Donald Trump’s treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin in protest against the Republican tax bill has compared his actions to those of Jesus.
Robby Strong has claimed responsibility for the gift-wrapped box containing horse manure, which was delivered to former hedge fund manager Mr Mnuchin’s Los Angeles home on Saturday.
The package sparked a bomb scare, with authorities including Secret Service agents reportedly dispatched to the property.
In a Facebook post, Mr Strong shared images of a card apparently attached to the parcel, stating he was “returning the gift of the Christmas tax bill” to the treasury secretary.
However, Mr Strong has now likened his protest to the Biblical story of Jesus expelling money lenders from the temple.
Speaking to southern California public radio station KPCC, he said: “In the long run, if we don’t do stuff like this, what are we going to have left?”
“What I did, I would like to compare to what Jesus did when he went into the temple and overturned the tables of the money-changers, who were exploiting the people financially in the name of religion.
“I feel like that’s what the GOP has done to the American people.”
The sweeping, $1.5 trillion tax reform bill proposed by the Republicans and signed into law last week were a key part of Mr Trump’s agenda.
The president has repeatedly boasted of his plans to cut taxes since assuming office and described the legislation as “a bill for the middle class and a bill for jobs”.
However, critics of the bill have cited a Congressional Budget Office study which concluded people earning less than $100,000 will see their taxes rise.
Corporation tax has been slashed from 35 per cent to 21 per cent and the super-rich, including Mr Trump himself, are projected to pay less.
