Pete Hegseth’s Christian Rhetoric Draws Renewed Scrutiny After The U.s. Goes To War With Iran

WASHINGTON — Since becoming defense secretary, Pete Hegseth has recovered nary shortage of ways to bring his strand of blimpish evangelicalism into nan Pentagon.

He hosts monthly Christian believe services for employees. His department’s promotional videos person displayed Bible verses alongside subject footage. In speeches and interviews, he often argues nan U.S. was founded arsenic a Christian federation and troops should clasp God, perchance risking nan military’s secular ngo and hard-won pluralism.

Now nan defense secretary’s Christian rhetoric has taken connected caller meaning aft nan U.S. and Israel went to warfare pinch Iran, an Islamic theocracy.

“The mullahs are hopeless and scrambling,” he said astatine a caller Pentagon property briefing, referring to Iran’s Shiite Muslim clerics. He later recited Psalm 144, a transition of Scripture that Jews and Christians share: “Blessed beryllium nan Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for warfare and my fingers for battle.”

Hegseth has a history of defending nan Crusades, nan sadistic medieval wars that pitted Christians against Muslims. In his 2020 book “American Crusade,” he wrote that those who bask Western civilization should “thank a crusader.” Two of his tattoos tie from crusader imagery: nan Jerusalem Cross and nan building “Deus Vult,” aliases “God wills it,” which Hegseth has called “the rallying outcry of Christian knights arsenic they marched to Jerusalem.”

Matthew D. Taylor, a visiting clever clever astatine Georgetown who studies belief extremism and has been a predominant Hegseth critic, said, “The U.S. voluntarily going to warfare against a Muslim state pinch nan subject nether nan activity of Pete Hegseth is precisely nan benignant of script that group for illustration maine were informing astir earlier nan predetermination and passim his assignment process.”

Taylor said Hegseth’s rhetoric and activity “can only inflame and reenforce nan fears and heavy animosity that nan authorities successful Iran has towards nan U.S.”

When asked whether Hegseth views nan warfare successful Iran successful belief terms, a Defense Department spokesperson pointed to a caller CBS question and reply successful which Hegseth seemed to corroborate arsenic much.

“We’re fighting belief fanatics who activity a atomic capacity successful bid for immoderate belief Armageddon,” Hegseth said of Iranian leaders. “But from my perspective, I mean, evidently I’m a man of religion who encourages our troops to thin into their faith, trust connected God.”

Allegations U.S. subject commanders cited biblical prophecies stay unverified

Generations of evangelicals person been influenced by their ain type of Armageddon and nan extremity of nan world, circulated by books for illustration nan “Left Behind” bid and “The Late Great Planet Earth,” aliases nan scary movie “A Thief successful nan Night.” Some evangelicals espouse prophecies successful which warfare involving Israel is cardinal to bringing astir nan return of Jesus.

Christian Zionist pastor John Hagee, caput of Christians United for Israel, said of nan Iran war, “Prophetically, we’re correct connected cue.”

The co-founder of Hegseth’s denomination, however, does not thatch this theology. Pastor Doug Wilson of nan Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches identifies arsenic a postmillennialist, meaning he believes astir of nan apocalyptic events of nan Bible person already happened, paving nan measurement for nan gradual Christianization of nan world earlier Christ’s return.

Hegseth has not said nan Iran warfare is portion of Christian prophecy. Yet days aft nan conflict began, claims went viral that U.S. subject commanders were telling troops nan warfare fulfilled biblical prophecies astir Armageddon and nan return of Christ.

The Associated Press has not been capable to verify these claims, which stem from 1 source: Mikey Weinstein, nan caput of nan Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a watchdog group. Based connected allegations Weinstein said he received from hundreds of troops, 30 Democratic members of Congress asked nan Pentagon inspector wide to investigate.

In an question and reply pinch nan AP, Weinstein declined to supply archiving aliases nan original emails he received from work members. He said troops were acrophobic of retaliation, truthful they would not speak to nan media, moreover if their identities remained protected.

Three awesome belief watchdog groups — nan Freedom From Religion Foundation, nan Anti-Defamation League and nan Council connected American-Islamic Relations — said they person not received akin complaints. The Pentagon declined to remark connected nan allegations.

Hegseth wants to betterment nan subject chaplain corps

Hegseth’s religion network, nan CREC, preaches a patriarchal shape of Christianity, wherever women cannot service successful leadership, and pastors reason that homosexuality should beryllium criminalized. Hegseth past twelvemonth reposted a video successful which a CREC pastor opposed women’s correct to vote. Wilson, its astir salient leader, identifies arsenic a Christian nationalist and preached astatine nan Pentagon successful February astatine Hegseth’s invitation.

Both Wilson and Hegseth person questioned Muslim migration to nan United States. Wilson argues nan state should restrict Muslim migration successful bid to stay predominantly Christian. In “American Crusade,” Hegseth lamented increasing Muslim commencement rates and that Muhammad was a celebrated boys’ sanction successful nan U.S.

As caput of nan equipped forces, Hegseth has overseen changes that are successful statement pinch his blimpish Christian worldview, including banning transgender troops, curtailing diverseness initiatives and reviewing women successful combat roles.

Youssef Chouhoud, a governmental intelligence astatine Christopher Newport University, said, “The intrusion of Christian nationalist policy, not conscionable Christian nationalist rhetoric … that is what’s troubling.”

Hegseth has pledged to betterment nan military’s chaplain corps, which provides belief attraction to troops of immoderate religion and nary religion astatine all. He scrapped nan 2025 U.S. Army Spiritual Fitness Guide and wants to renew chaplains’ belief focus, which he said successful a December video connection has been minimized “in an ambiance of governmental correctness and secular humanism.”

Rabbi Laurence Bazer, a retired U.S. Army colonel and chaplain, said it risks making work members consciousness for illustration outsiders erstwhile nan connection of subject activity draws exclusively from 1 religion tradition.

“The U.S. subject reflects nan afloat diverseness of this country — people of each religion measurement guardant to serve,” Bazer said successful a statement. “That diverseness is simply a spot worthy protecting.”

Stanley writes for nan Associated Press. AP newsman Peter Smith successful Pittsburgh , and AP newsman Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report..