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Pete Hegseth’s Holy War Is an Unholy Nightmare

The defense secretary is talking about Iran in bloodcurdling tones of religious extremism—and underscoring how much of a dangerous fanatic he is.

Pete Hegseth speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon, on March 19, 2026.

At a worship service at the Pentagon on Wednesday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (who likes to style himself the secretary of war) delivered a prayer that was bloodcurdling in its extremist belligerence and invocation of religion to justify mass slaughter.

At one point in the prayer, Hegseth asked God to

“Give [US soldiers] wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy. Preserve their lives, sharpen their resolve, and let justice be executed swiftly and without remorse that evil may be driven back and wicked souls delivered to the eternal damnation prepared for them…. We ask these things with bold confidence in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ, King over all kings and amen.”

“Give [US soldiers] wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy. Preserve their lives, sharpen their resolve, and let justice be executed swiftly and without remorse that evil may be driven back and wicked souls delivered to the eternal damnation prepared for them…. We ask these things with bold confidence in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ, King over all kings and amen.”

Perhaps the best thing that can be said about this prayer is that, although it was delivered in a sectarian spirit, it might yet have an ecumenical effect, since it has something to offend just about everyone.

Secular Americans and those who belong to non-Christian religions, of course, will be rightly angered by the fact that Hegseth violated long-standing norms that prayers in public services should avoid proselytizing for a particular faith. But the the Iran War is massively unpopular with most Americans. It has also seen the US commit horrific war crimes, including the bombing of an elementary school at Minab that killed at least 175 people, mostly children. Many, or quite possibly most, Christians will be affronted at the idea that their faith should be used so crudely to justify such violence.

Pope Leo XIV condemned war in a Palm Sunday Mass in the strongest terms. In his homily, Leo said, “Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war, He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.” The contrast between the pope’s words and Hegseth’s prayer could not be greater.

Beyond theological objections, there are obvious pragmatic reasons why a defense secretary shouldn’t utter a sectarian prayer. The US Army has many non-Christians of all stripes, so Hegseth is in effect alienating them even as he is sending them off to war. Further, Hegseth’s prayer is a great gift to the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose leaders are claiming to defend the Muslim world from “the Great Satan” of the United States. It lends credence to the idea that the US is launching a new crusade, one that Muslims must unite to fend off. With US military bases and embassies in the Middle Eastern countries already under........

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