Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth Weaponizes Christian Nationalism in Iran War Rhetoric

Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Defense Secretary, is not just leading the military—he’s turning it into a platform for Christian nationalism during the ongoing conflict with Iran. In a recent press briefing, Hegseth framed the daring rescue of a downed U.S. Air Force colonel as a divine reenactment of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, describing the event’s timeline as mirroring Good Friday through Easter Sunday. “A pilot reborn, all home and accounted for, a nation rejoicing. God is good,” he declared.

This biblical analogy isn’t an isolated incident. Hegseth’s tenure has been marked by a consistent push to inject overtly Christian, sectarian language into Pentagon communications. Melissa Deckman, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute, highlights that Hegseth’s approach starkly contrasts with previous defense secretaries, noting his allegiance to a church founded by self-proclaimed Christian nationalist Doug Wilson. Christian nationalists believe America should be a Christian nation with Christians dominating other societal sectors—a worldview Hegseth openly embraces.

Hegseth’s claims that the United States was founded as a Christian nation ignore the complex religious philosophies of the Founding Fathers and the constitutional separation of church and state. Critics argue that his use of Pentagon resources to promote a specific religious ideology violates the First Amendment’s protections.

The Defense Secretary’s calls for Americans to pray “on bended knee, with your family, in your schools, in your churches, in the name of Jesus Christ” for military success against a Muslim-majority country deepen concerns about the mixing of religion and state. Haris Tarin of the Muslim Public Affairs Council warns that Hegseth has become the “face of this war,” which is increasingly framed in terms of a Christian-Muslim cultural battle.

Hegseth’s history includes Islamophobic rhetoric and glorification of the Crusades, a medieval series of religious wars against Muslims. His 2020 book, American Crusade, calls for a “holy war” to push back Islamism and the “leftist specter” in American culture. Such language from the Pentagon’s top official fuels dangerous divisions and undermines the United States’ foundational commitment to religious freedom and pluralism.

As the U.S. military engages in conflict with Iran, Hegseth’s Christian nationalist agenda threatens to erode the secular principles that have long governed the armed forces. This sectarian turn risks alienating Muslim Americans and worsening international tensions, all while blurring the line between faith and government in a way that should alarm every defender of democracy.