Pete Hegseth’s Crusade: How Militant Faith Fuels US War on Iran

Nine months before a US Tomahawk missile obliterated an Iranian elementary school, killing over 175 people mostly children, Pete Hegseth’s personal pastor was preaching at the Pentagon that God has “the final say” over every missile fired. Brooks Potteiger, who leads monthly Christian services at the Department of Defense, told military leaders that no human is “ultimately in charge of the world,” but Jesus is sovereign over “Tomahawk and Minuteman missiles.”

This chilling theology underpins Hegseth’s conduct as Defense Secretary during the brutal six-week war in Iran. Despite mounting evidence that the US was responsible for the school bombing, neither Hegseth nor former President Trump has accepted responsibility or shown remorse. Instead, Hegseth has framed the conflict as a holy war sanctioned by “God’s almighty providence,” promising “no quarter” to the “barbaric savages” of the Iranian regime and urging Americans to pray “in the name of Jesus Christ” for victory.

At a Pentagon worship service on March 25, Hegseth prayed for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy,” a statement so extreme it drew rebuke from Pope Leo, who condemned prayers from hands “full of blood.” Hegseth, a Calvinist who rejects papal authority and believes in predestination, sees every event—including deadly bombings—as part of God’s will. Religious studies scholar Julie Ingersoll explains that his brand of Christianity holds “nothing happens that isn’t in God’s will,” even if that means children’s schools are attacked.

The US has long avoided direct military strikes on Tehran despite regional tensions, understanding the catastrophic consequences such actions would trigger: retaliatory attacks, economic turmoil from closing the Strait of Hormuz, and empowering Iran’s hardliners. So why risk it now? Hegseth’s belligerent faith, marked by Crusader tattoos and disdain for diplomacy, may have pushed Trump to pursue a reckless war that echoes medieval religious conquest.

Even when a US fighter jet was shot down weeks after Hegseth claimed “total air dominance,” he spun the incident with religious symbolism—highlighting its timing over Good Friday and Easter Sunday as a “rebirth.” This spin masks a costly military failure and a war that seems destined for strategic defeat.

The tattoo on Hegseth’s bicep reads “Deus Vult” — “God wills it” — the battle cry of Crusaders who waged holy war centuries ago. As Americans and Iranians suffer through this unpopular conflict, it’s critical to understand how this militant theology shapes US policy and what it means for the future of war and peace.

Hegseth’s faith-driven militarism is not just a personal quirk; it’s a dangerous ideology influencing decisions that cost lives. We must hold this administration accountable for the blood spilled in the name of a god they claim commands the battlefield.