Pete Hegseth's 'Incredibly Problematic' Pentagon Event Raises Serious Concerns

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Huff Post

May 22, 2025, 07:21 AM EDT


Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth led a Christian service at the Pentagon on Wednesday ― an event one former Defense Department lawyer called “incredibly problematic.” Hegseth’s prayer meeting in the auditorium during work hours “appeared to be a first for a Pentagon chief,” Reuters wrote.

“This is precisely where I need to be, and I think exactly where we need to be as a nation, at this moment,” Hegseth said, per The New York Times. “In prayer, on bended knee recognizing the providence of our lord and savior Jesus Christ.” Hegseth said the meeting was voluntary and could become a monthly event, The Times noted. But critics questioned the legality of it.

A brochure titled “Secretary of Defense Christian Prayer & Worship Service” featured the seal of the Department of Defense, suggesting that Hegseth and the government sponsored it, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Rachel VanLandingham, now a law professor, told CNN. That could be a breach of the First Amendment’s ban on the government promoting a religion.

“I think it’s sponsorship in the true sense of the word, outside of funding — he’s advocating for this, he is putting his weight of the official Office of the Secretary of Defense behind a particular religious event and inviting someone to the Pentagon to conduct it,” she said, noting the appearance by Brooks Potteiger, the pastor of Hegseth’s church in Tennessee. “That’s wrong.”

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pete-hegseth-christian-prayer-pentagon_n_682ee21fe4b0ef574bf58a2a

[Walleye]

1. These assholes, they have tax-free churches, they can pray in

[FSogol]

2. The fact that Hegseth has any position in the Pentagon or Defense Dept raises serious concerns.

The media continues to gas light us.

[LymphocyteLover]

3. A Christian Nationalist running the Pentagon. What could possibly go wrong?

[Hekate]

13. White Christian Nationalist, specifically

[LymphocyteLover]

22. Yes, even worse... though generally the addition of "white" is redundant for these folks

[Hekate]

23. We need to remind people of their history

[FakeNoose]

4. Somehow I missed hearing about his credentials as a religious leader

In other words, I doubt that he has any such credentials. And it's totally inappropriate behavior in any gov't official.

[Initech]

5. Incredibly problematic? Call it what it is - a blatant violation of the US Constitution!

And if there's anyone who's less qualified to lead a prayer service, it's Whiskey Drinks.

[underpants]

6. Yeah "voluntary" 🙄

[Hekate]

14. Sooooo voluntary that I bet they take attendance

Who’s running the outfit while Hegseth’s voluntary church is worshipping ?

[FadedMullet]

7. Remember when the Air Force Academy administration and faculty were found to be Right Wing Nut Job.....

.....Fundamentalists? Yeah, they still are.

[rickyhall]

8. Another EndoftheWorlder. Great.

[PSPS]

9. Did he "reveal" all of his nazi & white power tattoos during his sermon?

[Torchlight]

10. I think I accurately read between the lines this time.

“This bathroom is precisely where I need to be...” Hegseth said, per The New York Times. “In front of the toilet, on bended knee recognizing by my earlier dinner coming up that I've had too much to drink." Hegseth said the Scotch was high quality and could become a twice-daily event, The Times noted. But critics questioned the Boone's Farm bottle in his pocket.

[Ilsa]

16. PRICELESS! nt

[Bluejeans]

11. Even as a Catholic and a military retiree, I'm uncomfortable

I don’t know if I would be comfortable with this situation or even worse trying to answer a subordinate’s “should I attend so I’m seen there” career question.

[Hekate]

25. And you would be right

[Norrrm]

28. What if you attended the 'wrong' Christian sect's event?

Could that affect a career?

Franklin (and Billy) Graham say Mormons are not Christians

According to them, Catholics are not Christians either.

"We need something like what Jerry Falwell did in the 1980s. We need a “moral majority”-made up of Christians, Jews, Mormons, Catholics and many others of faith-to come together to take a stand for our religious freedoms and rights."

https://web.archive.org/web/20150222160421/https://billygraham.org/decision-magazine/october-2012/can-an-evangelical-christian-vote-for-a-mormon/

[pfitz59]

12. 'Attendance is voluntary'

but names will be noted. I had a Navy commander did this. Morning prayer sessions with the 'brethren'. Voluntary. However attendees got plum assignments and more rapid promotions.

[Hekate]

24. Exactly

[Dem_in_Nebr.]

15. To me, this is blasphemy to the nth degree.

As a pacifist follower of Jesus, I reject this blasphemy.. It's worshiping the military and a god that's made up from the worst parts of the biblical record.
Simply wrong.

[IcyPeas]

17. "....raises serious concerns." Okay. /nt

[gilligan]

18. Really?

I’m sure he would have preferred a
Kegger

[ultralite001]

19. Why does the invite look like a tombstone...

Link to tweet

Rather than a tablet??? Moses would not be amused…

Got a sneaking suspicion that Kegsbreath has been doing some creative thinking about how to nurture those “warfighters” + it isn’t nurturing peace…

[BurnDoubt]

20. This is WRONG!!!!! Only the worst people have to justify heinous acts by their Faith.

They can't be trusted. It always ends with over-reach and oppression, repression, depression and always with blood and suffering. It's as though this is the hole Satan uses to crawl out to hector Humanity.
By the Way. It is wrong.

[BurnDoubt]

21. Wait until the Catholics remind the World that you only get to Heaven through the Catholic Church.

It's a fact, Jack. Ask 'em. They'll tell you. All you Trump-Bible Hypocrites can get in line and bend a knee to the Lib' Pope and ask forgiveness for your Apostate attitudes. (Do we see the problem, here?)
I guess it all depends on what you Believe. Before you Light My Pyre, know that I Believe you can Believe whatever YOU want to Believe, right up to where it isn't an option for ME not to. As far as I am concerned, this is all in your head and your decisions are not mine. If what you Believe respects others' Beliefs, and does not cause them harm or fear and anxiety in any way, you're welcome to your Beliefs. And if they make you, and those around you Better, Safer and Happier... of their own accord... Thank You. If not, then NO.
Faith is not Business. Government is not Business. Business is not Faith. Government is not Faith. In a free Society these concepts should NEVER be confused or imposed one-on-another. Abuse ALWAYS ensues.
How long are you thinking you can endure a stretch on "the rack" before you, too, are now a newly-minted Catholic?
(How about now, are we beginning to see the problem here?)
Having pried the top off the box, Pandora, who's going to clean this up?
Is there another stop on the Road To Ruin?

[BoRaGard]

26. The next stop on the Road to Ruin is Perdition

according to a set of beliefs that are sincerely believed in by people who believe that about the
road to ruin and its assorted stops.

[Norrrm]

29. "If what you Believe respects others' Beliefs,..."

[BurnDoubt]

30. Yep. None for me, thanks.

UBU... ... IBI

[NoMoreRepugs]

27. Whiskey Pete pretending to be holy is hilarious.