Hegseth prays at Pentagon service for ‘overwhelming violence’ against enemies

Key Points:

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth led a prayer at a Pentagon religious service calling for “overwhelming violence of action” against enemies, referencing a prayer originally given to troops after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
• Hegseth recently announced reforms to the military chaplain corps, reducing religious affiliation codes from about 200 to 31 and replacing officer rank insignia with religious insignia, aiming to combat what he described as political correctness and secularism within the corps.
• The prayer services at the Pentagon, instituted monthly under Hegseth’s tenure, have been led exclusively by evangelical figures, reflecting his affiliation with a Christian nationalist church, which has drawn criticism and legal complaints over religious inclusion and neutrality.
• Critics, including military veterans and watchdog groups, warn that Hegseth’s blending of religion and military leadership risks division, weakening the military, and promoting Christian nationalism within the armed forces.
• Americans United for Separation of Church and State has filed lawsuits seeking records on Pentagon prayer services to assess whether federal departments are maintaining religious neutrality and protecting employees’ religious freedoms amid concerns of coercion and proselytization.