The controversial US Secretary of Defence has been criticised for using the Bible to justify violent attacks on Iran. But what do we know about Pete Hegseth and his Christian faith?
Six articles of impeachment have been filed by House Democrats against Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary. Hegseth, who was appointed to his current position by President Donald Trump in January 2025, has been accused of “high crimes” due to his role in the United States’ recent attacks on Iran.
His accusers claim he acted without congressional authorisation, thereby disregarding his oath to the US Constitution. But this is not the first time that his authority and allegiances have been questioned, with his professed Christian faith being a source of great controversy.
Political life
Like the President, before his appointment to a high political office, Hegseth was best known as a television personality. After a decade of military service and then working with veterans, he began working at Fox News, America’s primary conservative news network in 2014, eventually becoming a host of the weekend edition of their daily morning broadcast.
His role at Fox did not stop Hegseth from engaging politically; he openly endorsed President Trump throughout his 2016 campaign and became one of his advisors shortly after.
In his Palm Sunday sermon, Pope Leo XIV stated that “no one can use [Jesus] to justify war”
In November 2024, the then president-elect named Hegseth as his nominee to lead the Department of Defence (later rebranded as the Department of War). His nomination was controversial. Allegations of sexual misconduct against him emerged, as well as concerns about his management of money and prior instances of excessive drinking. Hegseth’s appointment was confirmed by a tie-break vote from Vice President JD Vance, only the second time in US history that a cabinet nominee was decided this way.
Personal faith
Hegseth openly professes his Christian faith, which is best characterised as a blend between conservative evangelicalism and reformed Protestantism. He is part of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), a small denomination co-founded by the controversial pastor and proponent of Christian Nationalism, Doug Wilson.
The CREC has a high view of liturgy and the inerrency of scripture. Christian homeschooling is encouraged, as is a patriarchal and complementarian approach to marriage and gender roles.
Iran conflict
Since becoming a senior member of the US Cabinet, Hegseth’s actions have been consistently scrutinised, interrogated and often criticised.
This has been particularly true since the United States launched airstrikes on Iran that assassinated its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, on 28 February 2026. The conflict, which is having worldwide repercussions, has been characterised by Hegseth as a religious and moral duty, proclaiming Christian supremacy over Islam as a primary justification.
His rhetoric has become increasingly religious as the conflict has continued. In one of the monthly prayer meetings he established at the Pentagon in May 2025, he is reported to have prayed for “overwhelming violence” against “enemies of righteousness.” It was following this that articles of impeachment were first filed by House Democrats.
Response
Hegseth’s integration of his Christianity into his political work has been widely criticised. In March, Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed federal lawsuits requesting access to public records about the Pentagon’s prayer services - the fifth time since the start of the Trump administration.
They claim Christian Nationalism is being advanced, despite a stated constitutional obligation to respect the religious freedom of federal employees. President and CEO Rachel Laser said in a statement: “Secretaries Hegseth and [Lori] Chavez-DeRemer are abusing the power of their government positions and taxpayer-funded resources to impose their preferred religion on federal workers.”
But it is not just secular leaders who have criticised Hegseth. In his Palm Sunday sermon, Pope Leo XIV stated that “no one can use [Jesus] to justify war” - widely interpreted to be a direct critique of Hegseth’s theology of war.
Like the President, before his appointment to a high political office, Hegseth was best known as a television personality
Rev William Barber II, a prominent activist-pastor and professor of public theology at Yale Divinity School, has also criticised the Secretary of Defence, saying in an interview with Religion News Service that “there is no scriptural basis” for what Hegseth has said regarding America’s conflict with Iran.
Irrespective of the critical response from secular, military, and religious officials, President Trump continues to back Hegseth’s Christian rhetoric. In a press conference on 6 April, he declared that he believes God is on America’s side.
Regarding the six articles of impeachment placed against Hegseth, Trump has refuted them as a futile attempt to seek media attention.
If Trump’s support remains, Hegseth’s impeachment is unlikely, but that does not mean his critics will be silent.
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