Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth prayed for 'overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy' during a Christian worship service at the Pentagon on Wednesday, his first since the Iran war began, according to the Associated Press.
Hegseth, who is a member of a church affiliated with the Congregation of Reformed Evangelical Churches, said the prayer originated from a military chaplain and was given to troops after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the US. 'Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation,' he said.
The remarks came a day after Hegseth announced changes to the military's chaplain corps, which he said had been 'infected by political correctness and secular humanism' and 'watered down' to become 'nothing more than therapists'. He reduced the number of religious affiliation codes from about 200 to 31 and ordered chaplains to wear religious insignia instead of officer rank insignia, aiming to 'make the chaplain corps great again'.
Hegseth has instituted monthly prayer sessions at the Pentagon, all presided over by evangelicals. His insertion of Christian faith into his role has drawn criticism and legal complaints, including from Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which filed lawsuits this week to access public records about the prayer services.
Military veterans have previously warned that Hegseth's use of religion could cause division and weaken the military. Kristofer Goldsmith, an Iraq war veteran, said it could lead to a rise in Christian nationalists joining the military, potentially harming national security.
