The US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, has faced criticism after sharing a video in which several pastors argue that women should no longer be allowed to vote. The clip, originally broadcast by CNN, was reposted by Mr Hegseth on X on Thursday with the caption "All of Christ for All of Life."
The video features Doug Wilson, a Christian nationalist and co-founder of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), who says he would like the US to be a Christian nation. Another pastor, Toby Sumpter, suggests that in an ideal society households would vote as single units, with one male representative casting the ballot. A congregant also states that she submits to her husband as head of the household. Mr Wilson further argues that women should not hold leadership positions in the military or serve in high-profile combat roles.
The post drew a sharp response from the progressive evangelical organisation Vote Common Good. Its executive director, Doug Pagitt, described the ideas as "very disturbing" and said they were held only by "small fringes of Christians," particularly given Mr Hegseth's role as secretary of defence.
A Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, said Mr Hegseth "is a proud member of a church affiliated with" the CREC and that he "appreciates many of Mr Wilson’s writings and teachings." In July, Mr Hegseth and his family attended the inaugural service of Mr Wilson’s church in Washington, according to CNN. The amplification of such views comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to promote Christian nationalism, including an executive order on alleged "anti-Christian bias" and the creation of a White House faith office.
Mr Hegseth has also invited his personal pastor, Brooks Potteiger, to the Pentagon to lead Christian prayer services during working hours, with defence department employees and service members receiving invitations via government email. While the First Amendment prohibits the government from establishing a state religion, the precise definition of that clause has historically been unclear, especially given it also protects the free exercise of religion.
