Pete Hegseth’s creation of evangelical worship services at the Pentagon already is controversial; now he’s used one of those services to invoke God’s favor on the U.S. attacks on Iran.
Speaking to staff gathered for worship at the Pentagon March 25, the U.S. Secretary of Defense prayed to God to let “every round find its mark” — meaning every U.S. weapon would be effective against Iranians.
According to PBS News, Hegseth read a prayer he said was first given by a military chaplain to the troops who captured then-President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela — another controversial action of the Trump administration.
“Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation,” Hegseth prayed. “Give them wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.”
“Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation.”
He read from Psalm 18:37 — “I pursued my enemies and overtook them and did not turn back till they were consumed.”
This came just a few days after Hegseth’s pastor, Brooks Potteiger, cited the Psalms in praying an imprecatory prayer for Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico’s death. Speaking on a “Reformation Red Pill” podcast, Potteiger said of Talarico: “We want him crucified with Christ.”
That was in response to a comment from podcast host Joshua Haymes, a former pastoral intern at Potteiger’s church, who said: “First and foremost, we pray that a man like this would be cut to the heart. … This is where you have imprecatory psalms. This is where you pray strongly. … The psalmist is not shy. God, destroy them. Make them as dung on the ground.”
Haymes said: “I pray that God kills him … Ultimately, that means killing his heart and raising him up to new life in Christ.”
According to the Calvinistic view of Haymes and Potteiger — influenced by Moscow, Idaho, pastor Doug Wilson — God blesses their view of faith and politics. Hegseth often echoes those ideas in his public comments, making the U.S. military an agent of God’s wrath.
Hegseth belongs to the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, founded by Wilson, who is a self-described Christian nationalist. CREC pastors have appeared at Hegseth’s monthly Pentagon services at least three times, including Wilson in February.
As for the prayers against him, Talarico responded Tuesday on X: “Jesus loves. Christian Nationalism kills. You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you. I love you more than you could ever hate me.”
Read more about this at “A Public Witness,” by Brian Kaylor.