Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth led a prayer at a voluntary Pentagon event and called on “King Jesus.” He opened the prayer saying he had been called to his current position. “This is precisely where I need to be, and I think exactly where we need to be as a nation, at this moment, in prayer, on bended knee, recognizing the providence of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ,” he said. “Knowing that there’s an author in heaven overseeing all of this, who’s underwritten all of it, for us, on the cross, gives me the strength to proceed.” He then opened his prayer, saying, “King Jesus, we come humbly before you, seeking your face, seeking your grace, in humble obedience to your law and to your word. We come as sinners saved only by that grace, seeking your providence in our lives and in our nation,” he said. “Lord God, we ask for the wisdom to see what is right and in each and every day, in each and every circumstance, the courage to do what is right in obedience to your will. It is in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that we pray. And all God’s people say amen.”

The event was listed as “Secretary of Defense Christian Prayer & Worship Service” with Hegseth’s pastor, Brooks Potteiger, as the main speaker during the 30-minute event. Hegseth is reported to have plans to make it a monthly event. The New York Times seemed critical of the event, noting it had reached out to Pentagon press secretary, Sean Parnell, as to whether non-Protestant pastors, imams, or Rabbis would be included in the prayer event, without a response. It called the event “an increasing infusion of overt Christian evangelization in official government events during Mr. Trump’s second term.” CNN also reported that an anonymous Pentagon lawyer called the event “problematic” for being broadcast. “Having a broadcast event is obviously an endorsement even if they don’t officially say, ‘This is a Pentagon event,’” said the lawyer.

Hegseth snapped back at The New York Times on X, sharing the article. “It’s called: ‘In God We Trust,’” he wrote. “Since our founding, America’s leaders — and warriors — have sought God’s providence and protection. We seek to glorify Him as we serve our country. At the Pentagon, we will humbly continue this sacred tradition — each and every month.” He also appeared to poke fun at NYT for reprinting the entire prayer in a separate post. First Liberty spokesperson John Manning defending the prayer, saying, “Secretary Hegseth’s exercise of his religious faith is protected just like it was for the Navy SEALs we represented against the prior administration when it tried to kick them out for their faith objection to COVID-19 requirements,” he said. “We commend Secretary Hegseth for standing up for the Constitution and against censorship.”