Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks throughout a information convention on the Pentagon on June 22, 2025.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Pictures
cover caption
toggle caption
Andrew Harnik/Getty Pictures
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth has reposted and praised a video interview of a self-described Christian nationalist pastor whose church would not imagine ladies needs to be allowed to vote.
Doug Wilson, senior pastor of Christ Church in Idaho, mentioned through the interview with CNN that, “Ladies are the form of folks that individuals come out of.”
“The spouse and mom, who’s the chief govt of the house, is entrusted with three or 4 or 5 everlasting souls,” he continued.
Within the CNN interview, Wilson additionally defended earlier feedback the place he had mentioned there was mutual affection between slaves and their masters. He additionally mentioned that sodomy needs to be recriminalized. The Supreme Courtroom invalidated sodomy legal guidelines in 2003.
In his repost of the interview on the platform X, Hegseth added, “All of Christ for All of Life.”
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell advised NPR in an emailed assertion on Saturday that Hegseth is a “proud member of a church affiliated with the Congregation of Reformed Evangelical Church buildings,” which was based by Wilson.
“The Secretary very a lot appreciates lots of Mr. Wilson’s writings and teachings,” Parnell additionally wrote.
Within the CNN video, a congregant in Wilson’s church defined that her husband “is the pinnacle of our family and I do undergo him.” A fellow pastor additionally mentioned that households ought to vote as a family, with the husband and father casting the vote.
Andrew Whitehead, a sociology professor at Indiana College Indianapolis and an professional on Christian nationalism, advised NPR the purpose for Wilson and his followers is to unfold these concepts throughout the nation – and finally make them enforceable.
”It isn’t simply they’ve these private Christian beliefs in regards to the function of ladies within the household. It is that they wish to implement these for everyone,” Whitehead mentioned.
Christ Church didn’t instantly reply to NPR’s request for remark.
Wilson’s church, which is establishing parishes across the nation, just lately opened a brand new church within the nation’s capital. Hegseth and his household reportedly attended companies there, in keeping with CNN.
Whitehead says the truth that somebody so excessive up within the authorities is sharing these views is consequential for all Individuals.
“It actually does matter if the Secretary of Protection is retweeting a video with very explicit views about whether or not ladies ought to be capable to vote or serve in fight roles or if slavery actually is not all that dangerous,” Whitehead mentioned. “That is not only a particular person’s view. It is an individual in a reasonably broad place of energy.”
