Overview

• On August 8, Hegseth used a Defense Department–linked social media account to share a CNN segment in which Pastor Doug Wilson calls for repealing the 19th Amendment and criminalizing homosexuality.
• Hegseth’s ties to Wilson’s network run deep: he attends a Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches congregation in Tennessee and enrolled his children in a Wilson‐affiliated school.
• Since earlier this year, the defense secretary has hosted monthly Christian prayer and worship services at the Pentagon led by pastors connected to Wilson’s movement.
• Republican former Congresswoman Barbara Comstock and other bipartisan critics warn Hegseth’s public endorsement threatens church‐state separation and democratic norms.
• Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell defended Hegseth by affirming his appreciation for Wilson’s writings while insisting the department holds no official ties to Wilson’s ministries.