Overview

• Pete Hegseth shared a nearly seven-minute CNN video on X that featured Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches pastors advocating household voting and repeal of the 19th Amendment.
• Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson told reporters he “of course” supports women’s right to vote but refused to specify which pastor statements Hegseth endorses.
• Democratic lawmakers and military veterans have demanded that Hegseth apologize or resign over concerns that the repost undermines women’s rights and inclusivity in the armed forces.
• Critics have linked the social-media episode to Hegseth’s broader Pentagon actions, including hosting Christian prayer services, canceling a program to boost women’s roles in national security and reassigning senior female officers.
• The Pentagon’s limited clarification has intensified scrutiny of how Hegseth’s ties to Christian nationalist teachings may shape Defense Department culture and policy.