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In a keynote speech laden with biblical references and patriotic fervor, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addressed the National Religious Broadcasters’ (NRB) Freedom 250 Celebration by drawing a direct line from the Bible to the founding of the United States.
Billed as the headline speaker for the NRB 2026 International Christian Media Convention at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, Hegseth, 45, began his address by crediting God and praising President Donald Trump as “a fierce defender of Christians and people of faith.” He highlighted administration actions like rescinding a so-called gender-affirming care guidance, ending taxpayer-funded abortions in certain contexts, and supporting religious liberty.
Hegseth noted that concepts like individual dignity, natural rights, limited government and religious freedom stem from Christianity — not secular or collectivist ideologies. Quoting John Adams, he warned that the U.S. Constitution suits only a “moral and religious people,” and invoked George Washington’s faith-driven leadership, including the 1775 establishment of the Chaplain Corps.
“You see, without an internal compass, we need the leviathan of big government,” he added. “As we celebrate our nation’s 250th year, it’s important to understand that the very fabric of our founding documents are woven into the threads of Christian and biblical principles.”
Hegseth pointed to what he called a “direct through line from the Old and New Testaments … to the development of Western civilization and the United States of America,” and denounced opposition to the Gospel message by what he termed the “godless left.”
“Ancient and godless societies viewed the individual as subordinate to the state or the collective. The godless left today still sees it that way,” he said. “But the Christian belief that every person is created in the image of God established a new understanding of humanity. It was not a declaration of worldly economic equity or social justice, but a profound recognition of the transcendent inherent dignity of every individual.”
“From this core principle,” he added, “come individual liberty and natural rights.“
Turning to the military, Hegseth celebrated reforms under Trump: monthly Christian prayer services at the Pentagon, revitalizing the Chaplain Corps, and purging what he called “godless and divisive DEI” and “gender-bending equity.”
“Our country is celebrating 1776 this year and rightfully so. But of course, at the War Department, we’re in the 1775 business,” he said. “That’s where we picked up the rifles to defend those ideas, but it’s also when we went to Bended Knee with the founding of our chapel. To serve the spiritual needs of the force, Washington recognized that faith provides comfort, guidance and resilience in the face of hardship and danger.”
He contrasted this with prior guidance on gender ideology from previous administrations, declaring, “we train our troops, we no longer trans our troops,” and affirmed, “We are one military, one fighting force, one nation under God. We are not ‘in woke we trust,’ we are ‘in God we trust.’”
Hegseth urged Christian communicators, including broadcasters, podcasters and influencers, to resist efforts to silence biblical views on life, borders, gender and culture. He insisted such stances are “not political, it’s biblical,” and proclaimed, “Christ is King. He died for our sins. … He will come again in glory. Amen.”
Hegseth concluded by calling for bold, virtuous citizenship rooted in faith, not government power, and invoked Psalm 18: “The Lord is on my side. I will not fear.”
Commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army National Guard after graduating from Princeton University in 2003, Hegseth served in a number of active-duty deployments during his time in service, including operations in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan. Hegseth also served in multiple staff positions in the National Guard.
In addition to earning two Bronze Star Medals, the Joint Commendation Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB), Hegseth has authored five books, including the New York Times’ 2024 bestseller The War on Warriors.
He’s also stirred controversy over his links to Idaho pastor and theologian Douglas Wilson. Last year, Hegseth attended Wilson’s church plant in Washington, D.C., alongside his wife and children, which appeared to be an endorsement of Wilson’s outspoken Christian nationalist views that include advocating for a theocratic U.S., repealing women’s suffrage and criminalizing homosexuality.
