On Wednesday morning, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth conducted a Christian prayer session at the Pentagon’s auditorium.
During this gathering, Hegseth’s pastor proclaimed that President Donald Trump was divinely appointed to govern the nation and provide “moral clarity.”
The event, titled the “Secretary of Defense Christian Prayer & Worship Service,” lasted for 30 minutes and is an initiative Hegseth intends to hold monthly. According to the New York Times, Brooks Potteiger, Hegseth’s pastor, served as the keynote speaker.
“King Jesus, we approach you with humility, seeking your presence and grace, in sincere obedience to your law and your word,” Hegseth prayed as the attendees, filling the standing room only, bowed their heads.
“We come as sinners redeemed solely by that grace, asking for your guidance in our lives and in our nation. Lord God, we request the wisdom to discern what is right and the courage to act accordingly in obedience to your will, in every day and in every situation. We pray in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And all of God’s people say amen,” Hegseth concluded.
According to the Times, attendees, which included at least one general, responded with an “Amen.”
Potteiger, a Christian nationalist who leads the Pilgrim Hill Reformed Fellowship in Tennessee, holds the belief that Trump was divinely chosen.
“We pray for our leaders whom you have sovereignly appointed — for President Trump, we thank you for the manner in which you have utilized him to instill stability and moral clarity in our nation,” Potteiger stated. “And we pray that you would continue to safeguard him, bless him, and grant him profound wisdom.”
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump and Hegseth garnered attention with a significant military announcement.
Referencing former President Ronald Reagan’s vision of a system of space-based lasers designed to intercept incoming missiles, President Trump conveyed his excitement regarding the Pentagon’s preliminary concept aimed at realizing his Golden Dome for America initiative during an Oval Office presentation on Tuesday.
“We are genuinely fulfilling the mission initiated by President Reagan four decades ago, permanently eliminating the missile threat to the American homeland,” Trump stated, asserting that advancements in technology over recent years now render the idea of an invulnerable missile defense system encompassing the entire United States feasible. “The success rate is nearly 100%, which is remarkable when you consider it. You are intercepting projectiles mid-air.”
“This design for the Golden Dome will complement our current defense systems and is expected to be fully operational by the conclusion of my term. Therefore, we anticipate its completion in approximately three years,” Trump elaborated, characterizing the initiative as a “cutting-edge system that will utilize next-generation technologies across land, sea, and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors.”
“Once fully developed, the Golden Dome will possess the capability to intercept missiles even if they are launched from distant corners of the globe or from outer space,” he remarked. “The world is quite perilous. Thus, this initiative significantly contributes to the preservation of this great nation.”
“Mr. President, please add this to the extensive and expanding list of commitments made and fulfilled. Ultimately, this project, the Golden Dome for America, represents a transformative shift. It is a long-term investment in the safety of America and its citizens,” Hegseth commented.
“Mr. President, you indicated that we would secure our southern border and achieve complete operational control following the previous administration’s allowance of an influx of individuals into our nation. President Reagan envisioned this 40 years ago; the technology was not available then, but it is now, and you are committed to ensuring the protection of our homeland against cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, and drones, whether conventional or nuclear. It is also noteworthy, sir, that you had the foresight to establish the Space Force, and here we are, despite others claiming it was unnecessary,” Hegseth concluded.
