On August 7, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ignited a storm of controversy after reposting a CNN interview with Idaho pastor Doug Wilson and other leaders of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC) network. The video, which Hegseth shared on his personal X account with the Christian nationalist slogan, "All of Christ for All of Life," featured Wilson and fellow pastors advocating for a sweeping rollback of civil rights, including the recriminalization of gay sex and the repeal of women’s right to vote.
The CNN segment, anchored by Pamela Brown, delved into the ideology of Doug Wilson, a self-described Christian nationalist and co-founder of the CREC, a denomination that now boasts more than 130 churches in the U.S. and abroad. Wilson, who leads Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, did not mince words: "In the late ’70s and early ’80s, sodomy was a felony in all 50 states. That America of that day was not a totalitarian hellhole," he told CNN. When asked if he wanted those laws reinstated, Wilson replied, "Yep." According to Them, Wilson’s assertion was historically inaccurate—Illinois repealed its anti-sodomy law in 1961, with other states following suit in the 1970s—but the intent behind his words was unambiguous.
Wilson’s retrograde views did not stop at LGBTQ+ rights. Throughout the interview and his writings, he advocated for a return to "household voting," where typically only men would cast ballots for their families, and for the outright repeal of the 19th Amendment, which guarantees women the right to vote. Pastor Toby Sumpter, another leader at Christ Church, told CNN, "In my ideal society, we would vote as households. And I would ordinarily be the one to cast the vote." Pastor Jared Longshore echoed this sentiment, saying, "The current system is not good for humans." Both men are part of the same church network as Hegseth, who, according to CNN and Them, attends a CREC congregation in Tennessee and was present at the opening of Christ Church Washington, D.C., where Longshore delivered the sermon.
Wilson’s advocacy for a patriarchal society is deeply embedded in his theology and writings. He has repeatedly argued that "the wife is to follow the lead of her husband in all things," and that every "biblical Christian" should embrace patriarchy. In his 1999 book, Fidelity: What It Means to Be a One-Woman Man, Wilson wrote, "A man penetrates, conquers, colonizes, plants. A woman receives, surrenders, accepts." His view of marriage, as outlined in Reforming Marriage: Gospel Living for Couples, is one where the husband assumes "lordship in the home," dictating everything from spending habits to television viewing, and even his wife’s responsiveness to sexual advances. If a wife does not comply, Wilson says, the husband should report her to church elders. These views, described by CNN and Them, have drawn sharp criticism from both inside and outside religious communities.
Wilson’s views on race and American history are equally contentious. In his 1996 pamphlet, Southern Slavery as It Was, Wilson argued that slavery in the American South was "not an adversarial relationship with pervasive racial animosity" and was instead "based upon mutual affection and confidence." He went so far as to claim, "Slave life was to [the slaves] a life of plenty, of simple pleasures, of food, clothes and good medical care." While Wilson insists he is not a defender of the antebellum South’s system of slavery and condemns racism, he blames the Civil War for causing "damage to both white and black" and describes himself as a "paleo-Confederate." In a 2009 interview with Christianity Today, he said, "I would say we’re fighting in a long war, and that [the Civil War] was one battle that we lost."
Secretary Hegseth’s repost of the CNN segment has been widely interpreted as an endorsement of these positions. The Pentagon, when pressed for comment, confirmed Hegseth’s admiration for Wilson’s teachings. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told reporters, "The Secretary very much appreciates many of Mr. Wilson's writings and teachings." Pastor Doug Pagitt of the progressive evangelical group Vote Common Good called Hegseth’s actions "very disturbing," according to CNN.
This is not the first time Hegseth has found himself at the center of controversy over LGBTQ+ rights and social policy. In February 2025, following an executive order from President Trump, Hegseth implemented a ban on transgender individuals joining the U.S. military, reversing a policy enacted under President Biden. Defending the decision, Hegseth stated, "The department must ensure it is building ‘one force’ without sub-groups defined by anything other than ability or mission adherence… Efforts to split our troops along lines of identity weaken our force and make us vulnerable." He also ordered the removal of Harvey Milk’s name—a gay rights icon—from a Navy ship, further cementing his alignment with the Trump administration’s socially conservative agenda.
Hegseth’s personal history has also attracted scrutiny. According to reporting from multiple outlets, his nomination as Secretary of Defense was nearly derailed by allegations of sexual abuse, including a $50,000 settlement with a woman who alleged he sexually assaulted her. Another woman told police that Hegseth physically blocked her from leaving a hotel room and assaulted her, although he was never criminally charged and has denied all allegations.
For many observers, Hegseth’s embrace of Christian nationalism and his association with Wilson signal a dramatic shift in the public posture of the U.S. military’s leadership. Brad Onishi, a scholar of religious extremism, told PBS NewsHour, "Hegseth represents a U.S. military envisioned as a vehicle for holy war… If you want to be the kind of president who uses the Insurrection Act, to call in the military against uprisings in American cities, to use military force against protesters, Hegseth is the man for the job."
The backlash to Hegseth’s actions has been swift and vocal. Critics from across the political spectrum have condemned his apparent endorsement of rolling back decades of civil rights progress, with many warning of the dangers posed by the rise of Christian nationalist ideology in American public life. Supporters, however, argue that Hegseth is simply standing up for his faith and values in an increasingly secular society. The debate shows no sign of abating, as the nation grapples with questions of religious freedom, equality, and the proper role of faith in government.
As the controversy continues, the line between personal conviction and public responsibility grows ever more contested at the highest levels of American power.
