Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the nation’s top military official, has ignited a fierce debate after reposting a video on X (formerly Twitter) that showcases Christian nationalist pastors advocating for the repeal of women’s right to vote. The nearly seven-minute CNN report, which Hegseth shared on Thursday night, August 7, 2025, features Doug Wilson, cofounder and senior pastor of Christ Church in Idaho, and other leaders of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC). Their views, which have long stirred controversy, are now at the center of a national conversation about religion, gender, and the role of public officials in amplifying fringe ideologies.
In his repost, Hegseth added the phrase, “All of Christ for All of Life,” a slogan associated with Wilson and his movement. The post quickly gained traction, racking up more than 12,000 likes and 2,000 shares on X, and drawing a flood of both support and condemnation. While some users applauded the message, others expressed deep alarm at the defense secretary’s endorsement of Christian nationalist rhetoric.
The CNN video delved into the teachings of Doug Wilson and the CREC, highlighting their belief that women should not be allowed to vote—a stance that flies in the face of a century of progress on women’s rights in the United States. One pastor from Wilson’s church stated that, in his ideal world, voting would occur by household, with the husband and father casting the family’s ballot. A female congregant, interviewed for the segment, explained, “My husband is the head of our household and I do submit to him.”
Wilson, who has become a lightning rod for controversy, elaborated on his views in the interview, saying, “Women are the kind of people that people come out of.” He added, “The wife and mother, who is the chief executive of the home, is entrusted with three or four or five eternal souls.” According to NPR, Wilson also defended previous comments in which he claimed there was “mutual affection between slaves and their masters” and advocated for the recriminalization of sodomy—positions that have drawn widespread condemnation from civil rights advocates and historians alike. (The Supreme Court invalidated sodomy laws in 2003.)
Hegseth’s personal and public ties to Wilson and the CREC are well documented. Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell told both The Associated Press and NPR that Hegseth is “a proud member of a church affiliated with CREC” and “very much appreciates many of Mr. Wilson’s writings and teachings.” In May 2025, Hegseth invited his personal pastor, Brooks Potteiger, to the Pentagon to lead the first of several Christian prayer services inside the government building during working hours. Defense Department employees and service members reported receiving invitations to the event via their official government emails, according to the Associated Press.
The reach of Wilson’s church is growing. Christ Church, which is actively establishing new parishes across the country, recently opened a congregation in the nation’s capital. According to CNN, Hegseth and his family have attended services at the Washington, D.C., location, further cementing the defense secretary’s personal connection to the movement.
Reactions to Hegseth’s repost have been swift and polarized. Doug Pagitt, pastor and executive director of the progressive evangelical group Vote Common Good, called the views in the video “very disturbing,” adding that they are “views that small fringes of Christians keep.” He expressed alarm that such ideas would be amplified by a high-ranking government official. On the other side, some online commentators supported the defense secretary’s willingness to publicly share his beliefs, viewing it as an expression of religious freedom and conviction.
Experts warn that the implications go far beyond a single social media post. Andrew Whitehead, a sociology professor at Indiana University Indianapolis and a leading expert on Christian nationalism, told NPR that the ultimate goal for Wilson and his followers is not simply to hold these beliefs privately, but to see them enacted as law. “It’s not just they have these personal Christian beliefs about the role of women in the family. It’s that they want to enforce those for everybody,” Whitehead explained. He underscored the gravity of the situation, noting, “It really does matter if the Secretary of Defense is retweeting a video with very particular views about whether women should be able to vote or serve in combat roles or if slavery really isn’t all that bad. That’s not just a person’s view. It’s a person in a pretty broad position of power.”
The controversy also raises questions about the separation of church and state, especially given Hegseth’s decision to host Christian prayer services inside the Pentagon during working hours. For some, this blurs the line between personal faith and public duty, particularly when the faith in question espouses exclusionary or regressive policies. The Pentagon has not commented further on whether these services or Hegseth’s social media activity reflect official Defense Department policy.
Doug Wilson, for his part, has not shied away from the spotlight. In the CNN report, he stated, “I’d like to see the nation be a Christian nation, and I’d like to see the world be a Christian world.” His church’s teachings, which include a strict hierarchy within the family and church, have drawn both fervent support and intense criticism. Christ Church did not respond to NPR’s request for comment.
Many observers see the episode as part of a broader trend: the rising influence of Christian nationalism in American public life. The movement, which seeks to align government policy with conservative Christian values, has found new momentum in recent years, particularly in debates over gender roles, LGBTQ+ rights, and religious expression in public institutions.
For those who support Hegseth and Wilson, the controversy is a sign that traditional values are finally being represented at the highest levels of government. For others, it’s a stark warning about the dangers of eroding the wall between church and state and undermining hard-won civil rights.
As the nation grapples with the fallout from Hegseth’s post, one thing is clear: the conversation about religion, gender, and power in America is far from over. The actions of public officials, especially those who command the nation’s armed forces, carry weight far beyond the digital world. Whether this incident marks a turning point or just another flashpoint in the ongoing culture wars remains to be seen.