FFRF Action Fund bestows its “Secularist of the Week” award to Rep. Lloyd Doggett for his timely condemnation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Christian nationalism.
Doggett, representing Texas’s 35th Congressional District, took to X to respond to Hegseth’s flagrant Christian nationalism amid Trump’s war on Iran. He wrote, “Hegseth’s dangerous incompetence continues to be on display as he uses his Christian nationalism to justify the Trump regime’s war of choice in Iran.” Doggett asserted, “Our founders insisted on the separation of church and state to prevent religion from becoming a tool of politics rather than a matter of spiritual faith.”
In his post, Doggett attached a headline from the New York Times: “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has imbued U.S. Military actions with a Christian moral underpinning that suggests they are divinely sanctioned.” The article highlights a speech from Hegseth in the Pentagon where the defense secretary boasted about the U.S. military’s “overwhelming force” and ability to rain “death and destruction from above” on “apocalyptic” Iran. Hegseth then called on the public to partake in wartime prayer, praying for victory in Iran and the safety of U.S. troops. “Every day, on bended knee, with your family, in your schools, in your churches, in the name of Jesus Christ,” Hegseth instructed.
In a “60 Minutes” interview, Hegseth said about the Iran war , “Our capabilities are better. Our will is better. Our troops are better. The providence of our almighty God is there protecting those troops, and we’re committed to this mission.”
In fact, throughout his tenure as defense secretary, Hegseth has used his warrior brand of Christianity to shape his vision for the U.S. military. He has repeatedly called for an “American Crusade” and has unconstitutionally used his Pentagon prayer services to impose his belief system on government employees.
The complete disregard of Hegseth and the rest of the Trump administration for the U.S. Constitution and our secular democracy requires timely and consistent condemnation. Doggett’s direct reference to the separation of state and church is more important than ever as the executive branch works to erase this constitutional wall. FFRF Action Fund warmly thanks the representative for his leadership.
FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
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