Some have raised alarm bells about separation of church and state, including retired Air Force Lt. Col. Rachel VanLandingham, a national security law expert and law professor at Southwestern Law School.
“I think it’s sponsorship in the true sense of the word, outside of funding—he’s advocating for this, he is putting his weight of the official Office of the Secretary of Defense behind a particular religious event and inviting someone to the Pentagon to conduct it,” VanLandingham told CNN. “That’s wrong.”
Nevertheless, some Christian leaders lauded Hegseth for hosting the prayer meeting, including evangelist Franklin Graham, who said in a social media post, “Thank you @PeteHegseth for not being afraid to stand up for Jesus Christ in the Pentagon. May God bless you.”
“Thank you sir. The least we can do, for Him & the country,” Hegseth said in reply. “I hope you will join us soon for one of our monthly services. We’d be honored to have you.”
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In a separate social media post, Hegseth wrote, “It’s called: ‘In God We Trust.’”
“Since our founding, America’s leaders—and warriors—have sought God’s providence and protection. We seek to glorify Him as we serve our country,” wrote Hegseth. “At the Pentagon, we will humbly continue this sacred tradition—each and every month.”
