{"id":507322,"date":"2026-04-01T15:51:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T15:51:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/507322\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T15:51:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T15:51:18","slug":"pete-hegseth-is-imbuing-violence-with-a-religious-righteousness-arwa-mahdawi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/507322\/","title":{"rendered":"Pete Hegseth is imbuing violence with a religious righteousness | Arwa Mahdawi"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is it woke to wash your hands? Pete Hegseth seems to think so. Back in 2019 when he was still just a Fox News host rather than the guy in charge of \u201cthe Department of War<\/a>\u201d, Hegseth said on-air<\/a> that he hadn\u2019t washed his hands for 10 years because \u201cgerms are not a real thing<\/a>.\u201d He added: \u201cI can\u2019t see them; therefore, they\u2019re not real.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hegseth later claimed he was joking. But even if he was, the defense secretary is never going to be able to wash the blood from his hands. The 45-year-old, one of the strongest backers<\/a> of the war on Iran, has said<\/a> he wants \u201cmaximum lethality, not tepid legality\u201d to the be the hallmark of the US military, and he\u2019s been making good on that promise. Under his watch, a defense department program aimed at reducing civilian harm<\/a> has been dismantled, and experts who provide guidance on keeping military operations in line with international law have been fired. And, of course, a school full of little girls<\/a> has been bombed.<\/p>\n

Hegseth doesn\u2019t just have a dangerous disregard for rules of engagement, which he\u2019s called \u201cstupid<\/a>\u201d; he\u2019s brought a disturbing level of bloodlust to his so-called Department of War. The pundit-turned-politician seems to take great delight<\/a> in violence, imbuing it with a religious righteousness. On Wednesday, for example, Hegseth prayed for violence (as you do) during a Christian worship service held at the Pentagon. \u201cLet every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation,\u201d Hegseth said in the prayer service<\/a>. \u201cGive them wisdom in every decision \u2026 and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Trump administration has framed the war on Iran as a fight against dangerous extremists who want to bring about end times. \u201cWe\u2019re fighting religious fanatics who seek a nuclear capability in order for some religious Armageddon,\u201d Hegseth said of Iranian leaders<\/a> during a CBS interview, for example. But the religious fanatics are hardly just in Iran, are they? Increasingly they\u2019re at the highest levels of US government. Hegseth is affiliated with the Congregation of Reformed Evangelical Churches, founded by Doug Wilson, who self-identifies as a Christian nationalist. He\u2019s reposted videos<\/a> of Wilson saying he\u2019d like to see the US become \u201ca Christian nation\u201d and has endorsed<\/a> the theocratic and authoritarian<\/a> doctrine of \u201csphere sovereignty\u201d, which is derived from the extremist beliefs of Christian reconstructionism<\/a>. These beliefs seem to be seeping into foreign policy: earlier this month, it was reported<\/a> that US military commanders have been invoking rhetoric about biblical \u201cend times\u201d to justify involvement in the Iran war to troops.<\/p>\n

While Hegseth is praying for violence abroad, his inner circle is busy praying for violence at home. Hegseth\u2019s closest spiritual adviser, a man called Brooks Potteiger, recently appeared on a Christian nationalist podcast called Reformation Red Pill, where he made comments wishing for the death of James Talarico<\/a>, Texas\u2019s Democratic nominee for a US Senate seat. \u201cI pray that God kills [Talarico] \u2026 Ultimately, that means killing his heart and raising him up to new life in Christ,\u201d the podcast host Joshua Haymes, a former pastoral intern at Potteiger\u2019s church, said. In response, Potteiger agreed, saying: \u201cRight, right \u2026 We want him crucified with Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n

Potteiger, I should note, later released a statement saying<\/a> that his words, which sound pretty clear to me, had been misinterpreted. \u201cAs a Christian, when I pray imprecatory psalms about those who celebrate baby murder, I am not, from my heart, praying for their death. I\u2019m praying for their conversion.\u201d<\/p>\n

I am not religious, but you know what I\u2019m praying for? For a world where extremists like this are not influencing the government \u2013 or sitting in its highest ranks \u2013 but back in the fringes where they belong. For the day we can finally wash our hands of wannabe strongmen like Trump and Hegseth. Alas, no saviour is going to come and magically free us from the authoritarian hell we are descending further and further<\/a> into. No supreme being is going to restore democracy. We will have to do it ourselves<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Trump reportedly doesn\u2019t \u2018want to stand next to a Black female officer\u2019<\/p>\n

When not spending $15m on steak<\/a> or praying for \u201coverwhelming violence<\/a>\u201d, Pete Hegseth appears to be very busy making sure Black women don\u2019t get promoted. The New York Times published a report<\/a> on Friday alleging that Hegseth had struck the names of two Black and two female officers from a military promotions list. According to the Times reporting, Hegseth\u2019s chief of staff told Army Secretary Daniel P Driscoll that Trump \u201cwould not want to stand next to a Black female officer at military events\u201d.<\/p>\n

Last week\u2019s newsletter<\/a> looked at the case of the 31-year-old Georgia woman Alexia Moore, who was charged with murder after allegedly taking abortion pills. Moore has now been released on bond<\/a> (set at a symbolic $1) after a superior court judge said it was doubtful there was evidence to move forward with a malice murder charge.<\/p>\n

Alleged Long Island serial killer intends to change plea to guilty<\/p>\n

Rex Heuermann is charged with murdering<\/a> seven women over 17 years in what are known as the Gilgo Beach serial killings.<\/p>\n

The Olympic committee bans trans athletes from women\u2019s events<\/p>\n

Competitors in women\u2019s events will now have to undergo a one-time SRY gene screening, which looks for the presence of the \u201cSex-determining Region Y\u201d gene. (Men will not have to do any genetic testing). NPR reports that the scientist who discovered the SRY gene in 1990 has publicly opposed<\/a> using the test to determine biological sex. Rather than making sport fairer for women, there are concerns that the cost of this testing could prevent poorer countries from sending women to compete.<\/p>\n

Maternal mortality rises in US aid-dependent countries under Republican presidents<\/p>\n

Global family planning aid typically drops<\/a> under Republican presidents, new research finds. These cuts are linked to an 11% increase in maternal mortality, equivalent to around 45 additional deaths for every 100,000 live births. The party of family values!<\/p>\n

Israel is following the Gaza playbook in Lebanon and the West Bank<\/p>\n

There is increasing<\/a> evidence that Israel is deliberately targeting healthcare workers and medical facilities in south Lebanon, with medics saying there is a systematic use of double-tap<\/a> strikes in an effort to make the area unlivable. Oxfam has also noted<\/a> that \u201cIsrael\u2019s military blueprint of attacking water infrastructure, used throughout its genocide in Gaza, is now being rolled out across parts of Lebanon.\u201d And, just as happened in Gaza<\/a>, Israeli soldiers are filming themselves looting homes<\/a>. Meanwhile, Palestinians in the West Bank<\/a> are now experiencing multiple violent settler attacks per day<\/a>, with very little coverage of this in the US media.<\/p>\n

An OB-GYN accused of sexual misconduct was allowed to keep practicing<\/p>\n

Between 2022 and 2024, four female patients complained to Washington\u2019s medical commission about irregularities in pelvic exams conducted by Dr Mark Mulholland (he has denied wrongdoing). ProPublica reports<\/a> that it wasn\u2019t until September 2025 that Mulholland\u2019s license was restricted; meanwhile he kept practicing.<\/p>\n

The week in pawtriarchy<\/p>\n

You already know about the brain worm<\/a> and the dead bear<\/a> he dumped in Central Park. Now some disturbing new news has come out about Robert F Kennedy Jr<\/a> \u2013 this time involving a raccoon. According to an excerpt<\/a> from a new book about RFK, the health secretary has a journal where he wrote about \u201ccutting off the penis of a road-killed raccoon in 2001, while his \u2018kids waited patiently in the car,\u2019 so that he could examine it later\u201d. There is no clarification about what this examination involved, but the story is yet another reminder that everyone leading the US needs their head examined.<\/p>\n