Controversies Around Hegseth's Character

Host Sarah Posner examines Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s escalating campaign to remake the Pentagon in the image of a militant, hyper-masculine Christian nationalism—from dismantling small-business contracting as “DEI,” to purging diversity programs, hosting monthly Christian prayer meetings inside the Pentagon, and framing U.S. military power as divinely sanctioned. As Trump rattles the global order with threats against NATO allies and Greenland, Posner traces how Hegseth’s theology and politics blur the lines among biblical law, domestic authority, and international norms—raising urgent questions about religion, war, and state power.

Posner is joined by Dr. Julie Ingersoll, professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Florida and author of Building God’s Kingdom, for a deep dive into the radical Christian Reconstructionist movement shaping Hegseth’s worldview. They unpack the influence of Doug Wilson and the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, including beliefs about biblical law, patriarchy, Christian dominion, and a “God of war” theology that legitimizes violence and conquest. The conversation explores how once-fringe theocratic ideas have quietly moved into the corridors of power—and what it means when U.S. military leaders see themselves as carrying out God’s will, at home and abroad.

Julie Ingersoll is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, where she teaches and writes about religion in American culture, with a particular focus on religion and politics and the religious right.

Originally from Maine, she earned a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, along with degrees in history from George Washington University and political science from Rutgers College. She began studying religion as an undergraduate because of her interest in politics, which she saw as deeply intertwined with religious life—an understanding that only deepened as her studies continued.

More about Dr. Ingersoll: https://julieingersoll.weebly.com/about.html

Additional Resources:

Julie Ingersoll, Building God’s Kingdom: Inside the World of Christian Reconstruction (New York: Oxford University Press, 2015)

Julie Ingersoll, “Why the religious beliefs of Trump defense pick Pete Hegseth matter,” The Conversation, December 12, 2024, https://theconversation.com/why-the-religious-beliefs-of-trump-defense-pick-pete-hegseth-matter-245601

Brian Kaylor, “Hegseth Shares War Psalm He Prayed During Venezuela Attack,” A Public Witness, January 21, 2026, https://publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-shares-war-psalm-he-prayed

Brian Kaylor, “At Pentagon Christmas Service, Franklin Graham Praises ‘God of War’,” A Public Witness, December 17, 2025, https://publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/at-pentagon-christmas-service-franklin

Government Worship Watch, A Public Witness, https://publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/government-worship-watch

“The Christian nationalist pastor with ties to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth,” CNN, August 8, 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/08/politics/video/christian-nationalist-doug-wilson-pam-brown-digvid

Creator: Sarah Posner: https://www.sarahposner.com/

Producer and Engineer: Dr. Ger FitzGerald

Executive Producer: Dr. Bradley Onishi

Production Assistance: Kari Onishi

Generous funding provided by the Henry Luce Foundation.

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