Interfaith Alliance Calls for Removal of Pete Hegseth, Rejection of Christian Nationalism in Government

‍The House of Representatives will soon vote on articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Reverend Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement: 

“Throughout his tenure as Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth has embodied and weaponized a dangerous and unconstitutional, religious extremist  agenda. Under Hegseth’s ‘leadership,’ the Trump Administration has shown utter contempt for constitutional boundaries between government and religion. We support his immediate firing or removal from office, including by impeachment. 

Hegseth has pushed our armed forces to discriminate against a wide range of military personnel who do not fit his narrow and extreme worldview – including trans people, black and female soldiers, and a wide range of faith communities. Instead of envisioning an armed forces drawn from all Americans and dedicated to defending constitutional democracy, he has sought to perpetuate a dangerous Crusader ideal, using explicitly Christian nationalist rhetoric and cherry-picked Bible verses to promote a “clash of civilization” against his chosen enemies, particularly Muslims in the Middle East. Hegseth’s Christian  nationalism explains in part his disastrous promotion and leadership of the war with Iran. 

Throughout the last two years, Interfaith Alliance and our partners have helped to mobilize diverse faith communities in defense of diverse, mult-faith democracy and opposition to Hegseth’s Christian nationalist crusade. The results of the recent midterm elections were a powerful rebuke to these ideas, as voters rejected policies and rhetoric rooted in discrimination, bigotry and belligerent militarism. Now, it is critical for our elected officials to do everything possible to confront and disempower Christian nationalism in our government, and to make clear it is totally incompatible with democracy. 

Removing Pete Hegseth from office will send a powerful message: Our government must serve the US Constitution and the entirety of the American people. Dangerous actions that seek to enshrine and enact any narrow religious worldview at home – and to perpetuate a doctrine of violent “holy war” overseas – can and must be stopped.”

‍

###

‍

‍Interfaith Alliance and Interfaith Alliance Foundation are a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information, visit interfaithalliance.org.

‍