Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is drawing fresh controversy and adding to the political headaches for President Trump after reposting a CNN segment about a pastor who believes women should not vote.
The report centered on Pastor Doug Wilson, a Christian nationalist who cofounded the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC) in Idaho. In the footage, Wilson calls for transforming America into a Christian nation and even entertains the idea of rescinding voting rights for women. “I would like to see this nation being a Christian nation, and I would like this world to be a Christian world,” Wilson said.
The segment also features fellow pastor Toby Sumpter saying, “In an ideal society, we would vote as households,” and pastor Jared Longshore openly supporting repeal of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. One parishioner, Amy Prince, told CNN her husband “is the head of our household, and I do submit to him.”
Wilson also argues women should not serve in military leadership roles or in high-profile combat positions a position that echoes remarks Hegseth made in December 2024. At the time, the Pentagon chief said, “I’m straight up just saying that we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated.”
The CNN piece shows video of Hegseth attending a service at Wilson’s church, further linking him to the controversial views.
The timing of this resurfaced connection is politically sensitive. The Trump administration has been pushing a high-profile campaign to eliminate what it calls “anti-Christian bias” in government, including a February executive order on the issue. Hegseth has also hosted a prayer service in the Pentagon now reportedly a monthly tradition and Trump established a White House Faith Office led by Rev. Paula White, who calls herself a “cultural reformer.”
For Trump, Hegseth’s growing list of controversies risks becoming another distraction as critics seize on the defense chief’s alignment with figures who promote rolling back women’s rights.