At the first Christian worship service held at the Pentagon in 2026, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth described the U.S. military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as a mission carried out under prayer and reliance on God. Speaking to military personnel, Hegseth said the gravity of the operation led him to Scripture, specifically Psalm 144, which he prayed throughout the planning and execution of the mission.
“In the days leading up to it, the mounting weight of what it would mean was self-evident,” Hegseth said. “It brought me to the word… which brought me to Psalm 144.” He told those involved in the operation, “This is the psalm I’m going to be praying leading up to this… over our warriors as they execute this incredible mission.”
Recalling the moment the operation unfolded, Hegseth said, “As those birds are coming in, the only thing I could do was bow my head and pray. It’s the only thing I can affect.” He added that he prayed “to our Lord and Savior for the protection, for the providence of those incredible warriors doing things that most Americans can absolutely never conceive of,” and thanked God for “being with our warriors… and being with leaders in discernment.”
During the service, Hegseth read aloud from Psalm 144, including the passage, “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.” He then expressed his hope that the military would act in faith, saying, “May our God be the Lord in the conduct of our activities in this department… That’s why we gather once a month, to center as a department and remember who we serve.”
Hegseth urged those present to incorporate prayer into their work, telling them, “If we trust Christ we can never go wrong. Don’t forget to bow your head in the middle of the day when you’re making big decisions… God’s got a plan.” In his closing prayer, he thanked God for allowing them “to gather this way together and worship you… and submit to your word.”
The service also featured preaching by Pastor Brooks Potteiger, who framed the U.S. military as acting under God’s authority and prayed for strength and effectiveness in its missions. The monthly worship services, which Hegseth initiated in 2025, have drawn criticism from church-state advocates, while supporters within the Pentagon continue to describe them as voluntary expressions of faith.
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