Religion in U.S. Civil-Military Affairs

In an April 1, 2026 appearance on MS NOW’s “Morning Joe,” Sen. Mark Kelly, D‑Ariz., a retired Navy captain and astronaut, condemned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for repeatedly invoking Christianity in explaining and promoting the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Kelly cited Hegseth’s Pentagon prayer services, invitations to controversial Christian leaders, and a press briefing where Hegseth urged Americans to ‘take a knee and pray for victory in the name of Jesus Christ,’ calling that behavior ‘objectionable’ and inappropriate for a Defense Secretary. He argued the administration should be providing a coherent strategic rationale, timeline and exit strategy instead of religious appeals, warning that the war will raise Americans’ rent, grocery and gasoline costs and that Trump entered the conflict ‘without a strategic plan.’ Kelly also cautioned that any ground operation in Iran would be far more dangerous than Iraq, urged Trump to find an off‑ramp from a situation ‘you created,’ and linked his criticism to an ongoing legal fight over Hegseth’s move to downgrade his military retirement rank after he appeared in a video urging troops to resist unlawful orders.