Kelly criticizes Hegseth's invocation of religion in Iran war
Source: The Hill
03/30/26 1:23 PM ET
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) on Sunday criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s invocation of religion in the war with Iran. Kelly, who is a retired naval officer, urged Pentagon leaders and fighters to be “merciful people” who “respect life” and “respect the rule of law” in an interview with Greg Sargent of The New Republic. “The U.S. military needs to be better than other militaries,” Kelly told Sargent.
Of Hegseth, he said: “It’s not the way somebody who claims to be a person of God—a religious person—should think.”. War “is a morally and ethically complicated thing for any person,” Kelly said in the interview. “Any serious warfighter struggles with it.”
Hegseth has repeatedly brought religion into the conflict with Iran in his public statements.
During his briefing on the war last week, he suggested that Americans take a knee and pray to Jesus for the success of U.S. forces in the Middle East. A few days later, he read out a sermon praying that “wicked souls” be “delivered to the eternal damnation” in the fight against Iran.
Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5807604-hegseth-kelly-battle-iran-war/
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