Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to headline a faith rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., this weekend. The event, called Rededicate 250, is organized by a private foundation in partnership with the White House and features speakers that experts describe as Christian nationalist or extremist.
Event Details and Lineup
Rededicate 250 is billed as the faith-based component of America's semiquincentennial. The lineup includes a Detroit pastor who called the Democratic platform "demonic" and launched a memecoin after praying at Trump's second inauguration, a rabbi who defended torture and authored an essay titled "The Virtue of Hate," and a Christian author who said in 2020 he would die to keep Joe Biden out of the White House. Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and House Speaker Mike Johnson are also scheduled to appear. Notably, the lineup includes no Muslims, representatives of historically Black churches, Indigenous faith leaders, or mainline Protestants.
Hegseth's Background
Hegseth's writings contain anti-Muslim rhetoric and envision a U.S. military "taking sides" in a coming American civil war. His 2020 book American Crusade depicts Islam as a historic enemy of the West and calls for an "American crusade" against enemies. He has "deus vult" tattooed on his arm. Hegseth is a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, whose founder Douglas Wilson identifies as a Christian nationalist and says Hegseth's worldview aligns with theirs.
Speakers' Controversial Views
Jentezen Franklin, a televangelist, has written about "demonic atmospheres" and called homosexuality a "demonic sexual addiction." Lorenzo Sewell, a Detroit pastor, stated that "you can't honor God and be a Democrat" and launched a memecoin after his inauguration prayer. Eric Metaxas, a radio host, said he would "be happy to die in this fight" to overturn the 2020 election. Rabbi Meir Soloveichik has argued that torture can be appropriate and that hatred of enemies is a religious duty.
Christian Nationalism and Political Influence
Matthew D Taylor, an author on Christian nationalism, said the speakers are "some of the most active Christian nationalist leaders." The event reflects a Christian Zionist version of Christian nationalism, with strong support for Israel. The religious liberty commission, established by Trump, is dominated by Christians and Orthodox rabbis, with no Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist representation. A multifaith coalition has sued the administration over the commission's lack of balance.
