'Go Back to Fox!': Pete Hegseth Torched by Critics After Defense Sec. Pentagon Creates Office of Religious Affairs
Pete Hegseth has once again found himself in hot water.
Oct. 5 2026, Published 12:45 p.m. ET
Critics have torched Pete Hegseth after the Defense Sec. announced the opening of the Office of Religious Affairs (ORA), RadarOnline.com can reveal.
During a speech on September 30, the 46-year-old said the ORA will help service members put on "the full armor of God" and referenced Psalm 33:12.
Pete Hegseth Discusses the New Office
Hegseth discussed the importance of providing religious support to service members.
Discussing the upcoming launch of the new office, Hegseth said religious services for military members have been overlooked.
The Defense Secretary stated that 95 percent of service members believe in God, so the Department of Defense has a responsibility to provide them with "first-class religious support."
The staff in the ORA will report directly to Hegseth.
"This is not going to be a paper-pushing shop; it's going to have real teeth. It'll protect budgets, demand infrastructure, and strengthen religious support," Hegseth shared.
About the Office of Religious Affairs
The ORA will promote 'spiritual readiness.''
According to the DOD, instead of religious services being available "across distant bureaucratic layers," the ORA will serve as a space to support service chaplains, fill in existing gaps, and get rid of "policy barriers."
"Spiritual readiness" will be seen as a key part of succeeding in combat by building up the "resilience, conviction, and moral strength" of soldiers.
The ORA's main source for service members to receive faith-based support will be service chaplains, who will also serve as "powerful advocate[s]."
The DOD's website also states the ORA will not favor one faith, nor will service members be forced to participate in religious practices.
Critics Call Out Pete Hegseth
Several leaders have criticized the launch of the new office.
Since Hegseth announced the ORA, several critics have spoken out.
"Hegseth is a full-throttle Christian nationalist who hates separation of church and state. He chips away at it all the time – through his monthly Christian church service at the Pentagon auditorium, his endless proselytizing, and by removing religious minority faith codes from the Chaplaincy program," Rep. Jared Huffman wrote in an X post.
Hegseth is a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, which is led by Pastor Douglas Wilson. The controversial Wilson has called himself a Christian nationalist and advocated for the 19th Amendment to be repealed.
Mikey Weinstein, who founded the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, told a publication his foundation "condemns in the strongest terms" Hegseth's "immoral, unethical and unconstitutional actions."
Additionally, the Freedom From Religion Foundation said the Pentagon doesn't need a "theology department," but should protect soldiers' rights to practice "a minority faith or no religion at all."
Earlier this year, Hegseth reduced the DOD's recognized religions from more than 200 to 30.
Support for the ORA
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Archbishop Broglio expressed support for the ORA.
Another critic urged Hegseth to "go back to Fox." Hegseth was a regular on Fox News before joining President Trump's administration.
"Complete insanity!" a commentator raged.
Meanwhile, the new office has received support from the Archdiocese for the Military Services.
In a statement written by Archbishop Broglio, he said he "appreciates the initiative" and hopes the ORA provides more support to service members and their families.
