Former White House strategist Steve Bannon advised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday to reduce religious references in Pentagon briefings about the conflict with Iran, arguing they distract from the military's operational message.
Speaking on his show "War Room," Bannon praised Gen. Dan Caine, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, for their briefing on the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. "It was a briefing of precision," Bannon said, calling their presentation "magnificent."
"My observation or recommendation: I don't think I would start that with some references to the New Testament," Bannon added, offering what he described as his "two cents" on the matter.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative supporters have defended Hegseth's practice of opening briefings with religious references as consistent with his personal faith and appropriate for a nation at war.
Bannon, while offering the advice to moderate religious language in briefings, also defended Hegseth's overall approach to communication. On Thursday, Hegseth again criticized media coverage of the Iran operation, telling reporters: "Sometimes it's hard to figure out what side some of you are actually on."
Hegseth compared some reporters to the Pharisees, a group portrayed in the Bible as opponents of Jesus. "The legacy Trump-hating press, your politically motivated animus for President Trump nearly completely blinds you from the brilliance of our American warriors," he said.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive lawmakers and veterans' advocates have raised concerns about Hegseth's religious rhetoric since early March, when a group of 30 Democrats requested the Defense Department's inspector general open an investigation.
The lawmakers wrote that Hegseth's "extreme religious rhetoric has metastasized into segments of the military chain of command in ways that contravene constitutional protections, departmental rules and standards, or professional military norms."
Progressive critics have argued that religious invocations in official Pentagon briefings could compromise the secular nature of the military and potentially create divisions among service members of different faiths or no faith.
What the Numbers Show
Thirty Democrats signed the March letter requesting an inspector general investigation into Hegseth's religious rhetoric. The request cited specific instances including Hegseth calling for American families to pray for service members "in the name of Jesus Christ."
The inspector general has not yet announced whether it will open a formal investigation. No timeline has been provided for a decision.
The Bottom Line
The debate over religious language in Pentagon briefings reflects broader tensions between the administration's communication style and concerns about maintaining secular military protocols. Bannon's advice suggests a strategic calculation: minimizing cultural distractions to keep focus on military operations. The inspector general's decision on the Democratic request could determine whether Hegseth's religious rhetoric faces formal review. Watch for any update on the inspector general probe and whether Hegseth adjusts his briefing style going forward.