Recently, the statements made by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have sparked controversy on social media. During a press conference about the Iran war, he was criticized for quoting the name of Jesus Christ and calling on American citizens to pray.

When explaining the joint military operation initiated by President Donald Trump between the U.S. and Israel, Hegseth said, "May the Almighty God continue to bless our troops in this fight." He then urged the American people, "Kneel daily with your families, at school, at church, and pray in the name of Jesus Christ for their safety."

This remark immediately drew backlash online. Many pointed out the contradiction of praying for combatants in the name of Christ, who is known as a bringer of peace. Bluesky users commented, "Encouraging mass slaughter in the name of Jesus Christ is despicable." Reuters reporter Michael Darby expressed surprise, saying, "This blatantly breaks the separation of church and state."

Comic artist Greg Pak argued, "This alone should be grounds for impeachment. Our democracy should be pluralistic, not a theocratic Christian state." Baptist pastor Brian Kaylor also noted, "It is not the government's job to tell us when or how to pray."

Hegseth's remarks raise fundamental questions about the principle of separation of church and state. Veteran journalist Mark Jacob asked, "Don't you think it's highly inappropriate for the Secretary of Defense to be briefing about killing people and then say 'in the name of Jesus Christ'?"