Pete Hegseth’s holy war: the militant Christian theology animating the US attack on Iran

Source: The Guardian

The Guardian presents itself as a source of fearless, independent journalism with dedicated sections for news, opinion, sport, culture, and live blogs, including a corrections page and tips line for accountability. It offers award-winning podcasts and emphasizes reader-funded content via subscriptions for ad-free access. No specific fact-checking scores or ratings appear in the provided results.

Source: Julia Carrie Wong

Julia Carrie Wong is a technology reporter for Guardian US since 2016, based in San Francisco, with prior roles at SF Weekly and freelance contributions to progressive outlets like The Nation, Salon.com, and BuzzFeed. She holds a BA in English from Harvard and an MFA from the University of Iowa. Her reporting on Facebook's disinformation in Azerbaijan and Honduras, white supremacist groups, online extremism, tech labor issues, and San Francisco gentrification has been noted by Wikipedia for raising awareness of content management problems.

Source: Pete Hegseth

Pete Hegseth transitioned from Fox News contributor and co-host (2014–2024) to U.S. Secretary of Defense on January 25, 2025. His pre-government career involved political activism (2006–2016) and military service across three periods totaling over a decade. Wikipedia documents personal controversies including a section on abuse and sexual assault allegations, potentially affecting public trust in his commentary or leadership.

Missing Context

The Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab was located adjacent to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) base and was previously part of the IRGC compound.

This proximity provides context for why the site may have been targeted in a US strike during Operation Epic Fury against Iranian military targets, changing the perception from random child-killing to potential collateral damage near a legitimate military objective.

Missing Context

The US-Iran war (Operation Epic Fury) began on February 28, 2026, as a US-Israeli response to Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which halted nearly all oil traffic and caused massive global economic disruption.

The article implies the US inexplicably started bombing Tehran after 47 years of restraint; this fact shows the war as a response to Iranian aggression, substantially altering the moral framing of US actions.

unverified_claim

Quotes Brooks Potteiger's sermon at Pentagon 9 months and 6 days before the school bombing, specifically citing Matthew 10 and referencing sovereignty over Tomahawk missiles falling.

Juxtaposes the sermon directly with the school bombing to imply divine sanction or foreknowledge, creating a causal link between Hegseth's pastor's words and the strike.

Framing

Frames Hegseth's faith and tattoos (e.g., "Deus Vult", Crusader imagery) as animating a "holy war" and potential completion of the Crusades, using terms like "piety and bloodlust", "Crusader tattoos", "barbaric savages".

Employed definitional hijacking and mechanism-free moral labeling ("militant Christian theology", Crusader links to white supremacy), implying religious fanaticism drove policy without evidence of causal mechanism.

Omission

States US responsible for school bombing killing 175 "but neither Trump nor Hegseth has taken any responsibility, nor expressed remorse"; frames war as reckless without congressional approval.

US announced investigation; war framed as US victory by Hegseth/CENTCOM with objectives met; omits Dem opposition but also public support context and Iranian losses.

Emotional Manipulation

Opens with graphic description: "Tomahawk missile tore through the gaily decorated classrooms... ripping apart the bodies of schoolchildren, teachers, and parents"; juxtaposes with pastor's sermon.

Anecdote-as-evidence and emotional asymmetry prime outrage before facts, minimizing Iranian agency (IRGC base, blockade) and US strategic context.

Source Credibility

Relies heavily on Julie Ingersoll, professor critical of Reformed Christianity/CREC, for interpretive claims like God ordering school bombing akin to Deuteronomy.

Authority laundering: presents her views as neutral expertise on Hegseth's beliefs without noting her critical stance on the theology she describes.

Factual Error

Claims Hegseth was "forced out" of veterans groups over "serious allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual impropriety, and personal misconduct"; paid $50k to rape accuser (denies).

Presents as settled fact without noting resolutions or his denials, using to smear character amid religious critique.

Framing

Speculates "Could [Hegseth] have convinced Trump to start a war to complete the unfinished business of the Crusades?" linking tattoos/theology directly to policy.

Premature categorization and motive substitution: imputes Crusader intent without evidence, turning reporting into conspiracy.

Omission

No mention US achieved "every single objective" per Hegseth/CENTCOM, including destroying Iran's navy/missiles; Iran "begged" for ceasefire.

Frames war as "strategic defeat" for US based on one incident/spin; omits overall US victory claim/outcomes.

Missing Context

Hegseth confirmed pilot rescue on Easter Sunday, framing as "pilot reborn" mirroring resurrection, after F-15 downed Good Friday.

Article reports this as "positive spin to inconvenient facts" (air dominance claim, costs); but confirms the religious framing it critiques elsewhere.

Source Credibility

Guardian (Left bias per AllSides) by Wong (progressive freelance history) heavily quotes Ingersoll, critical of CREC/Reformed theology.

Source asymmetry: no pro-CREC or neutral voices on theology; outlet/author lean shapes anti-Hegseth narrative.