Hegseth Says He Prays for US Troops and Seeks 'Biblical Wisdom' as Iran War Enters Day Five

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told reporters that he prays daily for American troops serving in Operation Epic Fury and that 'biblical wisdom' plays a role in 'every decision' the Trump administration makes regarding the Iran conflict — an extraordinary statement from the nation's top military official that would have been unthinkable in most previous administrations. Hegseth, a combat veteran and outspoken evangelical who has never been shy about his faith, framed the prayer not as a private devotional practice but as an integral part of the decision-making process that sends young Americans into harm's way. The statement arrives as the U.S. death toll climbs past ten service members and the conflict shows no signs of the quick resolution the administration initially suggested. For the families of the fallen and the troops still in theater, Hegseth's invocation of prayer and scripture offers either comfort or controversy depending on one's view of the role faith should play in the prosecution of war — but there is no disputing that the Secretary of War is making the most public case for God's involvement in American military decisions since the Eisenhower era.