Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth found himself in hot water over a video repost that had tongues wagging about his stance on women’s suffrage.
According to CNN, before we dive into the details, let’s boil this down: the Pentagon stepped in to clarify that Hegseth fully supports women’s right to vote, despite his sharing of a controversial clip featuring a pastor with some eyebrow-raising views on the 19th Amendment.
This dust-up started when Hegseth reposted a CNN segment on X, showcasing Pastor Douglas Wilson, a self-described Christian Nationalist who openly calls for repealing women’s suffrage. Alongside Wilson, other pastors in the video pushed for a return to household voting, with men taking the lead at the ballot box.
Hegseth didn’t just share the clip—he added his message, “All of Christ for All of life,” which raised questions about whether he endorsed the video’s content. Now, in a world obsessed with tearing down traditional values, some might see this as a bold stand for faith-based principles. But let’s be real: suggesting men should vote for the family isn’t exactly a winning pitch in today’s equality-driven climate.
Beyond suffrage, the video also featured Wilson advocating for making the U.S. a “Christian nation” and supporting some deeply outdated views on social issues. While faith has a rightful place in public life, pushing for criminalizing personal choices or romanticizing historical injustices doesn’t align with the broader conservative goal of individual freedom. It’s a reminder that not every traditionalist idea deserves a comeback.
Adding another layer, Hegseth is tied to a church connected to Wilson’s congregation of reformed evangelical churches, which explains some of the overlap in worldview. Yet, affiliation doesn’t equal agreement on every point, and it’s worth noting that personal faith shouldn’t automatically translate to policy positions.
Enter the Pentagon, which on Thursday made it crystal clear that Hegseth supports women’s right to vote, shutting down any speculation to the contrary. “Of course, the secretary thinks that women should have the right to vote,” said Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson during a briefing. Talk about stating the obvious—yet in today’s hyper-reactive culture, even the most basic truths need a press conference.
Kingsley Wilson didn’t stop there, affirming Hegseth’s appreciation for many of Pastor Wilson’s teachings. “The secretary very much appreciates many of Mr. Wilson’s writings,” Wilson noted. But let’s not get carried away—admiring someone’s work doesn’t mean signing off on every radical idea they’ve ever floated.
Still, the Pentagon spokesperson was careful not to dissect every detail of the video’s content. “I’m not going to litigate every single aspect,” Kingsley Wilson added. Smart move—why wade into a theological swamp when the core issue is already settled?
Interestingly, this controversy hasn’t dented women’s enlistment in the military, according to the Pentagon’s latest figures. This fiscal year, female enlistees have surged by over 7,200 compared to last year, jumping from 16,700 to nearly 24,000. That’s a powerful testament to the resilience of women serving, regardless of social media storms.
The Pentagon remains optimistic about recruitment trends, with no expected drop-off despite the video flap. If anything, these numbers suggest that progressive hand-wringing over a single post might be much ado about nothing. Let’s not forget Hegseth’s history on women in the military—he once argued against women in combat roles but has since walked that back. He now publicly supports all women who serve, showing that even staunch conservatives can evolve on policy when faced with reality. It’s a refreshing change from the rigid dogma often seen on the left.
At the heart of this story is a tension between personal faith and public perception, a tightrope conservatives often walk in a culture quick to misinterpret intent. Hegseth’s repost may have been a nod to his spiritual roots, but it opened the door to assumptions about his policy views. The lesson here? In the age of X, every click carries weight.
Ultimately, the Pentagon’s clarification puts the suffrage question to bed, and the recruitment data shows women aren’t backing away from service under Hegseth’s leadership. While the video’s content may resonate with a narrow slice of traditionalists, most Americans—conservative or otherwise—aren’t clamoring for a return to 19th-century voting norms. It’s a non-issue, and the sooner we move on, the better.
So, while the progressive crowd might clutch their pearls over a pastor’s musings, let’s keep perspective: Hegseth’s record and the Pentagon’s stance are clear. Women’s rights aren’t under threat here, and military service remains a beacon of opportunity for all. If anything, this episode is just another reminder of how easily a single post can ignite a firestorm in today’s polarized landscape.
