Amidst the shocking news of Charlie Kirk’s death, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has stirred up a storm online after leading soldiers in prayer in Washington, DC — an act that left many netizens baffled and questioning his intentions. A video posted on Reddit begins with a troop of soldiers lined up while Hegseth, in a blue suit, holding a microphone, stands at the front, addressing them. He starts his speech with the somber words, “We lost an incredible American today. A dear friend of mine.” Hegseth then reveals that the person he was referring to was a dear friend, Charlie Kirk, who, according to him, was taken by an assassin’s bullet.
Explaining his decision to be with the soldiers rather than the media, Hegseth, who described Kirk’s death as “unfathomable,” said he didn’t know how to process the loss. He praised the troops for the risks they take daily and expressed that spending the moment with them was far more meaningful than facing cameras. “You don’t do this for media; you don’t do this for recognition,” he declared.
After his short speech, Hegseth invited the soldiers to join him in prayer. “So if you would, bow your heads with me and join me in the Lord’s Prayer,” he said. The soldiers bowed as he led them through the Lord’s Prayer. When it ended, the soldiers raised their heads, only for Hegseth to continue, this time praying for Kirk’s family to find comfort and closing with a prayer of protection over the troops.
The video quickly went viral, sparking heated debate across social media. One commenter asked in confusion, “For what reason does the Secretary of Defense of any nation have to address troops about the shooting of a public speaker? Kirk wasn’t a politician or a military figure. This has nothing to do with them whatsoever.”
Others dismissed the moment as a publicity stunt. “Well, Hegseth is a media whore and wanted to insert himself into the conversation, so he did what he does best, pretended to be a fake Christian and patriot and used the troops as props,” one wrote. Another user pointed out the irony, “Funny how he says ‘you don’t do this for recognition’ right as he’s staring into the camera while someone films him.”
Criticism kept rolling in. “LMAO, this administration is run by nothing but absolute losers. My God,” one commenter said, while another questioned, “I’m confused. Isn’t there supposed to be a separation of church and state in the USA?”
Frustration was also evident in remarks like “F-ck this staged blasphemy,” while one Redditor highlighted racial undertones, “I see a few Black soldiers there. It’s wild how he’s preaching about a far-right racist to the military. The disrespect is wild.”
This controversy follows the tragic incident at Utah Valley University in Orem, where Charlie Kirk was shot during an event. Kirk, a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, was struck in the neck. Trump later confirmed Kirk’s death while describing him as “a great guy from top to bottom.”
While the nation waits for more details, authorities have confirmed the arrest of an older man, whose name has not yet been released, as a suspect in the attack.
