Summary (tl;dr)

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is trending after reciting a prayer at a Pentagon worship service that closely resembled a violent monologue from Quentin Tarantino's film Pulp Fiction, rather than the actual Bible verse Ezekiel 25:17 it was purportedly based on.

Essential Background

The biblical verse Ezekiel 25:17, which speaks of God's vengeance, gained significant pop culture recognition after being famously, though inaccurately, quoted and dramatically expanded upon by Samuel L. Jackson's character, Jules Winnfield, in the 1994 cult classic film Pulp Fiction. The movie version deviates substantially from the original scripture, adding phrases like "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men."

The Full Story

On Wednesday, April 15, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth led a worship service at the Pentagon where he recited what he presented as a military prayer titled "CSAR 25:17," which he suggested was "meant to reflect Ezekiel 25:17." However, the words spoken by Hegseth were almost a verbatim adaptation of the Pulp Fiction monologue, with specific military-themed alterations, such as replacing "the righteous man" with "the downed aviator" and "the Lord" with the call sign "Sandy 1." A video of the sermon quickly circulated online, sparking widespread debate and drawing comparisons between Hegseth's prayer and the iconic film scene.

Why It Matters

This incident has ignited controversy and discussion across social media and news outlets, as many are questioning the appropriateness of a senior defense official reciting a violent, fictionalized quote from a movie, even one loosely based on scripture, during an official worship service at the Pentagon. Critics have highlighted the stark contrast between the original biblical context of divine judgment and the film's use of the lines by a hitman before committing murder, and Hegseth's adaptation for a military context has further fueled the debate. The event also adds to ongoing scrutiny of Hegseth's leadership, particularly his integration of Christian nationalism into his official duties and previous controversial statements regarding military efforts.

Geographic Location

• The Pentagon, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, United States (worship service where prayer was recited)