Department of Defense head Pete Hegseth has been ridiculed for delivering a Pentagon prayer service that featured a fictionalized Bible passage.
A clip of Hegseth speaking to the Pentagon staff has since been circulated on X, with Hegseth heard reciting the verse delivered by Samuel L. Jackson in the film. Hegseth introduced the prayer as CSAR 2517, which stands for Combat Search and Rescue, according to Public Witness. CSAR 2517 is in fact Ezekiel 25:17, a passage delivered by Jackson's character, Jules Winnfield, in Pulp Fiction.
Former Republican Party representative and outspoken critic of Donald Trump, Adam Kinzinger, shared his thoughts on the Hegseth speech. "Oh. My. Lord.", he posted.
Independent journalist Robert Kearney also wrote, "This nut has full rein over the most powerful military in the world, yet God forbid if the Pope dare tell America to seek peace instead of war."
Political analyst Joel Jenkins added, "The WW3 prayer recited verbatim from the Bible, via Tarantino 25:17, by the Secretary of War. Anyone scared for the immediate future of humanity?"
Political commentator Ed Krassenstein wrote, "Wow this is embarrassing! Pete Hegseth quoted a fake Bible verse from Pulp Fiction at a Pentagon speech and prayer session yesterday. The prayer was an adaptation of the monologue delivered by Samuel L. Jackson’s character. In the movie, the character falsely attributes it to Ezekiel 25:17 before a killing."
In the clip Hegseth delivers a prayer to the attendees. He says, "The path of the downed aviator is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of camaraderie and duty, shepherd the lost through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children.
"And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to capture and destroy my brother. And you will know my call sign is Sandy 1 when I lay my vengeance upon thee, and amen."
It bears a similar reading to the lines delivered by Jackson in Pulp Fiction. His character says, "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children.
"And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee!"
