Hegseth slammed for 'blasphemous' use of bible passage in military recruitment drive

Hegseth slammed for 'blasphemous' use of bible passage in military recruitment drive US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has come under fire for a military “Send Me Tour” that draws on biblical verses and Christian scripture to recruit new soldiers. Hegseth visited Texas A&M University over the weekend as part of the tour, which is based on a well-known refrain from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah, Chapter 6, Verse 8, in which God asks, "Who shall I send?" and the prophet Isaiah replies, “Lord, I am here. Send me”. Isaiah is a prophet for both Jews and Christians. Although the Quran does not explicitly mention him, some Islamic literature regards him as a prophet. Hegseth was filmed in front of a group of young college students, invoking Isaiah’s biblical language for a war chant. Read more: Hegseth slammed for 'blasphemous' use of bible passage in military recruitment drive US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth poses for a photo during a game at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, on 19 September 2026 (Zach Del Bello/Getty Images/AFP)