U.S. Defense Secretary Under Fire for Reposting Anti-Women Voting Clip
(MENAFN) U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing intense backlash after reposting a video featuring pastors who advocate for restricting women's voting rights and express sympathetic views on slavery.
The controversy erupted following a Friday post on X, in which Hegseth shared a seven-minute segment from an interview and captioned it: "All of Christ for All of Life."
The video, originally reported by media, includes remarks from pastor Toby Sumpter, who stated: “In my ideal society, we would vote as households. I would ordinarily be the one to cast the vote, but I would cast the vote having discussed it with my household.”
Idaho-based pastor Doug Wilson, also featured in the video, stood by earlier statements defending the concept of "mutual affection between slaves and their masters."
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told media that Hegseth is a "proud member" of a church tied to the denomination Wilson established and that the secretary "very much appreciates many of Mr. Wilson’s writings and teachings."
Critics say the video’s message raises concerns about the secretary's views on civil rights and gender equality.
Andrew Whitehead, a sociology professor at Indiana University Indianapolis, told media, "It really does matter if the secretary of defense is retweeting a video with very particular views about whether women should be able to vote or serve in combat roles or if slavery really isn’t all that bad."
"That's not just a person's view. It's a person in a pretty broad position of power."
Hegseth reportedly attends Christ Church’s new Washington, D.C., parish with his family, according to media. The church, led by Wilson, has expanded its presence across the U.S.
Hegseth, a controversial figure even before his cabinet appointment, previously denied allegations of sexual misconduct and public intoxication. He has also been accused of Islamophobic rhetoric and, more recently, of compromising military intelligence by using a commercial messaging app to discuss a classified operation.
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