Pentagon Official Quotes Mafia Hitman Monologue in 'Prayer'

Pete Hegseth's speech at the Pentagon mirrors a scene from the film 'Pulp Fiction'

Apr. 17, 2026 at 6:36pm

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A fractured, geometric painting of a Pentagon building surrounded by overlapping, repeating waves of dark grey, navy blue, and crimson red, conceptually representing the blending of pop culture, violence, and religious rhetoric in an official government setting.A fractured, avant-garde painting captures the unsettling blend of pop culture, violence, and religious rhetoric in a Pentagon 'worship service'.Everglades Today

Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host and current Pentagon official, has come under scrutiny for delivering a 'prayer' at the Pentagon that was nearly a word-for-word recitation of a monologue delivered by the character Jules Winnfield, a mafia hitman, in the 1994 film 'Pulp Fiction'. Hegseth's speech mirrored the violent and vengeful language used by the fictional character, raising concerns about the appropriateness of such rhetoric in an official government setting.

Why it matters

Hegseth's use of the mafia hitman's monologue in a Pentagon 'worship service' has sparked outrage and concerns about the blending of pop culture, violence, and religious rhetoric in official government proceedings. It raises questions about the Pentagon's judgment and the potential normalization of such extreme language in the context of waging war.

The details

In the film 'Pulp Fiction', the character Jules Winnfield, played by Samuel L. Jackson, delivers a monologue that is a modified version of a verse from the Book of Ezekiel. Hegseth's 'prayer' mirrored this monologue, only changing the final line to reference his 'call sign' of 'Sandy'. This blending of pop culture, religious language, and violent rhetoric in an official Pentagon setting has been widely criticized as inappropriate and concerning.

  • On April 15, 2026, Hegseth delivered the 'prayer' during a Pentagon 'worship service'.

The players

Pete Hegseth

A former Fox News host who is currently a Pentagon official.

Jules Winnfield

A character from the 1994 film 'Pulp Fiction', played by Samuel L. Jackson, who is a mafia hitman.

Quentin Tarantino

The director of the film 'Pulp Fiction'.

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What they’re saying

“Ezekiel 25:17. 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 call sign is Sandy when I lay My vengeance upon you.”

— Pete Hegseth, Pentagon Official

What’s next

The Pentagon has not yet commented on the appropriateness of Hegseth's 'prayer' or whether any disciplinary action will be taken.

The takeaway

Hegseth's use of a mafia hitman's monologue in a Pentagon 'worship service' highlights the concerning blending of pop culture, violence, and religious rhetoric in official government proceedings. It raises questions about the Pentagon's judgment and the potential normalization of such extreme language in the context of waging war.