Hegseth's 'Christ is King' Slogan Misses Christian Hope

Defense Secretary's remarks at religious broadcasters' convention raise concerns about political appropriation of Christian language.

Mar. 10, 2026 at 5:30pm

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In a speech to the National Religious Broadcasters convention, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth concluded by declaring 'Christ is king,' a phrase that resonates with many Americans steeped in civil religion. However, this appropriation of Christian language often fails to attend to its deeper theological meaning and history in Scripture, transforming a radical proclamation into an earthbound political slogan.

Why it matters

Hegseth's use of the phrase 'Christ is king' points to how political rhetoric can borrow Christian language without fully engaging the message of Christian hope itself. This risks inverting the delicate relationship between church and state that thinkers like Augustine worked to articulate, where theology is pressed into service for projects it was never meant to guarantee.

The details

Hegseth's remarks traced a direct line from biblical faith to the American founding, suggesting the legitimacy of a political project depends on its proximity to a presumed biblical through-line. However, Christian eschatology is not primarily about the triumph of a political agenda, but about the kingdom of God - a reality already begun in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, centered on God's justice, mercy and reconciliation, not political power or territorial dominion.

  • Hegseth made the remarks at the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville last week.

The players

Pete Hegseth

The current U.S. Secretary of Defense, who concluded a speech to the National Religious Broadcasters convention by declaring 'Christ is king.'

Augustine

The influential 4th-5th century Christian theologian who worked to relativize the relationship between the church and the Roman Empire, rather than sanctify it.

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What they’re saying

“Christ is king.”

— Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense

The takeaway

Hegseth's use of the phrase 'Christ is king' risks inverting the delicate relationship between church and state, where Christian language is appropriated to secure moral gravity for political projects rather than attending to the deeper theological meaning. True Christian eschatology is about the kingdom of God, not the triumph of any earthly political agenda.