The Christian nationalist pastor with ties to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

By Pamela Brown and Shoshana Dubnow, CNN

Published 6:58 AM EDT, Fri August 8, 2025

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The Christian nationalist pastor with ties to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Self-described Christian nationalist pastor Douglas Wilson is part of an ascendent group of Christian religious leaders finding influence among MAGA conservatives. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is Wilson’s most prominent and public follower in the Trump administration. CNN's Pamela Brown reports from Moscow, Idaho where Wilson's Christ Church is based.

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