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)