In case you missed it — and I do hope you didn’t, because it was one of those magnificent moments where one of our mainstream media organs reveals just how clueless they are about serious subjects — CNN revealed it knew far less than it should about 1) America’s military or 2) prayer.
I rather suspected No. 2, as I think employees of the network probably think others are talking about Wolf Blitzer when they speak of “the Almighty.” However, No. 1 is a bit of a problem, inasmuch as the preferred network of 10 out of 10 stranded travelers in O’Hare — no, that joke will never get old — should probably know something about militaries, namely ours.
And while I will concede they do know some things about the U.S. armed forces, it’s clearly not enough because the outlet engaged in a freak-out session over Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosting “a monthly Christian prayer service at Pentagon.”
The May 21 piece by Natasha Bertrand and Haley Britzky noted that “[w]hile the Pentagon offers routine religious accommodations and services to personnel of different faiths … defense officials told CNN it was highly unusual for the secretary to host a religious event during the workday for a particular religion.”
Oh, and it was quite horrid, let me tell you:
“This is precisely where I need to be, exactly where we need to be as a nation at this moment, in prayer, on bended knee, recognizing the providence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Hegseth said in opening remarks at the service. “This is something we plan to do on a monthly basis, on a voluntary basis, here in the auditorium. I hope you’ll let those you work with know about it.”
Brooks Potteiger, the pastor of Hegseth’s Tennessee church Pilgrim Hill Reformed Fellowship, delivered the sermon after Hegseth introduced him as his longtime “mentor.” A defense official said that no government funds were used to facilitate Potteiger’s visit to the department.
In a prayer opening the service in the Pentagon auditorium, Potteiger thanked God for Trump and other leaders who have been “sovereignly appointed,” and “the way that you have used him to bring stability and moral clarity to our lands.”
Appalling. A Christian defense secretary leading Christians in a prayer service! CNN went on to predictably find military law experts who called the prayer service “incredibly problematic” and a “clear violation” of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.
Do you think God will honor Hegseth welcoming prayer and the Bible to the Pentagon?
Intervening in this febrile hand-wringing was Michael Cassidy, a former U.S. Navy F/A-18 pilot and T-45 test pilot who is still in the Navy Reserves. He’s most recently been in the news for destroying a Satanic Temple display in Iowa state Capitol in December of 2023, although he’s run for office several times as a Republican.
However, he nailed CNN with a reality check over our military and Christianity — using a Democrat. And not just any Democrat, but the patron saint of 20th century Democrats:
In World War 2 the U.S. Government issued Christian Bibles to the troops, endorsed by the President, you historically-illiterate “journalist” https://t.co/q5cmo1u29l pic.twitter.com/T3FDJCXlBw
— Michael Cassidy ✝️ 🇺🇸 (@MichaelCassidy) May 22, 2025
Yes, that’s a military-issued Bible to our troops during World War II with a dedication from none other than Franklin Delano Roosevelt. And while I suspect that the signature was done via an early version of what we’d now call the “autopen,” it was almost certainly either written or approved of by the 32nd president of the United States:
As Commander-in-Chief I take pleasure in commending the reading of the Bible to all those who serve in the armed forces of the United States. Thoughout the centuries men of many faiths and diverse origins have found in the Sacred Book words of wisdom, counsel and inspiration. It is a fountain of strength and now, as always, an aid to attaining the highest aspirations of the human soul.
And keep in mind, this is dated practically a year before Pearl Harbor and our official involvement in the conflict. FDR felt the Bible was that important and that uncontroversial even before Americans were involved in hostilities.
This is a nation founded on Judeo-Christian values. FDR knew it. All of our presidents before him knew it. The majority of them after him knew it, too. And they knew the importance of the Good Book.
But here we are in 2025, and CNN is getting huffy about Pete Hegseth praying with his pastor. The Satanic Temple having a display at the Iowa state Capitol? Eh. They’d probably drop by to pay their respects; heaven knows Hell has been pretty busy keeping the headlines coming for the left-wing media.
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