Viewers watching a Pentagon worship service this week noticed something familiar about a prayer recited by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth: its language closely echoes a monologue made famous by the 1994 film Pulp Fiction.
During the service at the Pentagon complex on Wednesday, Hegseth explained that the prayer—known as “CSAR 25:17”—had been recited by “Sandy 1” to combat search‑and‑rescue crews ahead of CSAR missions, including a recent operation involving two U.S. Air Force crew members who were shot down over Iran.
The moment circulated online as listeners recognized the familiar wording. The remarks came just hours before House Democrats filed articles of impeachment against him.
Newsweek reached out to the Pentagon via email for comment.
Why It Matters
The prayer’s resemblance to dialogue from Pulp Fiction drew attention on social media, highlighting how pop‑culture language may have been absorbed into military tradition and ceremonial settings.
The episode also comes at a politically sensitive moment for Hegseth, who is facing impeachment efforts tied to the U.S. war in Iran, civilian casualties and questions surrounding the handling of sensitive military information.
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What To Know
Before reciting the prayer, Hegseth explained its origins during the livestreamed service, adding that the prayer has become commonplace in the military setting.
“This prayer was recited by Sandy 1, to all Sandys, all those A‑10 crews, prior to all CSAR missions, but especially this CSAR mission that happened in real time,” he said, referring to combat search‑and‑rescue operations.
“They call it CSAR 25:17, which I think is meant to reflect Ezekiel 25:17,” Hegseth added before reading the prayer aloud.
“The path of the downed aviator is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who in the name of comradery and duty shepherd the lost through the valley of 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 capture and destroy my brother. And you will know my call sign is Sandy One, when I lay my vengeance upon thee. Amen.”
—Prayer recited by Pete Hegseth
“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 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 name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you.”
—Samuel L. Jackson in ‘pulp fiction’
“And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.”
—Ezekiel 25:17
The authentic passage from Ezekiel is a condemnation of the Philistines and the Cherethites—historic enemies of the Israelites—and dates back to the 5th century BC. In the movie, Samuel Jackson’s character, Jules Winnfield, utters the verse moments before killing another character.
The moment quickly went viral online, sparking debate over the similarity of the prayer and the Oscar-winning film.
“Pete Hegseth quotes fake Pulp Fiction Bible verse during Pentagon sermon,” a Reddit post was captioned, amassing more than 22,000 upvotes.
Commenting on the similarities, MotherPotential said: “‘And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to capture and destroy my brother. And you will know my call sign is Sandy 1 when I lay my vengeance upon thee, and amen.’ Bro, there’s no way his speech writer isn’t memeing on him. This is directly from the movie, you can’t mistake the cadence.”
Commenting on the post, Reddit user FreedomPullo asked: “This is satire…isn’t it?!”
Hegseth has been holding regular Christian worship services at the Pentagon in recent months, a practice that has already drawn criticism from church‑state separation advocates.
What Happens Next
The reading of the prayer comes as House Democrats formally moved to impeach Hegseth over the U.S. war in Iran.
While the impeachment effort is unlikely to succeed in the Republican‑controlled House, it adds to a growing list of political and ethical questions surrounding Hegseth’s leadership at the Pentagon.
The Defense Department has pushed back against the impeachment. Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson told Newsweek: “This is just another charade in an attempt to distract the American people from the major successes we have had here at the Department of War.”