The Pentagon’s center courtyard was filled with the sound of carols and the clear proclamation of the Gospel on Dec. 17, 2025, when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth invited Franklin Graham to lead what many described as the first-ever Pentagon Christmas worship service. Hundreds of uniformed men and women, civilian employees, and their families gathered as top Christian artists led worship and a nativity scene took its place on the stage — a welcome return of Christmas to the heart of our nation’s defense.
Secretary Hegseth and Mrs. Hegseth also helped dedicate an inaugural Pentagon Christmas tree and set a tone of gratitude toward military families, underscoring a simple truth: our armed forces deserve the comfort and clarity of faith, not sterile secularism. The musical lineup included well-known Christian performers and the ceremony blended reverence with patriotism in a way that felt entirely appropriate for those who serve.
Franklin Graham delivered a powerful, hope-filled sermon reminding listeners that “Jesus took our shame,” a message that doesn’t belong confined to churches but belongs in the institutions that sustain our country’s freedom. The service was opened by Navy Admiral and Chaplain Carey Cash, who framed Christ’s coming as the greatest rescue operation of all time, a framing that resonated deeply with servicemen and women who understand sacrifice.
Of course, the predictable critics in the media raised constitutional questions about faith in the public square, but the service was voluntary and came after months of monthly prayer gatherings that Secretary Hegseth established to restore spiritual life in the Pentagon. Conservatives who value religious liberty should be blunt: the First Amendment protects both free exercise and freedom of conscience, and voluntary worship within our military community is a far cry from state coercion.
Secretary Hegseth has also made clear he wants a chaplain corps focused on biblical faith and spiritual care, not New Age fads, and he’s ordered reforms to ensure chaplains are serving the spiritual needs of troops rather than promoting secular ideologies. That pushback against woke spiritual training is exactly the kind of common-sense correction Americans expected when they demanded leaders who respect both faith and the fighting strength of our military.
Patriots should celebrate a Pentagon that remembers who we are and why we fight: a nation built on moral courage and faith in something greater than government. Thanks to Secretary Hegseth, Franklin Graham, and the brave servicemen and women who showed up to sing and pray, the Christmas season at the Pentagon reminded the country that faith and freedom go hand in hand.
