In case you missed it, HuffPost revealed that earlier this month, a close spiritual adviser of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Pastor Brooks Potteiger, went on a podcast and prayed for Texas Democratic state Rep. James Talarico to die.
In a response to the HuffPost story, Potteiger confirmed he prayed for Talarico’s death because he is among “those who celebrate baby murder.”
Potteiger is the same pastor Hegseth personally brought into the Pentagon last May to lead prayer services.
Learn more about Hegseth’s closest spiritual advisor spreading dangerous messages and praying for the death of James Talarico:
- The pastor from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s home church in Tennessee said last week on a podcast that he wants James Talarico to die, referring to the Texas Democratic state representative and Presbyterian seminarian who regularly discusses his Christian faith in his current bid for U.S. Senate.
- Brooks Potteiger, an evangelical pastor who has been described as Hegseth’s closest spiritual adviser, repeatedly attacked Talarico on the podcast “Reformation Red Pill.” The show is hosted by Joshua Haymes, a former pastoral intern at Potteiger’s church.
- After referring to the Texas Democrat as “a wolf,” a “demon,” and “a snake,” the two talked about what they hope becomes of Talarico.
- “First and foremost, we pray that a man like this would be cut to the heart,” Haymes said. He said he puts Talarico in the category of “public enemies,” or those you “are not called to love.”
- “This is where you have imprecatory psalms. This is where you pray strongly,” he said. “The psalmist is not shy. God, destroy them. Make them as dung on the ground.”
- “I pray that God kills him,” Haymes continued. “Ultimately, that means killing his heart and raising him up to new life in Christ.”
- Potteiger concurred. “Right, right,” he said. “We want him crucified with Christ.”
- Haymes repeated that he wants “death and new life” for Talarico. “And if it would not be within God’s will to do so, stop him by any means necessary,” he said.
- At one point, the podcast host said Talarico “is the kind of guy you pray imprecatory psalms against. And I mean that actually.” An imprecatory psalm is a biblical song or prayer that invokes God’s judgment, curses, or destruction upon enemies.
- “Yep,” Potteiger said in response.
- Requests for comment were not returned from the Defense Department.
- Potteiger said on social media that the story is “false” and gave some “clarifying thoughts” on what he meant by saying he wants Talarico to be crucified.
- “Talarico joyfully advocates for the right for babies to be murdered in the womb,” he said. “He also knowingly twists the Scriptures to suggest God supports the murder of babies.”
- The pastor said God has given people imprecatory psalms to stop the plans of “evildoers” and that God “even says so in capital terms.”
- In the case of Talarico, Potteiger said he prays that “the ‘old man’ would die” in him because he is among “those who celebrate baby murder.”
- Hegseth has appeared on at least four episodes of the “Reformation Red Pill” podcast, and has reportedly endorsed the show on several occasions.
- Last May, the defense secretary brought Potteiger to the Pentagon to lead a prayer service, during which he hailed Trump as a divinely appointed leader. At the time, Hegseth said he wanted to make the prayer service a monthly event in the government building.
- Potteiger’s church, which is based in a Nashville suburb, is part of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, an archconservative network of Christian congregations. The governing documents of these churches dictate that leadership roles are reserved for men, that homosexuality is “unbiblical,” and that women should not serve in combat roles in the military.
Published: Mar 25, 2026 | Last Modified: Mar 27, 2026