Pete Hegseth’s Spiritual Adviser Wants a Christian America
On a brilliantly sunny day in May, Mother Jones national correspondent Kiera Butler found herself eating quiche in the cheerful breakfast nook of a home high above the rolling farmland of Moscow, Idaho. Her host was Doug Wilson, a firebrand pastor, self-proclaimed Christian nationalist, and spiritual leader steering a rapidly growing empire. Subscribe to Mother […]
In a sunny May day, Mother Jones national correspondent Kiera Butler dined on quiche at a cozy breakfast spot in Moscow, Idaho. Her host, Doug Wilson, a prominent pastor and Christian nationalist, was 73 years old and shared stories about his family. However, there was an undercurrent of a movement that emphasized strict masculinity, discipline, and an opposition to progressive politics.
"God has called men to be aggressive leaders," Wilson stated. "Failure to follow leads to disobedience toward God." This week, Butler and producer Steven Rascón explored Wilson's inner circle for Mother Jones' Reveal, revealing how these fundamentalist beliefs were seeping into American national security policies under the guidance of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who regards Wilson as a spiritual advisor.
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