Monday, July 13, 2026

The Ultraconservative Pastor behind the US Secretary of War

Jul 13, 2026 | As the Iran war reignites, there's a hidden figure influencing the American side.

In an exclusive interview for The Times, Pete Hegseth’s pastor Doug Wilson says the conflict in Iran is a righteous battle against Muslims, homosexuality is evil and women who dress immodestly are sluts.

How is this ultraconservative influencing US foreign policy? And could we see his brand of Christianity in the UK?

This podcast contains mention of some topics listeners may find offensive.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times.

Guest: George Grylls, Washington correspondent, The Times.
Host: Manveen Rana.
Producer: Olivia Case.
Photo: Dominic Gwinn / Zuma Press.



What a retard! What a dickhead! What a fossil! And we are giving this freak the oxygen of publicity? What is wrong with us? And, what is wrong with them? — © Mark Alexander