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CBS News’ “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan stunned millions of Christians on Thursday with a bizarre social media post that was highly critical of people of Christian faith.
The mockery began when Secretary of War Pete Hegseth spoke about Operation Epic Fury during a somber early morning press conference in which he vowed to “honor” the sacrifice of six U.S. service members killed in a plane crash last week.
Then he prayed, and CBS's Margaret Brennan unloaded on his prayer and Christians in general.
Be Informed, not misled.
After Hegseth, our Sec of War, made a few comments, he concluded by offering a prayer and asking the nation to please pray for our troops:
“May Almighty God continue to bless our troops in this fight. And again, to the American people, please pray for them, every day, on bended knee, with your family, in your schools, in your churches, in the name of Jesus Christ. To the troops, keep going and Godspeed,”
Brennan couldn't handle it.
She responded on X, “The Secretary of Defense tells the American public to pray for our troops on bended knee and invoke Jesus’ name….”
Response
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders responded, “Only in DC is something like this considered even remotely offensive.”
Rep. Brandon Gill added, “Democrats are reflexively repulsed when they hear someone invoke Christ’s name. What does that tell you?”
The official White House rapid response account also took a jab at Brennan.
“Only a leftist ‘reporter’ would be offended by praying for our troops,” Rapid Response 47 wrote.
Hegseth’s press secretary, Kingsley Wilson, noted that it was the same request “Americans have been doing since George Washington prayed for our troops at Valley Forge.”
“Every now and then, they just come right out and tell you what they think about you and your beliefs. Imagine what they say in private,” conservative pundit Jesse Kelly reacted.
The Federalist co-founder Sean Davis responded, “Go cry about it. We’d be in a much better place as a country if all our leaders did this.”
Conservative radio host Erick Erickson suggested the CBS anchor “thinks this is controversial,” while GOP strategist Steve Guest said, “She is attacking people of faith.”
“If this seems even mildly controversial, it would legitimately blow your mind to read what the men who founded our nation did, said, and prayed in the name of Jesus Christ while governing,” pastor Josh Howerton wrote.
CBS has not formally responded to the growing criticism at this point.
Kingsley Wilson is right.
Prayer to God is not something Hegseth created. Prayer and the Bible are the foundation upon which this nation was founded.
Does Brennan not know that? Or does her hate toward Christianity, especially invoking the name of Jesus Christ in prayer, override the truth in her reporting?
Trump was more than upset about the comments.
During an interview on Friday in the Oval Office, Trump spoke with Reagan Reese, a White House correspondent at the Daily Caller, about his gripes with mainstream media.
At one point, he took aim at Brennan, saying: “The woman on the ‘Face the Nation’ is so bad.”
Prayer to God has always been a core practice in the US.
George Washington prayed for God's guidance and strength:
"I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation. "
Democrat President Franklin D. Roosevelt led the nation in this prayer on D_Day:
"My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far."
"And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:"
"Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity."
"Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith."
"They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph."
"They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest, until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war."
"For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home."
"Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom."
"And for us at home - fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas - whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them - help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice."
There's more, but he concluded his prayer with this:
"With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil."
"Thy will be done, Almighty God."
"Amen."
On June 10th, 2025, President Trump gave a speech titled " God Bless Our Troops."
Takeaway
From Washington to Trump, our nation has stood on the rock of our belief in God, and many have recognized the fact that Jesus is God.
Without Jesus, there is no Christianity.
Those who choose to deny the Truth of God are fools according to the Bible.
Without Christianity, there is no United States of America.
President Reagan said if we do not continue to be one nation under God, we will be a "nation gone under."
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Mindful. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.
