Jonathan Lemire has made a stunning theological discovery!
On Thursday's Morning Joe, Lemire played a clip of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Quantico in which he said, "As Psalm 33:12 extols us, blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."
Lemire's verdict: "Yet again, another moment where Secretary Hegseth uses explicitly Christian rhetoric to describe the military."
Just one problem. It's not "explicitly Christian rhetoric." It is a line from the Psalms, written long before the Christian church emerged.
The verse Hegseth quoted is Psalm 33:12, from the Book of Psalms: "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." The Book of Psalms is Jewish scripture. Christians later inherited the Psalms as part of the Old Testament.
What's next, Jonathan? If Hegseth recites the Jewish creed, the Shema: "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one," will you condemn that too as "explicitly Christian rhetoric"?
— Mark Finkelstein (@markfinkelstein) October 1, 2026
This all came at Lemire trashed Hegseth for reducing the number of general officer slots by 20 percent. Hegseth was shown saying "the media calls that a purge. I call it accountability, and long overdue." Lemire shot back: "We can also call it juvenile and offensive."
Liberals like Lemire are on guard about any hint of Christianity finding its way into remarks by public servants, especially the Trump team. So much so that, as here, they flunk Jewish Scripture 101.
So remember: no Christianity in remarks by politicians—unless you're James Talarico.
Here's the transcript.
MS NOW
Morning Joe
10/1/26
8:28 am EDT
PETE HEGSETH: Simple translation of that? No fatties, no trannies, no beardos, no weirdos, no wimps, no radicals. Just warriors. The ideological clowns are out, the patriotic cowboys are in, with testosterone testing on top. Diversity is not our strength, unity is our strength.
The number crunchers say we've fired ten percent of the generals and admirals across the force, and that number sounds about right. And I know, because I directed it, that we've also reduced the overall number of general officer slots by an additional ten percent. So yes, twenty percent reduction across the board. Now the media calls that a purge. I call it accountability, and long overdue.
JONATHAN LEMIRE: We can also call it juvenile and offensive. Secretary Hegseth announced several new initiatives to the Pentagon, including an effort to study the future of warfare that will be led in part by Elon Musk, a new autonomous warfare command for robotics, as well as a military office that's focused on religious programs.
HEGSETH: Today, at my direction, I'm establishing the Office of Religious Affairs. Starting today, and for secretaries of war after me, the Office of Religious Affairs will report straight to the top. No staff filters, no bureaucratic dilution, a direct line to the secretary.
This is not going to be a paper-pushing shop. It's going to have real teeth. It'll protect budgets, demand infrastructure, and strengthen religious support. The experts, our chaplains, will finally have an advocate at the highest levels. Policy and resources will serve the mission, not smother the mission.
As Psalm 33:12 extols us, blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.
LEMIRE: Yet again, another moment where Secretary Hegseth uses explicitly Christian rhetoric to describe the military. It's a non-denominational Department of Defense, to be clear. And this comes, of course, at a moment where many observers would argue that he has made the military weaker by firing so many experienced generals and admirals, passing over others for promotions, those who tend to be candidates of color or, or women. And again, as the Pentagon is bogged down in a war in Iran, and our munitions continue to run low.
