A Pentagon Good Friday service that excluded a Catholic observance is drawing new scrutiny toward Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, adding to growing criticism over his leadership decisions, including the firing of senior military officials and concerns about stalled promotions affecting women and Black officers.
According to reporting circulated Friday and first highlighted by HuffPost, Pentagon staff received an internal email announcing a Good Friday event at the Pentagon Chapel described as a Protestant service, with no Catholic liturgy scheduled. A Defense Department spokesperson confirmed to reporters that the Protestant service was the only one planned inside the Pentagon that day.
"Just a friendly reminder: There will be a Protestant Service (No Catholic Mass) for Good Friday today at the Pentagon Chapel," allegedly said the email shared by a staff member, which hasn't been seen by The Latin Times.
Good Friday is one of the most solemn days in Christianity and is observed by both Protestants and Catholics, though with different traditions. While Catholics do not celebrate a full Mass on Good Friday, they traditionally hold a distinct liturgy centered on the Passion of Christ. Critics said the framing of the Pentagon event, coupled with the absence of a Catholic service, raised concerns about unequal religious representation.
The controversy comes just days after The Washington Post reported that Hegseth has been hosting monthly evangelical Christian services inside the Pentagon, a move that has unsettled some service members and former military officials. The report cited concerns that the events blur the line between personal faith and official government endorsement.
An earlier report by Associated Press detailed one such service in March, where Hegseth led a prayer referencing "overwhelming violence of action," further intensifying debate about the tone and messaging of the gatherings.
But the backlash facing the Pentagon extends beyond religious concerns.
In recent weeks, Hegseth has also faced criticism over what opponents describe as a sweeping shake-up of military leadership. Multiple reports have documented the removal or sidelining of several senior officers, part of what allies describe as an effort to reshape military leadership, but critics characterize as a politically driven purge.
This year, the Pentagon's leadership shake-up has included the abrupt ouster of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, along with Gen. David Hodne and Maj. Gen. William Green, with the Pentagon giving no public reason for the removals.
Reuters reported that George was fired on April 2, 2026, during wartime and with more than a year left in his term, an unusually dramatic move that added to what AP described as a broader wave of senior-level dismissals under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The backlash did not start this week. In February 2025, Trump removed Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. C.Q. Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, and other top officers, while Hegseth also pushed out the judge advocates general for the Army, Navy and Air Force. Reuters later reported that Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland, one of the Army's most senior Black female officers, was forced into retirement, intensifying criticism that the purge was hitting women and Black leaders especially hard. Former defense secretaries called the firings reckless, and Reuters noted that Hegseth had long attacked Pentagon diversity efforts and had previously questioned whether Brown got the top job because he was Black
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
