Pentagon Prayer Service Quotation: Hegseth Reworks Pulp Fiction Verse
April 16, 2026
A report circulating online claims that Pete Hegseth, described in some versions of the piece as the United States Secretary of War, delivered a prayer at the Pentagon on April 15 in which he recited a version of Ezekiel 25:17 adapted from Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. The event, according to the piece, concerned a mission to rescue a downed fighter pilot in Iran, with the pilot shot down on April 3 and rescued by CSAR roughly 24 hours later.
What was reported
- The article states that Hegseth read a line of prayer that echoed the Pulp Fiction rendition of Ezekiel 25:17, and that he described it as “CSAR 25:17,” linking it to the CSAR mission.
- The speech allegedly mirrored the film’s wording so closely that it read nearly word-for-word, before ending with a military-oriented refrain instead of a biblical blessing: “The path of the downed aviator is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who in the name of camaraderie and duty shepherds the lost through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to capture and destroy my brother, and you will know my call sign is Sandy One when I lay my vengeance upon thee. Amen.”
- The piece notes these lines are reminiscent of Jules Winnfield’s speech in Pulp Fiction, delivered before he shoots Brett for double-crossing Marcellus Wallace.
Context and background
- Ezekiel 25:17 in the Bible reads a different line, describing a proclamation of vengeance and the Lord’s sovereignty. The article points out that Tarantino adapted this verse for his film, with Jules Winnfield delivering a stylized version that bears little resemblance to the original scripture.
- Tarantino’s inspiration for that famous monologue has been traced back to earlier works, including a suggestion of influence from the 1976 film Bodyguard Chiba, which included a character named Chiba the Bodyguard.
Public reception and notes
- The article emphasizes that the adapted wording is closely aligned with the original Ezekiel passage, leading to confusion among readers familiar with the biblical verse and Tarantino’s movie.
- It concludes with a light note directing readers to additional entertainment coverage, including lists of classic and anticipated films.
For further reading on Pulp Fiction and related cinema, you might explore lists of the best movies ever made and previews of upcoming releases.