Pete Hegseth’s Pastor Makes Lewd Comments About How Women Dress

Doug Wilson, the conservative pastor whose church network includes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has attracted attention after making crude remarks about women’s clothing in a recent interview.

Wilson, 72, founded the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC) which is a small but growing network of conservative Reformed congregations.

Hegseth has openly identified with the denomination and praised Wilson’s work. This makes the pastor’s latest comments give insight into the defense secretary’s religious influences.

In an interview with The Times of London, Wilson criticized women he claimed dress immodestly and used a sexual slur to describe them. "Like you're not a person. But for a woman to dress like a s--- is a different kind of degradation. Both kinds of degradation play off of each other," Wilson stated.

Wilson also hit at the way women walk, stating that they participate in "s--- walks," and also added that feminists "object to [the term s---] because I use it."

He also targeted yoga pants, saying some types of clothing demean women. He argued that women can dress modestly without being fully covered.

He has gained a national profile with strict views on gender roles, sexuality, family authority, and politics. His comments about women’s clothing surfaced as Hegseth’s connection to Wilson’s church network continues to follow him within the Trump administration.

Hegseth’s ties to CREC became a national story last year when he reposted a CNN segment about the denomination.

The segment featured pastors close to Wilson discussing whether women should have the right to vote and whether households should vote as a unit, with husbands casting ballots after family discussions. Hegseth shared the segment on X with the caption, “All of Christ for All of Life.”

A Pentagon spokesman told The Associated Press at the time that Hegseth was “a proud member of a church” affiliated with CREC and “very much appreciates many of Mr. Wilson’s writings and teachings.” The spokesman also stated that Hegseth did not oppose women voting.

The Times described Wilson as a pastor whose movement has gained influence among some figures on the political right. The article noted that he has argued for male-led households, criticized homosexuality, and promoted a form of Christian nationalism.

Wilson also defended Hegseth in the interview, calling him “a genuine Christian,” and he credited a pastor connected to Hegseth for vouching for the defense secretary as a member in good standing.

Hegseth’s religious activity has not been limited to private church life. AP reported last year that he invited his personal pastor, Brooks Potteiger, to lead Christian prayer services at the Pentagon during working hours.

Defense Department employees and service members received invitations through government email accounts, but were not compelled to attend.

The defense secretary also attended the launch of Christ Kirk DC, a CREC-linked church plant near Capitol Hill and the church was seen as part of Wilson’s growing reach among conservative Christians in Washington.

Wilson’s comments about women’s dress have now brought that connection back into public view as Hegseth continues to make his faith part of his brand of military leadership.