Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has publicly supported his churchs Christian Nationalist pastor Doug Wilson, reposting a CNN interview in which Wilson says hed like to re-criminalize consensual same-sex sexual encounters and deny women the right to vote. Hegseth has previously said that it was a mistake to allow homosexuals and bisexuals into the U.S. military.In the late 70s and early 80s, sodomy was a felony in all 50 states. That America of that day was not a totalitarian hellhole, Wilson tells CNN in the interview clip, which Hegseth reposted to his personal X account this past weekend. When asked if hed like those laws to be reinstated, Wilson answers, Yep. Related JD Vance poses with TV host who called for violence against LGBTQ+ people Contrary to his statement, a few states actively repealed their anti-sodomy laws in the 70s and 80s. Under these laws, arrestees could be fired, publicly shamed, and denied legal protections over their loved ones in the United States fascistic anti-gay system. During the 1980s, the U.S. government also largely ignored the AIDS epidemic, essentially ignoring the deaths of tens of thousands of gay and bisexual men.Elsewhere in the interview, the CNN interviewer mentions that Wilson believes women shouldnt be allowed to vote (instead, allowing their husbands or male heads of the household to vote), that he would like to turn the world into a Christian world, and that decent human beings owned slaves. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Reposting the interview on his X account, Hegseth wrote, All of Christ for All of Life, which is the one of Wilsons slogans and also the title of his podcast, them reported. Wilson has also written blog posts stating, We know that sodomy is worse, the aforementioned publication noted.All of Christ for All of Life. https://t.co/QqXhqZFStv Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) August 8, 2025 Wilson is the co-founded of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), a Christian Nationalist denomination with over 130 churches worldwide. Among its key beliefs is that the United States should be subject to biblical law.Wilson recently opened a CREC church in Washington D.C., which he says is part of his plan to turn the U.S. into a Christian nation Hegseth reportedly attends the church.In a June 2024 episode ofThe Ben Shapiro Show, Hegseth said he thinks the repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell the militarys ban on out lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members was part of the Marxist and leftist shift that led to the trans agenda being pushed into the military, thus undermining the militarys overall effectiveness. While he later walked back his opposition to LGB military members at a Senate confirmation hearing the following December, he has since helped implement the current presidents purge of transgender military members, alluding to trans individuals as mentally ill, selfish, dishonorable, deceitful, undisciplined, and unfit for military service.Hegsethspent his college days at Princeton campaigning against LGBTQ+ rights. As publisher of the conservative magazineThe Princeton Toryin the early 2000s, he oversaw a team that railed against the homosexual lifestyle, andin one 2002 issue, argued that The movement to legitimize the homosexual lifestyle and homosexual marriages is strong and must be vigorously opposed. It called homosexuality abnormal and immoral.In that same issue, Hegseth wrote in his Notes from the Publisher that the glorification of diversity is a problem that plagues most of American academia today. He said Western ideas deserve priority over other areas of study because the fact that the United States is a global superpower demonstrates the[ir] enduring strength. Another issue of The Princeton Torypublished by HegsethslammedtheNew York Timesfor its decision to start covering same-sex marriage announcements, calling it dangerous because it could inspire people to want to marry siblings, children, or dogs.Hegseth has been accused of sexual assault andextreme drunkenness.His own mother has accused him of abusing women.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.