By Thierry Meyssan
Voltairenet.org
April 23, 2026
From the outside, we fail to perceive the metamorphosis of the United States: in four months, it has changed its political ideology (it is no longer "Jacksonian"), its military doctrine (it no longer applies the "Rumsfeld-Cebrowski" strategy), and its faith (it no longer believes in the plurality of religions). We are publishing a study on this transformation, which compels us to completely revise our perception of this country.
On January 9, 2026, Pope Leo XIV presented his New Year's greetings to foreign ambassadors. He declared, among other things: "These days, the weakness of multilateralism on the international stage is particularly worrying. A diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all is being replaced by a diplomacy of force, by individuals or groups of allies. War has returned to fashion, and a warlike fervor is spreading. The principle established after the Second World War, which prohibited countries from using force to violate the borders of others, has been broken [1]. Peace is no longer sought as a gift and a desirable good in itself, 'in the pursuit of an order willed by God, which implies a more perfect justice among men,' [2] but is sought by arms, as a condition for asserting one's own domination. This gravely threatens the rule of law, which is the foundation of all peaceful civil coexistence." [3]
This speech greatly displeased the US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. He was a Christian Zionist and a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), the sect of Pastor Douglas Wilson. Since September 30, 2025, he had been reforming the Pentagon, dismissing officers who had been appointed in accordance with woke ideology and the principles of "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) [4]. Above all, he was questioning the role of "the family," the International Christian Leadership, within the Pentagon itself. This association of military chaplains of all faiths had been created in 1935 by the Methodist minister Abraham Vereide. After World War II, it had become the main justification for the Cold War: the struggle of the United States armed forces, defenders of the Faith, against the atheist communist armies. All the chiefs of staff were members until last year, and numerous American and allied politicians frequented it [5]. For 73 years, the Reverend Billy Graham served as its spokesperson. In this capacity, he was the spiritual advisor to twelve US presidents, from Truman to Obama [6]. In France, the President of the Senate, Alain Poher, prayed within this group.
Also, on January 22, the Secretary of War summoned the Apostolic Nuncio in Washington, the French Cardinal Christophe Pierre. In principle, only foreign ministers can summon the Holy See's ambassador. This was an exception. The prelate was not received by the Secretary, but by his deputy, Elbridge Colby.
It is common knowledge that Pete Hegseth is more concerned with the culture war against the woke movement than with military matters. Elbridge Colby, on the other hand, is in charge of US military strategy. He is a Catholic, grandson of William Colby, who was director of the CIA during Nixon's presidency, and a Knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Elbridge played a central role during Donald Trump's first term and wrote a strange book: * The Strategy of Denial: American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict* 7 . In it, he explains that, to be free, the United States must prevent any other state from becoming more powerful than itself. He develops a strategy to stop China's development, not by waging war directly against it, but by waging war against its energy and raw material suppliers.
Elbridge Colby explained to His Eminence Bishop Christophe Pierre that the Holy See should have known for a long time that the United States was its closest ally and that the Pope should be more "loyal" (sic). The discussion became heated, and Colby reminded the prelate that when a pope clashed with a French king, the latter had a second pope elected. From 1378 to 1417, two popes, the Pope of the Vatican and the Pope of Avignon, excommunicated each other as part of the "Great Western Schism." Similarly, regarding Protestant churches at the time when they were the majority in the United States, his own grandfather, William Colby, along with Pastor Billy Graham, launched the International Congress on World Evangelization to rival the World Council of Churches (WCC), which had opposed the Vietnam War. At the end of the interview, Elbridge Colby demonstrated the schism, in a defiant gesture, by placing his pistol on the table.
The scene was recounted in different ways by several news outlets after The Free Press reported on it [8]. The version I am giving you was previously explained to me by a colleague and friend who played a role at the Vatican. On April 9, on the occasion of the installation of the new Apostolic Nuncio in Washington, His Excellency Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Holy See's spokesman, the Briton Matteo Bruni, confirmed that this meeting did indeed take place, but declined to comment on its proceedings. He simply stated that the media reports were "absolutely false." For his part, the United States Ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Birch, "categorically refuted" The Free Press 's reconstruction of events.
In any case, the Holy Father has cancelled his planned trip to the United States.
As things gradually worsened, the Secretary of War invited Reverend Douglas Wilson to preach at the Pentagon on February 17, 2026. [9] However, during a fifteen-minute sermon, the "paleo-Confederate" pastor prayed for "the Black Swan awakening," meaning a great revival of Christianity in the United States. "God can do what he likes-and as we should know by now, what he likes to do is take the most unlikely materials and make something glorious out of them. Take a prayer meeting at the Pentagon as a possible example. Many stranger things have happened."
In the days that followed, the Pentagon doors were closed to "the family" (including the Catholic Church). Only pastors of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), Pete Hegsteh's Christian Zionist church, were now permitted entry, for the monthly military service. Thus, at the following service, on March 18, 2026, Secretary of War Pete Hegsteh himself delivered the homily. He prayed that U.S. troops would inflict "overwhelming violence upon those who deserve no mercy We ask this with bold confidence in the name of Almighty Jesus Christ." [10] Later that day, his department announced that the number of religions accepted in the armed forces would be reduced from 200-odd to 31. Furthermore, military chaplains would no longer wear their rank on their uniforms but would instead wear religious insignia [11]. It seems that the Secretary of State for War wishes, on the one hand, to refocus the work of chaplains on the propagation of their faith rather than on the personal problems of their parishioners [12] and, on the other hand, to gradually impose a particular conception of religion, breaking with the current diversity [13].
The Pentagon press secretary commented: "The Secretary's prayer services undoubtedly boost the morale of those who choose to attend and are protected by the Constitution. No special treatment or punishment is given because of his choice to attend or not attend these prayer services." However, many retired officers have begun to speak out against the ongoing reform. They find it unacceptable that the Pentagon should be under the control of a particular church, let alone the sect of Pastor Douglas Wilson.
The Secretary of War's "guru" is first and foremost the leader of "biblical patriarchy," which is why he has spoken out against women's participation in the management of his church and claims that the enslavement of women is justified by Scripture. He is a "reconstructionist": according to him, Christ will only return when society respects certain Old Testament laws, including the death penalty for murder, idolatry, homosexuality, adultery, witchcraft, and blasphemy. As a "Christian nationalist," he preaches "a fusion of Christian identity and cultural conservatism with civic belonging to the United States." Finally, in the name of "Covenant Theology," he is convinced that Christ did not come to abolish the Law of Moses, but to overlay it with his message of love; this is why he considers support for the State of Israel a religious duty. [14]
The poison of the political manipulation of religion is spreading. On April 12, 60 Minutes (CBS) aired a report in which three U.S. cardinals supported Pope Leo XIV's statements against the war in Iran and President Trump's anti-immigration policies. President Trump responded the next morning on Truth Social with this declaration of war: "Pope Leo XIV is weak on crime, and terrible on foreign policy. He talks about the 'fear' of the Trump administration, but doesn't mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian organizations, had during COVID when priests, ministers, and the faithful were arrested for holding church services, even when they were outside, and ten or even twenty feet apart [about 2.5 meters]. I like his brother Louis much better than him, because Louis is MAGA. He understands that, and Leo doesn't!" I don't want a pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon. I don't want a pope who thinks it's terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a country that was sending massive amounts of drugs to the United States and, even worse, emptying its prisons, including those of murderers, drug traffickers, and killers, into our country. And I don't want a pope criticizing the president of the United States because I'm doing exactly what I was elected to do. In the face of collapse, I've set record numbers against crime and created the largest stock market in history. Leo should be grateful because, as everyone knows, his election was surprising and shocking. He wasn't on any list to be pope and was put there by the Church only because he was American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I were not in the White House, Leon would not be in the Vatican. Unfortunately, Leon is weak on crime, weak on nuclear weapons, does not stand with me, nor does he stand by the fact that he meets with Obama sympathizers, such as David Axelrod, a left-wing loser, who is one of those who wanted the time masters and clerics arrested. Leon should behave like a pope, use common sense, stop responding to the radical left and focus on being a great pope. " [15]
He also published a computer-generated image created by Nick Adams, president of the Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness. It depicts him as Jesus healing a sick man, before the awestruck eyes of his followers and under the protection of his soldiers and angels. It was Orthodox Easter.
On April 15, the third religious service of the new system was broadcast on YouTube. The Secretary of War alluded to the heroic rescue operation of a downed pilot in Iran. In reality, it was an operation aimed at seizing stockpiles of enriched uranium. The pilot was not rescued. He remains a prisoner of the Revolutionary Guards. No matter. Hegseth quoted a prayer from Sandy 1 Team of the Combat Search and Rescue Unit. He declared, referring to the Book of Ezekiel :"The path of the righteous is beset on all sides by the injustices of the selfish and the tyranny of the wicked. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and goodwill, guides the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and he who finds the lost children."And I will come down upon you with great vengeance and furious anger on those who try to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know that my name is the Lord when I unleash my vengeance upon you." Alas ! The quote does not refer to the Bible, but to the screenplay of the film Pulp Fiction.
Then the Secretary of War gave the floor to Reverend Zack Randles, who preaches annually in the House of Representatives [16]
A few hours later, Leo XIV published on X: "Woe to those who manipulate religions and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political ends, dragging what is sacred into darkness and filth!" [17]
Ultimately, the Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed a complaint against the Department of Defense [18]. According to the religious pluralism advocacy group, what is happening in the War Department is spreading: identical prayers are being reported to the Department of Labor with Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
The " Kulturkampf " has just begun. The "struggle for civilization" was a policy of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck to sever ties between the German Empire and the Catholic Church. This time, it is a rupture between the United States and the Holy See, at a time when, due to Mexican immigration, the country's population is now 40% Catholic [19]. It is also a backlash after Pope Francis's support for Democratic President Joe Biden [20].
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[1 ] Allusion to the abduction by the United States of President Nicolás Maduro, three days earlier.
[2 ] Encyclical letter Populorum progressio, Paul VI, March 26, 1967.
[3 ] Address of Pope Leo XIV to members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See for the presentation of New Year's greetings, Holy See, 9 January 2026.
[4 ] " Secretary of War Pete Hegseth Addresses General and Flag Officers at Quantico, Virginia," Department of War, September 30, 2025.
[5 ] The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power, Jeff Sharlet, HarperCollins (2008). "The Christian Mafia", Wayne Madsen, Insider Magazine
[6 ] Billy Graham, Protestant pope?, Sébastien Fath, Albin Michel (2002).
[7 ] The Strategy of Denial: American defense in an age of great power conflict, Elbridge Colby, Yale University Press (2021).
[8 ] " Why the Vatican and the White House Are on the Outs ", Mattia Ferraresi, The Free Press, April 6 2026.
[9 ] " Hegseth invited Christian nationalist Doug Wilson to preach at Pentagon ", Amy B Wang, The Washington Post, February 18, 2026.
[10 ] " Invoking faith in wartime, Pete Hegseth breaks norms and worries critics ", Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post, March 29, 2026.
[11 ] " Hegseth Announces Reforms to Chaplain Corps," Matthew Olay, Pentagon News, March 25, 2026.
[12 ] " At Pentagon Christian service, Hegseth prays for violence 'against those who deserve no mercy' ", Tiffany Stanley, The Washington Post, March 25, 2026.
[13 ] " Why Pete Hegseth's Pentagon prayer services challenge traditional notions of separation of church and state - but might be blessed by the Roberts Supreme Court ", Naomi Schalit & John E. Jones III, The Conversation, April 15, 2026.
[14 ] Is Christianity good for the world?, dialogue between Christopher Hitchens & Douglas Wilson, Canon Press (2008).
[15 ] " @realDonaldTrump ", Truth Social, April 13, 2026.
[16 ] " Guest Chaplains ", House of Representatives.
[17 ] " @Pontifex_fr ", X, April 16, 2026.
[18 ] Americans United for Separation of Church and State v. US, Civil Action No. 1:26-CV-983, District Court of Columbia, March 23, 2026.
[19 ] " Trump's disturbing confrontation with Pope Leo XIV ", by Alfredo Jalife-Rahme, Translation Maria Poumier, La Jornada (Mexico), Voltaire Network, April 16, 2026.
[20 ] " Biden, commander of the"true believers" ", by Thierry Meyssan, Voltaire Network, February 16, 2021.
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