Pete Hegseth Botches Bible Line With Pulp Fiction Twist But Internet Loves It For This Reason

Last Updated:April 16, 2026, 19:11 IST

Pete Hegseth was speaking during a sermon at the government complex when he delivered a dramatic prayer he said had been given to him by the “lead mission planner”.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth sparked a wave of online reactions after reciting lines from Pulp Fiction while mistakenly presenting them as scripture during a worship service at the Pentagon. Pete Hegseth was speaking during a sermon at the government complex when he delivered a dramatic prayer he said had been given to him by the “lead mission planner" involved in the rescue of two Air Force crew members reportedly shot down over Iran.

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“The path of the downed aviator is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men," Hegseth said. He continued with a militarised version of the famous monologue, ending with, “And you will know my call sign is Sandy 1 when I lay my vengeance upon thee, and amen."

The opening lines closely mirror dialogue written by Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary for the 1994 film Pulp Fiction. In the film, Samuel L Jackson’s character Jules Winnfield famously claims the speech comes from Ezekiel 25:17 before confronting his victims. While part of the final verse draws loosely from the Bible, much of the speech was created for cinematic effect and is not an actual biblical passage.

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Social media users quickly seized on the moment, with many noting the unusual blend of Pentagon solemnity and Hollywood theatrics.

“One of the greatest fake Bible quotes ever written," one user posted. Another wrote: “That’s wild. Tarantino accidentally wrote the most quoted ‘Bible verse’ of our time." A third added: “Quoting Pulp Fiction in church is bold… but nobody delivers it like Samuel L Jackson."

News world Pete Hegseth Botches Bible Line With Pulp Fiction Twist But Internet Loves It For This Reason

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