'We want to crucify him': Hegseth's pastor delivers dark threat to Dem Senate candidate

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's pastor threatened a leading Democrat in the Texas Senate primary race during a recent podcast interview, according to a report.

Brooks Pottegier, who preaches at Pilgrim Hill Reformed Fellowship in a suburb outside of Nashville, Tennessee, joined Christian Nationalist commentator Joshua Haymes on a recent episode of his podcast, "Reformed Red Pill," where the two discussed Texas state Rep. James Talarico's campaign for the U.S. Senate.

Pottegier's church is also part of the broader Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches movement, founded by Doug Wilson, a self-described Christian nationalist. Hegseth invited Wilson to give a 15-minute sermon at the Pentagon’s auditorium, which was broadcast live on the Defense Department's internal TV network.

During the podcast, Haymes and Pottegier prayed "imprecatory psalms" against Talarico, Right Wing Watch reported. Imprecatory psalms are prayers that invoke God's judgment or punishment.

"I pray that God kills him," Haymes said. "Ultimately, that means killing his heart and raising him up to new life in Christ."

"We want to crucify him with Jesus," Pottegier chimed in. "I want him to be Talarico of Tarsus," a reference to Paul the Apostle, who was named Saul of Tarsus before he started following Jesus Christ.

"We want death and new life," Haymes replied.

Talarico won the Texas Democratic Senate Primary race over Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) by more than 150,000 votes.