Secretary of War Pete Hegseth faced some criticism after reciting a prayer that closely resembled a fake biblical passage from the film “Pulp Fiction” during a worship service at the Pentagon.

Hegseth was touting the successful combat search and rescue mission of a downed pilot in Iran when he asked the audience to join him in a prayer he said was given to him by the lead planner of the mission.

‘I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to capture and destroy my brother.’

“This prayer was recited by Sandy 1, which is one of the Sandies, to all Sandies, all those A-10 crews, prior to all CSAR missions, but especially this CSAR mission that happened in real time. … They call it CSAR 25:17, which I think is meant to reflect Ezekiel 25:17,” Hegseth said.

The prayer he recited seemingly paraphrased a line from “Pulp Fiction.”

“The path of the downed aviator is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men,” Hegseth prayed. “Blessed is he who, in the name of camaraderie and duty, shepherd the lost through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to capture and destroy my brother. And you will know my call sign is Sandy 1 when I lay my vengeance upon thee.”

The passage is very popular among movie aficionados and fans of director Quentin Tarantino. However, Tarantino also swiped the fake scripture verse from a Japanese martial arts movie from the 1970s.

Video of Hegseth’s prayer was posted to social media, where it garnered more than 16 million views after only several hours.

Critics of Hegseth assumed that he was ignorantly portraying the fake verse as real scripture, but that is unclear from the video.

“Hegseth is mad because America caught him claiming he was quoting the Bible when in fact he was quoting the Quentin Tarantino script from Pulp Fiction,” anti-Trump commentator Keith Olbermann responded.

RELATED: MS Now host implodes over Pete Hegseth saying, ‘We leave no man behind,’ after pilot rescue

Hegseth appeared to respond to the critics in a statement during a media briefing Thursday.

“I just can’t help but notice the endless stream of garbage — the relentlessly negative coverage you cannot resist peddling, despite the historic and important success of this effort and the success of our troops,” he said.

“Sometimes it’s hard to figure out what side some of you are actually on. It’s incredibly unpatriotic,” Hegseth added.

He went on to compare some of the press to the Pharisees who persecuted Jesus Christ.

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The first-quarter campaign fundraising total for the 2026 midterms reveals that House and Senate Democratic candidates have picked up significant early momentum, potentially spelling trouble for Republicans as more primary elections approach.

At least one Democratic candidate raised more than a Republican in Georgia, North Carolina, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, Texas, New Hampshire, and Alaska, Punchbowl News reported.

‘There’s no way for Republicans to spin this: Their candidates are getting crushed.’

Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D) raised $27.1 million, breaking a record for the largest amount for a Senate candidate in any state. Talarico’s fundraising significantly outpaced his potential opponents. Sen. John Cornyn (R) raised $9 million, and Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) raised $2.2 million.

Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) raised $14 million during the first quarter. The incumbent’s fundraising far outpaced that of Republicans hoping to unseat him. Rep. Mike Collins (R) raised just over $1 million, and Rep. Buddy Carter (R) raised just $470,000.

In Ohio, former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) is hoping to defeat Republican incumbent Sen. Jon Husted. Brown raised $10.1 million in the first quarter, while Husted brought in $2.9 million.

Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) is running against Michael Whatley (R) and three other candidates to secure retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis’ seat. Cooper raised $13.8 million in the first quarter, while Whatley raised $5 million.

RELATED: ‘Record’ cash advantage gives GOP upper hand in state AG races

James Talarico. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

House Democratic challengers also raised significant funds in the first few months of the year.

In Arizona, JoAnna Mendoza (D) raised over $2.3 million, among the highest reported by a Democratic House candidate. Mendoza’s opponent, incumbent Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R), raised $1.1 million.

In Wisconsin, Democratic candidate Rebecca Cooke is looking to oust incumbent Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R). Cooke raised $2.4 million, while Van Orden raised $1.3 million.

“Of course, this is only part of the picture. Candidates are now using joint fundraising committees to air TV ads. Super PACs will play a big role,” Punchbowl News reported. “GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson did raise the most in Iowa’s open Senate race. And Democratic primaries will drain some resources.”

“But there’s no way for Republicans to spin this: Their candidates are getting crushed,” the outlet stated.

RELATED: ‘We have a glaring disadvantage’: Democrats panic as GOP dominates in fundraising, NYT reports

Visions of America/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

While Punchbowl News insisted it was all doom and gloom for Republican candidates, the National Republican Congressional Committee saw the Q1 funding results as a win for the GOP.

“Republicans are LAPPING Democrats in fundraising & building a war chest they can’t match,” the NRCC wrote in a post on X, adding that the GOP “outraised, outworked, [and] outmatched” their Democratic counterparts.

Mike Marinella, the national press secretary for the NRCC, stated, “Once again, and for every single quarter this campaign cycle, @NRCC Patriots have outraised [the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee] Frontliners.”

“House Republicans have the momentum on our side, and the money proves it,” he wrote.

Federal Election Commission reporting showed that Democratic Senate candidates have raised $368 million for their 2026 races, compared to $324 million raised by Republicans. Democratic House candidates collected $691 million, while Republicans raised $578 million.

Some of the most prominent names in Republican political consulting did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

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The House has passed a measure to extend temporary protected status for Haitian migrants with the help of Republican representatives.

Ten Republicans aided every House Democrat in voting to pass legislation that extends TPS for Haitians by another three years Thursday afternoon. This is an uptick from the six Republicans and lone independent who initially helped advance the legislation on Wednesday.

‘If you import the Third World, you become the Third World.’

These 10 Republicans are: Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Mike Carey of Ohio, Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Carlos Gimenez of Florida, Mike Lawler of New York, Nicole Malliotakis of New York, Rich McCormick of Georgia, Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, and Mike Turner of Ohio.

These Republicans voted in favor of extending these protections despite President Donald Trump’s fierce disavowal of temporary protected status.

RELATED: ‘Absurd’ perks for Haitian migrants may be extended, thanks to these 6 Republicans

Win McNamee/Getty Images

“This animal was allowed to stay here because the Biden Administration granted him, and all Haitians, ‘Temporary Protective Status,’ a massively abused and fraudulent program which my Administration is working to terminate, but Deranged Liberal District Court Judges are standing in our way,” Trump said in a Truth Social post last week about a vicious murder in Florida.

“As I’ve said all along, if you import the Third World, you become the Third World, and that is what happened over the four years of Democrat Control,” he added.

Republican Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas also called out the legislation, noting that Haitians’ temporary protected status was granted to them only because of a natural disaster that took place over a decade ago.

“Haitians first received TPS because of an earthquake,” Gill said in a post on X. “That was over 15 years ago. America is not their permanent motel.”

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On April 11, TPUSA Frontlines reporter Savanah Hernandez was assaulted by multiple protesters who punched her, blew whistles in her face, and shoved her to the ground while she was filming an anti-ICE protest outside the Whipple Federal Building in Minnesota, with the mob chanting, “We are Antifa.”

Now she joins Sara Gonzales, BlazeTV host of “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered,” to recount the brutal attack in detail and discuss the path to accountability.

After playing the clip capturing Hernandez being violently shoved in the back, Sara asks, “How do you feel? How is your body?”

Hernandez, insisting that she does not want to “over-dramatize” the situation, admits that she is “still in pain.”

“I really do feel like this was a brutal assault, and I still at this point am baffled as to why it took place because I wasn’t there to interview anybody. I was there to simply observe,” she says.

But even non-confrontational “point-and-shoot journalism” was enough cause for violence.

It didn’t take long before Hernandez was identified as a Turning Point USA reporter. The man who discovered her identity, she says, was William Scott Kelly (also known as “DaWokeFarmer”), who was previously arrested and charged for his role in storming Cities Church in St. Paul in January this year.

“This is the same guy who, you know, incited a mob against me on Saturday, and then that mob consisted of multiple people swinging sex toys in my face, hitting me with them,” Hernandez recounts.

She then addressed the main group that allegedly assaulted her.

“There were three individuals in particular — DeYanna, Chris, and Paige Ostroushko — that were extremely aggressive,” she says.

“[DeYanna] is the first one who came up to me, began shoving me, putting her fingers in my face. Her husband came up behind me and shoved me,” she says, noting that this all happened “before the actual assault.”

“Then we found another camera angle of [Chris] instructing his own daughter to, quote, ‘Blow the whistle in her effing ear.’ So he instructed his daughter to come up to me and assault me, and she did,” Hernandez continues, as Sara plays a video capturing this exact moment.

“I want people to understand that this response happened because I was standing on a public street filming a protest. That’s it. That was the response,” Hernandez says.

Instead of retaliating, Hernandez says she actually started asking the group standard questions like, “Why are you here?” and, “Why is this important to you?”

“So, I gave them the opportunity to even utilize my platform, talk to me, and they decided to twist everything into this narrative of, ‘It doesn’t matter — you’re bad and we’re going to brutally assault you,”’ Hernandez says.

“They pre-planned this attack. They coordinated it,” she insists. “They attacked me and then in live time tried to rewrite the narrative to say that I was the agitator.”

The attack was “so horrific,” she says, that even “left-wing streamers” were saying, “Yeah, we can’t support this.”

Sara is horrified by the assault on her friend and fellow journalist.

“Someone, for the love of God, lock these people up because they’re brutal criminals,” she pleads.

Justice appears to be under way.

Chris Ostroushko, Paige Ostroushko, and Lorenzo Amadeo Garcia (Paige’s boyfriend) have been arrested and had charges recommended by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office in connection with the April 11 assault on Hernandez.

“It is now up to the county prosecutor essentially to decide whether or not they want to bring forward those charges,” says Hernandez, who admits that she “[doesn’t] have any faith in the state” because of how liberal Minneapolis is.

“Luckily, the feds are also involved. … Both DHS and the DOJ are involved, and I’m happy to see this because I do want federal charges brought forward,” she adds.

To hear more of the conversation and see footage from the protest, watch the episode above.

Want more from Sara Gonzales?

To enjoy more of Sara’s no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Antifa chant, Assaulted reporter, Blaze media, Blazetv, Brutal attack, Chris ostroushko, Cities church storming, Dawokefarmer, Hennepin county sheriff, Leftwing streamers, Minneapolis mob, Paige ostroushko, Sara gonzales, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Savannah hernandez, Tpusa frontlines, Tpusa frontlines reporter, Turning point usa, Whipple federal building, William scott kelly 

The race for the California governor’s office has been reset after Eric Swalwell, the disgraced former congressman, made his embarrassing exit.

Republicans have kept the top spot and tied for second in the newest Emerson poll, while a billionaire has seized the top spot among Democrats.

‘Our lead is growing, momentum is building…time for Republicans to UNITE.’

Republican Steve Hilton, the former Fox News host, has the support of 17% of respondents, while Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco garnered 14% in the poll.

Tom Steyer also received support from 14% of respondents, shooting him up to the top spot among Democrats.

Tied for fourth place with 10% each are former Rep. Katie Porter and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, both Democrats.

Becerra appeared to gain the most from Swalwell’s exit. He increased in support by 7%, while others gained 4% or less.

However, 23% of respondents continue to be undecided. If a sizeable portion of the undecideds choose one candidate, it could drastically change the race since the top two vote-getters in the June 2 primary, regardless of party, will advance to the general election.

Hilton called on Republicans in California to coalesce behind his campaign.

“Our lead is growing, momentum is building…time for Republicans to UNITE so we stop the calamity of Steyer v Porter in the general,” he posted on social media.

Swalwell had been the front-runner among Democrats but was besieged by numerous allegations of sexual harassment and assault by multiple women. He has denied the allegations but nevertheless dropped out of the gubernatorial campaign and resigned from his seat in the U.S. Congress.

RELATED: USC makes drastic decision after being accused of racism in planned gubernatorial debate

Also in the Emerson poll, Californians cited the economy as their top concern at 40%, with housing affordability their second-most important issue at 20%. Immigration tied for fourth place, with only 6% saying it’s a top concern.

Steyer has been battered by the revelation that a hedge fund he founded invested in several immigration detention centers before he made abolishing ICE one of his campaign pledges. He called the episode a “mistake.”

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American teachers’ unions are notorious for political meddling, holding schools hostage, and transforming children into leftist foot soldiers.

Idaho decided that not one more dollar of taxpayer funds should go toward supporting such radical organizations — then on April 10, it made that prohibition law.

‘That’s just restoring neutrality.’

House Bill 516a, which was introduced in January, prohibits school districts — including specially chartered districts — or their agents or representatives from using or authorizing the use of taxpayer funds to support teachers’ unions.

They may not, for instance,

deduct dues, fees, fines, or contributions from the pay of a professional employee on behalf of a union; increase a teacher’s compensation in order that the difference or some part of it could be used to pay toward teachers’ union or affiliate dues;provide more personal or contact information of a teacher to a teachers’ union than permitted under state law;require an employee to meet, communicate, or listen to a teachers’ union or its affiliate;distribute union communications or membership solicitations; contribute funds or blow money on behalf of a union or its affiliate; andprovide, except in certain cases, any form of compensation or paid leave to a public employee so they can partake in union activities.

RELATED: Radicals train for massive May Day protests at public schools, thanks to America’s largest teachers’ union

Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman/Tribune News Service/Getty Images

Individuals who knowingly violate this law can be fined up to $1,500, unless he or she is a re-offender, in which case the fine is increased to $2,500.

The bill was passed in a 59-10 vote in the state House, passed by the state Senate on April 1 in a 20-14 vote, and ratified by Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) on April 10. The law takes effect on July 1.

Little noted, “While local and state teachers’ associations do important work, they remain private organizations that currently receive taxpayer-funded support not extended to other private entities. House Bill 516a addresses that imbalance.”

The governor did, however, express some concern that the new law contains language that may “lead to increased scrutiny of a teacher’s actions purely based on their affiliation with their local association” and have a “chilling effect on school districts’ ability to collaborate with their local association on professional development and charitable work in the community.”

Layne McInelly, president of the Idaho Education Association, which endorsed Little ahead of the 2018 election, is less than thrilled about the new law.

McInelly claimed that the governor “ignored his better angels, signed this terrible bill into law,” and somehow left students and teachers “worse off.”

Maxford Nelsen, director of research at the Freedom Foundation, told Center Square, “By getting school districts out of this business of using taxpayer funds, collect union dues and prop up teachers’ union activity — that’s just restoring neutrality.”

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President Donald Trump has announced a ceasefire agreement between two Middle East countries that have been at odds for decades.

Israel launched renewed attacks targeting the Hezbollah terror organization in Lebanon in March. The strikes were a sticking point in the president’s attempts to resolve the conflict in Iran.

The president added that the peace deal between Israel and Lebanon would be the 10th solution to wars across the world that he has brokered.

Trump said Thursday that Israel and Lebanon had reached a 10-day ceasefire deal.

“I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel,” said Trump on Truth Social.

“These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST,” he added. “On Tuesday, the two Countries met for the first time in 34 years here in Washington, D.C., with our Great Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.”

In a second post, he said he would be inviting Aoun and Netanyahu to the White House for the first “meaningful” talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983.

Also on Thursday, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations said he was optimistic about Iran reaching a peace deal with the U.S.

RELATED: Israel ramps up attacks on Middle East target despite US-Iran ceasefire

“Despite our deep mistrust of the United States,” said Amir Saeid Iravani, “stemming from its repeated betrayal of diplomacy, we nevertheless entered the negotiations in good faith and remain cautiously optimistic.”

The president added that the peace deal between Israel and Lebanon would be the 10th solution to wars across the world that he has brokered.

“So let’s, GET IT DONE!” Trump wrote.

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