Daniella Greenbaum Davis, a Jewish author, stated she has no problem with Pete Hegseth closing a Pentagon press briefing by urging prayers 'on bended knee... in the name of Jesus Christ' for US troops' safety. She described criticism of the request as a 'performance' and drew on American historical traditions of public prayer. Davis emphasized that such expressions align with America's majority-Christian culture without violating minority rights.
In an opinion piece published by The Daily Wire, Daniella Greenbaum Davis, an Emmy-award winning producer, defended Pete Hegseth's remarks at a Pentagon press briefing. Hegseth, referred to as Secretary of War, asked Americans to pray 'on bended knee, with your family, in your schools, in your churches, in the name of Jesus Christ' for the safety of troops in harm's way. Davis, who prays in Hebrew facing Jerusalem as part of her Jewish tradition, reported feeling no irritation over the invocation of Jesus's name publicly by a cabinet secretary in a majority-Christian nation. She argued that the outrage represents a conflation of genuine religious persecution with expressions of majoritarian culture. Davis noted that minority rights protect against compelled conversion, prosecution for religious observance like Shabbat, or denial of citizenship based on faith rejection, such as the Nicene Creed, but do not require erasing America's religious character. She cited historical precedents: George Washington kneeling at Valley Forge, Franklin D. Roosevelt leading national prayer on D-Day, and General Patton requesting a prayer for good weather. Additionally, Davis highlighted that synagogues across America, including hers, recite prayers for the US Armed Forces every Saturday, regardless of combat status, recognizing soldiers' role in defending society. She viewed Hegseth's request as akin to this Jewish practice and hoped more Americans would pray for troops. The piece clarified that views are Davis's alone, not those of The Daily Wire.
