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Apr 20, 2026 26 min

The case for holy war

from Today, Explained Hosted by Vox

The Secretary of Defense suggests the Iran war is blessed by God. The head of his church, Pastor Doug Wilson, agrees. Some call Wilson an extremist. He prefers Christian nationalist. Either way, he's no longer a fringe figure. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Noel King. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠

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Speaking to Politics Mike Politics shape our world. The issues being decided in the halls of government every day have real and lasting impact on all our lives, but discussing politics is extremely unpleasant. It is very difficult today to have a calm, adult conversation about politics. Are the people screaming on TV, the radio, and online really who “we” are? Are they really representative of mainstream America or are they just really aggressive and loud? I believe the adults just got tired of it and walked away, but their silence is not consent. This podcast is the test of that theory. If you see fit to tune in, I will present news of the day, analysis and commentary while doing my best to check my feelings at the door and let you, the listeners, decide what it means to you. No ominous music, no angry rants, just a relaxed conversation and positive vibe. Politics, for reasonable people.

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