Hegseth's 'Pulp Fiction' prayer

The prayer, which Hegseth presented as genuine scripture, included the phrase 'I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes,' a line popularized by Samuel L. Jackson's character in the 1994 film.

While the words are based on Ezekiel 25:17, the specific phrasing used by Hegseth was the fictionalized version created by director Quentin Tarantino.

Critics have labeled the incident a 'false prophecy' and another example of the administration's 'unholy' use of religious imagery.

The Defense Secretary has not yet addressed the blunder, which occurred during a high-stakes week of briefings on the ongoing Iran war.