James Talarico, the Texas Democratic state representative and Presbyterian seminarian, has said he forgives Pete Hegseth’s pastor for praying for his death. On Tuesday, Texas’s popular Democratic nominee for a US Senate seat pushed back against comments from Brooks Potteiger, the defense secretary’s closest spiritual adviser, who said: “We want him crucified with Christ.”

Talarico said on X: “Jesus loves. Christian Nationalism kills. You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you. I love you more than you could ever hate me.”

The 36-year-old’s response comes after Potteiger wished for his death last on a Christian nationalist podcast called Reformation Red Pill, which Hegseth has appeared on several times. Potteiger had joined a discussion about Talarico with podcast host Joshua Haymes, a former pastoral intern at Potteiger’s church who previously claimed that the Bible is “pro-ICE raids”.

Speaking on the podcast, Haymes said: “First and foremost, we pray that a man like this would be cut to the heart,” adding: “This is where you have imprecatory psalms. This is where you pray strongly … The psalmist is not shy. God, destroy them. Make them as dung on the ground.”

Haymes went on to say: “I pray that God kills him … Ultimately, that means killing his heart and raising him up to new life in Christ.”