“Hegseth Hostage Speaks Out” — MRFF Senior Active Duty Client Ordered to Hegseth’s Quantico Confab Paints a Grim Picture of our Military’s Readiness

Tuesday Afternoon, October 7, 2025

“HEGSETH HOSTAGE SPEAKS OUT” —

MRFF SENIOR ACTIVE DUTY CLIENT ORDERED

TO HEGSETH’S QUANTICO CONFAB PAINTS A GRIM PICTURE OF OUR MILITARY’S READINESS

“Our U.S. military leadership is now totally rudderless and adrift in a world where only our nation’s enemies will revel in our descent into chaos.”

“To the point, the MRFF is so badly needed to counter the unconstitutional religious zealotry being forced upon us by Hegseth, by Trump and by their band of fellow MAGA travelers.”

“MRFF stands alone as a national treasure for our abused military troops of all ranks.”

— MRFF senior active duty client, after mandatorily attending Hegseth’s Quantico “Talking To”

Hegseth speaks to military top brass at Marine Corps Base Quantico.

(Photo credit dvidshub.net. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense

(DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.)

JONATHAN LARSEN

COVERS MRFF

Hegseth Hostage Speaks Out

By: Jonathan Larsen

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

One of the prisoners held captive for hours last week by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Pres. Donald Trump is breaking their silence about the torture they endured.

The unnamed captive was one of more than 800 high-ranking military leaders — admirals and generals with at least one star — held against their will and forced to hear words come from Hegseth’s and Trump’s faces during a grueling ordeal that aired live as the nation watched in horror. In an email released Monday, that escaped prisoner recounted their ordeal.

The email was sent to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF). President Mikey Weinstein told me yesterday that the MRFF counts at least a dozen people who endured last week’s talking as clients, people the MRFF has represented. Weinstein asked for their thoughts about the ordeal. From the response:

“Let me just say that the overwhelming number of my fellow military colleagues who were also ordered to attend this Quantico VA meeting view Hegseth and Trump with the same three word description; BULLIES and POSEURS!

Our U.S. military leadership is now totally rudderless and adrift in a world where only our nation’s enemies will revel in our descent into chaos.

“MRFF stands alone as a national treasure for our abused military troops of all ranks. To the point, the MRFF is so badly needed to counter the unconstitutional religious zealotry being forced upon us by Hegseth, by Trump and by their band of fellow MAGA travelers.”

It would be naive to believe all of Hegseth’s hostages feel the same way. But never fucking forget that some do.

Click to read this article and much more from Jonathan on Substack

Jonathan Larsen has worked at CNN, MSNBC, and TYT.

He created Up with Chris Hayes, helped launch Anderson Cooper 360, was a senior producer on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, and was managing editor/executive producer at TYT. His original reporting has been cited by members of Congress resisting Christian nationalism.

Full email from MRFF senior active duty client and Hegseth “hostage” quoted

in Jonathan Larsen’s article

“Quantico Virginia Eye Witness”

From: (Senior Active Duty MRFF Client’s e-mail address withheld)

Subject: Quantico Virginia Eye Witness

Date: October 5, 2025 at 10:09:35 PM MDT

To: Mikey Weinstein <info@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>

Mikey, I’m one of the MRFF’s very senior active duty clients who was among those ordered to attend Hegseth’s mandatory meeting at Quantico VA last week.

You had asked for my feedback. Sorry it took so long but I needed some time to gather my thoughts before I responded.

Let me just say that the overwhelming number of my fellow military colleagues who were also ordered to attend this Quantico VA meeting view Hegseth and Trump with the same three word description; BULLIES and POSEURS!

Our U.S. military leadership is now totally rudderless and adrift in a world where only our nation’s enemies will revel in our descent into chaos.

Suffice it to say that the demeaning and destructive words spoken by Hegseth and Trump to our captive audience of Generals, Admirals and senior enlisted members eliminated any last vestige of trust and confidence in our chain of command. They want our compliance with our sworn oaths to the constitution to be a thing of the past. Instead they demand loyalty only to them and their orders over our duty to support and defend the constitution.

I trust you and the MRFF to protect my identity as you have done so well for many years.

Thanks to all of the workers at the MRFF for your continued activism in support of our armed forces. MRFF stands alone as a national treasure for our abused military troops of all ranks. To the point, the MRFF is so badly needed to counter the unconstitutional religious zealotry being forced upon us by Hegseth, by Trump and by their band of fellow MAGA travelers.

(Senior Active Duty MRFF Client’s name, rank, service branch, and name of military organization which he/she commands all withheld)