- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the creation of an Office of Religious Affairs at the Pentagon, establishing a direct line between military chaplains and the secretary.
- First Amendment advocates and religious freedom groups condemned the decision, warning it erodes the constitutional separation of church and state and advances a Christian nationalist agenda.
- The new office will oversee research and tools to evaluate spiritual fitness and readiness among service members while placing chaplains directly under Hegseth's authority.
- The announcement follows recent Department of Defense policy changes that narrowed the Pentagon's recognized religions list from 200 to 31, mostly Christian, traditions.
- Active-duty chaplains expressed concern over potential retaliation if their faith or ideological views do not align with Hegseth and President Donald Trump's administration.
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