Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is putting religion closer to the top of the Pentagon’s chain of command.
Hegseth announced the creation of a new Office of Religious Affairs during his State of the Force address Wednesday. The office will report directly to Hegseth and advise Pentagon leadership on religious policy, funding and the “spiritual readiness” of U.S. service members.
“No staff filters, no bureaucratic dilution — a direct line to the secretary,” Hegseth said.
The office will also oversee the Armed Forces Chaplains Board and advocate for funding for religious programs across the military.
The Pentagon memo establishing the office says it cannot “compel religious participation” or diminish the rights of service members, civilian employees or family members “of any faith or no faith.”
But Hegseth introduced the ostensibly inclusive office using explicitly Christian language once again.
“Our department is, you might say, putting on the full armor of God because while we wage physical war, we all know the real battle is spiritual,” Hegseth said. “God is good. Evil is not. And America’s military must understand the difference.”
Hegseth also criticized what he called the military’s previous embrace of “political correctness and secular humanism” and claimed fewer than 5% of service members identify as nonreligious.
“So 95% of our force recognizes an Almighty God,” he said.
The Pentagon’s most recent publicly released data, from 2019, found roughly 70% of active-duty personnel identified as Christian. Nearly a quarter had an unknown or unclassified religious affiliation.
The office follows a series of changes Hegseth has made to religious life in the military. The Pentagon this year condensed more than 200 religious affiliation codes to 31, initially eliminating specific classifications for atheists, Unitarian Universalists, pagans and Wiccans, among others.
Hegseth has also hosted Christian worship services at the Pentagon. During one service in March, he prayed for God to enable U.S. troops to inflict violence “against those who deserve no mercy.”
Start your day with essential news from Salon.Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course.
Religious liberty groups have challenged those services in court, arguing that Hegseth is using his government office to promote Christianity.
Hegseth says the new office instead ensures religious freedom throughout the military.
“We’re placing spiritual health at the same level as physical health,” he said.
Read more
about religion in the Pentagon
