Defense Secretary Hegseth Establishes Office of Religious Affairs at the Pentagon

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is launching an office of religious affairs, part of his faith-related reforms at the Pentagon. He announced in a speech on October 2, 2026, that the office will provide "first-class religious support" and will report directly to him. Hegseth stated, "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." The Office of Religious Affairs (ORA) will advocate for military chaplains and religious support at high levels within the Department of Defense, according to a Pentagon statement. It will not compel religious participation, favor any particular faith, or diminish the rights of personnel of any faith or lack thereof. Some criticism of the initiative arose quickly. Rachel Laser, head of Americans United for Separation of Church, stated, "The Pentagon owes it to the nation's service members to defend religious freedom. Hegseth's latest announcement violates that promise by elevating Christianity to an even higher role in shaping U.S. military policy." Other federal agencies have had religious or faith-based offices, established under President George W. Bush and continued under subsequent administrations. Shaun Casey, a religion scholar, led the State Department's Office of Religion and Global Affairs during the Obama administration, noting that it did not promote religion but aimed to understand the political implications of lived religion globally. The leader of the new office has not yet been named. A Pentagon memo indicated that the religious affairs director will coordinate spiritual resources, including faith-based homeschool support for military families. Hegseth has also advocated for the military school system to introduce more coursework influenced by conservative and Christian perspectives. The memo mentions faith-based initiatives aimed at supporting Department-wide suicide reduction efforts, as the military has increasingly relied on chaplains to assist troops facing mental health challenges. Hegseth has expressed a desire for chaplains to focus more on religious matters rather than therapeutic self-help. Additionally, he has implemented changes within the military's chaplain corps, including a directive for chaplains to no longer wear their rank on their uniforms, instead using religious insignia. The Defense Department has also reduced the number of officially recognized religious affiliations from over 200 to 31, excluding atheists, Unitarian Universalists, pagans, and Wiccans. In his address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Hegseth spoke to chaplains, urging them to "Live your calling. Stand firm. Preach truth. Minister to the flock," and quoted from the Bible: "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do unto me?"