Americans United denounces—yet again—Hegseth erasing nearly 200 religions from U.S. military

Americans United for Separation of Church and State President and CEO Rachel Laser issued the following statement in response to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hastily rewriting, for the second time in a week, the religious identifications from the U.S. military. Laser’s first statement and a brief history of these religious identifications can be read here. The latest DOD update to the religious identifications, issued in response to public outrage, continues Hegseth’s attempt to eliminate nearly 200 religious identities for servicemembers:

“The DOD’s latest attempt to wipe out religious diversity in the military may offend fewer members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but it still erases many other Christians, including those who belong to the United Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ, atheists, Wiccans, Unitarian Universalists, and more. The slapdash update shows the danger of the government swimming in theological waters. Hegseth has combined all Jews, from Orthodox to Reform, into one group. Baptists went from 29 options that spanned the moral, political, and theological spectrum, to one option. This entire exercise is unnecessary and demoralizing—and more evidence of the unbridled Christian Nationalism taking over this government. Our brave servicemembers deserve better.”