Pentagon cuts more than 100 faiths from military’s recognized religions list
Hegseth ends war briefing remarks by quoting the Bible
The Pentagon is reportedly reducing its officially recognized list of faiths and belief systems from approximately 211 to 31, according to a May memo obtained by Military.com.
The change, signed by Anthony Tata, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, aims to provide chaplains with clearer information to better support service members’ religious needs.
A former U.S. Army chaplain sharply criticized the move as a “tragedy and travesty,” arguing it violates the First Amendment’s guarantee of free exercise of religion.
While faiths like Agnostics, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, and various Christian denominations will remain recognized, systems such as Atheism, Paganism, Humanism and Wicca will reportedly be removed.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who has advocated for incorporating Christian prayer in military settings, previously justified the reduction by stating the old system was “impractical and unusable.”
