Trump's Former Pentagon Chief Sparks Debate on Religious Identity

WHO:

Alternet - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rep. Mike Kennedy (R-Utah), Amanda Marcotte, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), white evangelicals, Trump ally Robert Jeffress.

WHAT:

Alternet - The Pentagon walked back its religious affiliation policy after criticism from Utah lawmakers, including Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Mike Kennedy.

Alternet - The new list of religious affiliations was described as giving Christians 21 subcategories while excluding Mormons from the Christian designation.

Alternet - The Pentagon released a new list of religious affiliations that did not classify the LDS Church as Christian.

Alternet - The Department of Defense previously recognized 211 separate religious designations for service members, which was reduced to 31 in the new list.

Alternet - The new list provides Christians with 21 subcategories, while Jews, Muslims, and other major religious groups only have one option each.

ABC News US - The revision of the Pentagon's list has reignited debate about the Christian identity of the LDS Church.

WHERE:

Alternet - The events and discussions are centered around the Pentagon and involve lawmakers from Utah.

WHY:

Alternet - Amanda Marcotte stated that Hegseth's actions "accidentally exposed a major MAGA myth: that there's a coherent, much less peaceful, way to impose their theocratic views on the country."

Alternet - The revision was described as an effort to "streamline" services, but critics argue it signals the superiority of Christians over other faiths.

Alternet - Hegseth's actions are seen as an attempt to marginalize non-Christian faiths and reinforce a narrative of a "Christian nation."

HOW:

Alternet - Hegseth's treatment of Mormons was characterized as an attempt to marginalize non-Christian faiths and reinforce a narrative of a "Christian nation."

Alternet - The Pentagon's policy change was influenced by criticism from Utah lawmakers and public outcry regarding the exclusion of Mormons from the Christian designation.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 17:56 UTC)

The Pentagon has reversed its religious affiliation policy following backlash from Utah lawmakers, including Senator Mike Lee and Representative Mike Kennedy. The previous policy had categorized Christians into 21 subcategories while notably excluding Mormons from the Christian designation, which has drawn significant criticism. Amanda Marcotte highlighted that this situation inadvertently revealed a major misconception within the MAGA movement regarding the imposition of their theocratic views on the nation.

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(UPDATED June 10, 2026 16:15 UTC)

The Pentagon has released a new list of religious affiliations that notably does not classify the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Christian, sparking significant debate among lawmakers and religious leaders. This revision, which reduces the number of recognized religious designations from 211 to just 31, provides Christians with 21 subcategories while limiting Jews, Muslims, and other major faiths to a single option each. Critics, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and several Utah lawmakers, argue that this change not only marginalizes non-Christian faiths but also reinforces a narrative of Christian superiority in the nation.