Saturday, June 6, 2026
Vol. VIII
Est. 2019

The Mind Shield

News · Opinion · Politics · Analysis

GOP senators demand answers after new Pentagon policy no longer considers their faith ‘Christian’

GOP senators demand answers after new Pentagon policy no longer considers their faith ‘Christian’
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listens as Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Washington. Photo: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/ AP.

Utah Republican senators John Curtis and Mike Lee are demanding answers after a new Pentagon policy no longer designates the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly referred to as the Mormon Church, as ‘Christians.’

The Department of Defense significantly reduced the number of recognized religions within the department from more than 200 to just 31, according to a May memo obtained by Military.com.

“The new list will provide chaplains with clear, readily available information that will better enable them to anticipate the religious support needs of service members and to provide religious support activities that align with service members’ personal faith and practices,” the memo, which was signed by Anthony Tata, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, reads.

While the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is included as a religious category on the updated list, it was not included in the list of faiths labeled “Christian.”

Now Utah’s two Mormon senators are demanding answers from the Pentagon.

Sen. Lee posted a screenshot of the list on Twitter and asked: “Can anyone tell me why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was left out of the list of Christian churches?”

Sen. Curtis called the exclusion “unacceptable,” adding that he was working to make sure a “correction is made.”

“Latter-day Saints are among the most patriotic, service-oriented individuals in our country. They are also unequivocally Christian — just look at who is in the name of the Church,” he said.

“It is unacceptable for a government entity to characterize a faith in a manner that contradicts the religion’s own foundational tenets. I am working now to ensure a correction is made,” Curtis added.

Meanwhile, LDS Dems took it a step further by urging Latter-day Saints to reconsider their support for the Trump administration.

“Under new military guidance from Pete Hegseth, the LDS Church is officially classified as a non-Christian religion,” the group wrote on Twitter. “My fellow Saints, you can love these Christian nationalists all you want, but they will not love you back.”