1. United States
2. Ala.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my profound concern regarding efforts under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s leadership that risk undermining the First Amendment rights of American service members, particularly the constitutional freedom of religion and freedom from government-imposed religious observance. The First Amendment prohibits the government from establishing religion or coercing individuals into religious participation. Our military serves Americans of every faith and those who practice no religion at all. Service members swear an oath to uphold the Constitution, not to conform to the personal religious beliefs of their superiors. No member of the armed forces should feel pressured to participate in religious activities, affirm religious beliefs, or risk professional consequences for declining to do so. Military leadership carries significant authority over subordinates, making religious coercion especially troubling. Voluntary faith is a personal right; compelled religious observance is incompatible with the constitutional principles our military is sworn to defend. I demand that you publicly address these concerns, support a thorough investigation into any violations of service members’ constitutional rights, and pursue appropriate congressional oversight and accountability. If Secretary Hegseth has directed, enabled, or tolerated policies or practices that violate these protections, I urge you to support his removal from office. Our armed forces must remain committed to constitutional duty, religious liberty, and equal treatment—not the promotion of any particular religious doctrine. Protecting these principles safeguards both the rights of individual service members and the integrity of our military institutions. Please provide a written response explaining what actions you will take to protect service members from religious coercion and ensure that military leadership remains accountable to the Constitution.