1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I am writing to demand immediate congressional investigation into credible reports of military commanders using extremist Christian rhetoric to justify US involvement in the Iran conflict. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation has received over 200 complaints from service members across all branches documenting violations of constitutional principles and military regulations. According to these complaints, commanders are invoking biblical end times theology and references to Armageddon to frame the conflict. One noncommissioned officer reported that their commander urged troops to tell service members the war was "all part of God's divine plan," specifically referencing the Book of Revelation. This commander allegedly stated that "President Trump has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth." This single complaint represents 15 troops, including 11 Christians, one Muslim, and one Jewish service member. These incidents constitute clear violations of the separation of church and state and undermine military discipline. Service members cannot easily challenge superiors due to the hierarchical command structure, making congressional oversight essential. The complainants describe "unrestricted euphoria" among commanders who view this as a "biblically-sanctioned" war signaling fundamentalist Christian end times. The situation is particularly concerning given that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has publicly embraced Christian nationalism and endorsed "sphere sovereignty," a worldview derived from Christian reconstructionism. In August 2025, Hegseth reposted content from pastor Doug Wilson, who advocates against women in military leadership and explicitly desires the nation to be Christian. The Pentagon has not responded to requests for comment on these complaints. I urge you to demand a full investigation by the Department of Defense Inspector General into these allegations, require public reporting on findings, and introduce legislation strengthening protections against religious coercion in the military. Our armed forces must serve all Americans regardless of faith, and military operations must be justified by national security interests, not religious ideology.