1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to you as a concerned constituent to request an immediate Congressional investigation into the conduct of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. There is now a documented and systemic pattern of the Secretary using his official office to mandate a specific political and religious ideology—Christian Nationalism—in direct violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and DoD Instruction 1300.17. There is a fundamental difference between an individual’s right to personal belief and a Commander using their official platform to mandate a single religious ideology. Our Founders understood this distinction, codifying the Separation of Church and State in the Establishment Clause to ensure religion never becomes an instrument of government. Current DoD regulations mirror this principle, requiring leaders to maintain strict neutrality in all official communications. When an individual assumes a leadership role in the military, their duty to the Constitution supersedes their desire to proselytize; they are legally barred from pushing their private faith onto those they command. As of March 2026, the Secretary’s actions have moved beyond personal expression into institutionalized religious coercion: -- Sectarian "SECWAR" Prayer Services: The Secretary has established monthly "Christian Prayer and Worship Services" held in the Pentagon Auditorium. These are not interfaith gatherings; they are explicitly sectarian events, often featuring extremist speakers like Pastor Doug Wilson. These services are televised on internal DoD networks and promoted via official email lists to service members and defense contractors. -- Discriminatory Exclusion of Other Faiths: While the Secretary uses Department resources to broadcast Christian worship, there are no equivalent platforms or promotions provided for Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, or non-religious service members. This creates a "tiered" system of citizenship where "face time" with top leadership is gated behind a specific religious requirement. -- Coercion of Subordinates and Contractors: In the military, an "invitation" from the Secretary is a directive. Commanders are reportedly using these events as a template, pressuring NCOs to use religious rhetoric. Furthermore, private contractors have expressed fear that they must attend these services to remain in the Secretary’s good graces for future government work. -- Theological Framing of Warfare: Recent reports indicate that the current conflict in Iran is being framed by some commanders as a "divine plan" or "biblical prophecy." This dangerous rhetoric stems directly from the Secretary’s public assertions at the National Religious Broadcasters convention, where he labeled Middle East policy as "biblical" and disparaged non-Christian Americans as "godless." -- Targeted Restrictions on Minority Faiths: While promoting his own brand of Christianity, the Secretary has moved to strip away religious accommodations—such as beards and turbans—that allow Sikhs, Jews, and Muslims to serve. This "selective" religious freedom is a betrayal of the pluralistic values our military is sworn to defend. The U.S. military is a secular institution designed to protect the rights of all Americans, regardless of their faith or lack thereof. Using the Pentagon as a pulpit for Christian Nationalism is a threat to unit cohesion, national security, and the Constitution. I urge you to demand a full audit by the DoD Inspector General and to hold Secretary Hegseth accountable for this unprecedented abuse of power.