QUANTICO, Va. — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that the Pentagon is establishing an Office of Religious Affairs, telling 600 officers and service members at Marine Corps Base Quantico that chaplains would finally have “an advocate at the highest levels” of the department.
“And that ends now,” Hegseth said. “Today at my direction, I’m establishing the Office of Religious Affairs.”
In the remarks, the defense secretary said the new office would report directly to him, protect chaplains’ budgets, and strengthen religious support across the force. “We asked chaplains to serve and sacrifice and then sideline them with paperwork and process,” he said. “Policy and resources will serve the mission, not smother the mission.”
Hegseth framed the move in explicitly religious terms: “Our department is, you might say, putting on the full armor of God. Because while we wage physical war, we all know the real battle is spiritual.”
The Pentagon said the office would advocate for military chaplains and religious support without compelling religious participation or favoring one faith — a claim that drew swift criticism from church-state separation advocates, who argue the move elevates Christianity in military policy.
The announcement came during Hegseth’s annual “State of the Force” address at Quantico, in which he also confirmed a 20% cut to the ranks of generals and admirals.
Footage: U.S. Department of War, “Hegseth Delivers State of Force Remarks,” Sept. 30, 2026 — official DVIDS webcast archive. Used under 17 U.S.C. § 105 (U.S. federal government work, public domain).