Pentagon drops about 180 faiths from its recognized religions list
newsJun 4, 20261944
The Defense Department, led by Secretary Pete Hegseth, removed roughly 180 faiths from its official roster of recognized religions, cutting the list from about 211 to 31. Documents show the revised roster consolidates smaller groups under broad categories and still names Agnostics, Buddhists, Hindus, Islam (Muslims), Judaism, Sikh, and major Christian traditions such as Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, and Methodists. The change affects which faiths receive formal recognition for chaplain support, accommodation, and ceremonial needs, so thousands of service members WHO belonged to delisted denominations will now be categorized under broader labels.
