US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced the creation of an Office of Religious Affairs at the Pentagon. He unveiled the office on October 1 during his State of the Force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.

The office, established by a September 30 memorandum, will report directly to Hegseth. It will advocate for military chaplains and religious support at the highest level of the department. The memo states that nothing in it compels religious participation or diminishes the rights of personnel of any faith or none.

Hegseth told the audience the department was putting on the full armor of God, because while it wages physical war, the real battle is spiritual. Quoting Psalm 33, he said faith was the most essential component of the republic and accused past administrations of sidelining chaplains through political correctness.

Critics responded quickly. Rachel Laser of Americans United for Separation of Church and State said the move elevates Christianity's role in shaping military policy. No director for the office has been named yet.