WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is launching an office of religious affairs, the latest of his faith-related reforms at the Pentagon.
He announced in a speech Wednesday that the office will help offer “first-class religious support” and will report directly to him.
“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,” he said.
Hegseth has infused his evangelical Christianity into his leadership of the Pentagon, hosting Christian worship services for employees and often speaking of the United States as a Christian nation.
The Office of Religious Affairs, or ORA, will advocate for military chaplains and religious support “at the highest level of the Department,” according to a Pentagon statement. It will not “compel religious participation, favor one faith, or diminish the rights of personnel of any faith or lack thereof.”
Some criticism of the initiative surfaced quickly.
The Pentagon “owes it to the nation’s service members to defend religious freedom,” said Rachel Laser, head of Americans United for Separation of Church, which has sued the Pentagon over its worship services. “Hegseth’s latest announcement violates that promise by elevating Christianity to an even higher role in shaping U.S. military policy.”
Other federal agencies have had religious or faith-based offices, which were established under President George W. Bush and were continued in different forms under the Obama and Biden administrations. President Donald Trump established a White House Faith Office and had a similar effort during his first term.
Shaun Casey, a religion scholar, led the State Department’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs during the Obama administration. The office did not promote religion or spiritual well-being, he said. “It was there to understand what were the political implications of lived religion in the various hot spots around the world.”
The leader of the new office has not been named. A Pentagon memo said the religious affairs director will coordinate spiritual resources, including “faith-based homeschool support for military families.” Hegseth has also pushed the military school system to introduce more coursework that draws from conservative and Christian influences.
The memo mentions “faith-based initiatives supporting Department-wide suicide reduction.” In recent years, the military has become increasingly dependent on chaplains to help address the growing numbers of troops in mental health distress. Hegseth has said he wants chaplains to focus more on God and less on therapeutic “self-help and self-care.”
The secretary has pushed other changes within the military’s chaplain corps, which provides spiritual care to troops. He ordered chaplains, who are commissioned officers, to no longer wear their rank on their uniform but instead be identified by religious insignia.
The Defense Department also slashed the number of religious affiliations it officially recognizes, down to 31 from more than 200 previously recognized traditions. The list no longer includes atheists, Unitarian Universalists, pagans and Wiccans.
Hegseth spoke directly to chaplains in his address Wednesday at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. Using Christian-inflected language, he said: “Live your calling. Stand firm. Preach truth. Minister to the flock.”
He then quoted from the Bible: “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do unto me?”
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gives a State of the Force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026 in Quantico, Va. (Alex Wong/Pool Photo via AP)
CLEVELAND (AP) — Deshaun Watson passed for 268 yards and moved the Browns into position for Andre Szmyt's career-long 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining that gave Cleveland a 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night.
Watson, who completed 24 of 33 passes with a touchdown and interception, was 4 of 5 for 46 yards as he led a go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter for the third straight week.
The Browns — who are 3-1 for the first time since 2021 — had a 21-7 lead late in the first half before the Steelers rallied to tie it at 24-all. Aaron Rodgers threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Pat Freiermuth with 1:44 remaining and Rodgers sneaked it in for the 2-point conversion.
Rodgers, who was 22 of 40 for 299 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, had one final chance to get the Steelers in field goal range, but he was picked off by Grant Delpit at the Browns 18 with 1 second left.
Pittsburgh's Jaylen Warren rushed for 93 yards on 17 carries and DK Metcalf had five catches for 115 yards.
Cleveland's defense sacked Rodgers five times.
Cleveland has won eight straight Thursday night games, the longest active streak and fourth longest in NFL history. Four have come against the Steelers.
Pittsburgh (2-2) is 0-10 on the road against AFC North rivals on Thursdays.
After Cleveland went three-and-out on the opening possession, Pittsburgh went 78 yards in 17 plays, capped by Wilson taking a shovel pass 12 yards around left end on a jet sweep. It was the second straight game in which Steelers have reached the end zone on their first drive.
The rest of the first half was all Browns. Watson had 181 yards passing by halftime, his most in the first 30 minutes since joining the Browns in 2022.
Jaleel McLaughlin tied it at 7 with 12:14 remaining in the first half on a 28-yard run around right end. The fourth-year running back broke a pair of tackles at the 22 and went through a narrow opening at the 15 before scoring.
The drive was set up after Denzel Ward picked off Rodgers' pass intended for Michael Pittman Jr. at the Browns 44 on the second play of the second quarter.
Cleveland took a 14-7 lead midway through the second quarter on Quinshon Judkins’ 2-yard run off right guard. The touchdown came three plays after Watson found Denzel Boston for a 60-yard completion to the Steelers 14 on the first play of the drive.
Harold Fannin Jr. then hauled in his third touchdown in two games on a 2-yard pass from Watson on third-and-goal with 1:22 remaining.
It was the first time since Week 13 of the 2020 season against Tennessee that the Browns scored at least 21 points in the second quarter.
The Steelers got within 21-10 on Boswell’s 31-yard field goal with 8 seconds left before halftime.
Rodgers rolled right and connected with Washington for a 21-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to bring Pittsburgh within 21-16. The 2-point conversion attempt failed.
Steelers: DT Derrick Harmon (foot) was carted to the locker room during the second quarter and did not return. CB Jamel Dean (ankle) went out late in the second quarter and did not return.
Browns: DT Mason Graham (left knee) was injured in the first quarter and did not return. DT Mike Hall Jr. (right ankle) went out late in the second quarter but came back in the third.
Steelers: Host Indianapolis on Oct. 11.
Browns: At the New York Jets on Oct. 11.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers celebrates after scoring against the Cleveland Browns during the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers passes under pressure from Cleveland Browns defensive end Jared Verse during the first half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson celebrates after their win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL football game in Cleveland, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns place kicker Andre Szmyt kicks the game winning field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson plats against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/David Richard)
