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Pete Hegseth launches a religious office at the Pentagon. Then he orders chaplains to stop wearing their rank: ‘The real battle is spiritual’Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is launching a new office of religious affairs at the Pentagon, marking the latest shift in his faith-related reforms, the Associated Press reports. He announced the initiative during a speech on Wednesday at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, where he explained that the office will provide first-class religious support and report directly to his office.

Hegseth has already hosted Christian worship services for employees and frequently describes the United States as a Christian nation. During his address, he leaned into this perspective, telling his audience, “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 new Office of Religious Affairs, or ORA, is designed to advocate for military chaplains and religious support at the highest level of the Department. According to a Pentagon statement, the office will not compel religious participation, favor one faith, or diminish the rights of personnel of any faith or lack thereof.

Hegseth has been very vocal about infusing his evangelical Christianity into his leadership style

While the leader of this office hasn’t been named yet, a Pentagon memo notes that the director will coordinate spiritual resources, including faith-based homeschool support for military families. Hegseth has also been pushing for the military school system to incorporate more coursework that draws from conservative and Christian influences. This isn’t the first time federal agencies have seen faith-based offices. They were established under President George W. Bush and continued in various forms under the Obama and Biden administrations. President Donald Trump also established a White House Faith Office and pursued a similar effort during his first term. However, some experts note a shift in purpose. Shaun Casey, who led the State Department’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs during the Obama administration, pointed out that his office was focused on understanding the political implications of religion in global hot spots, rather than promoting spiritual well-being.

The announcement has already drawn criticism. Rachel Laser, who heads Americans United for Separation of Church, argued that the Pentagon owes it to service members to defend religious freedom. She stated, “Hegseth’s latest announcement violates that promise by elevating Christianity to an even higher role in shaping U.S. military policy.” Her organization has previously sued the Pentagon over its worship services.

Beyond the new office, Hegseth is making significant changes to the military’s chaplain corps. He has expressed a desire for chaplains to focus more on God and less on therapeutic self-help and self-care. To that end, he has ordered chaplains to stop wearing their military rank on their uniforms and instead be identified by religious insignia.

Furthermore, the Department of Defense has significantly reduced the number of officially recognized religious affiliations. The list has been cut from over 200 traditions down to 31, and it no longer includes atheists, Unitarian Universalists, pagans, or Wiccans.

King Charles Is Reportedly Furious With Prince William's Plans To Restore Princess Diana's Royal Title On The 30th Anniversary Of Her Passing: 'Painful King Charles and Prince William‘s tense relationship doesn’t seem to be getting any better, as the monarch is reportedly fuming with his oldest son over his plans to honor the late Princess Diana on the 30th anniversary of her passing. According to reports, Prince William wants to posthumously restore his late mother’s HRH title, which she stopped using when she and the then Prince Charles divorced in 1996, to mark the milestone anniversary of her tragic death, which will take place in August 2027. Keep reading for more info…King Charles Is Reportedly 'Enraged' By Prince William's Plans

An insider reportedly told RadarOnline that King Charles is "enraged" by the rumors that William is "thinking of campaigning to have Diana's royal title posthumously restored," as it could reopen one of the most "painful" periods in the royal family's history. William "knows this is an incredibly sensitive subject for his father, who is enraged at these rumors," the insider said, before explaining why the potential move could cause problems between the father and son. "Anything involving Diana's title inevitably reopens one of the most painful periods in the family's history, and Charles would rather not have those decisions relitigated publicly," the insider said.

The insider went on to say that William hopes his father will see that the proposed move isn't intended as an attack on him, but rather as a way to honor his late mother. "For William this isn't about attacking his father. He remembers how much losing the HRH hurt his mother, and there is an enormous emotional pull in finally putting that right," the insider said.

"The difficulty is that what William sees as a loving tribute to Diana could be interpreted as a judgment on decisions made during his parents' divorce. That's where the potential for serious tension with Charles comes from."Princess Diana Was Reportedly Offered Her HRH Title After Her Death

This reportedly isn't the first time restoring Diana's HRH title has been considered. Her brother, Charles Spencer, claimed in his controversial memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, that the late Queen Elizabeth II offered to restore it after Diana died, but the offer was declined. memoir have reportedly made the situation even more sensitive for King Charles and the rest of the royal family. "The controversy swirling around Earl Spencer's book makes William's deliberations ahead of Diana's death anniversary particularly delicate," a source explained.