Members of Congress Request Investigation into Alleged Reports that Military Leaders Claim War in Iran Part of Biblical End-Times Prophecies

Members of Congress Request Investigation into Alleged Reports that Military Leaders Claim War in Iran Part of Biblical End-Times Prophecies

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressional Freethought Caucus Co-Chairs Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel Ranking Member Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) led 27 of their colleagues in requesting U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Inspector General Platte B. Moring III open an investigation into reports that servicemembers have lodged anonymous complaints about military commanders invoking religious prophecy and apocalyptic theology to justify the United States' military actions in Iran.

"At a time when billions of dollars and untold numbers of lives hang in the balance while the Trump administration wages a war of choice in Iran, the imperative of maintaining strict separation of church and state and protecting the religious freedom of our troops is especially critical. We must ensure that military operations are guided by facts and the law, not end-times prophecy and extreme religious beliefs," the lawmakers wrote.

The members went on to note the pervasive issue of extremist religious encroachment inside the military under the Trump administration, saying: "These allegations are also part of a broader political climate in which Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and senior civilian officials have publicly framed Middle East policy in explicitly religious terms."

They then requested the DOD conduct an independent investigation to determine the accuracy of these reports and to "assess whether Secretary Hegseth's extreme religious rhetoric has metastasized into segments of the military chain of command in ways that contravene constitutional protections, departmental rules and standards, or professional military norms."

The members requested the DOD investigate and report back to Congress on several matters, including:

1. Whether military commanders or other officers have made statements to subordinates asserting that U.S. military operations against Iran are part of a religious prophecy, divine plan, or apocalyptic religious event, and if so, where such communications originated within the chain of command.
2. Whether any such statements constitute violations of Department of Defense policies, including DoD Instruction 1300.17 "Religious Liberty in the Military Services," regarding religious neutrality, improper proselytizing, or abuse of command authority.
3. The scope and geographic distribution of complaints received within the Department of Defense regarding religiously framed messaging related to the Iran conflict.
4. Whether servicemembers who reported these concerns experienced retaliation or fear of retaliation within their units.
5. What training, guidance, or oversight currently exists to ensure commanders maintain religious neutrality in operational briefings, command communications, and other official settings.
6. Whether additional guidance or action is warranted to ensure that personal religious beliefs are not used to justify or frame U.S. military operations.

A full copy of the letter can be found HERE.

In addition to Huffman, Raskin, and Houlahan, the letter was signed by Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Sean Casten (IL-06), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Jesús "Chuy" Garcia (IL-04), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Mike Levin (CA-49), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Dave Min (CA-47), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Emily Randall (WA-06), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Norma Torres (CA-35), Derek Tran (CA-45), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

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