2026 is off to a great start, beginning with a couple of major federal actions to protect religious liberty for America’s service members and veterans.
Strengthening the Chaplain Corps
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recently announced several reforms that will restore the freedom and importance of military chaplains.
“In an atmosphere of political correctness and secular humanism, chaplains have been minimized, viewed by many as therapists instead of ministers,” Sec. Hegseth said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“There will be a top-down cultural shift, putting spiritual wellbeing on the same footing as mental and physical health, as a first step toward creating a supportive environment for our warriors and their souls,” he added.
“We commend President Trump and Secretary Hegseth for taking bold steps toward protecting religious freedom for those who sacrifice the most to defend it by ensuring that every chaplain in our military is able to fulfill their mission to be the spiritual light for our brave warriors,” said Chris Motz, Senior Counsel for First Liberty.
“For too long, woke activists have been able to reduce religious freedom within the military with very little resistance, including limiting the freedom of our military chaplains,” Motz continued. “The ministry of military chaplains continues a tradition of service provided to our service men and women since 1775, making sure that those who fight to defend our nation have the spiritual guidance they need.”
President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission also commended the action, emphasizing that “the chaplaincy is foundational to the American military—a source of spiritual strength so that our service members continue to serve as a force for good in the face of evil and oppression.”
The Commission recently held a hearing focusing on the religious freedom challenges that America’s military men and women face. It heard powerful testimony from military chaplains as well as former Navy SEAL Blake Martin, military supplier Kenny Vaughan with Shields of Strength, historian Dave Barton, and others.
“These men and women are risking their very lives for our freedoms. To stand for theirs is the very least we can do,” noted Kelly Shackelford, President and CEO of First Liberty and a member of the Commission.
“The testimonies highlight the importance of ensuring that the religious liberty of our service members, chaplains and veterans is upheld both now and into the future,” Shackelford continued.
Protecting Religious Freedom at the VA
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently issued new guidance that doctors within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will no longer require VA employees to offer abortion services to veterans.
This action reverses previous guidance under the Biden administration which required abortions to be funded with taxpayer dollars for any reason and at any stage of pregnancy. The updated guidance ensures the VA will remain free from coercion for people of faith.
“VA doctors and nurses heroically care for our nation’s veterans, and they shouldn’t be forced to perform no-limit abortions against their religious beliefs,” Motz said.
First Liberty secured a huge victory for Stephanie Carter, an Army veteran and nurse practitioner at the VA medical center in Temple, Texas. When she sought a religious accommodation from participating in abortions in the fall of 2022, VA officials informed Stephanie that no process for such accommodations existed. First Liberty sued in federal court, arguing that the Biden administration’s rule violated longstanding protections for people of faith at the VA.
Because of our lawsuit, the VA implemented a policy to accommodate all VA employees who have religious objections to being forced to participate in abortions. This was a major win that not only impacted Stephanie, but thousands of religious employees at the VA.
“We commend the DOJ for taking bold steps toward protecting religious freedom for those within the VA by ensuring that health care providers will not be forced to provide abortion services, “ Motz concluded.
