Pete Hegseth Announces Plan to Restore George Washington's Military Chaplain Corps to Its Former Glory
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that the military will be rebuilding its Chaplain Corps with a renewed focus on faith.
In a video posted to X, Hegseth denounced “the weakening of our Chaplain Corps,” which was intended to be the “spiritual and mortal backbone of our nation’s forces.”
“George Washington established the Chaplain Corps in 1775, one of his first actions as general of the Continental Army,” Hegseth said, quoting Washington as saying, “The blessing and protection of Heaven are at all times necessary, but especially so in times of public distress and danger.”
Hegseth said that as “part of the ongoing war on warriors,” the focus of the Chaplain Corps had become blurred.
“Chaplains are intended to be the spiritual and moral backbone of our nation’s forces. George Washington established the Chaplain Corps in 1775…” Thank you Secretary of War @PeteHegseth. https://t.co/noMAJHbkV1
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) December 17, 2025
“In recent decades, its role has been degraded. In an atmosphere of political correctness and secular humanism, chaplains have been minimized,” he said, adding that they are “viewed by many as therapists instead of ministers.”
“Faith and virtue were traded for self-help and self-care,” Hegseth said.
Hegseth then took aim at the Army’s spiritual fitness guide.
“In well over 100 pages, it mentions God one time. That’s it,” Hegseth said.
“It mentions feelings 11 times. It even mentions playfulness, whatever that is, nine times. There is zero mention of virtue. The guide relies on New Age notions,” he said.
“In short, it’s unacceptable and unserious. So we’re tossing it,” he said, adding that he was signing an order to ban use of the guide.
“Our chaplains are chaplains, not emotional support officers, and we’re going to treat them as such,” Hegseth said.
In 2017, the Pentagon issued a list of 221 groups that qualify as a religious group. The list includes Wiccans and atheists, according to Stars and Stripes.
Without offering details, Hegseth said the Pentagon will “streamline” the list.
“More reforms will be coming in the days and weeks ahead,” he said.
“There will be a top-down cultural shift, putting spiritual well-being on the same footing as mental and physical health.”
“We’re going to restore the key position of chaplain as moral anchors,” Hegseth said.
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