WASHINGTON—In an interview with Heidi Hatch on KUTV 2News, U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) welcomed the Department of War’s (DOW) prompt action to correct a recent Department reclassification that failed to recognize The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a Christian faith. The correction was made shortly after Senator Curtis’ office met with officials from the Pentagon on Monday, June 8, 2026.
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“I have been very pleased by the receptivity of not just people at the Pentagon, but my colleagues. I received a text from someone of a different faith and different party who said, ‘If you want me, I’m in.’ As I look back, the reaction to this was heartwarming to me, and the quick change is heartwarming, and I think what started off as not good has ended well,” Curtis said in the interview.
“’The Pentagon’s job is not to adjudicate theological debates, but instead to ensure sincerely-held faith is respected and encouraged in our ranks.’ Thank you to the [Department of War] for listening to our concerns, engaging thoughtfully and respectfully with my office on this issue, and for delivering a swift correction,” Senator Curtis said following the decision.
Background:
DOW recently streamlined its religious affiliation categories used to help military chaplains support service members. In the process, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was listed separately from other Christian denominations, prompting concerns that the federal government was effectively characterizing the faith in a manner inconsistent with its own beliefs and identity.
“Latter-day Saints are among the most patriotic, service-oriented individuals in our country. They are also unequivocally Christian—just look at who is in the name of the Church,” Senator Curtis said in response to the change. “It is unacceptable for a government entity to characterize a faith in a manner that contradicts the religion’s own foundational tenets. I am working now to ensure a correction is made.”
Following outreach from Senator Curtis and other members of Utah’s congressional delegation over the weekend, the Pentagon revised the classification and emphasized that its intent was administrative, not theological, and that it does not seek to adjudicate matters of faith.