WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs is establishing a task force to investigate employee reports of alleged anti-Christian bias among their colleagues, part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to infuse its agenda with religious purpose and champion the rights of Christians.
VA Secretary Doug Collins this week sent a rare department-wide email requesting employees to report any allegations of “anti-Christian discrimination” among their colleagues. The email, which was reviewed by The Associated Press, asks for “names, dates, and locations” of any alleged incidents to be reported to an internal email address. The Guardian first reported the email.
President Donald Trump has launched a government-wide task force aimed at rooting out any bias against Christians, who are by far the largest faith group in the United States and hold significant political power. The two-year task force, chaired by Attorney General Pam Bondi and composed of Cabinet and other government representatives, is supposed to “identify any unlawful anti-Christian” actions under the Biden administration, change any objectionable policies and recommend steps to rectify any past failures.
The establishment of the task force at the VA comes as much of the staff is facing uncertainty about the future of the sprawling agency charged with providing medical and other benefits for millions of military veterans. The department is in the midst of a resizing effort that could lead to cuts of over 80,000 jobs.
The email from Collins instructs employees to report any incidents of “anti-Christian discrimination” including “adverse responses to requests for religious exemption under the previous vaccine mandates,” reprimands for displaying Christian imagery or symbols, “unofficial understandings hostile to Christian views” and retaliation of threats for abstaining from procedure like abortions or hormone therapy for people who are transgender. Other federal agencies, including the Department of State, are setting up similar internal reporting hotlines.
While some Christian groups and conservative organizations have welcomed Trump’s wider effort, it has also been criticized for prioritizing the rights of Christians over other religious minorities, as well as intermingling the church and state.
“All people, including Christians, should be able to live as themselves and believe as they choose so long as they don’t harm others,” said Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. “But rather than protecting religious beliefs, this task force will misuse religious freedom to justify bigotry, discrimination, and the subversion of our civil rights laws.”
Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the top Democrat on the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, accused the VA of acting without “factual basis or rationale” and warned that the task force could divide “the veteran community” by favoring Christianity over other religions.
“Since our nation’s birth, veterans have fought and died to preserve our freedoms — including to live free from religious intolerance or interference by government,” he said in a statement. “The First Amendment ensures that all religions and faiths are treated equally, with full freedom of worship. The government should be vigilant never to endorse or favor one religion above others.”
