Trump Administration Faces Lawsuit Over Christian Prayer Services in Agencies
April 1, 2026
A secular advocacy organization has filed lawsuits targeting two federal agencies over the handling of records related to monthly Christian prayer gatherings promoted by officials in the Trump administration.
Christianity Daily reports that Americans United for Separation of Church and State announced legal action against the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Labor over monthly Christian prayer services hosted by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
Americans United President and CEO Rachel Laser announced in a statement on Tuesday, “The federal government’s role is to serve the public, not to proselytize. Secretaries Hegseth and Chavez-DeRemer are abusing the power of their government positions and taxpayer-funded resources to impose their preferred religion on federal workers.”
The organization accuses the administration of spreading “disinformation” about “religious expression in the federal workplace” and contends that the prayer services violate principles of religious freedom.
According to Americans United, Hegseth introduced the “Secretary’s Christian Prayer & Worship Service” during a workday at the The Pentagon in May 2025, and the gatherings have continued on a monthly basis since then.
Christianity Daily reports that the prayer meetings are generally open to all Department of Defense personnel.
Chavez-DeRemer launched a similar initiative within the Labor Department after being inspired by Hegseth’s efforts, with her department’s prayer services beginning in December 2025.
Laser complained, “Even if these prayer services are presented as voluntary, there is pressure on federal employees to attend in order to appease their bosses,” adding that she sees the services as part of the Trump administration’s “campaign to punish anyone who doesn’t comply with its Christian Nationalist agenda.”
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