Veterans Affairs asks employees to report 'anti-Christian bias' for
investigation by new task force
[April 24, 2025]
By STEPHEN GROVES
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.
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Doug Collins, President Donald Trump's pick to be Secretary of the
Department of Veterans' Affairs, speaks at his confirmation hearing
before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, at the Capitol in
Washington, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
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.”
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