On Friday, Congressional Freethought Caucus co-chairs Reps. Jared Huffman (CA) and Jamie Raskin (MD) and House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel Ranking Member Chrissy Houlahan (PA) led 27 of their Democratic colleagues in requesting U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Inspector General Platte B. Moring III to open an investigation into these reports and claims “invoking religious prophecy and apocalyptic theology to justify the United States’ military actions in Iran.”

“If accurate, these outrageous statements—justifying a war based on interpretations of biblical prophecies, and informing troops that they are risking their lives to advance a specific religious vision—raises not only glaring Constitutional concerns, but potential violations of Department of Defense regulations regarding religious neutrality and breaches of professional obligations and standards expected of military leadership,” the lawmakers wrote in their two-page letter shared with Military.com.

Members of the United States Armed Forces swear an oath to support and defend our secular Constitution—not any specific religious doctrines—and servicemembers must be able to carry out their duties free from coercive religious messaging by their chain of command.

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The letter was signed by moderate and progressive Democratic members including Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Mark Pocan, Eric Swalwell, Veronica Escobar and Pramila Jayapal.