The Pentagon on Monday backtracked on a disputed religious-affiliation policy that sparked a backlash from members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Republican lawmakers, saying the list had contained a “mistake” that “has been fixed.”
The statement, posted by a Department of Defense account on X, came hours after Sen. Mike Lee said he had personally appealed to President Donald Trump on the issue. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had been left outside a list of Christian denominations used in military personnel records.
“I just got off the phone with President Trump,” Lee, a Utah Republican and Trump ally, posted on X. “We discussed the Pentagon’s ‘Christian list’. I won’t speak for him, but I’m thrilled about where this is heading. We’re most fortunate that President Trump (1) loves Latter-day Saints, and (2) is our commander in chief. Stay tuned.”