Sen.John Curtis, a Republican from Utah, publicly criticized the Department of Defense after it reduced the number of officially recognized religious classifications used within the military from more than 200 to 31.

The controversy centers on the department’s new categorization system, which reportedly classifies The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), often called the Mormon Church, as a non-Christian religion.

According to the article, Defense Department officials said the changes were intended to help military religious support personnel provide spiritual services more efficiently.

Sean Parnell, an assistant for public affairs to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, stated that the revised structure was designed to improve spiritual care for service members.

Curtis strongly objected to the classification, arguing that members of the LDS Church are unquestionably Christian and that a government agency should not define a religion in a way that conflicts with how that faith identifies itself.

In a statement shared on social media, he praised Latter-day Saints for their patriotism and service and said he was working to have the classification corrected.The issue also drew attention from LDS Dems, a Democratic caucus composed of members of the LDS Church.

The group used the decision to criticize Christian nationalist elements within the Trump administration, arguing that some political allies of conservative Latter-day Saints do not fully accept them as fellow Christians.

The dispute highlights broader debates about religious identity, government classification of faith groups, and the role of religion within public institutions such as the U.S.military.