The Pentagon has dramatically reduced its roster of officially acknowledged religious beliefs, cutting the number from over 200 down to approximately 30 faiths. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the changes, explaining that the previous system had become too cumbersome to manage effectively. The updated roster maintains recognition for major world religions including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism, among others. However, several groups have lost their official status under the new policy, including Pagans, Druids, Shamans, Witches, Heathens, Deists, and Wizards.
