FOIA and Government Transparency

Americans United for Separation of Church and State has filed two Freedom of Information Act lawsuits against the Defense and Labor departments, alleging they unlawfully failed to respond within 20 days to Dec. 19 requests for records about newly instituted monthly prayer services. The suits seek documents on planning, costs, invited speakers and any employee complaints, which the group says are needed to determine whether the agencies are remaining neutral on religion and respecting federal workers’ religious freedom under the Establishment Clause. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth began hosting Pentagon prayer services last May, featuring figures such as pastor Doug Wilson and evangelist Franklin Graham, while Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-Deremer launched similar events in December after attending one at Defense. Some Labor staff told the outlet the first service was narrowly “Judeo‑Christian” and included a rabbi’s remarks they viewed as hostile to LGBTQ people, allegations he denies. The lawsuits mark a new legal front against the Trump administration’s broader push to embed public Christian worship and faith‑branding inside federal agencies through executive orders creating a White House Faith Office, agency faith centers and a Religious Liberty Commission.