The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has established a task force to investigate reports of anti-Christian bias among colleagues, part of a broader Trump administration push.
VA Secretary Doug Collins sent a department-wide email this week requesting that employees begin reporting allegations of “anti-Christian discrimination” among colleagues, The Associated Press reported.
The Hill has reached out to the VA for more information, but according to screenshots of an agency email, the task force is asking for specific identifiers, including “names, dates, and locations.”
The task force is asking for reports of “adverse actions taken in response to an accommodation request,” retaliatory actions taken in response to religious holiday observances and religious exemptions for vaccine mandates.
They are also asking employees to report mistreatment in response to displays of Christian imagery and symbols, mistreatment for not participating in events that go against Christian values and instances of discipline for religious-based expressions.
Other agencies including the State Department have made similar moves, in line with President Trump’s executive order establishing an interagency task force and commission to counter “anti-Christian” bias, headed by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Bondi is tasked with stopping “all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government.”
The anti-Christian bias email comes as the VA is also grappling with sweeping cuts to the agency and its workforce.
Veterans’ groups have expressed alarm over plans to cut roughly 80,000 employees in the coming months, on top of previous cuts earlier this year.
VA officials have insisted that the cuts won’t impact or delay veterans’ medical care or benefits.
The department undertook significant hiring efforts under former President Biden, who expanded veterans’ coverage.
The workforce in March sat around 480,000 after cutting about 2,500 probationary employees, along with diversity, equity and inclusion positions, during the first few weeks of the Trump administration.
