Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a reversal of a Pentagon policy that had drawn sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers, particularly from Sen. Mike Lee of Utah. The controversy originated from a memo issued on May 20 by Under Secretary of Defense Anthony Tata, which significantly reduced the military's religious affiliation codes from 211 to just 31. This change left The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints excluded from the Christian category, prompting bipartisan backlash. Lee, a member of the Latter-day Saint faith, labeled the exclusion 'repugnant' and contacted President Donald Trump to demand action. Following this pressure, the Pentagon updated its Religious Affiliation Codes to include the church as a standalone entry. While the change was welcomed by some, including Sen. Curtis, others, like atheist commentator Hemant Mehta, criticized the new categorization for still grouping atheists and agnostics together and for inadequately representing smaller faiths. The Pentagon's quick response reflects the influence of political pressure on military policy.