An Idaho Army National Guard officer is fighting back after being removed from command over his religious beliefs. Maj. David Worley has filed a lawsuit claiming he was targeted for his views on issues like drag queen story hours and gender surgeries for minors.
The controversy began when a fellow guardsman filed a complaint against Worley, citing comments the officer had posted online years before his promotion. These statements, which were made while Worley was campaigning for public office, expressed opposition to exposing children to explicit content in schools and public spaces.
Despite an investigation determining that Worley had done nothing wrong in his workplace, he was still forced to step down. After refusing to resign voluntarily, Idaho National Guard leadership moved forward with a review of his case, ultimately declaring that his personal beliefs were “toxic.”
In response to this, the guard reportedly implemented a policy requiring all future candidates for command positions to be evaluated for so-called extremist views, with a focus on personal and religious beliefs. Worley and his legal team argue that this effectively bans Christians from leadership roles.
Liberty Counsel, which is representing Worley, has taken the case to court, arguing that the Idaho National Guard violated his constitutional rights. The lawsuit alleges that military leaders are unfairly targeting those with traditional Christian values.
This legal fight comes just as President Donald Trump has launched an effort to eliminate anti-Christian bias in government agencies. Attorney General Pam Bondi has been tasked with investigating cases like Worley’s, making Idaho’s policy a potential target for federal intervention.
