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2026-01-31

Microsoft pledged to cover power costs and stop tax breaks

In January, we pledged to fully cover our data centers' power costs and stop requesting local tax breaks.

2026-01-31

OpenAI pledged Stargate data centers will not raise electricity prices

Our Stargate data centers will not raise local electricity prices.

2026-03-01

Microsoft stops using NDAs with government agencies

In March 2026, Microsoft became the first major tech firm to stop using nondisclosure agreements with government agencies on its data center projects.

2026-03-01

Tech companies sign White House data center pledge

In March 2026, Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, and xAI signed a White House pledge to provide their own power for new data centers and pay for any grid upgrades they require.

2026-10-02

Amazon will invest over $1 billion in data center communities

We will invest more than $1 billion over the next five years in US communities hosting our data centers, with communities deciding how to use the funds across education, job training, energy affordability, and water and energy preservation.

2026-10-02

Data center buildout is a national security imperative

The data center buildout is a national security imperative comparable to the 1950s interstate highway system, and if the US enacts more than 100 local moratoriums, it could be writing its own losing ticket in the AI race with consequences lasting generations.

2026-10-02

Data center concerns are myths

Arguments that data centers drive up power costs, deplete water supply, and cause pollution from diesel fumes are false myths.

2026-10-02

Foreign countries are seeding misinformation to slow US data centers

Based on widespread reports, some countries are deliberately seeding misinformation in the United States to slow data center construction.

2026-10-02

Foreign influence claims are overstated

Claims that foreign influence campaigns are driving data center opposition overstate the role of such campaigns in a grassroots movement that spans the political spectrum and nearly every US state.

2026-10-02

Communities rejecting data centers will be backwards and poor

Communities that reject data centers will end up being backwards and poor.

2026-10-02

AWS will be water-positive by 2030

We will be water-positive across our data centers by 2030, returning more water to communities than we use, and we are already 75 percent of the way toward that goal.

2026-10-02

Meta committed $1 billion to data center communities

We committed $1 billion to spend in the communities that host our data centers.

2026-10-02

Amazon announces $1 billion community investment program

On October 2, 2026, Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman announced the 'Built Together' program, committing more than $1 billion over five years to US communities hosting Amazon data centers, along with a 'Data Centre Commitment' to avoid raising local electricity bills and to publish annual energy and water usage figures.

Inside the report

01 General knowledge

A Broader Push to Reshape the Military

The creation of the Pentagon Office of Religious Affairs is part of a larger effort by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to reshape the U.S. military's culture and priorities. Since taking office, Hegseth has pushed for stricter grooming standards, a review of military colleges for 'wokeness,' and a reduction in the number of generals and admirals. He has also sought to increase the Pentagon's budget to $1.5 trillion, arguing that a stronger military is needed to face global threats. These actions reflect a broader administration goal to move away from what it sees as excessive focus on diversity and social issues.

Hegseth's approach has been controversial, drawing criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans. Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican, has called for Hegseth's removal, citing concerns about his management and the leadership void it has created. The military is also facing challenges such as a major data breach and ongoing conflicts, which add to the pressure on its leadership. This context helps explain why the new religious affairs office is seen by many as part of a larger cultural and political shift within the Pentagon.

02 The subject

The Defense Secretary's Role and Influence

Pete Hegseth is the U.S. Secretary of Defense, the civilian leader of the Department of Defense, responsible for overseeing the military and setting its strategic direction. He is a military veteran and former Fox News host, appointed by President Donald Trump in 2024. Hegseth has used his position to promote his personal Christian faith, which he has linked to the nation's conflicts, including the war with Iran. He has also made significant changes to military policy, such as narrowing recognized faiths and reducing chaplain ranks, which have raised concerns about the separation of church and state.

03 Explained

How the Office of Religious Affairs Fits In

The new Office of Religious Affairs is designed to give military chaplains a direct line to the Secretary of Defense, bypassing what Hegseth described as 'staff filters' and 'bureaucratic dilution.' This means the office will oversee chaplains and also sponsor research and tools to assess 'spiritual fitness, spiritual readiness, and spiritual resilience.' The office is not explicitly Christian, but critics fear it will be used to promote a Christian nationalist agenda and marginalize other faiths.

The memo creating the office states that 'nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to compel religious participation or to diminish the free exercise rights of any service member, civilian employee, or family member of any faith or no faith.' However, critics remain skeptical, pointing to Hegseth's past actions, such as holding monthly Christian services at the Pentagon and inviting a controversial Christian nationalist pastor to preach. This mechanism of direct reporting and oversight is seen as a way to align the chaplaincy with the Secretary's religious views.

04 Previous developments

Steps Leading to the New Office

The creation of the Office of Religious Affairs follows a series of actions by Hegseth that have alarmed religious freedom advocates. In February, he invited controversial Christian nationalist pastor Doug Wilson to preach at the Pentagon. He has also held monthly Christian church services at the Pentagon auditorium and removed religious minority faith codes from the Chaplaincy program. These steps have heightened concerns among chaplains that the new office could lead to a 'broader narrowing of who is considered acceptable within the Chaplain Corps.'

Earlier, Hegseth discarded 'Spiritual Fitness' guides that he said were too focused on 'new age' concepts. He also diminished chaplains' military ranks and narrowed the Pentagon's list of recognized faiths to 'streamline' how chaplains minister to service members. These changes have been part of a broader effort to infuse the military with his Christian faith, which he has explicitly linked to the nation's conflicts. The new office is the latest in this series of actions, and it has drawn sharp criticism from religious freedom advocates and First Amendment groups.

05 The environment

Current Reactions and Pressures

The announcement has drawn strong criticism from religious freedom advocates and First Amendment groups. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit supporting service members' rights to religious expression, has condemned the move, with founder Mikey Weinstein calling it 'disgusting, immoral, unethical and unconstitutional' and a violation of the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. Democratic Representative Jared Huffman, author of a book on Christian nationalism, said it is 'no accident' that Hegseth used the word 'establish' in announcing the office, and he accused Hegseth of being a 'full-throttle Christian nationalist' who hates the separation of church and state.

The criticism comes amid broader concerns about Hegseth's leadership, including calls from some Republicans for his removal. Senator Thom Tillis has urged President Trump to fire Hegseth, citing a leadership void in the military. The Pentagon is also dealing with other issues, such as a major data breach and ongoing conflicts, which add to the pressure on its leadership. These conditions create a tense environment for the new office, as critics fear it will be used to promote a Christian nationalist agenda within the military.

06 Why this happened

Why Hegseth Created the Office

Hegseth's decision to create the Office of Religious Affairs is driven by his desire to give military chaplains a direct line to him, bypassing what he described as 'staff filters' and 'bureaucratic dilution.' He has explicitly linked his Christian faith to the nation's conflicts, framing the struggle as a 'spiritual battle' between Christianity and America. This office is part of his broader efforts to infuse the military with his Christian faith, which he has repeatedly invoked in public statements.

The move also follows complaints from active-duty military chaplains who say the secretary is evaluating whether faith leaders are ideologically aligned with the Trump administration and Hegseth's Christianity. One chaplain wrote to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation that there is 'an ongoing effort to determine whether subordinate chaplains ideologically align with the Secretary of Defense and the current leadership.' This suggests that the office is intended to ensure that the chaplaincy aligns with Hegseth's religious and political views, which critics see as a threat to religious freedom.

07 Facts and events

Stakes and Comparisons

The creation of the office has significant implications for the military's diverse population of service members of many faiths and no faith. Critics fear it will marginalize other faiths and promote a Christian nationalist agenda. The controversy underscores the ongoing tension between religious freedom and the separation of church and state in the United States, particularly within the military.

This move is part of a broader pattern of Hegseth's actions that have alarmed religious freedom advocates, including his rejection of the principle of separation of church and state. The office, while not explicitly Christian, is seen by critics as a vehicle to elevate a Christian nationalist agenda within the military. The memo's assurance that it will not compel religious participation has not assuaged critics' concerns, given Hegseth's past actions.

08 Questions answered

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Office of Religious Affairs supposed to do?

The office is intended to give military chaplains a direct line to the Secretary of Defense and to oversee spiritual fitness programs, but critics fear it will be used to promote a Christian nationalist agenda.

Why are critics concerned about the office?

Critics worry that the office will marginalize other faiths and violate the separation of church and state, given Hegseth's past actions and his explicit linking of Christianity to the nation's conflicts.

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