No Such Thing as Separation of Church and State: Advisor to U.S. Secretary of Defense

Ryan Higgins, a senior advisor on religious affairs to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, has asserted that there is no such thing as the separation of church and state in the United States. He also faces allegations of promoting racist and anti-gay rhetoric on social media, disparaging Islam and immigrants, and propagating various conspiracy theories.

These findings emerged from an investigative report by the American news outlet CNN, which analyzed hundreds of social media posts, videos, and old blog entries authored by Higgins over the past decade.

According to the report, since joining the Pentagon, Higgins has become a close associate of Secretary of Defense Hegseth. Multiple sources indicated that he has played a role in infusing Christian nationalist ideology into Hegseth’s public statements and presentations. Other sources, however, noted that he is merely one of many advisors within the Department of Defense.

CNN’s review revealed that Higgins has repeatedly made disparaging remarks about Islam and Muslim-majority nations. In one instance, while sharing a news report regarding crimes allegedly committed by immigrants in Europe, he wrote that "violent illegal immigrants and asylum seekers" are destroying the world and "behaving like barbarians."

Higgins also mocked a 2025 initiative by Britain’s King Charles III to recognize the contributions of Muslims, later claiming that Islam teaches that those who dissent should be put to death.

Furthermore, he has rejected the concept of the separation of church and state, characterizing the United States as a Christian nation. In June of this year, while sharing a statement by Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Higgins wrote, "There is no such thing as the separation of church and state."

Higgins has also made controversial remarks regarding the social role of women, abortion, and LGBTQ+ rights. In one post, he asserted that a woman’s life finds its true fulfillment in motherhood. Professional life cannot provide that sense of fulfillment.

Comparing abortion to "human sacrifice," he has also attacked those who support it. Similarly, he has described same-sex marriage as "abominable" and opposed the adoption of children by same-sex couples.

According to a CNN report, he has continued to express these views even after joining the Pentagon. Last June, he referred to the adoption of a child by a same-sex couple as "buying a child."

Higgins has also made derogatory remarks about former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Michelle Obama. He even supported a video shared by Donald Trump that compared Barack and Michelle Obama to monkeys.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Higgins compared public health protocols and restrictions to the actions of Nazi Germany. He also supported claims that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was rigged.

Following the election, Higgins took to social media to allege that the vote had been stolen. During the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, he again alleged election fraud and blamed the violence on the leftist group Antifa.

Higgins did not respond to requests for comment from CNN regarding his controversial posts. However, U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson Sean Parnell described him as a "valuable member" of the Secretary of Defense’s team.

Parnell stated that Higgins is focused on ensuring the spiritual well-being of service members and is working on the establishment of an office for religious affairs at the Pentagon. He did not, however, provide a direct response to CNN’s detailed questions concerning Higgins' social media posts. According to reports, Higgins is also playing a key role in the initiative to establish this new office for religious affairs at the Pentagon—a move announced by Secretary of Defense Hegseth last September.