A major in the Idaho Army National Guard is suing state officials after being forced out of his command role, alleging discrimination based on his religious beliefs. Maj. David Worley, represented by Liberty Counsel, claims that leadership in the National Guard violated his constitutional rights by removing him over past social media comments.
The controversy began when a subordinate filed a complaint against Worley, citing posts he had made years earlier while running for office. The comments, which opposed drag queen story hours for children and gender transition procedures for minors, were labeled as creating a “toxic” work environment—even though they had been made before Worley assumed his command role.
After an investigation found no evidence that Worley had acted inappropriately in the workplace, military officials still decided to remove him from command. They then implemented a new policy requiring all potential commanders to undergo ideological scrutiny, particularly regarding their social and religious views.
Liberty Counsel argues that this new policy is designed to keep Christians out of leadership roles in the Idaho Army National Guard. The lawsuit claims that military officials are using vague criteria to filter out officers with traditional values under the guise of preventing extremism.
This case comes at a time when the Trump administration is taking steps to protect religious liberty. An executive order signed by President Donald Trump recently called for action against anti-Christian discrimination, and Attorney General Pam Bondi has been tasked with investigating such cases.
Neither the Idaho Army National Guard nor Gov. Brad Little has commented on the lawsuit, but the case is expected to draw further national attention.
