President Trump on Wednesday tweeted that the US Navy won’t end a contract with Catholic priests who serve three San Diego-area bases.
“The United States Navy, or the Department of Defense, will NOT be cancelling its contract with Catholic Priests who serve our men and women in the Armed Forces so well, and with such great compassion & skill. This will no longer be even a point of discussion! @CardinalDolan,” Trump wrote, tagging New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan
There’s a long-running shortage of Catholic chaplains in the US military, forcing the Navy in San Diego to contract with an outside group of priests to perform services.
The Navy’s now-reversed decision to scrap the contract with Catholic priests was made because Catholic services are “readily available in the surrounding community,” Vice Adm. Yancey Lindsey said in an announcement reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, said the canceled contract cost $250,000, or “approximately 0.000156% of the Navy budget.”
The decision created a furor, with Catholic advocates pointing out that Protestant services would continue on base.
The denominational makeup of the US military’s chaplain corps is a long-running point of tension. The US Constitution bars the government from favoring specific religions or prohibiting the exercise of others, but the US Supreme Court has not ruled on the constitutionality of military chaplains.
Trump’s announcement is the second time in a week that he’s overruled military leaders on a cost-cutting move. On Friday, he announced via Twitter that he was overruling Pentagon leaders who ordered the Stars and Stripes military newspaper to close.