USDA Secretary's Easter Email Sparks Controversy

0:00Secretary Brooke Rollins, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, sent an Easter email to nearly 100,000 employees saying Christ is risen and calling it the foundation of faith. The message went out Sunday to staff at 4,500 offices nationwide, sparking major backlash inside the department. A union president and USDA employee named Ethan Roberts filed a formal complaint with the Office of Special Counsel. He called the email a pro-Christianity sermon that violates the first amendment's establishment clause by eroding separation of church and state. Roberts wants the email retracted and no more religious holiday messages from the department. Several employees felt uncomfortable, with one anonymous worker telling reporters it made them uneasy about personal beliefs in a government setting. Roberts himself said, mentions of Sin and Hell left him feeling judged for not observing Easter the same way. USDA spokespeople push back, saying the Secretary has every right to send holiday greetings like past agriculture secretaries and even presidents have done.

1:03They see it as standard practice for a major Christian holiday. This incident fits into a bigger push under President Trump, where faith initiatives have brought more prayers, Bible verses, and religious events. Into government operations across agencies. It's shifting how official business mixes with personal faith these days. From your city, powered by AI, this is Canada News Today. I'm Corey with the story.