BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
As we observe Captive Nations Week, we express our solidarity with individuals enduring the hardships of communism and tyranny, and we reaffirm our dedication to promoting the enduring cause of freedom globally. This same commitment must also be upheld domestically, ensuring that the harmful doctrines of socialism, communism, and totalitarianism do not take hold. United as a nation, we pledge to maintain our Republic as the staunchest defender of freedom and democracy the world has ever seen.
Communism has consistently been a doctrine of oppression, offering promises of equality and prosperity while resulting in suffering and destruction. Historical violence has demonstrated communism’s failure in every society that has embraced it. This oppressive ideology disregards individual rights, treating people as state property. In contrast, America believes in the fundamental truth that individual rights are endowed by our Creator, beyond the reach of any authority or regime. No nation has challenged this threat more bravely than the United States, where the people, steadfast in the belief that government is accountable to its citizens, have triumphed over tyranny, demonstrating the nation’s unyielding strength and determination.
Currently, communism is the most significant threat facing our nation, and my administration tackles it with unwavering resolve. Under my leadership, we protect the core rights of our Republic: life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the freedom to worship God without fear. Through the Religious Liberty Commission, we address anti-religious bias and safeguard the constitutional rights of every American, while the White House Faith Office empowers religious institutions and faith-based organizations to support families and communities nationwide. This mission propels us to usher in a new era of prosperity, preserving the free market that drives our success and unlocking the vast potential of our economy for every citizen. By safeguarding these blessings, America offers hope to those yearning to experience them and to nations aspiring for freedom.
For over 250 years, our nation has been a global symbol of liberty, and during Captive Nations Week, we pledge to remember those oppressed under communist rule. America will never become a communist nation, nor will we succumb to socialism or ideologies that seek to undermine our identity and values. We stand with everyone who longs for freedom, those imprisoned for speaking the truth, punished for their faith, and deprived of the opportunities that only liberty can provide. Together, we will continue to advocate for peace, prosperity, sovereignty, religious liberty, and human dignity worldwide. As long as America endures, the cause of freedom will remain alive.
The Congress, through a Joint Resolution approved on July 17, 1959 (73 Stat. 212), has empowered and requested the President to issue a proclamation declaring the third week of July each year as “Captive Nations Week.”
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 19 through July 25, 2026, as Captive Nations Week. I invite all Americans to reaffirm our commitment to supporting those worldwide striving for liberty, justice, and the rule of law through suitable ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifty-first.
DONALD J. TRUMP
