Establishing a Faith Office:
The White House Faith Office was officially established today by President Donald J. Trump through the signing of an Executive Order. This office aims to empower faith-based entities, community organizations, and houses of worship to better serve families and communities. Housed within the Domestic Policy Council, the White House Faith Office will consult with experts within the faith community and make recommendations to the President regarding changes to policies, programs, and practices to better align with American values. Additionally, the office will coordinate with agencies on religious liberty training and identify and promote grant opportunities for non-profit faith-based entities, community organizations, and houses of worship.
Defending Religious Liberty:
President Trump has shown a strong commitment to protecting the liberty and freedom of religious communities, organizations, and students. In his first week, he pardoned Christians and pro-life activists who were persecuted by the previous administration for living out their faith peacefully. He also reinstated service members who were forced out of the military due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, including those who had religious objections to the vaccine. Recently, President Trump signed executive actions to ensure that Federal overreach and taxpayer dollars do not force individuals to violate their commitment to life. He also established a task force to eradicate anti-Christian bias.
Promises Made, Promises Kept:
These recent actions build on President Trump’s longstanding commitment to safeguarding the fundamental right to religious freedom. In his first term, he stopped the Johnson Amendment from interfering with pastors’ rights to free speech, established the Faith and Opportunity Initiative to promote the contributions of faith-based organizations, and reversed an Obama-era policy that prevented disaster relief from reaching religious organizations. Additionally, President Trump hosted a Global Call to Protect Religious Freedom event at the United Nations in 2019 and issued new guidance in 2020 to protect religious liberty and expression in public schools.
