BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
For 250 years, our Nation has embraced a fundamental truth: Every individual is endowed with the inalienable right to practice their faith, adhere to their conscience, and worship freely without the shadow of fear. This Religious Freedom Day, we celebrate America’s unique position in history as the only Republic founded on this sacred principle. We reaffirm our commitment to preserving our proud legacy as one Nation, united under God.
Over four centuries ago, a group of determined settlers embarked on a treacherous voyage across the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower, driven by the quest for religious freedom. This journey ignited one of history’s most profound struggles for liberty and faith. More than a century later, after a fierce Revolutionary War aimed at securing these God-given rights, the Virginia General Assembly sought to dismantle the oppressive laws of the British Crown. In their place emerged the monumental Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. In this landmark declaration, Founding Father Thomas Jefferson asserted that God “created the mind to be free” and that every individual “shall be free to profess their opinion in matters of religion.” These tenets, enshrined in Virginia law on January 16, 1786, laid the groundwork for our First Amendment, immortalizing the exercise of faith in our nation’s foundation.
This year, as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, my Administration is taking decisive steps to reintroduce faith into the public sphere. The essence of religious freedom is the right to practice one’s beliefs openly, without fear. As President, I am spearheading a revival of faith in our schools, military, workplaces, hospitals, and government. Because, let’s face it, the revolution of common sense is far from complete without a resurgence of faith in God. To fortify families and safeguard religious liberty, I have established the White House Faith Office and the Religious Liberty Commission. Additionally, I have created a Task Force dedicated to Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias, tasked with identifying and eliminating anti-Christian policies and practices within executive departments and agencies. I have instructed the Department of Education to uphold the First Amendment right to prayer in public schools. Moreover, as part of my Administration’s historic Freedom 250 initiative, we launched America Prays — an invitation for Americans of all backgrounds to unite in prayer for wisdom, guidance, and blessings as our Republic embarks on its next great chapter.
From the establishment of the Jamestown Colony to the Pilgrims’ landing at Plymouth Rock, throughout periods of war and peace, and amid every challenge and triumph, religious faith has profoundly shaped our identity, informed our laws, and fortified our national spirit. On this Religious Freedom Day, I pledge to persist in the fight to restore America as a Nation of prayer, a country of faith, and a shining beacon of liberty and justice for all.
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 January 16, 2026, as Religious Freedom Day. I urge all Americans to commemorate this day through events and activities that honor our Nation’s proud history of religious freedom, and I especially encourage families to gather in places of worship to express gratitude to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty bestowed upon our great country.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.
DONALD J. TRUMP
