US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order establishing a new Religious Liberty Commission to reinforce protections against emerging threats to the country’s tradition of faith-based freedoms.
The order cites US founding principles and the quest for freedom by the early settlers as an inspiration. The principles are that Individuals should be free to live out their faith without fear of discrimination, censorship, or government interference.
“In recent years, some federal, state, and local policies have threatened America’s unique and beautiful tradition of religious liberty.
“These policies attempt to infringe upon longstanding conscience protections, prevent parents from sending their children to religious schools, threaten loss of funding or denial of non-profit tax status for faith-based entities, and single out religious groups and institutions for exclusion from governmental programmes,” President Trump said.
The new commission comprising 14 members will investigate challenges to religious rights, recommend legislative or executive solutions, and re-establish the role of faith in the civic life of Americans.
The 14-member commission is set to investigate challenges to religious rights, recommend legislative or executive solutions, and help re-establish the role of faith in American civic life.
See the details of the Executive Order issued on May 1
ESTABLISHING THE RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the Religious Liberty Commission to safeguard and promote America’s founding principle of religious freedom.
- The Religious Liberty Commission will be comprised of a Chairman and Vice Chairman designated by the President, ex officio government officials, and additional members from diverse religious and professional backgrounds, including clergy, legal experts, academics, and public advocates.
- The Commission is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, strategies to increase awareness of and celebrate America’s peaceful religious pluralism, current threats to religious liberty, and strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations.
- Key focus areas include parental rights in religious education, school choice, conscience protections, attacks on houses of worship, free speech for religious entities, and institutional autonomy.
- The Commission will advise the White House Faith Office and the Domestic Policy Council on religious-liberty policies and recommend executive or legislative actions to protect these freedoms.
- Advisory boards of religious leaders, lay leaders, and legal experts will provide specialized guidance as subcomponents of the commission.
PROTECTING AMERICA’S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT: President Trump is addressing emerging threats to religious liberty to ensure Americans can freely practice their faith without government interference.
- The United States Constitution enshrines the fundamental right to religious liberty in the First Amendment.
- Recent Federal and State policies have undermined this right by targeting conscience protections, preventing parents from sending their children to religious schools, threatening funding and non-profit status for faith-based entities, and excluding religious groups from government programs.
- The previous administration’s Department of Justice targeted peaceful Christians while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses.
- This Commission will investigate and recommend policies to restore and safeguard religious liberty for all Americans.
STANDING UP FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: President Trump has a proven record of defending religious liberty and is committed to preserving this cornerstone of American democracy.
- In his first term, President Trump signed an Executive Order on “Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty.”
- He also protected conscience rights, ensured equal access to funding for religious institutions, and defended faith communities against government overreach.
- On the campaign trail, President Trump reaffirmed his commitment to protecting America’s religious freedoms.
- Since returning to office, President Trump has signed several executive actions to strengthen religious liberty, including:
- Marshalling all Federal resources to combat the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and in our streets since October 7, 2023.
- Establishing a White House Faith Office to bring faith leaders from across the nation to the table and ensure their voices are heard at the highest levels of our government.
- Creating the “Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias” at the Department of Justice to end the anti-Christian weaponization of government and unlawful targeting of Christians.