United States President Donald Trump said Thursday he will create an office of faith affairs at the White House and instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead a task force to eliminate what he called discrimination against Christians in the federal government.
President Trump made the comments during the Capitol Prayer Breakfast and used his speech to call for unity, telling lawmakers that his relationship with faith has changed since the two assassination attempts on him last year.
During a second morning of prayer in Washington, President Trump struck a more partisan tone, expressing satisfaction with the elimination over the past two weeks of social justice programs based on aspects such as race or gender (so-called woke programs), and announcing measures to protect Christianity from what he said was religious discrimination.
"The mission of this task force will be to immediately stop all forms of attacks on Christians and discrimination within the federal government, including at the Department of Justice, which has been absolutely horrific, as well as at the IRS, the FBI and other agencies," President Trump said.
He pledged that the attorney general will work "to fully investigate the violence and vandalism against Christians in our society and will do everything possible on earth and in heaven to protect the rights of Christians and believers around the world."
The president did not mention specific examples of discrimination against Christians during the speech, but has previously accused former President Biden's administration of using the federal government to specifically target Christians.
President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to create the task force and outline its responsibilities, which include recommending steps to end "violent policies, practices, or behaviors."
Former President Biden's administration announced a strategy in December to combat prejudice against Muslims and Arabs, and a similar plan to combat anti-Semitism in September 2023.
The actions announced Thursday could raise constitutional questions about the separation of church and state, with the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution limiting government support of religion.
In the past three election cycles, white evangelical Christian voters, who make up a vital part of the Republican base, have supported President Trump. He has embraced conservative Christian views and policies that reflect this segment of the population’s anxiety about changing gender norms and family patterns.
The president also announced Thursday that he will create an Office of Faith in the White House, led by Pastor Paula White, who has served as his religious advisor for many years.
President Trump created a similar office in the White House during his first term and regularly consulted with a close group of evangelical advisors.
President Trump also said he would create a new religious freedom commission and criticized former President Biden's administration for "persecuting" believers through the prosecution of anti-abortion activists.
In 2023, the National Prayer Breakfast was split into two events, one at the Capitol attended by lawmakers and another private event with several thousand attendees at a hotel, after some lawmakers tried to distance themselves from the private religious group after questions about how it was run and funded. /VOA (A2 Televizion)
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