Trump-Backed US Prayer Event Draws Criticism Over Religious Representation

Mintesinot Niggusie

Organisers and critics are divided over a Trump administration-backed religious heritage event taking place on Sunday in Washington, where a nine-hour programme marking preparations for the United States’ 250th anniversary is drawing scrutiny over its limited representation of religious groups.

The event, titled “Rededicate 250: National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving,” is being held on the National Mall and forms part of a wider initiative of 16 planned programmes tied to the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebrations. It is organised by Freedom 250, a public-private partnership created by the White House to coordinate anniversary events with federal agencies.

According to organisers, the gathering is intended to “prepare for the nation’s 250th birthday with Scripture, testimony, prayer, and rededication of our country as One Nation to God.” The speaker list is largely drawn from evangelical Christianity and conservative Catholicism, alongside a smaller number of political and religious figures.

Among those scheduled to speak are Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senator Tim Scott, Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Jonathan Falwell of Liberty University, and Rabbi Meir Soloveichik of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York City. The composition of the programme has prompted criticism from church-state separation advocates, who argue it reflects an official endorsement of a narrow set of religious traditions.

Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, described it as “the epitome of exactly what our secular Constitution forbids our government from doing,” adding that it represents a fusion of government and Christian nationalism. Several religious communities are not represented in the programme, including mainline Protestant denominations such as Lutherans, Methodists and Episcopalians, as well as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Orthodox Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has called for broader inclusion, noting that Muslims were present in North America prior to US independence. Corey Saylor of the organisation said the country’s religious diversity should be more fully reflected in national commemorations. Samuel Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference said the focus of the speaker lineup reflects early American religious traditions following the Great Awakening. He described the event as “pretty much a depiction, a screenshot of our foundation.”