President Trump Signs Executive Order on Advancing Religious Freedom

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to further protect religious freedom around the world. On behalf of the over two million members and supporters of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, we commend President Trump for making it absolutely clear that protecting religious freedom is a domestic and foreign policy priority.

The executive order outlines that the U.S. will budget at least $50 million per year for programs that advance international religious freedom. The White House will expand available economic tools to support our allies on religious freedom and address bad actors, whether by increasing religious freedom programming, realigning foreign assistance to better reflect country circumstances, restricting the issuance of visas, or deploying Global Magnitsky sanctions where appropriate. This order will also mandate more federal employees who work abroad to undergo training on international religious freedom.

“We are grateful to have a leader such as President Trump, who has made it so clear that he supports religious freedom and wants everyone to worship God freely,” said Timothy Head, executive director of the Faith & Freedom Coalition. “Our brothers and sisters are facing severe persecution around the world for their faith. Through this Executive Order, Trump is showing that he cares for the persecuted and is reaching out to protect and help them.”

In September 2019, President Donald J. Trump made history as the first American President to convene a meeting of global leaders at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to address International Religious Freedom.  The President was clear when he called upon “the nations of the world to end religious persecution.”  This Executive Order fully integrates the President’s vision – a vigorous defense of International Religious Freedom rights for all – into key aspects of United States foreign policy. Yet again, President Trump is taking a decisive action to keep his promise to people of faith around the world.

To learn more about the Faith & Freedom Coalition, visit ffcoalition.com/.

About the Faith & Freedom Coalition

The Faith and Freedom Coalition is a national grassroots movement of over 2 million conservatives and people of faith in support of time-honored values, stronger families, and individual freedom. Learn more about Faith & Freedom at www.ffcoalition.com.