Trump-Backed Washington Religious Gathering Criticized for Lack of Diversity
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- 📰 Published: May 17, 2026 at 22:39
- 🔍 Collected: May 17, 2026 at 23:01 (22 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 17, 2026 at 23:04 (3 min after Collected)
(Washington, 17th, Comprehensive Foreign Report) A U.S. religious heritage celebration supported by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump kicked off in Washington today, highlighting the relationship between conservative Christian leaders and Trump, but critics argue the gathering fails to reflect the diverse religious landscape of the United States.
Reuters reported that the 9-hour event, titled "Rededicate 250: National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving," features speakers mostly from evangelical Christianity and conservative Catholicism.
Donald Trump is set to appear via video address, and senior Republicans like Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will also speak on the National Mall in Washington.
According to the organizers, the event aims to "prepare for the nation's 250th birthday with Bible readings, testimonies, prayer, and a rededication of our country to God."
The event is organized by "Freedom 250," a public-private partnership established by the White House to coordinate with federal agencies for the celebration of America's 250th anniversary.
Advocates for the separation of church and state say the event blurs the lines between government and religion.
"This government-sponsored prayer extravaganza represents exactly what our secular Constitution forbids our government from doing," said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, in a statement.
"This isn't just church-state entanglement, it's the merger of our federal government with Christian nationalism," Gaylor said.
Some have criticized the exclusion of other religious groups, such as mainstream Protestant churches like the Lutherans, Methodists, and Episcopalians. The event also lacks representation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as Mormons), Eastern Orthodoxy, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
According to data from the Pew Research Center, more than a quarter of U.S. adults identify as having no religion, about 23% identify as evangelical Protestants, 19% as Catholics, and about 11% belong to mainstream Protestant denominations.
Reuters reported that the 9-hour event, titled "Rededicate 250: National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving," features speakers mostly from evangelical Christianity and conservative Catholicism.
Donald Trump is set to appear via video address, and senior Republicans like Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will also speak on the National Mall in Washington.
According to the organizers, the event aims to "prepare for the nation's 250th birthday with Bible readings, testimonies, prayer, and a rededication of our country to God."
The event is organized by "Freedom 250," a public-private partnership established by the White House to coordinate with federal agencies for the celebration of America's 250th anniversary.
Advocates for the separation of church and state say the event blurs the lines between government and religion.
"This government-sponsored prayer extravaganza represents exactly what our secular Constitution forbids our government from doing," said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, in a statement.
"This isn't just church-state entanglement, it's the merger of our federal government with Christian nationalism," Gaylor said.
Some have criticized the exclusion of other religious groups, such as mainstream Protestant churches like the Lutherans, Methodists, and Episcopalians. The event also lacks representation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as Mormons), Eastern Orthodoxy, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
According to data from the Pew Research Center, more than a quarter of U.S. adults identify as having no religion, about 23% identify as evangelical Protestants, 19% as Catholics, and about 11% belong to mainstream Protestant denominations.