Trump's Prayer Fest: A Showcase of Bigotry Wrapped in Faith
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s administration is rolling out a nine-hour prayer extravaganza this Sunday, branded as an inclusive gathering for all faiths. But hold on—this so-called apolitical event is headlined by speakers notorious for their bigoted tirades against Catholics and Muslims.
Dubbed “Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving,” the event coincides with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Set against the backdrop of the National Mall, it boasts 14 religious speakers, with a staggering majority being evangelical Protestants. (Fun fact: Evangelicals represent about a quarter of the U.S. population.)
Among the lineup are Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), all delivering remarks funded by millions in taxpayer dollars. When pressed for the event's cost, a White House spokesperson deflected to the organizers, Freedom 250, who conveniently ignored requests for comment.
Only three speakers break the evangelical mold: an Orthodox Jew and two Catholics, all staunch conservatives serving on Trump’s religious liberty commission. Notably absent are voices from mainline Protestant or historically Black Protestant traditions. The chosen few have a track record of disparaging remarks aimed at Muslims and Catholics, particularly targeting Pope Leo XIV.
Eric Metaxas, a conservative radio host turned MAGA devotee, is one of the featured speakers. His transformation from respected scholar to right-wing mouthpiece is nothing short of dramatic. Just last month, he labeled Islam as “evil” and “NOT a religion,” claiming it’s “incompatible with American values.”
Metaxas has also taken aim at Pope Leo, dismissing his words as “pious blather” and “Marxist garbage,” while accusing the pontiff of “leftist corruption infiltrating the church.” He even suggested that the pope should stop making “idiotic and incendiary” comments about Trump.
Jack Graham, senior pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Texas, is another speaker known for his vitriol against Pope Leo. He previously dismissed the pope’s concerns about the Iran war as “total nonsense” from “a false office,” and condemned his calls for coexistence between Christianity and Islam as “socialist Marxists pablum.”
Graham has also been vocal against Islam, sharing a post that allegedly quotes Winston Churchill branding it a “retrograde force.” He claimed that Islam’s core beliefs foster “radicalized demonized terrorism” back in December 2015.
Franklin Graham, a long-time Christian leader and Trump ally, will reportedly deliver a video message at the festival. His past comments about Muslims are alarming; in 2017, he claimed Islam teaches followers to “murder and rape,” and in 2014, he insisted that all Muslims should be held accountable for terrorist acts.
Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, scoffed at the notion that this festival promotes religious freedom. “This is a government-sponsored event on public property that combines only Christian faith leaders and government officials,” she stated. “It’s less a ‘Jubilee of Prayer’ than a ‘Jubilee of Christian Nationalism.’”
If Trump and his allies genuinely cared about honoring America’s legacy of religious freedom, they would celebrate church-state separation as a unique American invention. Instead, they’re pushing a Christian Nationalist agenda that threatens this foundational principle by imposing a narrow version of Christianity on all Americans.
