President Donald Trump has launched a new task force aimed at cracking down on what he calls “anti-Christian bias” in the federal government.
The group met for the first time on Tuesday at the Department of Justice, where Attorney General Pamela Bondi hosted members of the President’s Cabinet. The task force was created after Trump signed an executive order in February, calling for action against what he says is growing discrimination toward Christians in public service.
Government workers are now being asked to report any examples of anti-Christian treatment they’ve seen or experienced, along with details like dates, places, and names of those involved.
Several Christian Americans shared personal stories at the meeting, saying they were unfairly targeted because of their beliefs. One example raised was that Christian universities, including Liberty University and Grand Canyon University, were fined by the Biden administration, allegedly because of their Christian values.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke at the event, raising concerns that some government workers were punished for refusing to support certain diversity and LGBT initiatives. He said some were forced to promote messages overseas that went against their religious beliefs, even in countries where those messages clashed with local customs.
Rubio also claimed that under President Biden, American embassies often downplayed Christian holidays, while non-Christian ones like Losar, Eid, and Ramadan were celebrated with proper greetings and recognition.
“As shown by our victims’ stories today, Biden’s Department of Justice abused and targeted peaceful Christians while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses,” said Attorney General Bondi. “Thanks to President Trump, we have ended those abuses, and we will continue to work closely with every member of this task force to protect every American’s right to speak and worship freely.”
Trump’s team says the new task force is about defending the rights of Christians to live out their faith without fear of being punished by the government.
Critics, however, argue that the effort could blur the line between church and state.
The Interfaith Alliance, a religious freedom watchdog group, condemned the move, saying it could give cover to organisations that want to sidestep anti-discrimination laws.
“There is no evidence of widespread anti-Christian bias in the United States, and perpetuating this myth is deeply offensive to the actual Christian persecution that happens in other countries around the world,” the group said in a statement reported by the Daily Mail.
