Trump’s National Prayer Event Features Speakers Who Smeared Catholicism, Islam

Key Points:

• The Trump administration is hosting a nine-hour prayer event called “Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving” on the National Mall to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, featuring mostly evangelical Protestant speakers.
• The event includes speakers with a history of making disparaging and bigoted remarks toward Catholics, Muslims, and Pope Leo XIV, such as Eric Metaxas, Jack Graham, and Franklin Graham.
• The lineup lacks representation from mainline Protestant and historically Black Protestant traditions, with only one Orthodox Jew and two Catholics, all of whom are partisan conservatives linked to Trump’s religious liberty commission.
• Critics, including Rachel Laser of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, argue the event promotes Christian nationalism rather than religious freedom, as it is government-sponsored and excludes diverse faith perspectives.
• The event is partially funded by taxpayer money, though officials have not disclosed the total cost, and prominent political figures like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and House Speaker Mike Johnson are scheduled to speak.