WASHINGTON – On January 18, 2020, President Trump issued an executive order protecting school prayer and updating federal guidance on the issue, which had not been revised since 2003. The executive order stated that “these actions build on President Trump’s longstanding commitment to safeguarding the fundamental right to religious freedom” and promised to “unequivocally stand up for religious liberty in the courts.”
“Our Founders understood that no right is more fundamental to a peaceful, prosperous, and virtuous society than the right to follow one’s religious convictions,” President Trump remarked after signing the order.
During his first administration, Trump supported religious exemptions to the contraceptive mandate, pushed for the repeal of the Johnson Amendment, advocated for wedding vendors and faith-based foster care providers in key Supreme Court cases, and bolstered religious liberty protections in the military.
Former president Donald Trump holding a copy of the God Bless the USA Bible [Lee Greenwood
As part of his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump and his team outlined their vision for protecting religious freedom in a second term. Agenda 47, the policy platform for his upcoming administration, highlights initiatives across various sectors, including immigration, education, energy, governance, and religious freedom.
Agenda 47 shares several similarities with the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, a conservative roadmap for the next administration. Both plans advocate for reducing the size of the federal government, enhancing executive authority, and promoting conservative social policies. However, they differ in the scope and specificity of their proposals. Notably, while Trump denied that Project 2025 influenced his campaign, many members of his earlier administrative team were involved in its creation.
A key aspect of Agenda 47 is the Freedom to Pray initiative. President Trump has committed to safeguarding the First Amendment and plans to champion the right to pray in public schools by reinstating and expanding policies on this issue from his first term. These policies included updating federal guidance on religious expression in schools for the first time since 2003, requiring local educational agencies receiving federal funds to uphold constitutionally protected rights, streamlining the complaint process for students facing violations, and guaranteeing opportunities for students to pray or read religious texts during non-instructional periods.
Just days before winning the 2024 election, Trump underscored his commitment to religious liberty at the Faith Summit in Powder Springs, Georgia. “We have to save religion in this country. Honestly, religion is under threat, and we can’t let that happen,” Trump declared. “It’s the fabric of our country, the thing that holds us together. We can’t lose it. We’re not going to lose it.”
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During a speech at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention earlier this year, President-elect Trump announced plans to establish a new federal task force to combat “anti-Christian bias.” The task force would investigate instances of illegal discrimination, harassment, and persecution against Christians in the United States. He assured attendees that, under his leadership, the federal government would no longer “target religious believers.”
Trump’s focus on Christianity was evident in his remarks: “They want to tear down crosses and replace them with social justice flags. But no one will be touching the cross of Christ under my administration. I swear to you, that will never happen.”
An example of how this focus might take shape emerged recently in Oklahoma, where State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced the creation of the Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism within the Oklahoma State Department of Education. Walters cited a September 2023 incident in which a Skiatook school removed Bible verses from a classroom following a complaint from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which argued that such displays were unconstitutional. Walters criticized the removal, calling it “unacceptable.”
While the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed that students and public school employees may pray on school grounds, it prohibits school employees from leading prayer or engaging in religious activities during official duties. The Court’s 1962 ruling against school-led prayer in public schools remains a cornerstone of church-state separation.
Walters has described public schools as “ground zero” for the erosion of religious liberty. Dismissing the concept of church-state separation as a “myth,” he has directed Oklahoma schools to include Bible teachings, proposed using taxpayer funds to purchase Bibles, and supported the establishment of a Catholic charter school in the state.
“It is no coincidence that the dismantling of faith and family values in public schools directly correlates with declining academic outcomes,” Walters stated. “In Oklahoma, we are reversing this negative trend. In collaboration with the incoming Trump Administration, we will aggressively pursue education policies that improve academic outcomes and secure a brighter future for our children.”
These efforts align with President Trump’s broader policy goals, including eliminating the Department of Education, promoting patriotic education, and empowering public school parents on such things as hiring and firing principals.
A subsequent press release clarified the connection to President Trump’s plans, stating:
“The newly established Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism is in line with one of President Trump’s top education priorities, Freedom to Pray. President Trump has proven his commitment to championing the right to pray in schools, ensuring that local educational agencies receiving federal funds must confirm that their policies do not interfere with constitutionally protected rights. Oklahoma will do everything in its capacity to uphold and protect the rights of students and teachers to prayer.”
The statement added that Superintendent Walters would outline how the state’s Department of Education plans to allocate resources as detailed in President Trump’s Agenda 47.
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