Speech Highlights Plans to Strengthen Religious Freedom Protections at Home and Abroad
WASHINGTON, D.C., February 5, 2025 – U.S. Vice President JD Vance pledged that the Trump-Vance administration will not only restore but expand religious freedom protections in the United States and globally during his address at the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit in Washington, D.C.
Speaking to a gathering of hundreds of religious leaders, activists, and policymakers, Vance emphasized that religious liberty is a core American value rooted in both Christian teachings and the principles of the nation’s Founding Fathers.
Religious Freedom as a Core Christian and American Principle
Vance underscored that religious freedom is deeply embedded in Christian thought, citing the Gospels and early Church history as key influences.
“Religious freedom flows from concepts central to the Christian faith: the free will of human beings and the essential dignity of all peoples,” he said.
Referencing Tertullian, a third-century Church historian, Vance highlighted the early Christian perspective on religious liberty, quoting Tertullian’s letter to Scapula:
“It is a fundamental human right, a privilege of nature, that every man should worship according to his own convictions.”
He noted that Tertullian’s writings influenced Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and remain preserved in the Library of Congress.
“This is the legacy that has guided America’s political principles from the founding to this very day,” Vance said. “We remain the world’s largest majority-Christian country, and the right to religious freedom is protected for everyone—Christians, Jews, Muslims, and those of no faith at all.”
Trump Administration’s Commitment to Expanding Religious Liberty
Vance reassured the audience that under President Donald Trump’s second term, the administration will work to restore and strengthen religious freedom protections both domestically and internationally.
On the domestic front, Vance pledged to:
- Preserve conscience rights for healthcare workers and faith-based organizations
- Ensure religious groups and businesses can contract with the federal government without discrimination
- Combat antisemitism and protect religious communities from discrimination
- End federal government “weaponization” against religious Americans
“You shouldn’t have to leave your faith at the door of your government, and under President Trump’s leadership, you won’t have to,” Vance stated.
Regarding foreign policy, the vice president cited the Trump administration’s past actions, including the military response to ISIS, which aimed to protect Christians, Yazidis, and other persecuted religious minorities.
“We will recognize the difference between regimes that respect religious freedom and those that do not,” he said, indicating a tougher stance on governments that restrict religious practice.
Vance also credited Trump for halting federal funding to certain non-governmental organizations (NGOs), arguing that some groups were “dedicated to spreading atheism all over the globe.”
A Call to Defend Religious Freedom Globally
Concluding his remarks, Vance framed religious freedom not just as a legal principle, but as a fundamental reality that must be defended both within the United States and abroad.
“Our administration believes we must stand for religious freedom, not just as a legal principle, as important as that is, but as a lived reality,” Vance affirmed.
He urged attendees to work together to protect religious communities from persecution and ensure believers can practice their faith freely.
“I pray that together we will be able to better protect the dignity of all peoples as well as the rights of all believers to practice their faith to the dictates of their conscience.”
A Key Moment for Religious Freedom Advocacy
Vance’s speech came on the second day of the IRF Summit, which began on Tuesday with discussions on global religious persecution and hopes for stronger protections under the Trump administration’s second term.
As religious liberty remains a priority for U.S. policy, the administration’s stance on expanding protections signals a renewed commitment to ensuring faith communities worldwide can practice freely and without fear.