Washington, D.C. – Vice President J.D. Vance announced on Wednesday that he and President Donald Trump will make religious liberty a top priority for their administration. Speaking at the International Religious Freedom Summit, Vance emphasized the importance of “moral clarity” in promoting religious freedom both domestically and internationally.
“Religious freedom, of course, is the freedom to practice one’s own faith and act according to one’s own conscience, and it’s the bedrock of civil society in the United States and across the world,” Vance stated, underscoring the foundational role of religious liberty in a democratic society.
Vance articulated that the principles of religious freedom are deeply rooted in Christian teachings, citing the “free will of human beings and the essential dignity of all peoples.” He referenced Christ’s instruction to “render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and unto God that which is God’s,” highlighting the historical struggles of early Christians and the ongoing persecution faced by many today.
The vice president praised the achievements of the first Trump administration in advancing religious liberty and expressed a commitment to expand these efforts. “We are only in the third week of his second term, but I think it’s safe to say we’ve accomplished maybe more in the last two weeks than a lot of administrations have in a few years,” he remarked. Vance assured attendees that the current administration is dedicated to not only restoring but also enhancing the religious liberty initiatives established previously.
He noted that President Trump has already taken significant steps, including issuing orders to end the “weaponization of the federal government against religious Americans,” pardoning pro-life protesters unjustly imprisoned under the previous administration, and halting federal censorship that restricts Americans from expressing their beliefs.
“Our administration believes we must stand for religious freedom, not just as a legal principle, but as a lived reality, both within our own borders and especially outside of it,” Vance asserted. He criticized the previous Biden administration for its handling of international religious liberty issues, questioning the rationale behind funding NGOs that promote atheism globally. “That is not what leadership on protecting the rights of the faithful looks like, and it ends with this administration,” he declared.
Vance’s remarks come in the wake of Trump’s decision to effectively close the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) after audits revealed funding for left-leaning projects worldwide. Reports highlighted controversial expenditures, including funding for gender transition initiatives in Guatemala and Colombia, as well as support for diversity and inclusion programs in various countries.
The vice president emphasized the need for the U.S. to take decisive action in protecting religious rights globally, citing the Trump administration’s previous efforts to assist persecuted communities, including Yazidis and Christians facing threats from ISIS. He called for a clear distinction between governments that respect religious freedom and those that do not, urging the U.S. to act with moral clarity in response to international crises.
Arielle Del Turco, director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council, praised Vance’s commitment to religious freedom. “It was encouraging and exciting to see Vice President J.D. Vance speak at the IRF Summit just a week into the second Trump administration,” she said. “He made it clear that the Trump administration plans to prioritize religious freedom in foreign policy.”
As the Trump administration embarks on its second term, the commitment to religious liberty appears to be a central theme, with advocates hopeful for renewed focus on international religious freedom and the appointment of a prominent Ambassador at Large for the cause.