THE NEW YORK TIMES: The president convened a task force to “prosecute anti-Christian violence and vandalism.” Critics said he’d turned religious freedom on its head by singling out one faith.
President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday aimed at eradicating “anti-Christian bias” in the federal government by having agencies review policies and practices that he says have tried to squelch religious activities and activism.
Mr. Trump, who announced the order at the National Prayer Breakfast, appointed his new attorney general, Pam Bondi, to lead a task force at the Justice Department to spearhead the effort. Mr. Trump said the task force would “fully prosecute anti-Christian violence and vandalism in our society” and “move heaven and earth to defend the rights of Christians and religious believers nationwide.”
“You’ve never had that before, but this is a very powerful document I’m signing,” he said. “You got it now — first time you’ve had it. If we don’t have religious liberty, then we don’t have a free country. We probably don’t even have a country.”
The executive order is meant to reverse what it calls an “egregious pattern of targeting peaceful Christians, while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses” under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. It cited the convictions of anti-abortion demonstrators for blocking access to abortion clinics. » | Erica L. Green | Reporting from Washington | Friday, February 7, 2025
