Rubio Links Great Commission to American Foreign Policy in State Department Video
Secretary of State Marco Rubio narrated a 45-second State Department video released for International Religious Freedom Day that ties Jesus' Great Commission directly to American foreign policy. The video drew criticism from church-state separationists and praise from Focus on the Family.
The U.S. State Department released a 45-second video on November 3, 2026, narrated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, that links Jesus' Great Commission to American foreign policy and national identity.
Rubio opens the video with a direct reference to the New Testament command: "Our faith calls us outwards into the limitless darkness of the unknown. It tells us to go forth and preach the gospel to the world as a witness unto all nations unto the ends of the earth."
He then connects that command to American history: "From that command came America. Our nation, more than any other in history, was shaped by this Christian idea. This is who we are. And from the beginning, we have carried the belief that our country represents something new in the world. But the soul of our nation has always been rooted in an ancient faith."
The video was created for International Religious Freedom Day, though its focus remained on the United States rather than global religious freedom.
Christian author Matthew Paul Turner criticized the video on Instagram, calling it "wildly inappropriate" and "wildly incorrect" to place America at the center of the gospel. Turner urged viewers to vote and demand accountability.
Focus on the Family praised Rubio's "principled pronouncement," arguing the video reflects the historical reality that the American government was founded to promote and defend Christianity. Historians and religious leaders have repeatedly challenged that claim.
Rubio is a known advocate for Christian nationalism, the belief that evangelical Christians should govern based on their religious views. Critics of the video include church-state separationists who say taxpayer funds should not be used to promote one religion over others.
