Trump's Rededicate 250 Prayer Event Draws Interfaith Criticism Over Christian-Only Lineup
A national prayer event planned for May 17 on the National Mall will feature 14 Christian leaders out of 15 total participants. The Interfaith Alliance called the lineup intentionally exclusive, saying it sidelines the diversity of American religious life.
President Donald Trump's Rededicate 250 event, scheduled for May 17 on the National Mall, is billed as a gathering for Americans of every background. But the announced lineup tells a different story.
Of the 15 faith leaders set to participate, 14 are Christian. Seven are evangelical leaders. Two are Catholic. The only non-Christian participant is Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Meir Soloveichik. No representatives from Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism appear in the programming, despite Freedom 250 saying in March it was in talks with leaders from those traditions.
The Rev. Paul Raushenbush, CEO of the Interfaith Alliance, did not hold back. "This is really an affront to the American religious community," said Raushenbush, a Baptist minister. "They are using an event like this, which could be the opportunity to showcase the incredible diversity of American religious life, to rewrite American history."
The Interfaith Alliance filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice in February, citing what it described as an illegal lack of religious and ideological diversity in federal religious advisory bodies.
The event's website leans heavily Christian. A video at the top of the page shows a cross overlaid on the American flag, accompanied by a Bible reading. The page invites people to register their "church" to join.
Freedom 250 received $100 million in taxpayer funds from the Department of the Interior to support its plans for the nation's 250th anniversary. It is unclear whether those dollars will fund the May 17 event.
Critics say the event fits a broader pattern. A quarter of Freedom 250's listed partner organizations are Christian-affiliated, including the Museum of the Bible, National Religious Broadcasters, and Pray.com. Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth has also drawn scrutiny for holding monthly Christian worship services at the Pentagon.
Freedom 250 did not respond to a request for comment on the lineup.
