President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to launch a new faith-based initiative at the White House, and announced the program during a gathering with religious leaders for the National Day of Prayer.
“Today, we are launching another historic action to promote religious freedom,” Trump told the crowd, following remarks by religious leaders of different faiths.
The president said the initiative will aim to “design new policies that help recognize the vital role of faith in our families and in our country” and to ensure that religious organizations have “equal access to government funding.”
“Faith has shaped our families, and it’s shaped our communities,” Trump said. “We are proud of our religious heritage, and as president, I will always protect religious liberty.”
The executive order comes one year after Trump signed a separate order directing executive agencies to limit their enforcement of the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from engaging in political activities. Churches and religious group in particular have long complained about the restrictions.
The president was joined by several religious advisers from his 2016 campaign and members of his Cabinet for the Rose Garden event on Thursday.
