The inaugural meeting of the Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty was presided over by Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick on June 16 at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
The commission, created via an executive order by President Donald Trump on May 1, plans to hold up to nine hearings through 2026 to gather data and develop long-term strategies aimed at protecting religious liberty for all Americans.
Among the panelists were former U.S. Housing Secretary Dr. Ben Carson and TV talk show host Phil McGraw, with remarks also delivered by faith leaders, scholars, and legal experts emphasizing the foundational role of religious liberty in American society.
Patrick highlighted the commission’s two main responsibilities: “to advise and report to the president.” He stated, “The Presidential Commission does not report to Congress, but the findings from our committees will be reported to the president to see what action would happen after that,” and urged the panel to “contend earnestly for religious liberty.”
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi addressed the commission as well, saying, “Our Founding Fathers understood that every individual must be free to worship without fear, without coercion, and without government interference.”
Witnesses including Mark Rienzi, a professor at The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, and Notre Dame law professor Gerald Bradley, provided testimony underscoring the historical and legal importance of religious freedom, highlighting its origins in the founding era and the challenges posed by modern judicial interpretations.
Rienzi noted how, “Citing the religious belief of the Puritans against the Quakers and other Christian groups, Rienzi said the focus of defending religious freedom has changed from intra-religious Christian disputes to attacks on religion itself from atheists and other secular groups.”
“I think it's now more often anti or irreligious folks who want to wield the government to stamp out views that are wrong. And I think the truth is, whether it's the religious people or the opponents of religion, it's wrong.”
Bradley referenced James Madison’s 1785 pamphlet against a Virginia tax for ministers, calling it “the ‘Magna Carta of American religious liberty,’” and explained, “In which Madison called religious liberty not just a ‘right towards men’ but a ‘duty towards the Creator.’”
He emphasized, “Central to religion is one’s conscientiously judging what is the case about ultimate matters and then acting accordingly,” asserting that “this obviously can only happen if people are free of coercion and manipulation.”
Paula White-Cain, appointed by Trump to lead the White House Faith Office earlier this year, warned about recent threats to religious liberty, including “de-banking” and attacks on houses of worship. She stated, “Employees have been fired over their faith. Religious entities have been de-banked, parental rights have been violated,” and added, “Who would have ever thought that in the very beginning, President Trump would have to pardon 23 pro-lifers for standing outside of an abortion clinic and praying silently?”
However, criticism of the event’s venue came from Rachel Laser, CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, who attended the meeting and accused the government of catering to “white Christians.”
“From the setting at the Museum of the Bible to the political appointees to the speakers invited to testify, it’s clear this commission was created to advance the myth that the United States was founded for white Christians and that our laws and policies must continue to favor their beliefs,” she claimed.
