Trending Now - Trump's Religious Liberty Panel Pushes for Church-state Fusion
WHO:
ABC News - President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, members including Carrie Prejean Boller and Dan Patrick, and the Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush from the Interfaith Alliance.
ABC News - The commission includes conservative Christian clerics and commentators, with one member being an Orthodox Jewish rabbi.
WHAT:
ABC News - The chair of the Religious Liberty Commission, Dan Patrick, stated, “We need to say there is no separation of church and state. That’s a lie,” during a meeting in April.
ABC News - Bishop Robert Barron called for enabling religious groups such as Catholic Charities to receive federal money without compromising on traditional church teachings about the family.
ABC News - Kelly Shackelford proposed new requirements that governments pay all legal bills if they lose a religious liberty case, stating, “That would be a huge shifting of power in favor of citizens.”
ABC News - The Religious Liberty Commission is preparing recommendations after over a year of hearings.
ABC News - Recommendations include a Presidential Medal of Freedom for a baker who refused to create a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, court interventions by the Department of Justice for Amish parents against New York vaccine requirements, and a federal hotline stating, “There is no separation of church and state.”
ABC News - A lawsuit by a progressive interreligious coalition claims the commission fails to comply with federal law requiring diverse viewpoints.
ABC News - The commission has been criticized for focusing primarily on conservative Christian grievances and omitting issues like anti-Muslim efforts and antisemitism on the right.
ABC News - The commission has called for various actions, including requiring schools and workplaces to post notices of religious expression rights and restoring benefits for military members discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccines.
WHERE:
ABC News - Most commission meetings took place at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
WHEN:
ABC News - A prayer event involving several commission members is scheduled for May 17, marking the country’s upcoming 250th birthday.
ABC News - Carrie Prejean Boller was ousted from the commission in February after a contentious hearing.
WHY:
ABC News - Critics argue that the commission embodies a one-sided perspective of Trump’s supporters and threatens the constitutional separation of church and state.
ABC News - The commission aims to increase avenues for religious expression in public schools and expand opportunities for faith-based organizations to receive public funding.
ABC News - Critics argue the commission threatens the constitutional separation of church and state and reflects a one-sided perspective of Trump’s supporters.
HOW:
ABC News - The commission has mostly featured agreement among members, with one dramatic exception being the ousting of Carrie Prejean Boller after a contentious hearing on antisemitism.
ABC News - The commission members expressed their recommendations during a meeting in April, with little dissent among them.
ABC News - The Republican administration is seeking to dismiss the lawsuit against the commission by citing legal technicalities.
(UPDATED May 10, 2026 11:14 UTC)
In a recent meeting, Dan Patrick, the chair of the Religious Liberty Commission, declared that there is no separation of church and state, calling it a lie. Meanwhile, Bishop Robert Barron advocated for allowing religious organizations like Catholic Charities to receive federal funding while maintaining their traditional teachings, and Kelly Shackelford suggested that governments should cover all legal costs if they lose a religious liberty case, which he believes would empower citizens. Critics have raised concerns that the commission reflects a biased viewpoint aligned with Trump’s supporters and poses a threat to the constitutional separation of church and state, although the commission has largely shown consensus among its members, except for the recent ousting of Carrie Prejean Boller following a heated discussion on antisemitism.
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(UPDATED May 10, 2026 05:57 UTC)
President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, which includes members like Carrie Prejean Boller and Dan Patrick, is preparing recommendations after more than a year of hearings, focusing on issues such as religious expression rights in schools and public funding for faith-based organizations. Among the proposed actions is a Presidential Medal of Freedom for a baker who refused to create a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, while the commission faces criticism for its perceived lack of diverse viewpoints and focus on conservative Christian grievances. A prayer event involving several commission members is scheduled for May 17, coinciding with the country’s upcoming 250th birthday, as the Republican administration seeks to dismiss a lawsuit claiming the commission violates federal law.