Rejecting church and state separation is on the wish list for Trump's religious liberty commission
Commissioners also sought broader religious exemptions, federal money for faith groups and Justice Department support in disputes over vaccines and gender identity.
- The Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty, chaired by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, held its final hearing in April 2026. The commission's upcoming report is expected to officially challenge the constitutional doctrine of the separation of church and state.
- During the commission’s final "capstone" hearing on April 13, Chairman Dan Patrick explicitly stated that "there is no such thing as ‘separation of church and state’ in the Constitution," labeling the phrase a "lie" used by the secular left to suppress religious rights.
- The commission, largely composed of conservative Christian leaders and advisors, has centered its work on the argument that the U.S. was founded as a Judeo-Christian nation and that the federal government should actively support religious expression in public life.
- Witnesses at the hearings testified that existing church-state separation boundaries have been weaponized to prevent religious symbols in workplaces, stop prayer in schools, and enforce secular regulations regarding gender and healthcare that conflict with their faith.
- In response, a coalition of progressive faith organizations has filed a lawsuit against the administration, arguing that the commission is illegally biased and excludes the perspectives of minority faiths and non-religious Americans who rely on secular protections.
57 Articles
57 Articles
Los Angeles Times
Independent EspañolOne member asks for a Presidential Medal of Freedom for a baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple.
Trump religious liberty commission wants to end separation of church and state
One member calls for a Presidential Medal of Freedom for a Colorado baker who refused to create a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. Another calls for court interventions by the Department of Justice on behalf of Amish parents fighting New York vaccine requirements and Catholic nuns challenging that state’s requirement that they accommodate hospice patients’ gender identities. And the chair of the Religious Liberty Commission is calling for a f…
Rejecting church and state separation is on the wish list for Trump
One member calls for a Presidential Medal of Freedom for a baker who refused to create a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. Another calls for court interventions by the Department of Justice on behalf of Amish parents fighting New York vaccine requirements and Catholic nuns challenging that state’s requirement that they accommodate hospice patients’ gender identities. And the chair of the Religious Liberty Commission is calling for a federal ho…
The Toronto Star
Rejecting church and state separation is on the wish list for Trump’s religious liberty commission
One member calls for a Presidential Medal of Freedom for a baker who refused to create a wedding cake for a same-sex couple.
Associated Press News
Rejecting church and state separation is on the wish list for Trump's religious liberty commission
President Donald Trump's Religious Liberty Commission is preparing to make recommendations after more than a year of hearings.
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