By Meridith McGraw and Terell Wright
WASHINGTON -- The White House is placing prayer at the center of its 250th anniversary programming this weekend, hosting a faith event on the National Mall that reflects the Trump administration's broader effort to elevate Christianity in government and civic life.
The event is expected to draw thousands of worshipers to Washington on Sunday for a daylong gathering featuring Trump administration officials, evangelical leaders, pastors and religious writers.
President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are slated to deliver video messages and more than a dozen mostly Christian faith leaders will speak about the role religion has played in shaping American history.
As of Saturday morning, the White House website described the event as a "large-scale revival, beginning with worship, testimonies, and music, and culminating in a powerful national moment of prayer." The website said the event would highlight the "Church's role in history and civic life." Following an inquiry from The Wall Street Journal, the White House changed the language, calling the event a "historic gathering" where "Americans of every background across the country prepare for America's 250th birthday with Scripture, testimony, prayer and rededication of our country as One Nation to God."
Vince Haley, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and the official overseeing the administration's 250th anniversary task force, said in an interview that organizers hope the gathering will serve as "a vivid day of storytelling" about "how God has been present in American life throughout 250 years." The event is being organized by Freedom 250, one of the official groups helping coordinate the administration's semiquincentennial celebrations.
According to the program, speakers are expected to reflect on "major chapters of American history where God's providence, protection, and guidance are visible." Organizers plan to tie the celebration to historical moments ranging from the Revolutionary War to presidential prayers during wartime.
The event also coincides with the 250th anniversary of a day of "humiliation, fasting and prayer" across the colonies, declared by the Continental Congress. The nine-hour event will be livestreamed to churches around the country and conclude with performances by evangelical Christian artists. A video previewing the event shows a cross on an American flag and images of worship services.
Some of the religious leaders participating on Sunday include evangelist Franklin Graham, pastors Robert Jeffress and Jentezen Franklin, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Bishop Robert Barron and Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, who is the only non-Christian faith leader listed in the program. Earlier this month, Trump signed a proclamation calling on Jewish Americans to observe a National Sabbath starting at sundown on Friday.
"We're really focusing on our heritage as a Judeo-Christian nation, so that will be the focus of the day," Brittany Baldwin, a senior policy adviser at the White House and executive director of the White House's Task Force 250, said during a webinar on the event last month. Baldwin said representatives of other faiths, if included, would likely participate in discussions around religious liberty.
In a statement, Freedom 250 spokeswoman Rachel Reisner said the organization "welcomed input from faith leaders and communities across the country" and described the event as an opportunity to bring together "diverse voices from many faiths, backgrounds, and communities to reflect on the extraordinary story of America."
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said the event will "celebrate freedom of religion for all people of faith -- a cornerstone of the sacred principles enshrined in our Constitution by the Founding Fathers."
The event underscores how heavily the Trump White House has leaned in to religion -- and specifically evangelical Christianity -- ahead of the country's 250th birthday. Trump has repeatedly called on Americans to "rededicate" the country as "one nation under God."
Sunday's gathering is also the latest and most visible example yet of the administration elevating evangelical Christianity inside the White House and across federal institutions. Cabinet meetings routinely open with prayer. Evangelical advisers are frequent visitors to the Oval Office. Hegseth hosts a monthly Christian worship service at the Pentagon.
Trump established a White House Faith Office inside the West Wing, launched a Religious Liberty Commission stocked largely with conservative Christian allies and signed an executive order aimed at combating what the administration describes as anti-Christian bias. The White House has hosted a number of Christian-themed events and prayer gatherings, while Trump has even sold Trump-branded Bibles.
"We have to bring back religion in America, bring it back stronger than ever before as our country grows stronger and stronger," Trump said in September.
Critics argue the White House is increasingly blurring the line between church and state and privileging one religious tradition over others.
Administration officials reject the criticism and say the White House Faith Office, led by evangelical pastor Paula White-Cain and adviser Jennifer Korn, serves a range of religious communities. The office has also hosted events including a Muslim iftar dinner and a Passover celebration at the White House.
A new Pew Research Center survey finds Americans increasingly believe religion is gaining influence in public life, but most still oppose a major expansion of religion in government and continue to support church-state separation.
"It's a violation of our country's religious freedom tradition," said Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. "What's concerning to me about this is more the presence of government officials participating and that this is being billed as the government's celebration of 250th."
Write to Meridith McGraw at Meridith.McGraw@WSJ.com and Terell Wright at terell.wright@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 17, 2026 05:00 ET (09:00 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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