Trump vows to protect prayer in public schools with new Department of Education guidance

President Donald Trump has announced new Department of Education guidance aimed at protecting prayer in public schools, reaffirming his long-standing promise to prioritize religious liberty in education.

The announcement came during the second public hearing of the Religious Liberty Commission on September 8 at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC. The hearing carried the theme “Religious Liberty in Public Education.”

Trump, who entered to applause shortly after 10:30 a.m., said his administration would safeguard the “Judeo-Christian values of our founding” and ensure students’ rights to prayer are respected. He described the United States as a nation built on faith, adding: “To have a great nation, you have to have religion – I believe that so strongly. There has to be something after we go through all of this, and that something is God.”

The President alleged that students were being “indoctrinated with antireligious propaganda” before unveiling his new initiative. While students already have the right to pray individually in schools, the new guidance is intended to reinforce protections and clarify the government’s stance.

The Department of Justice noted the commission’s broader goal is to “understand the historic landscape of religious liberty in the educational setting, recognize present threats, and identify opportunities to secure religious liberty in the future.”

During his nearly hour-long speech, Trump also criticized what he called “anti-Christian bias,” promised to defend American sovereignty, and reiterated his view that the Smithsonian Institution had become “too woke.” He ended the event with remarks about a “golden age” for religious freedom before walking out to a rendition of Amazing Grace.

Reactions to the announcement were mixed. Advocacy groups like the Freedom From Religion Foundation accused Trump of advancing Christian nationalism under the guise of religious freedom, while Americans United for Separation of Church and State said the hearing felt “more like a church service” than a balanced discussion.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York praised Trump, saying he “takes religious freedom seriously” and acknowledged it as a right under threat.

The Religious Liberty Commission, established by Trump earlier this year, will reconvene on September 29 for its next hearing, again focusing on “Religious Liberty in Education.”