The U.S. State Department announced Friday that it will take steps to eliminate practices it described as discriminatory against Christians, citing a directive from the Trump administration.
In a statement posted on the department’s official X account, officials said: “Our nation was founded on the recognition that moral virtue and a steadfast faith in God are necessary preconditions of freedom. Yet under the Biden Administration, U.S. foreign policy belittled Christianity and weaponized government against faith. That era has ended. Under President Trump’s leadership, the State Department will eradicate practices that devalue and demean the Christian faith.”
The announcement follows an initial report by the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, which reviewed internal policies and workplace practices under the Biden administration. The task force cited several areas of concern, including the treatment of employees who sought religious exemptions to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. According to the report, some employees faced stigmatization, including being publicly labeled with derogatory terms. The process for requesting exemptions was also described as overly invasive, requiring personal details beyond legal requirements.
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Employees who received exemptions were reportedly subject to additional requirements, such as weekly COVID testing in view of colleagues, mandatory mask-wearing, and disclosure of their exemption status, which the report said led to embarrassment and workplace tension.
The task force also highlighted claims that Christian parents who homeschooled their children were investigated or referred for disciplinary action, and that some employees reported feeling harassed for their religious beliefs.
On the foreign policy side, the report alleged that U.S. programs emphasized LGBT initiatives while giving limited attention to cases of persecution against Christians abroad. It also noted disparities in leave policies, with some employees permitted time off for certain religious holidays while Christian holidays such as Good Friday and Easter were treated as regular workdays.
The task force concluded that these practices contributed to “a culture of bias” within the department. In response, the State Department said corrective measures are being implemented to ensure that Christian employees are treated fairly and that U.S. foreign policy reflects stronger support for religious freedom.
The report and the department’s announcement drew sharp contrasts between the Biden and Trump administrations’ approaches to religion in government and foreign policy.
