by Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell
President Donald Trump announced that the Department of Education will issue new guidance protecting the right to prayer in public schools.
“To have a great nation, you have to have religion,” Trump said at the second meeting of the Religious Liberty Commission at the Museum of the Bible Monday morning.
Trump honored students whose religious liberties had reportedly been violated at public school.
A young boy named Shane spoke about being required to read a book about transgender ideology at school. His parents complained, and the boy was bullied at school.
“I believe kids like me should be able to live our faith at school without being forced to go against what we believe,” he said. “I hope no other family has to go through what mine did.”
He also honored a high schooler named Hannah who was punished for praying at school for an injured classmate.
.@museumofBible is ready for @POTUS’ speech on religious liberty in education.
President Trump will announce the launch of America Prays, an initiative to encourage people to pray more, per Fox. @DailySignal pic.twitter.com/Q6uTbenG0D
— Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell (@TheElizMitchell) September 8, 2025
“Free exercise of religion is a founding principle and a constitutionally protected right afforded to all citizens of our great nation,” Education Department press secretary Savannah Newhouse said in a statement. “The Department of Education looks forward to supporting President Trump’s vision to promote religious liberty in our schools across the country.”
On top of all this, the president said he was going to donate his family Bible to the museum.
“For thousands of years, the Bible has shaped civilization, ethics, art and literature and it’s brought hope, healing and transformation unto millions and millions of lives. The Bible is also an important part of the American story, that’s why I’m delighted to announce that just moments ago I personally delivered the Trump Family Bible given to me by my mother,” Trump said, according to The Daily Caller News Foundation. “I remember the time she gave it to me. But it was used in both my inaugurations and also display it at the museum and I guess it will now be displayed right in the heart of our nation’s capital and that’s an honor.”
Furthermore, Trump also slammed Sen. Tim Kaine for his comments last week that rights come from government, rather than God.
“The ineffectual senator from Virginia, man named Tim Kaine, stated that the notion our rights come from our creator is, quote, ‘extremely troubling to him,’” Trump said.
“But as everyone in this room understands, it is tyrants who are denying our rights and the rights that come from God, and it’s this Declaration of Independence that proclaims we’re endowed by our creator with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” the president added. “The senator from Virginia should be ashamed of himself.”
🚨REJECTING THE DECLARATION
This week, Sen. Tim Kaine flipped the central principle of the Declaration of Independence on its head.
He got religious freedom exactly wrong.
🧵1/7 pic.twitter.com/RZZiRjdSsX
— Tyler O’Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) September 7, 2025
Trump invited Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner to take the stage. He announced the administration’s new “America Prays” initiative, which calls on Americans to dedicate time every week to pray for the country.
“What if believers all across this great nation got together with 10 people, friends, family members, colleagues, work associates, 10 people each week to pray for our country and for our fellow citizens?” Turner said.
Turner invited all Americans to pray for the renewal of the country.
“Think about the miracles that would take place over the next year,” he continued. “Think about the transformation that you and I could witness in communities all across the land: sons returning to their fathers, daughters returning to their mothers, families coming back together, health being restored, financial needs being met, mountains being moved.
🙏‼️@sturnerofficial announces America Prays initiative to a cheering crowd.
“What if believers all across this great nation got together with 10 people, friends, family members, colleagues, work, associates, 10 people each week to pray for our country and for our fellow… pic.twitter.com/i0S5Zbq090
— Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell (@TheElizMitchell) September 8, 2025
After the president left the event, several children punished for religious expression gave their testimonies, including a girl who was prohibited from wearing a face mask with the phrase “Jesus Loves Me” on it when she was in third grade. Represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, Lydia Booth’s family sued the school district and won.
“It was intimidating at times facing that harassment,” Booth said at the event. “But I’ve come to know that doing the right thing isn’t always easy…and God can use even something as small as my mask to help ensure our amazing country remains free.”
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Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell is the White House Correspondent for “The Daily Signal.” Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network and contributed to this story.
