New York Times, Trump Signs Order to Fight ‘Anti-Christian Bias’:
President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday aimed at eradicating “anti-Christian bias” in the federal government by having agencies review policies and practices that he says have tried to squelch religious activities and activism.
Mr. Trump, who announced the order at the National Prayer Breakfast, appointed his new attorney general, Pam Bondi, to lead a task force at the Justice Department to spearhead the effort. Mr. Trump said the task force would “fully prosecute anti-Christian violence and vandalism in our society” and “move heaven and earth to defend the rights of Christians and religious believers nationwide.” …
The executive order is meant to reverse what it calls an “egregious pattern of targeting peaceful Christians, while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses” under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. It cited the convictions of anti-abortion demonstrators for blocking access to abortion clinics.
Critics said the order and the task force turned the nation’s traditional understanding of religious freedom, established by the First Amendment and reinforced by decades of laws and Supreme Court decisions, on its head by singling out a particular religion. …
Mr. Trump said he would also convene a new presidential commission on religious liberty, which he called “a very big deal.” He also plans to create a new faith office in the White House led by the Rev. Paula White, a televangelist and longtime faith adviser to Mr. Trump whose populist interpretation of the Gospel has proved divisive among Christians.
During his remarks Thursday, Mr. Trump condemned the conviction of an anti-abortion activist who attended the prayer breakfast, Paulette Harlow. She was sentenced to prison in May for blocking access to an abortion clinic. Mr. Trump pardoned Ms. Harlow and other anti-abortion demonstrators days after taking office.
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