The Catholic Defender: Freedom isn’t Free/America, Freedom always comes at a high price
- Donald Hartley
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
Trump proclaimed Religious Freedom Day (Jan 16, 2026), pledging to restore America as a "nation of prayer" and a "beacon of liberty".
Executive orders aimed to end federal censorship of protected speech, ensuring taxpayer funds aren't used to abridge free speech.
Trump has called for penalties for flag burning, arguing it incites violence, while acknowledging court rulings on free speech, creating tension between national security/order and First Amendment rights
Donald Trump’s stance on freedom is characterized by a focus on "restoring" fundamental rights he believes have been eroded, particularly regarding speech and religion. His second term has seen several high-profile executive actions and initiatives centered on these themes.
He established a commission to investigate and recommend policies to protect religious practices from government interference.
In September 2025, he unveiled the “America Prays” initiative to champion religious values in public life.
President Trump reaffirmed our nation’s founding principles: “When faith gets weaker, our country seems to get weaker. When faith gets stronger… good things happen for our country. It’s amazing the way it seems to work that way. Under the Trump Administration, we’re defending our rights and restoring our identity as a nation under God. We are One Nation Under God — and we always will be.”
President Trump called for Americans to come together in prayer: “Next year, we will celebrate 250 years since that Declaration was signed. As part of the grand commemoration… we’ve invited America’s great faith communities to pray for our nation, for our people, and for peace in the world.”
President Trump previewed new rules protecting Americans’ right to pray in public schools: “I am pleased to announce this morning that the Department of Education will soon issue new guidance protecting the right to prayer in our public schools.”
President Trump highlighted the importance of faith in God: “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.”
President Trump welcomed a 12-year-old California student who was forced in school to read material contrary to his religious beliefs: “Last year, in fifth grade, Shay was forced to read a book to a Kindergarten student promoting a message of radical gender ideology that is contrary to his religious beliefs and ours.”
President Trump admonished a Democrat Senator for denying that our rights come from God: “The need for this commission has never been more clear than it was last week when the ineffectual Senator from Virginia — a man named Tim Kaine — stated that the notion our rights come from our Creator is ‘extremely troubling’ to him… 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 Senator from Virginia should be ashamed of himself.”
Comments