President Trump on Monday decried religious intolerance during a speech at the United Nations in which he called on world leaders to not persecute people over their faith.

“The United States is founded on the principle that our rights do not come from government, they come from God. This immortal truth is proclaimed in our Declaration of Independence and enshrined in our First Amendment to our Constitution, Bill of Rights,” the president said.

“Our founders understood that no right is more fundamental to a peaceful, prosperous and virtuous society than the right to follow one’s religious convictions. Regrettably, religious freedom enjoyed by American citizens is rare in the world,” he continued.

Trump said it was an “urgent moral duty” for world leaders to stop crimes against faith, release prisoners of conscience and repeal laws restricting religious liberty.

“Approximately 80 percent of the world population live in countries where religious liberties are threatened, restricted or even banned. When I heard that number I said, ‘Please go back and check because it can’t possibly be correct.’ Sadly, it was: 80 percent,” Trump told the Religious Freedom Summit at the UN.

“As we speak, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, many other people of faith are being jailed, sanctioned, tortured and even murdered even at the hands of their own government simply for expressing their deeply held religious beliefs,” he said, calling on world leaders to be more tolerant.

The president then cited a number of cases of terrorism and violence in which targets have been chosen because of religion, such as the mosque shootings in New Zealand, and he announced that the United States will contribute $25 million to help protect religious relics and promote religious freedom.

Trump’s speech extends a long-running focus on international religious freedom that speaks to a key priority of his evangelical base. His administration has hosted annual meetings on the topic in Washington, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced during this year’s event that he would ­create an international alliance on the issue.

One prominent evangelical backer, Dallas-based pastor Robert Jeffress, lauded Trump for focusing on religious freedom instead of climate change.

“What president in history would have the guts to do what President Trump is doing?” Jeffress said on Fox News.

“And it’s this kind of leadership that is absolutely infuriating the president’s enemies, but it’s also energizing his base, especially his religious base of voters.”

Trump did, in fact, make an unscheduled visit to the UN Climate ­Action Summit after being expected to skip the event.

He took a seat in the auditorium as Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India went onstage, and then leaned forward intently to listen.

There remain deep differences between Team Trump — who pulled the United States out of the Paris climate accord — and much of the Western world over the threat posed by climate change and what actions are needed.

“I’m a big believer in clean air and clean water, and all countries should get together and do that, and they should do it for themselves. Very, very important,” Trump said.

The president also had meetings with the leaders of Poland, Singapore, South Korea and New Zealand.

On Tuesday, Trump will deliver a speech before the UN General Assembly.

His message is scheduled to focus on upholding the sovereignty and independence of UN countries, protecting religious freedoms and underscoring that the United States is a positive alternative to authoritarian regimes.

With AP