Trump signs executive order giving more freedom to federally funded religious groups

Gregory Korte | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump marks National Day of Prayer amid Stormy Daniels scandal President Donald Trump is marking the National Day of Prayer with faith leaders in the White House Rose Garden amid a firestorm over payments to a porn actress. (May 3)

WASHINGTON — President Trump signed an executive order revamping the White House office on faith issues on Thursday, restoring a Bush-era initiative to get religious groups more involved in providing federally funded social services.

The executive order repeals Obama administration rules limiting the ability of groups getting federal funds to preach to those they serve. Under the Trump order, faith-based groups will no longer have to refer beneficiaries to alternative programs if they object to the religious teachings.

"As president, I will always protect religious liberty," Trump said.

Trump signed the order in a Rose Garden ceremony for the National Day of Prayer, where he declared, "Faith is more powerful than government, and nothing is more powerful than God."

The order changes the name of the faith-based office to the White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative — dropping the words "community" and "neighborhood" that had been part of the office's mandate under the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations.

The office will consult with faith leaders regularly, advising the attorney general on ways that the federal government has failed "to comply with protections of federal law for religious liberty."

"This office will also help ensure that faith-based organizations have equal access to government funding and the equal right to exercise their deeply held beliefs," Trump said.

But critics said the order was aimed at advancing evangelical Christianity at the expense of people who benefit from federally funded services.

"The whole Trump-Pence line of activity around this issue is enabling fundamentalists to impose their religion on the rest of us," said Rachel Laser, the CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Women, gays and lesbians, and members of minority religious groups could face new barriers to taxpayer-funded services, she said.

Trump's proclamation of a National Day of Prayer followed a tradition that goes back to 1952, when Congress asked President Harry Truman to "shall set aside and proclaim a suitable day each year, other than a Sunday, as a National Day of Prayer, on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation."

With a gospel choir and invocations from Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Mormon and Hindu faith leaders, Vice President Pence declared that "believers of every background have a champion in President Donald Trump."

But the event also came at an awkward time for Trump, who is facing new questions after his lawyer admitted Wednesday that Trump had ultimately paid hush money to a pornographic actress just before the 2016 election.

When reporters tried to ask Trump about the allegations, one member of the audience shouted, "Shame on you!"