The Trump administration has continued to prioritize religious freedom and emphasize its importance globally. Last week, Vice President Mike Pence made remarks to the contingent of foreign ministers at the State Department’s ministerial on religious freedom, saying that America must continue to be the world’s leader on this issue by ensuring domestic religious liberty first. “No one follows a hypocrite,” he said.

Continuing this promise to protect our central freedom enshrined in the First Amendment, the Department of Justice on Monday held a Religious Liberty Summit, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a new religious liberty task force.

“Freedom of religion has been a core American principle from the very beginning of our country — indeed, it is our ‘first freedom.’ President Trump promised that he would make preserving and protecting our religious liberty the first priority of his administration. The Department of Justice is committed to assisting with that effort,” Sessions said. He remarked that in order to “institutionalize this process” and identify new opportunities to engage this important issue of religious freedom, the DOJ has established a religious liberty task force.

According to the memo obtained by Washington Examiner, the task force will “continue the department’s ongoing work to protect and promote religious liberty.” It will also consider new initiatives, including engaging in outreach to the public, religious liberty communities, and religious liberty organizations, and developing new strategies involving litigation, policy, and legislation, all with the goal of ensuring protection of this key, fundamental right.

Sessions will serve as chair of the task force. The summit at the DOJ on Monday includes a panel of legal and policy experts and a discussion titled “The Promise and Challenge of Religious Liberty.” Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop, who was involved in an important religious freedom case just decided by the Supreme Court last month, is scheduled for the panel.

In contrast to the previous administration, which did not value religious liberty either at home or abroad, the Trump administration’s action should encourage all people of faith and belief systems. This particular emphasis and open commitment shows that religious freedom is a priority to the president. Everyone should appreciate that Trump and key Cabinet leaders are taking action to protect religious freedom.

As Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at the religious freedom ministerial last week, “The United States advances religious freedom in our foreign policy because it is not exclusively an American right. It is a God-given universal right bestowed on all of mankind.”

Jenna Ellis (@jennaellisJDFI) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential blog. She is director of public policy at the James Dobson Family Institute. She is a constitutional law attorney, radio host, and the author of The Legal Basis for a Moral Constitution . She can be reached at jenna.ellis@dobsonfamilyinstitute.com.