The Trump administration’s daylong “Rededicate 250” prayer celebration on the National Mall is set for Sunday with a lineup that—organizers say—still isn’t fully finalized. But at least 18 of the 19 currently listed faith leaders are Christian, leaving critics
Work continued on the stage for “Rededicate 250” on the National Mall this weekend, a daylong prayer celebration the Trump administration bills as a “rededication of our country as One Nation Under God” and “once in a lifetime national moment.”
Supporters frame the event as a tribute to the faith they say shaped America’s founders and a call for God to bless and guide the nation.. Critics say the festival. heavily loaded with conservative Christian figures and MAGA-aligned messaging. offers an exclusionary version of the past—and a political model of Christianity’s role in public life.
A White House-backed campaign called Freedom 250 is behind the event, described as a public-private effort staging patriotic celebrations for the country’s 250th birthday.
The scheduled speakers and performers read like a who’s who of conservative Christian and faith-influencer politics.. Grammy-winning Christian musician Chris Tomlin, known for “Holy Forever” and “How Great Is Our God,” is set to headline.. The lineup also includes Jonathan Roumie, the Catholic actor, influencer and star of “The Chosen,” recently added as a speaker.. Roumie has spoken at the March for Life and appeared in a Super Bowl ad.
Also among the listed participants is evangelical influencer, podcast host, and “Duck Dynasty” alum Sadie Robertson Huff, who has built a ministry platform for women and has more than 5 million Instagram followers.
Other faith and political figures include House Speaker Mike Johnson. a Southern Baptist; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. who worships in churches linked to the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches; and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. who is Catholic.. Organizers say Trump is expected to send a recorded video message.
Of the 19 faith leaders currently listed, 18 are Christian, with most described as evangelical.. The names include the Rev.. Franklin Graham. president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association; Pastor Samuel Rodriguez. president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference; Pentecostal preacher and White House faith office senior adviser Paula White-Cain; and Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas.
Catholic leadership is also represented, with Bishop Robert Barron, who leads the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, recently retired as bishop of the Archdiocese of New York, both scheduled to speak.
The only non-Christian religious leader currently listed is Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, who leads Congregation Shearith Israel in New York City and serves on Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. Organizers say the speaker list is still being finalized.
As the administration pushes the event’s message of national rededication, a new Pew Research poll released Thursday (May 14) suggests many Americans are not persuaded by arguments that government-endorsed religious revival should blur church-state lines.
The poll, taken in April among 3,592 U.S.. adults. found that although more than half of Americans say religion plays a positive role in society. they do not want the government to stop enforcing separation of church and state.. “Eight of out 10 Americans say religious congregations should not support candidates in elections. ” the poll reported. and “two-thirds say churches and other houses of worship should keep out of political matters.”
On Christian nationalism, the poll found it is far from popular.. Only 17% of Americans think the government should declare Christianity the official religion of the U.S.. a slight increase from 2024 when 13% said the same.. The poll also showed more people view Christian nationalism unfavorably than favorably: 31% unfavorably. 10% favorably. with the remainder saying they do not know enough or do not have an opinion.
John Green, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Akron, said in comments tied to the poll that a Christian-nationalist rally is unlikely to reach beyond its existing circle.
“‘To the extent that President Trump has a rally that explicitly espouses Christian nationalism, he’s not going to get very far beyond, perhaps, the people at the rally,’” Green said. “There are people that have that view, but they’re a very small minority, even within the Republican Party.”
The Pew poll also found 52% of U.S. adults think “conservative Christians have gone too far in trying to push their religious values in the government and public schools.” The margin of error was plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.
The backlash has already produced competing religious and civic events around the National Mall.. The Council on American-Islamic Relations called on organizers to expand the speakers list to better reflect the country’s religious diversity. saying Muslims have been present in significant numbers since the colonial era.
“Inviting speakers who represent many faiths projects the strength of our religious liberty,” CAIR said.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, meanwhile, argued that the event advances Christian nationalism instead of religious freedom.. It said that on Friday a group of progressive faith leaders will host a virtual press briefing arguing Rededicate 250 misrepresents how America’s founders approached religious tolerance.
Interfaith Alliance announced a counter-message effort as well. It said it will team up with protest artist Robin Bell to project pro-religious freedom messages on the walls of the National Gallery of Art on Thursday evening, including “Democracy NOT Theocracy” and “Reject Christian Nationalism.”
Organizers insist the Sunday event is still taking shape. but with a current lineup that is almost entirely Christian among listed faith leaders. the central dispute is already clear: whether “One Nation Under God” is a broad appeal to faith—or a narrower political vision that critics say crowds out religious pluralism.
Rededicate 250 Freedom 250 Trump administration National Mall separation of church and state Christian nationalism Pew Research Mike Johnson Pete Hegseth Marco Rubio Jonathan Roumie Chris Tomlin Sadie Robertson Huff Religious Liberty Commission