A report by a commission established during the Trump administration suggests replacing the traditional concept of separating church and state with the idea of building bridges between them. This draft report from the Religious Liberty Commission, released on June 26, 2026, includes various recommendations aimed at increasing the role of religion in government and public life.
The 224-page document praises recent Supreme Court rulings that have expanded religious expression rights in public settings and recommends eliminating the Johnson Amendment, which restricts political activities by tax-exempt religious organizations. It also advocates for compensating military personnel discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations and calls for broader exemptions for individuals claiming conscientious objections to policies, including vaccine mandates and classroom lessons.
Additionally, the report suggests that federal agencies create “Know Your Rights” posters and hotlines for reporting religious liberty violations. It proposes new honors, such as a Presidential Medal of Religious Liberty, and emphasizes the need to combat antisemitism through legal measures. The draft report is open for public comment for 15 days and has already drawn criticism from various groups who argue it lacks ideological diversity and fails to address issues like anti-Muslim sentiment adequately.
At a news conference, commission members described witnesses at their hearings as having faced persecution for their religious beliefs. The report's stance on church-state separation has sparked debate, with some officials asserting that the phrase has been misused to undermine religious expression. While the report does not advocate for a complete elimination of church-state separation, it emphasizes a need for a balanced interpretation of the First Amendment's clauses regarding religious freedom and government establishment of religion.