The Anti-Christian Bias Task Force.

DJT creates an anti-Christian bias task force:

This might be a touchy one! Throughout this post, please take note of the context in which I use the terms “Christian” and “Christian Nationalism.” I do not use them interchangeably. As always, my opinions are in purple and italicized.

DJT signed an Executive Order, titled "Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias," on February 6, 2025. Its stated goal is to "protect religious freedoms of Americans and end the anti-Christian weaponization of government" (The White House, 2025). Acknowledging, protecting, and respecting the existence of marginalized people is not "weaponization." 

The order refers to several instances labeled as "anti-Christian" under the Biden administration. These instances deal mainly with abortion-related legal battles and LGBTQIA initiatives like "Transgender Day of Visibility" which coincided with Easter Sunday in 2024. It also refers to a "[previously] anti-Christian government" and claims that "hostility and vandalism against Christian churches and places of worship surged [during the Biden administration]" (The White House, 2025). The government should not be "pro" any religion as that is the meaning of "separation of church and state." 

I had a difficult time finding academic articles and statistics specifically related to trends in Christian persecution in the United States (though I did not fail as you will see later in this post). Most articles I found were opinion pieces published in religious journals. I did read a few of these and came across some interesting quotes. 

A 2022 article in Religion News by David Curry stated, "While we cannot deny that Christians in America today experience discomforts, inconveniences and sometimes even social ostracization, these instances simply do not rise to the level of the horror that countless global Christians face every day. Moreover, there is very little evidence that this level of carnage is coming to the United States soon."

A 2024 article in the Catholic Standard discussed how persecution of Christians is on the rise globally but did not mention the U.S. in any of the many statistics and examples of persecution provided (Christian, 2024).

"Professor of law and religion Robert Tuttle, at George Washington University, says what's really being described in this executive order is a specific conservative version of Christianity.... As Tuttle says, this persecution narrative leads to a false idea that Christians are an embattled minority when, in actuality, about two-thirds of the U.S. identifies as Christian. What's really going on here, Tuttle says, is that the loss of Christian hegemony feels like persecution to these evangelicals" (DeRose, 2025). 

The push for Christian values to be incorporated into legislation is being driven primarily by Christian nationalists. In a recent interview, Amanda Tyler, of the Baptist Joint Committee, states, "I believe that the single biggest threat to religious freedom in the United States today is Christian nationalism. Christian nationalism is antithetical to the constitutional ideal that belonging in American society is not predicated on what faith one practices or whether someone is religious at all. The political ideology that seeks to merge American and Christian identities is deeply embedded in American society and manifests itself in a number of different ways, some more obviously harmful than others (Graves-Fitzsimmons & Siddiqi, 2024).

"Religious liberty is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, yet the meaning of this core American value has been debated throughout the nation’s history. Today, conflicts most often arise from Christian nationalism, the anti-democratic notion that America is a nation by and for Christians alone. At its core, this idea threatens the principle of the separation of church and state and undermines the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. It also leads to discrimination, and at times violence, against religious minorities and the nonreligious. Christian nationalism is also a contributing ideology in the religious right’s misuse of religious liberty as a rationale for circumventing laws and regulations aimed at protecting a pluralistic democracy, such as nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQI+ people, women, and religious minorities" (Graves-Fitzsimmons & Siddiqi, 2024).

So... are Christians being persecuted at a higher rate today than in years past? Let's get into it. 

According to Merriam-Webster, persecution is defined as "the act or practice of persecuting especially those who differ in origin, religion, or social outlook; the condition of being persecuted, harassed, or annoyed." Persecution may be easily identifiable to many, but it can also be subjective. So let's take a look at just one, measurable aspect of persecution: hate crimes. Have hate crimes against Christians increased?

As I already stated, I had a difficult time finding data related specifically to trends in Christian-based hate crimes. However, according to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the answer is yes. 

I compiled the number of reported hate crimes provided by OSCE into the spreadsheet below:

It should be noted that in 2012, hate crimes against Christians were lumped into a category with other religions, and gender-based hate crimes were lumped into "other hate crimes." So the percentage changes I calculated were based on the change between 2016 and 2023 for all groups. I only included 2012 data to provide a pre-DJT view of the numbers. (I also looked at data from Statista which revealed similar numbers, but I was unable to download the data or access the information beyond my free trial period.)

Hate crimes against Christians have increased. And that is disgusting and infuriating. My heart hurts for anyone who experiences persecution for their beliefs, identity, orientation, race, etc. 

But take a look at the total increase of hate crimes since 2016 (total hate crimes have increased by 106% since 2012) or the increase in hate crimes against the LGBTQIA community, or the increase hate crimes based on gender, or the increase in antisemitic hate crimes. Christians are not the only people experiencing an increase in persecution, nor are they experiencing the largest increase in persecution (as measured in hate crimes) (Hernandez, 2021). 

It should also be noted that OSCE lists out notable hate crimes each year. In 2020, all notable, anti-Christian hate crimes were related to property damage. However, this was the only individually noted anti-Christian hate crime listed in 2023: "members of the LGBTI and Christian communities were threatened when a church received a homophobic bomb threat" (OSCE, n.d.). So while this does qualify as an anti-Christian hate crime, it doubles as an anti-LGBTQIA hate crime.

While DJT did sign an Executive Order in December of 2019 and implemented additional measures in January of 2025 to combat antisemitism, he is also actively signing executive orders that will continue to hurt other marginalized populations. Rolling back DEI and Equal Opportunity Employment, for example, does not just affect hiring practices. It also rolls back protections against bullying and harassment in the work place and decreases or eliminates entirely education about marginalized communities that aim to grow awareness, empathy, and understanding of these individuals. These education efforts could lessen the persecution experienced by marginalized communities.

Further, DJT's presidency is positively correlated with an increase in hate crimes and racial tension. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, "when Donald Trump's administration left office in 2020, two-thirds of surveyed Americans agreed that Trump had increased racial tensions in the United States. The backdrop for that widespread sentiment was that Trump Administration's sustained assault on political, civic, and legal efforts to promote racial injustice; Trump's consistent use of inflammatory racist rhetoric; and his transparent pursuit of a white supremacist agenda rooted in racial grievance" (n.d.). 

And let's not forget, "reported hate crimes with racial or ethnic bias jumped the day after President Trump won the 2016 election, from 10 to 27, according to an analysis of FBI hate crime statistics by The Washington Post. There were more reported hate crimes on November 9 than any other day in 2016, and the daily number of such incidents exceeded the level on Election Day for the next 10 days" (Williams, 2018).

"There was a 21% increase in reported hate crimes the day after Barack Obama won his first election in 2008, though hate crime reports remained relatively flat for the rest of the year" (Williams, 2018). While election years do typically yield higher hate crime rates than non-election years, please take note of the vast difference between the 21% increase on the day of Obama's election and the 170% increase on the day of DJT's election.

Please do not misinterpret what I am saying. I am not saying that hate crimes under Obama are less disgusting than hate crimes under DJT. I am not saying that hate crimes against Christians are any less worthy of concern or government intervention than hate crimes against a person who is Jewish, Black, Gay, Transgender, Muslim, female, etc. I am saying that we must not lose sight of the forest through the trees. There is a larger trend here that extends beyond increased persecution of one specific group. Equal protections for marginalized, minority groups that have suffered far greater persecution (understatement) and true (not perceived) oppression are being dismantled, while protections for a group that represents the vast majority of Americans (who inaccurately feel their place at the head of the table is being threatened) are being ramped up (Chang, 2022). 

Do you see the imbalance here? Do you see how this is the perfect scenario for unrest and the unfortunate events that may follow? 

Is it an excuse? No. But is it something we can all make efforts to circumvent? Yes.

I encourage conservative Christians to take a moment to put themselves in the shoes of another: one whose beliefs and convictions are not the same, but equally as potent as their own. How would they feel about an anti-Christian bias task force as a member of one of the other communities that are more often the targets of hate crimes? A member of a community whose interests are not being considered as matters of concern by this administration? A member of a community whose beliefs are under attack by this administration? 

That is the bigger picture here. In the United States, there is increased hostility emanating from all sides toward all groups. And singling out one group as being worthy of government protection while claiming other groups also experiencing increased persecution are not worthy of such protection will not alleviate that growing hostility. (Reminder, DEI includes protection of religious practices.)

In Conclusion:

I think we can all agree that many of us have felt an increase in "persecution" over the last decade. Whether it is because of our religious or political beliefs, gender identity, sexual orientation, skin  color, education, etc., I'm certain not one of us could say we didn't feel some semblance of persecution in recent days. In the world of social media, everyone has a voice and a platform. And with the extreme political polarization whose divide is increasingly widening, those voices feel like they are becoming louder and less tolerant every day.

To those who identify as Christian, I am truly sorry that there is now a need for Christians to be a separate category in hate crime statistics. There should be no place for hate and persecution against anyone. It is simply horrific to be persecuted for what you believe and how you identify when your beliefs and identity are not harming those around you.

It is a beautiful thing...

...to be unique.

...to have faith in a greater power.

…to just appreciate the beauty of the world around you without attributing it to a sentient being.

...to be a good human, not out of fear of eternal hellfire, but just for the sake of loving those around you.

...to be with the love of your life and best friend regardless of either of your chromosomal makeups. 

...to live as your authentic self even if that doesn't conform to societal standards

...to be proud of your culture and heritage and race and background in a manner that does not make less of those from other cultures, heritages, races, and backgrounds. 

...to be mindful of the boundaries of others.

...to love those around you.

On a related note, I would like to take this opportunity to caution against confusing initiatives that promote respecting and recognizing the unique identities of others with indoctrination. Indoctrination is NOT simply existing amongst marginalized individuals, recognizing those marginalized individuals for who they are, and treating those marginalized individuals with respect. That is just human decency.

And if your religious beliefs cause you to be so disturbed by the mere presence of person you deem as “living in sin*,” I encourage you to heed the advice of St. Augustine referenced in the Tony Award-winning, Broadway musical, Hamilton: “Hate the sin. Love the sinner.” But remember, being in their presence and respecting them as fellow humans is NOT indoctrination, nor is loving your neighbor in opposition to Christian teachings.

What republicans legislators are doing: removing acknowledgement of anyone that does not identify as male or female, adding Christian teachings into school curriculum while denying the teaching of critical race theory, implementing a task force to end anti-Christian bias while potentially increasing bias against individuals that don't fit their mold... That feels - to many of us - like indoctrination.

Again, - to clarify - I'm not claiming that these policies are directly to blame for the increase in anti-Christian hate crimes, nor am I using them as an excuse for those persecuting Christians. But the increase in Christian Nationalism and policies that align with Christian Nationalism are certainly not doing anything to make anyone that doesn't align with those beliefs feel safe or welcome in this country. And we’ve all seen how living beings become more likely to lash out in the face of a threat. So, how about we all make moves to be more accepting and eliminate the threats: both real and perceived.

Christianity should not be exempt from the separation of church and state. Christian teachings are a perfectly fine set of guidelines by which to live one’s life, but those beliefs are not the moral compass for all Americans. The path to peace and harmony does not lie in forcing the United States further into Christian Nationalism. The path to peace and harmony lies in a little empathy going a long way.

*It is not my personal belief that homosexuality, transgenderism, non-religion, identifying with a religion other than Christianity, bodily autonomy, etc. is sinful. As one who was raised in the Christian faith, I use the phrase “living in sin” because I know that is terminology often used by the church to describe the lifestyles of those that don’t align with what Christians deem as”moral.” As long as you are loving (or at least respectful of) your fellow humans, you are A-OK in my book. 💜

References:

American Civil Liberties Union. (n.d.) Trump on DEI AND Anti-Discrimination Law. ACLU. https://www.aclu.org/trump-on-dei-and-anti-discrimination-law#

Chang, A. (2022, March 18). Are White Christians under Attack in America? No, But the Myth is Winning. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/18/are-white-christians-under-attack-in-america-no-but-the-myth-is-winning

Christian, G. (2024, January 3). Christian persecution on the rise globally, but overlooked, says expert. Catholic Standard. https://www.cathstan.org/us-world/christian-persecution-on-the-rise-globally-but-overlooked-says-expert

Curry, D. (2022, September 19). Are American Christians on a path to severe persecution for their faith? Religion News. https://religionnews.com/2022/09/19/are-american-christians-on-the-path-to-severe-persecution-for-their-faith/

DeRose, J. (Host). (2025, February 14). Here's how Trump's Faith Office and task force against 'anti-Christian bias' may work [Audio podcast episode. In All Things Considered. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/02/14/nx-s1-5292447/heres-how-trumps-faith-office-and-task-force-against-anti-christian-bias-may-work.

Hernandez, J. (2021, September 1). Hate Crimes Reach the Highlest Level in More Than a Decade. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2021/08/31/1032932257/hate-crimes-reach-the-highest-level-in-more-than-a-decade

The White House. (2025, February 6). Eradicating Anti=Christian Bias. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/eradicating-anti-christian-bias/

Williams, A. (2018, March 23). Hate Crimes Rose the Day After Trump was Elected, FBI Data Show. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2018/03/23/hate-crimes-rose-the-day-after-trump-was-elected-fbi-data-show/