USA: New task force to remove ‘anti-Christian’ bias

President Trump is on a mission to get rid of “anti-Christian bias” in the US, creating a task force especially for the purpose.

Headed up by Attorney General Pam Bondi, the task force is to “immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government”, Trump announced in Washington recently during National Prayer Breakfast events.

In a White House statement, the Trump administration criticised its predecessor for driving Christians out of the foster care system and forcing Christians to affirm transgender ideology. It also listed the Biden administration’s proclamation of Easter Sunday as Transgender Day of Visibility in 2024 as an example of “anti-Christian bias”.

Another of the accusations levied against the Biden administration was its handling of anti-abortion advocates. According to the White House, the Department of Justice “persecuted” nearly two dozen pro-life Christians for praying and peacefully demonstrating outside abortion facilities.

However, there is debate as to the validity of these accusations which critics say have been mischaracterised, such as Biden’s proclamation of Transgender Day of Visibility on 31 March last year, the day that also happened to be Easter Sunday.

While some Christians welcome this move, others see the creation of the task force as superfluous given that almost two-thirds of the population identify as Christian and consider the task force a play to bolster Trump’s Christian base.

According to the FBI hate-crime database, crimes against Jews have been four times more prevalent than crimes against Christians in the last five years.

Through the task force, Trump said Bondi would “move heaven and earth to defend the rights of Christians and religious believers nationwide.”