White House aims to link U.S. history and Christianity in 9-hour prayer festival 75%
By Michelle Boorstein0% Laura Meckler0% Natalie Allison0%
5/13/2026, 9:00:00 AM
BS Summary: This article contains 21 faulty reasoning types, including Negativity Bias, Confirmation Bias, and Representativeness Heuristic, with Framing Effect as the most egregious example at 30.3% saturation with 257 hits. Analysis detected 1,329 faulty-reasoning hits from 847 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 67.7% and a BS Rank of 75% (4,264 of 16,813 articles). This article is worse (more manipulative) than 74.60% of the article peer group.
The Trump administration is hosting an all-day prayer festival on the National Mall on Sunday that organizers say will reflect the country’s Christian origins and, they hope, spark “a movement of renewal” in America.
The event, called “Rededicate 250,” is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will feature a who’s who of Trump administration officials and evangelical leaders, including Pete Hegseth, the nominee to lead the Pentagon; Marco Rubio, the nominee to be secretary of state; and Mike Johnson, the House speaker.
President Donald Trump is expected to send a video message.
The festival is being organized by the White House Faith Office, led by Paula White-Cain, Trump’s longtime spiritual adviser, and is being billed as a celebration of America’s 250th birthday next year.
But it also reflects the administration’s determination to elevate Christianity in public life and to promote the idea that the nation’s founders intended it to be a Christian nation.
“Rededicate 250 is a historic moment to reflect on our nation’s founding principles and to renew our commitment to the values that have made America exceptional,” the White House said in a statement.
“It will be a day of prayer, worship, and celebration as we honor our shared heritage and look forward to the next 250 years.”
The event is being held on the Mall near the Washington Monument and will include worship music, prayer and speeches.
Organizers say it will draw thousands of people and will be livestreamed.
The festival is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to promote Christian nationalism, the idea that the United States is a Christian nation and that Christianity should play a central role in public life.
Critics say the movement seeks to undermine the separation of church and state and to impose Christian values on the country.
“This is a clear attempt to Christianize the government and to erase the separation of church and state,” said Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, a group that advocates for religious freedom.
“It’s dangerous and it’s un-American.”
The White House Faith Office was created by executive order shortly after Trump took office in January.
It is tasked with promoting religious liberty and engaging with faith communities.
White-Cain, a televangelist and megachurch pastor, has been a close adviser to Trump since his first campaign in 2016.
The event is being funded in part by the White House Historical Association, a nonprofit that supports the preservation of the White House and its history.
The association is contributing $250,000, according to a person familiar with the planning who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
The festival is one of several events planned to mark the nation’s 250th birthday next year.
The White House has also announced plans for a military parade and a fireworks display.
The semiquincentennial, as it is known, is expected to be a major focus of the administration’s second term.
Organizers say the prayer festival will bring together people of all faiths to celebrate the country’s religious heritage.
But the lineup of speakers and performers suggests a heavy emphasis on evangelical Christianity.
Hegseth, a Fox News host and Army veteran, is a prominent voice in the Christian nationalist movement.
He has argued that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and that Christianity should play a central role in public life.
Rubio, a Catholic who has embraced evangelical rhetoric, has been a vocal supporter of Trump’s agenda on religious liberty and abortion.
He has said that the United States is a “Christian nation” and that the country’s founders intended it to be one.
Johnson, an evangelical Christian, has been a leading voice in the House for Christian nationalist causes.
He has argued that the United States is a Christian nation and that the separation of church and state is a myth.
Other speakers include Robert George, a Princeton University professor and Catholic intellectual who has been influential in the conservative legal movement; and Paula White-Cain, who will deliver the closing prayer.
The event will also feature worship music by artists including Lauren Daigle, a contemporary Christian singer, and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, a gospel group.
Critics say the event is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to promote Christian nationalism and to undermine the separation of church and state.
“This is a clear attempt to use the power of the federal government to promote a particular religious perspective,” said Holly Hollman, general counsel of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.
“It’s a dangerous precedent.”
The White House says the event is intended to celebrate the country’s religious heritage and to bring people together across faiths.
“Rededicate 250 is a celebration of the religious freedom that is at the heart of our nation,” the White House said in a statement.
“It will bring together people of all faiths to pray for our country and to rededicate ourselves to the principles that have made America great.”
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