A daylong prayer celebration organized by the Trump administration will take place on the National Mall this Sunday, May 17, 2026, featuring an overwhelmingly Christian lineup of speakers that has ignited controversy over religious representation and the role of faith in government.
Billed as Rededicate 250, the event is advertised as a "rededication of our country as One Nation Under God" and a "once in a lifetime national moment." The celebration represents an initiative of Freedom 250, a White House-backed, public-private campaign staging patriotic events to commemorate the nation's 250th birthday.
Of the 19 faith leaders currently listed to speak, 18 are Christian, with most identifying as evangelical. The sole non-Christian religious leader scheduled to participate is Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, who leads Congregation Shearith Israel in New York City and serves on President Donald Trump's Religious Liberty Commission.
The speaker roster includes prominent political figures closely aligned with the Trump administration. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Southern Baptist, will participate alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who worships in churches linked to the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Catholic. President Trump is expected to send a recorded video message to attendees.
Christian faith leaders scheduled to speak 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, who leads First Baptist Church in Dallas. Catholic representatives include Bishop Robert Barron, who leads the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who recently retired from his position as bishop of the Archdiocese of New York.
Celebrity participants add star power to the event. Grammy-winning Christian musician Chris Tomlin, known for hits including "Holy Forever" and "How Great Is Our God," will headline the celebration. Jonathan Roumie, the Catholic actor and star of the television series "The Chosen," was recently added as a speaker. Evangelical influencer and "Duck Dynasty" alum Sadie Robertson Huff, who has built a ministry platform with over 5 million Instagram followers, will also participate.
The event has drawn sharp criticism from religious freedom advocates and interfaith organizations. Americans United for Separation of Church and State suggested the event advances Christian nationalism rather than religious freedom. The Council on American-Islamic Relations called for organizers to expand the speakers list to better reflect the nation's diverse religious landscape, noting that "Muslims have been present in significant numbers in the country since the colonial era."
The controversy arrives amid new polling data suggesting limited public appetite for government-endorsed religious expression. A Pew Research poll released Thursday, May 14, 2026, surveyed 3,592 U.S. adults in April and found that eight out of ten Americans believe religious congregations should not support candidates in elections. Two-thirds say churches and other houses of worship should keep out of political matters.
The poll revealed that only 17 percent of Americans think the government should declare Christianity the official religion of the United States, a slight increase from 13 percent in 2024. Views on Christian nationalism remain predominantly negative, with 31 percent viewing it unfavorably compared to 10 percent who view it favorably. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.
"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," said John Green, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Akron. "There are people that have that view, but they're a very small minority, even within the Republican Party."
The survey also found that 52 percent of U.S. adults believe "conservative Christians have gone too far in trying to push their religious values in the government and public schools."
Opposition to the event has manifested in organized counter-programming. Interfaith Alliance announced plans to 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. Planned messages include "Democracy NOT Theocracy" and "Reject Christian Nationalism."
Progressive faith leaders will host a virtual press briefing on Friday arguing that Rededicate 250 misrepresents how America's founders approached religious tolerance. The rally has also inspired supportive pre-events led by activist and worship leader Sean Feucht.
According to organizers, the speaker list remains subject to change as final preparations continue for Sunday's event. The celebration is intended to reflect on the faith of America's founders and to appeal to God to bless and guide the nation as the country approaches its 250th anniversary.
