President Donald Trump has unveiled a new national prayer campaign encouraging Americans to set aside one hour each week to pray for the country.

Announced Monday at Washington’s Museum of the Bible, the White House-led initiative is drawing both praise from faith leaders and constitutional scrutiny over the role of religion in American policymaking, Christianity Today reported.

Trump introduced the effort during a gathering filled with evangelical supporters and members of his Religious Liberty Commission. The event was marked by religious references, performances, and devotionals, including a speech by Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner. “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood played as the former president qualified religion as essential to national greatness, saying, “To have a great nation, you have to have religion.”

The announcement came with the presentation of Trump’s personal family Bible to the Museum of the Bible—a keepsake from his mother that was used in both of his inaugurations. Turner, also a pastor, invited the American public to participate in the initiative, positioning it as a spiritual act of national renewal. “On behalf of President Trump and ultimately the Lord God Almighty, who calls us to pray without ceasing, I am inviting all Americans to pray,” Turner said during the speech.

Included in the rollout was the White House prayer guidance booklet, which outlines Scripture passages, suggested themes, and structures for prayer. It features passages like 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Psalm 33:12 and recommends the ACTS model of Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. The guide also encourages participants to use faith-based apps such as Hallow and Pray.com to stay engaged.

Historical Prayers and School Protections Included

A booklet titled “Prayers for America” was also released alongside the guide. It contains 17 historic American prayers, from early Pilgrims to civil rights leaders, including a 1963 prayer once preached by Martin Luther King Jr. This historical compilation is tied to preparations for the United States’ 250th anniversary.

While discussing the initiative, Trump also pledged new guidance from the Department of Education to protect students’ right to pray in public schools. No specific policy or enforcement details were provided at the event. However, the mention signaled a broader educational and cultural goal associated with the prayer campaign.

Trump used the platform to highlight several actions from his administration related to religious liberty. He cited the formation of a task force to address anti-Christian bias, the expansion of school choice tax credits, and the repeal of the Johnson Amendment, which restricts political activity by religious organizations.

Support from Evangelical Leaders and Ministries

Several prominent Christian figures attended the event in support of the effort, including evangelist Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse, pastor Paula White-Cain, and Ralph Reed of the Faith and Freedom Coalition. Radio host Eric Metaxas and philanthropists Steve and Jackie Green were also among the attendees.

Churches such as First Baptist Church in Dallas and groups like Pray.com and the National Religious Broadcasters have aligned with the campaign. The White House also launched an online prompt asking visitors to commit: “Will you join with at least 10 people to meet each week for one hour to pray for America?”

Legal scholars have offered varied interpretations of the prayer initiative’s legality. A review by Christianity Today concluded that the guidance does not violate the constitutional separation of church and state. Religious liberty attorney Carl Esbeck clarified that while imposing prayer requirements in public schools could breach legal limits, voluntary suggestions made to adults do not amount to establishing a religion.

Experts Warn of Blurred Lines Between Faith and Policy

Some faith leaders and constitutional experts urged caution about the implications of aligning spiritual practices with political movements. Religious scholar Michael McConnell expressed skepticism about politicians invoking religion for political advantage but said the effort likely does not break constitutional barriers. “Just to say that it’s a violation of the establishment [clause] I think would be very difficult,” he noted.

Michael Wear, a former faith adviser to President Obama, supported the role of prayer in American life but cautioned that such initiatives can create confusion. “Anyone with any experience in our politics knows it would be foolish to claim the problem is that we are praying too much about our nation and the problems we face,” Wear said. “We need prayer.”

Wear added, “I encourage great care and thoughtfulness about the potential complications, consequences, and confusions that can derive from so closely associating godly intentions with political intentions.” He recognized that many earnest believers are likely drawn to the initiative for sincere spiritual reasons, but highlighted the need to distinguish civic action from spiritual obedience.

Calls for Justice and Caution from Pastoral Voices

Pastor Mika Edmondson offered a critique emphasizing the risk of using religion to endorse government policies. “Worship and prayer are never a tool of manipulation,” he said. “They are always a tool of submission to what our Lord wants to do.”

Edmondson drew attention to how early Christians prayed not for empire-building but for justice and protection. “Sometimes people see the call to prayer as a way for the ‘flourishing of the agenda of the people on the top,’ when actually it’s a call to ask God to protect people on the bottom.”

Speaking to the deeper purpose of national prayer, Edmondson stated, “We have to have a bigger vision for America than America has for itself.” He urged believers to direct their prayers toward equity, integrity, and divine guidance, rather than political goals.

Initiative Aims to Spark Spiritual Engagement Before Semiquincentennial

With the 250th anniversary of the United States approaching, the national prayer initiative has been positioned as a spiritual component of the country’s broader commemorative efforts. The White House has framed the campaign as a unifying call rather than a legal obligation, highlighting personal choice in participation.

Responses to the initiative continue to reflect a spectrum of views—from those applauding its emphasis on faith in public life, to others wary of conflating religious devotion with partisan politics. While support has primarily come from evangelical and conservative-Christian communities, pockets of concern cross ideological lines.

As the campaign gains attention, future developments—especially regarding the promised Department of Education guidance—will likely influence both public opinion and legal analysis. For now, the invitation to pray for the nation remains open-ended and voluntary, sparking nationwide discussion on prayer’s place in civic life.