Faith returns to the public square during Trump’s second term, Christian leader says
President Donald Trump is garnering praise from a prominent faith leader who says the White House is reinforcing the religious revival growing across America as churches report growing attendance and younger parishioners.
"There's causality from the culture into politics and from politics that influences the culture, and I think we're seeing that duality play out," JP De Gance, founder and president of Communio, a non-profit ministry that trains churches on how to evangelize, told Fox News Digital. "Religious non-affiliation had been growing for about 40 years, and it's flatlined over the last four years. That's a real change in trends."
De Gance said that Communio had heard anecdotally that churches across the country have seen major increases in new member classes.
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In the case of Texas A&M, De Gance said there were currently 420 students enrolled in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) class, with approximately 100 or more adult baptisms expected, something he said was "really unusual." OCIA classes are meant for adults looking to enter the Catholic Church. Regarding Protestant denominations, Communio is seeing an "increase in small and intimate church settings," De Gance said.
The faith leader said that the White House has not only been reacting to a growing interest in faith, but is also embracing it more publicly than prior administrations. He also stated that he sees a "huge difference" in the Trump administration's approach to faith versus that of the Biden administration.
"When you look at the Biden administration, his final Easter celebration had a proclamation of ‘Transgender Day’ instead of an Easter proclamation," De Gance noted, referring to former President Joe Biden's acknowledgment of Transgender Day of Visibility. In 2024, Easter Sunday fell on the same day.
"I think you had a last administration that was seen by a lot of people of faith as being actively hostile to faith, and now I think a view that there's an openness and an interest by the current administration to more embrace faith in their work and in their actions," De Gance added.
The Trump administration has not been quiet about faith and even created an entity to represent faith-based communities.
In February 2025, Trump signed an executive order establishing the White House Faith Office, which was meant to "empower faith-based entities, community organizations, and houses of worship to better serve families and communities," according to the White House. The office is led by senior advisor Paula White and faith director Jenny Korn.
For Holy Week, Trump issued a proclamation on behalf of himself and first lady Melania Trump that put faith front and center.
"This Holy Week, Melania and I join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ — the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity," the proclamation read. "We pray that America will remain a beacon of faith, hope, and freedom for the entire world, and we pray to achieve a future that reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christ’s eternal kingdom in Heaven."
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Trump also issued a faith-filled message for Christmas, saying that he and the first lady "send our warmest wishes to all Americans as we share in the joy of Christmas Day and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." The president included a brief retelling of the Christmas story and prayers for "an outpouring of God’s abiding love, divine mercy, and everlasting peace upon our country and the entire world."
The Trump administration has also invoked faith in times of tragedy, from the flooding at Camp Mystic in Texas to the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minnesota and the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
"These are times where a president can be a comforter in chief, and I think it's appropriate for the president, members of the administration to not compartmentalize and shelve their faith in these moments," De Gance said. "I think when there are times of great suffering, I think that it's an opportunity to also embrace our faith."
As Trump enters the second year of his second term and America approaches its 250th birthday, De Gance says many are looking to see the administration continue to reaffirm the role that religion plays in American life.
"I think American Christians would love to see the president, the White House continue, or find ways to embrace the core pillars that made this country so excellent on the world stage," De Gance told Fox News Digital. "In this 250th anniversary, I think it's a time where we can reflect and see that the American founding was grounded in sort of core cultural pillars that allowed self-governance to exist."
De Gance emphasized the importance of strong families and Americans maintaining connections to faith communities, saying Christianity served as a "core bedrock" at the nation’s founding.
Fox News Digital spoke to Communio's founder before Sunday's incident at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minn., made headlines over the weekend. Anti-ICE agitators disrupted a worship service, chanting slogans including "ICE Out" and "Justice for Renee Good," a reference to the woman shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis earlier this month.
The Trump administration responded swiftly, with the Justice Department launching an investigation into potential violations of federal law. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that she spoke to the pastor of the church and affirmed that "attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law."