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State Department Mandates Reporting of “Anti-Christian Bias”
Under directives from the Trump administration, the State Department is instructing personnel to document instances of alleged anti-Christian bias purportedly occurring during the Biden administration. This initiative is part of a broader effort to reshape government policy concerning religious expression.
Seven-Day Window for Bias Reports
An internal communication, reviewed by the Guardian, establishes a brief, seven-day period for employees to report perceived religious discrimination by State Department officials, with a specific focus on instances affecting Christianity.
According to the Friday memo, the department is soliciting submissions regarding practices exhibiting anti-religious bias during the previous presidential administration. Staff are instructed to submit reports to a newly formed task force by April 18.
Trump’s Executive Order and Preferential Treatment
The directive, initially reported by Politico, references President Trump’s February executive order aimed at ending what he termed the “anti-Christian weaponization of government.” This suggests a policy shift towards affording Christians preferential treatment within the department.
Examples of Alleged Bias
Examples of “bias” targeted for reporting include perceived “mistreatment for opposing displays of flags, banners or other paraphernalia.” This appears to be an allusion to Pride flags displayed at U.S. embassies during the prior administration. Furthermore, “policies related to preferred personal pronouns” are cited as potentially discriminatory against employees with religious objections.
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Constitutional Concerns and Broader Initiative
While acknowledging that discrimination against any religion is a violation of federal law, the reiterated emphasis on “anti-Christian bias” underscores a prominent theme championed by Trump during his campaign. He pledged to be a staunch advocate for conservative Christian causes and, prior to signing the executive order on February 6th, indicated that the Department of Justice, FBI, and IRS would also be scrutinized for bias through a task force led by the Attorney General.
However, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution explicitly states that Congress shall “make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” a principle intended to prevent the government from imposing specific religious beliefs on governmental matters.
Reporting Process and Timeline
The State Department cable encourages anonymous reporting and requests staff to provide “names, dates, locations” of alleged incidents. Examples will be compiled into a preliminary report due by April 22nd, just eleven days after the memo’s distribution, and subsequently incorporated into a government-wide assessment scheduled for June.
Scope of Reportable Incidents
Employees are instructed to report instances where they faced repercussions for “refusing to participate in events or activities that promote themes inconsistent with or hostile to one’s religious beliefs.” This could potentially encompass diversity initiatives and LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts that were part of State Department policy under the Biden administration.
Employee Reactions and Department Response
According to Politico, some State Department employees expressed dismay at the directive to report colleagues, suggesting it fosters a climate of apprehension. One department official described the situation to Politico as “very Handmaid’s Tale-esque.”
The State Department has not yet issued a response to requests for comment on this matter.