“From the earliest days of our Republic, faith in God has always been the source of the strength that beats in the hearts of our nation. We have to bring religion back.”
President Donald J. Trump (February 6, 2025)

Today, President Trump took an important step to bringing faith back to our nation. In a special Rose Garden ceremony, the president signed an executive order creating the Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty.

We are excited to announce that the president has appointed First Liberty President, CEO and Chief Counsel Kelly Shackelford to serve on the Presidential Commission. Kelly was in attendance with President Trump at today’s White House event.

Former First Liberty client Coach Joe Kenney was also present at the ceremony. As a musical ensemble led the group in worship, Coach Kennedy took a knee on the Rose Garden in silent prayer.  

With Kelly’s appointment, First Liberty is the only religious freedom legal group represented on the Commission. During the past six years, First Liberty has won historic Supreme Court victories protecting religious liberty, including praying football coach Joe Kennedy, Sabbath honoring mail carrier Gerald Groff, Maine parents in support of school choice, and the American Legion preserving a veterans’ memorial.

Upon his appointment to the Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty, Kelly said:

“I am incredibly honored to be selected to join such a prestigious group of leaders on the Commission in President Trump’s effort to protect religious liberty in our nation. For too long, government officials have been hostile to expressions of faith despite First Liberty’s numerous victories at the Supreme Court. It will be a privilege to do everything we can to protect religious liberty and restore our First Freedom for all Americans.”

The Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty will be led by Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and former Secretary of Health Ben Carson.

According to the EO, the Commission will “produce a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, the impact of religious liberty on American society, current threats to domestic religious liberty, strategies to preserve and enhance religious liberty protections for future generations and programs to increase awareness of and celebrate America's peaceful religious pluralism.”

The report is due on or before next July 4, 2026—a fitting way to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation, and to ensure we protect Americans’ religious freedoms for the next 250 years.