State Department reboots religious freedom in echo of Trump's first term
The State Department is reviving its focus on religious freedom, rolling out a $4.8 million funding opportunity and formalizing a related commitment with Hungary — a country that’s long positioned itself as an advocate for persecuted Christians.
“Hungary has emerged as a leader in Europe, and in standing up for our shared Western heritage,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas at the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two countries on Wednesday. “The agreement formalizes our partnership on religious freedom and affirms our determination to stand against religious persecution wherever it occurs.”
The move is an echo of President Donald Trump’s first term, which led the U.S. Agency of International Development to launch the Genocide Recovery and Persecution Response initiative in 2018. That effort primarily focused on northern Iraq and assisted persecuted Christian and Yazidi communities before USAID was shuttered.
About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene covers U.S. foreign assistance from Washington, D.C. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for The Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, and other news outlets across the world. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for aid agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
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