Overview
- Speaking in Washington on March 19, House Speaker Mike Johnson argued the widely cited phrase is misunderstood and said Jefferson’s Danbury letter aimed to protect religion from an encroaching state.
- He tied the message to the nation’s 250th anniversary, saying America has long been sustained by prayer and that civic virtue rooted in faith is essential to the republic.
- House Majority Whip Steve Scalise recounted his 2017 shooting and described his recovery as evidence of answered prayers.
- A message from President Donald Trump, read by Domestic Policy Director Vince Haley, pledged to defend Catholics’ freedom to worship, as Haley also condemned rising antisemitism and cited an ADL report logging 9,354 incidents in 2025.
- Retired Archbishop Joseph Naumann read a papal letter urging prayers for U.S. leaders, and speakers highlighted broader human‑rights concerns, including a plea from Jimmy Lai’s daughter for help securing his release.