Video: President begins speaking at the 23 minute mark
WASHINGTON, DC – President Donald Trump urged nations across the world to protect religious freedom Monday in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly.
Trump, the first U.S. president to highlight religious freedom at the UN, said America will set aside $25 million to fund the effort and form a coalition of businesses dedicated to protecting religious freedom, according to CNN.
“Today, with one clear voice, the United States of America calls upon the nations of the world to end religious persecution. Stop the crimes against people of faith,” Trump said. “Release prisoners of conscience. Repeal laws restricting freedom of religion and belief. Protect the vulnerable, the defenseless and the oppressed.”
Trump cited data indicating that about 80 percent of the world population live in countries where religious liberties are threatened. He said he was shocked to learn that the percentage is so high.
“As we speak, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, many other people of faith are being jailed, sanctioned, tortured and even murdered even at the hands of their own government simply for expressing their deeply held religious beliefs,” he said. ….
United States Supreme Court Building, July 21, 2020. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. You are free: to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work .... Source: Wikimedia Commons