On May 1st, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the Religious Liberty Commission during the National Day of Prayer event in the Rose Garden. According to the Executive Order, “The Commission shall be composed of up to 14 members appointed by the President. Members of the Commission shall include individuals chosen to serve as educated representatives of various sectors of society, including the private sector, employers, educational institutions, religious communities, and States, to offer diverse perspectives on how the Federal Government can defend religious liberty for all Americans. The President shall designate a Chairman and Vice Chairman from among the members.”
President Trump designated the following individuals to serve on the Religious Liberty Commission:
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Chair was elected in 2014, and re-elected in 2018 and 2022. He led the Texas Senate in passing legislation to end the teaching of critical race theory in public schools. He added “Under God” to the pledge of allegiance in the state of Texas, and helped abolish DEI practices in the state’s universities. In the Texas Policy Summit 2025 – Keynote Lunch with Lt Governor Dan Patrick (16:05), Lt. Gov. Patrick said higher ed would get less funding “if they don’t kick DEI out of their schools”.
Dr. Ben Carson, Vice Chair is a retired American neurosurgeon, author, and politician. He was the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he became renowned for his groundbreaking work, including the first successful separation of conjoined twins joined at the back of the head. He is the founder of the American Cornerstone Institute. Dr. Carson served as the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump.
Ryan T. Anderson, Ph.D is the President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and serves as the John Paul II Teaching Fellow in Social Thought at the University of Dallas.
Bishop Robert Barron is an American Catholic bishop, theologian, and author, known for his work in evangelization and media. In 2022, he was appointed the bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota. He is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, which produces widely viewed videos and publications on Catholic teaching and culture. “The glory of God is a human being fully alive.”- Bishop Barron.
Carrie Prejean Boller is an American model, author, and former beauty pageant titleholder who gained national attention in 2009 when she was crowned Miss California USA and subsequently became the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant. Her response to a question about same-sex marriage during the Miss USA competition sparked widespread controversy and media coverage.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan is a prominent American Catholic leader known for his charismatic presence and conservative theological stance. He held various significant positions, including rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome from 1994 to 2001, auxiliary bishop of St. Louis, and Archbishop of Milwaukee from 2002 to 2009. He has served as the Archbishop of New York since 2009 and was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. Dolan served as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2010 to 2013.
Pastor Franklin Graham is a prominent American Christian evangelist and missionary. He is the son of the renowned preacher Billy Graham. Franklin currently serves as the president and CEO of both the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief organization.
Allyson Ho holds a J.D. with high honors from the University of Chicago Law School, a Ph.D. and M.A. from Rice University, and a B.A. from Duke University. She is an American appellate attorney and partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Dallas, where she co-chairs the firm’s nationwide Appellate and Constitutional Law practice group.
Dr. Phil McGraw is an American psychologist, author, and television personality. He gained national recognition in the late 1990s through appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, which led to the launch of his own daytime talk show, Dr. Phil, in 2002. His latest book, We’ve Got Issues: How You Can Stand Strong for America’s Soul and Sanity, published in February 2024, addresses America’s cultural challenges and offers strategies to restore and support the nation’s collective mental health
Eric Metaxas is an American author, speaker, and conservative radio host known for his biographies and cultural commentary. Metaxas has authored several notable works, including Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy; Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery; Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World; and Letter to the American Church.
Kelly Shackelford is President, CEO, and Chief Counsel of First Liberty Institute, the largest U.S. legal organization focused exclusively on defending religious freedom. A constitutional scholar, he has argued and won major First Amendment cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, including Kennedy v. Bremerton and American Legion v. AHA. Named one of Texas’s top lawyers, Shackelford also serves on the U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society Board.
Rabbi Meir Soloveichik is a leading Orthodox Jewish thinker, serving as rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York City and director of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University. A descendant of the esteemed Soloveitchik rabbinic dynasty, he holds rabbinic ordination from YU and a Ph.D. from Princeton. Known for his eloquent writing and scholarship, he contributes to major publications and hosts popular podcasts including Bible365. In 2024, he was appointed to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and currently serves as its vice chair. His latest book, Providence and Power, examines leadership in Jewish history.
Pastor Paula White is a renowned televangelist, author, and spiritual advisor. She is the founder of Paula White Ministries and the senior pastor of StoryLife Church. Known for her dynamic preaching, White-Cain gained national prominence as senior pastor of New Destiny Christian Center and as the host of Paula Today, a widely viewed television program. In 2017, she became the first female clergy to deliver the invocation at a U.S. presidential inauguration and has served as a spiritual advisor to former President Donald Trump. White-Cain is also a passionate advocate for faith-based initiatives and religious liberty.
For more information on the executive order regarding the Religious Liberty Commission members, read the official announcement released by The White House: “President Trump Announces Religious Liberty Commission Members“.