01:07We're excited to be here for the launch of the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, as outlined in the President's Executive Order.
01:16Joining me today are members of the Task Force and individuals who have been impacted by the anti-Christian bias.
01:23Together, this task force will identify any unlawful anti-Christian policies, practices, or conduct across the government.
01:36Seek input from the faith-based organizations and state governments to end anti-Christian bias.
01:45Find and fix deficiencies in existing and regulatory practices that might contribute to the anti-Christian bias.
01:52As President Trump has stated, the Biden administration engaged in an egregious pattern of targeting peaceful Christians while ignoring violent anti-Christian offenses.
02:06The President is right.
02:08Biden's Department of Justice abused and targeted Christians.
02:12Pro-life Christians were arrested and imprisoned for peacefully praying outside abortion clinics.
02:18The FBI spied on traditional Catholics in their parishes.
02:22President Biden declared Easter Sunday to be Transgender Day of Visibility no longer.
02:32Vandalism against churches was eight times higher in 2023 than it was in 2018.
02:38And as President Trump's directive, we ended those abuses at the Department of Justice on day one.
02:45We dropped three ongoing cases against pro-lifers and redefined the FACE Act to ensure that abuse would not continue and that American tax dollars were not used to support the weaponization of our legal system to target Christians.
03:01Just a few weeks ago, we convicted a man in Arizona for a plot to bomb Christian churches.
03:07The Department of Justice will protect religious liberty for Christians and for all Americans.
03:14We'll work closely with everyone around this table and take a whole-of-government approach to solving this problem and ultimately of protect Americans' First Amendment rights.
03:26The First Amendment isn't just a line in the Constitution.
03:29It's the cornerstone of our American liberty.
03:32It guarantees every citizen the right to speak freely, worship freely, and live according to their conscience without government interference.
03:43Protecting Christians from bias is not favoritism.
03:47It's upholding the rule of law and fulfilling the constitutional promise.
03:52Thank you to President Trump.
03:54We have an incredible opportunity, all of us around this table, to protect the rights of all citizens from discrimination based on their religious beliefs.
04:05And thank you all for being here based on this executive order, and I look forward to doing great work together.
04:11Now, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch has a few words.
04:15Good afternoon, everybody.
04:17First, thanks, everybody, for coming and for members of the task force, for being here today and for your commitment to this important effort.
04:25If you look around this table and the leadership that's here, I know that combined with our shared determination to establish sound, effective policies and to push back against any form of anti-Christian or anti-religious bias that has taken root within the federal government, this will allow us to carry out the President's executive order.
04:47I want to echo what Attorney General Bondi just said, supporting the free expression of faith is not just a constitutional principle.
04:55It is something that all forms of civil government should be encouraging.
05:00At its core, the executive order we're here to talk about today affirms a fundamental truth.
05:07Every individual has the freedom to choose their religious faith.
05:10And once made, that choice should never be subject to discrimination or bias from our government.
05:19Now, unfortunately, over the past several years, we've seen troubling signs to the contrary.
05:25We have witnessed actions that suggest an underlying bias against people of faith, particularly Christians.
05:32This task force was created to make sure this never happens again in America.
05:36We will investigate what went wrong, uncover facts, and ultimately chart a path forward.
05:43So today, we're going to hear from individuals who will share their personal stories, stories that reflect broader trends and challenges from the Biden administration's policies.
05:54Policies that, frankly, strip people of their inalienable rights.
05:58We're also going to hear from members of this task force about the ways in which anti-Christian sentiment may have shown up in their departments or their agencies.
06:08A key challenge that we face is a public misunderstanding of our form of government.
06:14We're a constitutional republic, not a pure democracy.
06:18And this distinction matters because in a republic, individual rights are protected even when unpopular.
06:26And misunderstanding this distinction allows our institutions and media to misrepresent our founding principles.
06:34Our government's purpose is to secure rights, not restrict them.
06:40So, yes, this task force has a big job ahead, but it's a vital one, and it's one that we're going to get done.
06:46Finally, I want to thank the members of the media who are with us today.
06:51We appreciate your attention and your presence for this opening portion of the meeting.
06:55At this time, we'll be moving into our internal discussions.
06:59And so if you would please make your way out, we'll then continue with the rest of our work in a closed session.
07:04Thank you. Thank you very much.
07:05Can we ask one question on topic?
07:07And that was the examples that each department is looking for.
07:12Can you do the same hands-up thing?
07:13The entire Christian lies that you found in the same department or anywhere else?
