Archbishop Elpidophoros Appointed to Religious Freedom Commission Established by Donald Trump

On May 1, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a new Commission on Religious Freedom. One of the members of the Commission’s Advisory Council of Religious Leaders is Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the United States. The hierarch announced the news on his Facebook page.

In his message, the archbishop thanked Donald Trump for the trust placed in him and emphasized the importance of religious freedom as a core value of American society: “I look forward to contributing to efforts that promote understanding, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence among all faiths. This mission is closely aligned with the vision of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who has long championed ecumenical dialogue and reconciliation.”

The Advisory Council includes representatives of various faiths, including Catholic bishops, Protestant pastors, rabbis, and other religious leaders. The Commission’s main task is to prepare a report on the state of religious freedom in the United States, assess current threats, and develop strategic recommendations to preserve this freedom for future generations.

It is worth noting that on April 22, 2025, the first meeting of the Committee for the Elimination of Anti-Christian Bias in the Federal Government was held in Washington with the participation of U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi. The task force, established by President Trump under Executive Order No. 14202, includes peaceful American Christians who have faced unfair targeting by the Biden administration due to their religious beliefs.