On May 17, 2026, the White House organized a large-scale mass prayer event on the National Mall in Washington, DC, to celebrate America's 250th anniversary and "rededicate this republic to God and country," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said [1, 2, 3, 4]. The rally lasted approximately nine hours and featured about 20 faith leaders, primarily evangelical Protestant, along with one retired Catholic archbishop and one rabbi [1, 2, 3].
Top Trump administration officials participated or spoke, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard [1, 2, 3, 4]. Rubio, Vance, and Gabbard emphasized faith and prayer as central to America's founding and ongoing identity [4].
President Donald Trump delivered a prerecorded video message reading from the Bible (2 Chronicles 7), urging humility and prayer. He stated, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" [4]. Paula White, organizer and Trump spiritual advisor, described the event as rededicating the nation to God based on Christian values and the Bible [3].
Critics described the event as a quasi-official rally for Christian nationalism emphasizing a specific American identity rooted in whiteness and conservative Christianity. University of North Florida scholar Julie Ingersoll said the event "sends a specific message that they are the mainstream Americans, and the rest of us are sidelined" [1]. Baylor University’s Sam Perry noted that while similar events with evangelical leaders have occurred, "the Trump administration taking the lead on this celebration at this scale is different than previous events" [1].
The prayer rally took place on the National Mall, a historic site for mass gatherings and protests [3, 4]. The event followed an initial invitation tweet on May 9 from Defense Secretary Hegseth announcing the "Rededicate 250" prayer event [3].
