Report warns of U.S. shift away from prioritizing international religious freedom

A report published by Dallas Baptist University’s Center for Global Religious Freedom detailed concerns that the United States and some other Western nations have shifted their diplomatic priorities away from international religious freedom advocacy.

The report, published July 27 , alleged “a retreat of Western nations from human rights” like religious freedom, which has “contributed to widespread religious persecution affecting Christians and other faith communities worldwide.”

According to the authors, the U.S. and many European nations are prioritizing “hard interests,” which they called a shift “reverting to the historical norms of foreign affairs.” The report notes some specific changes seen in President Donald Trump’s second administration, which began in January 2025.

In what the authors called “the U.S. retreat,” they cited elements of the administration’s foreign policy. This included reductions to “funding and staffing” for agencies and nongovernmental organizations that support international religious freedom, the lack of an ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, and “weak congressional and executive prioritization.”

According to the report,…