Trump's latest latest act of constitutional arson aims at the heart of the United States Constitution

President Donald Trump’s announcement that the Department of Education will issue new guidance allowing prayer in public schools has drawn sharp criticism from religious liberty advocates, legal experts, and civil rights organizations, who argue the move promotes Christian nationalism and undermines constitutional principles.

Speaking Monday at the Museum of the Bible to the White House Religious Liberty Commission, Trump falsely claimed students are being “indoctrinated with anti-religious propaganda” and are “punished for their religious beliefs” in public schools.

He announced that the Department of Education would soon release new guidelines to permit prayer, though he provided no specific details on their content.

Critics were quick to respond, framing the announcement as a political maneuver that conflates individual religious expression with government-sponsored religion.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) President Rachel Laser stated the commission meeting itself was “more like a church service” and promoted the “lie that America is a Christian nation and that religion is under attack.”

In a news release, Laser argued the hearing ignored more pressing threats to religious liberty, such as state laws mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms. AU, an organization with a 77-year history of defending church-state separation, asserts that such efforts prioritize one set of Christian beliefs over America's religious diversity.

The Congressional Black Caucus has been vocal in its opposition to many of President Trump’s executive actions, though its specific response to this announcement was not detailed in the available sources.

Lisa McCormick, a progressive activist, issued a blistering statement titled “The Divine Right of Trump: A Cynic’s Prayer for Power,” accusing the president of “constitutional arson.”

McCormick argued the move is a “transactional deal to religious zealots: your blessing in exchange for my power” and is designed to consolidate political power by blurring the lines between personal belief and state endorsement.

Chris Line, legal counsel for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, dismissed Trump’s statements as “a lot of theater without a lot of substance.”

He argued the commission is “more about advancing religious privilege” and promoting Christian nationalism than protecting broad religious freedom.

Line pointed to the hypocrisy of Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the commission's chairman, who once threatened to eject attendees who didn’t stand for a Christian invocation but boycotted a Muslim prayer in 2007.

The Supreme Court has long held that state-sponsored prayer in public schools violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, beginning with landmark rulings in the 1960s.

However, students retain the right to private prayer, form religious clubs, and express their beliefs in assignments during non-instructional time.

Trump’s promise mirrors actions from his first term, when he required schools to confirm their policies did not prevent religious expression to receive federal funding—a policy similar to guidance issued under President George W. Bush in 2003.

Legal challenges are expected, particularly as the Supreme Court recently upheld a ruling blocking Oklahoma from launching the nation’s first religious public charter school, reinforcing the principle that public schools must remain secular.

The exact contents of the forthcoming Department of Education guidance and its implementation timeline remain unclear, as the White House did not respond to requests for more information.

However, the announcement signals a continued cultural and legal battle over the role of religion in public schools, with several states proposing laws to expand religious expression.

Critics vow to challenge any guidance they perceive as eroding the separation of church and state. As Americans United states on its website: “The separation of church and state protects everyone’s right to live as themselves and believe as they choose... and is the best way to ensure freedom without favor and equality without exception for all.”