Federal judge dismisses lawsuit seeking to overturn Trump's religious freedom commission

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit seeking to declare as illegal the Religious Liberty Commission that was created by president Donald Trump. In a 49-page ruling, Judge John Cronan concluded that the commission's members meet the legal requirement to maintain a "reasonably balanced" composition and that the law does not require representation of all religious denominations.

The judge dismissed the lawsuit filed by an interfaith coalition composed of Muslim and Hindu organizations and other groups, which argued that the commission excluded non-Judeo-Christian religions in violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).

The legislation was passed in 1972 and stipulates that certain advisory committees established by the federal government must be "reasonably balanced" in terms of the viewpoints represented.

"Its members include workers in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, have widely varying life experiences—from a former host of a popular television show to a State Lieutenant Governor, are religious leaders as well as rank-and-file congregants, and—to the extent that it matters— encompass adherents of at least five different religions," Judge Cronan wrote in his ruling.

Trump established the Religious Liberty Commission by executive order in May 2025 with the goal of producing a report on the foundations of religious freedom in the United States, the threats facing that right, and possible recommendations to strengthen its protection.

"As we bow our heads on this beautiful day, once again we have to trust our God because our God knows exactly where we're going... and may He continue to hear our prayers, to guide our steps, and build up our beloved nation to even greater heights," the president said during the commission's launch event in May 2025.

Recently, the commission published a draft of its report, in which it asserts that religious freedom constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of the United States and proposed strengthening cooperation between the government and religious organizations.

Although the commission originally had 14 members, it was reduced to 13 following the removal of model and author Carrie Prejean Boller. Her departure came after the controversy sparked by remarks she made during a hearing on anti-Semitism in February of this year.

The commission is currently chaired by Dan Patrick, the lieutenant governor of Texas. Among its most prominent members are Ben Carson, Reverend Franklin Graham, and New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan.