Trump officials in the U.S. Department of State are calling for employees to report incidents of supposed “anti-Christian bias.” The pressure campaign seems intended to intimidate non-Christians working in the Department of State, potentially violating workers’ civil rights and constitutional rights.

“As the Christian world commemorates Holy Week leading up to Easter Sunday, the State Department has issued an appeal for its employees to report instances of alleged anti-Christian bias, including formal or informal actions due to opposition to vaccines or personal pronoun choice, that may have occurred during the Biden administration,” according to the Associate Press (AP).

“The call comes amid heightened fear and anxiety in the American diplomatic corps, which is bracing for a new update on the Department of Government Efficiency-inspired budget and staff cuts that is due to be presented to the White House on Monday. That update is expected to include the State Department’s latest estimates of voluntary retirements and separations and how those will affect potential future layoffs to meet benchmarks from Elon Musk’s DOGE and the government’s human resources agency, according to officials familiar with the process.”

“While foreign and civil service employees await word on their futures, the State Department has moved ahead with an initiative aimed at rooting out religious bias in its policies and hiring practices with a specific emphasis on anti-Christian activity that may have occurred under President Joe Biden.”

This bias-hunting aim seems blatantly political and anti-constitutional. If there were actual documented reports of bias, why would the State Department limit itself to reviewing actions only during the Biden administration? This seems more like a fishing expedition.

If the supposed bias actually had occurred, why investigate only alleged anti-Christian bias, rather than potential biases against any religious faith or organization?

“There is no immediate indication that such discrimination, as defined by President Donald Trump’s State Department, took place under Biden,” according to the AP.

“In a cable sent Friday to all U.S. diplomatic missions, Rubio asked that staffers report any perceived discriminatory actions taken against Christians or employees advocating on their behalf between January 2021 and January 2025. The cable, copies of which were obtained by The Associated Press, says that all reported allegations will be investigated by a government-wide task force on anti-Christian bias and if discrimination is found the culprits may be disciplined. It also makes clear that allegations can be submitted anonymously.”

These actions clearly violate the establishment clause of the Constitution of the United States and its provisions for a separation of church and state.

Lee, Matthew. “State Department Wants Staff to Report Instances of Alleged Anti-Christian Bias during Biden’s Term.” Associated Press (13 April 2025).

Gedeon, Joseph. “State Department Staff Told to Report Colleagues for ‘Anti-Christian Bias.'” The Guardian (1a April 2025).

Gramer, Robbie and Nahal Toosi. “State tells employees to report on one another for ‘anti-Christian bias.'” Politico (11 April 2025).