President Trump promised to protect religious freedom, telling an evangelical group that “religion is back” and everyone will “suffer or die” if the country opens the door to communism.
Mr. Trump vowed to protect people of faith “100%” and said he would continue to combat the scourge of antisemitism within the U.S.
He also pointed to his efforts to protect prayer in school and let pastors speak on political issues while combating the promotion of “radical gender ideology.”
“On the edge of our 250th year, America is back … better than ever before,” Mr. Trump said Friday at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s annual “Road to Majority” event at the Washington Hilton. “Likewise, religion is back in our country.”
Mr. Trump said all of that will be at risk if Democrats win in November. He said the Democratic opposition is tipping into “godless” communism after socialists endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani won primary races in New York.
“They’re communists, they’re not social democrats,” Mr. Trump said. “They want to destroy the traditional way of American life.”
The president criticized rent-stabilization efforts in New York, saying the controls don’t consider landlords’ property rights and rising energy costs.
Mr. Trump also used his keynote speech to lobby Congress to pass the SAVE America Act so voters must show photo identification and proof of citizenship.
He told attendees to call Republican senators to ensure they support the legislation and said conservatives should hit the polls in droves this fall.
“We have to win this election. This election is very vital,” Mr. Trump said. “We’ve gotten so much.”
Founded by Ralph Reed in 2009, the Faith and Freedom Coalition is an evangelical group that largely supports the president’s agenda.
Mr. Trump is a frequent speaker at the coalition’s events and received a raucous reception with chants of “USA! USA! USA!”
The coalition opposes abortion and allowing male-born athletes to participate in women’s sports, plus it advocates for allowing churches and pastors to give political speeches from the pulpit.
It has pledged unwavering support for Israel, listing it as one of its paramount policy issues.
Many Israeli leaders have expressed frustration with Mr. Trump’s potential peace deal to end the Iran conflict, with some going so far as to call it a betrayal.
Many Israelis are concerned that lifting sanctions against Tehran will enable the Middle Eastern nation to rebuild stronger than before the conflict. They also say the deal restricts Israel’s ability to combat Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy group that’s a major threat to Israel.
During his speech, Mr. Trump promoted his efforts to constrain Tehran, pointing to airstrikes that killed top Iranian leaders and decimated its military infrastructure.
He said the U.S. has the upper hand in final-stage negotiations to end the war.
“They’re dying to make a deal,” Mr. Trump said. “They’re giving us a lot.”
“They’re not winning or anything,” he added, but did acknowledge that Iran is still shooting at ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The event brought Mr. Trump back to the Washington Hilton for the first time since a gunman stormed the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April, forcing the event to be postponed.
“Hopefully, we’ll have a little more pleasant experience,” Mr. Trump said Friday.
Cole Thomas Allen, a 31-year-old California resident, has been charged with trying to assassinate Mr. Trump at the event.
Mr. Allen has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors say he fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent, causing authorities to rush Mr. Trump and first lady Melania Trump out of the dinner.
A smaller version of the canceled dinner will be held on July 24 at a different hotel.
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