President Donald Trump quipped about “forgetting” the separation of church and state when he announced “we’re bringing religion back to our country” during a National Day of Prayer event on Thursday.

“They said separation of church and state, they told me. I said, let’s forget about that for one time. We said, really? Separation? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I’m not sure,” Trump said during a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden.

“But whether there’s separation or not, you guys are in the White House where you should be, and you’re representing our country,” Trump told faith leaders at the event, adding, “We’re bringing religion back to our country.”

President Trump: "We're bringing back religion in our country. And we're bringing it back — as I say — bigger and better and stronger than ever before." pic.twitter.com/TM0Y0rx9gz

— CSPAN (@cspan) May 1, 2025

Trump signed an executive order—first detailed by The Daily Wire—creating a Religious Liberty Commission made up of clergy, legal scholars, and other Trump allies. The commission is charged with identifying “threats to domestic religious liberty,” including attacks on houses of worship and First Amendment violations, and recommending steps to protect religious freedom.

During the ceremony, Trump expressed gratitude to Paula White, the White House senior advisor and leader of the White House Faith Office, for her commitment to religious freedom and highlighted the significance of safeguarding religious expression in American society.

“Prayer is not a religious act, it’s a national necessity,” said Paula White, later adding asking God in a prayer to grant the president “wisdom beyond human understanding and capability, and … divine dreams.”

“We call for a spiritual reset in our nation, a return to what is right, a reverence for what is sacred, a real alignment with your divine purpose,” she said.

Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, the committee’s vice chairman, and former Housing Secretary Ben Carson attended the event to praise the president: “There’s never been a president who’s invoked the name of Jesus more than you.”