Faith leaders share their hopes for the incoming Trump administration

As we approach the new year, leaders from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faith communities are cautiously optimistic about the prospect of a second Trump administration. In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, these faith leaders expressed a mix of hope and skepticism regarding President-elect Trump’s upcoming term.

Rabbi Jo David from New York City acknowledged that within the Jewish community, there are varying opinions ranging from optimism to concern. Haris Tarin, the vice president of policy and programming at the Muslim Public Affairs Council, described the sentiment as “skeptical optimism.”

Lorenzo Sewell, a senior pastor at 180 Church in Detroit, believes that President Trump has the potential to be remembered as the greatest president in history if he governs wisely. Samuel Rodriguez, lead pastor at New Season and president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, shared a sense of hope for the future under the new administration.

Rodriguez anticipates a focus on protecting religious freedom and empowering faith communities to thrive. He also expects policies that value the contributions of people of faith as essential to the nation.

In the Jewish community, Rabbi Abraham Cooper emphasized the importance of addressing antisemitism, particularly on social media and college campuses, as well as countering the “Hamas narrative.” He also highlighted the need to advance the Abraham Accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

For the Muslim community, Haris Tarin expressed hope for the protection of civil rights and civil liberties for American Muslims, as well as a resolution to conflicts in the Middle East, specifically in Gaza. He also suggested that President Trump consider aspects of the Biden administration’s national strategy on Islamophobia.

Overall, faith leaders are looking towards the new administration with a sense of cautious optimism, hoping for positive developments in religious freedom, community empowerment, and conflict resolution. As we move forward into the new year, these leaders are eager to see how President-elect Trump will lead the country in the coming years.