WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, speaking at the Department of Justice’s Religious Liberty Commission hearing, shared how fellow cardinals from around the world have thanked American church leaders for their strong defense of religious liberty during his recent time in Rome for the conclave that led to the election of Pope Leo XIV.

“My brother cardinals from all over the world came up to me, and I presume other of the other American cardinals, to thank us for our strong defense of religious liberty,” Cardinal Dolan said during opening remarks at the event at the Museum of the Bible on September 8.

“I was fascinated by that, and asked them why, and they said, ‘Well, because you in the United States serve as a beacon for the rest of us,'” he continued. “Doesn’t this give us an added sense of responsibility? We’re not doing this in a self-serving way … (but in a) benevolent way to help others, because they look to us for the protection of religious liberty.”

The cardinal’s remarks came during President Donald Trump’s appearance at the commission hearing, where President Trump announced that the Department of Education will issue new guidance “protecting the right to prayer” in public schools.

The Trump administration previously reduced the workforce at the Department of Education and stated its intent to scale the department back.

In a statement shared with OSV News, Savannah Newhouse, press secretary for the Department of Education, said, “Free exercise of religion is a founding principle and a constitutionally protected right afforded to all citizens of our great nation. The Department of Education looks forward to supporting President Trump’s vision to promote religious liberty in our schools across the country.”

Neither Trump nor the Department of Education offered details about what that guidance may include.

In May, President Trump signed an executive order creating a religious liberty commission that includes Cardinal Dolan and Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota. The commissioners gathered at the Museum of the Bible in Washington to examine what recommendations they should make to the president about promoting and protecting religious freedom in a report next spring. Their second hearing focused on religious freedom in public schools.

President addresses school violence and policy criticism

President Trump also expressed condolences for the victims of the deadly August 27 mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis during a liturgy marking the start of the school year.

“Two weeks ago in Minneapolis, a demonic killer shot 21 people and murdered two precious children at a Catholic school,” Trump said. “Can you believe that? Hard to believe.”

President Trump said there have been “too many” school shootings, and “our hearts are shattered for the families of those beautiful children.”

“And I’ve made clear, Attorney General Pam Bondi is working really hard, we must get answers about the causes of these repeated attacks, and we’re working very, very hard on them,” he said.

Some of the Trump administration’s policy positions have been criticized by faith leaders, perhaps most notably on immigration. In January, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a statement that executive orders signed by Trump upon returning to office on issues including migration, the environment and the death penalty were “deeply troubling,” but praised other actions such as one on gender policy.

Trump touted his administration’s actions on gender at the hearing, criticizing a position he called “transgender for everybody.”

“On Day One of my administration, I signed an executive order to slash federal funding for any school that pushes transgender insanity,” Trump said.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, the commission’s chairman, said during opening remarks that one of the other goals of the committee is to “make sure America knows their rights.”

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Kate Scanlon is a national reporter for OSV News covering Washington. Follow her on X.