Trump religious liberty draft urges new DOJ guidance, hotlines and Johnson repeal

A draft report from the Trump administration’s Religious Liberty Commission recommends new DOJ guidance, complaint hotlines, “Know Your Rights” posters, and broader religious-accommodation policies, while also calling for repeal of the Johnson Amendment.

The report was delivered at the White House on June 26, 2026, and DOJ says it is still a draft. AP reported that the document is open for public comment for 15 days before a final version is published.

What the draft recommends

The commission’s 12 recommendations call on DOJ to issue guidance on the Establishment Clause and church-state separation. They also ask DOJ, HHS, and the EEOC to publish “Know Your Rights” posters and create reporting hotlines or online portals for students, parents, teachers, healthcare workers, religious leaders, and service members.

Other recommendations would push federal agencies to expand accommodation processes, create a DOJ religious-liberty task force, require written explanations when officials accuse someone of improper religious expression, and establish a Presidential Medal of Religious Liberty. The draft also calls for repeal of the Johnson Amendment, which limits political activity by tax-exempt groups.

Why it matters

For readers, the practical question is whether any of these proposals turn into agency guidance, enforcement changes, or legislation. If they do, schools, employers, hospitals, nonprofits, and service members could face new complaint channels and new accommodation procedures. Until then, the report remains a proposal, not a rule.

Sources

• U.S. Department of Justice press release: Religious Liberty Commission delivers draft report
• Associated Press: Trump commission urges stronger role for religion in government
• The Washington Post: church-state framing and Johnson Amendment recommendation