**American Faith Leaders Urge President Trump to Address Persecution of Religious Minorities in Syria Ahead of Historic White House Meeting**
Nearly 100 American faith leaders have sent an open letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to address what they describe as the ongoing persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in southern Syria. The letter, shared by Christians in Crisis, calls on Trump to press Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on these concerns during their upcoming meeting at the White House on Monday.
### Why This Matters
This unprecedented meeting marks the first-ever visit of a Syrian head of state to the White House. It comes amid efforts to realign U.S. policy toward Syria and potentially broker a security pact between Syria and Israel.
At the heart of the faith leaders’ plea is a call for President Trump to demand an end to the blockade of humanitarian aid. The letter adds to mounting pressure on the Trump administration to ensure that improved diplomatic relations with Syria translate into tangible protections for religious minorities.
### What You Need to Know
The open letter, signed by nearly 100 faith leaders representing tens of millions of American Christians, begins by thanking President Trump for his leadership on religious freedom and for delivering humanitarian aid to southern Syria.
However, the letter strongly urges him to use the White House meeting to “press President al-Sharaa to fulfill his promises to protect Syrian citizens and end the blockade of life-saving humanitarian aid to Christians and other minorities.”
The faith leaders warn of “horrific atrocities against Christians, Druze, and other religious minorities in southern Syria by radical ISIS terrorists, believed to be associated with the new Syrian Army.”
Several notable groups are involved in the letter, including Save the Persecuted Christians, the Religious Liberty Commission, and Jack Graham, senior pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church.
The letter’s release comes as President al-Sharaa—a former militant leader who has publicly renounced extremism—prepares for the historic White House summit.
Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, U.S. policy toward Syria has shifted dramatically, including the lifting of sanctions. Despite this, recent violence has exposed ongoing instability in the region. Multiple groups have been implicated in clashes that resulted in execution-style killings of religious minorities, including an American citizen.
### Voices from the Faith Community
In their letter, the faith leaders wrote to President Trump:
“You are the only major world leader fighting for religious freedom, and we need you once again to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.”
Dede Laugesen, President of Save the Persecuted Christians, told Christians in Crisis:
“President Trump’s bold actions have already saved countless lives, but the forgotten minorities of Syria cannot wait. This letter is a clarion call for immediate intervention to secure a humanitarian corridor that upholds the dignity and rights of the vulnerable. We stand with him in this fight, as he was ordained for such a time as this.”
Political commentator Laura Loomer also commented on social media platform X:
“Over 100 Evangelical faith leaders have written a letter to President Trump, urging him to address (al-Sharaa)’s slaughter of Christians, Druze, Kurds, and Alawites in Syria in the Suwayda area. If President Trump is going to normalize him on U.S. soil at the White House of all places, he must demand that Julani stop killing religious minorities. I spent the entire week in Israel and on the Syrian border speaking with members of the Druze community in Majdal Shams, who told me how they and their families have been negatively impacted by Julani’s Islamic terrorism.”
### What Happens Next?
As President Trump prepares for the historic meeting with President al-Sharaa, it remains unclear how directly humanitarian concerns will inform the official agenda.
President al-Sharaa is expected to push for the permanent repeal of U.S. sanctions—including the Caesar Act—and for Syria’s formal inclusion in the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.
The faith leaders and concerned communities alike will be watching closely to see whether these diplomatic engagements lead to meaningful changes on the ground for Syria’s vulnerable religious minorities.
https://www.newsweek.com/american-christian-leaders-plea-trump-white-house-meeting-11022622