President Trump prays with faith leaders at the White House

From the Rose Garden of the White House this morning, President Donald J. Trump joined faith leaders in prayer and called religious liberty the bedrock of American life.

“Every citizen has the absolute right to live according to the teachings of their faith and the convictions of their heart,” the President said. “To protect this heritage my Administration has strongly defended religious liberty.”

Watch: President Trump says we are “one Nation under God”

The President has stood by communities of faith since his first day in office. Some of the gestures are small but powerful: “It's all Merry Christmas again,” he said today, referring to how many stores and politicians used to tiptoe around the Christian holiday’s name. Other actions are policy-specific. “President Trump has taken steps to ensure that the Federal Government will never, ever penalize anyone for their religious beliefs ever again,” Vice President Mike Pence said while kicking off this morning’s events.

Today, the Trump Administration continued that trend by unveiling additional protections for medical providers to keep them from being forced to perform procedures—including abortions—that violate their faith.

One of the most powerful moments from today’s National Day of Prayer came when Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein took the podium. After being wounded in the shooting at the Chabad of Poway on Saturday, Rabbi Goldstein wrapped his bloodied hand in a prayer shawl, stood on a chair, and addressed the congregation: “We are a Jewish nation that will stand tall. We will not let anyone take us down.”

Watch Rabbi Goldstein say a few words after the recent shooting.

In photos: First Lady Melania Trump at last night’s prayer dinner

President Trump’s 100^th judge—confirmed!

President Trump hit another milestone today, as the United States Senate confirmed his 100^th judge to the Federal bench.

These judges join the President’s two Supreme Court appointments—Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh—in reshaping America’s judiciary after years of activist rulings. They will succeed in upholding our Nation’s founding principles for one reason: They will follow the Constitution as it is written, not as they imagine it should be.

Something to share: 100 Trump judges protecting your Constitutional rights

America in lockstep with the Venezuelan people

“I'd like to begin by sending our prayers to the people of Venezuela in their righteous struggle for freedom,” President Trump said at today’s prayer service at the White House.

“The brutal repression of the Venezuelan people must end and it must end soon. People are starving. They have no food. They have no water. And this was once one of the wealthiest countries in the world . . . We will be there to help.”

Dictator Nicolas Maduro is following Cuba’s playbook of torture and repression in a desperate attempt to keep the people of Venezuela from hearing Interim President Juan Guaido’s message. President Trump has made it clear that any outside interference to prop up Maduro, including from Cuba and Russia, is unacceptable.

The United States calls on the Venezuelan military and security forces to protect all Venezuelans and accept Interim President Guaido’s legitimacy and offer of amnesty. The Trump Administration will hold accountable all those who threaten the safety of the Venezuelan people—or the restoration of Venezuelan democracy.

President Trump addresses the situation in Venezuela.

More: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) accuses America of “bullying” dictator Maduro