In a sweeping policy reversal, President Donald Trump’s Department of Labor has officially reinstated and expanded its faith-based initiatives office — restoring religious liberty in federal grant-making processes and workplace practices, The Daily Wire first exclusively learned.
Effective immediately, faith-based organizations are once again explicitly encouraged to apply for Labor Department discretionary grants, as part of a broader effort to roll back the Biden-era diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mandates that sidelined religious institutions from federal programs.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Labor Department has eliminated the DEI office created under the previous administration and restored the Center for Faith to ensure religious freedom is protected in the workplace and in the grant process,” said Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer in an exclusive statement to The Daily Wire.
“We are making clear that faith-based organizations cannot be discriminated against because of their beliefs,” she added, “and are encouraged to compete for federal funding on a level playing field.”
From DEI to Religious Liberty
Under the Biden administration, the Department of Labor shifted its internal priorities toward DEI, reportedly diminishing the visibility and authority of the faith office. Multiple sources within the department told The Daily Wire that this resulted in religious groups being disincentivized from applying for grants, and facing silent barriers due to their faith-based missions.
President Trump’s new policy marks a return of the First Amendment in governance, a hallmark of his previous term that included religious freedom protections across federal agencies.
Now, with the restoration of the Center for Faith, led by a dedicated director, deputy director, and senior advisor, the Labor Department is explicitly signaling that prayer and productivity, faith and federal partnerships, are not mutually exclusive.
What the New Policy Does
Under the revised guidance:
- All new discretionary Labor Department grants will include clear language stating that faith-based organizations are welcome to apply and may not be excluded or discriminated against on the basis of religious belief.
- The Center for Faith will coordinate with the White House’s Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and other agencies to develop regulations and outreach programs promoting religious liberty.
- It will also serve as a resource hub for employers and employees navigating religious accommodation issues, such as prayer breaks, religious dress codes, and more.
Part of a Broader Trump Strategy
This revival isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s part of a broader Trump administration effort to dismantle DEI bureaucracies and return to what President Trump calls “American values of faith, family, and freedom.”
Since retaking office in January, Trump has signed executive orders dismantling DEI offices in federal agencies, defunded programs that use identity politics as a funding criteria, and created a Task Force To Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, on which Secretary Chavez-DeRemer serves.
Early reactions from religious organizations and conservative advocacy groups have been enthusiastic.
Even some non-religious nonprofits expressed cautious optimism, noting that competition for grants should be merit-based, not ideologically filtered.
Looking Ahead
The Trump Labor Department says it’s already begun reviewing past grant programs to identify where faith-based groups may have been unfairly excluded and will publish new guidance before the end of September.
As President Trump continues to push an agenda of “restoration over reinvention” across the federal government, this latest move reflects his unconventional but deliberate efforts to return faith — not ideology — to public service.
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