State Department Urges Staff to Report Anti-Christian Bias during Biden Administration
The U.S. State Department recently issued a cable asking employees to report alleged anti-Christian bias that may have occurred during the Biden administration. As reported by CBS News, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent the cable on Friday to all U.S. diplomatic missions asking staffers to report any such discrimination. Additionally, a government-wide task force on anti-Christian bias will investigate any reported allegations, and any possible culprits will be disciplined.
"The task force is soliciting examples of anti-religious bias, particularly from the past four years, where the Department targeted anyone for their religion, including discrimination, harassment, exclusion, disciplinary action, adverse security clearance determinations, or any other adverse action, or in retaliation for exercising their religious rights," the cable said. "This includes anti-religious bias committed by department employees in their official duties against members of the public."
According to the cable, examples of possible violations include "mistreatment for refusing to participate in events and activities that promoted themes inconsistent with or hostile to one's religious beliefs, including policies or practices related to preferred personal pronouns," as well as formal or informal actions taken against an individual for requesting religious accommodation "from taking mandatory vaccines or observing religious holidays."
Additional mistreatments include "mistreatment for opposing displays of flags, banners or other paraphernalia on or in government facilities because of religious objection or for opposing official media content due to religious objections, forcing employees to remove personal displays of religious faith or conscience, whether as part of clothing/accessories items on desks or in personal workspace."
In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order forming a task force that would investigate anti-Christian bias in the federal government.
The cable, which was by The Associated Press, states that complaints can be made anonymously.
Employees of the State Department were instructed to report problems regarding to anti-Christian or religious bias to Heather Olowski, who leads the State Department's office of civil rights.
Her husband, Lew Olowski, recently received controversy after he was assigned to the position of senior official in the personnel office of the State Department, a position that is typically assigned to a more senior person.
Related Article: Trump Appoints Pam Bondi to Lead New Task Force against Anti-Christian Bias
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Drew Angerer/Staff
Originally published April 16, 2025.
