Trump nominates former pastor, congressman for top religious freedom post
By Michael Gryboski | The Christian Post | April 11, 2025
President Donald Trump has nominated a former congressional leader and pastor as the new U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
In a post to his social media platform Truth Social on Thursday evening, Trump announced that he is appointing former Rep. Mark Walker of North Carolina to oversee the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom.
“A former pastor, Mark was elected unanimously to House Leadership, and did an incredible job as Ranking Member on the House Homeland Security’s Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee,” stated Trump.
“As Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, Mark helped us secure many Victories. In his new role, Mark will work incredibly hard to expose Human Rights Violations, champion Faith, and help us secure Life Saving Results.”
Walker, 55, took to his X account to state that he is honored by the nomination, referring to Trump as “a defender of faith evidenced by his bold statement on religious liberty at the United Nations.”
“As a former minister, along with serving in Congressional leadership, I’m open-eyed to the bad actors and regions committing these atrocities against people of faith,” tweeted Walker, who formerly served as vice chair of the House Republican Conference.
“Religious expression is the foundation of human rights and, whether it’s a college campus in New York or Sub-Saharan Africa, I’ll be relentless in fighting for those targeted who dare to live out their faith.”
A native of Houston County, Alabama, Walker served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2015 to 2021. He ran an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate in 2022.
As an ordained Southern Baptist minister, Walker’s pastoral career saw him serve at various churches in North Carolina and Florida, including Lawndale Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he served as pastor of arts and worship in 2008.
During the 2024 election season, Walker served as director of outreach for faith and minority communities for the Trump campaign, giving up on a previous effort to run again for Congress.
In an interview with the Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based WXII 12 News last November, Walker expressed optimism that he would occupy a role of some kind with the incoming administration.