LDS Church Deepens Rift With Trump Administration

DID Press: The growing absence of leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at White House-backed religious events has emerged as the latest sign of an expanding divide between the influential faith institution and the administration of Donald Trump.

The absence of senior Mormon leaders from the large “Jubilee” gathering held on May 17 — an event openly supported by the White House and framed around the idea of “rededicating America to God” — was widely interpreted as a symbolic distancing from Trump-aligned religious nationalism. Although thousands of supporters of the MAGA movement attended, no senior representative of the LDS Church appeared on stage.

Analysts note that the move does not reflect opposition to ideas such as American exceptionalism or the belief in a divine role for the United States — concepts deeply rooted in Mormon theology and the Book of Mormon. Current church leader Dallin H. Oaks has previously described the US Constitution as divinely inspired.

However, recent actions by the church suggest a widening gap with the priorities of Trump’s second administration. While Washington has intensified pressure campaigns against countries including Iran, Venezuela and Cuba, the LDS Church has expanded its humanitarian engagement worldwide.

In recent weeks alone, the church donated $25 million to UNICEF for maternal and child nutrition programs, at a time when the Trump administration has sharply reduced international food, medicine and vaccination funding. According to estimates from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, the cuts could contribute to millions of preventable deaths globally over the coming years.

The church has reportedly allocated more than $1.5 billion to humanitarian operations in 2025 and significantly increased domestic food assistance efforts across the United States.

Observers say the Mormon Church’s emphasis on charity, interfaith engagement and global outreach represents a restrained but clear contrast to the increasingly confrontational rhetoric associated with parts of the MAGA movement. During the church’s April general conference, nearly 40 percent of speakers came from outside the United States — the highest proportion in its history — highlighting its expanding international identity.

The church has also strengthened ties with Muslim communities. In one notable example, senior LDS figure Christopher Girod-Carrere addressed a mosque gathering in Kenya and described the church as a “friend of Islam,” a message seen as sharply at odds with anti-Muslim narratives promoted by some Trump allies.

Analysts say the LDS Church is increasingly positioning itself as a defender of religious pluralism and humanitarian engagement amid deepening political and cultural polarization in the United States.