Close to 100 prominent American faith leaders urged President Donald Trump to raise the plight of persecuted Christians and other religious minorities when he met Nov. 10 with Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
In an open letter released by Save the Persecuted Christians (STPC), signatories urged Trump to demand that al-Sharaa end what they described as a deadly blockade of humanitarian aid in southern Syria.
The Epoch Times has contacted the White House requesting comment on whether the president raised the issue with al-Sharaa and has not yet received a response.
Later in the day, Syria’s information minister said in a post on X that the new Syrian government had signed a political cooperation declaration to join the international coalition in combating the ISIS terrorist group.
“The agreement is political and until now contains no military components,” he said.
The signatories of the open letter expressed appreciation for the U.S. administration’s “announcement that you are urgently rushing humanitarian aid to southern Syria.”
As winter approaches, the faith leaders warned of an “impending catastrophe” in the Suwayda area, where international relief groups have reported shortages of food, medicine, and clean water.
The appeal is accompanied by a social-media video campaign called “End the Blockade,” spotlighting the suffering of Christians, Druze, and others in the war-torn Suwayda region.
“We, the undersigned faith leaders representing tens of millions of American Christians, extend our sincere gratitude for your recent leadership in combating Christian persecution in Nigeria,” the letter begins. “You are the only major world leader fighting for religious freedom, and we need you once again to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.”
The appeal preceded al-Sharaa’s first official visit to Washington since taking power earlier this year. Trump, who recently re-designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act, has faced mounting calls from faith advocates to make global persecution a central theme of his foreign policy.
The faith leaders’ letter specifically urges Trump to secure a pledge from al-Sharaa to open a “secure humanitarian corridor from Hader to Suwayda in southern Syria,” a step they say would allow safe passage for aid deliveries and evacuations of civilians trapped by ongoing violence.
“These religious minorities face ongoing violence, death, displacement, starvation, and water and medical deprivation, all while innocent women and children are held hostage by ISIS terrorists,” the letter states.
“This corridor will enable safe and secure aid delivery and civilian evacuation, signaling the new government’s commitment to minority rights and stability,” the letter noted.
Dede Laugesen, president of Save the Persecuted Christians, said Trump’s recent actions have demonstrated an unprecedented willingness to defend global religious liberty.
“President Trump’s bold actions have already saved countless lives, but the forgotten minorities of Syria cannot wait,” Laugesen said in a statement. “This letter is a clarion call for immediate intervention to secure a humanitarian corridor that upholds the dignity and rights of the vulnerable.”
The video released alongside the letter underscores those concerns, depicting images of bombed churches and displaced families while urging Americans to pressure the White House to act.
STPC asked Americans to join the campaign by reading the open letter, viewing the video, and directly contacting the White House to voice support for Syria’s persecuted Christians. The organization’s call to action invites the public to “take up the cause of those who cannot speak for themselves” and to share the message widely across social media platforms.
“President Trump’s meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa is more than a diplomatic formality,” Laugesen said. “It’s a chance to show that America still stands for the freedom of every person to worship without fear.”
The letter’s nearly 100 signatories span the spectrum of American evangelical, Catholic, and ecumenical advocacy groups. Among the most prominent are Dr. Ben Carson, vice chair of the Religious Liberty Commission and a former Trump cabinet secretary; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council; and Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
Others include Kelly Shackelford, president and chief counsel of First Liberty Institute; Dr. Alveda King of Speak for Life; Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith & Freedom Coalition; Rob McCoy, senior pastor of Godspeak Calvary Chapel; and Troy Miller, head of the National Religious Broadcasters.
The roster also features former Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, actor and director Kevin Sorbo, retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin of the Family Research Council, Frank Turek of CrossExamined.org, Pastor Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church, and Stephen Strang, founder of Charisma Media.
Catholic and ecumenical signers include Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life; Richard Ghazal, executive director of In Defense of Christians; and Faith Hooper McDonnell, director of advocacy for Kartartismos Global. International religious-freedom leaders such as Nadine Maenza, co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable, and Dr. Gregory H. Stanton, founder of Genocide Watch, also added their names.
The group’s campaign materials can be viewed at savethepersecutedchristians.org.
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