President Donald Trump has appointed former North Carolina Congressman Mark Walker as Principal Advisor for Global Religious Freedom in the US Department of State.
Walker had been awaiting US Senate confirmation for Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom after being nominated by Trump in April of 2025. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Jim Risch reportedly would not schedule a confirmation hearing, saying that Walker did not have the votes. More than 120 present and former members of Congress signed a January letter to Trump in support of Walker.
Thank you Tim and 120 past and present members of Congress for this unprecedented support. We are humbled by the strong statement and grateful so many of my colleagues would stand with us. More importantly, standing with the persecuted people of faith throughout the world. https://t.co/W7XYBYrcdW pic.twitter.com/xfgMlb9siw
— Mark Walker (@RepMarkWalker) January 7, 2026
“After careful consideration and thoughtful discussions with the Administration, 1 am respectfully withdrawing from consideration for the Ambassador-at-Large position and excited to announce I have accepted the new role as Principal Advisor on Global Religious Freedom to the State Department,” Walker announced in a press release.
Walker told Carolina Journal that his decision was driven by “the urgency of the need of people in different countries who are being targeted.”
He also said that as far as the difference between the Ambassador role and this new position, other than Ambassadors having diplomatic immunity, the actual duties of the jobs have little to no differences.
“There are two major challenges to advancing religious freedom,” said Walker. “Number one, in the Middle East and Asia, you have more of what they call blasphemy laws, where if you are simply talking about your faith, sharing your faith, it can be a prison sentence from five, ten, twenty years. In India, for example, President Modi has increased some of these laws to even be harsher penalties. Number two, is in places where it’s even more egregious, where you have places like on the continent of Africa. For example, 7 out of 10 Christians who are martyred for their faith, happen in the continent of Africa. 90% of that number happens in one country, Nigeria.”
Walker said he wants to immediately start meeting with different countries and hopes to get blasphemy laws reduced or completely banished.
He also hopes to encourage government leaders in countries like Nigeria, Sudan, and Ethiopia, to push back more against Islamists who attack all people of faith, “whether it be Christians, Jews, or even other Muslims,” he added.
I’m thrilled and deeply honored to announce that earlier today, President Trump appointed me as Principal Advisor for Global Religious Freedom at the U.S. Department of State! 🇺🇸 Full statement here: pic.twitter.com/EElu2uQmTv
— Mark Walker (@RepMarkWalker) January 8, 2026
