When a Democratic congressman suggested “cleansing” the Capitol after a bipartisan prayer breakfast, it revealed the left’s true feelings about religious Americans. What happened next, however, changed everything.
The tradition of bringing lawmakers together in prayer and reflection has been a cornerstone of American political life for seven decades. Indeed, since President Dwight Eisenhower first attended in 1953, the National Prayer Breakfast has represented a rare moment of bipartisan unity in Washington.
Sadly, that cherished tradition now faces unprecedented attacks from the radical left. We’ve tragically reached a point where even praying together is too controversial for some politicians.
What makes this assault particularly striking is that it comes despite the event being chaired by former Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp and supported by numerous prominent Democrats. Since when did prayer become a partisan issue?
One California congressman’s reaction to this year’s prayer breakfast has shocked observers across the political spectrum. His solution? The Capitol would need spiritual cleansing after the traditional gathering.
You truly can’t make this stuff up.
A Tradition Under Fire
The National Prayer Breakfast has historically served as a moment of reflection above partisan politics. Every president since Eisenhower has participated. Both Barack Obama and Joe Biden attended during their terms. Even now, the independent National Prayer Breakfast Foundation maintains broad bipartisan support.
Remember when Democrats at least pretended to respect religious traditions? Former Democratic Senator Mark Pryor initially led the foundation. Current Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan serves as an honorary co-chair. Former Louisiana Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu sits on the board.
Yet Democratic Representative Jared Huffman of California launched an extraordinary attack on this year’s gathering. His response reveals the left’s growing hostility toward religious expression.
“Upstairs today, we had a National Prayer Breakfast, where our Statuary Hall was hijacked and turned into a church service where, amazingly, Donald Trump presided in weird and random ways,” Huffman said. “We’ll be burning sage for months because of that.”
You read that correctly – a sitting congressman wants to spiritually cleanse the Capitol because people prayed there. What does it say about today’s Democratic Party when even bipartisan prayer is too much for them?
Huffman didn’t stop there. He took to social media to declare that “Speaker Johnson’s National Prayer Breakfast is yet another example of MAGA Republicans taking a sledgehammer to the wall between church and state.”
https://x.com/RepHuffman/status/1887486411038990377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1887486411038990377%7Ctwgr%5E2ae20c17e96de69ad1599e12b021fbc4ee239fdc%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthepatriotjournal.com%2Fjared-huffman-prayer-breakfast%2F
Standing Strong for Faith
But if the left thought they could mock people of faith without consequences, they were in for a surprise. President Donald Trump responded to these attacks with decisive action to protect religious liberty.
During his address at the breakfast, Trump revealed plans to sign an executive order establishing a task force specifically designed to “eradicate anti-Christian bias.”
As someone who’s watched Washington for years, I’ve never seen such a clear contrast between those who mock faith and those who defend it.
While Democrats like Huffman call for “burning sage” to cleanse the Capitol after prayer, conservative leadership continues working to preserve Americans’ First Amendment rights. The message couldn’t be clearer: when faith comes under attack, conservatives will stand firm.
Americans who value their religious liberty must remain vigilant. When a bipartisan prayer gathering led by Democrats faces accusations of “hijacking” the Capitol, it’s clear that traditional values need strong defenders now more than ever.
