Leverage for liberty

Around the world, Christians are under assault. From Communist China to democratic India, Christians increasingly face violence, intimidation, and state-sanctioned repression. The United States must no longer turn a blind eye but instead defend the persecuted and uphold the right to worship freely by using our economic power.

President Trump has already demonstrated that America can wield economic power to achieve outcomes far beyond trade itself, including pressing China to curb fentanyl production and compelling Mexico to take stronger action on illegal immigration. That same determination should be harnessed to defend religious liberty across the globe.

The facts are undeniable. In Syria, after years of civil war and the terror of ISIS, ancient Christian communities have been reduced to a fraction of their former presence. Believers who once spoke the language of Jesus in their homes have been forced to flee, their churches destroyed and their families torn apart.

In Nigeria, Boko Haram, an al-Qaeda affiliate, continues a campaign of mass slaughter and child abduction. In neighboring Sudan, churches are burned, believers harassed, and those who fled decades of Islamist persecution find themselves displaced yet again as their governments stand idly by.

In China, the Communist Party has launched the most sweeping campaign against Christianity since the Cultural Revolution. Crosses are torn down from steeples, pastors are imprisoned, and congregations are forced to replace the Word of God with the words of Xi Jinping.

Yet perhaps the most troubling development comes from a country with which the United States seeks closer ties: India. The world’s largest democracy is also becoming one of the most dangerous places for Christians. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government continues to systematically persecute religious minorities and shield violent vigilantes from justice. Last December, eight Indian villages passed resolutions requiring Christians to renounce their faith or leave. Mobs have attacked Christian families with impunity, and one politician even offered a bounty for violent attacks on pastors.

India’s anti-conversion laws make it a crime to change one’s faith, with penalties of up to ten years in prison. These laws are deliberately vague, so that even a simple prayer meeting or baptism can be construed as “forced” conversion. The effect is devastating: Christians and other religious minorities are treated as second-class citizens and targeted for violence by lawless mobs.

This is unacceptable in any nation—but especially in a country seeking stronger economic relations with the United States. Religious freedom is the foundation of all other freedoms. If India seeks the benefits of deeper trade and strategic ties with America, it must also respect the basic rights of its own people.

President Trump should make it clear that America will not reward repression with economic privilege. Any new trade agreements must be conditioned on the repeal of anti-conversion laws and demonstrable protections for religious minorities. Congress should insist on the same, ensuring that U.S. aid aligns with the International Religious Freedom Act.

Until these countries demonstrate a genuine commitment to religious liberty, the United States should also reconsider the privileges we extend in other areas of our relationship. That includes pausing the issuance of new H-1B visas to foreign nationals until their governments ensure equal treatment for Christians and other minorities.

When Ronald Reagan confronted the Soviet Union, he insisted that “a violation of human rights anywhere is the business of free people everywhere.” America’s strength has always been measured not merely by our prosperity but by our defense of freedom.

President Trump has proven he is unafraid to use trade to protect American interests. He should now use that same leverage to defend the persecuted and advance the cause of religious liberty. The world is watching—and so are the faithful who risk everything for their beliefs.