Americans Value Religious Freedom—but Awareness of Government Actions Remains Low

July 7, 2026 2 min read

Summary

Americans overwhelmingly agree that religious freedom is a fundamental right and express broad concern about discrimination and government targeting of beliefs. Religious discrimination is not limited to a single group.

Key Takeaways

Nearly eight in ten American voters (80%) say anti-Christian bias or discrimination is a problem. 57% say it is a major or moderate problem.

Public awareness of recent federal actions taking steps to combat anti-Christian bias to combat anti-Christian bias is low, but attitudes shift quickly when voters are informed.

Nearly three-quarters of voters (74.9 %) support the government taking action to address concerns about religious discrimination.

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All Americans Place a High Value on Religious Freedom, Among Core Freedoms

Americans on both sides of the isle consistently view religious liberty as essential to American life. Religious liberty is part of a broader set of widely shared values, including free speech and family stability.

Concern about Government Targeting Graphic Importance of Parental Rights Graphic Importance of Strong Families Graphic Importance of Free Speech

Concern About Discrimination and Government Targeting Is Widespread

Voters express concern about discrimination and the treatment of people based on their beliefs. Concern about these issues extends beyond any single religious group. Rather, voters see a broader pattern involving government authority, personal freedoms, and cultural pressures.

Concern about Government Targeting Graphic

Concern about Religious Discrimiation Graphic

While concern about anti-Christian bias is significant, a majority say broader religious discrimination or persecution is a major or moderate problem in the U.S. today. (69.8%) This is not perceived as narrowly political or tied to a single constituency. Many Americans interpret it as a broader question of fairness and equal treatment under the law.

Awareness Is Low—but Concern Rises Quickly When Voters Learn More

Despite strong opinions about religious freedom in general, awareness of recent Department of Justice actions to ensure religious freedom remains limited. More than half of voters report hearing not much or nothing at all about the recent DOJ report. (58.1%) After learning more details, a clear majority describe the issue as serious or somewhat serious. (68.2%)

Public Opinion Reflects a Readiness for Action

When voters are informed about potential threats to religious freedom, they show a clear willingness to support protecting these rights.

(74.9 %) support action by elected officials to prevent federal agencies from unfairly targeting Christians or other people of faith.

This aligns with broader findings showing that concern about religious discrimination and government overreach is already widespread, even before voters are exposed to detailed information.

Methodology

Conducted online from May 16-19, 2026 and May 31–June 4, 2026, among two samples of 1,000 registered voters nationwide, weighted to reflect the registered voter population on key demographic variables.. Respondents were recruited from an online panel and screened to confirm registered voter status. The sample Results are weighted and reported at a 95% confidence level with a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points. Some percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.