FactCheck.org is reporting that President Donald Trump's claim about religion being "bigger and stronger" in the United States is not supported by current survey data. Trump made the assertion at the Faith and Freedom Coalition Conference on June 26, stating he had read reports indicating a rise in religious engagement. The White House did not respond to FactCheck.org's inquiry about which reports the president was referencing.
FactCheck.org, citing a report by its undergraduate fellow Angela Lin, said multiple surveys contradict Trump's statement, showing lower religious affiliation and engagement compared to past years. Gallup reported in March that 47% of U.S. adults in a 2025 survey considered religion "very important" in their lives, a slight decrease from 48% in 2024. Gallup noted a gradual decline from 58% in 2012 and significantly higher rates of 70% to 75% in the 1950s and 1960s.
The Pew Research Center reported in December that its surveys since 2020 consistently show about 70% of U.S. adults identify with a religion, indicating no clear rise or fall in religious affiliation over the last five years. Pew also found little change in those identifying as Christian, with 62% last year, down from 63% in 2024 and 64% in 2020.
In other reporting, FactCheck.org addressed questions regarding subcontractors on the Obama Presidential Center who claim they have not been paid for their work. The Obama Foundation stated the construction project manager, Lakeside Alliance, holds primary responsibility for hiring and managing subcontractors and that the foundation has no outstanding disputed charges with Lakeside Alliance. FactCheck.org also noted Democratic lawmakers questioned if Trump was an anonymous 79-year-old man receiving an unapproved obesity drug through a Food and Drug Administration program, a claim the White House denied.
FactCheck.org announced it won the 2025 Sigma Delta Chi award for fact-checking from the Society of Professional Journalists, its fourth win in this category. The award recognized its work on Trump's tariff claims.