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Trump Nominates Cissie Graham Lynch As Religious Freedom Ambassador
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – American evangelist Franklin Graham confirmed Tuesday that U.S. President Donald J. Trump has nominated his daughter to serve as the United States Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom.
Cissie Graham Lynch, 40, “is uniquely qualified for this—she has traveled the world and been a student of this issue for many years,” Franklin Graham said.
“She has a broad worldview and knowledge of the issues facing religious freedom today. If confirmed by the Senate, she will bring a passion for defending religious freedom to this office,” he added.
“I couldn’t be more proud of her, and I ask you to pray that God would give her wisdom and strength,” Graham stressed in a statement monitored by Worthy News.
The ambassador-at-large leads U.S. diplomatic efforts to promote religious freedom abroad and serves as a principal adviser to the president and secretary of state on international religious freedom.
DEFENDING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Under U.S. law, the ambassador’s responsibilities include advancing freedom of religion or belief abroad, denouncing violations and recommending appropriate U.S. government responses when religious freedom is violated. The presidential appointment requires confirmation by the Senate.
The post has been vacant since January 2025, following the departure of Rashad Hussain, who served in the role under then-President Joe Biden.
Lynch’s nomination comes amid mounting concern about the reported persecution of Christians worldwide.
Christian advocacy group Open Doors estimates that more than 388 million Christians—about one in seven believers worldwide—face high levels of persecution or discrimination because of their faith, according to its 2026 World Watch List.
More than 315 million of them live in the 50 countries where persecution is classified by Open Doors as “very high” or “extreme.”
GLOBAL CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
Open Doors says 4,849 Christians were killed for faith-related reasons during its latest reporting period, compared with 4,476 a year earlier.
Of those deaths, 4,491 occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, including 3,490 in Nigeria, underscoring mounting concerns about violence targeting Christians on the continent.
Lynch, the granddaughter of the late evangelist Billy Graham, has worked with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse since 2010.
Before her nomination, she served as a senior adviser and ministry spokesperson and hosted the BGEA podcast “Fearless with Cissie Graham Lynch,” which addresses faith, family and cultural issues from a Biblical perspective.
She also served during Trump’s first administration on the Executive Evangelical Advisory Board of the President’s Faith Advisory Council.
GRAHAM FAMILY MINISTRY
Lynch is married to former National Football League player Corey Lynch. The couple married in 2007 and have three children, Margaret, Austin and Georgia.
She is one of Franklin and Jane Graham’s four children, all of whom are involved in Christian ministry. Her brothers are Will, Roy and Edward Graham.
The family has remained prominent in American evangelical Christianity following the death in 2018 of Billy Graham, who preached the Gospel to hundreds of millions of people through meetings, broadcasts and other outreaches during a ministry spanning more than six decades.
Franklin Graham has also highlighted the evangelistic work of his son Will Graham, who is preparing to lead a 13-city “Declaration of Dependence Tour” across the United States. Writing on Facebook, Graham said his son would use the tour to point Americans “back to the only truth that offers real liberty,” citing Christ’s words in the Gospel of John: “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
Each stop is due to include live music, prayer and an evangelistic message about hope in Jesus Christ, with local churches participating in preparations for the events. The tour continues the Graham family’s evangelistic outreach as Lynch awaits Senate confirmation to lead U.S. efforts promoting religious freedom worldwide.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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