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Trump Nominates Billy Graham’s Granddaughter as Faith Envoy

Trump Nominates Billy Graham’s Granddaughter as Faith Envoy

Last updated on: September 19, 2026 at 12:24 pm by Alice H. Murray

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Trump Nominates Billy Graham’s Granddaughter as Faith Envoy 2026-09-19T12:24:10-04:00 Alice H. Murray

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Ambassador Monitors Religious Freedom Worldwide

Religious freedom includes the freedom to worship [Image by Rudy & Peter Skitterians from Pixabay]

On September 14th, President Trump nominated a new ambassador for Senate confirmation. And what country would this ambassador serve? Surprisingly, all of them. This unusual diplomat’s mission is not to handle US relations with a designated country. Instead, the ambassador monitors religious freedom worldwide. Whom did the president nominate and how does such a position exist in the US government?

Former Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy [Image by archivesnews from Wikimedia Commons]

What’s An Ambassador?

An ambassador is a high-ranking diplomat who works in a foreign country representing his own country. For example, Caroline Kennedy served as the US ambassador to Australia under President Joe Biden from July 2022 to November 2024. A foreign country must officially accept the individual proffered in this position.

Two types of ambassador exist. First, and most familiar, is an ambassador-in-residence like Caroline Kennedy. That type of diplomat resides in a specific country with duties limited to the particular country or embassy. An ambassador-at-large, however, works with several countries. Further, he may be assigned to deal with designated issues. President Trump’s recent nominee will be an ambassador-at-large as the diplomat monitors religious freedom worldwide.

Billy Graham’s granddaughter is the nominee for ambassador monitoring religious freedom [Image by Paul M. Walsh from Wikimedia Commons, CCA 2.0

Nominee For Diplomat To Monitor Religious Freedom

President Trump’s nominee for ambassador-at-large for monitoring international religious freedom, Jane “Cissie” Graham Lynch, comes from a well-known Christian family. While her name may not be familiar, her father and grandfather are—Franklin Graham and Billy Graham. Lynch’s father serves as head of Samaritan’s Purse and her grandfather addressed millions as a legendary evangelist.

But Lynch, who has traveled the world, presents her own credentials for this position beyond family ties. An author and a speaker, she hosts the “Fearless” podcast and releases Stand Steady: Fearless Faith in a Compromising Culture in October. Additionally, Lynch spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention as well as the Rededicate 250 prayer event celebrating the U.S.’s 250th anniversary this year. Further, Lynch holds the position of communications director for both Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Her father, Franklin Graham, touts the passion Lynch has for defending religious freedom and her knowledge of issues confronting religious freedom today.

View of sign identifying building in background as the Department of State

The ambassador position to monitor religious freedom falls under the State Department [Image from Wikimedia Commons, public domain]

Creation And Duties Of Ambassador’s Position

Congress first created the US Ambassador at Large position in 1998. This ambassador monitors religious freedom worldwide as head of the Office of International Religious Freedom at the State Department. Furthermore, the diplomat serves as the principal adviser to the president and secretary of state on issues concerning global religious freedom.

In the US, the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom acts as a non-voting member of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IFRA) as amended, this commission is an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency. Separate from the State Department, USCIRF monitors the universal right to freedom of religion and makes policy recommendations to the president, Congress, and Secretary of State. Nine appointed members comprise this commission, which produces an annual report assessing foreign countries violating religious freedom in a systematic, ongoing, and/or egregious manner. The 2026 State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report listed 18 nations as countries of special concern, including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

Forum on IRFA and its implications for global security and peace [Image by US Institute of Peace from Wikimedia Common, CCA 2

Religious Freedom Monitored By Ambassador

The foundation of religious freedom is the right to believe as one chooses and to live out those beliefs openly, peacefully, and without fear. The expansive right includes the freedom of thought, expression, association, and assembly. Guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, religious freedom is a core human right recognized by international law and treaties. Defending and advocating this freedom worldwide is essential to ensuring a more peaceful, stable world. Thus, the position of an ambassador to monitor international religious freedom works toward reaching that goal. Whoever becomes the next ambassador has a world of problems to keep an eye o.

What’s Freedom of Religion?

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About Alice H. Murray

After 35 years as a Florida adoption attorney, Alice H. Murray now pursues a different path in the publishing industry. With a passion for writing, she is constantly creating with words. Her work includes contributions to several Short And Sweet books, The Upper Room, Chicken Soup For The Soul, Abba’s Lessons (from CrossRiver Media), and the Northwest Florida Literary Review. Alice is a regular contributor to GO!, a quarterly Christian magazine in the Florida Panhandle, and she has three devotions a month published online by Dynamic Women in Missions. Her devotions have also appeared in compilation devotionals such as Ordinary People Extraordinary God (July 2023) and Guideposts’ Pray A Word A Day, Vol. 2 (June 2023), pray a word for hope (September 2023), Too Amazing For Coincidence: Heavenly Interventions (August 2024), pray a word for strength (September 2024), and God’s Constant Presence: Held In His Hand, January 2025. Alice’s first book, The Secret of Chimneys, an annotated Agatha Christie mystery, was released in April 2023. Her adoption devotional, God Adopted Us First – Faith Lessons from an Adoption Attorney’s Adventures was published in October 2025. Winged Publications released Alice’s second Agatha Christie annotation, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, in December 2025. Alice’s latest book baby is Sightings: 52 Devotion For Spotting God In Daily Life, published in June 2026. On a weekly basis, Alice posts on her blog about current events with a humorous point of view at aliceinwonderingland.wordpress.com. You can read more about the author here.

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