Over the weekend, Michael Flynn, the one-time national security adviser to former President Donald Trump, called for the establishment of “one religion” in the United States, drawing severe backlash and condemnation over the outrageous claim.

What You Need To Know

  • Michael Flynn, the one-time national security adviser to former President Donald Trump, called for the establishment of “one religion” in the United States, drawing severe backlash and condemnation

  • The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, adopted on Dec. 15, 1791, explicitly guarantees the right to religious liberty: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."

  • Flynn resigned from his position on Feb. 13, 2017, just 22 days into his tenure

  • He twice pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents, but was pardoned by Trump

The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, adopted on Dec. 15, 1791, explicitly guarantees the right to religious liberty: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Flynn, who was recently subpoenaed by the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, made the comments during a conference in San Antonio, Texas.

If we are going to have one nation under God, which we must, we have to have one religion," Flynn told the crowd at the ReAwaken America conference on Saturday. "One nation under God and one religion under God, right? All of us, working together.”

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., wrote on Twitter that “these people hate the US Constitution,” in reference to the First Amendment.

“I’m Catholic and do we really want government to force everyone to go to confession?” California Rep. Ted Lieu wrote on Twitter. “I got baptized in college and those Church courses were soooo long. Michael Flynn would fall asleep in Church class. Sure glad we live in a Constitutional Republic instead of a theocracy.”

"The Mike Flynn of today is not the Mike Flynn of prior to 2014 that I know," James Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence, told CNN on Sunday. "As far as I'm concerned, it's two different people. He is clearly unhinged here with this kind of public statement.”

“This man is an embarrassment to the US Army & an aberration to those of us who have proudly worn the cloth of our country,” Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling wrote on Twitter. “His words are disgusting.”

But Josh Mandel, Ohio’s treasurer and a candidate for U.S. Senate to replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman, defended his comments, writing on Twitter that “we stand with General Flynn.”

Ironically, Flynn called the indictment of Trump ally Steve Bannon for defying a subpoena from the Jan. 6 panel an “abuse of freedom of speech” at the conference — referring to another right explicitly guaranteed in the First Amendment.

“This is the crucifixion of our First Amendment freedom to speak, freedom to peacefully assemble,” Flynn said, after comparing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Pontius Pilate, a Roman official who presided over the trial of Jesus Christ. “It's unbelievable.”

Flynn resigned from his position on Feb. 13, 2017, just 22 days into his tenure. He twice pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents about his conversations with former Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak regarding sanctions imposed by the Obama administration related to Russian interference in the 2016 election. 

Trump announced a full pardon for Flynn via Twitter in Nov. 2020, weeks after losing the presidential election, writing, “I know you will now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving.”