Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday dismissed critics that panned his decision to address a conference of religious conservatives while vowing that the Trump administration will go to the mat for religious liberty and human dignity across the globe.
Speaking at Family Research Council’s annual Values Voters Summit, Mr. Pompeo received a standing ovation from a crowd of about two thousand for the role he played this year in freeing three Americans that had been held hostages in North Korea.
“We will never accept a diminished role for America on the global stage,” Mr. Pompeo said. “We will lead from the front.”
Mr. Pompeo said the administration will stand up for Christians and other religious minorities across the globe, including in Iran and North Korea.
“There were folks who did not want me to come here today,” he said. “But it seems only natural that an American Secretary of State that would come talk to you about America’s values and interests, and I know that religious freedom is important to each of you.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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