- President Trump isthe first US president

to host a meeting at UNon religious freedom.

And to put things into perspective,

one in nine Christians worldwideface intense persecution

and that's up 14% from last year,

which is why The White Houseis making this a top priority.

- As president, protectingreligious freedom

is one of my highest priorities.

- [Ben] In his keynote address to the UN,

President Trump pointedto alarming statistics

showing 80% of the world's population

live in countries where religious liberty

is threatened, restricted, or even banned.

- When I heard that number,I said please go back

and check it because itcan't possibly be correct.

And sadly, it was.

80%.

- [Ben] To top that, it'sestimated 11 Christians die

each day for their faith.

In response, the president announced

an additional 25 million in funding

to protect religious sites and relics.

There will also be anew business coalition

focused on workers.

- This is the firsttime this has been done.

This initiative willencourage the private sector

to protect people of allfaiths in the workplace.

- Why is the president's call to action

a major step when comparedwith past presidents' focus

on this same issue?

- I think the fact is it's not just words

on the part of this administration.

I believe that as that microcosmic example

of the president's efforts on behalf

of Pastor Brunson made clear.

He used the instruments of American power.

- Frank Gaffney, CEO of Savethe Persecuted Christians,

says it's now up to the restof the world to follow suit.

What message did you wantthe president to send

and did he deliver?

- The most important message

I think he very muchdelivered on, just in fact,

by his presence at this event,

he put the nations of the world on notice.

- Now the president urgedthe UN to repeal laws

that restrict religious freedom

and to increase prosecution towards crimes

against people of faith.

This is only the first ofmany remarks he'll make

at the UN this week.

Ben Kennedy, CBN News, Washington.