- President Trump isreinforcing protections

for prayer in schools.

The White House alsoplanning to streamline

the federal complaint process for students

to alert authorities of discrimination.

CBN News White Housecorrespondent Ben Kennedy

joins us with that story, Ben.

- Well Jenna, today's WhiteHouse action is an attempt

to clear up misunderstandingsabout what is

and what isn't allowed

when it comes to religiousexpression in public schools.

The Oval Office announcementalso aims to help

empower students wantingto pray in schools.

- This afternoon we're proudly announcing

historic steps to protectthe first amendment,

right to pray in public schools.

- [Ben] President Trump isusing the federal pulpit

to fight for religious rights.

The Education Departmentis sending letters

to officials in all 50 states

to ensure students and teachersdon't face discrimination

for practicing their rightto religious freedom.

- We're gonna be making itclear that students have

the right to pray publiclyin school if they so choose.

- [Ben] The event shoring up support among

Evangelical Christiansahead of the 2020 election.

Franklin Graham tweeted,"Thank you President Trump

"for protecting and empowering the right

"to student-led prayer in schools."

A new Quinnipiac poll revealed 77%

of white Evangelical votersapprove President Trump's

job performance.

Domestic policy director Joe Grogan

pointing out the action covers

the entire religious spectrum.

- President Trump is proud todraw attention to this matter

and use his megaphoneto remind people of this

and elevate kids who wannaparticipate in their faith.

They shouldn't feelashamed or bashful about it

if they wanna pray, ifthey wanna read the Bible

or the Quran.

- [Ben] In 1962, the Supreme Court banned

public school sponsored prayer

while allowing students to privately meet

and pray on school grounds.

- Federal agencies need to make sure

that when they send grant money to states

and those states distribute money

that those states do not take in

the religious nature of the institution's,

the grant, potential grantees,

and discriminate against them.

- [Ben] Due to cases wherethe law is misunderstood,

today's announcementreinforces what's on the books.

- To remind the chief educationofficers in all 50 states

that students have the rightto pray at their own direction,

to gather at their own direction,

to bring the Bible toschool if they choose to.

Bring the Quran or the Torah, and--

- And the White Housealso wanted to point out

that public schools risklosing federal funds

if they do in factviolate student's rights

to religious expression.

John and Jenna.

- All right, Ben Kennedy atthe White House, thank you.

And here with us now is CBN'schief political analyst,

David Brody.

David, you where therein the Oval Office today.

Tell us what that was like.

- Yeah, it was neat to be inthe Oval Office, kinda cool.

But beyond that, sorry,didn't mean to geek out

for a moment.

But basically what wasinteresting is the stories

that were really behindthe resolute desk there

in the oval office.

Not just coming from Evangelicals,but Jews and Muslims.

One very passionate and veryemotion story about a Jewish

high schooler who hada swastika painted on

some of her high schoolequipment there at school.

So it was a pretty moving experience,

especially by some of thestories we heard today.

- You also, you had anopportunity to ask the president

a question, right?

- Right, I asked himwhether or not he believes

there's a culture war taking place.

And he said, and I have to tell ya Jen,

I think this is the firsttime we've heard him say this,

he said, "Yes, there is acultural war going on in America."

I don't really thinkhe's ever said it like

that before at least.

And then he went on toexplain a little bit more why

and he said, "We haven'tseen things, in basically,

"things that are goingon now, we haven't seen

"in the history of our countryin terms of the social issues

"that are going on thatmany people of faith

"are very concerned about."

- President Trump has madethis a signature issue

of his administration.

Can you expand a littlebit more on his support

for religious freedom?

- Well sure, I meanthere's so many different,

I mean everything from the UN,

that big UN religious meeting,religious freedom meeting

that he held, it was thefirst of it's kind John.

And then you have thereligious ministerials

at the State Department.

You also have actual action,the DOJ going into court

and putting the weightof the federal government

behind cake bakers whowanna have that right

to bake a cake withoutthe religious liberty

being infringed upon.

And also the Obamacarecontraception mandate.

I mean that was a bigdeal as well in terms of

letting folks that have aproblem with the contraception

mandate be able to opt-out.

- And what do you thinkthis is coming from?

Is the President pushingthis or is this coming

from Vice President Pence or

Mike Pompeo?- That's a really

good question, so I thinkif you just look at it

as a diagram I think thisis like the nerve center

of Trump kind of DNA,like a logical thing.

He doesn't really see it faithterms as much as he sees it

like this is like stupid.

I mean it just doesn't make any sense.

And then you have the Pence and the Pompeo

and others kind of filling in

the Evangelical and faith dots around him.

- David, how were thepresident's spirits today

amid all of this impeachmentstuff that was happening

at the same time on Capitol Hill?

- Very serious.

I walked in, he looked somber.

Eh, I don't know ifsomber's the right word,

more serious I think isreally the right word.

I have to tell ya, who can blame him.

When you're getting servedimpeachment articles

on a silver platter and literallywhen I say silver platter,

that's what it looked likewhen the Sergeant of Arms

was bringing those into the house.

We'll see who has the last laugh here.

The White House thinks they will.

November, voters will decide.

- All right, David, great reporting.

Thank you.- Thanks guys.