Trump Nominates Cissie Graham Lynch for Religious Freedom Ambassador

President Donald Trump has nominated Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of the late evangelist Billy Graham, to serve as the U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom. The White House announced the nomination on Monday, September 15, 2026, sending Lynch's name to the U.S. Senate for confirmation. Lynch, the daughter of Franklin Graham, works as a spokesperson and senior adviser for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the humanitarian aid group Samaritan's Purse. In a post on the social media platform X on Tuesday, September 15, she called the nomination a "great honor and privilege" and asked for prayers to serve with excellence if confirmed. The ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom leads the State Department's Office of International Religious Freedom and serves as a principal adviser to the president and the secretary of state on matters of religious freedom abroad. The position has been vacant since the start of Trump's second term. The previous nominee, former U.S. Rep.