President Donald Trump has nominated Cissie Graham Lynch to be his U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, says Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. She's the daughter of Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, and granddaughter of famous evangelist Billy Graham.
Lynch now goes before the U.S. Senate for confirmation.
She has been a spokesperson for Samaritans Purse, a largely non-political position, but she did support Trump during a speech at the 2020 GOP convention.
“During the Obama/Biden Administration, freedoms were under attack. But then We The People elected Donald Trump. People of faith suddenly had a fierce advocate in the White House,” Lynch said.
China is emerging as an artificial intelligence (AI) and military threat to the U.S.
AFN previously reported on how Robert Maginnis questions if AI will lead to a Cold War between the U.S. and China. The national security analyst wrote in an opinion piece that the world’s two leading AI powers need to address how to be competitive while ensuring AI doesn’t become dangerously out of control.
Todd Nettleton, vice president at The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM), says the Graham family has a storied history with China. Billy held crusades there, and his wife Ruth was born and raised in China.
“It is interesting to wonder — were there conversations about China that came out in any of that? Did China come up? Did this visit with Xi Jinping come up? I have no idea. I have no inside knowledge,” Nettleton says.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump are expected to meet on September 24 in Washington, D.C., where the question of AI is expected to come up.
Nettleton notes that the last time Trump and Jinping met in person, Trump brought up the case of dissident pastor Ezra Jin Mingri who was, at the time, languishing in a Chinese prison. About two months later, Pastor Jin was quietly released.
“I hope that if you're interviewing for that job (ambassador for international religious freedom), you say, ‘Oh, by the way, Mr. President, last time you were with Xi Jinping, you talked to him about a pastor, and that pastor is now free. How many pastors can you work into your conversation this time?’” Nettleton says.
