HUD Secretary Scott Turner declared Saturday that "faith is back in our government" as hundreds gathered on the National Mall for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s first-ever faith-based disaster recovery event.
The gathering, which included a musical performance by worship leader Sean Feucht as part of HUD’s Innovative Housing Showcase, brought religious leaders, community groups and federal officials together to highlight partnerships between the agency and faith-based organizations in post-disaster recovery.
In an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital, Turner, who also serves as an associate pastor, described faith-based groups as frontline responders after disasters. "After disaster strikes, the devastation can be overwhelming. I’ve met with those impacted, heard their stories, and seen the destruction first-hand," he said. "In these moments, faith-based organizations are often the first to respond. I’ve witnessed their incredible recovery work: homes built, houses of worship turned into emergency centers and small businesses reopened with support from local churches. Under the leadership of President Trump, faith is back in our government."
Turner used the event to reiterate policy priorities tied to homelessness and recovery, saying the administration intends to end what he described as a "cycle of government dependency" through forthcoming enforcement and program changes. He framed partnerships with churches and other faith-based organizations as central to those efforts, positioning community-led initiatives as complements to federal housing programs.
HUD officials billed the Innovative Housing Showcase as an opportunity to display collaborative approaches to disaster recovery, including rapid rehousing models, temporary shelter conversions and volunteer-driven rebuilding projects. The agency described the event as the first time it has explicitly framed disaster recovery programming through the lens of faith-based partnerships on a national stage.
Organizers said several hundred people attended the Mall event, which combined worship music with demonstrations of recovery techniques and panel discussions about community resilience. Attendees included local pastors, nonprofit leaders and volunteers who have worked in disaster-affected areas.
The gathering reflects a larger emphasis by the Trump administration on involving religious organizations in federal service delivery and emergency response. The administration has repeatedly highlighted faith-based groups’ role in providing immediate aid after disasters and in ongoing community recovery efforts.
HUD did not release a detailed policy package at the event, but officials said more guidance on partnering with faith-based institutions and adjustments to homelessness initiatives would be forthcoming. The department described the National Mall event as part of an outreach strategy to strengthen ties with community organizations and to showcase practical models for rapid, locally driven recovery.
The event on the National Mall is the latest in a series of public engagements in which the administration has sought to emphasize faith-led community action as a component of federal recovery and housing policy. Officials said they plan to replicate elements of the showcase in regional workshops aimed at connecting local faith-based organizations with HUD resources and disaster response networks.