Will Trump White House Work to Expand Religious Freedom?

WASHINGTON -- A leaked draft of an executive order shows the Trump administration might move to expand religious freedom.

"What it more or less does is it undoes a lot of the bad things that took place during the Obama years, burned religious liberty," explained Ryan Anderson of The Heritage Foundation. 

Anderson says this order would protect religious rights, especially in areas of conflict on LGBT and abortion issues. It would also prevent some private companies from having to offer contraceptive coverage as part of their health plans. 

"It says that all Americans need to have the option of purchasing prolife healthcare plan. They can't be limited to only healthcare plans that pay for or subsidize abortion," Anderson said.  

The draft reads in part, "Persons and organizations do not forfeit their religious freedom when providing social services, education, or healthcare, earning a living, seeking a job, or employing others." 

The order would also pave the way for tax-exempt groups to voice opinions "on moral or political issues from a religious perspective" without losing their tax exempt status. 

"No American citizen should be forced to choose between holding to their own deeply held religious beliefs and serving our American government. That shouldn't happen," Rev. Rob Schenck, president of the National Clergy Council, told CBN News. 

To top that, the Department of Justice would form a "working group" which would look into potential religious liberty violations. 

Opponents worry this order could permit businesses to refuse service to gay customers or even allow employers to fire workers because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

A White House spokesperson said they do not have plans to sign anything at this time, stating that this order is just a draft as both sides wait to see the final version.