Sarah Makin to Join Christian Persecution Summit

Staff Writer
Oct 29
2 min read

Sarah E. Makin, human rights advocate, filmmaker, and former White House official with expertise in national security policy and international religious freedom, will speak at CPAC's Christian Persecution Summit on October 30, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Terrace Theatre. Her frontline experience in advancing religious liberty makes her a powerful voice against the global threats facing Christians.

During the first Trump administration, Makin served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director on the National Security Council, where she shaped policy as the President’s Senior Advisor on International Religious Freedom. Earlier, she acted as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Strategic Outreach, Public Liaison, and Intergovernmental Affairs to Vice President Mike Pence, forging ties across government and faith communities to bolster democratic values.

Today, Makin runs her own strategic advising firm in Washington, DC, and produces impactful films like A Faith Under Siege, a documentary exposing the brutal persecution of Christians in Russian-occupied Ukraine—from church seizures and forced conversions to targeted killings that echo authoritarian tactics worldwide. Her efforts center on defending religious minorities amid repression by regimes that weaponize hateful rhetoric towards Christians, much like in China, North Korea, Africa, and parts of the Middle East, where believers endure imprisonment, surveillance, and erasure of their heritage.

Through collaborations with international partners, lawmakers, and faith leaders, Makin promotes resilience against these assaults against Christians, emphasizing unified advocacy to protect the vulnerable and hold perpetrators accountable. Her work reveals how authoritarian aggression not only silences dissent but systematically dismantles Christian communities, demanding proactive global strategies rooted in human rights and security.

At the Summit, Makin will draw on her policy insights and storytelling to urge bolder action in safeguarding persecuted Christians, highlighting the need for integrated national security approaches that prioritize religious freedom.