Trump Administration Counterterrorism Official Sebastian Gorka to Join CPAC Christian Persecution Summit

Staff Writer
Oct 29
2 min read

Sebastian Gorka, Ph.D., renowned counterterrorism expert, host of America First on the Salem Radio Network, and current Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism on the National Security Council in the Trump Administration, 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.

In this pivotal role—assumed in January 2025 after President Trump's inauguration—Gorka leads White House efforts to dismantle global terror networks, prioritizing threats like jihadist extremism that systematically target Christian communities in the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. Drawing on his previous role as Deputy Assistant for Counterterrorism Strategy in Trump's first term, he shapes aggressive policies to disrupt ISIS affiliates, counter Iranian-backed militias, and safeguard religious minorities, all while advocating for an "America First" approach that elevates Judeo-Christian values in national security.

Born in the UK to Hungarian parents, Gorka’s father, Paul, survived Nazi and Soviet horrors, founding a secret Christian student group to defy Hungary’s Stalinist regime. This heritage fueled Gorka’s career: A former professor at the Marine Corps University and contributor to The Hill, he authored bestsellers Defeating Jihad and Why We Fight, arguing that Islamist radicals seek to impose sharia and dismantle Western civilization—including through attacks on Christians in the Middle East, Africa, and beyond.

Now a Newsmax TV host and presidential appointee to the National Security Education Board, Gorka warns of the ideological war against faith, where groups like ISIS and Boko Haram massacre believers, seize churches, and force conversions. His advocacy calls for unapologetic U.S. leadership to protect persecuted minorities and preserve religious freedom as a cornerstone of democracy.

At the Summit, Gorka will deliver a fiery analysis of these battles, equipping attendees with strategies to counter authoritarian and extremist assaults on Christian heritage.