Mark Walker Leaves Religious Freedom Role After Short-Lived Appointment

Mark Walker recently left his position at the State Department as an adviser on religious freedom issues. Photo: Bill Clark/Roll Call

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former U.S. Representative Mark Walker has left his role as principal adviser for global religious freedom at the State Department after serving for just 90 days in a position created specifically for him by President Donald Trump. This was reported by The News & Observer in Raleigh.

Walker — who had previously served as a congressman for North Carolina from 2015-2021 — assumed the role on January 22 after Trump appointed him to the newly created advisory post following the Senate’s refusal to advance his nomination for ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

The State Department confirmed that Walker departed on April 21 but did not directly explain the reason for his exit. In a written statement, a department spokesperson emphasized the administration’s continued commitment to defending religious liberty worldwide, particularly in addressing the persecution of Christians and holding governments accountable for religious freedom violations.

“We thank Mr. Walker for his distinguished service throughout his professional career,” the spokesperson said.

The Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco met with Walker in November and December of last year in order to brief him on the religious freedom situation in Ukraine. Deeply troubled by the evidence, he had been actively lobbying for the Trump administration to intervene.

Walker had originally been nominated by Trump in March 2025 for the Senate-confirmed post of ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. However, his nomination stalled in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after Chairman Senator Jim Risch reportedly said Walker lacked sufficient support to move forward.

North Carolina Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, both Republicans and former colleagues of Walker, publicly opposed the nomination. Budd cited what he described as “repeated problems with honesty,” while Tillis said he supported Budd’s position and suggested Walker should “move on.”

In January, Walker announced that Trump had bypassed the Senate confirmation process by appointing him to the new advisory role instead. Because the position had not previously existed, details regarding its responsibilities and compensation were never fully clarified.

On April 20, Riley Barnes, assistant secretary within the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, was designated with the authorities of the ambassador-at-large position, according to the State Department.

It remains unclear whether Barnes is serving temporarily or if the administration plans to formally nominate a new candidate for Senate confirmation to lead the Office of International Religious Freedom.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Barnes had held a meeting on religious freedom in Ukraine with the Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Ukraine, Bp. Mykhailo of Comana.

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