Issues, Etc. Religion-Related Stories of President Trump’s China Visit – Terry Mattingly, 5/13/26 (1331)
May 13, 2026
Terry Mattingly, Senior Fellow on Communications and Culture and seasoned religion reporter, breaks down religion-related developments from President Trump’s China visit. He discusses arrests of Christian pastors, tech leaders’ influence on online religious freedom, Vatican-China tensions, social credit impacts on families, and how internet controls shape conscience and worship.
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Trump Pledges To Raise Pastor Ezra Jin Case
- Terry Mattingly says Trump's China trip includes a promise to raise religious persecution cases like Pastor Ezra Jin.
- Jin was arrested months earlier with no family contact, making his detention a focal human-rights example in the visit's context.
Free Press Investigation Reveals Disturbing Details
- Mattingly highlights a Free Press investigative piece on Ezra Jin but notes mainstream coverage has been limited so far.
- The article uses eyewitness accounts and video suggesting Jin may have been drugged during an encounter with authorities.
Internet Control Is Central To Religious Repression
- Mattingly argues internet controls are central to China's religious repression because pastors moved sermons online after church shutdowns.
- He urges attention to tech discussions involving major CEOs on Trump's trip as vital to freedom of conscience.
