'No nation on earth' does more for religious freedom, says U.S. State Dept official

Sam Brownback, U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, told DW's Conflict Zone that "no nation on the earth that pushes human rights of religious freedom any more than the United States or than the Trump administration does."

"Do you think China is better on religious freedom than us?" said the ambassador.

Host Tim Sebastian confronted Brownback on Donald Trump's decision in 2016 to ban citizens of several Muslim-majority countries from travelling to the United States. He responded that the ban was an immigration issue and not about religious freedom.

"We're not a perfect country and we don't claim to be," said Brownback. "But we're going to continue to push these rights every chance and every place we can."

On church closures in Egypt and praise for President Sisi by the Trump administration, Brownback said people of minority faith in Egypt had told him that it was "much better under the Sisi government than it has been" and they would not prefer the Muslim Brotherhood.

"They are very appreciative of the signals that President Sisi is sending from on top and trying to push. They very much appreciate him dedicating and opening up a church because of the signals that it sends," he said.    (DW)