The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has officially dropped a Biden-era lawsuit against Grand Canyon University, a Christian institution that was previously denied nonprofit status by Biden’s Department of Education, with the FTC concluding that the lawsuit was a case of religious persecution by the Biden administration against Christians.
For background, on August 15, 2025, Grand Canyon University (GCU) President Brian Mueller confirmed that current FTC officials under the Trump administration had dismissed every aspect of the Biden administration’s lawsuit against the university, which was described as “years of coordinated lawfare” against the university, which is the largest Christian school in the country.
When the lawsuit was dismissed, FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson stated that the case had been “inherited from the previous administration,” going on to explain that the university had been confirmed as “properly claiming 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation designation” by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Moreover, the university issued a statement describing how the Biden administration had engaged in “flooding GCU with duclicative allegations.”
Following the announcement that all aspects of the lawsuit had been dismissed by the FTC, GCU President Brian Mueller explained in a statement, “Not only were these accusations false, but the opposite is true.” He added that when it comes to the school’s nonprofit status, “We go above and beyond what is required in our disclosures and are recognized as a leader in this area.”
Continuing, President Mueller said that the Biden administration had undertaken a “coordinated effort” to work against a “thriving Christian university,” adding, “They threw everything they had at us for four years, and yet, despite every unjust accusation leveled against us, we have not only survived but have continued to thrive as a university.” He continued, “Above all, it speaks to our unwavering belief that the truth would ultimately prevail.”
Importantly, the lawsuit against GCU was previously dropped in a 3-0 decision from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled on November 8, 2024, that the Biden Department of Education “invoked the wrong legal standards” when it attempted to deny GCU its nonprofit status, with the judicial panel provided “instructions to set aside the Department’s denials and to remand to the Department for further proceedings.”
Furthermore, GCU’s legal victory followed the signing of a February 6, 2025, executive order from President Trump dedicated to “eradicating anti-Christian bias,” emphasizing the need to protect the religious freedoms of all Americans and “end the anti-Christian weaponization” within the federal government.” In the order, the president made the case that the Biden administration had engaged in “an egregious pattern of targeting peaceful Christians, while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses.”
Additionally, President Trump said that his administration “will not tolerate anti-Christian weaponization of government or unlawful conduct targeting Christians,” adding, “The law protects the freedom of Americans and groups of Americans to practice their faith in peace, and my Administration will enforce the law and protect these freedoms. My Administration will ensure that any unlawful and improper conduct, policies, or practices that target Christians are identified, terminated, and rectified.”
Featured image credit: Shutterstock