WASHINGTON− Faith leaders from various Christian denominations − and one rabbi − gathered on the National Mall to pray, sing and speak about America's religious foundation in an event critics said favors one faith at the expense of others.Rededicate 250 brought together religious and political leaders including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, as well as Franklin Graham, Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Rabbi Meir Soloveichik. President Donald Trump was also set to address the gathering via a video message.Hegseth in pre-recorded remarks invoked George Washington, the nation’s first president: “Let us pray as he did. Let us pray without ceasing. Let us pray for our nation on bended knee,” Hegseth told the crowd.The May 17 event in the nation's capital, a "National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise, and Thanksgiving," was billed as a call to "gather a broad assembly of voices united by a love of God and country," tied to the nation's 250th birthday. It's part of the Trump administration's Freedom 250 initiative, which is separate from the nonpartisan America250 celebrations of the country's semiquincentennial.The event, which featured musical performances, testimony, scripture and prayer, focused on three "pillars:" "The Miracles that Made Us," "The Miracles Still in Our Midst" and "A New Birth of Faith and Freedom."Pastor tells attendees ‘we are in a spiritual war’Gary Hamrick, senior pastor at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Virginia, compared the Revolutionary and Civil wars to what he called a modern-day “spiritual war.”“Today friends, we are in a spiritual war,” Hamrick said. “This is a battle in our day between good and evil, between right and wrong, between truth and lies, between light and darkness,” Hamrick said.“This is a battle for the very soul of America, but please know this: Our hope is not lost,” he told the crowd.“Our hope is built on Jesus' blood, our hope is built on Jesus Christ, our hope is built on nothing else than Jesus' blood and righteousness,” Hamrick continued.Museum of the Bible leader says 'no wall’ should divide people Carlos Campo, CEO of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, spoke about how “no wall” should separate people.“Today, standing here on the National Mall, we declare no wall, no weapon formed of hatred, division, violence, or despair can ultimately stand against the purposes of the Almighty God,” Campo said.He added, “In a time that's too often marked by rancor and division, we pray today that the walls separating neighbor from neighbor, nation from nation, and heart from heart will come tumbling down, not through anger, but through truth, humility, justice, love, and peace.”'Duck Dynasty’ star Sadie Robertson speaks“Duck Dynasty” star Sadie Robertson Huff spoke early in the event's program, at times invoking her famous family.The “Dancing with the Stars” alum told attendees about her family’s faith journey, sharing her grandfather Phil Robertson’s life story, including his infidelity as a young married man, his recommitment to her grandmother Kay, and how he overcame alcohol addiction and legal trouble.“He was living a life to please his own desires,” Robertson Huff said. “He was pretty much doing anything and everything to just numb out his own pain.”“Clearly, his legacy didn't end the way that it started,” she said later, detailing how Robertson committed to their devout Christian faith. Critics accuse event of being 'intentionally exclusive'Fourteen of the 15 faith leaders who were to participate in the event are Christian, including seven evangelical leaders and two Catholic. Soloveichik, an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, was the only non-Christian religious leader who was to participate.In March, Freedom 250 told USA TODAY it was in talks with leaders from a variety of non-Christian religions for the event, including Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism. But as of May 17, none were on the event's list of participants.Some critics, historians and religious groups have targeted the event over this. The Interfaith Alliance is suing the Trump administration and called Rededicate 250 "intentionally exclusive.""This is really an affront to the American religious community," Rev. Paul Raushenbush, CEO of the Interfaith Alliance and a Baptist minister, told USA TODAY earlier this month. "They are using an event like this, which could be the opportunity to showcase the incredible diversity of American religious life, which is so rich and beautiful and powerful ... to rewrite American history."Contributing: Karissa Waddick, USA TODAYPhaedra Trethan is a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writing about history and Americana. Contact her by email at ptrethan@usatoday.com, on X @wordsbyphaedra, on BlueSky @byphaedra, or on Threads @by_phaedra.