President Biden on Friday appointed Khizr Khan, the Gold Star father who gained prominence during the 2016 Democratic National Convention, to serve on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Khan’s appointment was one of four made on Friday by the White House focused on religious affairs. He will serve as one of six commissioners for the organization tasked with defending the freedom of religion abroad and reviewing cases of infringement on religious freedoms.
“Today’s announcement underscores the President’s commitment to build an Administration that looks like America and reflects people of all faiths,” the White House said in a statement.
Khan’s son, U.S. Army Captain Humayun Khan, was killed while serving in Iraq and was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Valor.
Khan spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, where he delivered an emotional response to then-candidate Donald Trump’s derisive comments about Muslims during that year’s campaign. Khan held up a copy of the Constitution while his wife, Ghazala, stood on stage and paid tribute to their son’s service.
Khan endorsed Biden in 2019 after he announced his presidential campaign, arguing Biden had the ability to unite the country. Khan founded the Constitution Literacy and National Unity Project and lives in Charlottesville, Va.