During an address at the time-honored National Prayer Breakfast, former President Donald Trump unveiled a supposed transformation in his spiritual standpoint, spurred by alleged assassination attempts. Advocating for an ostensible homecoming of faith in American lives, he attempted to position himself as the moral compass of the nation. His assertion, ‘I truly opine that without religion, happiness is elusive,’ seemed intended to further cement his rapport with the religious right. The former president demanded, ‘Let’s retrieve religion in America. We need to resurrect God’s presence in our lives.’
Trump then divulged a close shave incident where he stated that a bullet almost claimed his life during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. In a dramatic recounting for lawmakers and attendees, he described this event as a pivotal turning point in his spirituality, stating, ‘it initiated a shift in me.’ The former Commander-in-Chief suggested that his faith transformed, becoming more fervent after this near-death experience.
Trump, a self-professed non-denominational Christian, took the opportunity to underline the importance of religious freedom, which he defended as a core foundation of American society, requiring everyone’s absolute loyalty. That being said, his presidency often found itself mired in disputes and criticism with various religious entities.
One such altercation includes a disagreement with Reverend Mariann Budde, who vociferously defended the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, and immigrants, advocating for compassion during a sermon following his inauguration. Traditionally, these are groups that conservative circles have been reluctant to embrace.
In another instance, the Catholic Vice President JD Vance was embroiled in a rift with high-ranking clergy from his own church over policies related to immigrants. The general sentiment among church leaders around the nation reverberated a similar concern with government overreach in religious spaces, especially given the impending threat of immigration actions at places of worship.
In 2023, the National Prayer Breakfast took an unprecedented turn. The event split into two distinct groups: one public event at Capitol Hill largely populated by government officials, and a competing private gathering that hummed with the presence of thousands in a hotel ballroom.
The cause of this split could be traced back to scrutiny over the private religious group that had been running the larger prayer breakfast for decades. Lawmakers, wary about allegations concerning the group’s organization and its obscure funding mechanisms, sought to dissociate from it, leading to the irreparable schism.
Even as Trump trod the path of unity on Capitol Hill, he soon contradicted this spirit as he addressed the second audience at another location. Here, he unleashed criticism against the Biden administration, accusing them of persecuting believers.
He announced the formation of a commission on religious liberty, accusing the notorious Biden administration of neglecting religious freedom, especially with regards to anti-abortion advocates. The surprise announcement revealed that Trump’s appointed attorney general, Pam Bondi, was set to spearhead a special task force to ‘combat anti-Christian bias.’
Why, we might ask, did Trump grandstand his spiritual revelation at the National Prayer Breakfast during his term? That year’s breakfast convened in the immediate aftermath of his acquittal in his first impeachment trial. It was fast becoming clear that he wielded his faith as a weapon in his political arsenal.
It was then that the allegedly god-fearing Trump tossed thinly veiled excesses towards Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic House Speaker, and Senator Mitt Romney. Both had had the courage of conviction to publicly confront Trump, and for this, they paid the price in taunting jabs from their president.
A particularly wintry comment from Trump about those who used faith to justify actions he deemed incorrect highlighted his spite. Evidently, his tolerance for faith-based opposition in his ranks was as thin as the ice he skated on.
It’s important to note that Trump was not the first president to use the National Prayer Breakfast as a platform. The tradition begun in 1953 with President Dwight D. Eisenhower continues as an unwavering part of the presidential routine. However, the context and subtext of these addresses have varied greatly from one administration to the next.
This year witnessed Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan from New Hampshire and Republican Senator Roger Marshall from Kansas assume the roles of honorary co-chairs of the prayer breakfast. Both senators displayed great poise as they navigated the event’s bifurcation.
Interestingly, between 2023 and 2024, President Joe Biden also spoke at the traditionally respected Capitol Hill event. But given his track record on issues of faith and morality, one can only imagine the extent of his mishandling of such a significant occasion.
This retelling of past events offers an important reflection on the interplay between religion and politics in the United States, and a musing reminder of where our current leaders have failed us in this vital area of American life.