Fact Check: Is Trump charging $100K for inauguration church service tickets in 'pay-to-pray' scheme?

WASHINGTON, DC: As President-elect Donald Trump gears up for his January 20 inauguration, the buzz appears to be more about dollar signs than politics.

Critics have been flooding social media with questions about some eyebrow-raising claims regarding event tickets, especially one accusation that Trump is charging donors $100,000 to attend a Sunday church service with him.

'Pay-to-Pray' rumors about Donald Trump's inauguration

A flurry of social media posts, articles, and even a YouTube video notably called out  Donald Trump for what’s been dubbed a “pay-to-pray” deal.

Rumor has it that donors are coughing up $100,000 to get access to a church service on Sunday before the big day.

One YouTuber declared, “Donald Trump’s blasphemous 100k ‘Pay to Pray’ Church scam where he is charging people thousands of dollars to pray with him before his inauguration! These idiots will buy anything from [sic] this grifter!”

One X user alleged, “Trump charging people $100,000 to attend church with him is the most anti-Jesus thing I have ever heard.”

Another wrote, "If the church allows this, they shouldn't call themselves a cult, not a church."

Someone else added, "Jimmy Carter never charged for people coming to his bible lessons but of course that is a Christian."

Fact Check: Unproven

The New York Times, The Hill, and Axios have reported that the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee is indeed rolling out this $100,000 package. However, they clarify the church service is just one perk among many.

According to a flyer titled “Trump Vance Inaugural Committee Benefits,” a $100,000 donation (or raising $200,000) gets you a sweet lineup of perks.

This reportedly includes two tickets to a victory rally, entry to a cabinet reception, the Sunday church service, swearing-in ceremony passes, seats at the inaugural parade, entry to the glitzy “Starlight Ball," and two hotel rooms at a designated spot.

Snopes hasn’t confirmed this independently but is hot on the trail, reaching out to Trump’s team for the official benefits prospectus.

The pièce de résistance? For those willing to go all out, the top-tier package includes six tickets to nearly every event, including a candlelight dinner with Trump and his family, and a separate dinner with Vice President-elect JD Vance.

While the price tag is undisclosed, you can bet it’s steep.

'One America, One Light' service and comparing to other presidents

The Hill reported that the interfaith service—titled “One America, One Light”—will feature US military bands. While details about the location are still under wraps, donors had to RSVP by January 10, 2024.

It's worth noting that Trump’s 2025 inauguration will be the first to include a church service as part of donor perks. For comparison, neither Joe Biden’s nor Barack Obama’s inaugurations offered church services among their perks, nor did Trump’s own 2017 inauguration.

Trump is no stranger to raking in cash for inaugural events. Back in 2017, his committee raised a jaw-dropping $107 million. The aftermath included federal investigations into illegal foreign donations that landed one donor a 12-year prison sentence.

This time around, the cash is flowing again. Big tech giants like Meta, Amazon, Uber, and OpenAI have reportedly thrown in at least $1 million each to fund Trump’s grand celebrations, MSNBC reported.

Inaugural fundraising is a bipartisan sport. Biden’s 2021 inauguration committee raised a cool $62 million, with contributions from the likes of Bill and Melinda Gates, Google, Boeing, and PepsiCo. Even though COVID-19 forced most celebrations online, donors were treated to virtual concerts and briefings.

Obama’s second inauguration in 2013 pulled in $43 million, with perks like tickets to a benefactors’ reception, a children’s concert, and reserved parade seating.

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