Trump jokes he stays near Mike Johnson because he feels ‘protected’

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump injected humor into the 74th annual National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Feb 5, as he joked about House Speaker Mike Johnson’s deep religious devotion, saying he often “hangs around” the Louisiana Republican because he feels “protected.”

“Did you know that, Mr Speaker, you know, Mike Johnson’s a very religious person, that he does not hide it?” Trump said, drawing laughter from the audience as Johnson looked on.

Trump jokes about prayer before meals in Oval Office

Trump recounted how Johnson regularly asks to pray before meals, even during lunch meetings inside the White House.

“He’ll say to me sometimes at lunch, ‘Sir, may we pray?’” Trump said. “I say, ‘Excuse me, we’re having lunch in the Oval.’ It’s okay with me.”

While poking fun, Trump quickly turned the moment into praise, calling Johnson “a very religious person” who is “popular” and “doing an unbelievable job” as speaker of the House.

“I think God is watching over you. God is watching over him,” Trump said, referring to Johnson.

“I don’t know about me,” the president added, before delivering the punchline that drew another round of laughter. “So I hang around with him because I feel I’m protected a little bit.”

Johnson, an evangelical Christian, has frequently spoken about the role faith plays in his leadership since becoming speaker, and Trump’s comments reflected that reputation.

Trump points to renewed faith and Bible sales

Beyond the jokes, Trump used the gathering to highlight what he described as a resurgence of religious belief in the United States. He claimed that Bible sales and church attendance have surged in recent years.

“In 2025, more copies of the Holy Bible were sold in the United States than at any time in the last 100 years,” Trump said.

He also asserted that young Americans are returning to church in greater numbers. “In the last year, young Americans attended church at nearly twice the rate as they did four years ago,” he said, offering the figures as evidence of what he called a spiritual revival.

Trump framed these trends as part of a broader shift, saying religion is once again taking a visible role in American life after what he portrayed as years of decline.

Trump announces National Mall prayer event for May 17, 2026

During his remarks, Trump also announced plans for a large national prayer gathering later this year, tying the event to themes of unity and faith.

“I’m pleased to announce that on May 17th, 2026, that we’re inviting Americans from all across the country to come together on our National Mall, to pray, to give thanks, and to return,” Trump said.

“We’re going to rededicate America as one nation under God,” he added.

Ahead of the event, the White House emphasized Trump’s record on religious freedom. “Today, President Trump will unite our country through the power of prayer at the 74th National Prayer Breakfast,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement.

Rogers said Trump has made “unprecedented strides to protect our God-given rights” and accused former President Joe Biden’s administration of pursuing policies that “weaponized the federal government against men and women of faith.”