Trump leans on faith messaging, reads Bible at ‘America Reads the Bible’ amid fallout with Pope Leo

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump leaned further into faith-based messaging on Tuesday, April 21, reading from the Bible in a recorded Oval Office message for a Christian event, days after a public clash with Pope Leo XIV and backlash over a controversial AI-generated image

The appearance came at a sensitive moment for Trump, who has faced criticism from both religious leaders and some conservative supporters. His latest remarks appeared aimed at reinforcing his connection with evangelical voters ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Trump Bible reading at America Reads event

Trump delivered the message as part of ‘America Reads the Bible,’ a weeklong initiative described as a celebration of the nation’s spiritual roots. The event was organized by the Family Policy Alliance Foundation through its ministry Christians Engaged and livestreamed by Great American Media.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land,” Trump read from 2 Chronicles 7:11–22 in the taped address.

The message, recorded in the Oval Office, featured the presidential flag in the background and positioned the reading as part of a broader call to return to religious values. Other administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, are expected to participate in the initiative.

Trump faces backlash over pope clash, AI image

Trump’s participation followed a series of controversies that have unsettled parts of his religious base. Earlier in April, he drew sharp criticism for remarks about Iran, prompting a rebuke from Pope Leo XIV, who called the comments “truly unacceptable.”

Trump responded in a Truth Social post on April 12, describing the pope as “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” further escalating tensions between the two.

The situation was compounded by backlash over an AI-generated image shared by Trump that appeared to depict him as Jesus. Some conservative allies criticized the post as blasphemous, though Trump later said he believed it portrayed him as a doctor.

Despite the criticism, evangelical Christians remain a key voting bloc for Trump.

During the 2024 campaign, he pledged to “bring back Christianity” and has since taken steps that critics say blur the line between church and state, including the creation of a Religious Liberty Commission to examine issues such as prayer in public schools and pastors’ First Amendment rights.

The renewed focus on religion highlights the political balancing act facing Republicans as they seek to maintain support among faith-based voters while navigating internal divisions ahead of upcoming elections.