Faith is more crucial than ever.
This week, a group of Christian leaders gathered with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, with one leader attributing the president’s increased engagement with faith groups to his life-threatening experience during a campaign rally last summer. Led by Paula White-Cain, a longtime spiritual advisor to Trump, the group met with the president on Wednesday. During the meeting, several faith leaders gathered around Trump, laying hands on him in prayer.
Among those attending were Reverend Samuel Rodriguez, Pastor Robert Jeffress, Pastor Travis Johnson, David Barton, Gary Bauer, and William Wolfe. Rodriguez, who is also a faith advisor to the White House, offered a prayer for the president, asking for divine protection and guidance. He prayed that Trump would advance righteousness, justice, and truth and that through his leadership, the country would experience healing and salvation.
Rodriguez expressed his honor in supporting the White House Faith Office’s initiatives, particularly in representing both Christians and the Latino community. Before meeting Trump, the leaders had a meeting focused on faith-based policies, with Rodriguez describing the time spent with Trump as genuine and heartfelt, calling him “unbelievably gracious.” He also praised Trump as one of the most pro-faith presidents in his lifetime, comparing his vision to that of Ronald Reagan.
Rodriguez noted a shift in Trump’s approach to faith-based matters after the assassination attempt, stating that the experience deepened the president’s personal faith and understanding of the role of faith in his leadership. Trump himself has often spoken about the significance of faith and religion, and in his first term, the White House held numerous events with Evangelical leaders.
The meeting also highlighted the ongoing work of the White House Faith Office, which Trump had established early in his presidency. The office is intended to support faith-based organizations and address issues of religious bias, offering recommendations to improve policies affecting these communities. The office is part of Trump’s broader vision to empower faith-based entities to serve families and communities across the nation.