U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently faced a blasphemy controversy over an image comparing himself to Jesus and engaged in a public spat with American-born Pope Leo XIV, has pulled out a reversal card: a "Bible reading marathon."
According to The New York Times on Monday, Christians Engaged, a conservative Christian group, will hold a week-long event titled "America Reads the Bible" at the "World Stage Theater" of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., from the 19th to the 25th.
The group said Trump will participate in the event and pre-recorded his reading portion at the White House Oval Office on the 14th.
Trump chose 2 Chronicles 7:11-22 from the Old Testament. The core is verse 14: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
"This passage has been interpreted for decades as a political promise for America and has been widely cited in worship, prayer and sermons," the NYT explained, adding that "Trump's Christian supporters, in particular, read it as a verse meaning 'national repentance and the blessings that follow.'"
It is the very passage that the founder of "Cowboys for Trump," a pro-Trump group, read through a megaphone during the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, to which the crowd responded, "Fight for Trump!" The political implications of the text are far from light.
The Bible reading event begins on the morning of the 19th with Genesis chapter 1 and ends on the evening of the 25th with the final chapter of Revelation. Trump's reading portion will be broadcast between 6 and 7 p.m. Eastern Time on the 21st.
Key figures from the Trump administration have signed up for the event in large numbers. They include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
The NYT characterized the approximately 500 Bible readers, including current administration officials, as Trump's most loyal Christian supporters.
Trump's participation in the Bible reading event draws attention as it comes amid backlash from his Christian supporters over a controversy he brought upon himself.
Earlier, on the 12th, Trump posted on Truth Social an image of himself wearing white clothes and a red cape, with his hand on the forehead of someone who appeared ill. Criticism followed that he was comparing himself to Jesus, and as the "blasphemy" controversy intensified, Trump deleted the post about 12 hours later. He explained the image by saying he was "playing a Red Cross worker" and that "only fake news saw it as Jesus."
Trump also engaged in a verbal spat with American-born Pope Leo XIV, who has criticized the U.S. war with Iran, denouncing him as "weak on crime."
