President Donald Trump said on Thursday that his relationship with religion has “changed” following two failed assassination attempts against him last year. Trump made these remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast held at the Capitol, where he called on Americans to “bring God back into their lives.”
The President joined a tradition that has been ongoing for more than 70 years in Washington, bringing together lawmakers from both parties.
“I truly believe you cannot be happy without faith, without belief,” said President Trump. “Let’s bring faith and God back into our lives,” he added.
Referring to the attack against him in Butler, Pennsylvania last year, where a bullet injured his right ear, President Trump told lawmakers and attendees that the incident changed him.
“I feel even stronger. I believe in God, but I feel it more strongly now. Something happened,” he added.
He then jokingly addressed the attendees, saying that fortunately, the bullet didn’t ruin his hair, causing laughter in the room.
The President, who is a Christian but does not follow a specific denomination, called religious freedom “the cornerstone of American life” and urged its “absolute protection.”
President Trump and his administration have had disagreements with religious leaders, such as the case of Bishop Mariann Budde, who, one day after his inauguration, called for mercy for members of the LGBTQ+ community and illegal immigrants in the country.
Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, has clashed with senior church leaders over immigration issues.
Many clerics across the country are concerned that federal officials are now allowed to enter churches for actions against illegal immigrants.
The Republican president gave a provocative speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, the last one of his first term.
This year’s meeting took place one day after the Senate acquitted him following impeachment charges in Congress.
“I don’t like people who use faith as an excuse to do what they know is wrong,” Trump said during his speech.
At the same event, holding two newspapers with headlines about the dismissal of charges against him, President Trump added, “I don’t like people who say: ‘I’m praying for you,’ when they know they’re not.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first president to attend the National Prayer Breakfast in February 1953. Since then, every U.S. president has given a speech at the event.
This year, the honorary co-chairs of the Prayer Breakfast are Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan and Republican Senator Roger Marshall.
In 2023, the National Prayer Breakfast was split into two events: one at the Capitol, mainly attended by lawmakers and government officials, and a larger private event that gathered thousands at a hotel.
The split occurred after lawmakers sought to distance themselves from the religious group that had organized the largest event for decades, due to questions about its organization and how it was being funded.
In 2023 and 2024, Democratic President Joe Biden spoke at the Capitol event, and his remarks were also broadcast live at the other event.
