Donald Trump is set to participate in a public Bible reading this week as his administration continues to incorporate Christian themes into official activities.
According to organisers, the president will deliver a video message from the Oval Office during the “America Reads The Bible” event, scheduled for April 21. The initiative is part of a weeklong programme focused on scripture readings.
Trump’s involvement comes amid heightened scrutiny over his engagement with religious symbolism, including a recent dispute with Pope Leo XIV over the Iran conflict and backlash over an AI-generated image depicting him as Jesus, which he later deleted.
Organisers said the president would read from 2 Chronicles 7:14, a passage often cited by evangelical Christians.
Founder of Christians Engaged, Bunni Pounds, noted that the verse was specifically reserved for Trump.
Scholars say the scripture has historically been interpreted by some as a call for national repentance and divine favour.
Margaret Susan Thompson, a professor at Syracuse University, warned that challenges arise when personal religious beliefs are presented as national doctrine.
Several senior officials are expected to join the event, including Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
The development is part of a broader trend under the current administration, which has included calls for national prayer, religious messaging on official platforms, and faith-based activities within government institutions—moves that critics say blur the line between religion and state.
