A prevalent theme throughout President Trump’s second term has been his acknowledgment of the existence of heaven.
During a phone interview with Fox & Friends back in August, Trump stated that one of the motivating factors behind his efforts to end the war in Ukraine is that doing so may make him more likely to make it to heaven, implying that the prevention of 7,000 weekly deaths in the region could serve as a feather in his cap come Judgment Day.
When Fox News’ White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked him to elaborate, Trump mentioned that he was “being a little cute” and once again self-deprecatingly stated he does not think there is “anything” that will get him into heaven.
Earlier this month, however, during the Congressional Prayer Breakfast, Trump insisted he was having fun with his comments while stating that he thinks he “probably should make it,” not because he is perfect, but because he “did a lot of good for perfect people.”
The president’s recurring comments on the matter have been met with no shortage of opinions, chief among them from The New York Times, which exclaimed:
“Holy mother of God!… This fear of perdition raised some questions. Who, exactly, has been informing the president that he is ‘not doing well’ with regard to kingdom come? Did Michael the Archangel somehow get Mr. Trump’s cellphone number?”
It went on to say that “this would have been a highly unusual admission from any president, but it seemed especially out of character coming from this one.”
It is not inherently strange that Trump is thinking in these terms. What’s more odd is that his predecessors evidently kept religion as far from their decision-making as they did.
Trump’s unapologetic acknowledgment of heaven — which is the ultimate end every person should seek — is only out of the ordinary in that it is not something his predecessors seemed focused on. Having a president who makes decisions with one eye on the world and the other on heaven is a positive because it leads to decisions rooted in morality rather than earthly desires.
Ironically, in a way that is only possible with God, when decisions are made with the main intention of pleasing God, earthly circumstances also improve (Proverbs 14:34).
Trump’s heavenly intentions are further affirmed by actions that exemplify an approach to governing sincerely aimed at saving and improving lives.
He has ended eight wars or conflicts since taking office and remains committed to ending another with the conclusion of the Russia-Ukraine war. Last April, his Department of Health and Human Services announced an initiative to phase out artificial food dyes tied to health crises and also lessened the number of recommended childhood vaccines because of unknown risks some pose to children. He has also remained unrelenting in his mission to protect innocent Americans from being further victimized by criminal illegal aliens who were erroneously admitted into the country under Joe Biden.
While Trump has set a powerful example by proclaiming from the highest position in the nation that every soul can choose a path that seeks first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), the majority of politicians invoke God for electoral purposes only when convenient or steer clear of Him entirely.
Many congressional Republicans rely on the Christian voter bloc to win elections. They invoke Christ and His teachings during election season to shore up support, but the majority of them prove to be lukewarm at best when it comes to taking a firm Christian stance on policy. Democrats, on the other hand, usually do not even pretend to hold Christian beliefs, given how contradictory their policies are to them. When a Democrat does invoke God or Christianity, they most often do so by blasphemously misconstruing Christian teachings to benefit their own agenda.
Americans have historically proven to be easily influenced. This is why President Trump and other high-ranking administration officials — such as devout Catholics Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — must continue to lead in their unwavering acknowledgment of the afterlife and glorification of Christ, as doing so will inspire Americans to turn their eyes to God and have a profoundly positive impact on the nation.
The most influential voice in American politics in the modern era when it comes to proclaiming Jesus Christ had to work harder than any other Republican to convince Christian primary voters to entrust him with their vote just 10 years ago. That sounds ironic, but only to those unfamiliar with Scripture.
David succumbed to lust and subsequently murder, Moses had a temper, and Paul persecuted Christians. God used imperfect figures throughout history to lead His people to victory while bringing others closer to Him.
Trump’s own reputation as a brash New York billionaire was not the blueprint most Christians identified with. What they could relate to, however, was a man who, while confident in his own abilities and proud of his accomplishments, becomes submissive, humble, and contemplative when it comes to Christ and his own salvation.
The ultimate goal is to lead a life that is oriented toward heaven. We are saved by grace, but will be judged by our actions (Luke 13:24), which serve as evidence of our faith.
God creates everyone in His perfect image (Genesis 1:27); therefore, nobody is predestined to hell. But He also does not force His way into our lives; we must choose Him and His teachings through free will.
A president who thinks in these terms from his seat of power — crediting God with saving his life (faith) and governing with heaven in mind (works) — sets the example America desperately needs during a time when the world is increasingly at odds with Christ’s teachings.
President Trump’s stated intentions — doing good works to get to heaven rather than for the sake of pleasing God — may be out of order, but is far greater than most presidents in modern history can claim.
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