Christian pastors gathered on Thursday in the Oval Office to pray for US President Donald Trump. The moment was captured in a video posted on social media by the official White House accounts and, as usual, sparked different reactions.
The images depict a moment of collective prayer in the Oval Office, where evangelical religious leaders and collaborators of Donald Trump lay their hands on him, while the president sits at his desk, in a common religious practice among conservative Christian and Pentecostal circles in the United States known as „laying on of hands.”
Next to the president, Paula White-Cain can be seen, who is Trump's spiritual advisor and one of his closest religious figures. She has often organized such prayers at the White House.
Prayer in Times of War
Such images are frequently used to underline the support of religious leaders for a politician or for certain political initiatives.
This time, the prayer seems to be occasioned by the operation that the US is conducting in Iran, invoking God's support for the troops and, obviously, for Donald Trump.
"I pray for Your grace and protection over our troops and over all the men and women who serve in our armed forces. And, Lord, we pray for you to continue to give our president the strength he needs to lead our great nation, as we return to a nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We ask you to bless him from heaven, in the name of Jesus," say the prayer participants.
It Was No Joke
"I thought it was a meme," comments one user, who received hundreds of likes.
Another says he thought it was a video made with artificial intelligence. "Everyone thought that! I'm in Australia, it's HILARIOUS!" another user replies.
"Don't be a hater. God is the God of peace and love, He doesn't like those who mock," comments another.
"This is not satire, but what happens when wonderful people come together and give thanks and seek guidance and care from God," another user points out.
Trump Relies on Evangelical Leaders
Donald Trump has had a close relationship with evangelical Christian communities, which represented one of his most important electoral bases. Influential evangelical leaders have frequently participated in events at the White House during his terms and have organized moments of prayer or blessings for the president.
The close relationship between Trump and evangelical leaders played an important role in mobilizing the conservative religious electorate in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 elections.
However, the American operation in Iran, Epic Fury, which entered its seventh day, does not enjoy widespread support among Americans, according to opinion polls.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, 27% of respondents support military action against Iran, while 43% oppose it, and 29% say they have no formed opinion. Also, a Washington Post survey notes that 52% of Americans oppose airstrikes against Iran and only 39% support them, while 9% have no clear opinion.