Trump sells Bibles now, says 'Make America pray again'

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 25: Former President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at 40 Wall Street after a pre-trial hearing on March 25, 2024 in New York City. Judge Juan Merchan scheduled Trump's criminal trial to begin on April 15, which would make it the first criminal prosecution of a former American president. Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records last year, which prosecutors say was an effort to hide a potential sex scandal, both before and after the 2016 election. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (CC) - Selling a "God Bless the USA Bible" that is marketed with his name, image and likeness, former President Donald Trump recently posted a promotional video for the product on his Truth Social media platform.

The special edition Holy Bible includes the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and the U.S. Constitution.

Trump, who is increasingly embracing Christian themes, insisted that numerous Americans do not understand the nation's foundational documents.

"Many of you have never read them and don't know the liberties and rights you have as Americans, and how you are being threatened to lose those rights," the presumptive Republican 2024 presidential nominee said in the three-minute video.

His sales pitch for the endorsed Bible that retails at $59.99 focused on making America Christian again.

"Religion and Christianity are the biggest things missing from this country ... we have to bring them back fast," Trump said in the video. "It's one of the biggest problems we have. That's why our country is going haywire."

He announced a partnership in the Bible offering with country music artist Lee Greenwood, who in 1984 released the song titled "God Bless the USA": also known as "Proud to Be an American."

The Bible edition includes Greenwood’s handwritten song chorus.

"GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign," the sales website declares.

Trump's name, likeness and image were acquired "under paid license from CIC Ventures LLC."

He is listed in a 2023 financial statement as the company's manager, president, secretary and treasurer.

Team Trump includes Paula White, an alleged "Prosperity Gospel" preacher who calls Dallas-based Bishop T.D. Jakes her mentor.

Conservatives and liberals alike, including political analyst Charlie Sykes and Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota, portrayed the product as a scheme launched to make money during what some people call "Holy Week."

"Happy Holy Week! Let's make America pray again," Trump said in the promotional video. "As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless The USA Bible."

He also denied that the proceeds were going to his campaign.

Trump's wealth increased by billions of dollars from a stock windfall the day before his promotional video was released.

The debut of stock trading on the Nasdaq exchange for Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT), Truth Social's parent company, was so frenzied that it had to be halted for a short respite.

Trump, a proven expert entrepreneur in the private sector is currently facing legal fees and a presidential campaign that could cost him millions of dollars.

He has both successfully built, and failed, in huge risks and ventures including Mar-A-Lago, some 17 golf courses, a television program, hotels, casinos, a USFL team, sneakers, the Miss Universe pageant and professional championship boxing: the latter in association with Don King Productions.

Trump was glorified in hip hop music songs for years, before being largely disowned after winning the White House in 2016, but the former president now appears to be making a comeback within the culture and community.

The music genre has historically lauded those viewed as being oppressed, marginalized or persecuted by the elite political establishment, including former President Bill Clinton during his impeachment proceedings in 1998.

A senior adviser for the Lincoln Project, a controversial Republican Political Action Committee that is opposed to Trump, Tara Setmayer cited Scripture to label Trump as a blasphemous false prophet.

"There’s NOTHING 'holy' about selling Bibles 'endorsed by Trump.' More blasphemous grift," Setmayer posted.

"Beware: 'For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.' Matthew 24:24," she wrote.

Trump did not claim to be either Jesus Christ or a prophet in the promotional video.

Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, also disapproved of Trump's endorsement of a Bible.

"The Bible does not need Trump's endorsement, Warnock told CNN's Dana Bash on Easter Sunday.

Warnock referenced the Bible's description of Jesus ridding the Temple of the money changers. The senator also labeled Trump's venture into Scripture sales "sad" and expected.

"If he's not selling us steaks he's selling us a school ... whose degree is not worth the paper that it's written on ... he's trying to sell the Scripture," Warnock said.

Ebenezer Baptist Church is the historic and spiritual home of the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"At the end of the day I think he's trying to sell the American people a bill of goods. And that worked in 2016, although he did not win the popular vote even in 2016. It did not work in 2020. I don't think it's going to work in 2024," Warnock declared.

The Bible that Trump endorses is a leather-bound, large-print King James Version: an Early Modern English translation from its original Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic languages.

The KJV was commissioned by King James VI for the Church of England in 1604 and published in 1611.

Many other translations of the Bible are in widespread distribution. The "Good Book" has been the world's top-selling book, by far, for generations. Estimated copies sold surpass 20 million in the U.S. each year.

"All Americans need a Bible in their home and I have many. It's my favorite book. It's a lot of people's favorite book," the former president said during the sales pitch.

"I'm proud to endorse and encourage you to get this Bible. We must make America pray again," Trump said.

He urged people to stand with him and the "legions of Americans asking God to bless our great nation, to bring our great nation back and to make America great again."

When asked about the idea that America should be a Christian nation and Trump's apparent "growing embrace on the right of Christian nationalism," Warnock said he believed religion is being used as a tool in the culture wars.

"Well I'm a proud American. I love my country and one of the tenets of my country that I love is separation of church and state ... Donald Trump is doing what he's always done. This time it's a risky bet."

Trump, a resort and casino mogul appears to be betting on God, his political opponents and critics might say.

"We have to protect content that is pro-God. We love God and we have to protect anything that is pro-God,” said Trump in the video.

He was infamously banned from several social media platforms before launching Truth Social.

"We cannot allow the media or left-wing groups to silence, censor or discriminate against us," he added.

The Christian Commander wants you to comment and tell us what you think about former President Donald J. Trump endorsing the "God Bless the USA Bible."

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Reginald Spann is the nonpartisan senior editor of The Christian Commander. You may contact him through our outlets at Facebook, TruthSocial, X and at the Partnership page at christiancommander.com