What Is Trump’s Religion? A Critical Look at His Faith and Motivations

1. Trump’s Public Religious Claims

Donald Trump has repeatedly identified himself as a Christian, yet his expressions of faith often appear superficial and strategically crafted for public appeal. Unlike past U.S. presidents who spoke of personal spiritual struggles, prayer, and moral reflection, Trump’s references to religion are largely performative—marked by vague statements, a transactional approach to faith, and a focus on personal success rather than spiritual depth.

Trump’s Religious Rhetoric

One of the most telling moments in Trump’s religious rhetoric was his infamous statement that he has never asked God for forgiveness. In a 2015 interview, he remarked:

“I am not sure I have. I just go on and try to do a better job from there. I think if I do something wrong, I just try and make it right. I don’t bring God into that picture.”

This perspective stands in stark contrast to traditional Christian teachings, which emphasize humility, repentance, and the necessity of divine grace. Trump’s unwillingness to acknowledge personal wrongdoing or the need for forgiveness suggests a self-reliant, almost secularized approach to faith—one that aligns more with personal power than with Christian doctrine.

Another revealing moment came when he was asked about his favorite Bible verse. Instead of citing a passage, he evaded the question, saying:

“I wouldn’t want to get into specifics because to me, that’s very personal.”

This reluctance to engage with Scripture contrasts sharply with the way devout Christians typically speak about their faith. While some might argue that faith is a private matter, Trump has frequently used religious language to court evangelical voters—raising the question of whether his claims of Christianity are genuine or politically expedient.

Religious Gestures Without Substance

Throughout his presidency, Trump made several symbolic gestures to signal his Christian allegiance. One of the most striking was the 2020 photo-op in front of St. John’s Church in Washington, D.C., where he held up a Bible after law enforcement forcefully cleared peaceful protesters from the area. When asked whether the Bible he was holding was his own, he simply responded, “It’s a Bible.” This moment was widely criticized as a performative act with little spiritual significance.

His speeches to religious audiences often contained generic references to faith but lacked theological depth. While he frequently claimed that “nobody has done more for Christianity” than him, these assertions were rarely backed by any serious discussion of doctrine or spiritual growth.

Trump’s Relationship with Evangelicals

Despite his personal detachment from traditional Christian teachings, Trump has successfully won the unwavering support of many American evangelical leaders. His promises to defend religious liberty, appoint conservative judges, and oppose policies unpopular with the Christian Right (such as abortion rights) secured his place as a champion of evangelical political interests.

Televangelist Paula White, a leading proponent of the Prosperity Gospel, became his spiritual advisor, reinforcing the narrative that wealth and power are signs of divine blessing. Other high-profile evangelical figures, such as Franklin Graham and Jerry Falwell Jr., have defended Trump’s moral failings by arguing that God uses imperfect people for His purposes—a justification that further blurs the line between faith and political pragmatism.

The Pattern: Faith as a Means to an End

Taken together, Trump’s religious claims follow a clear pattern: faith is less about personal conviction and more about reinforcing his image as a strong leader. His reluctance to engage in theological discussions, his transactional view of morality, and his emphasis on dominance rather than humility suggest that Christianity, for him, is not a guiding force but a useful tool.

Let's take a look now how Trump’s religious rhetoric has been weaponized for political gain, further distancing it from genuine spiritual belief.

2. Religion as a Political Tool

Donald Trump’s engagement with religion has been less about personal conviction and more about political strategy. His ability to position himself as the champion of conservative Christianity—despite his history of moral scandals, lack of scriptural knowledge, and transactional approach to faith—speaks to his skill in leveraging religious sentiment for political gain.

Faith as a Loyalty Test

One of Trump’s most effective strategies has been transforming religious identity into a matter of political allegiance. Instead of presenting himself as a devout Christian, he framed support for him as a sign of religious commitment. During his 2020 re-election campaign, he declared:

“If you don’t support me, you’re going to be left with no religion, you’re going to have no anything.”

This rhetoric played on fears among evangelical voters, suggesting that rejecting Trump was equivalent to rejecting Christianity itself. Rather than defending Christian values in principle, he positioned himself as the only force preventing religion’s decline—a tactic that turned faith into a political battlefield.

Performative Christianity

Trump’s religious performances often lacked sincerity but were highly effective in signaling loyalty to his base. Some key moments include:

• Bible Photo-Op (2020). Holding up a Bible in front of St. John’s Church after protesters were forcibly removed. This act, widely criticized as a stunt, was meant to project strength and religious authority rather than personal faith.
• Christmas and “War on Religion” Rhetoric. Trump frequently claimed that under his leadership, people could say “Merry Christmas” again, portraying himself as the defender of Christian tradition against liberal secularism.
• Church Visits. Despite rarely attending church, Trump made strategic appearances, such as his visit to the International Church of Las Vegas in 2020, where he was publicly blessed by charismatic leaders.

These symbolic gestures reinforced his image as a religious leader without requiring him to embody Christian values.

Evangelical Leaders as Political Assets

Trump cultivated close relationships with influential evangelical figures, ensuring their unwavering support despite his personal contradictions. Pastors like Paula White, Franklin Graham, and Robert Jeffress provided him with religious legitimacy, often dismissing his moral failings as irrelevant to God’s plan.

This alliance was mutually beneficial:

• Evangelical leaders gained access to political power and influence over policy decisions.
• Trump secured a loyal voter base willing to overlook his inconsistencies in exchange for conservative judicial appointments and religious freedom protections.

The dynamic resembled less a traditional religious movement and more a transactional agreement—one in which faith was not a guiding principle but a currency for political gain.

Selective Morality and Power Over Principle

One of the clearest signs that Trump used religion as a political tool rather than a personal guide was the way his supporters redefined Christian values to accommodate him. Where previous evangelical leaders emphasized personal morality, forgiveness, and humility, Trump’s version of Christianity was centered on strength, dominance, and winning at all costs.

• Forgiveness and humility were downplayed. Trump’s refusal to admit wrongdoing or seek forgiveness was excused by many as a sign of his strength rather than a contradiction of Christian teaching.
• Enemies were demonized. Instead of preaching love for one’s enemies, Trump encouraged resentment, often portraying his political opponents as threats to Christianity itself.
• Prosperity and power were elevated. His emphasis on wealth, success, and winning resonated with the Prosperity Gospel movement, which equates financial success with divine favor.

This shift marked a departure from traditional Christian ethics, turning faith into a justification for power rather than a call to service.

Religion as a Means to an End

Trump’s use of religion reveals a pragmatic approach: faith was never about personal transformation or theological conviction but about securing political power. His rhetoric made religious identity synonymous with political loyalty, transforming Christianity into a partisan tool rather than a spiritual commitment.

I now propose to consider how Trump’s worldview aligns with the Prosperity Gospel, a belief system that equates wealth and power with divine blessing—and why this framework helps explain his unique brand of religious politics.

3. The Gospel of Wealth: Trump and the Prosperity Theology

Donald Trump’s religious rhetoric and worldview align closely with the Prosperity Gospel, a controversial theological movement that equates material success with divine favor. While mainstream Christianity emphasizes humility, self-sacrifice, and spiritual growth, the Prosperity Gospel promotes the idea that faith leads to wealth, power, and victory over one’s enemies. Given Trump’s obsession with winning, riches, and dominance, it is no surprise that he has found common ground with this movement.

What Is the Prosperity Gospel?

The Prosperity Gospel, also known as the Word of Faith movement, teaches that financial success and physical well-being are signs of God’s blessing. This doctrine is promoted by televangelists such as Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, and Paula White—the latter serving as Trump’s personal spiritual advisor. Key beliefs include:

• Wealth as a sign of God’s favor: The richer you are, the more God has blessed you.
• Faith as a transaction: If you pray hard enough, donate money to the church (often to the preacher), and declare success, God will grant you financial and personal victories.
• Power and influence as proof of righteousness: Winning is a sign of divine selection, while losing or struggling is often attributed to a lack of faith.

This theology conveniently aligns with Trump’s personal ethos. His obsession with wealth, branding himself as a “winner,” and contempt for “losers” mirrors the Prosperity Gospel’s focus on triumph and material success.

Trump’s Prosperity Gospel Mindset

Trump has repeatedly framed his success as proof of his superiority, a notion that resonates with Prosperity Gospel believers. Some key examples of this mindset include:

• “I’m Rich, So I Must Be the Best” – Trump has long used his wealth as evidence of his greatness, often implying that those who struggle financially are at fault for their own failures. This reflects the Prosperity Gospel’s belief that wealth is God’s reward for faith and hard work.
• “I Like People Who Don’t Lose” – His infamous comment about John McCain (“I like people who weren’t captured”) reflects a worldview where success is a moral virtue and failure is a sign of weakness. This aligns with Prosperity teachings that favor winners and dismiss suffering.
• “Only I Can Fix It” – Trump’s frequent assertion that he alone can solve America’s problems echoes the Prosperity Gospel’s emphasis on individual power rather than communal or divine guidance.

Trump’s Evangelical Allies: The Prosperity Preachers

Many of Trump’s most vocal religious supporters come from the Prosperity Gospel movement. His spiritual advisor, Paula White, preaches that financial donations lead to divine blessings—a belief Trump has echoed in his speeches. Other Prosperity preachers, such as Kenneth Copeland and Franklin Graham, have defended Trump’s behavior, arguing that his wealth and power prove he is chosen by God.

One of the most striking examples of this was Paula White’s prayer in 2019, where she declared:

“I hear victory, victory, victory in the corridors of heaven! God has already made his decision, and it is Trump!”

This reflects the idea that power and success are divinely ordained—a belief that Trump has readily embraced.

Christianity vs. the Prosperity Gospel: A Fundamental Contradiction

Traditional Christianity emphasizes humility, service, and spiritual growth, whereas the Prosperity Gospel links faith to material success and power. Christ taught sacrifice, forgiveness, and love for others, while Trump’s vision of religion is centered on strength, victory, and financial prosperity. Instead of a call to humility—pride; instead of serving others—a desire to dominate; instead of forgiveness—revenge. In this value system, wealth is seen as a sign of divine favor, and success justifies any means of achieving it, contradicting the Bible’s warnings about the dangers of worshiping money and power.

The Religion of Power and Wealth

Trump’s alignment with the Prosperity Gospel explains much of his religious appeal. His success-oriented worldview, transactional approach to faith, and rejection of traditional Christian humility fit perfectly within a movement that equates wealth with righteousness.

Now we will explore how Trump’s real devotion—to money and power—shapes his actions and decisions, making it clear that his faith is not in God, but in his own ability to dominate.

4. Trump’s Real Religion: Money and Power

While Donald Trump publicly identifies as a Christian, his actions and rhetoric suggest that his true devotion lies in money and power rather than faith in God. Unlike traditional Christianity, which emphasizes humility, service, and moral accountability, Trump’s worldview is built on dominance, wealth accumulation, and self-promotion. Let's explore how Trump’s behavior reflects a faith not in divine guidance but in the pursuit of power at all costs.

Money as a Measure of Worth

Trump has consistently equated financial success with personal and moral superiority, a belief that aligns more with capitalist materialism than with Christian doctrine. He has frequently boasted about his wealth, portraying it as proof of his greatness.

• “The beauty of me is that I’m very rich.”
• “I have made myself very rich, and I would make this country very rich.”
• “I’m the most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far.”

These statements reveal a fundamental worldview: riches define value, and financial failure is equivalent to moral failure. This is antithetical to Christian teachings, which warn against the dangers of wealth:

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24)

Rather than seeing wealth as a responsibility or a test, Trump views it as a sign of superiority, reinforcing his belief that winners deserve everything and losers deserve nothing.

Power Over Principle: Trump’s Worship of Dominance

Trump’s obsession with winning goes beyond politics—it is the foundation of his belief system. In his view, life is a battle between winners and losers, where strength and aggression are the highest virtues. This philosophy is evident in his public statements:

• “If someone attacks me, I will attack them ten times harder.”
• “Real power is—I don’t even want to use the word—fear.”
• “I like people who weren’t captured.” (referring to John McCain, a war veteran and former prisoner of war)

This zero-sum mentality is the opposite of Christianity’s emphasis on humility, service, and forgiveness. Christ’s teachings call for:

• Turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:39)
• Loving one’s enemies (Luke 6:27)
• Serving others (Mark 10:45)

Trump, however, has openly dismissed these values in favor of retribution, dominance, and self-interest.

Transactional Morality: Loyalty Over Ethics

One of the clearest signs that Trump’s real belief system is power, not faith, is his transactional approach to morality. His view of relationships, politics, and even religion is based on loyalty rather than ethical principles.

• Personal loyalty above all. Trump has repeatedly demanded unconditional loyalty from those around him, punishing those who criticize him. His firing of officials who refused to support false election claims demonstrates that allegiance matters more to him than truth or justice.
• Religious leaders as political tools. Rather than respecting Christian teachings, Trump uses religious figures for validation. His relationship with evangelicals is built on mutual benefit, not shared belief.
• Selective morality. He has dismissed personal wrongdoing—whether his business practices, affairs, or legal troubles—while demanding absolute loyalty from his followers.

This approach is closer to authoritarianism and cult leadership than to genuine religious conviction.

Trump’s Religion vs. Christianity

This stark contrast highlights that Trump’s real religion is not Christianity—it is the pursuit of power, wealth, and control.

Conclusion: The Cult of Trumpism

Trump’s approach to faith is not about belief in God but about belief in himself. His religious rhetoric serves a purpose: to maintain power, control his followers, and justify his pursuit of dominance. His version of Christianity strips away its core values, replacing them with a prosperity-driven, winner-takes-all ideology that aligns more with corporate greed than with spiritual devotion.

Now let's examine how Trump’s religious rhetoric has reshaped American Christianity, turning faith into a political weapon and distorting its core message.

5. The Impact of Trump’s Religious Rhetoric

Donald Trump’s use of religion has not only reshaped his own public image but has also profoundly influenced American Christianity, particularly among evangelicals. By redefining faith in terms of power, wealth, and political dominance, he has contributed to a shift in religious discourse where loyalty to a leader matters more than adherence to spiritual principles. Now we will examine how Trump’s rhetoric has altered religious identity, moral expectations, and the role of Christianity in politics.

Faith as a Political Weapon

One of Trump’s most significant impacts has been his transformation of Christianity into a political identity rather than a moral or spiritual conviction. Under his leadership, religious belief became less about following Christ’s teachings and more about defending a political movement. This shift was evident in several key trends:

• Moral relativism in leadership: Many evangelical leaders who once emphasized personal morality in politics abandoned these concerns when it came to Trump. His multiple affairs, dishonesty, and lack of repentance were excused in the name of political expediency.
• Religious nationalism: Trump’s rhetoric frequently fused Christianity with patriotism, portraying support for him as a defense of the nation’s Christian identity. Statements like “If Biden wins, Christianity will be gone” framed the political struggle as a religious battle.
• The “Persecuted Christian” narrative: Trump repeatedly told his supporters that Christianity was under siege, despite Christians holding significant political and cultural power in the U.S. This fear-based messaging encouraged blind loyalty by convincing believers that opposing Trump meant siding with those who wanted to destroy their faith.

These tactics turned faith into a political litmus test, where support for Trump was equated with religious devotion, and criticism of him was seen as an attack on Christianity itself.

Redefining Christian Morality: Power Over Principles

Trump’s rise among evangelicals marked a departure from traditional Christian ethics. Rather than emphasizing humility, service, and compassion, his version of Christianity rewarded strength, dominance, and loyalty. This shift had several consequences:

• Moral flexibility. Actions that would have once been condemned—lying, insulting others, and seeking revenge—became acceptable as long as they were in service of “winning.”
• Theological distortion. Christian leaders reinterpreted biblical teachings to justify Trump’s behavior, often comparing him to King David or Cyrus the Great, flawed figures whom God used for His purposes.
• Spiritual tribalism. The focus on us vs. them thinking replaced the Christian message of universal love and redemption with a politicized struggle for power.

This redefinition of morality has created a form of Christian identity that is less about faith and more about allegiance to a leader, a phenomenon that some have described as “Trumpism as a new religious movement.”

Christianity in the Image of Trump

As a result of Trump’s influence, a growing segment of American Christianity has come to reflect his values rather than the teachings of Christ:

• Prosperity over sacrifice – Wealth and success are seen as proof of God’s favor, mirroring Trump’s own materialistic outlook.
• Dominance over humility – The idea of turning the other cheek is replaced with fighting enemies aggressively.
• Loyalty over accountability – Supporting Trump is viewed as a moral obligation, while questioning him is equated with betraying Christianity.

This transformation has led to a fracturing within American Christianity, where some believers have rejected this politicized faith, while others have fully embraced a Trump-centered gospel that prioritizes power over principles.

The Consequences of Trump’s Religious Influence

Trump’s manipulation of religious rhetoric has blurred the line between faith and political loyalty, redefining Christianity in ways that serve his interests rather than spiritual truth. His version of religion is one where power is worshipped, wealth is righteousness, and faith is measured by devotion to a political figure rather than to God.

This shift has lasting consequences. It challenges the integrity of religious movements, undermines the ethical foundations of Christian leadership, and promotes a faith that prioritizes control and dominance over compassion and humility.

Conclusion: Trump’s Religion—A Faith in Power, Not in God

Donald Trump’s relationship with religion is not one of deep personal faith, moral reflection, or spiritual growth. Instead, his public religious persona serves a pragmatic function—it reinforces his image, secures political loyalty, and aligns him with the Prosperity Gospel’s worship of wealth and dominance. Throughout his political career, he has strategically wielded Christianity as a tool, turning it into a badge of political identity rather than a spiritual commitment.

A Religion of Power and Wealth

The evidence overwhelmingly suggests that Trump’s real belief system is rooted not in Christianity, but in the pursuit of wealth, dominance, and absolute loyalty. He does not speak of repentance, grace, or humility—hallmarks of genuine Christian faith—but rather of winning, strength, and vengeance. His admiration for money and power places him much closer to a corporate tycoon or an authoritarian leader than to a religious figure guided by faith and conscience.

At the same time, his alignment with Prosperity Gospel preachers like Paula White has helped shape a distorted version of Christianity that prioritizes financial success as a sign of divine favor. This transactional faith—where blessings are measured in dollars and political victories—has reshaped how many American evangelicals understand religion.

The Consequences of Trump’s Religious Rhetoric

Trump’s impact on Christianity has been profound and troubling. He has encouraged a faith built on power rather than principles, leading to:

• Moral relativism: The idea that power justifies any action, even those that contradict Christian teachings.
• Religious nationalism: The fusion of Christian identity with political loyalty, turning faith into a tool for partisan division.
• A rejection of traditional ethics: Values such as humility, forgiveness, and compassion have been replaced with aggression, retribution, and dominance.

This transformation has divided American Christianity, leaving many believers to wrestle with the question: Is Christianity about following Christ’s teachings, or about securing political power?

Can Christianity Reclaim Its True Message?

As the Trump era continues to shape religious and political discourse, the challenge for Christianity is clear: Can it separate itself from the cult of wealth and power that Trump represents? Can religious leaders reclaim the message of humility, justice, and service from the forces that have co-opted it for political gain?

The future of American faith depends on this reckoning. If Christianity becomes permanently tied to political power and material success, it risks losing its moral and spiritual credibility. However, if believers reject the transactional, power-driven version of religion that Trump embodies, they may yet restore the integrity of their faith.

Final Thought

Trump’s true religion is not Christianity—it is Trumpism: a creed where power is worshipped, wealth is righteousness, and loyalty is the highest virtue. Whether this version of faith prevails will determine not just the future of American politics, but the very soul of Christianity itself.