Trump Attended National Prayer Breakfast Amid Political Divisions/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump participated in the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, continuing a 70-year Washington tradition of bringing bipartisan lawmakers together for prayer and fellowship. He is also scheduled to speak at a separate private prayer breakfast at a Washington hotel. The event, which split into two separate gatherings in 2023, has long been attended by U.S. presidents, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, who first participated in 1953.
Trump at National Prayer Breakfast: Quick Look
- Trump attended the National Prayer Breakfast at the U.S. Capitol.
- He will also speak at a separate private prayer breakfast at a Washington hotel.
- The annual event dates back to 1953 and has been attended by every U.S. president.
- The breakfast split into two events in 2023, one for lawmakers and another for the public.
- Trump’s past remarks at the event were controversial, including jabs at political rivals.
- This year’s co-chairs are Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS).
Trump to Americans ‘bring God back into our lives’ in National Prayer Breakfast Speech
President Donald Trump participated in the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, marking his return to a bipartisan Washington tradition that has been attended by every U.S. president since Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. Trump is also scheduled to speak at a second prayer breakfast at a Washington hotel, organized separately from the official Capitol Hill event.
“I really believe you can’t be happy without religion, without that belief,” Trump said at the Capitol. “Let’s bring religion back. Let’s bring God back into our lives.”
“I don’t like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong,” Trump said then in his winding speech, in which he also held up two newspapers with banner headlines about his acquittal. “Nor do I like people who say, ‘I pray for you,’ when they know that that’s not so.”
“I feel even stronger,” he continued. “I believed in God, but I feel, I feel much more strongly about it. Something happened.” Speaking later at a separate prayer breakfast sponsored by a private group at a hotel, he remarked, “it was God that saved me.’
He drew laughs at the Capitol event when he expressed gratitude that the episode “didn’t affect my hair.”
The president, who’s a nondenominational Christian, called religious liberty “part of the bedrock of American life” and called for protecting it with “absolute devotion.”
A Divided National Prayer Breakfast
The National Prayer Breakfast has historically been an opportunity for lawmakers to set aside political differences for a morning of prayer, reflection, and unity. However, since 2023, the event has been split into two separate gatherings:
- The official Capitol Hill breakfast, attended by lawmakers and government officials.
- A larger private prayer event at a Washington hotel, which draws thousands of attendees.
The split occurred when lawmakers distanced themselves from the private religious group that had previously organized the larger event, citing concerns over transparency and funding.
This year’s Capitol Hill prayer breakfast was co-chaired by Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), reflecting the event’s bipartisan nature.
Trump’s Controversial History with the Prayer Breakfast
Trump’s participation is notable given his past remarks at the event, which have often made headlines.
- In 2020, Trump criticized Democratic leaders during the final prayer breakfast of his first term, which took place just one day after his Senate acquittal in his first impeachment trial.
- He took aim at then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Mitt Romney, who had referenced his faith in his decision to convict Trump.
- Holding up newspapers with headlines announcing his acquittal, Trump stated:“I don’t like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong.”
While this year’s remarks have yet to be released, Trump’s return to the event signals his continued influence in Washington’s religious and political circles.
Presidential Attendance Over the Years
The National Prayer Breakfast has been a staple of American political life for over seven decades.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first sitting president to attend in 1953.
- Every U.S. president since has spoken at the event.
- In 2023 and 2024, President Joe Biden attended the Capitol Hill event, with his remarks livestreamed to the hotel gathering.
Trump’s Next Speech at Private Prayer Breakfast
Following his participation in the Capitol Hill gathering, Trump is scheduled to deliver a second speech at a private prayer breakfast at 9:15 a.m. ET.
This separate event has traditionally attracted religious leaders, business figures, and political supporters, offering Trump a platform to speak directly to a broader faith-based audience.
As Washington remains deeply divided, Trump’s return to the National Prayer Breakfast is a reminder of how faith and politics continue to intersect in American leadership.
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