A preacher speaking at a major Christian prayer gathering in Washington, D.C. has claimed that God “raised up” Donald Trump to deliver a controversial new White House ballroom project.
The remarks were made during the “Rededicate 250: National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving” event held on the National Mall to mark the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence. Conservative commentator and preacher Eric Metaxas told attendees that the ballroom project was part of a divine plan.
“It’s hard to believe that it would take two centuries for the Lord to raise up a great man to bring that ballroom finally to stand where it needs to stand,” Metaxas said. “It’s extraordinary, we only had to wait 200 years,” he added.
The proposed ballroom has already faced criticism over its estimated $400 million cost, although Trump has said the project would be funded by private donors rather than taxpayers. While the White House backed the event, Trump himself did not attend, instead travelling to his golf course in Virginia.
Despite skipping the gathering, the president posted messages on his social media platform during the event. “I HOPE EVERYBODY AT REDEDICATE 250 IS HAVING A GOOD TIME,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. In another post, he warned Iran, saying: “For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! President DJT.”
Trump also addressed attendees through a recorded video message in which he recited a passage from 2 Chronicles in the Old Testament referring to God appearing before King Solomon after the construction of the Temple of Israel. The event featured several prominent conservative Christian figures aligned with Trump’s political movement.
Pete Hegseth, who has previously advocated for a Christian nationalist approach to leadership, also appeared via video message. “Let us pray as George Washington did,” Hegseth told attendees. “Let us pray without ceasing. Let us pray for our nation on bended knee.”
Paula White-Cain, who serves as a senior faith adviser to the White House, described the gathering as an effort to reconnect the country with Christianity. “It’s about the history and the foundations of our nation, which was built on Christian values, on the Bible,” she said. “This is really truly rededicating the country to God.”
Thousands of worshippers attended the event, with many seen praying and kneeling on the National Mall throughout the day. The festival came amid renewed scrutiny over Trump’s increasingly religious political messaging during his second term in office.
The president recently sparked backlash after sharing an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus Christ, a move that drew criticism even from some supporters within the MAGA movement. One critic responded online by referencing the biblical Book of Revelation and accusing Trump of portraying himself as a messianic figure.
Trump later claimed the image represented him as a “doctor,” though the explanation did little to calm the controversy. The president has also recently clashed publicly with Pope Leo, accusing the pontiff of “catering to the radical left.”
