Trump selling $59.99 Bibles
In a video promoting the new “God Bless the USA Bible,” former President Trump holds up the book, an American flag rippling across its cover, and declares, “Make America pray again.”
Trump has frequently championed unusual merchandise — T-shirts with his mugshot flew off virtual shelves, amassing $7 million in just over a day, according to his campaign. The new Bible, selling for $59,99, pairs Scripture with the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and the Pledge of Allegiance, as well as the lyrics to the popular song “God Bless the USA” by country singer Lee Greenwood, which often plays at Trump rallies and events.
In the promotional video, Trump says the Bible uses the King James Version of the text. Its release comes during Holy Week, a fact Trump noted in a post on Truth Social: “Happy Holy Week! Let’s Make America Pray Again. As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless the USA Bible.”
A website for the Bible states that the item “is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign” and that no proceeds from its sale will go to Trump’s campaign for president. The site notes that this is “the only Bible endorsed by President Trump.”
It didn’t take long for Trump’s promotion to prompt sarcastic and scathing posts on social media.
“So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf — which can be yours for the low, low price of five easy installments of $19.99,” tweeted Russell Moore, editor in chief of Christianity Today, in response to Trump’s video.
The Biden campaign responded with its own fiery note: “It’s classic Donald Trump — a fraud who has spent his life scamming people and his presidency screwing over the middle class and cutting taxes for his rich friends.”
Trump faces a bond of nearly half a billion dollars related to a civil fraud case. On Monday, a New York judge agreed to delay collecting the more than $450 million he owes if he posts bond of $175 million within 10 days.
Last month, Trump promoted $399 “Never Surrender High-Tops” in gold.
In the video posted to Truth Social, Trump said, “All Americans need a Bible in their home and I have many.” He added that it’s his “favorite book,” though in interviews he has appeared famously hazy about its contents. He drew criticism, or at least prompted eyerolling, when during a speech at Liberty University, he referred to II Corinthians as “Two Corinthians” rather than the common “Second Corinthians.”
In one of the memorable images from his administration, Trump in 2020 held a Bible aloft for a photo op outside St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington, where many presidents have attended services. The photo shoot came moments after officers cleared racial justice protesters from the park in front of the church.