Trump reading Bible verse from Oval Office in marathon event
FILE - President Donald Trump holds up a Bible outside of St John's Episcopal church across Lafayette Park in Washington, D.C. on June 1, 2020. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP / Getty Images)
President Donald Trump is taking part this week in a marathon Bible reading event that reflects on 250 years of the Bible in America.
Here’s what to know about the event and his reading:
‘America Reads the Bible’
Big picture view:
The marathon reading event celebrates 250 years of the Bible in America, and began on Sunday, April 19, and lasts through Saturday, April 25. Readings will take place each day from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
Watch live:
You can register with the organization to receive the livestream link and special event reminders.
By the numbers:
The program will involve nearly 500 readers, according to organizers, and worship music will accompany each hour of the readings in partnership with different ministries and organizations.
Other readers include actors such as Patricia Heaton, Candace Cameron Bure and Dean Cain, and other political figures like Speaker Mike Johnson, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Doug Burgum, Susie Wiles, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Ted Cruz, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Ron DeSantis.
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Trump to read Bible verse
Timeline:
Readings will take place each day beginning at 9 a.m. ET and last through 9 p.m. ET.
The president’s reading is set to take place on Tuesday, April 21, during the 6-7 p.m. ET hour from the Oval Office, according to the event’s organizer.
Passage:
He’s scheduled to read 2 Chronicles 7:11-22.
What they're saying:
Organizer Bunni Pounds, founder and president of Christians Engaged, told FOX News Digital this passage was selected specially for the president as they say it has served as a call to prayer in America for decades.
"I think he’s sending a message that faith matters in this country, and that it’s important not only personally, but for our nation overall," she added.
The White House also issued a statement Friday celebrating the event, saying it invites Americans to "acknowledge our Nation’s extraordinary Biblical foundations and to give thanks for the countless ways in which God has been the sacred source of our unity and national strength."
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President Donald Trump has recently criticized Pope Leo XIV on social media over what appears to be differences related to the ongoing conflict in Iran. "Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy," Trump began in a lengthy post. "I have no fear of the Trump administration," Pope Leo told reporters in response. White House reporter Sophia Cai, co-author of West Wing Playbook at POLITICO, joins LiveNOW's Andy Mac to discuss this story and the latest White House headlines.
Meanwhile:
The reading comes amid a public back-and-forth with Pope Leo XIV and backlash over an AI-generated image that many believe likened the president to Jesus.
The backstory:
Last weekend, Pope Leo hosted a prayer vigil for peace in which he criticized the "delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive."
"Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life," Leo said during the vigil, which was held at St. Peter's Basilica.
The next day, Trump took aim at the pope in a Truth Social post, saying Leo was "weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy."
Then on Monday, Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself that many likened to a depiction of Jesus, which drew widespread criticism. The photo was eventually deleted, and Trump said later that day in a news conference that the image was meant to depict him as a doctor.
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The Source: Information in this article was taken from the America Reads the Bible event schedule, the White House, and from event organizer Bunni Pounds in remarks given exclusively to FOX News Digital. This story was reported from Detroit.