President Donald Trump used his remarks at Thursday morning's National Prayer Breakfast to repeatedly question how Americans of faith can support the Democratic Party, a point he returned to several times while outlining what he described as his administration's record defending religion and religious liberty.
Speaking before lawmakers and faith leaders at the Washington Hilton, Trump said Democrats have consistently opposed policies and values important to religious Americans, making it difficult for him to understand their continued support among believers.
"I don't know how a person of faith can vote for a Democrat," Trump said at one point during the speech shown live on Newsmax, drawing applause from the audience.
Trump made similar comments at least three times over the course of his remarks.
Later, he again expressed disbelief that religious voters could back Democrats, saying, "How the hell do you vote for these people?"
He repeated the sentiment again near the end of the speech, adding, "I don't know how you can vote for these people. I really don't."
The president tied his criticism to what he described as Democrat hostility toward religion, pointing to opposition to voter ID laws, restrictions on prayer in public life, and policies he said undermined churches during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump argued that Democrats have tried to marginalize faith while Republicans have worked to restore its role in American society.
Trump promoted his own record, highlighting actions such as rolling back the Johnson Amendment to allow pastors to speak freely, expanding school choice, protecting prayer in public schools, and reinstating service members dismissed over religious objections.
He also cited polling showing overwhelming public support for voter ID laws, including strong backing from Democrat voters, while accusing Democrat leaders of blocking those measures for political reasons.
Trump said the growing divide explains why many religious Americans are shifting toward the GOP, noting increased church attendance and record Bible sales nationwide.
He said churches are "coming back stronger than ever" after what he called years of pressure from the political left.
The National Prayer Breakfast, traditionally a bipartisan event, gave Trump a platform to blend faith, politics, and policy.
While he acknowledged Democrats were present, he suggested their numbers may be shrinking.
"This will be the last year Democrats show up to this event," Trump said, emphasizing his stance that the party is increasingly out of step with Americans of faith.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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