"Over the weekend, thousands of people participated in the "Rededicate 250" national public prayer at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., held as a faith-based "jubilee" to purportedly celebrate the country's upcoming birthday as "One Nation Under God." Despite being widely promoted - and the Interior Department using at least $100 million in taxpayer funds to help hold the event - the jubilee was reportedly sparsely attended, with news agencies' photographs showing many empty seats near the main stage, including when President Donald Trump appeared to speak to the people gathered."
"Trump's appearance was likely a letdown for those who attended. The president did not appear in person, but rather via a three-minute prerecorded video message, showing him reading a passage from the Bible. The recording was from a nationwide reading of the Bible last month, indicating that Trump didn't provide an original message for the jubilee. Instead of attending the event in person, Trump reportedly spent the day golfing."
"Other prominent Trump administration members - including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth - also only appeared through recorded video statements. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), a noted Christian nationalist, did speak in person. Critics questioned the true purpose of the event. While it was billed as a "rededication of our country as One Nation under God" open t"
Thousands participated in “Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving” on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., framed as a faith-based celebration of the country’s upcoming birthday as “One Nation Under God.” The event was widely promoted, including Interior Department spending of at least $100 million in taxpayer funds. Photographs from news agencies showed many empty seats near the main stage, including during the president’s appearance. President Donald Trump did not attend in person and instead delivered a three-minute prerecorded video reading from the Bible, drawn from a nationwide reading the previous month. Trump reportedly spent the day golfing. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also appeared only through recorded statements, while Speaker Mike Johnson spoke in person.
#national-prayer-event #trump-administration #taxpayer-funded-events #religious-nationalism #washington-dc
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