(CP) Former President Donald Trump promoted a new leather-bound "God Bless the USA" Bible on Tuesday, and warned his supporters that Christians in the U.S. are "under siege."
In a video statement posted to Truth Social, Trump displayed a version of the Bible that he's promoting with musician Lee Greenwood, whose song "God Bless the USA" often features during Trump's rallies.
Trump noted that the Bible, which is in the King James Version and costs $59.99, also features the founding American documents, which he encouraged every citizen to read.
"You have to have it for your heart and for your soul," Trump said. "Many of you have never read them and don't know the liberties and rights you have as Americans, and how you are being threatened to lose those rights. It's happening all the time. It's a very sad thing that's going on in our country, but we're gonna get it turned around."
Trump went on to claim that "religion and Christianity are the biggest things missing from this country," which he maintained is why the nation finds itself in such turmoil.
"I think it's one of the biggest problems we have," he said. "That's why our country is going haywire. We've lost religion in our country."
He also said that every American should have a Bible in their home, and that he personally owns "many" of them because it's his "favorite book."
"This Bible is a reminder that the biggest thing we have to bring back America and to make America great again is our religion," he said. "Religion is so important, it's so missing, but it's going to come back and it's going to come back strong, just like our country is going to come back strong."
"In the end, we do not answer to bureaucrats in Washington, we answer to God in Heaven," he continued. "Christians are under siege. We must protect content that is pro-God. We love God, and we have to protect anything that is pro-God. We must defend God in the public square and not allow the media or the left-wing groups to silence, censor or discriminate against us."
Trump concluded by claiming the Founding Fathers "did a tremendous thing when they built America on Judeo-Christian values," but that their foundation is "under attack, perhaps as never before." He urged his listeners to purchase the Bible to "help spread our Christian values with others."
A product description of the Bible describes it as an "easy-to-read, large print, and slim design" that "invites you to explore God's Word anywhere, any time."
"This bible [sic] has been designed so that it delivers an easy reading experience in the trusted King James Version translation," the description adds. "This large print Bible will be perfect to take to church, a bible study, work, travel, etc."
In addition to copies of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Pledge of Allegiance, the Bible also contains the handwritten chorus to Greenwood's "God Bless The USA."
Earlier this week, Trump appeared to liken the unfair trial of Jesus to his treatment in his civil fraud case in New York, which has seen him slapped with a $454 million judgment. A New York appeals court ruled Monday that the state will hold off on potentially seizing his assets if he is able to come up with $175 million bond within 10 days.
Posting a supposed message from a supporter that noted the irony of the legal battle he is facing during Holy Week, Trump went on to quote Psalm 109:3-8, which pleads for God's judgment against false accusers.
The apostle Peter applied Psalm 109:8 to Judas Iscariot, according to Acts 1:20.
On June 1, 2020, Trump drew criticism for a controversial photo shoot during which he held up a Bible in front of St. John's Episcopal Church a day after protesters torched and damaged it during height of the riots that roiled Washington, D.C., that summer after George Floyd's death.
Trump was accused of tear gassing protesters in Lafayette Park outside the White House to make way for the photo shoot, though a report from the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of the Interior determined that police had already planned to disperse the crowd before they learned of Trump's plan to walk over to the church.
