When Trump Compares Himself to Jesus, the Moment That Instantly Panicked the White House

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, WASHINGTON—A video from the Easter lunch hosted by US President Donald Trump at the White House caused a stir after it was accidentally uploaded to the White House website and subsequently deleted. The event was private, intended for religious leaders and members of President Trump’s administration, so the video recorded during the event was not meant to be published. According to writer Sarah Baxter, Director of the Mary Colvin Centre for International Reporting, a journalist managed to record the full video that was broadcast on the site. So, what did the US administration fear the public seeing? The video—according to the writer’s article on the British “iPaper” site—showed Trump as he is, unedited, and revealed an unexpected side of the US President’s personality. He delivered a 40-minute speech linking himself to religious and political revival, using Christian symbols like Holy Week to present himself as a leader almost like a god, even directly referring to Jesus, which sparked laughter and comments among the attendees. The event presented the Gospel unfiltered according to Trump. His 40-minute speech was filled with secular jokes, including jabs at President Emmanuel Macron who was still recovering from a “jaw punch” delivered by his wife, Brigitte, but the speech was also religious and specifically discussed Holy Week. Trump was surrounded by Christian leaders who made him feel very comfortable, praising him, praying for him, and lauding him to the skies. Then what did he do? He went further than his usual comparisons to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and referred to Jesus himself. “On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem while the crowd welcomed Him with praise, glorifying Him as king. They call me king now, can you believe it?” said Trump, met with laughter.