After a starring role in the sequel to Donald Trump’s return to power, Franklin Graham is mainly missing from the cameras. Or so it seems.
The latest we’ve heard from Graham, he was named to serve on the president’s Religious Liberty Commission, but otherwise he has been absent from public defense of the most unpopular president in modern American history. He’s not been present for most of the photo-ops with evangelical leaders feigning over Trump in the Oval Office, and he’s not been regularly commenting on Trump’s daily outrages.
For years, Graham has worn a Janus-faced mask in his attempt to conflate faith with Trump. He seems to want it both ways.
“For years, Graham has worn a Janus-faced mask in his attempt to conflate faith with Trump.”
Prior to the 2020 election, Graham conducted a “God Loves You Frontera Tour” in cities on the southern border. This was a subtle strategy to support Trump while appearing to be about evangelism.
He then offered the prayer at Trump’s second inaugural. “Mr. President, look what God has done.”
Our Father, today, as President Donald J. Trump takes the oath of office once again, we come to say thank you, O Lord our God. Father, when Donald Trump’s enemies thought he was down and out, you, and you alone, saved his life and raised him up with strength and power by your mighty hand.”
Graham long has been a full-throated supporter of Trump the politician, if not Trump the person. But something strange has happened since inauguration day.
John Fea, executive director of Current, a now closed online journal of commentary and opinion, offered daily updates on “what evangelicals are saying” for the first 18 days after the election. In tweets and posts, the entire gang of MAGA evangelical leaders can be seen crowing like roosters on the top rail of a fence at Old McDonald’ farm, but Graham was not among them.
Lance Wallnau, Paula White, Charlie Kirk, Sean Feucht — all the usual suspects — fill pages of X. Graham? Not so much.
Previously, Graham has worked at keeping Trump at least tangentially connected to Jesus. He has pushed the idea that God had a purpose for Trump’s life when he saved him from an assassination attempt. He has falsely insisted that Trump never lies.
“Previously, Graham has worked at keeping Trump at least tangentially connected to Jesus.”
Graham, who runs an international humanitarian aid ministry, has curiously voiced support for Trump’s elimination of USAID. He has said immigration is not an issue in the Bible. How he avoids Israel’s Exodus and exile along with all the deportations recorded in Scripture is hard to grasp. But he also has expressed some outrage and disappointment at the president’s aggressive stance on immigration and foreign aid. Perhaps Graham’s cash cow, Samaritan’s Purse, is threatened by Trump. As the president becomes more authoritarian and demonstrates less compassion, perhaps Graham needs some distance.
In his most recent public appearance with Trump, Graham was one of the speakers at the White House Easter event. Paula White introduced Graham as “a hero of faith.” The evangelist Graham said, “I think I can speak on behalf of all of us how grateful we are for you, your leadership, and standing tall, standing firm.”
He later added, “There’s been a spiritual drought in this city the last few years and in this house. And so I’m very grateful for the Easter declaration that you put out.”
Graham either ignored or never read Trump’s second Easter message which was an Easter message of revenge not resurrection.
After praying to God that “many people this Easter would turn from their sins and by faith believe on the name of your Son,” Graham introduced Trump to speak.
On May 15, Graham did mention Trump by name in a tweet: “Today, President @realDonaldTrump spoke to our troops at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. What an encouragement to the men and women serving on the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East! He just doesn’t stop — I’ve never seen anyone with so much energy. He is making deals, negotiating peace and security, building relationships, projecting strength, and waving the American flag unapologetically with every step and every stop on this trip. Pray for President Trump to have God’s favor and wisdom as he meets with leaders in this region. Pray for his health and strength — this kind of schedule is grueling. And may God bless and help America as we call on him.”
On May 23, Graham posted back-to-back tweets, one praising Robert Kennedy Jr., Trump’s secretary of health and human services, thanking him for his “concern and work for the health of our children and our nation.” In the other, he praised Trump’s secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, “for not being afraid to stand up for Jesus Christ in the Pentagon.”
And unlike the rest of Trump World, Graham posted a thoughtful note about former President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis, urging all Americans to pray for him.
What’s missing is the kind of partisan vitriol found in Graham’s earlier defenses of Trump’s indefensible behaviors.
But this doesn’t signal a change in direction. While he insists his only purpose is to bring a message of personal salvation, Graham is a deeply committed Trumpian. After the inauguration, for example, Graham claimed Trump didn’t intentionally fail to place his hand on the Bible. Graham said there wasn’t time. That’s like not having the championship trophy for the presentation to the Super Bowl champion.
“While he insists his only purpose is to bring a message of personal salvation, he is a deeply committed Trumpian.”
Offering inaugural prayers was also part of his father’s resume. At the inauguration of Richard Nixon, Billy Graham offered a decidedly religious-political address. TIME labeled the prayer “Billy Graham’s mini-inaugural address.” The editors of Christian Century denounced his “raucous language.”
In One Nation Under God, historian Kevin Kruse documents Graham’s remarks: “Our Father and our God,” he began, “we recognize on this historic occasion that we are ‘a nation under God.’ We thank thee for this torch of faith handed to us by our forefathers.” Graham warned the religious “pillars of our society” had “eroded in an increasingly materialistic and permissive society,” and the nation was “now reaping a whirlwind of crime, division and rebellion.” The departing president Lyndon Johnson winced visibly at these words, but Graham assured the crowd all was not lost. “We recognize, O Lord, that in thy sovereignty thou has permitted Richard Nixon to lead us at this momentous hour of our history.”
Billy Graham’s close relationship with Richard Nixon turned out to be a painful experience. Nixon had offered to appoint Graham as American ambassador to Israel. After Watergate, Graham was severely criticized for his involvement, especially after the revelations in the tapes of Nixon’s antisemitism and Graham’s apparent approval.
Billy’s relationship with Nixon should have weaned Franklin from presidential politics for a lifetime. Instead, he has exceeded his father’s political engagement by aligning himself totally with Trump — in ways seen and unseen.
Franklin Graham demonstrates how evangelicals have morphed easily into a religious-political relationship. He shows how conservative religious and social norms can support and connect with the cult of a popularly elected leader with no obvious Christian values in sight.
There is no question that Franklin Graham is one of the captains of the Trump Boat. Like the disciples of Jesus, evangelical leaders are all in Trump’s boat in stormy weather. They may not, however, be able to row the boat safely to shore. And they can’t abandon ship. Like Peter, these preachers can’t walk on water.
Rodney W. Kennedy is a pastor and writer in New York state. He is the author of 11 books, including his latest, Dancing with Metaphors in the Pulpit.
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