{"id":29525,"date":"2025-10-22T10:30:12","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T14:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/?p=29525"},"modified":"2025-10-22T10:30:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T14:30:12","slug":"eric-trump-says-his-father-saved-god-christian-leaders-push-back-with-scripture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/2025\/10\/eric-trump-says-his-father-saved-god-christian-leaders-push-back-with-scripture","title":{"rendered":"Eric Trump Says His Father ‘Saved God’\u2014Christian Leaders Push Back With Scripture"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Gage Skidmore \/ commons.wikimedia.org<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a recent interview promoting his new book, Eric Trump declared that his father’s administration “saved Christianity” and even “saved God”\u2014a claim that sparked swift responses from pastors, theologians, and Christian commentators across the political spectrum. They warned that conflating political success with divine salvation reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of Christian theology.<\/p>\n

Eric Trump claimed on “The Benny Show” last week: “We’re saving Christianity. We’re saving God. We’re saving the family unit. We’re saving this nation. DEI is out the window\u2026You no longer have Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the national anthem. You no longer have Budweiser going woke as hell.”<\/p>\n

In the same interview, he said, “We have a return of people going to church. We have a return to people valuing their children and valuing society and believing in the white picket fence and what the American dream represents and\u2026American exceptionalism and peace around the world, and that people can coexist with one another without having to pick up arms and destroy each other.”<\/p>\n

He also claimed that “[my father] will go to heaven for all of that.”<\/p>\n

Underlying these comments is a belief that “God absolutely guided this journey.”<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, many Christian commenters took exception to these comments. On X, Ryan James Miller<\/a> said, “I’m very grateful for so many in the current administration that point to Jesus. And I pray that all politicians either are or become Christians, and that all policies are based on Christian principles. And I am even grateful for those in the administration that point to Jesus without (rightly) believing in Him themselves. But to say those things is crazy. Nobody saves God. Nobody saves us but God. This just shows that people like Eric Trump, [while] likely trying to be well meaning, have a long way to go to understand Christ and Christianity!”<\/p>\n

Rich Villodas<\/a>, who pastors New Life Fellowship in Queens, New York City, says, “It’s pretty impressive when an administration saves God. That’s historic.”<\/p>\n

Derwin Gray<\/a>, who pastors Transformation Church in South Carolina, posted on his X account: “God didn’t save us. They saved God. Twilight Zone.<\/p>\n

Lizzie Marbach<\/a>, who worked on Donald Trump’s campaign in 2020, posted: “I audibly gasped when I heard him say this. Look, I understand how a son wants nothing more than to believe their father is going to heaven. I understand he is proud of the work his dad is doing, but for the sake of people’s souls, we must be clear. God does not need saving\u2026The ONLY way to be saved and go to heaven is by trusting the work of Jesus.”<\/p>\n

Samuel Sey<\/a>, a pro-life speaker and blogger, commented: “Don’t be fooled. Some conservatives’ political support for Christianity doesn’t mean they understand it. Donald Trump’s amazing accomplishments are filthy rags. Jesus is his only hope for salvation from God’s wrath.”<\/p>\n

David Closson, director of the Center for Biblical Worldview of the Family Research Council, stated, “Eric Trump’s comments, I think, fail to appreciate that Christianity predates the Trump administration. Christianity, of course, does not need saving.” While praising the Trump administration for prioritizing issues that social conservatives view as important, he added that “Christians shouldn’t be looking to any administration for what only God Himself can do.”<\/p>\n

Finally, Closson noted that “Christians look to God; they look to His Word for direction. We fundamentally don’t want to put trust into the Trump administration in a way that would be misplaced or inappropriate.”<\/p>\n

It’s important to note that many of the responses to Eric Trump’s comments come from people who agree with many of the Trump administration’s policies. The Family Research Council was founded by Dr. James Dobson and Tony Perkins, among others. Pointing out the fallacy of Eric Trump’s comments is not a political issue; it’s a matter of theological truth, and it should cover the entire spectrum of Biblical Christianity.<\/p>\n

Some of Eric Trump’s examples help demonstrate the disconnect between Christian theology and MAGA politics. For example, the claim that “DEI is out the window” furthers no biblical or Christian theological principle. Scripture calls God’s people to care for those who are less fortunate.<\/p>\n

Second, while the Bible directs us to submit to the ruling authorities, that does not mean that kneeling for the national anthem is inherently unchristian. In fact, the Bible teaches that Christians are to seek God’s kingdom first, not the kingdoms of this world. And while not all Christians agree on drinking alcohol, it’s hard to imagine that “no longer [having] Budweiser going woke as hell” is a priority for God’s kingdom.<\/p>\n

However, there is a deeper level of misunderstanding of Christianity inherent in Eric Trump’s remarks, as well as his father’s remarks about “getting into heaven.”<\/p>\n

The fact that God may use someone does not mean that person \u2013 or nation \u2013 is approved by God. In the Old Testament, God used pagan nations like Assyria and Babylon to further His purposes, while foretelling their ultimate destruction for their own disobedience. God can use people and nations to further His purposes without their knowledge or their willing submission to Him.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the New Testament makes it clear that salvation is not through any works or human effort; it is through God’s grace alone. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith \u2013 and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God \u2013 not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:8-10<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Jesus made it clear that obedience does not earn God’s favor, but rather demonstrates the reality of our love for Him.<\/p>\n

“If you love Me, keep My commands” (John 14:15<\/a>).<\/p>\n

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” (Matthew 7:21-23<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36<\/a>). His kingdom is not about earthly power or authority or accomplishments.<\/p>\n

It’s not about Budweiser or DEI or white picket fences and the “American dream.” Being part of God’s kingdom requires surrender to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. And His kingdom and His Church don’t need anyone to save them!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a recent interview promoting his new book, Eric Trump declared that his father’s administration “saved Christianity” and even “saved God”\u2014a claim that sparked swift responses from pastors, theologians, and Christian commentators across the political spectrum. They warned that conflating political success with divine salvation reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of Christian theology. Eric Trump claimed…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":29534,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nEric Trump Says His Father 'Saved God'\u2014Christian Leaders Push Back With Scripture<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Eric Trump\u2019s claim that his father \u201csaved Christianity\u201d sparks backlash from pastors who remind: only God saves, not politics.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/2025\/10\/eric-trump-says-his-father-saved-god-christian-leaders-push-back-with-scripture\" \/>\n<meta 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