Trump reads from Bible after high-profile clash with pope

US President Donald Trump has participated in an America Reads the Bible event organised by Christian conservatives. Trump read an Old Testament passage that called for national repentance in ancient Israel – words that have been used prominently for decades by those promoting the belief that America has been and should be a Christian nation. The April 21, 2026, event came shortly after the president was involved in a controversy over a since-deleted AI image depicting Trump as a Christ-like figure. Trump also recently clashed with Pope Leo over the Iran war.