Donald Trump has faced backlash after reading a Bible passage, with critics resurfacing past comments about what he considers his favourite verse.
The US president took part in a marathon Bible-reading initiative, sharing a pre-recorded clip of himself delivering a section of scripture from the Old Testament while seated in the Oval Office.
His appearance in the event drew sharp reactions online, as some commentators argued the moment was designed more for optics than faith.
The release of the video follows recent controversy after Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself depicted as Jesus on social media.
He has also been involved in a public dispute with Pope Leo XIV, after the pontiff repeatedly and forcefully criticised Trump over the conflict with Iran.
For his reading, Trump chose 2 Chronicles 7:11-22 — a selection some believe carries political symbolism given its frequent use in debates about religion and American identity.
The passage has long been cited by those who claim the US was established as a Christian nation, despite the country’s founding framework emphasising limits on government involvement in religion.
Those protections are explicitly reflected in the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which is widely understood to enshrine the separation of church and state as a core principle.
Reading the extract from 2 Chronicles 7:11-22, Trump said: “And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said to him, I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Social media users quickly weighed in, with one person posting: “Just another effing TRUMP PUBLICITY STUNT”
Another questioned the sincerity of the moment, writing: “Please tell me where Trump goes to church? Reading the Bible out loud by some random group of people seems like a stunt. It is not a reaction to anything so it is merely propaganda.
“The Bible is not propaganda but Trumps use of it is!”
A third commenter added: “Trump reading the bible what a joke”
Not everyone was critical, however. One supporter argued the appearance mattered, posting: “What a privilege it is to hear the Bible read aloud in the public square. Around the world, many Christians face persecution simply for sharing their faith openly.
“Thank you, President Trump, for boldly reading Scripture. What a moment to witness.”
The episode has also revived discussion of an earlier moment when Trump was asked directly about his favourite Bible verse and offered an answer that many found unexpected.
At the time, he said the Bible ‘means a lot to me’, but declined to identify a specific verse, explaining that he ‘wouldn’t want to get into it because to me that’s very personal’.
The interviewer then followed up by asking whether he preferred the Old Testament or the New Testament.
Trump replied: “Uh, probably equal. I think it’s just an incredible….the whole Bible is an incredible…” before adding that his book The Art of the Deal is his ‘second favourite book of all time’ after the Bible.