By Wonderwall.com Editors
6:00pm PDT, Mar 31, 2024
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Donald Trump is getting a soar on Easter this yr by promoting an America-themed Bible for $59.99. In a video posted on his Reality Social platform on March 26, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee appealed to his supporters’ Christian religion and their wallets as he hawked copies of the “God Bless the USA” Bible, a joint merch effort from Trump and “God Bless the USA” singer Lee Greenwood.
“Joyful Holy Week! Let’s Make America Pray Once more,” Trump captioned his put up. “As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a duplicate of the God Bless the USA Bible.”
The Bible features a King James Model translation, copies of the U.S. Structure, the Invoice of Rights, the Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance, in addition to the refrain of Greenwood’s track. The e-book’s gross sales web site notes it is “the one Bible endorsed by President Trump!”
The effective print additionally says the Bible is just not affiliated with a political marketing campaign. Quite, Trump’s “identify, likeness and picture” are getting used “beneath paid license from CIC Ventures LLC.” Trump is “getting royalties from purchases, in keeping with an individual accustomed to the small print of the enterprise association,” The New York Occasions reported.
Royalties ought to come in useful proper now: The previous president is embroiled in 4 legal circumstances, a number of civil lawsuits and was lately ordered to put up a decreased $175 million bond in his New York civil fraud case.
Trump’s Bible merch sparked a wave of reactions on social media, late-night TV and past.
Hold studying for particulars…
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“It is my favourite e-book,” Donald Trump, who famously botched the pronunciation of two Corinthians whereas talking at Liberty College in 2016, mentioned in his Reality Social put up selling the product.
“I am proud to endorse and encourage you to get this Bible. We should make America pray once more,” he continued. “Faith and Christianity are the most important issues lacking from this nation. And I actually consider that we have to deliver them again and must deliver them again quick. I feel it is one of many largest issues now we have. That is why our nation goes haywire. We have misplaced faith in our nation.”
Members of the net Christian group Trustworthy America had been offended by the previous president’s resolution to promote Bibles “throughout Holy Week prefer it’s only one extra overpriced Trump shoe or steak,” the group’s govt director, Rev. Nathan Empsall, informed Newsweek.
In an e mail, the pastor added, “Seeing the indicted, would-be dictator, promote so-called ‘patriotic’ Bibles does present a parallel to Holy Week, nevertheless it’s not with Jesus.”
Others appeared to agree.
Be part of us for a peek at the most effective reactions from entertainers, politicians and extra…
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“Sure, Donald Trump is now hawking a Bible and it is identical to some other ‘Good Guide,’ besides in the midst of this one, there is a centerfold,” Stephen Colbert joked on “The Late Present.”
“Wow, Mary was a Bethlehem 8. I would not kick her out of the manger for consuming crackers,” he added whereas imitating the previous president.
“This comes as no shock to anybody. Making a revenue is Trump’s faith. As his Jesus famously mentioned, ‘It’s simpler for a camel to undergo the attention of a needle for those who pay me in three straightforward installments of $19.95.’ Name now, disciples are standing by!'” he joked.
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“The final time he was on his knees, he was seeking to choose up a french fry. Please,” Pleasure Behar mentioned on “The View.”
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“Yup, the man who’s about to go on trial for paying hush cash to cowl up an affair with a porn star is sellin’ Bibles. And since it is a Trump Bible, many of the 10 Commandments are blacked out,” Seth Meyers mentioned on “Late Night time.”
Itemizing the opposite Donald Trump-branded merchandise the previous president has lately hawked for a revenue, Meyers requested, “What’s subsequent?” and held up a bathroom plunger.
“I am proud to announce the Trump-approved ‘God Bless the USA’ rest room plunger,'” Meyers mentioned whereas mimicking Trump’s voice. “As you may see, it has a lovely white plastic deal with, it comes with a stable gold backside — it is best to see the underside — you may’t see the underside, however I guarantee you it is there…”
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“Donald Trump promoting bibles is like Marjorie Taylor Greene promoting self-help books,” Dan Quite wrote on X.
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“Joyful Holy Week, Donald. As a substitute of promoting Bibles, it is best to in all probability purchase one. And skim it, together with Exodus 20:14,” Liz Cheney wrote on X, referencing the verse that reads, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
A jury beforehand discovered Donald Trump answerable for sexually abusing author E. Jean Carroll within the ’90s whereas he was married to Marla Maples. In January, he was ordered to pay $83.3 million for defaming Carroll by denying her sexual assault allegations.
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“Of all the instances you wish to hustle utilizing the Bible, why would you do it throughout Holy Week, which is known as a spit within the face of individuals that actually consider within the Bible from a Christian perspective,” Rev. Al Sharpton mentioned on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on March 28.
“I’m wondering what number of ministers or conservative evangelicals that may go to their pulpit tomorrow or on Sunday Easter utilizing the Trump Bible. They should be defrocked if they’d even try to act like that is nothing however what it’s, and that is a hustle,” he added. “For these within the Evangelical group to not come out and say, ‘Wait a minute, throughout Holy Week, that is a step too far,’ makes us surprise the place their dedication actually is.”
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“I like how they made the Bible the precise colour of his pores and skin. … Corinthian leather-based,” Jimmy Fallon joked on “The Tonight Present.”
Imitating the previous president’s video gross sales pitch, he added, “It is my favourite e-book proper after ‘Captain Underpants’ and the Cheesecake Manufacturing facility menu.”
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“Sure, Trump is mashing collectively the Bible and the Structure prefer it’s a Pizza Hut-Taco Bell,” mentioned “The Day by day Present” host Jordan Klepper whereas poking enjoyable at Donald Trump’s “newest very elegant enterprise enterprise” on the present.
“I do know individuals will say that you simply’re not supposed to combine the Bible and the Structure, however what you need to perceive is Trump has by no means learn both of them,” he continued.
“Trump moving into enterprise with God can solely imply one factor: God goes to finish up bankrupt and serving a three-month jail sentence for mendacity beneath oath,” he joked. “I imply, what’s superb about that is that Trump simply made $5 billion on his new inventory. Buddy, you are not imagined to be doing this embarrassing grifter s*** once you’re that wealthy. Simply begin a non-public area firm like a traditional billionaire sociopath.”
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“It is Holy Week, and so I can not say what I want to say,” Sunny Hostin mentioned on “The View.”
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Donald Trump’s Bible gross sales made his onetime White Home Communications Director, Alyssa Farah Griffin, “consider the persecuted … Christians all over the world who threat their lives” to learn the Bible, she mentioned on “The View.”
“And he is utilizing it to revenue off of. That tells you all that it’s worthwhile to know concerning the man,” she added.
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“It is pandering. It comes on the heels of him pondering that he might get the Black vote by selling golden sneakers,” co-host Sarah Haines mentioned on “The View.”
“I can not assist however consider Tim Alberta, the creator who was right here when he talked about, ‘You’ll be able to both select a powerful man who has a sword or you may stroll within the path of Jesus,'” she continued.
“You’ll be able to maintain a Bible, you may quote ‘two Corinthians,’ you may keep away from the ten Commandments as a result of they don’t apply to you — thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not be an adulterer… thou shalt not steal — you are able to do all these issues. However you don’t stroll within the path of Jesus … He’s not an instance of what I am taught in church,” she added.
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“Trump Is Now Hawking ‘God Bless The USA’-Themed Bibles To His Supporters,” George Takei wrote on X. “And The Grift Is Actual.”
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“Effectively, a minimum of he is holding it proper aspect up? I assume?” mentioned “Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski on MSNBC. She was referring to a controversial 2020 picture op the previous president appeared to have staged wherein he posed whereas holding a Bible the other way up for cameras exterior a church amid protests over George Floyd’s demise by the hands of police.
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“There’s NOTHING ‘holy’ about promoting Bibles ‘endorsed by Trump.’ Extra blasphemous grift,” Tara Setmayer, a conservative political scholar and Senior Advisor to the Lincoln Venture, wrote on X.
“Beware: ‘For there shall come up false Christs, and false prophets, and shall present nice indicators and wonders; insomuch that, if it had been doable, they shall deceive the very elect.’ Matthew 24:24.”
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“I feel the factor you can’t take your eyes off of is that he is commodifying the Bible throughout Holy Week, that he is promoting it for $60, and this cash would possibly go to pay among the authorized charges for his relationship with a porn star that he paid off. , allow us to pray right here,” mentioned commentator Charlie Sykes on “Morning Joe.”
“I imply, the cynicism right here is just not a brand new story, however can I simply remind those that Donald Trump has been requested previously, ‘What’s your favourite verse of the Bible?’ and he has no thought. He talks about ‘Two Corinthians.’ He is been requested by religion leaders, ‘Do you ever express regret? Do you ever pray?’ and [said] ‘not likely.’ And but, you realize, conservative evangelical Christians have swallowed this,” he continued.
“However that is a lot Donald Trump. I imply, it’s such an artifact of this political second the place this Elmer Gantry grifter … who sells the golden tennis footwear, is now promoting the Bible to Christians at this specific second,” he added.
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“He could be on the market hawking and all he needs, however to me it is only one extra second of hypocrisy,” Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, mentioned on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“I hope individuals step again and have a look at among the issues he is mentioned and accomplished in his life … together with asking a Republican secretary of state to search out extra votes after an election … and have a look at what the educating of the Bible [says] and decide about who they are going to help,” she added.
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The cracks about golden footwear had been digs at Donald Trump’s restricted version gold “By no means Give up Excessive-Tops,” which he offered at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia earlier this yr for $399 a pair.
When Trump’s crew was requested for remark concerning the destructive response to his Bible gross sales, spokesperson Steven Cheung informed Newsweek, “These are By no means Trump idiots affected by a extreme case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.”