Donald Trump's new slogan, “Make America Pray Again,” has nothing to do with his politics. The commercial stunt, as announced yesterday by the former US president in a video published on his social media profile Truth, was born from a collaboration with country singer Lee Greenwood to sell copies of the Bible for $59.99 each.
“All Americans need a Bible at home, I have many: it's my favorite book,” Trump said in the video published on Truth. “You should all immediately get a copy of the 'God Bless The USA Bible' and help spread our Christian values,” he added, closing the film with the new slogan “Make America Pray Again”, which takes up the much more famous (and politician) “Make America Great Again”.
Although presented as “the only Bible approved by Trump”, the website that advertises it he claims explicitly that this product “has nothing to do with any political campaign”. Yet, in addition to the commercial gimmick, there is certainly some political, or rather “civic” intent in this initiative, as the promoters underline.
In fact, the “God Bless The USA Bible” not only contains the American version of the King James Bible (the most widespread among the English-speaking Protestant denominations on the continent) and the handwritten refrain of Greenwood's famous song, “God Bless The USA” precisely, but also the texts of the Constitution of the United States, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the Oath of Allegiance to the flag.
Many Americans, the former US president remarked, “do not know the freedoms and rights” they enjoy as US citizens, nor are they aware of “how much and how these are threatened”. “It happens all the time,” Trump noted. “What is happening in our country is a very sad thing, but we will be able to turn the situation around.”
“Religion and Christianity are the biggest things missing from this country”, added the tycoon, according to whom it is precisely the deficiencies in these areas that would have led the USA “to go haywire”. “I really believe we need to relaunch them and do it quickly too. I think that's one of the biggest problems we have,” Trump reiterated.
“Our founding fathers did an extraordinary thing when they built America on Judeo-Christian values. Today, those foundations are under attack, perhaps as never before,” the former president said. “What can be done? Stand up, speak out and pray for God to bless America again.”
According to the ad, the text is “easy to read” and features “large fonts” and a “subtle design,” which “invites you to explore God's Word anywhere, anytime.” In addition to religion, however, it must also be good for the former US president's wallet.
From the initiative's website they specify that “GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not owned, managed or controlled by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization, CIC Ventures LLC nor by any of the entities represented by them or their affiliates.”
However, the same site continues, “GodBlessTheUSABible.com exploits the name, portrait and public image of Donald J. Trump, under a paid license granted by CIC Ventures LLC, which may be demoted or revoked according to the terms provided from the contract”.
This means that the company CIC Ventures LLC, owned by Trump as he himself declared in a financial disclosure from April 2023, collects proceeds from image rights sold to the new initiative. God bless America (and the dollar).