A relaxed President Donald Trump attended the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday morning, calling the gathering “a testament to the power of faith,” but Trump was not above having a little fun.
The president had a lighthearted moment with Senate Chaplain Barry Black, who spoke earlier.
“I don’t know, chaplain, whether or not that’s an appointed position,” Trump said. “Is that an appointed position? I don’t know if you’re Democrat or if you’re Republican, but I’m appointing you for another year.”
“The hell with it,” he added, as the room broke out in laughter — Trump did note that it’s not his appointment to make.
His critics wasted no time pointing out that he used “foul language” at the breakfast.
https://twitter.com/aravosis/status/827185280901844992
Trump also talked about leaving “The Apprentice” to run for president and seized the moment to throw up a prayer for his replacement.
“They hired a big movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger to take my place, and we know how that turned out,” he said. “The ratings went right down the tubes.”
President Trump cracks joke at National Prayer Breakfast: Let’s pray for @Schwarzenegger‘s ‘Apprentice’ ratings https://t.co/UYpqI3w42L pic.twitter.com/73fLPClpnz
— CNN (@CNN) February 2, 2017
After referencing the show’s producer, Mark Burnett, Trump appealed to the heavens above to help Schwarzenegger.
“It’s been a total disaster,” Trump said. “And Mark will never, ever bet against Trump again, and I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those ratings.”
He finished the remark with a chuckle, not that his critics cared to notice.
Showing he too has a sense of humor, Schwarzenegger was quick to respond with a video jab suggesting the men switch jobs.
“Hey Donald, I have a great idea. Why don’t we switch jobs?” the actor said. “You take over TV, because you’re such an expert in ratings, and I take over your job. And then people can finally sleep comfortably again.”
The National Prayer Breakfast? pic.twitter.com/KYUqEZbJIE
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) February 2, 2017
On a more serious note, Trump said his administration “will do everything in its power to defend and protect religious liberty in our land,” according to CNS News.
But the president said “all nations have a moral obligation to speak out against” the “unimaginable violence carried out in the name of religion.”
“All nations have a duty to work together to confront it and to confront it viciously if we have to,” Trump said.
The president also pledged to “get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution.”
The Johnson Amendment prohibits tax-exempt organizations from endorsing and opposing political candidates.
"I Will Always Support Your Church & Defend Your Right to Worship.Always."- @realDonaldTrump
Johnson Amendment🚫
National Prayer Breakfast 🙏 pic.twitter.com/XOiM2XTyMs— Vote Trump Pics 📘 (@VoteTrumpPics) February 2, 2017
More of President Trump’s speech can be watched below:
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The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
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