Donald Trump’s merchandise ventures aren’t surprising, given his business background. But his shill for the “God Bless the U.S.A. Bible” strikes many as going too far. Critics are both amused and alarmed by Trump’s advertisement, in which he says “religion and Christianity are the biggest things missing from this country.” Even his fellow conservatives took issue. In an MSNBC interview, Charlie Sykes accused Trump of “commodifying the Bible during Holy Week.” Liz Cheney commented on X, “Happy Holy Week, Donald. Instead of selling Bibles, you should probably buy one. And read it, including Exodus 20:14.” (The passage is the commandment “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”) The panel of “The View” was similarly outraged. Former Trump aide Alyssa Farah Griffin, who once called Trump “unfixable,” commented that trying to profit off the Scriptures “tells you all you need to know about the man.”
Others on social media have pointed out the Bible in question isn’t a new product. It was originally released in 2021 by an unknown independent after HarperCollins’ Zondervan imprint backed out of a potential deal. Per Religion Unplugged, they may have been influenced by a petition protesting the book’s Christian nationalism. Meidas Touch reveals many customers have complained of orders that never shipped. Even some of Lee Greenwood’s fans are disappointed. The musician posted a promotion on Instagram, and a follower replied, “Used to love your music, it’s now tainted and never will be played in my home again.”
