WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — President Donald Trump attended National Prayer Breakfast events on Thursday, announcing that he will create a presidential commission on religious liberty, which he says has been “threatened like never before.”
The president also announced that he will sign an executive order Thursday to appoint Attorney General Pam Bondi as head of a new task force to “eradicate anti-Christian bias.” Trump also said he will create a White House “Faith Office,” which will be led by Pastor Paula White.
During the first prayer breakfast event at the Capitol, Trump focused part of his remarks reflecting on the assassination attempt on his life in July, attributing his survival to divine intervention. “God did that,” he said, recalling how he turned his head to look at his favorite chart, narrowing missing the bullet.
“Honestly, it changed — it changed something in me, I feel,” he said. “I feel even stronger. I believed in God, but I feel much more strongly about it. Something happened.”
The president jokingly added, “It didn’t affect my hair,” drawing laughter from lawmakers. He also joked that the incident brought his son, Donald Trump Jr., closer to God.
Trump also mourned the 67 victims of the American Airlines and Black Hawk helicopter collision, calling for a new air traffic control system.
“As one nation, we take solace in the knowledge that their journey ended not in the cold waters of the Potomac, but in the warm embrace of a loving God,” he said.
This year’s event was co-chaired by Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan.
The National Prayer Breakfast is a Washington tradition that has lasted more than 70 years and brings together bipartisan lawmakers for fellowship.
Trump made headlines at the final prayer breakfast of his first term, which took place the day after he was acquitted by the Senate in his first impeachment trial.
During his previous remarks, Trump criticized Democratic then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who publicly said she prayed for him, and Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, who cited his faith in his decision to vote to convict Trump.
The National Prayer Breakfast was first attended by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in February 1953, and every president since has spoken at the event.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
