Thousands of conservative Christians gathered in Washington over the weekend.Image: keystone
In Washington, thousands of believers celebrate the country’s 250th birthday. And claim that the USA is a Christian nation. Why did the president stay away from this major event?
May 19, 2026, 04:53May 19, 2026, 04:53
Renzo Ruf, Washington
Donald Trump had two ways to enjoy his day off on Sunday. The first option: A religious event organized by his government took place virtually on his doorstep, on the National Mall. Thousands of Christians celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in the beautiful park in the middle of the American capital. And in doing so they consciously blurred the line between religion and state.
Option two: golf.
Trump chose option two. He spent more than three hours on his golf course, which is located in the Washington metropolitan area. On Saturday he had already paid a longer visit to his club in the state of Virginia and also played some sports.
Golf lover: Donald Trump spends a lot of time playing his favorite sport.Image: keystone
Of course there were good reasons for this decision. The Secret Service will have strongly discouraged the president from appearing in the open air – after all, only three weeks have passed since the last assassination attempt on Trump.
But Trump’s decision to fob off his religious supporters with a video message also shows what a weak political situation the president currently finds himself in. It may be that certain figures in his government are still pushing forward the project of turning the USA into a religious state. Vice President JD Vance comes to mind, describing his long search for stability in his life as a religious revival story. Or Defense Minister Pete Hegseth, who often portrays himself as a modern holy warrior.
But Trump seems to know better. The president has lost faith – 16 months after taking office.
The fundamentalists in the Trump administration: Pete Hegseth and JD Vance.Image: keystone
Perhaps this has to do with the fact that Trump is faced with a mountain of worldly problems. His approval ratings are currently plummeting. Recently, almost half of Americans have said in opinion polls that they “strongly” disapprove of the president’s administration. This suggests that some core Republican voters have now lost trust in Trump. In the 2026 election year, unrest is spreading in the Republican Party.
But Trump was probably never the right ambassador for the project of the super-religious Americans to transform the USA into a bastion of Christianity after 250 years as a denominationally neutral state. The president, as he himself would probably admit, is not a regular churchgoer. In his second term, he attended only one church service — on January 20, 2025, the day of his inauguration.
Trump also doesn’t regularly pick up the Bible, even though he sells a special edition of the Holy Scriptures for $99.99. The video message he sent to believers on the National Mall was therefore recycled. It was the same film he had recorded in April for a Bible event.
The president may like to present himself as a religious leader on social media – but in everyday life, the almost 80-year-old Trump is much closer to the average American than his Christian supporters would ever admit. Because the secularization of the USA is progressing rapidly. Less than 50 percent of the 342 million Americans now say religion plays an important role in their lives. And according to surveys, almost 30 percent no longer belong to a religious community.
Loud, but the longer, the more in the minority: participants in the celebration in Washington.Image: keystone
By the way, how small the evangelical minority is that wants to make America a religious state was also shown on Sunday. The National Mall in Washington would accommodate several hundred thousand people. An estimated 1.8 million people attended President Obama’s inauguration in January 2009.
On Sunday, however, there were at most tens of thousands of believers who gathered in front of a large stage to pray together for hours. And even this estimate is probably an exaggeration. In any case, press photos showed empty chairs when Trump’s video message was played.
It’s possible there will be more people on the National Mall next month when Trump’s administration organizes a series of martial arts events to mark America’s 250th birthday. Trump has already announced that he will not miss this event. (aargauerzeitung.ch)