What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[Syt]

While my sister fears the imminent Muslim takeover of the US ...

https://apnews.com/article/trump-bible-reading-conservative-christians-evangelicals-453a6a5abdfd757a97b6053b6da1dbed

Trump and other top Republicans will read passages in a marathon Bible event

President Donald Trump and many of his leading Christian supporters and top Republicans are taking part this week in a marathon reading of the Bible in an America 250-themed event billed as encouraging a "return to the spiritual foundation that has shaped our country."

The America Reads the Bible event — with each participant reading a passage aloud — is being livestreamed this week from the Museum of the Bible in Washington and other locations. It is slated to feature a video of Trump on Tuesday evening reading a passage that called for national repentance in ancient Israel — words that have been used prominently for decades by those promoting the belief that America has been and should be a Christian nation.

The Bible is "indelibly woven into our national identity and way of life," Trump said in a statement commemorating the event. The statement cited historical figures such as the Puritan leader John Winthrop as "imploring his fellow Christian settlers to stand as a beacon of faith for all the world to see."

Critics say the event has a highly partisan list of participants and is part of a larger project to connect America's upcoming 250th birthday with a Christian nationalist vision that portrays the nation's founding as essentially Christian, something many historians dispute. White Christians, particularly evangelicals, have been crucial to Trump's electoral base.

The list of participants — which overwhelmingly includes Republican politicians and Christian supporters of Trump — shows it to be "very much a right-wing MAGA, Christian nationalist effort," said Brian Kaylor, author of "The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power," referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" movement.

"If they wanted this to be a unifying American project, there would have been a whole lot more attention to getting political diversity and ideological diversity," added Kaylor, president and editor-in-chief of Word&Way, a progressive site covering faith and politics.

Historian Jemar Tisby, whose books have challenged what he says is enduring Christian complicity in racism, criticized the event on Facebook: "You cannot quote the Bible while justifying violence, war and exclusion."

Bunni Pounds, founder of Christians Engaged, said that reading the Bible alone isn't enough. "Faith without works is dead," she said, adding: "We need the word first to bring faith into our life."

Trump's latest faith-related tensions

The Bible event comes just a week after Trump drew rare criticism from his evangelical supporters for circulating a social media meme in which a white-robed Trump appeared as a Jesus-like healer surrounded by patriotic symbols. Trump removed the image from his Truth Social site while insisting he was depicted as a doctor, not Jesus.

It also comes shortly after Trump's high-profile clash with the U.S.-born Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war.

Other high-ranking officials have been or will be reading biblical passages in person or by video. They include Cabinet officials such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as well as House Speaker Mike Johnson and several other Republican members of Congress. Prominent evangelical supporters of Trump who are participating include evangelist Franklin Graham, pastor Jack Graham and pastor Paula White-Cain, who heads Trump's White House Faith Office.

Pounds said that the organization invited Democratic members of Congress as well as leaders of some denominations that might be considered progressive but that they didn't accept.

Each speaker is taking a turn in the ongoing reading of the 66 books of the Bible as recognized by Protestants. Jews recognize the Hebrew portion of the Bible that Christians call the Old Testament but not the New Testament books centered on Jesus, while Catholics and Orthodox recognize additional books of the Bible that are not included in this reading. The event does include some Catholic representation, including the president of CatholicVote, which endorsed Trump in 2024.

The event involves a comprehensive reading of the entire Bible, from the famous verses ("Let my people go," "The Lord is my shepherd") to the obscure. Passages range from the creation of the world to bloody battles and apocalyptic destruction, from exhortations to love of God, neighbor and the needy to passages telling of Jesus' life, death and resurrection.

Trump will read from 2 Chronicles

The event organizer is Christians Engaged, a nonprofit whose stated mission includes "discipling Americans on biblical worldview and their responsibilities to pray, vote and engage."

Trump's appearance will be from the Oval Office, where he will read from the seventh chapter of 2 Chronicles, set during King Solomon's dedication of the temple in ancient Jerusalem. In it, God promises forgiveness if a future generation rebels then repents: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

The verse has long been quoted at many conservative Christian rallies and political events such as the 2024 Republican National Convention.

Pounds noted that the Chronicles passage has for decades been a major theme at annual National Day of Prayer events and that organizers invited Trump to read from it. "It's a powerful statement that he decided to read that passage," she said.

The Bible-reading marathon comes just weeks before a May 17 event called a "National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise, and Thanksgiving," to be held on the National Mall. It's the climactic event of "America Prays," a project Trump announced last year in conjunction with America 250, calling for prayer for the country and to "rededicate ourselves to one nation under God."

Several of the groups and individuals involved in America Prays are also participating in this week's Bible reading event.

[Valmy]

While my sister fears the imminent Muslim takeover of the US ...

Meanwhile she supports policies and politicians that strengthen the very countries that are responsible for conservative Islam spreading.

[mongers]

He's mistimed this deadline, no opportunity for a TACO Tuesday; may extend the ceasefire for another 6 days so he can fold next Tuesday?

[mongers]

He's mistimed this deadline, no opportunity for a TACO Tuesday; may extend the ceasefire for another 6 days so he can fold next Tuesday?

Trump says he will extend ceasefire with Iran and continue blockade
published at 21:15

Breaking

President Donald Trump says the US will extend the ceasefire with Iran, at the request of Pakistan, and continue the blockade of Iranian ports.

Here is his statement on social media:

Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal. I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.

[Sophie Scholl]

Virginia's redistricting proposal passed. That will (probably) make Virginia go from 6-5 Democrat to 10-1 Democrat for House seats.

You cannot view this attachment.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Hell yeah we passed it 

[Jacob]

What's the story here?

GOP own goal? Heavily Dem state legislature?

[Sophie Scholl]

Trump and Texas opened a can of worms with heavily partisan redistricting.

[DGuller]

Gerrymandering is bad and undemocratic, but unilateral disarmament to fascists is even more so.  I'm also glad to see that usually these moves by Democrats are at least planned as temporary measures, so that this necessary regression would be easier to undo (but hopefully only in response to similar moves from GOP).  From what I gather, Newsom deserves credit for moving this idea to mainstream.

[Valmy]

What's the story here?

GOP own goal? Heavily Dem state legislature?

Trump instructed several red states to redistrict including Texas, to get a bunch new seats so blue states had to retaliate. California and Virginia had statewide referendums on their redistricting with the idea it would only last a short time.

[crazy canuck]

Also, I seemed to remember that the United States Supreme Court blessed this sort of thing not long ago. Massive institutional failure.

[Tonitrus]

The AP story indicates the Virginia Supreme Court might kill this, we'll see.

But agree with the sentiment that while this is a pretty bad gerrymandering (it really is)...necessary while there are so many unlevel playing fields across the country.

[The Minsky Moment]

Trump and Texas opened a can of worms with heavily partisan redistricting.

That's the downside about playing 5D chess all the time.  With all those dimensions, it's hard to think one move ahead.

[crazy canuck]

Looks like the MAGA coalition is breaking apart.

Mr. Carlson, a titan of conservative media who has broken sharply with Mr. Trump over the war with Iran, acknowledged that he was part of the "reason this is happening right now," referring to the conflict.

"It's not enough to say, well, I changed my mind — or like, oh, this is bad, I'm out," Mr. Carlson said in an episode of his podcast released Monday.

"It's a moment to wrestle with our own consciences," Mr. Carlson said on the podcast, speaking with his brother, Buckley, a former speechwriter for Mr. Trump. "We'll be tormented by it for a long time. I will be. And I want to say I'm sorry for misleading people."

[The Minsky Moment]

"It's a moment to wrestle with our own consciences," Mr. Carlson said

I know Tucker's physique is no great shakes (aside from the tanned testicles) but even for him that seems like a pretty easy athletic contest.