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Donald Trump Goes to Heaven!

26 August 2025 Hits:660

I usually avoid commenting on political issues—they can be quite divisive, and I prefer to promote unity where I can. I’ve also intentionally stayed silent about Donald Trump. If his health stays good, he’ll probably remain the US president until early 2029. My comments and opinions won’t influence his actions or the outcome, so I don’t see much point in voicing them too often.

Going to Heaven

However, I would like to discuss something Mr. Trump said last week on Fox News and examine it from a theological perspective. The US President believes that ending the Russian-Ukrainian war is his way to win a Nobel Peace Prize and gain entry to heaven. He said, “I want to try and get to heaven, if possible. I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons.”

In his analysis of the story, The Age North America Correspondent, Michael Coziol wrote, “It speaks to his ambitions and his God complex—now parroted by visiting leaders who feel compelled to say Trump is the only one who can get this done.”

I hope the President can “get this done.” Goodness knows there’s been enough senseless bloodshed and lives lost in this ridiculous conflict over the past three-plus years; if Mr Trump could end the war, all power to him. But all that aside, let’s spend some time exploring his comments about heaven.

Humility?

I realise Donald Trump is well-known for his unconventional way of communicating, and his comments last week are no different. However, I do wonder if there’s a touch of humility in his statement, “I’m not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole.” Was he joking, or is this a fair reflection of how he feels about his chances of getting to heaven?

If I could have a chat with him, I’d ask why he feels he’s not doing well. You’re “hearing” this — from whom? What did they say, and why? What about your life and actions makes you feel you’re “at the bottom of the totem pole”? It’s an interesting idiom that describes having the least importance, rank, or power within an organisation or social hierarchy. Is that how the President feels overall, or just about his inability so far to end this conflict?

Humility, of course, is vital. It involves recognising our inability to save ourselves and understanding our need for God’s mercy and grace.

Working for Heaven

Is heaven something we earn? The apostle Paul thought not. He taught that “salvation was by faith in God’s grace—not by works, so that no one can boast.” James disagreed. He wrote, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?” It’s a rhetorical question, but the implied answer is “No.” James chapter two is all about the Christian’s responsibility to care for society’s most vulnerable—those who are poor and in need of food and clothing. “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds,” exclaims James.

There is no doubt that good works are a vital sign of genuine faith. Salvation is by faith, but authentic faith will be demonstrated through good works that flow from a believer’s life. This should inspire us to actively seek opportunities to demonstrate our faith through our actions, particularly in caring for society’s most vulnerable members.

Judgment Works

While salvation comes through faith, judgment mainly depends on works: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5:10). This judgment involves assessing our actions and their conformity with God’s will. “Each person was judged according to what they had done.” (Rev. 20:13). “People are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Heb. 9:27). **

Judgment means “to call into question.” At the end of time, people’s deeds are examined to determine their worth. In a world that often seems unfair, where some individuals appear to evade punishment for their crimes and wrongdoings, there is a final reckoning where everyone’s accounts are settled and a reprimand is issued. This should reassure us of God’s ultimate justice, even in a world that often feels unjust.

Off to Hell

I know some of the Christians that Donald Trump has surrounded himself with. I used to spend time with them, and I know what they believe and how they think. They are conservative and fundamentalist. They believe in Jesus, heaven, and hell. Unrighteous people who commit adultery—for example—will spend eternity being burned alive but never consumed.

One of the most influential Christians in the President’s orbit is Paula White. Christie and I met Paula and her second husband, Randy, back in the Nineties. They came to Melbourne and spoke at an event that Christie was managing. We then visited them in the US and attended their church, Without Walls International Church.

Earlier this year, Paula White was appointed as Senior Advisor to the White House Office of Faith and Opportunity, a task force dedicated to addressing anti-Christian bias in the US.

I mention Paula because I know she has been credited with guiding Donald Trump on a faith journey to Jesus Christ. She said, “I can absolutely tell you that Mr. Trump has a relationship with God. He is a Christian, he accepts Jesus as his Lord and savior.” I am not judging Donald Trump’s salvation— I am not his judge—but I am surprised that after all the years that he has been discipled by Paula White, he’s still hoping to get to heaven by ending a war. I know Paula White would not believe that is the way of salvation.

Works Again!

Jesus spoke of judgment based on how we treat the world’s most vulnerable—those who are hungry, sick, and poorly clothed; immigrants and prisoners. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Where are the Christian voices around Donald Trump that could share Matthew 25 with him?

President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill targets healthcare and food assistance for some of the poorest people in America. Medicaid services will be cut back, which will leave 16 million more people without insurance by 2034. Those most affected are low-income individuals, people with disabilities, and children—and we know how Jesus feels about kids.

SNAP funding will be cut by $187 billion over the next decade, potentially reducing or removing food aid for about 4 million people, including veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth.

And then there are the cuts to USAID that could result in up to 14 million preventable deaths by 2030, including 5 million children. The cuts will also worsen the lives of countless people in the poorest countries. For example, a US-funded school feeding program for 70,000 children in Timor-Leste is being shut down. ***

Jesus said, “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” That doesn’t sound like someone arriving in heaven to me.

 

** Matthew 12:36–37; 16:27; Romans 2:6; 14:12; 1 Corinthians 3:11–15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 2:23.

*** For more on this, read this article by Rev Tim Costello from Micah Australia.

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