President Donald Trump and nearly 500 national figures are lining up for a weeklong public Bible reading in Washington, D.C., pitched as a spiritual warmup act for America's 250th anniversary. The marathon, staged at the Museum of the Bible and streamed online, mixes evangelical pastors, conservative officeholders and a slate of high-profile readers. Organizers describe the gathering as a call to national renewal and civic discipleship, while critics see a bid to blend faith messaging with partisan politics.
Trump’s prerecorded Oval Office reading
According to a press release from PR Newswire, Trump will appear via prerecorded video from the Oval Office on Tuesday evening, April 21, reading 2 Chronicles 7:11–22. Organizers selected the passage, a staple at conservative prayer events, as a call for repentance and national healing. His segment is slated to be dropped into that night's hour of evening readings.
Where it’s staged and how to watch
The marathon runs April 18–25 at the Museum of the Bible's World Stage Theater in Washington, D.C., with organizers promising a continuous flow of readers for the full week. It is being livestreamed on faith-focused platforms. According to Great American Media, Great American Pure Flix is carrying the live feed nationwide. Seats inside the museum were ticketed, while the livestream is designed to pull in a far larger online audience.
Who’s on the roster
The program features more than 495 readers from government, ministry and media. The lineup includes a video appearance by President Donald J. Trump from the Oval Office, along with onstage or recorded readings from Secretary Marco Rubio, Secretary Pete Hegseth and Speaker Mike Johnson. A number of well-known evangelical leaders are also slated to take the stage, including Paula White‑Cain, along with dozens of pastors, authors and civic leaders. The full slate of readers is posted at America Reads The Bible.
Organizers’ pitch and civic goals
Organizers frame the week as an effort to "ignite revival, inspire discipleship, and unite believers" while nudging participants toward daily Scripture reading as a habit woven into civic life, according to a statement from Christians Engaged. The sponsoring group says its mission is to equip believers to "pray, vote and engage" in public affairs and links the Bible reading to a broader push for faith-based civic involvement during this anniversary year. Their overview of the project and goals is laid out in press materials from Christians Engaged.
Criticism and the political stakes
Critics have zeroed in on the heavily Republican roster, calling the marathon a partisan-flavored effort to fuse a Christian nationalist vision with celebrations of America's 250th. As reported by The Associated Press, historian Jemar Tisby warned, "you cannot quote the Bible while justifying violence, war and exclusion," while scholar Brian Kaylor labeled the lineup "very much a right‑wing MAGA, Christian nationalist effort." The Associated Press also notes that organizers link the readings to a planned "National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving" on May 17, part of the wider America Prays and America 250 program slate.
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