Former reality show host and current President of the United States Donald Trump used his appearance at this morning’s National Prayer Breakfast to denigrate current reality show host and former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger. Trump’s remarks came after he was introduced by producer Mark Burnett, who created “The Celebrity Apprentice” and “The Apprentice.”
President Trump takes a shot at Schwarzenegger and “Celebrity Apprentice” ratings during National Prayer Breakfast https://t.co/VqjolAHLvE
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 2, 2017
In what will likely turn out to be an elaborate set-up for a very special President Vs. Governator WWE showdown broadcast live on FOX, Trump said, “When I ran for president, I had to leave the show. That’s when I knew for sure I was doing it. They hired a big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place, and we know how that turned out. The ratings went right down the tubes. It’s been a total disaster. And Mark will never, ever bet against Trump again, and I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those ratings.”
At the prayer breakfast I attended, President Obama spoke about how the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ changed his life. https://t.co/NfiDfA5S2I
— Rachel Held Evans (@rachelheldevans) February 2, 2017
Schwarzenegger immediately replied, in a written statement and in a video clip:
Arnold Schwarzenegger spokesperson responds to President Trump at National Prayer Breakfast –> pic.twitter.com/VMJlBoDlYE
— Katherine Faulders (@KFaulders) February 2, 2017
The National Prayer Breakfast? pic.twitter.com/KYUqEZbJIE
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) February 2, 2017
It’s worth noting that Trump is still a producer of the very show he’s asking everyone to pray for.
It’s not “Trump insults Arnold at prayer breakfast,” it’s “Trump promotes his business at prayer breakfast.”
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) February 2, 2017
In his other spiritual remarks, Trump assured everyone that “I am praying for you” and not to worry about the “tough” phone calls he’s been having with world leaders. “We’re being taken advantage of by every nation in the world, virtually,” Trump said. “It’s not going to happen anymore.”
Trump also reiterated his campaign promise to “get rid of and totally destroy” the “Johnson amendment,” named for Lyndon B. Johnson (who was a Senator when he introduced it in 1954), which prevents certain tax-exempt organizations like churches from endorsing and opposing political candidates. Destroying this rule, Trump said, “will allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution—I will do that.”
On top of all those unifying and spiritual comments, Trump declared, “Our republic was formed on the basis that freedom is not a gift from government, but that freedom is a gift from God. We are all united by our faith, in our creator, in our firm knowledge that we are all equal in his eyes. We are not just flesh and bone and blood. We are human beings with souls.”
Fact check: No existing scientific evidence indicates that Trump has a soul. But as long as he is asking us to pray for stuff, maybe we should say a quick Hail Mary for legislation that would limit Trump’s options for waging nuclear war.
