Spiritual Advisor Paula White Hails Trump’s Victory In ‘War On Christmas’

Image by Getty Images

By Sam Kestenbaum December 27, 2017

Paula White, a celebrity televangelist and spiritual advisor to President Trump, praised the administration for putting “Christ back in Christmas” and “prayer back into the White House” this year.

“Trump just hasn’t put Christ back in Christmas, but he’s also put prayer back into the White House,” White said in a Monday interview on Fox News.

“We don’t have to be afraid of the political correct police anymore. What makes America great is that we were founded on a Judeo-Christian nation,” she said. “He understands it.”

.@Paula_White on @POTUS: “His faith is such an important part of his life. It guides him, it leads him.” pic.twitter.com/eablaUc24W

— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 26, 2017

During his campaign ad into his presidency, Trump repeatedly invoked the so-called War on Christmas — a decades-old trope that stokes fears that there is an ongoing cultural assault on Christianity. This year, the president declared a victory of sorts.

People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again. I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our cherished and beautiful phrase. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 25, 2017

White leads a megachurch in Florida and has been associated with teaching what is known as the Prosperity Gospel. She is the chair of Trump’s evangelical advisory board, has led “laying hands” prayer sessions in the Oval Office and has a penchant for some Jewish garb and ritual.

Email Sam Kestenbaum at kestenbaum@forward.com and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum

Sam Kestenbaum is a contributing editor and former staff writer for the Forward. Before this, he worked for The New York Times and newsrooms in Sana, Ramallah and Beijing. Contact him at kestenbaum@forward.com and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum and on Instagram at @skestenbaum.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO