Fact Check: How Trump Is Profiting from Endorsement of Bibles Costing $59.99 Each, According to the God Bless the USA Bible Company
Claim:
Months before the 2024 U.S. elections, former U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed and profited from the God Bless the USA Bible company, which sells Bibles for $59.99.
Rating:
On March 26, 2024, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a video on his Truth Social platform his personal endorsement of a special Bible costing $59.99. The book is sold by the God Bless the USA Bible company and is named the "God Bless the USA" Bible.
The company and book are named after recording artist Lee Greenwood's 1984 hit tune of the same name — a patriotic song that traditionally has been played at Trump's campaign rallies. Greenwood also endorsed the same Bible, according to both the Bible company's website and the singer's official website.
"All Americans need a Bible in their home and I have many," Trump said in the video, which was also shared on X. "It's my favorite book. It's a lot of people's favorite book."
"This Bible is a reminder that the biggest thing we have to bring back America and to make America great again is our religion. Religion is so important. It's so missing. But it's going to come back and it's going to come back strong just like our country is going to come back strong."
Happy Holy Week! Let’s Make America Pray Again. As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless The USA Bible. @TheLeeGreenwood https://t.co/1KK5QgVK85 pic.twitter.com/XoCIeGDpAg
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) March 26, 2024
The "God Bless the USA" Bible includes the King James Version translation in large print, along with copies of the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Pledge of Allegiance and handwritten chorus to Greenwood's "God Bless the USA."
Trump's endorsement of the pricey religious text came as he was facing what The Associated Press reported as "a serious money crunch amid mounting legal bills while he fights four criminal indictments along with a series of civil charges."
On X, one user alleged that Trump's act of "hawking $60 Bibles for personal profit" amounted to "mocking Christianity":
Trump, a billionaire, hawking $60 Bibles for personal profit is just straight up mocking Christianity as a product to be commercially exploited.
And yet none of these conservative pundits who pretend to be guided by Christian faith and values has said a thing about it.
??— Peter Henlein (@SwissWatchGuy) March 26, 2024
Former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Republican and fierce opposer of Trump who participated in the House Jan. 6 committee investigating the 2021 Capitol riot, posted, "The fact that Donald is now selling Bibles is proof that he's a false prophet for profit."
The fact that Donald is now selling Bibles is proof that he’s a false prophet for profit.
Pastors beware: you will be held to account for how you led your people. Trump is an abomination to God and our country— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) ???????????? (@AdamKinzinger) March 26, 2024
Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of the progressive network Meidas Touch, also posted a video about Trump's new Bible endorsement, packaging it with clips of other products Trump promoted in past decades.
Here is a montage of Trump pitching some of his various, scams, trinkets, grifts and products over the years, beginning with his new commercial today for Trump Bibles. pic.twitter.com/8VInoLPWAa
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) March 26, 2024
How Is Trump Making Money from the Bibles?
The way Trump is profiting from the Bible company is laid out in the twelfth and final question under the Bible company's website in the "frequently asked questions" section. The Bible company says it is "not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign," then says it uses Trump's name under a paid license from a limited liability company:
Is any of the money from this Bible going to the Donald J. Trump Campaign for President?
No, GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign. GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not owned, managed or controlled by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization, CIC Ventures LLC or any of their respective principals or affiliates.
GodBlessTheUSABible.com uses Donald J. Trump's name, likeness and image under paid license from CIC Ventures LLC, which license may be terminated or revoked according to its terms.
CIC Ventures LLC — the limited liability company mentioned at the end of the answer — is listed in Trump's 2023 financial disclosures with him as its manager, president, secretary and treasurer, as The Washington Post reported. The same company is also listed at the bottom of the website for Trump's sneaker deal he announced in February 2024 and is associated with other products he previously endorsed, the Post also reported.
The New York Times and ABC News both reported Trump was receiving royalties from purchases of the Bibles. The Times cited as its source "a person familiar with the details of the business arrangement."
To confirm these reports and other specifics about the paid licensing deal, Snopes contacted both the Bible company and representatives for Trump by email on March 27. We did not receive a response by the following morning. This story will be updated should any further information come to light.
Sources:
"ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast." YouTube, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_wDQiEluJ4.
Bump, Philip. "Analysis | An All-American Bible — with a Cut of the Sales Going to Trump." Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/26/trump-bible-sales-money/.
Colvin, Jill. "Trump Is Selling 'God Bless the USA' Bibles for $59.99 as He Faces Mounting Legal Bills." The Associated Press, 26 Mar. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/trump-god-bless-usa-bible-greenwood-2713fda3efdfa297d0f024efb1ca3003.
"Donald Trump OGE Public Financial Disclosure Report 2023." DocumentCloud.org, https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23876912-donald-trump-oge-public-financial-disclosure-report-2023-part-1.
God Bless the USA Bible. https://godblesstheusabible.com/.
Gold, Michael, and Maggie Haberman. "Trump's Newest Venture? A $60 Bible." The New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/26/us/politics/trump-bible.html.
Paulson, Dave. "Story Behind the Song: Lee Greenwood's 'God Bless the U.S.A.'" The Tennessean, 27 Aug. 2021, https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/story-behind-the-song/2021/08/27/story-behind-song-lee-greenwoods-god-bless-u-s-a/5575603001/.
Wang, Amy B., and Marianne LeVine. "Trump Has Sold $60 Bibles, $399 Sneakers and More since Leaving Office." Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/27/trump-selling-bibles-sneakers/.
