Rev. Franklin Graham encouraged evangelicals on Monday to consider getting the vaccine for COVID-19.
“When Jesus started his ministry, he went about preaching, and he used his power as the Son of God to bring healing to people’s bodies,” Graham said during a Monday appearance on CNN. “And he didn’t do it so they’d have a better life. He did it so they’d put their faith and trust in him as the Son of God. And as a Christian, I think it’s important that we model our ministry after that of Jesus Christ. We want to try to bring healing to people’s bodies, and we can do that through modern medicine.”
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“Vaccines are important,” he added. “I would encourage people to pray about it, consider it.”
A March survey from the Pew Research Center showed that 45% of white evangelicals said they “probably” or “definitely” would not get the vaccine.
Graham insisted it should be a personal decision. He told anchor Wolf Blitzer that he and his wife decided to get the vaccine, noting that he is 68 years old.
“I thank God for the vaccine,” he said earlier in the interview.
The pair also talked about whether President Joe Biden’s team has asked him to do a public service announcement about the vaccine. Graham said that has not happened, but he’d be happy to help.
Graham has been an ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump. He said that he hasn’t spoken to Trump about publicly urging his supporters to get vaccinated but said he might do so that evening.
“There’s no downside for him to do this,” Graham said. “I think it’d be a very easy thing, and I might try to get a hold of him even tonight and say something to him.”
Trump did recommend people get the vaccine earlier this year.
“I would recommend it, and I would recommend it to a lot of people that don’t want to get it. And a lot of those people voted for me, frankly. But, you know, again, we have our freedoms, and we have to live by that, and I agree with that also,” he said in a March interview with Fox News.
Thank you @WolfBlitzer for having me on @CNNSitRoom to talk about the COVID-19 vaccine. pic.twitter.com/3rafLJp0rd
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) May 17, 2021
Graham also made headlines over the weekend for expressing skepticism in regards to Trump’s physical ability to run for president in 2024.
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“I think for him, everything will depend on his health at that time,” Graham told Axios, according to a Sunday report. “If he still has energy and strength like he does. I don’t.”
He added, “You know the guy does not eat well, you know, and it’s amazing the energy that he has.”
