President Trump celebrated both Passover and Easter in his weekly address on Friday.
Capping a week in which the White House was again mired in controversy concerning the Jewish faith — press secretary Sean Spicer’s gaffe when he said Nazi leader Adolf Hitler never used chemical weapons like the Assad regime in Syria — Trump praised the Jewish people as being an “incredible people” who have “raised up the face of humankind” after repeated persecutions.
The state of Israel, Trump added, “stands as a monument to their faith and endurance.”
Passover, a holiday which celebrates the Jewish people’s liberation from slavery in Egypt as told in the Old Testament, began Monday evening and lasts eight days. Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, converted to Judaism before marrying Jared Kushner. The couple is reportedly observing the holiday in Canada this week.
Trump also noted the coming of Easter on Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Trump himself is celebrating the holiday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida this weekend.
“America is a nation of believers. As families gather in houses of worship across the nation, we are grateful for the tremendous blessings of this land: our home,” Trump said.
Condemning last weekend’s terror attacks, explosions at two churches in Egypt, which killed dozens, Trump declared the threat of terrorism to be one of the gravest threats against religious freedom.
“We condemn this barbaric attack, we mourn for those who lost loved ones, and we pray for the strength and wisdom to achieve a better tomorrow,” Trump said. He said this place would be one where all faiths get along, naming Christians, Jews, Muslims and Hindus specifically.
Trump also delivered a “special message” to struggling Americans who are experienced the “bitter taste of hardship.”
“This White House is fighting for you,” Trump said.
He concluded: “As long as we have faith in each other and trust in God, we will succeed.”
