The Conversation (0)
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders attributed Donald Trump’s presidency to God. With a capital ‘G’.
She believes He wanted Donald Trump to be president, which is why he won the 2016 presidential election.
Appearing on the Christian Broadcasting Network, she told David Brody and Jennifer Wishon:
I think God calls all of us to fill different roles at different times and I think that he wanted Donald Trump to become president, and that's why he's there.
I think he has done a tremendous job in supporting a lot of the things that people of faith really care about.
And people have, uh, thoughts.
First there’s the pick-and-choosing nature of her statement.
Sarah Sanders on CBN: "[God] wanted Donald Trump to become president, and thats why he's there." So did God want… https://t.co/6nTv5mShhA— David Corn (@David Corn) 1548882343
God also missed the Holocaust but wanted to make sure @realDonaldTrump cheated on his wife after she gave birth. https://t.co/hsSfN5TK7I— Bradley Whitford (@Bradley Whitford) 1548904239
Then there's Donald Trump's past comments about women, Mexicans, his 'inhumane' immigration policy...
Hey @PressSec...do ya think "God" also wanted #Trump to be a pathologically-lying, sexually-abusive, foul-mouthed,… https://t.co/bgqGydJQta— Andy Ostroy (@Andy Ostroy) 1548886365
Dear @PressSec Sarah Sanders: I see that you now also speak for God. Here's a tip. If you open your heart and eyes,… https://t.co/5Ldg75ieD7— Ted Lieu (@Ted Lieu) 1548898377
Others brought Russian president Vladimir Putin into the conversation.
I know Vladimir Putin has a lot of power and influence, but calling him God is a bit too much, Sarah Sanders 🤷🏽♂️ https://t.co/w0fVdn3PVc— Mozes Salvatore (@Mozes Salvatore) 1548895638
Egyptian women's rights activist criticised the mixing of religion and politics.
The white Christian Brotherhood of the USA. We had Muslim Brotherhood in #Egypt - and the GOP Islamophobes love to… https://t.co/J1rzYHncDi— Mona Eltahawy (@Mona Eltahawy) 1548910605
Mostly, people called her comments hypocritical.
@PressSec You claim “god” wanted trump in office?? What the hell is wrong with you people! Keep your messed up, hyp… https://t.co/oq3XMBdqiM— SJN (@SJN) 1548937926
Democratic strategist Maria Cardona condemned her comments, calling it "hypocritical".
"Wow," she told CNN. "If He [God] did [want Trump to be president] it’s because he wanted to punish us for taking our democracy for granted and for not ensuring every person went out there to vote, and this is what we got.
Look, I listened to the whole excerpt of the interview and one huge word jumped out at me: Hypocrisy.
There was so much hypocrisy in what Sarah Sanders talked about and the bottom line is that I can’t imagine that God would put or would want somebody to be the commander-in-chief, the leader of the free world, somebody who doesn’t understand the word truth. The word honesty. The word humility. The word integrity. The word honour. The word forgiveness.
Defending Sanders, Scott Jennings, who served as political director for President Bush's 2000 Kentucky campaign, said:
None of us can know God’s plan and we all try to live up to what the Bible teaches us to do.
Top 100
