Trump Highlights Military and Faith in National Prayer Breakfast Speech

President Donald Trump humorously remarked during his address at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday that he doesn’t sleep on flights because he is vigilant for potential threats. “I don’t sleep on planes. I don’t like sleeping on planes. You know. I like looking out the window, watching for missiles and enemies, actually,” he said, eliciting laughter from the audience.

The event, which gathers lawmakers, business leaders, and foreign dignitaries from various backgrounds, aims to promote reflection on faith and prayer for the nation. This marks the sixth time that Trump has attended the breakfast since taking office in 2017.

Trump, who is known for avoiding rest on flights aboard Air Force One, shared a lighthearted anecdote about meeting Daniel “Raizin” Caine, now the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, when discussing strategies to defeat ISIS during his first term. Caine had arranged accommodations for Trump to sleep during a 20-hour flight, but Trump declined to continue conversations about military tactics instead.

Trump joked about Caine’s name, saying, “I said, ‘what’s your first name?’ ‘Raizin, sir. They call me Raizin.’ And I say, ‘what the hell kind of a name is that? Right?’” The audience received the story warmly.

During his speech, Trump also praised the strength of the U.S. military, mentioning significant achievements such as capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and targeting Iran’s nuclear capacities. “Two years ago, you couldn’t get anybody to go into the military. They laughed at you and they said they didn’t respect our country. They didn’t respect our president. They thought he was a joke. They thought our country was a joke,” Trump stated, underlining the renewed respect for the American military under his leadership.

Reflecting on trade negotiations, Trump commented, “Other countries laughed at us and took advantage of us with tariffs. And we weren’t allowed to charge, and they were allowed to charge. But we are allowed to charge, and I hope we get that Supreme Court decision because we have taken in hundreds of billions of dollars of money.”

Additionally, Trump spoke about his faith and emphasized his administration’s efforts to defend religious liberty. Recalling the Founding Fathers’ declaration, he noted, “They declared that all of us are made free and equal by the hand of our Creator.” He mentioned that some leaders hesitate to acknowledge divine providence, but reiterated his commitment to affirming the country’s foundational values.