House Speaker Mike Johnson Misattributes Prayer to Thomas Jefferson

Johnson recited a prayer he claimed Jefferson delivered daily, but historians confirm no evidence supports this assertion.

Mike Johnson, shortly after being reelected as House Speaker, recited a prayer he attributed to Thomas Jefferson, claiming it was recited daily during Jefferson's presidency.
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation has refuted this claim, stating there is no evidence Jefferson ever wrote or delivered the prayer in question.
The prayer, known as the 'National Prayer for Peace,' first appeared in the 1928 United States Book of Common Prayer and was proposed for inclusion in 1919.
Historians note that Jefferson, an advocate for the separation of church and state, considered religion a private matter and opposed government involvement in religious practices.
Critics, including Rep. Jared Huffman, argue this misattribution aligns with efforts by Christian nationalists to reshape Jefferson’s legacy as a devout Christian.